for the Apostle saith That we are not to suffer as evil doers But I pray tell me When did any of the people of God suffer for the Cause of God but there were such glosses as these saith Haman These are a rebellious people and it is not for the Kings profit to suffer them And so when Christ himself suffered He is not a friend to Caesar but an enemy Well then came the Apostles and when the Apostles came what a guise was put upon their sufferings These are seditious and thâ—se that turn the world upside-down are come hither And do not you finde in Scripture and experience that it is no new thing for men to persecute Religion upon the account of Religion Saith Christ For which of my good works go ye about to kill me No no thou art mistaken we go not about to kill thee for thy good works but because thou breakest the Sabbath c. So that 't is no new thing to persecute Religion even upon the account of Religion But then you will say If it be so how shall I be able to know that I do truely suffer for the Name of Christ How shall I be able in the midst of all these blinds and disguises How shall I see through them all that I may be able to say Nay but in truth I do suffer for the Name of Christ Why you have heard it in the general already onely a little more particularly to open it If you do suffer for the Work of the Spirit of God upon your heart the Work that the Holy Ghost hath wrought upon your heart If you do suffer for the Truth which is properly the Truth of the Gospel whatsoever disguises men put upon your sufferings plainly you suffer for Name of Jesus Christ Again if you suffer for the Cause of Christ for the Ways of Christ for the Ordinances of Christ for the Children of Christ for the Liberty which Christ hath purchased for you then you do suffer for the Name of Jesus Christ But thirdly if you do suffer for the worship of Christ as it is distinguisht from Jewish worship from Antichristian worship from Worldly worship then you suffer for the Name of Christ for the Worship of Christ is the Name of Christ And all Nations go forth in the Name of their God Now if you do suffer for the worship of Christ as it is distinguished from the Jewish worship from Antichristian worship from Worldly worship then you do plainly suffer for the Name of Christ The worship of the Jews and the way of the Jews was National but the worship of Christ and the Gospel is Congregational The worship of Christ is distinguisht from Antichristian worship For that 's humane and by humane inventions but the worship of Jesus Christ is Divine and from Heaven The worship of Christ is distinguisht from the worship of the world for that 's Pompous that 's Ceremonious a carnal worship like unto the world it self but the worship Jesus Christ is plain and simple Such worshippers doth the Father seek as worship him in spirit and in truth Now if you do suffer for the worship of Christ as it is distinguisht from the worship of the Jews Antichrist and of the World then you do certainly suffer for the Name of Christ Fourthly if you do suffer for the not-doing of that which Jesus Christ hath justified his own Disciples for the not doing of then do you suffer for the Gospel and so for the Name of Jesus Christ Now look into the 15 of Matth. and you shall see what Christ did justifie his Disciples in And the Scribes and the Pharisees came to Christ and they say unto him Why do thy Disciples transgress the tradition of the Elders What 's that for they wash not their hands when they eat bread VVhy that 's an indifferent thing surely the Disciples would not stand off for an indifferent thing Yes that they did I and Christ justified them in it But this was hatcht with the tradition of the Elders of the Church and surely they would not stand off now Yes that they did and Christ justifies them in it for Christ said Why do you also transgress the commandments of God by your traditions So that if you do suffer for not doing that which Jesus Christ hath justified his Disciples for the not doing of then you suffer for the Gospel and for the Name of Christ Fifthly If two things be laid before you and there is sin on the one hand and on the other hand there is suffering for Christ Sin on the one hand and suffering on the other If now you chuse rather to take up the suffering theâ— to commit the sin you do plainly suffer for the Name of Jesus Christ And therefore look whatsoever the reward is that great reward is which they shall have that suffer for the Name of Christ all that reward is yours Be of good comfort all that reward is yours O and if ever you be call'd to suffer for the Name of Christ go away rejoycing that you are accounted worthy to suffer shame or any thing for the Name of Jesus Christ O what great encouragement is here from this great Rewarder Who would not be willing now to suffer for the Name of Jesus Christ But you will say to me What shall we do that we may be willing to suffer for the Name of Christ for I confess I am very backward and unwilling to suffer for the Name of Christ Do you say so But it may be you are not convinced that it is for the Name of Christ But are you sensible of your unwillingness Why I use to say this He is not far from a grace that is sensible of a contrary evil And 't is a true speech He is not far from humility that is sensible of pride he is not far from faith that is sensible of unbelief So he is not far from being willing to suffer for the Name of Christ that is sensible of his own unwillingness But now suppose that for the present you be very unwilling to suffer for the Name of Christ You may know this That willingness to suffer for the Name of Christ is part of our suffering Grace and suffering Grace is given upon suffering ground Vnto you it is given not only to believe but to suffer The opportunity to suffer is the gift of God The will and heart to suffer is the gift of God And the strength to suffer is the gift of God These are three gifts in one gift But when is this suffering grace given It 's given upon suffering ground In that hour there shall be wisdom given you well to be willing to suffer for the Name of Christ is part of our suffering grace and therefore when you come upon the suffering ground then you shall have the suffering grace I but you will say Indeed I find my heart extreamly backward to suffer for the Name of Christ What shall I do
offer a great Sacrifice unto God But this is the thing I bring it for The more Religious end any evil action hath the more holding and continuing is that evil action Now wicked men for their malice they shall have a Religious end they shall think they do God good service their malice therefore and their wrath against the people of God is never dying and an everlasting wrath Thus you see what kind of wrath it is It is a violent anger It is a fraudulent anger It is a Mortal anger It is a blasphemous anger It is an unreasonable anger It is an insulting anger It is an universal anger against all the people of God upon one mans occasion And it is an everlasting and a never dying anger But then secondly How comes it to pass that there should be such a deal of anger and wrath in the hearts of men against the people of God for the people of God are a quiet and a peaceable people 'T is true so they are But who more quiet and peaceable and meek than our Lord and Saviour Christ he lift not up his voice in the streets and yet who ever bare more anger and wrath from men than He. Yea the Saints are not only quiet meek and peaceable but beneficial to the men where they live The innocent delivers the Land Yet notwithstanding saith Solomon in Eccles 9. I have seen a sore evil under the Sun there was a little City and few men within it And there came a great King against it and besieged it and built great Bulwarks against it Now there was found in it a poor wise man and he by his wisdome delivered the City yet no man remembred that same poor man Then said I Wisdom is better than strength nevertheless the poor mans Wisdom is despised and his words are not heard So though the Saints and people of God do deliver a Nation and are exceeding beneficial to the people where they live and where they are yet they shall be despised yet there shall be wrath and malice in the hearts of men against the Saints of God But you will say how doth this come to pass that there should be such a deal of wrath and malice in the hearts of men against the people of God First of all the Saints and people of God and the men of the world they are directly contrary one unto another they are contrary in their Birth and in their Original For the men of the world they are of their Father the Devil who was a Murderer But the Saints and people of God God is their Father They are not only contrary in their original but they are contrary in their principles For the one are the Seed of the Woman and the other the Seed of the Serpent whose Principles are contrary The Seed of the Bond-woman at the best and the Seed of the Free-Woman Yea they are not only contrary in their Principles but they are contrary in their Worship For the Worship of the World is a pompous and a carnal Worship but the Worship of the Saints is Spiritual Such worshippers doth the Father seek that Worship him in Spirit and truth And as their Worship is contrary one unto another so their deeds and their practices are contrary For why saith the Apostle did Cain kill his Brother Abel but because his deeds were evil and his Brothers good Now one contrary seeks to destroy another Why these are contrary They are contrary one to another contrary in their Original Contrary in their Principles Contrary in their Worship Contrary in their lives and Practices And therefore no wonder that there is such a deal of wrath and anger in the hearts of the men of the World against the Saints and people of God But secondly The Saints and people of God they do not regard the men of the World and the men of the World they think so Now for high and lofty men to be slighted and not regarded this makes them angry In Dan. 3. when the three children would not bow down unto the Image There are certain Jews say they to the King that thou hast set over the Affairs of Babylon Shadrach Meshach and Abednego These men O King have not regarded thee Why they think now that if the people of God don't bow down to their Commandments and to their Idols that they don't regard the Magistrate These men have not regarded thee And the truth is Godly men that are the Saints and people of God they cannot regard them For blessed is the man saith the Holy Ghost that regardeth not the proud nor such as turn aside to lyes God hath given a blessing to those that regard not the proud Now wicked men cannot bear this that they should not be regarded high and great men of the world that they should not be regarded and therefore no wonder that there is such a deal of wrath and anger in their hearts against the people of God 3. The Saints and people of God they do withdraw from the men of the world and do separate from them Come out from among them and be ye separate touch no unclean thing Now when we withdraw from men and from their Worship We do condemn their Worship and the men of the world don't love to be condemned Noah condemned the world And by the separation of the Saints from them they do condemn them and they don't love I say to be condemned To separate from them and from their Worship this they cannot bear The Saints do separate from them and therefore there is such a deal of anger and wrath in their hearts against them 4. As the Saints and people of God do separate and withdraw from them upon which they are much provoked So the Saints and people of God do hinder them in their proceedings A man doth not love to be hindered in his proceedings the Saints and people of God they do hold wicked mens hands that they cannot proceed hold their hands by their Prayers I remember a story of Mr. Tyndal that blessed first Translater of the Bible into English that dyed a Martyr in Flanders being then at Antwerp and much respected by the Merchants there There was a great report of a certain juggler that could bring a dish of meat from any Princes Table and so set the Table that they were at with several Dishes from several Princes Tables Pray saith Tyndal to the Merchants will you let me be at your Supper Yes and so they carried him And when he was there the Juggler tryed his skill and sweat and took a great deal of pains but saith he I cannot do it there is some man here that doth hold my hands And Tyndal only set himself to this to believe that he should not do it I speak it only to this that the people of God they hold their hands And in this 76. Psalm The men of might they find â—â—t their hands There brake he the Arrows of the Bow
Faithful witness Rev. 3. write These things saith the Amen the true and Faithful witness That is Christ Christ is the true and the faithful witness and therefore those that are his they must be witnesses too that they may be conformed to him Thereby they also overcome as you have it in Rev. 12. And they overcame him by the Bloud of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony They overcome by the Bloud of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony by witness-bearing So then the Saints and people of God they are Christs witnesses In Anti-Christian times they are Christs witnesses and if they be thus described why then should not we look unto this work especially Bearing of witness to the truths and wayes of Christ This is the work that we are born for For this cause saith Christ was I born and for this cause came I into the World that I might bear witness unto the truth This is the work of our Generation witness-bearing to the truths of Christ in opposition to the waies of Anti-Christ in Anti-Christian times This is the work of our Generation This is the work which there is a thousand years of glory and comfort promised unto above other things as you read in Rev. 20. This is the work Witness-bearing to the truths of Christ in opposition to the wayes of Anti-Christ This is the work that hath the Crown and Name of Martyrdom A Martyr what 's that but a Witness Every witness more or less is a Martyr We take the word only for them that dye But every witness is a Martyr This is that work which sometimes is necessary to Salvation Rom. 10. 10. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness and with the mouth confession is made unto Salvation This is the work I say therefore that sometimes is necessary unto Salvation And this is that work which Jesus Christ will own and acknowledg before all the world He that confesseth me before men him will I confess before my Father and all the Angels in Heaven And if this be the great work why should we not all of us look to this work especially this witness-bearing You will say what shall I do that I may be found faithful in this witness-bearing what shall I do that I may witness a good confession in these dayes of ours Something by way of Rule Something by way of means and yet not long because I must pass on to other things Rule 1. Something by way of Rule Be sure that your testimonies do agree Though there be 100 Witnesses about a business if their witness don't agree 't will be of little worth And now so it is Christs Witnesses this day are divided into many Opinions and Perswasions but they may agree in the main for Christ they may all agree in opposition unto Anti-Christ If that you wouâ—â—â—ave your witness valid and good labour you thaâ— are the witnesses for unity in your testimony Tâ—â—re are three saith the Apostle John that bear witness in Heaven speaking of Gods testifying of the truth of Grace There are three that bear Record in Heaven the Father the Word and the Holy Ghost these bear witness of Christ and their witness is good why For these three are One 1 Joh. 5. 7. And saith he at the 8. v. There are three that bear witness on earth the Spirit and the Water and the Bloud The Spirit I come to know that I am the child of God by the testimony of the Spirit bearing witness with my Spirit that I am the child of God And I come to know that I am the child of God by the witness of water by the testimony of Sanctification And I come to know that I am the child of God by the testimony of Bloud by the testimony of my Faith relying upon the Bloud of Christ And these three agree and these three agree in One. The testimony is good because they agree in one So in our testifying of Christ If our testimonies do agree our testimony is good that 's the first thing We have bin too much divided God knows we have and he hath punisht our Divisions with Divisions 't is time to unite our testimony If you would bear witness unite your testimony 2. If you would witness a good confession in these dayes of ours then you must be willing to own the truth of Christ to own it whensoever you are called thereunto 't is said our Saviour Christ he witnessed a good Confession before Pontius Pilate Pray what kind of witness was it was it any long confession or large nâ— â—ut the manner on 't was this when they call'd him before them to give an account of any fact he left them to prove it When they called him to give an account of the Doctrine that he held Art thou the King of the Jews then he owned it He left them to prove the fact and he owned the truth so should we do And indeed if that we be not willing for to own the truth when we are called thereunto why how can it be that the mark of the Father should be written upon our Foreheads only We read of the followers of the Beast that they received a mark in their right hands and in their Foreheads both why in the Forehead and why in the hand In the Forehead sometimes to wear it openly And in their right hands to put it into their pockets and to hide it They can own it sometimes and sometimes they can hide it but the followers of the Lamb they have the mark of their Father only in their Forehead Therefore I say If we would witness a good Confession we must be willing to own the truth whensoever we are called thereunto 3. If you would witness a good confession in these dayes of ours then you must be willing also for to suffer for the truth of Christ Those that cannot suffer for the truth of Christ and run the hazard of a suffering they cannot bear their witness fully See how they go together in Rev. 13. 10. Here is the patience and Faith of the Saints The Faith of the Saints and their Patience do go together So in chap. 14. ver 12. Here is the Patience of the Saints here are they that keep the Commandments of God and the Faith of Jesus Patience and keeping the Commandments of God and the Faith of Jesus they go together And therefore that 's a third thing 4. If you would witness a good Confession then take heed that when you hav born your testimony you do nothing that may revoke the same either directly or by consequence Some bear a good testimony to the truths of Christ but then they revoke their testimony by somthing that they do afterwards either directly or by consequence Mark what is said of John in Joh. 1. 20. 't is said of him He confessed and denyed not but confessed I am not the Christ He confessed and did not revoke his testimony He
Fourthly We are so to use the world and the things thereof as they are why now truly there is nothing in this world that is either good or evil morally but as it is used prosperity in it self is not good not morally good adversity in it self is not evil 't is not morally evil all the things of this world are but indifferent neither good nor evil in themselves but as they are used Thus then if all the things of this world are but in their own nature indifferent neither good nor evil why should not our hearts be carried out indifferently towards them and so to use them as if we us'd them not All the things of this world they are but to serve a turn they are not to be enjoyed for themselves only for to serve a turn there is nothing that you have to deal withall but is meerly for to serve a turn Cloaths are but to serve a turn to cover nakedness good meat and drink is but to serve a turn to serve our hunger and our thirst money and houses and lands are all but to serve a turn only God is to be enjoyed God is not for to serve a turn but all the things of this world they are only for to serve a particular turn The Schoolmen therefore have a handsome speech of a worldly man they deforibe him He doth enjoy what he should use and he doth use what he should enjoy God is to be enjoyed and he uses him the world is to be used and he enjoys that but 't is God alone that is to be enjoyed for himself all things here are but to serve a turn and therefore why should we not use the world as if we us'd it not Fifthly If the world do use us as if it us'd us not and if the world do care for us as if it car'd not for us why should not we use the world as if we us'd it not Paul reasons after this manner in Gal. 6. 14. God forbid that I should glory save in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ by whom or whereby the world is crucified unto me and I unto the world The world looks upon me as a man hang'd crucified hanged out of the way why truly I look upon the world so too saith he the world looks upon me as a dry leaf and I look upon the world as a dry leaf Thus now it is the world cares for us as if it car'd not for us and the world uses us as if it us'd us not and therefore why should not we use the world as if we us'd it not Obj. I but Solomon saith Whatsoever thou findest in thine hand to do do it with all thy might Ans True and it is in our band to use the world as if we us'd it not and therefore this we are to do with all our might even to use the world as if we us'd it not And so I have done with the second thing though a good man may make use of the world and the things thereof yet he is to use the world as if he us'd it not 3. I but then thirdly what are those particular concernments wherein we are to use the world as if we us'd it not why the Apostle here doth instance in four In the matter of our Relations it remaineth that they that have wives be as though they had none In the matter of our grief And they that weep as though they wept not In the matter of our joy And they that rejoyce as though they rejoyced not And in the matter of our pâ—ssessions And they that buy as though they possessed not I shall run through them briefly that we may have the clear understanding of the case and the matter before us First As for the matter of our Relations saith the Apostle It remaineth that both they that have wives be as though they had none A man may use his Relations as if he had none His Relations Why but is not a man to provide for his wife and children and family Yes he is worse than an Infidel that provideth not for his Wife and for his Family for his Relations But when a man hath Relations he is very apt to be lost therein a man may be drunk with his own Bear or Wine I have married a Wife and I cannot come therefore he is to use his Relations as â—f he had none in regard of his care to please God as diligent in frequenting the means of grace as if he had no Relations For saith he v. 32. But I would have you without carefulness he that is unmarried careth for the things that belong to the Lord how he may please the Lord He that is married careth for the things that are of the world how he may please his wife In reference therefore unto the pleasing of God frequenting of the means of grace let him that hath Relations be as if he had none hindred no more by them than if he had none Let him be as zealous for the truth as if he had none Let him be as apt and ready to suffer for the Cause of Chrâ—st as if he had none We are apt to boggle at sufferings because of our Relations What shall become of my wise and children What shall become of my Family It was a Speech therefore of Origen when he was young unto his Father when his Father was to go and suffer Martyrdome for the Cause of Christ O my Father saith he O my Father Take heed that you do not bauk this suffering for my sake that you may provide for me We are very apt to bauk sâ—fferings for the Cause of Christ upon the account of our Family and upon the account of our Relations but now let him that hath Relations be as if he had none frequenting and using of the means of grace praying reading hearing as if he had none as zealous for the truth as if he had none as apt and ready to suffer for the Cause of Christ as if he had none Thus we are to use the world as if we us'd it not in reference to this concernment I must but touch upon things Secondly As for the matter of grief saith the Apostle And they that weep as though they wept not 'T is lawful to grieve and weep not only for our sins but for the misery of the times O that my head were waters and that mine eyes were a fountain of tears that I could weep day and night for the slaughters Mine eyes run down with rivers of tears saith David because they keep not thy Law God hath a bottle to keep all these Pearls in the tears of his people they are precious and too precious to be lost As God hath a bag for all the sins of the wicked to keep them in so he hath a bottle for all the tears of the Saints but yet we must not weep too much but grieve as if we grieved not Or otherwise it will argue that
the Shield and the Sword and the Battel The stout-hearted are spoiled They have slept their sleep and none of the men of might have found their hands Why Why there brake he the Bow and the Arrow There Where In Salem In the Assembly of the Saints by their Prayers Now men cannot endure to be hindred in their proceedings The Saints do it and therefore there is such a great deal of anger and wrath in the hearts of them against the people of God 5. But then further As the Saints and people of God do hinder them in their proceedings which doth anger them So they do destroy their Gods destroy their Idols Men of all things cannot endure to have their Gods destroyed how angry were they when Paul came and Preacht down the Gods of Diana then they were in a Rage Oh great is Diana Paul Preaches down our Gods and destroyes our Gods The people of God do destroy the Gods of the wicked no wonder therefore that they are so provok't against the Saints and people of God 6. As the people of God do destroy their Gods and their Worship so they do destroy their sins and lusts The Saints are enemies unto all their lusts Wicked men cannot endure to be kept from their lusts but if they be hindred from their lusts kept in and restrained from their lusts what say they then In Psal 2. Let us break their bands asunder and cast away their Cords from us These Puritans they will not let us play upon the Sabbath day they will not let us have leave to dance about a May-pole they put Cords upon us and bring us into bonds and take away our liberty Why do the Heathen rage c. The Kings of the Earth set themselves and the Rulers take counsel together against the Lord and against his Anointed Why wherein is it exprest Why they say Let us break their bands asunder and cast away their cords from us The people of God are great enemies to their wickedness and therefore they are so angry full and furious against the people of God 7. As the people of God are enemies unto all their lusts so the men of the World they are enemies unto the Saints unto all their waies and duties and graces The Saints are a praying people The men of the World are Enemies to Prayer Forms of Prayer they can endure but the power of Prayer they cannot bear 8. The Saints and people of God are righteous in their Generation The men of the World cannot endure the truth of the Generation the Grace of the Generation the righteousness of the Generation they cannot endure it 9. The Saints and people of God they have and they are stampt with the Image of God the Image of Christ is stampt upon them and the more that any man is stampt with the Image of God the more the men of the world hate him Why there are the footsteps of God in the Creatures man at the Creation was made after the Image of God now being raised again by Christ the very image of God is stampt upon the Saints and wicked men cannot endure to see the Image of God the more they see the Image of God shining forth in any man the more angry they are But now the Saints they have the Image of God stampt upon them and therefore no wonder that they are thus angry And thus you see what kind of wrath it is that is in the hearts of the men of the world against the people of God and how it comes to pass that there is such a deal of wrath in the hearts of wicked men against the people of God But then secondly Will God let wicked men alone in this their wrath and anger against the people of God No but saith the second part of the Doctrine the Lord he will either turn their wrath and anger unto his own praise or he will restrain it You have both heâ—e in the Text thou wilt turn their anger unto thy praise O Lord and the remnant of their wrath thou wilt restrain Either God will turn their wrath unto his own praise or he will restrain it I use to express it thus by the Miller that lets the water run So much water as will serve his turn to grind the Corn he lets it run the rest he doth restrain and don't let it run So the Lord doth let the wrath of man run so much as may grind his corn so much as may serve his turn so much as may work to his praise The remnant he doth restrain either he will work the wrath and anger of men to his own praise or he will restrain the same Sometimâ—s he will restrain it In Isa 27. v. 8. speaking of the afflictions of the people of God In measure when it shooteth forth wilt thou debate with it he stayeth his rough wind in the day of the East-wind Consider that expression He stayeth his rough wind in the day of the East-wind The East-wind is an obnoxious wind a hurtful wind a piercing wind and a wasting wind Why now this East-wind may blow but mildly and it may blow roughly Why saith the Lord when wicked men that are rough and when they are very rough God will stay his rough wind in the day of his East-wind Though it be a day of Gods East-wind and wicked men are very rough God will stay his rough wind The wrath and anger of wicked men is his rough wind but God will stay his rough wind in the day of his East-wind Some times he will restrain it Some times again he will turn their wrath and anger unto his own praise and for that I 'le only turn to the third of Dan. you see how angry the King was when the three children would not bow down unto his Image v. 13. Then Nebuchadnezzar in his rage and fury commanded to bring Shadrach c. at the 19th ver Then was Nebuchadnezzar full of fury and the form of his visage was changed against Shadrach c. and he commanded the most mighty men that were in his Army to bind Shadrach c. and to cast them into the burning fiery Furnace what was the issue God let this wrath go on but in the end see how it turned to Gods praise when Nebuchadnezzar saw what he had done Therefore saith he I make a Decree that every People Nation and Language which speak anything amiss against the God of Shadrach Meshach and Abednego shall be cut in pieces and their houses shall be made a dunghill but there is no other God that can deliver after this sort Thus the rage and wrath of the King turned to the praise of God But you will say then how will the Lord turn the wrath of men unto his praise 't is a day of much wrath and of great anger in the hearts of men Wicked men are full of wrath and anger at this day against the people of God 't is good news that God will
his Truth his Worship his People Things God delights in his Name When the Solemn Assembly is under Reproach his Truth is derided his Worship defiled his Children persecuted and his Name dishonoured Who can behold all these things and not bleed and not be affected there withall That 's a third 4. Look when the Solemn Assembly doth lie under Reproach then all the People of God the whole Generation of the Righteous are afflicted distressed and as a Lamp despised before him that is at ease Who would not grieve to see the necks of all the people of God lye upon the block together ready to be cut off Pray do but mind that place in Esther 'T is said there that when the Decree came out upon the Jews that their necks lay all upon the block in the third of Esther The Decree was given in Shushan the Palace and the King and Haman sate down to drink but the City Shushan was perplexed The City Shushan Why the City Shushan 'T is not said the Jews What was the City Shushan Jews No there were a hundred to one in the City that were no Jews I but the Neighbours of the people of God were perplexed O then is the City Sushan perplext in such a day and shall not the Jews themselves be perplext shall they not be affected much with it Then all the Saints their necks lie upon the block Look but into the Psalms and you shall see that when the Temple of God is defiled The reproach of the house of God and the persecution of the Saints go together Psal 79. 1 2. O God the Heathen are come into thine Inheritance thy Holy Temple have they defiled they have laid Jerusalem on heaps the dead bodies of thy Servants have they given to be meat unto the fowls of the Heaven the flâ—sh of thy Saints unto the beasts of the earth their bloud have they shed like water round about Jerusalem and there was none to bury them we are become a reproach to our Neighbours I these two go together the defilement of the house of God the reproach of the Solemn Assembly and the persecution of the Saints likewise Now who can see these things and not be affected 5. The School-men say That power which cannot be resisted is a cause of grief If evil be coming and I be able to resist it I am not much affected but if evil comes like an armed man and I cannot resist it this causeth grief Now when the Solemn Assemblie lies under Reproach evil comes upon the People of God like an armed man They cannot resist it hear's grief then 6. The School-men say All grief doth arise from the want of the thing loved and the loss of good Now when the Solemn Assembly doth lie under Reproach there good things are lost the Saints good things There 's the presence of God in the Solemn Assembly There 's the Chariot whereby Christ rides into the souls of sinners There 's the food of Faith There 's all good things gone and therefore no wonder they are so affected But 7. Look when the Solemn Assembly doth lie un-under Reproach then the world is scandalized and the world 's offended Wo to the world because of â—ffences 't is an evil thing that the world should be offended When is the world offended when the Solemn Assembly lies under Reproach aha so would we have it Then they laugh saith Paul who is offended and I burn not We say when the sick man laughs the Physician crys he is distracted saith he Why now the Saints and People of God they are the worlds Physicians to cure them and heal them by their lives and prayers and instructions What do they laugh what do they say Aha so would we have it But when the Solemn Assembly lies under Reproach then is the world offended Then therefore is the time for the Saints and people of God to be much affected 8. Look when the Solemn Assembly doth lie under Reproach then the Devil gets up again The Devil falls by the powerful preaching of the Gospel saith our Saviour Christ Rejoyce not that the Devils fall down like lightning before you What fall what doth our Saviour Christ speak of the Devils first fall no surely but of his fall by the preaching of the Gospel When the Gospel is powerfully preached then the Devil falls But when the Solemn Assembly lies under Reproach he gets up again And what good man would not grieve when he sees how the Devil gets up again especially if he have seen the falling of the Devil before 9. Look when the Solemn Assembly doth lie under Reproach then you have a certain presage of a Famine of the hearing of the word If one could assure you that for certain there would be a Famine of Bread you would be much affected Why the reproach of the Solemn Assembly is a certain presage of a Famine of the word and the hearing of the word a certain presage of it 10. The more that any good man hath any hand in any great evil that is come the more he is affected there withall 'T is fabled of the Eagle that when the Eagle was shot looking upon her wound she was troubled But when she lookt upon the Arrow and saw the feathers of the Arrow nay then saith she I am kill'd and am destroyed by some of my own kind in regard of the feathers and this wounded her again and troubled her more that she was destroyed by some of her own kind And truly when a good man looks upon the reproach of the Solemn Assembly may he not see his own feathers Yes This reproach of the Solemn Assembly have I had a hand in No wonder therefore that it doth grieve him and that he is much affected 11. When the Solemn Assembly doth lie under reproach God is departed Take away God and I am no body saith one A good heart will alwayes say so Take away God and I am no body Now when the reproach lies upon the Solemn Assembly then God is gone God is so much departed and so much gone as the Solemn Assembly lies under reproach so much we do bear the badges of Gods departure Do you then ask me what there is in this reproach of the Solemn Assembly that the Saints should be so much affected there withall There are these two things and judge you whether there be not cause that all the Saints and people of God should be much affected and carry it as a burthen upon their souls when the Solemn Assembly lies under reproach And thus I have done with the second thing that those that are of them Those that are the true Members of the Solemn Assembly they will be very sensible of it And you see the reasons of it But Thirdly Suppose the Solemn Assembly do lie under reproach and we have been and are very sensible thereof and carry it as a burthen What then Then will the Lord turn your former sorrow into
Daughter of Ely Ickabod Ickabod The Ark of the Lord is taken Her Husband was kâ—lled and she falls in Travel 1 Sam. 4. 21. and being delivered she names the Child Ickabod saying the glory is departed from Israel because the Ark â—â— God was taken and because of her Father in Law aâ—â— her Husband and she said the glory is departed from Israel for the Ark of God is taken she names her Husbands death but once and her Fathers death but once but the Ark was taken twise for that she was most affected Is there any sorrow like unto my sorrow saith the Church why the waies to Zion mourn and are unfrequented Thus then the Saints and people of God will be affected when the Solemn Assembly doth lye under Reproach 2. This affection of theirs will continue with them and abide upon them they will not hang down their heads for a day and frolick it afterwards hang down their heads for a day in a Fast but as it is said of Ahab he walked heavily So they will walk Saith David in Psalm 42. My tears have been my meat day and night while they continually say unto me where is thy God When I remember these things I pour out my soul in me so you read it but it should be upon me I pour out my soul upon me as waters poured upon the ground For I had gone with the multitude I went with them to the house of God with the voice of joy and praise with a multitude that kept holy day My tears have been my meat day and night 't is not for a day and there 's an end but day and night This affection doth continue with them and abide upon them where ever they go they carry it as their burthen 3. Then also they will lay aside their Ornaments that they cannot rejoyce in their former comforts as they did before And the Lord said unto the Children of Israel that he would not go up with them I will send an Angel before you Exod. 33. and drive out the Cananite and the Amorite but saith he I will not go in the midst of thee then the children of Israel stript themselves of their Ornaments When the people heard these evil tydings they mourned and no man did put on his Ornaments For the Lord said unto Moses say unto the Children of Israel ye are a stiffe necked peâ—ple I will come up into the midst of thee in a moment and consume thee Therefore now put off thine Ornaments from thee that I may know what to do unto thee And the Children of Israel stript themselves of their Ornaments by the Mount Horeb And Moses took the Tabernacle and pitched it without the Camp afar â—ff from the Camp and called it the Tabernacle of the Congregation And it came to passe that every one which sought the Lord went out unto the Tabernacle of the Congregation which was without the Camp The presence of the Lord was removed They were fain to go out unto the Tabernacle The presence of God was departed and God said he would not go with them and though he had promised them an Angel yet they fall a crying and weeping O the Presence of the Lord with us else we have no comfort and then they laid by their Ornaments So that look when the Solemn Assembly lies under Reproach then the Presence of the Lord is gon from the Solemn Assembly and therefore the Saints and Servants of God will and must lay by their Ornaments 4. The Saints and People of God will search into their own waies and turn from the evil of those waies that have had a hand in bringing in this reproach upon the Solemn Assembly They will search and turn In vain is the sense when there is no emendation Is it such a day as I have chosen for a man to hang down his head No To relieve the oppressed to take off the yokes and burthens Reformation But what is it a dull Reformation No but it is a Reformation lead on by prayer and fasting and it is such a prayer as is back'd with Reformation And thus the people of God are affected under the Reproach of the Solemn Assembly 3. But then secondly you will say What is there in this Reproach of the Solemn Assembly that the Saints and people of God should be so much affected with it What what not Only First The Lord himself is well pleased with and the Saints are well pleased in this sense in tâ—â— Reproach of the Solemn Assembly God himself is well pleased with it The Sacrifices of Gâ—d are a broken and a contrite heart An hard heart is Gods curse Lamentations 3. you read it thus Give them sorrow of heart thy curse unto them 'T is not sorrow of heart for that 's a blessing but obstinacy of heart an hard heart so the Margent but in the Hebrew give them a heart with a Shield upon it that may fense off the blow That when any thing is spoken they may fence it off give them a fending heart a hard heart a hard heart is Gods curse A tender and a soft heart bleeding over the miseries of the Church it is Gods Sacrifice God is well pleased And the Saints and people of God they are well pleased in this sense It is Recorded of Nazianzen that knowing there would be freedom from sin in Heaven he desired to dye But then remembring that there would be no mourning for sin in Heaven nor for the miseries of the Church he desired to live Chusing rather to mourn for sin and the miseries of the Church than to be freed from sin here was a Spirit 'T is said of the true Griever he grieves and he doth rejoyce in his grief A man that doth truely grieve he doth grieve and he doth rejoyce in his grief So that in this sense of the Reproach of the Solemn Assembly God himself is well pleased therewith and the Saints are well pleased therein 2. But Secondly Do you ask what there is in the Reproach of this Solemn Assembly that the Saints and People of God should be so much affected with it I Answer There is a darkness falls upon the greatest Organ of Light The greatest Organ of light is ecclipsed all ecclipsed and the greater Vessel or Organ of light is ecclipsed the more dreadful is the Ecclipse The Sun ecclipsed that great Organ of light it is more dreadful The great Organ of light for the world it is the Solemn Assembly Now when a Reproach falls upon the Solemn Assembly the greatest Vessel and Organ of light is darkned and this is dreadful to those that look upwards But Thirdly Then the Name of the Lord is dishonoured The Reproaches of them that Reproached thee have fallen upon me And so the other way The Reproaches of them that Reproach us and the Solemn Assemblies are fallen upon thee O Lord and upon thy Name There are three or four things that God doth much delight in in the world