a man of meer Leaves but had a root of Knowledge and Grace in him It is with Christians as it is with Trees the more the Tree is rooted in the ground the faster it stands in a storm the more a Christian is rooted in Evangelical Truths the firmer he stands in a time of Persecution Those of the stony ground received the word with joy but fell off in time of perpersecution because they had no root in them selves Math. 13.21 The Heavenly Truth did but lye upon the face of their Hearts and never sunk into them to become a virtual Principle in them The Truth that we would suffer for had not need be a loose Notion but Truth in the hidden parts fastned there as a nail in a sure place sealed up to the heart by the holy spirit ingrafted and innaturalized in the mind that we may not let it go We had need be grounded and setled in the faith as the Apostle speaks Col. 1.23 Grounded as an house upon a sure Foundation and setled as a man sitting fast in a Chair We had need have a good Scripture bottom and be firmly seated in the Truth that we may be capable of suffering for Religion The Scripture tels us that there is but one God one only to be worshipped and served that his glory may not be given to another nor his praise to graven Images that Idols are silver and gold the work of mens hands that they have mouths and speak not eyes and see not ears and hear not noses and smell not hands and handle not feet and walk not that the Makers and Worshippers of them are like unto them as stupid as the senseless Images are that an Idol is nothing a thing of no moment or power at all a meer nothing to be it self made a God or so much as to represent one If such truths as these of which St. Cyprian hath given a great Catalogue in his Exhortation to Martyrdome be intimately radicated in the heart they will strengthen it against Idolatry Magd. Hist Cent. 4. cap. 12. The glorious Martyr Eulalia seemed to be full of them when in her great sufferings she sung that Isis Apollo Venus were nothing and Maximianus the worshipper of them was himself nothing O let us adhere to the holy Truths in the Word these came down from Heaven and like their Original are nothing but pure Truth without any mixture of Error in them these appear to us in the light of the first Truth and lead to the bliss-making Vision of him in Heaven and as we desire to be there let us firmly adhere to them especially to the word of Christs Patience The Truth that must be suffered for at such at time as this to that we must cleave closest because in that will be the greatest stress and trial It is good to be established in all Truth but now it is in a special manner necessary to be well fixed in the Truth that concerns the Pure Religion which runs very low in the Christian World while in the mean while the Idolatrous one is like to be triumphant 2. It must be a right estimating Knowledge that will prepare us for suffering Every Notion of the things of God will not do it he that hath an high notion of them but a low estimation hath but a knowledge falsly so called he knows them not as he ought to know them because he knows them only to know them but not to value them We must so know them as to rate them above a World this is of great moment in order to Suffering A man is capable to suffer or not according as his estimate of Spiritual things is higher or lower When the Martyr Polycarp was urged by the Proconsul to deny Christ Eustb Lio. 4. cap. 15. his answer was A potioribus non esse transeundum ad pejora we must not pass from better things to worse He esteemed Christ better then the World and therefore he suffered for him But if he had esteemed the World better then Christ he had never been a Martyr As the estimation is so is the man We know the Evangelical Truth but if we do not rate it higher then all the World we shall never be able to suffer for it It is indeed in itself a glorious Beam let down from Heaven a pure discovery of the great Salvation that is in Jesus Christ and in that respect incomparably more worth then all the World but if we do not so account it we shall fall from it to embrace the World as being better in our eyes It is very remarkable that when the Emperors Presect allured the great Basil to the Arrian Doctrine Tneod b. 4. cap. 19. as being but a small thing the holy man answered That he would not part with one syllable of Scripture no not to save his life Such an esteem of Truth is of excellent use to make a man adhere to it in an evil day We know the pure worship but if we do not prize it above all earthly things we shall never be able to suffer for it It is in itself a thing exceeding pretious it is the choicest part of life that is spent in it the honor of God is more immediately concerned in it then in other things That noble Convert Galeacius Caracciolus who left all for Christ prized one days Communion with Christ more than all the Gold or Silver in the World And if we can rate it so we shall never turn aside from it to the Idolatrous World nor be carried into sin by the stream of the Time Or say as one going to Mass did Eamus ad communem errorem let us go to the Common Error We know the Glory of Christ is to be promoted but if we do not value it above our own Reputation we shall never suffer reproach for him Moses esteemed the reproach of Christ greater riches then the treasures of Egypt Hebx 11.26 Reproach in itself is a vile thing no way estimable but the reproach of Christ hath an honor in it and outshines all the glories of the World Marsacus a French Souldier being adjudged with others to the Fire and for his Military service not having as others had Thuan Lib. 12. An. 1553. a With put about his neck demands the reason why he might not be permitted to wear such a Chain as his Fellows did and to be made of the same illustrious order as they were of If we have such a Divine Spirit as this is in us we shall count in an high honor to suffer reproach for Christ A right estimation of things is an excellent help to bear sufferings for Religion 3. It must be a tasting or Savouring Knowledge that will prepare us for suffering Treat of Faith cap. 9. It is the taste of God's Word saith Dr. lackson that sweetens sufferings to us and makes us couragious to adventure upon all difficulties that are objected to deter as from entring into the
or Notion but it is an active and lively thing it doth not meerly look to the glory above but puts the Soul into a posture for it Every one that hath in him the hope of so great a thing as the seeing the blessed God is purifieth himself even as he is pure 1 Joh. 3.3 He knows Darkness cannot have communion with Light unclean eyes cannot be opened in so pure a place as Heaven is the earthly heart is too gross to be in the Region of holy Spirits he that drowns himself in Sensual Pleasures is not meet to drink of the pure Rivers that are above Malitious Spirits cannot be capable of dwelling there wher infinite Love opens it self in all its sweetness The false-hearted Hypocrite can never be admitted to see Truth in the Original nor the evil man to drink Goodness at the Fountain-head He therefore that hath a right hope of being with God in Heaven will purifie himself for such an high estate he will labor to have more of the light of Faith to fit him for that of Vision to have more purity of heart to make him meet to see the holy One to have more of Heaven in his affections to prepare him for that blessed Region to have more spiritual delight here that he may be capable of entring into the joy of his Lord hereafter to have his heart more filled with holy Love that he may be in an apt posture for the rich effusions of Love in Heaven to have more truth and goodness in his heart that he may be the more ready to enjoy the Fountain and Fulness of both I mean the blessed God who is All in All Thus this lively Hope makes a man meet for Heaven and in so doing it makes him meet for those Sufferings that lie in his way thither That Purity which disposes him to enjoy God in Heaven doth also dispose him to suffer for him on Earth and the greater disposition is to Heaven the Center of blessedness the stronger will the motion be to break through all difficulties that are in the passage thereunto Let us therefore get a purilying Hope that we may be fit for the Cross 3. Hope doth not only dispose us for the good things to come but it waits for them unto the end Hope is a waiting grace it makes a Christians life to be a perpetual waiting All the days of my appointed time will I wait till my change come saith Job Chap. 14. Vers 14. Job had many changes but he waited for that great one which should bring him into a state of unchangeaale happiness Whatever holy men are a doing still they are in a waiting posture When Jacob was blessing his Sons he did not for get this but broke out in a Sudden sweet Ejaculation I have waited for thy Salvation O Lord Gen. 49.18 Hope makes Christians to wait for the good things to come at all times but in a Special manner in time of Sufferings St Paul speaking first of the suffering Saints and then of the groaning World Expresseth himself thus We our selves also which have the First-fruits of the Spirit groan within our selves waiting for the Adoption the Redemption of our Body for we are saved by Hope Rom. 8.23 24. Here we may observe the true state and posture of the Saints Afflictions make then groan but the Divine Hope the First-fruits of the Spirit make them wait for a better World in which Adoption and Redemption shall have their compleat perfection A Chrisstian in Afflictions being tormented in this World will wait for a better The Martyr Agatha having her Breasts cruelly cut off for Religion told the persecutor That yet she had two breasts remaining such as he could not touch the one of Faith the other of Hope which afforded her great Comforts in her Torments Faith adheres to the Promise Hope waits for the good things promised both strengthen in a day of Trial It is the very nature of Divine Hope to wait for the good things to come When the Sun of Prosperity Shines it waits in a way of obedience Lord I have hoped for thy salvation and do thy Commandments saith David Psal 119.166 He waited in a way of obedience to Gods Commands And when the storm of Perfecution comes it waits in a way of Patience Hence the Apostle speaks of the patience of hope 1. Thessal 1.3 That hope which in Prosperity waited in a way of Obedience will in Adversity wait in a way of Patience Hope would have the Christian to be always waiting for the upper World but when the Cross comes it presseth upon him more vehemently and will speak after this manner to him what hast thou waited for the great reward in Heaven in Duties and Ordinances and wilt thou not wait for it in Sufferings too Heaven is the same still and Sufferings are not worthy to be compared with it Do but suffer a little and thou shalt be there When the Martyr Ananias in the Persian Persecution seemed to tremble at the approaching Cross Pusices spake thus to him Sozom. L. 2. cap. 10. Paulisper O senex oculos claude nam statim lumen Dei videbis Shut thine eyes a little O old man and immediately thou shalt see the light of God Excellent is that of the Apostle Our light Affliction which is but for a moment worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory while we look not at the things which are seen but at the things which are not seen for the things which are seen are temporal but the things which are not seen are eternal 2. Cor. 4.17 18. Here it is observable Affliction is light and momentary but glory is a weight and eternal there is no proportion between them If by hope we look at the invisible and eternal things this will support our hearts that it is but a little short suffering and we shall be in Heavenly bliss for ever Let us therefore labor after a waiting hope that we may patiently bear the Cross CHAP. X. The Seventh Direction for Suffering is holy Fear not the Fear of man but of God not a diffidential Fear but a fiducial one not a servile Fear but a filial one Holy Fear looks at Sin more then at suffering at Sufferings in Hell more then at those on Earth at Spiritual and Eternal losses more then at Carnal and Temporal THe Seventh Direction is this if we would be in a fit posture for suffering we must get an holy Fear in our hearts The wise Solomon begins his Proverbs with this The fear of the Lord is the beginning or head of Knowledge Prov 1.7 and ends his Ecclesiastes with this That to fear God and keep his Commandments is the whole duty of Man Eccl. 12.13 Other things appertain to the Beast or the Devil but holy Fear is the All of man it makes him a perfect man not only to do Gods Will but to suffer under it In speaking to this I shall first consider
valuation of him it esteems him to be such an one as he is set forth in Scripture To be the only wise God the only Potentate the only One that is good to be all these essentially fontally supereminently He that hath such an estimate of him will be ready to suffer for him To such an one it is folly to learn the only Wise weakness to leave the only Potentate misery to leave the only Good And how can he leave so excellent an Object to such an one it is prudence to adhere to the only Wise strength to adhere to the only Potentate happiness to adhere to the only Good And how can he chuse but adhere to him It was the saying of an Ancient Minut. 〈◊〉 18. Tum dignè Deum aestimamus cum inaestimabilem dicimus then we rightly esteem God when we account him inestimable Estates Bodies Lives may be valued but he is infinitely beyond all estimation All creatures are but as shadows and little drops of being in comparison of him It is a just debt we owe to him to rate him incomparably above all things and in so doing the Soul it self is ennobled and made fit to suffer for him As a man by valuing the World above itself becomes base and brutish and like the Beasts that perish so a man by estimating God above all things becomes heroical and Divine and like the Angels that live altogether upon him Such an one is able to part with life in the Channel to have it in the Fountain to let go all other things to have all in the one All-sufficient God 2. Love to God stands in holy D sires after him it makes the soul pant after him as the heart panteth after the Waterbrooks Duleissimo Deo totus immergi cupit inviscerari Carthus and go out of itself in holy anhelations after union with him Such is the Heavenly property of it that it aspires to be one Spirit with him to have idem Velle and idem Nolle to will as he wills and nill as he nills and when once our Wills are melted into his every thing that comes from him will be welcome to us Though Flesh and Blood may cry out of Suffering as a very hard thing yet Love will say that nothing can be wiser or better then that which our Father orders and laies out for us If desire after God as the supream good once put our Souls into motion we shall follow him not into Ordinances only but into Sufferings also His gratious Presence is in both In Ordinances it is in a good measure but in Sufferings which are the highest Services on Earth it is in a more eminent manner God doth not barely say to his afflicted people I am with thee but I will strengthen thee yea I will help thee yea I will uphold thee with the right hand of my Righteousness Esay 41.10 many words are heaped up together to impart the excellency of his presence with them O let our hearts burn within us with ardent desires after him that we may be able to bear the fiery Trial at its coming 3. Love to God stands in an holy Complacence in him it makes the Soul rest upon him as Noah's Dove did upon the Ark and Center in him as in the supream Good Holy desires end in inward satisfaction David thirsting after God comes to have his soul satisfied as with marrow and fatness Psal 63.5 And Christians that breathe after him come to have sweet spiritual joys and delights tasts of Heaven and drops from the pure rivers of pleasures that are above These are able to sweeten the bitterest sufferings It is said of the Thessalonians that they received the word in much affliction with joy of the holy Ghost 1 Thessal 1.6 The Gospel doth not go alone but Affliction accompanies it neither will affliction go down alone but the joy of the holy Ghost sweetens it The blessed Martyrs have experimentally found these divine joys in their hearts It is said of Alexander the Martyr Magd. hist Cent. 2. Chapt. 12. famous for his Love to God that ne ingemuit he did not so much as fetch a groan in the midst of his Torments and doubtless he had strong consolations within to bear him up in his Sufferings The Martyr Algerius being in prison wrote thus in the dark Dungeon I find a Paradise of Pleasure in a place of sorrow dwells tranquillity in an Infernal Cave I have joy of Soul O how good is the Lord How easy and sweet his yoke Such Heavenly Cordials will bare up Christians in the greatest trials O let us labour to delight our souls in God that we may be able to suffer for him 4. Love to God stands in an holy Benevolence towards him it delivers and surrenders up the whole man to him it wills and endeavors so far as a poor Creature can to an Infinite Creator to bring all service and glory to him Thus the 24. elders fel down before him and cast down their crowns saying Thou art worthy O Lord to receive glory and honour and power Revel 4.10 11. renouncing themselves they referr all that they have and are to him alone This is an excellent preparative to Suffering If we would indeed serve him we must be willing to suffer for him for that is the highest Service that can be done to him on earth If we would indeed glorify him we must be ready to Suffer for him for that is the greatest glory that we can possibly give unto him therein we do practically declare to all the World that God is our All Riches Honours Relations Life it self are as nothing to him O let us labor to surrender up our selves to him in other things that we may not fail to make the greatest surrender of all in Suffering 2. Love to Christ is a preparative to suffering Ignatius whose Motto was Amor meus crucifixus My Love was crucified would suffer any thing for Christ The Martyr Felicitas was so in love with Christ Magd. hist Cent. 2. cap. 12. that she would not only suffer herself but have her seven sons suffer for him also Love to Christ stands in four things each of which will dispose us to suffer for him 1. Love to Christ stands in an high Valuation of him it esteems him altogether pretious Pretious in his Person being Immanuel God and man in one pretious in his atoning sufferings which being by his Deity elevated into a kind of infinity were enough to pay for the sin of a World pretious in his holy words his Mysteries being heights his Commands rectitude his Promises Grace pretious in the rich Treasures of Grace which are in him and everflowing out towards Believers He that thus esteems of him will be ready to suffer for him To leave his atoning sufferings is to run into Hell to leave his words is to run into all Error to leave his Treasures of Grace is to run into Spiritual Poverty And how can we leave
thee He knew that his strength was in God only Oh let us labor to have an humble dependance upon God that when sufferings come we may look and be supported wait and renew strength be nothing in our selves and have all in God So we shall be safe and secure from anxious fears dabitur in horâ support and comfort will come in the time of need CHAP. XII The ninth Direction for Suffering is Active Obedience to the will of God it flows from a good and honest heart it respects Gods will and Glory it makes us to grow up into Christ and to be allied to him it encreases Grace and spiritual strength it obtains the gracious Presence of God and it is the way to Heaven THe ninth Direction is this if we would be in a fit posture for Suffering we must labor after an Active Obedience to the Will of God to do in a right manner as he would have us to do It is a notable saying of the Rabbins Marces praeceptum praecepti one Precept is the reward of another He that rightly observes one Precept shall have in the name of a reward such Grace from God as shall enable him to do another and a more difficult Command It is an excellent thing to enure our selves to the doing of Gods will Obedience is the chain about the Spouses neck Cant. 4.9 one link hangs upon another one piece of Obedience draws on another Active Obedience will prepare us for passive the doing of Gods Will will dispose us for the Suffering of it The Apostle prays for the Colossians first that they might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing being fruitful in every good work and then in the next Verse that they might be strengthned with all might according to his glorious power unto all patience and long suffering with joyfulness Col. 1.10.11 Where we may observe that an holy Life goes before and then suffering Graces follow after There are in Obedience six things observable each of which tend to prepare us for Suffering 1. True Obedience flows from a good and an honest heart nay I may adde it flows from the holy Spirit of God It flows from a good and honest Heart many unprofitable hearers that are but the good and honest Heart brings forth fruit It was an high Character which the Apostle gives to the Romans That they had obeyed from the Heart that form of doctrine which was delivered to them or as it is in the original into which they were delivered Rom. 6.17 The Gospel was not only delivered to them but they were delivered and as it were cast into the mould of it and that was the reason that they obeyed from the heart Nay further Obedience flows from the holy spirit it is a choice Promise in the Covenant I will put my spirit into you and cause you to walk in my statutes Ezek. 36.27 Obedience being a meer supernatural act comes from the holy Spirit as the prime Cause thereof a general Concourse suffices not there must be a peculiar Motion and Impulsion of the Spirit in it which made Gerson say That all spiritual life was founded in miraculo influentiae divinae in the miracle of a Divine Influence We see what are the Principles and Fountains of Active Obedience and the very same will produce Passive too The good and honest heart brings forth fruit with patience Luke 8.15 The words with patience are very remarkable the good and honest heart may meet with Persecutions in the world yet it would blossome and bring forth fruit in the midst thereof The righteous flourishes as the Palm-Tree Psal 92.12 The Palm-Tree is a Symbol of Immortality growing under its burden and the Righteous who hath an Immortal seed in him flourishes under all the pressures of a persecuting World Again the holy Spirit which makes good men do Gods will will enable them to suffer it too St. Paul took pleasure in persecutions because when he was weak then he was strong 2 Cor. 12.10 that is the holy Spirit did strengthen his inward man to bear the Cross The holy Spirit in the Saints is a Well of water springing up to everlasting Life John 4.14 The persesecuting World would fain stop and damme it up but in the midst of all Oppositions it Springs and never leaves springing till the Saints be in Heaven and before they come thither it is as St. Peter speaks a spirit of glory resting upon them 1 Pet. 4.14 it brings down some glimpses of Heaven into their hearts whilst they are suffering for Religion 2. True Obedience hath a pure respect to Gods Will and Glory It hath a pure respect to Gods Will it doth not do the Commands of God upon a by-account as Jehu destroied Ahab's house but it doth them intuitu Voluntatis because it is the will of God it is that which swaies and casts the ballance in a good mans heart and life As in matters of Faith he believes because God hath said it so in matters of Practise he obeys because God hath commanded it Also it hath a pure respect to Gods Glory Mens cujusque id est quisque the man is as his mind is and the mind is as his end is An obedient person will not be a Center to himself nor make God the most excellent Being a medium to any other thing His great design is that God in all things may be glorified His Holiness is but to shine as a beam from the holy one his Mercy is but as a little drop flowing from the Divine Ocean his Obedience is to tell the World that God is supream like his Saviour Christ he seeks not his own glory but his Fathers Such an Obedience as this admirably disposes a man for suffering He that doth some things because they are commanded will take up the Cross too because it is in a peculiar manner commanded in the Gospel The stamp of the Divine Authority is not only found upon the Precepts of Piety and Justice but upon that of Patience too Also he that doth sincerely glorify God in other things will if occasion be glorifie him in pious sufferings Some honour may be done to God in other Duties but in no other thing is there such honour given to him as in bearing the Cross therein a man doth practically declare that he values God above all the World and therefore the Martyrs have as the School-men tell us a greater reward in heaven than others Others have the essential Glory in the Vision of God but for the Martyrs is reserved an Aureola a peculiar Coronet to be added to their Crown of Glory propter victoriam de mundo for their victory over the World 3. True Obedience makes us to grow up into Christ the Head and to be of neer alliance to him It makes us to grow up into Christ the head Eph. 4.15 Obedience being the exercise of all Graces brings us into a neer union with Christ and makes us more and more like to
cent 4. cap. 12. Valeat vita valeant meae facultates Farewel life farewel Estate Take heed that thy poor soul do not hang about Houses and Lands when thou art called forth to suffer for Christ and the pure Religion Further if thou wilt not part with thy worldly honour for Christ thou wilt never fuffer for him An ambitious man will do any thing for advancement he will bow to an Idol that himself may be honoured he lives upon a blast a little popular air and is too vain and light to suffer for Religion cast away therefore the love of Mundane Glory that thou maiest bear the reproach of Christ humble thy self before God that thou maiest be able to suffer for his Truth Count it an honour to suffer shame for Christ be willing to be reproached for him who can give thee the Spirit of glory 3. Mortify the Hypocrisy that is in thy bosom This sin is the art of seeming goodness or vice in a Vizor It is by this that men personate more grace than they have and enlarge their forms of Godliness beyond the power and make a profession much greater than is ever filled up It is from the remnants of this in good men that they sometimes take false steps and Squint at By-ends and start aside from God like a deceitful Bow It is from hence that the Saints now and then faint in their Faith cool in their Love and halt and make stops in their Obedience Watch therefore O Christian against this close evil consider the vileness of it think with thy self how greivous a thing it is to be false to that God who makes all other things true to thee the Sun to give thee true light and the creatures true nourishment the blood to run right in thy veines and the breath in thy nostrils loath and abhorr this abominable thing cry to heaven for more truth in thy inward parts labour to have the very power of Religion that thou maiest fill up thy profession mourn over thy Falls and withering Graces check thy starting heart and charg it to maintain a firm and close adherence to God set thy self all manner of waies to root out and extirpate the remnants of hypocrisy out of thy heart that when thou comest to suffer for Religion thy Heart may not decieve thee Truth in the Heart is necessary in hearing praying repenting believing obeying but above all it is so in suffering for Christ hypocrisy can personate all other graces but usually it stumbles and discovers itself in a day of trial therefore mortify the secret guil that is in thy heart that thou maiest stand fast under the cross 4. Mortify the vain superstition that is in the heart It is natural to us to desire the same thing as the children of Israel did to have Gods to go before us to have visible images or pictures of the deity a pompous and stately worship a gaudy Religion made up of humane additions and inventions and such a way of serving God as is accommodated to sense and framed after the commandments of men every one is ready to think in his false heart what Ticonius said with his lips Aug. Contr. Ep. Parmen Lib. 2. cap. 13. Quod volumus Sanctum est that which we will is holy That which in the worship of God is fine and decent in our eyes is so in Gods too But consider with thy self he that places his Religion in such things as these may chance to fall in Love with that fine Whore which is decked with gold and pretious stones Revel 17.4 He that will have a Religion sutable to Sense will hardly stand to that Religion which hath a Cross annexed to it If the Command of man be the reason of thy Worship thou wilt turn to every Point as that Command doth vary If thou canst nod in Superstition thou hadst need watch lest thou fall into flat Idolatry Remember God is a Spirit the true Worshippers worship in Spirit and truth and the true Worshippers will prove the true sufferers Stand to the pure Worship thou maiest not fall into a corrupt one Worship God in Spirit that thou maiest never fall down to an Idol CHAP. VI. The third Direction for Suffering is the Knowledg of God An ignorant man is not capable of suffering neither will every knowledge serve the turn The Knowledge that prepares for Suffering must be a well-rooted a right estimating a tasting or savouring a practical or operative Knowledge THe third Direction for suffering is this if we would be in a fit posture for suffering we must labour after the knowledge of God and the things of God An ignotant man who is a man in shape but a beast in heart is not a person capable of pious Suffering He knows not the Principles of Religion and for what should he suffer He hath no Principles of Grace in him and how should he suffer He is in darkness and to him Truth or Error one God or more pure Worship or Idolatry are all one he is alienated from the life of God Eph. 4.18 and therefore it is not imaginable that he should dye for God or his Truth For him to suffer for an unknown God or Christ is to suffer for he knows not what As the Samaritans worshipped they knew not what so the ignorant man if he suffer suffers for he knows not what The Athenians had an Altar to the unknown God Acts. 17.23 and possibly they offered up other Creatures to him But for a man to offer up himself as a Sacrifice to an unknown God and to part with all this World when he knows nothing of a better is a very strang unaccountable thing Let us therefore cry after Wisdom and lift up our voice for Understanding Let us seek her as silver and search for her as for hid Treasures as the Wiseman exhorts Prov. 2.3 4. Let our Prayers ascend up to Heaven to bring her down from thence and our Endeavors dig in the Mines of Scripture to fetch her up from thence that so Vnderstanding may keep us as it is Verse 11. Knowledge is a preservative to him that hath it the People that know their God shall be strong Dan. 11.32 The young men who have the word of God abiding in them are strong 1 Joh. 2.14 Vnderstanding is a well-spring of life to him that hath it Prov. 16.22 It streams out in living Graces and strengthens the Inner-man and prepares it for a day of trial only it is to be remembred that every knowledge will not do this but it must be a well-rooted a right estimating a tasting or savouring a practical or operative Knowledge that doth it 1. It must be a well-rooted Knowledge that will prepare us for suffering Job tels his Friends That the root of the matter or as the original will bear the root of the wood was in him Job 19.28 He was sorely afflicted by God and men yet he held fast his integrity because he was not
land of Promise Such speculative conceits of the Food of Life as we may find in the Schoolmen are of as little force to inflame our hearts with longing after that Heavenly Kingdom as Poetical Descriptions of far Countries are to make us undertake their Conquest We must have Knowledge and Sense Phil. 1.9 Theory and Experience too to make us stand in the evil day we must tast and see that the Lord is gracious that we may be able to suffer for him A spiritual relish of the sweet streams of Grace that flow from him is a choice preparative to make us take and drink of the bitter Cup. Gotteschalcus suffered a close imprisonment for twenty years together meerly for preaching up the Doctrine of Grace and it is without question that he had not a meer Notion but an experimental taste of it in his Suffering Many have the Knowledge of Christ in a way of Speculation but we must have the Savour of his Sweet Ointments upon our heart that we may follow him into Suffering We had need feel the sweetness of his blood in the calms of Conscience that we may Shed our own blood for him Let us not content our selves to have Christ only in our Bibles but endeavor to have a proof of him in our Hearts a proof of his sweet-smelling Sacrifice in our inward peace a proof of his rich Anointings in our supplies of Grace The experience of Christ in us is a strong encouragement to suffer for him He that hath a Christ only in Notion will fall off from him but he that hath a tried Christ will hardly leave him 4. It must be a Knowledge practical and operative in the life that will prepare us for suffering A meer notional Knowledge of Christ is not a right one He that saith I know him and keepeth not his commandments is a liar and the truth is not in him 1. Joh. 2.4 Such an one contradicts himself his Conversation gives the lie to his Profession the Truth is not in him in a practical way his Knowledge is but a Flash a vanishing Vapor that gives no vital influence to his life he will not do other Commands much less will he take up the Cross which is a Command more grievous to Sense then others are He that would be prepared for Sufferings must labor for such a knowledge as gives a proof of itself in holy Obedience Doing is a good preparative for suffering he that sincerely doth other Commands will take up his Cross too that being a Command as well as others He that indeed is subject to Gods commanding Will will be subject to his disposing one too which orders the coming of the cross to us It is the active Christian that will if occasion serve be passive Our Saviour Christ doth notably set forth what kind of Christians will stand in time of Persecution and what will fall He that heareth his sayings and doth them builds upon the rock and when the storm comes he stands fast because he is founded upon the Rock Math. 7.24.25 that is he is founded upon Christ by Faith and Ocedience and in the Storm he continues upon him by Patience the Rock bears him up as a part of itself But he that heareth Christs sayings and doth them not builds upon the sand and when the storm comes he fals Vers 26 27. Because he is upon the Sand he hath no true Foundation for his Religion he never did dig deep enough to come to Self-denial and therefore in the Storm his fall is very great he and his Religion utterly perish as when a house is broke up from the very Foundation or a Tree is blown up by the Roots Therefore if we would stand firm and unmovable in a Storm let us labor to have Such a lively and operative Knowledge of Christ as may diffuse itself into an universal Obedience to his precepts He that enures himself to do the Will of God will be ready when the Cross comes to take it up and say This is the Will of God too and must be done To conclude that we may have this excellent Knowledge we must not only read the holy Scriptures but with Zuinglius look up to Heaven for that holy Spirit that is able to lead us into all Truth and to seal it upon our hearts for ever CHAP. VII The fourth direction for Suffering is pretious Faith This hath a triple respect arespect to God his providence Power and Grace Arespect to Christ as a propitiation a Pattern an Head and Helper Arespect to the Promises the Promises of Gods Presence the Promises of Confirmation the Promises of a good Issue THe fourth Direction is this if we would be in a fit posture for Suffering we must labour after a pretious Faith A Dogmatical Faith will not do it the Devil himself who is the Chief Agent in Persecution hath such a Faith neither will a temporary Faith do it this is but a meer blossom that fals off in a storm of Persecution it must be a pretious Faith a Furnace Faith that will endure the fiery Trial This is the Apostles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Shield like a door broad enough to cover the Soul and all its Graces Eph. 6.16 this is to be taken above all other pieces of Spiritual Armor it is eminent among the Graces as the Sun is among the Planets It is the great conquering Grace all other Graces act in conjunction with it In the eleventh Chapter to the Hebrews stiled by some the little Book of Martyrs the Saints are brought in doing and suffering great things but all is ascribed to Faith as the Captain-grace of all the rest the first mover to other Graces It works by Love and not only so but by Meekness Obedience Patience running like blood and Spirits in every part of the New-creature Faith hath a triple respect to God to Christ to the Promises and in each of these it is of singular use in order to sufferings 1. Faith hath a respect to God it makes its approaches to him nay it fixes the the Soul in him as in its Center Hence it is that the righteous fears no evil tidings because his Heart is fixed trusting in the Lord Psal 112.7 The word rowles about but he by faith stands fast in the unmoveable God Hence it is that the Church becomes unmoveable too God is in the midst of her she shall not be moved Psal 46.5 There are three things in God which Faith fixes upon in order to pious Suffering 1. Faith fixes upon his Providence The Stoick could say That there was no living in a World empty of God and Providence Much more may the Christian that is tossed up and down in a persecuting World say so But his Faith tels him that persecution comes not by Chance Man rages but God reigns The World is as a tempestuous Sea but God sits at the Sterne and governs all He limits the fury of Persecutors the wrath of man shall praise him
as the Emperor Adrian was when dying he cried out O my poor soul whither art thou going they could be in no rational capacity of suffering But hope assures them that there is another world where things are administred in a different manner then they are here in this Duas vitas novit Ecclesia una est in fide alterain specie una in tempore alterain aeternitate una in labore altera in requie una cum hoste pugnat altera sine hoste regnat Aug. in Joh. Tract 124. Here good men bear the Cross there they wear the Crown here they are black with reproaches there they shine as the Sun here they are tossed at Sea there they enter into rest here they drink of the bitter Cup there of the Rivers of Pleasures above here they are in the bloody hands of men there in the arms of a gratious God Hope is sure that these things are so God's Promises secure them and that we might have strong consolation God's Oaths is superadded also Our Saviour hath sealed up the truth of them with his own blood and we may venter our dearest lives upon them Hence it is that hope is said to be the anchor of the soul sure and stedfast entring into that within the Vail Hebr. 6.19 Other Anchors may break but this will never fail other Anchors are fastned in this World but this enters into that within the Vail and fixes it self in the unmoveable Heaven and in respect thereof Christians become in some measure unmovable in the midst of all the storms here below St. Cyprian saith of the Christians in his time that their Faith and Hope did stand unmovable and unshaken inter ipsas seculi ruinas Ad Demetrianum among the ruins of the World When the excellent Melancton was threatned by his enemies Mel. Ad. in vità ejus that they would not leave him a footstep in Germany he replied That he should have one in Heaven In like manner when a poor persecuted Christian is ready to be cast out of this World he may comfort himself with this that he hath another to go to where he shall have better usage and a reward for his sufferings 2. Hope assures us that the good things of the World to come do incomparably exceed the things of this World If the things of this world were the better no man would leave better for worse nay if they were but equal no man would part with that in possession for that in expectation But Hope assures us that the good things of the World to come do far transcend those that are in this World The mansions in glory are better then the houses of clay the incorruptible inheritance exceeds a fading one eternal Life is much more pretious then temporal the crowns of immortality above out-shine all the titles of honor here below the pure rivers of Pleasure in Heaven are far sweeter then the delights on earth the fruiton of God who is the supream Good Center of Souls Sabbath of rest and Fountain of blessedness cannot but be infinitely beyond the enjoyment of Creatures A good assurance that these things are so will dispose us to part with the lesser concerns here below that we may enjoy the greater that are above We read of some Worthies that took joyfully the spoiling of their goods because they had in Heaven a better enduring substance Hebr. 10.34 And again of some that would not accept deliverance because they would obtain a better resurrection Heb. 11.35 Suadows trifles were to be parted with rather then Masiy durable Felicity the bubble or vapor of a transitory Life was to be let go rather then an everlasting one When in the Persecution under Dioclesian the Martyrs were asked What made them bear such torments and what they expected after all their sufferings They made this answer That they did hope for those good things which eye hath not seen nor ear heard neither have entred into the heart of man which God hath prepared for them that Love him We see what bore up their spirits in their sufferings Let us labour to have an high sense of the excellencies of the World to come that if need be we may part with all for it 3. Hope assures our interest in the good things of the World to come And here two things are to be noted the one is this Hope in its initial Existence assures our interest in them fundamentally he that hath a true lively hope of them hath a real interest in them every right Grace touches upon Heaven and gives a right to it but Hope doth it in a kind of peculiar way it enters in within the Vail and in a sort takes possession of the other World As the ship is at Land in its Anchor so the Soul is in Heaven in its Hope and he that hath a true interest there will not part with it in a time of suffering The Anchor being in Heaven and fastned in the unmoveable felicity there will hold out in a Storm Such an one will reckon as St. Paul did that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us Rom. 8.18 Or if a comparison be made the sufferings in respect of the Glory will be but as a drop of wormwood to a vast Sea of infinite Sweetness The other thing is this Hope in its full stature assures our interest in the good things to come sensibly he that hath a plerophory of Hope certainly knows that he hath an interest in them We know that we have passed from death to Life saith Sr. John 1 Joh. 3.14 As if the Apostle had said we are in the borders of Heaven and we know it as it were sensibly as we do our passage from one place to another Holy Job saith I know that my Redeemer liveth and maugre all the Worms in my Flesh I shall see God Job 19.25 26. He was sure of the bliss-making Vision and could look through the dust to Immortality Such a full hope ushers in a kind of Paradise into the Soul and admirably fits it to bear sufferings the internal Suavity is able to sweeten any outward Condition The Learned Rivet at his dying hour brake forth into these words Expecto credo persevero dimoveri nequeo Dei Spiritus meo Spiritui testatur me esse ex Filiis suis O amorem ineffabilem I expect believe persevere cannot be moved Gods Spirit witnesses to mine that I am one of his Children O! ineffable Love Let us Labor to have not only a lively hope that we may have a title to Heaven but a full hope that we may know our title to it This will be an high Cordial in an evil day and make us able whatever the sufferings be to go on triumphantly and with full Sails to Heaven 2. Hope doth not only assure the good things to come but disposes us for them Hope is not an idle Dream
but giveth grace unto the humble Jam. 4.6 God hath two hands with the one he casts down the proud that lift up themselves against him with the other he lifts up the humble that lye at his feet for mercy Humility is not only a Grace but a capacity to receive more of it He that goes to a River to take up water puts the mouth of his Vessel downward to do it he that goes to God for Grace must put his mouth in the dust and cry to have it not for his worths sake but for his spiritual poverty An humble Heart is as Parisiensis cals it a spiritual Vacuum and as nature doth not suffer a Vacuum in Bodies but fils up the space one way or other so Grace doth not suffer a Vacuum in Spirits but fils up the humble Soul with fresh supplies of Grace St. Austin sets out this by a notable similitude Si humiles sunt valles sunt quod infuderis capiunt non dimittunt Aust de Verb. Apost ser 9. The water that fals down from Heaven upon the Mountains flows away but the water that fals upon the Vallys stays there In like manner the Divine Grace that distils from above doth not rest upon high proud persons but upon humble ones God leaves the full Souls and fils the empty abases the exalted and exalts the abased All other Graces grow together with Humility the more humble we are the more we have of God with us the more we have of Grace in us and the more we have of these the more we have of strength in the inner man and the more we have of preparation for a day of Trial. If we build so high as suffering for Christ we must dig deep and lay the Foundation low that when the storm comes we may stand fast and unmovable 3. Humility makes a man freely to bow and subject himself to God in all things This is a choice and excellent preparative for suffering the same which our Saviour commends to weary and heavy laden souls take my yoke upon you and learn of me for I am meek and lowly in heart Math. 11.29 Christians are to take up a double yoke the yoke of Evangelical Commands and the yoke of the Cross that accompanies them in both subjection is requisite In the one Subjection to Christs Authority commanding in the other subjection to his Providence ordering And that Christians may be subject to both they must look to the great Pattern learn meekness and humility from him The heart of man naturally is a very proud Belial thing that will bear no yokes it will not be under Christ not under his Righteous Commands by Obedience nor under his Afflicting Providences by Patience it lifts up itsel and by a kind of Blasphemy practicalls aspires to be above God himself But when the Divine Grace hath melted the heart and made it humble then it will bow down and take both yokes upon itself it will become freely subject to God and all his holy pleasure I say freely A proud man may be bowed down under the pressure of an external Calamity but an humble man bows himself down by an internal Principle of Grace in the one the subjection is meerly of necessity in the other it is free and of choice Humility makes a man lye at Gods foot and say Lord what wilt thou have me to do or What wilt thou have me to suffer Let the word of God come saith Baldasser the German Divine and we will submit to it six hundred necks if we had so many Let the Cross come saith the humble man and I will submit to it Humility is virtually all obedience and patience it makes a man to be as a little child ruleable by all the Will of God Whether that Will come forth in Precepts or providences Humility will comply and bow down under it The lowly in heart will do or be any thing for God therefore our Saviour promises rest to such De Tempore Ser. 213. as the gracious reward of their labors and sufferings It is good counsel that St. Austin gives Esto parvus in oculis tuis ut sis magnus in oculis Dei be thou little in thine own eyes that thou mayst be great in Gods Subjecting thy self to all his pleasure is the way to be exalted by him 4. Humility causes a man to depend upon God for support and comfort in his Sufferings The proud person stands in the posture of the Pharisee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 standing to himself Luk. 18.11 he stands upon his own bottom and thinks himself able by his own power to do or suffer any thing as he pleases But standing in his own presumption it is very likely that he will fall off as soon as the trial comes But it is otherwise with the humble man he knows that he is weak in himself and must be strong in God and therefore he will not trust in his own Power or Will but look up to God for support and comfort in the evil day De Verb. Dom. ser 13. It is a notable passage of St Austin Multos impedit a firmitate praesumptio firmitatis nemo a Deo fit firmus nisi qui a seipso sentit infirmum A presumption of firmness hinders many from being firm no man is made firm by God but he that feels infirmity in himself The story in the Marian Persecution is very memorable Mr. Sanders the Martyr at first shewed much weakness and fear but Dr. Pendleton said to him What man fear I will see every drop of my grease melted before I forsake Christ and his truth But afterwards Sanders triumphantly Suffered kissing the Stake and saying Welcome the Cross of Christ but proud Pendleton turned Papist Unto this instance I shall add a more ancient one Peter a Great Apostle fell and denied his Lord but among the Primitive Christians Women and little Children suffered in a brave and heroical maner Aust in Joh. tract 113. The greatest Christians may fall by presuming upon themselves the Least may stand by depending on the power of God The poor in Spirit would not be their own Keepers but would commit themselves unto God Psal 10.14 as being safer in his hands then in their own Humble souls not being able to bear up their own weight lean upon the Rock of Ages and having no rest in themselves they acquiesce in the Center of Souls The feeble Conies have their houses in the Rocks and the weak Christians dwell in the secret of the most high Annas Burgus a Senator of Paris suffered for the pure Religion with that constancy that many were curious to know what Religion that was for which he so patiently endured death and one reason of his patience was his humble dependance upon God which he expressed in that often repeated prayer at his death Deus mi ne me derelinquas ne ego te derelinquam Thuan Lib. 23. O my God leave me not lest I leave
him The more we act our Love Meekness Mercy Goodness or any Grace the more we are united to him and incorporated with him nay true Obedience makes us to be of neer alliance to him When our Saviour was told that his Mother and Brethren stood without to see him his answer was My Mother and my Brethren are those which hear the word of God and do it Luke 8.20 21. St. Ambrose upon these words tels us In Lucam cap. 8. Religiosiores copulae mentium quam corporum the conjunction of Minds is more sacred than that of Bodies The Obedient Christian is Brother to Christ being born of the same holy Spirit in Regeneration of which he was conceived in his Incarnation nay he is Mother to Christ bringing him forth in the exercise of holy Graces somewhat of the Love Mercy Piety Meekness of Christ is still a coming forth from him In both these respects doth obedience dispose us to suffering the more we grow up into Christ the Head the more Divine Power and Virtue we have from him our chief strength lies not in our selves but in our Head we may do nay and suffer any thing through him strengthning us And the more we are allied to him the more we are bound to adhere to him Our supernatural Birth obliges us to live to him nay and if need be to die for him and we are to bring him forth not only in other holy Virtue but in that of Patience St. Paul bore about in his body the dying of the Lord Jesus 2 Cor. 4.10 and the Allies of Christ must be ready at Gods call to suffer with him 4. True Obedience produces an increase of Grace and spiritual Strength Obedience is a Christians daily walk the more he exercises himself to Godliness the more grace he hath in his Soul That Faith which was but as a little grain of Mustard-seed becomes a Tree spreading itself forth at last as high as assurance That love which was as a little spark raked up in the ashes comes to be a vehement Flame aspiring after the fruition of God in Heaven That Hope which was but a poor weak thing in the Soul comes to have more liveliness and supernatural stature The path of the just which is in obedience is as the shining light which shines more and more unto the perfect day in heaven Prov. 4.18 The more a Christian exercises himself in Obedience the stronger he grows in the Inner-man of a Plant he comes to be a Tree of Righteousness of a Babe he comes to be a Man in Christ His vital Principles become more strong his supernatural hear increased he holds on his way of Obedience and so grows stronger and stronger Job 17.9 Such an Obedience as this admirably Disposes a man for suffering The greater his stock of Grace is the better will he hold out in the straits of the World The more strength he hath in the inner-man the more able he will be to bear the burden of the Cross If thou faint in the day of adversity thy strength is small Prov. 24.10 Great strength will keep a man from fainting When the Children of Israel were come to be above six hundred thousand Numb 1.46 it was a great encouragement to make them go on gallantly against their Enemies And when Christians have their Graces multiplied and among the rest Patience comes to be all Patience as the expression is Col. 1.11 it gives them spirit and life to bear sufferings 5. True obedience obtains the gracious Presence of God to help and comfort good men in the doing his Will The Rabbins say That if two sit together conferring about the Law the Shechinah is among them I may say if one single Christian be a doing of Gods will the Divine Presence is with him Thus our Saviour saith If any man love him and keep his words the Father and the Son will come and make their abode with such an one John 14.23 Such an one hath a Shechinah in his heart God will be there helping and comforting of him Whilst he is a doing of Gods will strength will come in as it did to the Levites 1. Chron. 15.26 and not only strength but comfort too In keeping his commands there is great reward some of the oyl of Joy which is upon Christ the great doer of Gods will drops down upon good men in their sincere obedience they have an inward peace and joy unspeakeable In this respect obedience prepares the heart of Christians to endure suffering An obedient Christian can argue thus with himself I have found Gods gracious Presence strengthning and comforting me in the doing of his will much more shall I have it when I come to suffer and part with all for his sake When all forsook St. Paul yet the Lord stood with him and strengthned him 2 Tim. 4.16.19 When Mr. Sanders was examined about his Religion he was wonderfully comforted and received a tast of the Communion of Saints a pleasant refreshing did issue from every part of his Body to his heart and from thence into all parts again Cicely Ormes was filled with such joy and comfort that at the kindling of the fire she said My soul doth magnify the Lord and my Spirit doth rejoice in God my Saviour O let us firmly conclude this with our selves that God will not leave or forsake his people no not at other times much less will he do it in the time of Fiery Trials Then they shall have strength and comfort in a more than ordinary way enough to make them to triumph over their Sufferings or at leastwise to bear them with Patience 6. True Obedience is the way to Heaven Those blessed ones that do the commands of God have right to the Tree of Life and enter in through the gates into the City Rev. 22.14 The more obedient a man is to the Divine Will the richer entrance he hath into the blessed Kingdom After sowing to the Spirit comes the Crop of Eternal Glory after walking in holy Obedience comes the blessed end of Life and Immortality In this respect Obedience fits us for Sufferings A man that is in the way to Hell is not capable of suffering it is not imaginable that a man should bear Reproach for Christ who hath no hope of Glory or that he should part with his Treasure here who hath none in Heaven or that he should lay down his Life Temporal who hath no right to an Eternal one or that he should let go his Portion of good in this World who hath none in another But the Obedient Christian who is in the way to Heaven is in a capacity to suffer any thing that meets him in the passage thither Reproaches may come but he is going to shine in glory Worldly Goods may be spoiled but he hath an Inheritance incorruptible that fadeth not away Temporal Life may be lost but in the very instant there begins an Eternal one with the blessed God in Heaven he may by
may be considered in that which it doth with respect to God and here are three things to be taken notice of 1. Patience subjects the soul to the will of God when the Cross comes the patient Christians will with Aaron hold their peace or if they speak they will do it in some such language as that of Eli It is the Lord let him do what seemeth him good Patience will instruct them to lye in the lowest posture of Humility and to argue the matter with themselves in this manner Is God the Rector of the World and shall we not subject to him His Presence is in all his Power is over all his Wisdom and Righteousness orders all who can stay his hand or say to him what dost thou or call him to give account of any of his matters To strive with him is folly to murmur at any piece of his Government is Rebellion to think that things might have been better is to blaspheme his wise and just Providence And is he the Father of Spirits and shall we not be under him We give reverence to the Fathers of our flesh and how much thers should we be in subjection to the Father of Spirits and live Our Saviour Christ who suffered for us to sweeten sufferings to us argued thus with himself The Cup that my Father hath given me shall I not drink it John 18.11 After his pattern we should submit our selves to suffering remembring that though it come through bloody hands to us yet it is ordered by the Father of Spirits nay and by the Father of Mercies too who assures us That all things even Afflictions among the rest shall work together for good In those very sufferings in which man is cruel God will be merciful While the world hates and persecutes us God will embrace us in the Arms of his Love and carrie us through the Cross to the Crown of Glory Upon such accounts as these Patience doth subject the Soul unto the Cross Our Saviour the Mirror of Patience being to drink up the cup of Wrath expresses himself thus not my will but thine be done Luke 22.42 His will was swallowed up in his Fathers St. Ambrose in his Commentary on those words gives us this excellent note Disce Deo esse subjectus ut non quod ipse vis eligas sed quod Deo scias esse placiturum Learn to be subject to God that thou mayst not chuse what thou wouldest but what thou knowest to be pleasing to God Patience teaches us to be pleased with Gods pleasure and to will every thing not as it is in our own will but as it is in Gods 2. Patience waits upon God for strength to bear the Cross and for a good issue out of it We have both these promised in that of the Apostle God will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able but will with the temptation make a way to escape 1 Cor. 10.13 In the first Clause we have a Promise of strength proportionable to the Temptation in the last we have a Promise of a good issue out of it First Patience waits upon God for strength to bear the Cross this is the right Method of obtaining strength Wait on the Lord and he shall strengthen thy heart Psalm 27.14 Strength comes in a way of dependance upon God St. Austin speaks of a double patience De patientiâ cap. 15. there is patientia superborum the patience of the proud and patientia pauperum the patience of the poor humble Soul The one waits upon the will of man the other upon the Grace of God True Patience knows that it is God only that can strengthen the Inner man by his Spirit Eph. 3.16 No other but his glorious power can strengthen with all might unto all patience Col. 1.11 De Martyr form 5. Notable is that of St. Austin Haec est vox Martyrum omniatolerare de se nihil praesumere This is the voice of the Martyrs to bear every thing and to presume of themselves nothing Thus the noble Martyr Potamenia Spondan Annal. An. 310. being threatned to be cast into a Vessel of burning Pitch begged that she might not be cast in all at once but piece-meal that they might see how much Patience the unknown Christ had given to her True patience waits upon God for strength but this is not all it also waits upon God for a good issue out of the suffering Salvation belongs unto the Lord and he gives many good issues to his suffering people If they have an encrease of Graces and Comforts that 's one good issue If they hold out and persevere to the end that 's another good issue If by death they pass from the Cross to the Crown from a Temporal Life to an Eternal one that 's the best issue of all For such issues as these do patient Souls wait till the Lord put an end to all their troubles 3. Patience produces spiritual joy and praise This is the difference between Philosophical Patience and Christian Patience Philosophical may bear adversity but Christian hath joy in the bearing of it It was the ancient custome of the Primitive Christians to have often in their mouths Aust in P. l. 132. Deo gratias God be thanked for this mercy and for that mercy The patient Christian that looks upon the good issues of suffering may sit down and sing Deo gratias not to Blessings only but to Afflictions also Job being stript of all cried out The Lord gave the Lord hath taken away blessed be the name of the Lord Job 1.21 St. Austin speaking of Job observes That when he had nothing of outward things yet there were Gemmae laudis Dei Aust de Temp. Ser. 105. the Jewels of the Praise of God found with him Suffering Saints have so much of the Love of God shed abroad in their hearts that they have praemium ante praemium a lesser Heaven before a greater St. Paul saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I super abound or overflow in joy in all our Tribulations 2 Cor. 7.4 The gracious Presence of God did not only cause joy but the overflowing of it in his heart St. James saith to the seattered Christians Count it all joy when ye fall into divers Temptations Jam. 1 2. That is when ye fall into Afflictions for the Gospel All joy How can poor afflicted Souls reckon thus In the Trial their Graces appear in their pure beauty Strength is made perfect in Weakness Consolations abound as much nay more than Afflictions the beams of Divine Love irradiate the heart and fill it with a sweet serenity Hope enters Heaven and fixes upon the Crown of Life and Heaven comes down in a Spirit of Glory upon the heart Here is joy all joy indeed the total sum of it in this life is made up in these things It was the saying of the Martyr Mr. Philpot That to dye for Christ is the greatest Promotion that God can bring any