with the business of Religion we must sit down and compute the cost and charges of Christianity think upon the worst as well as the best cast upon reproaches prisons and death for his sake as well as the easier and more pleasant parts of active obedience and having so done if then we can be content to run all hazards with Christ and expect to save no more by following him but our Souls if we can be content to hazard and forego all the rest upon his account and accordingly manage our selves in a day of suffering then we deal sincerely with Christ and clear our selves from the danger of hypocrisie It is for want of this that so many Professors faint and fall away in times of temptation furnishing the Devil with so many Triumphs over Religion and the more upright Professors of it it was for want of depth of Earth i.e. a deep consideration and well-rooted resolution at first that the stony-ground hypocrite so quickly withered away when the Sun of Persecution began to shine fervently upon him Mat. 13.5 6. And doubtless it is to prevent this fatal Issue of our Profession that God makes such deep wounds by Conviction upon his peoples hearts at first it is for our establishment in future tryals and sufferings that he so distresses and humbles them that he makes sin so bitter and burthensome to them as well knowing that all this is no more than needs to prevent their returning again to sin in the times of their temptation O Professor if thou be one that art come to Christ in this way and hast thus deliberately closed with him if thou hast as well bethought thy self of bearing his Cross as of wearing his Crown thou hast then a fair Evidence of the uprightness of thy heart than which the World affords not a sweeter comfort Thirdly The advantage of Preparations for Sufferings lies in this that it prevents and cuts off the scandal and offence of the Cross with respect both to our selves and to others First It prevents our own offence at sufferings and by Christs own testimony that Soul is blessed that is not offended in him Mat. 11.6 Among the multitudes of Professors few are found that are no way offended at the suffering of Christ they expected much peace honour and prosperity in the ways of Religion but finding their expectations frustrated and their Carnal Interest rather exposed than secured by their Profession of Christ they go back like those Joh. 6.66 and walk no more with him And it is very remarkable that Christ dates the offence that men shall take at him from the first appearance of sufferings Mat. 24.8 9. All these are the beginnings of sorrows and then shall many be offended Sorrows and Apostacies commence together But Reader if thou be one that makest it thy business to foresee and prepare for an evil day thou wilt have as good thoughts of Christ and his ways at the lowest Ebb as ever thou hadst in the greatest flourish and time of prosperity Great peace saith the Psalmist have they that love thy Law and nothing shall offend them Oh happy Soul whom no troubles reproaches or sufferings are able to offend thou mayst meet with Prisons Death Banishments yea but none of these things shall offend or stumble thee but thou shalt peaceably and safely pass over them because they are no more than thou expectedst and providest for Secondly And by this means thou wilt also prevent the offence and scandals of others at the ways of Religion It is a sad and dangerous thing to be an occasion of stumbling either to the weak or to the wicked Woe to the world because of offences for it must needs be that offences come but woe to that man by whom the offence cometh Mat. 18.7 The Apostacies and sinful compliances of ungrounded Professors and weak Christians in times of temptation are the woful occasions of prejudicing others against Religion and shedding the blood of Souls Ah it were much better never to be in the ways of Profession than to be there only as a stone of stumbling and a rock of offence to others but all this mischief will be prevented by thy serious expectation of and provision for the evil day Fourthly A fourth Excellency of Preparation for Sufferings lies in this that it hath a tendency to convince and awaken the 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 resolve in the strength of God to run all hazards and hardships for Christ I am perswaded it would be of more use to startle and convince the World than 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 hear you profess them as your Principles yet when they look upon the lives of Professors in times of danger and find no proportion betwixt Profession and Practice when they see us cling to the World and are as loath to give it up as others when they observe Prisons and Sufferings affright and terrifie us as much as those that make no Profession when they see us start like Hares at every sound and that we live not loose from the World as men prepared to let it go and give it up for Christ Why then they conclude that we dare not trust our own Principles when it comes to the push And how can they be perswaded to believe that which they think we our selves do not really believe although we perswade them to believe it My friends the World hath 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 than 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 ways 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
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 get out our whole subsistance and livelihood 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 Joshua Not one thing hath failed Jos 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 live so much by sight and sense on things visible what will you do when in David's or Paul's case Psal 142.4 2 Tim. 4.16 when all outward encouragements and stays 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 fail thou failest with it and as thy Faith is so art thou Consult all the Cloud of Witnesses and see if thou canst find a man among them that did not atchieve the Victory by his Faith Had they not all been run down by the furious assaults of temptation and instead of a Cloud of Witnesses been so many Pillars of Salt and Monuments of reproach and shame to Religion if their Faith had failed in its tryal CHAP. IX Wherein the necessity and usefulness of Christian fortitude in order to sufferings is evinced with a brief account of its nature and the means of attaining it THe next Grace which concurs to the compleating of our actual readiness for sufferings is Christian Fortitude or holy courage which must say in thy heart in a time of danger as Elijah once did As the Lord lives I will shew my self This also is a choice part of your preparation work In this Grace our Apostle was Eminent When he was told Bonds and Afflictions waited for him he could say That none of those things moved him Acts 20.24 yea when he was to appear before the Lyon Nero and not a man would own or stand by him yet he stands his ground resolving rather to die on the place then dishonourably to recede from his Principles and Profession 2 Tim. 4.16 17. He set the World with all its threats and terrours lower than it set him Oh how conspicuous was this Grace in all those Heroes that have past on before us And if ever you hope to stand in the evil day and be fetched off the Field with honour you must rouze up and awaken your courage for God And the necessity thereof will appear upon these four considerations 1. Because the success and prevalence of Satans temptations in the hour of persecution depends upon the fainting and overthrow of this Grace Wherefore doth he raise persecutions in the world but because such terrible things are fitted to work upon the passion of carnal fear which rises with those dangers and makes the Soul as a tumultuous Sea This is it he aims at Neh. 6.13 This is a multiplying passion that represents dangers more and greater than they are and so drives the Soul into the very Net and Snare laid by the Devil to take it Prov. 29.25 The fear of man brings a snare which was sadly exemplified in Abraham Gen. 12.12 and divers others of the Saints If he can but subdue this Grace he will quickly bring you to capitulate for life and liberty upon the basest and most dishonourable terms therefore the preparation of this Grace is so exceedingly necessary 2. Because this is the Grace that honours Jesus Christ abundantly when you are brought upon the Stage for him There is a great Solemnity at the suffering and tryal of a Saint Heaven Earth and Hell are Spectators observing the issue and how the Saints will acquit themselves in that hour We are made a spectacle saith the Apostle The word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we are set as upon a Theatre in publick view 1 Cor. 4.9 God Angels and Saints wait to see the glorious triumphs of their Faith and Courage reflecting honour upon the Name and Cause of Christ Devils and wicked men gape for an advantage by their cowardise Certainly very much lies now upon the Christians hands Should he faint and give ground how will it furnish the triumphs of Hell and make Christs Enemies vaunt over him as if his love ran so low in the hearts of his people that they durst not adventure any thing for him or if notwithstanding their brave words and glorious profession they durst
Pompey when disswaded from a dangerous Voyage answered Necesse est ut eam non ut vivam It 's necessary that I go not that I live But this being fed only by a natural Spring can carry a man no higher than Nature and will flag at last If applause and the observation of the world supply it not it quickly ebbs and fails But as Grace raises men much higher so it maintains it even when there is nothing to encourage without when forsaken of all Creatures and visible supports 2 Tim. 4.10 and this it doth three ways 1 By giving him that hath it a view of far greater things which shrinks up all temporary things and makes them appear but trifles and small matters Rom. 8.18 2 Cor. 4.18 By Grace a man rises with Christ Col. 3.1 It sets him upon his high places and thence he looks down upon things below as very poor and inconsiderable The great Cities of Campania seem but little spots to them that stand on the top of the Alps. 2 By teaching him to value and measure all things by another Rule than he was wont to do He did once measure life liberty riches honours by sense and time and then they seemed great things and it was hard to deny them or thus to slight them but now he values and measures all by Faith and Eternity and esteems nothing great and excellent but what hath a reference to the Glory of God and an influence into Eternity 3 Grace raises and enobles the Spirit thus because it is the Divine Nature 't is the Spirit of Christ infused into a poor Worm which makes a strange alteration on him transforms him into another manner of person as much difference betwixt his Spirit now and what it was as betwixt the Spirit of a Child that is filled with small matters and taken up with Toys and of a grave States-man that is daily imployed about the Grand Affairs of a Kingdom 3. A man can never suffer as a Christian till his will be subjected to the Will of God He that suffers involuntarily and out of necessity not out of choice shall neither have acceptance nor reward from God Of necessity the will must be subjected a man can never say Thy will be done till he can first say Not my will But it is Grace only that thus conquers and subjects the will of man to Gods Psal 110.3 This is it that which exalts Gods Authority in the Soul and makes the heart to stoop and tremble at his Commands 'T is this which makes our will to write its fiat at the foot of every Command and its placet under every Order it receives from God No sooner was Grace entred into the Soul of Paul but presently he crys out Lord what wilt thou have me to do Acts 9.6 The Will is to the Soul what the Wheels are to the Chariot and Grace is to the Will what Oyl is to those Wheels When we receive the Spirit of Grace we are said to receive an Vnction from the Holy One 1 Joh. 2.20 and then the Soul is made as the Chariots of Aminadab Cant. 6.12 Non tardat uncta rota it runs freely after the Lord and chearfully addresseth it self to every Service 4. A man can never suffer as a Christian until his heart be 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 weaken the Soul and strengthen the Temptation The Devils work is more than 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 ways 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 Heb. 13.9 and unites it to fear the Name of God Psal 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 negotii Let God deliver me from a man of one only 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 Bosom 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 bottom as other Fountain-waters are And hence it is they cannot continue and hold out when Sufferings come Mat. 13.21 because there is no Root to nourish and support The Hypocrite will not always 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 Comets 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 bottom that never fail It shall be in him saith Christ a Well of water springing up into eternal life Joh. 4.14 The Spirit of God supplies it from time to time as need requires It hath daily Incomes from Heaven munimur quatenus unimur 2 Cor. 1.5 Phil. 4.13 Col. 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
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 ways mistaken about this 1 You may measure your growth by your desires and then it appears nothing for the Christian aims high and grasps at all 2 Or by comparing your selves with such as have larger capacities time and advantages than 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 Rule 5 Decline not sufferings when God gives you a faâ—â— call to them Oh! the Christians suffering time is commonly his clearest and most comfortable time Then the Spirit of God and glory reâ—teth 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. VIII 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 heen 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 seldom 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 levelled 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 Cor. 1.24 The necessity of it will more clearly appear by considering how many ways it relieves the soul in trouble and disburthens the heart of all its sinking loads and pressures there are two things that sink a mans Spirit when under sufferings viz. The greatness of the troubles and the weakness of the soul to bear them against both which Faith relieves the soul viz. by making a weak soul strong and heavy troubles light First It makes a weak Soul strong and able to bear and this it doth divers ways 1. By purging out of the Soul those enfeebling weakning Distempers not only guilt in general which is to the Soul as a wound upon the bearing Shoulder Rom. 5.1 The removal whereof enables the Soul to bear any other burden Isa 33.24 But it also removes Fear that Tyrant Passion that cuts the Nerves of the Soul For as Faith comes in so Fear goes out Look in what degree the Fear of God is ascendant in the Soul proportionably the sinful fear of the Creature declines and vanisheth Esa 8.12 13. This fear extinguishes that as the Sun-shine puts out fire The Righteous is bold as a Lyon Prov. 28.1 The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies a young Lyon in his hot blood that knows no such thing as fear And look how much of the Soul is empty of Faith so much it s filled with fear Why are ye fearful O ye of little Faith Mat. 8.26 Certainly it 's a rare advantage to be freed from the common distraction in times of common destruction and this advantage the Soul hath by Faith 2. It strengthens the Soul to bear afflictions and hardships not only by purging out its weakning Distempers but by turning it self to Christ in whom all its strength lies and that suitably to the several Exigencies of the Soul in all its Distresses Doth Darkness like the shadow of Death overspread the Earth and all the Lights of Earthly Comforts disappear then Faith supports the Heart by looking to the Lord Mic. 7.7 and this look of Faith exceedingly revives the Heart Psal 34.5 and enlightens the Soul Doth God pluck away all Earthly Props from under your feet and leave you nothing visible to rest upon in that Exigence Faith puts forth a suitable act viz. Resting or staying upon God Esa 26.3 and by this the Soul comes to be quieted and established Psal 125.1 Do Temptations strive to put off the Soul from Christ and discourage it from leaning upon the Promise then it puts forth an act of Resolution Job 13.15 and so breaks its way through that discouragement Or hath the Soul been long seeking God for deliverance out of trouble and still there is silence in Heaven no Answer comes but instead of an Answer comes a Temptation to throw up the Duty and seek to deliver it self Then Faith puts forth another act upon Christ suitable to this distress viz. An act of waiting Isa 49.23 which waiting is opposed to that sinful haste which the Soul is tempted to Isa 28.16 Or doth God at any time call the Soul forth to some difficult service against which the Flesh and Carnal Reason dispute and plead Now Faith helps the Soul by putting forth an act of obedience and that whilst Carnal Reason stands by dissatisfied Gal. 1.16 And hence it is that Obedience carries the name of Faith upon it to shew its descent Rom. 16.26 Faith encourages the Soul to obey not only by urging Gods Command but by giving it Gods Warrant for its Indempnity Heb. 11.24 25 26. Or doth a poor Believer find himself over-match'd by Troubles and Temptations and his own inherent strength begin to fail under the burden then Faith leads him to an Omnipotent God and so secures him from
hand of an Almighty Spirit acts above it self A little Dog if his Master be by and animates him will seize upon a greater Beast than himself though he would run from him were his Master absent Our courage ebbs and flowes as the manifestations of the Divine Presence do Oh get thy self once within the Line of that Promise Isa 43.1 2. and thou art invincible Get an high estimation of Jesus Christ Rule 6 and all his concernments They that value him highest will adventure for him farthest Magnanimous Luther how inestimable a value did he set upon the Truths of Christ Ruat Coelum c. Let Heaven rush rather than a crumb of Truth should perish Thou wilt never be a man of zeal and courage for Christs interest until that interest of Christ have swallowed up all thine own Interests No sooner is the Soul acquainted with and interested in Christ but he heartily wishes well to all his affairs and concernments Psal 45.3 4. This is that which puts mettle and resolution for Christ into the soul Beware you be not cheated with Maximes of carnal policy mistaken for Christian prudence Rule 7 Many are so And they prove destructive to all true zeal and courage for Christ Never was Religion professed with greater plainness and simplicity then by the Primitive Christians And never was there an higher Spring-tide of courage and zeal for God then in those dayes We are apt to call it prodigality and are grown wiser to husband our lives and comforts better then they did But indeed our Prudentials have even swallowed up our Religion It 's true there is such a thing as Christian prudence but this doth not teach men to shun all costly and difficult duties and prostitute Conscience to save the Skin But a man of understanding walketh uprightly Prov. 15.21 Look upon the in-side of Troubles for Christ Rule 8 as well as upon the outside of them If you view them by an eye of sense there appeareth nothing but matter of discouragement To look on the out side of a Prison Banishment or Death is affrighting and horrible But then if you look into the inside of these things by Faith and see what God hath made them to his people how joyful and comfortable they have been in these conditions what honey they have found in the carkass of a Lion what songs in the Stocks and Dungeons what glorying in tribulation and an hundred fold reward even in their Sufferings O then that which looked like a Serpent at a distance will appear but as a Rod in hand Ho◠〈◊〉 have found themselves quite mistaken in t … prehensions of sufferings and been more 〈…〉 â—ome out of a Prison then they were to go in 〈…〉 you did but see your supports and the comforts that Souls ordinarily meet with in their troubles for Christ you would not look on them as such formidable things View the issue and reward of sufferings by an eye of Faith Rule 9 this also will strongly abate the horrour and dread of them Heb. 10.34 Upon this account it is the Saints have so slighted and contemned them Rom. 8.18 2 Cor. 4.16 17. But then see that you act your Faith 1 Upon the certainty of it Look at it as a most real and substantial thing Heb. 11.1 2 View it as a great and 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 Crown 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 See how the enemy with whom you are to grapple hath been beaten hand to hand and triumphed over by poor women and and children they had as great infirmities and you have as gracious assistances as those that are gone before you CHAP. X. 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 so me measure you are not fit to be used in any such service for the Lord 2 Tim. 1.21 The living World is the very Life of Temptations The travailing pains of Death are strenger 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 a shell Corruption in the Saints is like the Sap in green Wood which resisteth the fire and will not burn well till it be dried 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 Lustre and Glory upon things without It 's the Carnal Eye only 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 a 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 if 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 Traitors 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 eminent Trial shall rake you to the bottome Natura vexata 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 on their proper Object A regenerate and mortified Christian tastes 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 you 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 Oh those 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 tried 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 freedom 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 carried 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'ts 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 Lustre 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 ke 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
Ark and this was it by which he condemned the World left them excuseless For they not only 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 than 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 and commendation and respect These only are 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 Mat. 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 Decree bring forth and the Day pass as the Chaff Where there is a Conception of Judgment there will be a Birth 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 Cafes 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 3.30 31. 1 Sam. 2.12 Or what is the universal Vote and Cry of Gods Ministers who are his Watch-men to foresee danger Ezek. 3.17 and his Trumpeters to discover it Numb 10.8 and when these have one mouth given them 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 Months 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 Mat. 16.3 Jer. 8.7 The Stork in the Heavens the Swallow Turtle and Crane observe their Seasons of departing and returning upon the approach of the Winter and Spring and that by a natural instinct whereby they prolong their lives which else must perish But though God hath made Man wiser than the Fowls of the Air and Beasts of the Earth which by instinct will quit colder Climates or run to the Hedge when Winter or Storms approach yet the Heavens may be astonished at this to see Nature cast by sin so far below it self and that in reasonable Creatures But now if this be fore-seen then there is a singular advantage in a mans hand either to â—se the means of preventing those approaching Calamities Zeph. 2.3 or if it cannot be prevented yet to take Sanctuary in Christ Mic. 5.5 to run to the Promises and Attributes Esa 26. ult and so have a good Roof over his Head while the Storm falls and the Weather is tempestuous abroad And therefore certainly this Preparation is an excellent thing Whatever the Spirit of God speaks in the commendation of fore-seeing Evils is with respect to this Duty of preparing for them for fore-sight of Evils without preparation rather increases than diminishes the misery 6. A sixth Excellency of Preparation lies in the influence that it hath into a Christians stability in the evil day You cannot but know that your stability in that critical hour of Temptation is a choice and singular Mercy in as much as all you are worth in the other World depends upon your standing then Rev. 21.7 8. Rom. 2.6 7. Luke 22.28 Neither can you be ignorant how much you are like to be tryed and put to it then whether you respect the Enemy that ingages you Eph. 6.12 or your own weakness who have been so often foiled in lesser tryals Jer. 12.5 All the Grace you have will be little enough to keep the Field and bear you up from sinking and therefore it cannot but be a blessed thing to be able to stand and cope with the greatest difficulties in such a nick of tryal as that will be Now he that expects to do this must put on the whole Armour of God See Ephes 6.12 13 14. There 's no expectation of standing in the evil day except your foot be shod that is your wills prepared with the preparation of the Gospel of Peace It is true that our ability to stand is not from our own inherent grace for by his strength shall no man prevail 1 Sam. 2.9 and yet it is as true that without grace both inherent in us and excited and prepared for action we cannot expect to stand For these two Grace inherent in us and Grace exciting and assisting without are not opposed but co-ordinated Grace in us is the Weapon by which our Enemy falls but then that Weapon must be managed by the Hand of the Spirit Well then look upon this as a choice mercy which tends so much to your stability 7. A seventh Excellency of a prepared Heart is that it is a very high testification of our love to Jesus Christ when we thus shew our willingness to take our Lot with him and follow him where ever he goes What an high expression of love was that of Ruth to her Mother Naomy I will not go back but where thou lodgest I will lodge and where thou goest I will go 'T is excellent when a Soul can say to Christ as Ittai to David 2 Sam. 15.21 Surely in what place my Lord the King shall be whether in Death or in Life even there also will thy Servant be This is love indeed to cleave to him in a time of such distresses and dangers This is love which