and alters them Ah! it 's no small relief when a man can hold up the Bible as that Martyr did at the stake and say Here is that which hath brought me hither Or as the Psalmist For thy sake we are killed all the day long Or as the Apostle Col. 1.24 I fill up that which is behind of the sufferings of Christ in my flesh 6. Lastly Faith engages the presence of God to be and abide with the Soul in all its solitudes and sufferings It layes hold upon the Promises made to that purpose Psal 23.2 Isa 43.2 Heb. 13.5 John 14.18 and whilest a poor Soul enjoys this the very sense of Troubles is swallowed up And thus I have given some brief hints how Faith relieves and strengthens the Soul in a suffering hour The next thing is to direct you how to improve this excellent Grace that it may do you such service as this in a time of need And in order thereunto I shall give you these seven Directions 1. Attend diligently upon the Ministration of the Gospel which is not onely the procreant but also the conserving cause of Faith 1 Pet. 2.2 the Doctrine of Faith is the Food and Nutriment of the Grace of Faith There are its Rules its Encouragements its Cordials Thence Faith takes and treasures up its Michtams to which it hath recourse in times of need Every Attribute Command or Promise that shines forth there is a Dish for Faith to feed on all together are a Royal Feast Psal 63.5.5 Some say the Land of Judea is called the Land of the Living in Psal 27.13 in respect of the Ordinances of God which that people enjoyed Certain it is they are the great Instruments of quickning Souls at first and preserving that life it so begat in them But then be sure they have Christs stamp upon them and that they be ministred by his own Officers and in his own way And so you may reasonably expect more Fruits and Influences from them than from all private gifts and helps in the World For the Lord loveth the Gates of Zion more then all the dwellings of Jacob Psal 87.2 and all private helps may say in comparison of Christs publique Ordinances as Gideon said to the men of Ephraim Judg. 8.2 What have we done in comparison of you 2. Improve well your Sacrament-seasons those Harvest-days of Faith This Ordinance hath a direct and peculiar tendency to the improvement and strengthning of Faith It is a Pledge superadded to the Promise for Faiths sake Heavenly and sublime Mysteries do therein stoop down to your Senses that you may have the clearer apprehensions of them and the clearer the apprehensions are the stronger the assent of Faith must needs be By this Seal also the Promise comes to be more ratified to us and the firmer the Promise appears to the Soul the more bold and adventurous Faith is in casting it self upon it Oh! how many poor doubting trembling Souls have in such a Season gathered the full ripe Fruits of Assurance from the Top-boughs of that Ordinance 3. Frequent actings of Faith are rare and speciall means of improving it To him that hath i.e. that improves and uses what he hath shall be given Mat. 25.29 This was the way by which Paul thrived in Faith and every other Grace so exceedingly that he out-grew them that were in Christ before him 1 Cor. 15.10 It 's true that its beginning in the Soul is not after the manner of other Habits either Moral or Natural This is not of Natural acquisition but by Divine Infusion but yet its improvement is in the same manner Oh then if ever you would have a flourishing Faith rouze it up out of the dull Habit and live in the daily exercise of it 4. Go to Jesus Christ who is the Author and Finisher of Faith and cry to him as Mark 9.24 Lord increase my Faith Yea beg the assistance of others Prayers in this behalf as the Apostle did 1 Thes 3.10 2 Thes 1.11 Faith animates Prayer and Prayer increases Faith 5. Improve times of affliction for the increase of Faith For certainly sanctified afflictions do notably exercise and increase this Grace 1 Pet. 1.7 In times of Prosperity we see not what stock of Faith we have We live so much upon things seen that we cannot many times tell whether we have Faith or no But when difficult days come then we must let out our whole subsistence and livelyhood by Faith Hab. 2.4 Yea then we have many Proofs and Experiments of Gods fidelity in the Promises which is a choice help to Faith 2 Cor. 1.10 6. Keep Catalogues of all your remarkable Experiences treasure them up as food for your Faith in time to come Oh! it is a singular encouragement and heartning to Faith when it can turn over the Records of Gods dealing with you in years past and say as Josuah Not one thing hath failed Josuah 23.14 When it can say so of Promises that have already had their accomplishments then they will be apt to say concerning those yet to be accomplished as Elizabeth said to Mary Luke 1.45 Blessed is the Soul that believeth for there shall be a performance of those things which are told it by the Lord. These Experiments are the Food of Faith Psal 74.14 Thou brakest the Heads of Leviathan in pieces and gavest him to be meat to thy People inhabiting the Wilderness i.e. That famous Experience of the Power and Love of God in their Red-Sea Deliverance where he destroyed that Sea-Monster Pharaoh and his Hoast was meat to the Faith of Gods Israel in the Wilderness afterwards We often find Christ charging the Peoples unbelief on a bad Memory Mat. 16.8 9. And hence it was that the Lord commanded the Israelites to keep Journals of every Days Occurrences Numb 13.1 2. It 's a thousand pities such choice helps should be lost Oh! if you could but remember how the Lord hath appeared for you in former Exigencies and how often he hath shamed you for your unbelief it would exceedingly animate your Faith both in present and future Distresses Mic. 6.5 7. Lastly Beware of sense which is the supplanter of Faith O if you live upon things earthly you put Faith out of its Office things earthly have an enmity to Faith This is the victory by which we overcome the world even our Faith 1 John 5.4 Overcoming notes a conflict and conflicts infer oppositions Oh you that lives o much by sight and sense on things visible what will you do when in Davit's or Pau's case Psal 142.4 2 Tim. 4.16 when all outward encouragements and stayes shall utterly fail What had Abraham done if he had not been able to believe against hope i. e. such an hope as is founded in sense and reason Reader I advise and charge thee in the Name of the Lord and as thou hopest to live when visible comforts die that thou be diligent in the improvement and preparation of this excellent Grace of Faith if it
we imagine the rage of Satan to be abated now that his Kingdome hastens to its period Revel 12.12 It 's confest God doth not call all his people to the same kinds or degrees of sufferings All have not a Martyrs faith and all shall not have a Martyrs fire The God that instructeth the Husbandman to beat outthe Fitches with a staffe Isa 28.27 and the Cummin with a rod and not to turn the Cart wheel upon the lesser and more tender Grain will exactly proportion his peoples trials to his peoples strength For he is a God of judgement Isa 30.18 but notwithstanding this it still remains a truth as much as ever that all that will live godly in Christ Jesus must suffer perfecution 2 Tim. 3.12 Augustine thinks that the bloody sweat which over-run the body of Christ in the Garden signified the sharp and grievous suffering which in his mystical body he should afterwards endure It is a truth that these are also called the sufferings of Christ Col. 1.24 and there are yet remains of them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his personal sufferings were compleated 〈◊〉 Resurrection and are fully full he poured 〈◊〉 blood enough to fill that Cup to the brim by the former the wrath of God was fully quenched and satisfied but the later cannot satisfie the wrath of man Notwithstanding the lives of millions of precious Saints have gone for it in his Cause and Quarrel whose souls are crying under the Altar How long Lord how long Yet there are many more coming on behind in the same Path of Persecution and much more of that bloody work is to be done before the mystery of God be finished And though the Church have sometimes its lucid intervals yet the Clouds return again after the Rain Cain's club as Bucholcer saith is still carried up and down the world stained with the blood of Abel Thus you see to what hard things God hath called his people Now God may be said to call forth his people to suffer How God calls to sufferings when he so hedgeth them in by providence that there is no way to escape it but by sin Whatsoever providence labours with such a dialemâ—â—a as this is a plain signification of Gods will to us in the case We may not now expect such an extraordinary call to suffering-work as some of me Saints had of old Gen. 22.2 Acts 9.16 but when we meet them in the way of our duty and there is no avoiding of them but by stepping over the hedge of the command God will have us to look upon that exigence as his call to suffer And the reasons why he doth so often hedge them in thus by his providence in a suffering path Why he calls his people to such grievous sufferings and bring them to these exigencies may be drawn partly from his own Glory which is thereby singulary illustrated and partly from his peoples good which is also thereby strangely promoted and carried on By these Sufferings albeit Satan and his Instruments think not so doth the most Wise God illustrate and advance his own glory For 1. Thereby he vindicates his Righteousness not onely in making good the Promises to his people under them and so silencing all their unbelieving fears and jealousies Micah 6.5 but he vindicates it also from the aspersions and false imputations of his enemies by this the world shall see that how well soever he loves his people yet he will not indulge or patronize their sins If they will be so disingenuous to sin against him he will be so just to make them suffer for their sin and in those sufferings will provide for his glory which by their sin was prejudiced in the eyes of the world Amos 3.2 Ezra 9.13 15. He hates not sin a jot the less because it is found in his own people and though for the magnifying of his mercy he will pardon their sin yet for the clearing of his Righteousness he will take vengeance upon their inventions Psal 99.8 2. And in these sufferings his glorious Power hath an opportunity to shine forth also and that both in their supportations under trouble and deliverances out of it It is one of the greatest wonders in the world how the Church subjects under such violent Assaults as are frequently made upon it I will turn aside said Moses and see this great fight why the Bush is not consumed Exod. 3.3 But especially in its marvellous deliverances which the power of God often effects so strangely that it over-matches the spirits of Gods â—own people and their souls like a Watch wound up above its height stands still with amazement and admiration Psal 126.7 When the Lord turned back the captivity of Zion we were-like them that dreamed 3. His Wisdome is triumphant in these dayes of Distress and trouble Now you may see the All-wise God going beyond a subtile Devil and in a moment frustrating the deepest and most desperate Designs of Hell and that at the very birth and article of Execution Hest 6.1 sometimes effecting their Deliverances immediately by his own hand Zech. 4.6 Exod. 15.6 Hos 1.7 to the end he may be exalted in his own Strength Psal 21.12 13. for he affects not Social Glory Sometimes by contemptible and improbable means out-witting an Ahithophel by a plain Hushai Haman by Hester Sisera by Jael Yea sometimes by dreadful means I mean such as rather threaten his peoples Ruine then seem to promise their Deliverance Psal 65.5 The fiery Furnace the Lions Den the Belly of a Whale are strange means of preservation And as Divine Wisdome is glorified in the way and manner of their deliverance out of trouble so in ordering those troubles to their singular benefit and advantage For 1. They are ordered to be the occasions of drawing out the magnificent Acts of your Faith and Patience which else could not shew themselves to the world as now they do There are the Ordinary and common Acts of Faith and there are its Magnificent and Heroick Acts that is its Resolute and High-raised Actings by which it triumphs over greatest Difficulties and enables the soul couragiously to break down all the Difficulties that lie before him in the way of his Duty Such were those of Hester Job and Daniel Hest 4.16 Job 13.15 Dan. 6.10 When this holy Gallantry of Spirit appears in Believers God is exceedingly glorified Poor timerous low-spirited Saints like young Swimmers are afraid to venture farther then they can feel Ground I mean some sensible Encouragement under their feet but these can cast themselves into the Sea of Troubles upon a naked Promise From these Trials of Faith God hath a great Revenue of Glory 1 Pet. 1.7 and these could not appear in the world were it not for such Troubles Revel 13.16 Here is the Faith and the Patience of the Saints 2. They are wisely ordered as means of severing and discriminating the Spirits of Professors By this means the Church is disburthened and rid of
prevent thy ofsence when they come Joh. 16.1 2 3 4. Fore-sight of them takes off both the strangeness and terrour of them Great peace saith the Psalmist have they that love thy Law and nothing shall offend them or be a stumbling block to them as it is in the Heb. No! Why they meet with Prisons Death Banishments yea but they shall not stumble or be offended at these things but pass peaceably over them because they meet with no more then they expected And is not this a blessed thing think you that whatever falls out in thy way shall not offend thee or make any alteration on thy Judgment of Christ and his ways but he shall be as lovely and his ways as sweet and desirable under Persecution Scorn and Contempt as in the greatest flourish of Prosperity Yea though thou be broken in the place of Dragons and covered with the shadow of Death yet shall not thy heart be turned back nor thy steps decline from his ways Psal 44.18 19 20. Why this blessedness comes upon the heart of the prepared Christian 4. A fourth Excellency of preparation for sufferings lies in this that it hath a tendency to convince and awaken the secure and drowsie World O! If the Lords people would but fall about this work in earnest and live as people that are providing for a Storm and resolved in the strength of God to run all hazards and hardships for Christ I am perswaded it would be of more ease to startle and convince the World then all the Sermons that ever they heard For here is that which dashes and cuts the Throat of all our Labours we preach up Self-denial and Contempt of Life and Liberty for Christ Now though they hear us preach the necessity and excellency of these things and here you profess them as your Principles yet when they look upon the Lives of Professors in Times of Danger and find no proportion betwixt your profession and practice when they see you cling to the World and are as loth to give it up as others that Prisons and Sufferings are as formidable things to you as others and that you live not loose from these things as men that are in a preparedness to let them go and give them up for Christ Why then they conclude that you dare not trust your own Principles when it comes to the push and how can they be perswaded to believe that which they think your selves do not really believe They have Eyes to see what you can do as well as Ears to hear what you can say and as long as they see you do no more then others you may talk your hearts out e're they will believe your way is better than others But now when Persecution ariseth did they see you providing your selves for it and putting on your Harness to enter the Lists carry your dearest Enjoyments in your hands and put on the shooe of preparation to follow the Lord through the roughest wayes of Sufferings this would convince to purpose and preach the excellency of Christ the vanity of the Creature the rationality and certainty of Christian Principles in a more intelligible and rouzing Dialect to them than all our cheap and easie Commendations of them did And hence it is that Noah was said to condemn the World Heb. 11.7 By Faith Noah being warned of God of things not seen as yet i. e. of the Deluge that was coming though no appearance of it yet the Heavens being as clear as ever yet believing the Threatning he was moved with fear the fear of God an effect of his Faith in the Word of God moved i.e. impelled him to his Duty Set him about his preparation-work to provide an Ark and this was it by which he condemned the World left them excuseless For they not onely heard of an approaching Flood by his Ministry but now saw he himself believed what he preached by his daily preparations against it came O consider this how much it would tend to the Worlds Conviction Now they will see that you are in good earnest and that there is a reality in godliness This will induce them to search into the matter more then ever and remove those prejudices they have taken up against the good ways of God as if they were but Phantasms and Conceits 5. In the next place this fore-sight and preparation must needs be an excellent thing because the Spirit of God every where sets an honourable Character upon it and always mentions such persons with some singular commendation and respect These onely are the Wise-men in the Judgment of God and all the rest what great Polititians soever they are famed to be among men are accounted Fools Prov. 22.3 Eccles 2.14 The Wise-mans Eyes are in his head that is he is a foreseeing man but the Fool goes on and is punished Rushes on without consideration suspecting no danger that he at present sees not and so smarts for his folly Beloved there are Signs of the Times as well as of the Weather Math. 16.3 You may see the Clouds of Judgment gathering before the Storm falls upon you And this is the meaning of Zeph. 2.1 2. Gather your selves together before the Deerce bring forth and the Day pass as the Chaff Where there is a Conception of Judgment there will be a Firth unless the Reformations and Prayers of the Saints give it a miscarrying Womb. But it requires Wisdom to discern this they must be men of much observation that can descry it at a great distance yet this may be done by considering what GOD hath done in like Cases in former Ages when Nations have been guilty of the same sins as now they are For God is as just now as then and hates sin as much as ever he did and partly by attending to things present to what fulness and maturity the sins of a Nation are grown Joel 3.16 or what beginnings of Judgment are already upon a people as Harbingers and Fore-runners of more at hand Luke 2.30 31. 1 Sam. 2.12 Or what is the universal Vote and Cry of Gods Ministers who are his Watch-men to fore-see danger Ezek. 3.17 and his Trumpeters to discover it Numb 10.8 and when these have one mouth given certainly there is much in it Luke 1.70 Or lastly by pondering those Scripture-Prophecies that yet remain to be fulfilled They must all go out their times and accomplish their full number of Years and Moneths but certainly they shall be fulfilled in their Seasons By attending to these things a Christian may give a near guess at the Judgments that are approaching a Nation and so order himself accordingly Eccles 8.5 A wise mans heart discerns both time and judgment And this is even in the Judgment of God a choice point of Wisdom Whereas on the contrary heedless and careless ones that regard not these things are branded for Fools and upbraided with more bruitishness than the Beasts of the Field or Fowls of the Air Math. 16.3 Jer. 8.7 The
composed fixed and determined to follow the Lord through all Hazards and Difficulties As long as a man is hesitating and unresolved what to do whether to go forward or turn back again to the prosperous World when a man is at such a pause and stand in his way he is very unfit for Sufferings All such Divisions do both weâ—ken the Soul and strengthen the Temptation The Devils work is more then half done to his hands in such a Soul and he is now as unfit to endure hardship for Christ as a Ship is to ride out a Storm that hath neither Cable Anchor nor Ballast to hold and settle it but lies at the mercy of every Wave James 1.8 The double-minded man is unstable in all his wayes But it 's Grace and nothing besides it that brings the heart to a fixed resolution and settlement to follow the Lord. 'T is Grace that establishes the heart Heâ— 13.9 and unites it to fear the Name of God Psâ—l 86.11 This gathers all the Streams into one Channel and then it runs with much strength and sweeps away all obstacles before it So that look as it is with a wicked man that hath sold himself to do wickedly if he be set upon any one design of sin he pours out his whole heart and strength in the prosecution of that Design which is the ground of that saying Liberet me Deus ab homine unius tantum negetii Let God deliver me from a man of one onely Design He will do it to purpose So is it also in Grace If the heart be composed fixed and fully resolved for God nothing shall then stand before him And herein lies much of a Christians habitual fitness and ability to suffer 5. The necessity of Saving-Grace in all Sufferers for Christ will farther appear from this consideration That he who will run all hazards for Christ had need of a continual supply of strength and refreshment from time to time He must not depend on any thing that is failable For what shall he do then when that stock is spent and he hath no Provision left to live upon Now all natural qualifications yea all the common gifts of the Spirit are failable and short-lived things they are like a sweet Flower in the bosome that is an ornament for a little while but withers presently Or like a Pond or Brook occasioned by a great fall of Rain which quickly sinks and dries up because it is not fed by Springs in the bottome as other Fountain-waters are and hence it is they cannot continue and hold out when Sufferings come Matt. 13.21 because there is no Root to nourish and support The Hypocrite will not alwayes call upon God Job 27.10 Though they may keep company with Christ a few miles in this dirty way yet they must turn back at last and shake hands eternally with him John 6.66 These Commets may seem to shine for a time among the Stars but when that earthly matter is spent they must fall and lose their glory But now Grace is an everlasting principle it hath Springs in the bottome that never fail It shall be in him saith Christ a Well of water springing up into eternal life John 4.14 The Spirit of God supplies it from time to time as need requires It hath daily incomes from Heaven 2 Cor. 1.5 Phil. 4.13 Col. Munimur quatenus unimur 1.11 So that it is our union with Christ the Fountain by Grace that is the true ground of our constancy and long-suffering 6. And then lastly It will appear by this also that there is an absolute necessity of a real change by Grace on all that will suffer for Christ because although we may engage our selves in sufferings without it yet we can never manage our sufferings like Christians without it They will neither be honourable or acceptable to God nor yet beneficial and comfortable to our selves or others except they be performed from this principle of Grace For upon what principle soever beside this any man is acted in Religion it will either cause him to decline Sufferings for Christ or if he be engaged in them yet he will little credit Religion by his Sufferings They will either be spoiled by an ill management or his own pride will devour the praise and glory of them I do not deny but a man that 's graceless may suffer many hard things upon the account of his profession and suffer them all in vain as these Scriptures manifest See 1 Cor. 13.3 Gal. 3.4 and although you find many sweet Promises made to those that suffer for Christ yet you must consider that those pure and spiritual Ends and Motives by which men ought to be acted in their sufferings are always supposed and implyed in all those Promises that are made to the external action And sometimes it is exprest 1 Pet. 4.16 to suffer as a Christian is to suffer from pure Christian Principles and in a Christian manner with Meekness Patience Self-denial c. and this onely Grace can enable you to do So that by all this I suppose what I have undertaken in this Chapter viz. to evince the necessity of a Work of Grace to pass upon you before Sufferings for Religion come is by all this performed to satisfaction CHAP. IV. Wherein the Nature of this Work of Grace in which our habitual fitness for suffering lies is briefly opened and an account given of the great advantage the gracious person hath for any even the hardest work thereby HAving in the former Chapter plainly evinced the necessity of saving Grace to fit a man for Sufferings it will be expected now that some account be given you of the nature of this Work and how it advantages a man for the discharge of the hardest services in Religion Both which I shall open in this Chapter by a distinct Explication of the parts of this description of it This work of Grace What saving Grace is of which I am here to speak consists in the reall change of the whole Man by the Spirit of God whereby he is prepared for every good work In which brief Description I shall open these four things to you 1. That it is a Change this is palpably evident both from Scripture and Experience 2 Cor. 5.17 Old things are past away behold all things are become new and it is so sensible a Change that it 's called a turning from darkness to light Act. 26.18 and a new Creature formed and brought forth But to be a little more distinct and particular there are several other Changes that pass upon men which must not be mistaken for this and therefore 1. It is not a meer change of the Judgment from Errour to Truth from Paganisme to Christianity Such a Change Simon Magus had yet still remained in the Gall of Bitterness and fast bound in the Bonds of Iniquity Act. 8.23 2. Nor onely of a mans practice from Prophaness to Civility this is common among such as live under
Grace which are not and when the falseness of them is detected how is that poor Soul plunged into doubts and fears that leaned upon them As now If a man should conclude his sincerity from his diligence in attending on the Word preached this is but a Paralogism as the Apostle calls it Jam. 1.22 by which a man deceiveth his own Soul For that which is a note or mark must be proper to the thing notified and not common to any thing else There are divers sorts of marks some are exclusive the principal use of which is to convince bold Pretenders and discover Hypocrites Such is that 1 Cor. 9.9 It is a most certain signâ— where these are there is no Grace but yet it will not follow on the contrary that where these are not there is Grace See Luke 18.11 Others are â—elusive the use of which is not so much for trying of the truth and the strength and degrees of Grace As now when Faith is described by the radiancy of it or by some of its heroick acts and promises made to some raised degrees and operations of it as that Ephes 3.12 c. Here a mistake is easily made Besides these or rather bewixt these are another sort of marks which are called positive marks and these agreeing to the lowest degree of Grace are for the trial of the truth and sincerity of it Such are these 1 John 4.13 1 John 2.3 Matth. 5.3 Be sure to try by a proper mark Take heed of such sins as violate and waste the Conscience For these will quickly raise a mist Rule 3 and involve the Soul in clouds and darkness Psal 51.8 c. Such are sins against Light and the reclamations of Conscience Labour to shun those common mistakes that Christians make in judging of their state Rule 4 amongst which I shall select these five as principal ones 1. Call not your condition into question upon every failing and involuntary lapse into sin Iniquities prevail against me as for our transgressions thou shalt purge them away Psal 65.3 In short thou needest not call thy condition into question provided thou find thy Spirit working as Paul's did under the surprisals of temptation viz If 1 thou do approve of and delight in the Law though thou fall short of it in thy practice Rom. 7.12 14. 2 If thy failings be involuntary and against the resolution and bent of thy Soul vers 25.18 19. 3 If it be the load and burden of thy Soul vers 24. 4 If the thoughts of deliverance comfort thee vers 25. 2. Question not the truth of thy Grace because it was not wrought in the same way and manner in thee as in others For there is great variety as to the circumstances of time and manner betwixt the Spirits operations upon one and another Compare the History of Paul's Conversion with that of the Jaylor Zacheus or Lydia 3. Conclude not that you have no grace because you feel not those transportations and ravishing joyes that other Christians speak of If thou canst not say as Paul doth Rom. 8.38 yet bless God if thou canst but breath forth such language as that Mark 9.24 4. Say not thou hast no Grace because of the high attainments of some Hypocrites who in some things may excell thee When some persons read the sixth Chapter to the Hebrews they are startled to see to what a glorious height the Hypocrite may soar not considering that there are these three things wherein they excell the most glorious Hypocrite in the world 1 That Self was never dethroned in Hypocrites as it is in them All that an Hypocrite doth is for himself 2 The Hypocrite never hated every sin as he doth but hath still some Agag Rimmon or Delilah 3 That the Hypocrite never acted in duty from the bent and inclination of a new nature taking delight in heavenly imployment but is moved rather as a Clock by the weights and poises of some external motives and advantages 5. Conclude not you have no Grace because you grow not so sensibly as some other Christians do You may be divers wayes mistaken about this 1 You may measure your growth by your desires and then it appears nothing for the Christian aim high and grasps at all 2 Or by comparing your selves with such as have larger capacities time and advantages then you 3 Or by comparing your Graces with other mens Gifts which you mistake for their Graces 4 Or by thinking that all growth is upward in joy peace and comfort whereas you may grow in mortification and humility which is as true a growth as the former Oh! take heed of these mistakes they have been very prejudicial to the peace of many Christians Lastly Decline not sufferings when God gives you a fair call to them Rule 5 Oh! the Christians suffering time is commonly his clearest and most comfortable time See that Golden Letter of Pomponius Algerius P Then the spirit of God and glory resteth on them 1 Pet. 4.14 That which hath been in suspence for some years is decided and cleared in a suffering hour And thus I have shewed you how to attain this necessary qualification also CHAP. VI. Discovering the necessity of an improved faith for the right management of sufferings and directing to some special means for the improvement thereof THe next thing conducing to our actual readiness for sufferings is the improvement of Faith to some considerable degree of strength This is the Grace that must do the main service in such an hour and hath the principal hand in supporting the Christian under every burden This is the Grace that crowns our heads with victory in the day of battel Ephes 6.16 Above all taking the shield of Faith It 's true every Grace is of use and contributes assistance suffering Saints have been beholding to them all But of this we may say as Solomon of the vertuous woman Though many Graces have done excellently yet this excels them all In this Grace ready Paul was eminent It was the life he daily lived Gal. 2.20 Oh it is a precious grace 2 Pet. 1.1 so precious that Christ who seldome admired at any thing yet wondred at this Mat. 8.10 A victorious Grace it is that overcomes all difficulties Mark 9.23 By this Sword it was that all those famous Heroes Heb. 11. atchieved all those glorious conquests and in every distress it may say to the Soul as Christ to the Disciples John 15.5 Without me ye can do nothing This is that Sword that hath obtained so many Victories over the world 1 John 5.4 and that trusty Shield that hath quenched so many deadly Darts of temptation as have been levell'd at the very heart of the Christian in the day of battel By it a Christian lives when all outward sensible comforts die Hab. 2.4 It 's the ground upon which the Christian fixes his foot and never fails under him 2 Con. 1.24 The necessity of it will more clearly appear by considering how many wayes it
glorious reward And 3 as near at hand And then say to thy soul Come on my soul come on Seest thou the joy set before thee the Crowns of glory ready to be set on thy head by the hand of a righteous God Oh what compare is there betwixt those Sufferings and that Glory Propound to your selves the best patterns and examples Rule 10 Keep your eye upon the Cloud of Witnesses these are of special use to beget holy courage Heb. 12.1 Jam. 5.10 Who would be afraid to enter the Lists and grapple with that Enemy that he hath seen so often foiled and that by poor weak Christians To this end I cannot but judge these choice Collections in thy hands singularly usefull Oh converse frequently with these Worthies who being dead yet speak to thee and have beaten the path before thee CHAP. VIII Discovering the necessity of an Heart mortified to all Earthly and Temporal Enjoyments in order to the right managing of a suffering condition with several Directions for the attaining thereof THE next thing wherein your actual readiness for Bonds or Death consisteth is in the mortification of your Affections to all Earthly Interests and Enjoyments even the best and sweetest of them Till this be done in some measure you are not fit to be used in any such service for the Lord 2 Tim. 2.21 The living World is the very Life of Temptations The travailing pains of Death are stronger and sharper upon none than those that are full of Sense and Self As you see in Nature what Conflicts and Agonies strong and lively persons suffer when they die When others in whom Nature is decay'd and spent before-hand die away without half that pain even as a Bird in the shell Corruption in the Saints is like the Sap in green Wood which resisteth the fire and will not burn well till it be dryed up Prepared Paul had an Heart mortified in a very high degree to all the Honour and Riches of the World accounting them all but Trifles Gal. 6.14 1 Cor. 4.3 4. The need of this will be evinced by these five Considerations 1. Unless the Heart be mortified to all Earthly enjoyments they will appear great and glorious things in your eye and estimation and if so judge what a Task you will have to deny and leave them all in a suffering hour It is Corruption within that puts the Luster and Glory upon things without It 's the Carnal Eye onely that gazes admiringly after them 2 Cor. 5.16 And hence the Lust is put to express the Affection 1 John 2.16 because all that inordinate affection we have to them arises from our high estimation of them and that estimation from our Lusts that represent them as great and glorious Therefore certainly it will be difficult if not impossible to deny them till they have lost their glory in your Eye and that they will never do till those Lusts within you that put that Beauty and Necessity upon them be first crucified As for instance What a Glory and Necessity doth the Pride of Men put upon the Honour and Credit of the World so that they will rather choose to die than survive it but to a mortified Soul it 's a small matter 1 Cor. 4.3 So for Riches how much are they adored till our Lusts be mortified and then they are esteemed but Dung and Dross Phil. 3.8 'T is our Corruption that paints and gilds over these things When these are crucified those will be lightly esteemed 2. Mortification of Corruptions is that which recovers an healthful state of Soul Sin is to the Soul what a Disease is to the Body and Mortification is to sin what Physick is to a Disease Hence those that are but little mortified are in a comparative sense called Carnal 1 Cor. 3.3 and Babes vers 2. in respect of weakness Now suffering Work being some of the Christians hardest Labour and Exercise he cannot be fitted for it until his Soul be in an healthful state A sickly man cannot carry heavy Burdens or endure hard Labours and Exercises The sick Souldier is left behind in his Quarters or put into the Hospital whilest his Fellows are dividing the spoils and obtaining glorious Victories in the Field To this sense some expound Rom. 8.13 If ye live after the Flesh ye shall die but of ye through the Spirit mortifie the Deeds of the Body ye shall live Where as Death is put to note a languishing state of Soul whilest Mortification is neglected So Life is put to express an healthful and comfortable state vivere pro valere so that upon this account also the necessity of it appears 3. Your Corruptions must be mortified else they will be raging and violent in the time of Temptation and like a Torrent sweep away all your Convictions and Resolutions It 's sin unmortified within that makes the Heart like Gun-powder so that when the Sparkles of Temptation fly about it and they fall thick in a suffering hour they do but touch and take Hence the Corruptions of the World are said to be through Lust 2 Pet. 1.4 With these internal unmortified Lusts the Tempter holds correspondence and these be the Traytors that deliver up our Souls into his hands 4. Unless you be diligent and successful in this Work though you should suffer yet not like Christians you will but disgrace Religion and the Cause for which you suffer For it 's not simple suffering but suffering as a Christian that reflects Credit on Religion and finds acceptation with God If you be envious fretful discontented and revengeful under your sufferings what Honour will this bring to Christ Is not this altogether unlike the Example of your Lord Isa 53.7 and the behaviour of suffering Saints 1 Cor. 4.13 Yet thus it will be if your Pride Passion and Revenge be not first subdued For what are the breakings forth of such distempers of Spirit but as the flushes of Heat in the Face from an ill-affected Liver Most certain it is that all these Evils are in your Natures 〈◊〉 and as certain it is they will rise like Mud and filth from the bottome of a Lake when some eminen◠Trial shall rake you to the bottome Natura vexat◠prodit seipsam 5. Lastly Mortification must be studied and ply'd with diligence else you will find many Longings and Hankerings after Earthly Enjoyments and Comforts which will prove a snare to you What is sin but the corrupt and vitiated appetite of the Creature to things that are Earthly and sensual relishing more sweetness and delight in them than in the blessed God And what is Sanctification but the rectifying of these inordinate affections and placing them in their proper Object A regenerate and mortified Christian tasts not half that sweetness in forbidden fruits that another doth Set but Money before Judas and see how eagerly he catches at it What will ye give me and I will betray him Set but Life Liberty or any such Bait before an unmortified Heart and
how impotent is he to withstand them as offered in a Temptation On these unmortified Lusts how do they make men hanker long and their Lips water as we use to say after these things This makes them break Prison decline sufferings though upon the basest tearms Whereas a mortified Christian can see all these things set before him yea offered to him and refuse them Heb. 10.35 It is with them much as it was with old Barzillai 2 Sam. 19.35 when Nature is decayed they find but little pleasure in natural actions Eccles 12.1 And look as the Body of sin decays and languishes so do these Longings also It weans the Soul from them all and enables it to live very comfortably without them Psal 131.1 Phil. 4.12 There needs no more to be said to evince the necessity of Mortification and discover what influence it hath into a Christians readiness for sufferings It remains therefore that I open to you some of the principal Corruptions about which it mostly concerns you to bestow pains e're sufferings come Now look as there are four principal Enjoyments in which you are like to be tryed viz. Estate Name Liberty Life so the Christians Work in suffering times lies in mortifying these four special Corruptions viz. First The Love of the World Secondly Ambition Thirdly Inordinate affectation of freedome and pleasure Fourthly Excessive love of life 1. For the love of this World away with it crucifie it crucifie it Down with this Idol and let it be dethroned in all that intend to abide with Christ in the hour of Temptation How else will you take the spoiling of your goods How will you be able to part with all for Christ as these blessed Souls did It grieves my heart to see how many Professors of Religion are carryed captive at the Chariot Wheels of a bewitching World Oh! good had it been for many Professors if they had never tasted so much of the sweetness of it Sirs I beg you for the Lords sake down with it in your Estimations down with it in your Affections else Temptations will down with you e're long I shall offer five or six Helps for the crucifying of it First Consider your Espousals to Christ and how you have chosen and professed him for your Lord and Husband Therefore your doting upon the World is no less than Adultery against Christ James 4.4 If Christ be your Husband he must be a Covering to your Eyes an unchaste Glance upon the World wounds him Secondly The more you prize it the more you will be tormented by it Did you prize and love it less it would disquiet and vex you less It 's our doating on it that makes it draw blood at parting Thirdly Get true Scripture-notions of the World and rectifie your Judgments and Affections by them If you will have the true Picture and Representation of it drawn by the Hand of God himself see 1 John 2.16 It 's nothing else but Lust that puts that Lnster upon it It hath but a Phantastick Glory and that also passeth away What is become of them that ruffled it out in the World but one hundred years ago What could the World do for them Are they not all gone down to the sides of the Pit But he that doth the will of God abideth for ever Fourthly Study and contemplate Christ and the things above more This would vail all its Glory and kill it at the Root Phil. 3.18 19. Just as a man that hath been gazing upon the Sun when he takes off his Eye from that bright and glorious Creature and looks to the Earth there is a Vail of Darkness overspreading the Face of it that he can see nothing I wonder how such as pretend to live above and enjoy communion with God can ever relish such sweetness in the World or have their Hearts enticed and captivated by it Fifthly Remember always that by your love and delight in worldly things you furnish the Devil with the chiefest Bait he hath to catch and destroy your Souls Alas were your Hearts but dead to these things he would want an Handle to catch hold on What hath he more to offer you and tempt you off from Christ with but a little Money 〈◊〉 some such poor Temporal Rewards And how â—tle would that Soul be moved by such a Temptaâ—on that looks on it all but as Dirt. Sixthly Lastly take notice of the approaches of Eternity Remember you are almost at the end of â—ime and when you come to lanch out into that â—ndless Ocean how will these things look then It seems glorious whilest you are in the chace and â—ursuit of it but upon a Death-bed you will oâ—ertake and come up with it and then you 'l see what a deceitful and vain thing it is Stand by the â—eds of dying men and hear how they speak of it On the difference betwixt our apprehensions then and now Thus labour to wean off your Affections and crucifie them to the World 2. Mortifie your Ambition and vain Affectaetion of the Repute and Credit of the World Oh stand not on so vain a thing as this judge it but a small thing to be judged of man to have your Names cast out as evil Let not Scoffs and Reproaches be such terrible things to you It is without doubt a great Trial else the Holy Ghost had not added a peculiar Epithete to it which is not given to any other of the sufferings of the Saints not cruel Tortures nor cruel Stonings Burnings slayings with the Sword but cruel mockings Heb. 11.36 Yet learn to be dead and unaffected with these things set the reproaching World as light and as low as it sets you Despise the shame as your Master Christ did Heb. 12.2 and to promote Mortification in this take these Helps 1. Consider this is no new or strange thing that hath hapned to you The holiest of men have past through the like if not worse Tryals Heb. 10.33 Psal 44.14 Reproaches have been the Lot of the best men They called Athanasius Sathanasius Cyprianus Coprianus a gatherer of Dung Blessed Paul a pestilent fellow Doctor Story threw a Faggot at sweet Mr. Denlyes Face as he was singing a Psalm in the midst of the flames saying I have spoiled a good old Song 2. It may be Religion hath been reproached and scoffed at for your sakes and if so think it not much to be reproached for Religions sake 3. It 's much better to be reproached by men for discharging Duty than by your own Consciences for the neglect of it If all be quiet within never be moved at the noise and clamour without If you have a good Roof over your Head be not troubled though the Winds and storms bluster abroad 1 Pet. 4.14 Take heed what you do and then be heedless what the World sayes 4. Always remember that you neither stand or fall at the Worlds Judgment and therefore have the less reason to be troubled at it 1 Cor. 4.3 If your condition were