faith be acting on God through Christ and resting upon the promises of outgate and of an everlasting recompence and of throw-bearing and the other objects of faith necessary to be eyed in such a day for if this be not even the beleever may fainte and fall backward as we see in Peter Now this present acting of faith being the gift of God through His grace and influences it is manifest that Christian suffering unto which this is requisite must be also His gift 3. Hope is also requisite unto a Christian suffering for hereby must the sufferers head be born-up when he is swimeing thorow the sea of Persecution it is the Souls anchor which must not be wanting in a storme it is his helmet and must not be a missing in the day of battel Now this hope being the special gift of God and his work 1 Pet. 1 3. 2 Thes. 2. vers 13. it is manifest that Christian suffering unto which this hope is so necessary must be His special gift 4. Patience is likewise hereunto requisite for without it there will be nothing but wearying fainting fretting repineing and sinful longing to be from under the Crosse hence there is so great need of patience Heb. 10. vers 36. Luk. 21. vers 19. Iam. 1. vers 4. 2 Pet. 1. vers 6. And it is so much pressed Iam. 5. v. 10 11. 1 Tim. 6 11. And commended 1 Thes. 1. vers 3. 2 Thes. 1. vers 4. Revel 2 2 9. Now this patience is not the work of nature but His work who is the God of all patience Rom. 15. vers 5. And therefore Christian suffering must be His work and gift also 5. Humble submission and calmness of spirit is also requisite unto a right way of suffering for a proud haughty unquiet and undaunted spirit will never take a right lift of the crosse and this must also be wrought by the free and powerful grace of God and must be of Him from whom every good gift and every perfect gift cometh down even of the Father of lights Iam. 1 17. And therefore Christian suffering unto which this is so requisite must be of Him also 6. Such as will suffer Christianly for Christ must have Courage Boldness and Christian Resolution as accounting it their glory and honour to suffer for His sake and as remembering that as on the one hand their cheerful couragious and valiant suffering for the Interest of Jesus is no small encouragment to others to adhere to Him and to His cause so upon the other hand to suffer discouragedly and with a fainting heart is no small disadvantage to the cause Enemies being thereby more hardened and friends discouraged And this Courage and fixed Resolution must only be had from God Nature will not fournish this They must be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might Ephes. 6. vers 10. And as this is from the Lord alone so must the grace of Suffering Christianly be 7. He who would suffer as a Christian must have his Conscience sprinkled God must be pacified all quarrels must be taken out of the way for the sense and apprehension of an angrie God and sin and guilt looking the man in the face will much dash discourage and fainte him in his sufferings Now it is unquestionable that God's manifesting himself satisfied and well pleased with the man is His own free gift it is His proper work to sprinkle consciences from dead works and so must this Christian suffering be from Him which dependeth hereupon 8. When one is questioned for the Cause of Christ before learned and able States-men and Politicians or before learned Church-men he will have need of something wherewith to answere his Accusers and so be in case to give a glorious Testimony to the Truth and the cause of Christ otherwise the adversaries will think they have cause to triumph when he is made speachless though that Christian Martyr-woman who said she could not disput for Christ but she could burn for Him did sufficiently refell all the Arguments of her Adversaries which were but meer Sophismes especially if the maine crime be coloured-over with some alleiged personal fault In this or the like cases it is necessary that the accused have pertinent clear and pungent reasons of his actions in readiness whether to refell what is falsely alleiged or to defend what is just and righteous Now whence shall this be had or from whom is it to be expected but from Him who hath promised that it shall be given them in that hour Mat. 10. vers 19. But when they deliver you up take no thought how or what ye shall speak for it shall be given you in that same houre what ye shall speak And therefore Christian suffering unto which this is so necessary must be given of God also 9. Such as are suffering for Christ's sake had need to be very fixed stayed and stedfast in adhereing to their Principles as unshaken with any winde of temptation for cedeing and yeelding in matters of a Testimony dishonoureth the Lord whose truth is questioned encourageth and confirmeth Enemies and stumbleth and marreth the confidence of others therefore such as would suffer aright must stand to the truth and not yeeld in an hoofe nor sell or give away the least point of truth And this fixed and stedfast adhereing to the truth is of God alone He who stablisheth us in Christ is God 2 Cor. 1 vers 21. And when Paul is pressing the Thessalonians to stand fast 2 Thes. 2. vers 15. He addeth Vers. 16 17. Now our Lord Iesus Christ himself and God even our father Comfort your hearts and stablish you in every good word and work And therefore so must the Christian suffering be of Him alone 10. A Christian sufferer for Christ must have a Christian love to Christ for it is this that maketh the sufferers not count their life dear to the death for Christ and maketh them hazard all for Him they love him better than they love Father or Mother or any thing else in a world and therefore are content to lose all for Him and His sake Now love is of God who is love 1 Ioh. 4. vers 7 8. And it is one of the fruites of the Spirit Gal. 5. vers 22. And must be from the God of all grace for we love Him because He first loved us 1 Ioh. 4. vers 19. And therefore so must this right suffering be from Him 11. Before one can suffer aright for Christ and His cause he must be dead and mortified to this world and to all the Riches Honours and Pleasurs to the lust of the eye to the lust of the flesh and to the pride of life as Iohn speaketh 1 Ioh. 2 16. Yea he must be dead to himself and to his own life otherwayes these will hang as weights upon him and hinder his swimeing through the sea of affliction and persecution Now this self denial being the singular gift of God suffering unto
out and enabled to withstand temptations unto a sideing with the workers of Iniquity 6. It would help also unto Christian cheerfulness under the Crosse when we know that it will be but a blast soon over and gone our Countenance will not fall nor our courage fail but when we represent the trouble to ourselves as of long continuance and we beginne to doubt if ever it shall have an end then we become discouraged and our countenances are cast down and we appear no more couragious and cheerful How do our hearts faint and our hands fail us The Consideration of the short and momentany Affliction keeped-up Pauls heart and made him say For this cause we fainte not 2 Cor. 4 16 17. 7. The faith of this would free us from many feares that ordinarily attend such a Condition we are while under Affliction saying what if this or that fall out But the faith of this would hush these troublesome feares and questions to the door The Tribulation being but to continue ten dayes we would fear none of these things Revelat. 2 v. 10. CONSIDERATION XIX Remember Peter's fall Mat. 26. vers 33 34 35. IN a time of trials and temptations as it is of advantage to be calling to minde and presenting to ourselves the Christian and commendable Carriage of such as have been helped of the Lord to witness a good Confession for Him and for His Cause and Interest before men to the end we may thereby be encouraged to follow their example and to adventure on the Promises with them and not to fear the faces of men in Christ's Cause so it may be of use for us also to present before our eyes and to take notice of the faintings of others in the day of Trial that thereby we may learn to walk in fear and not to trust to ourselves or to any thing within us and to watch lest we enter into temptation when we are not in case to wrestle against it We have here before us a sad and an alarming Instance viz. the foule fall of an Eminent man in the houre of Temptation which may be Improven to advantage After Christ and His Disciples had been supping together at that Instituted Feast He tels them some sad and wakening newes vers 31 32. to Teach us 1. That we are never more ready to grow secure and to think that our mountain stands so strong that it shall never be moved than when we have had greatest Enjoyments of and Communications from the Lord and nighest Access unto him 2. That there is never less cause of security than at that time for the higher we have come in our attainments the Devil is the nigher with his storme 3 That we should never be secure but even when we win neerest God we should resolve upon and prepare for new assaults and temptations But withal it is remarkable that the Lord delayed the signification of the sad things that were to fall out until the feast was ended and they had sung a hymne knowing that they would then be best in case to bear the sad report and not loving to marre their mirth at that feast of Love Though Christ had told them that they should all be offended because of Him that night yet Peter out of a piece of manly courage as would appear promising too much upon his own head would not beleeve but would rather make his Master a false Prophet than suspect his own weakness Therefore Christ tels him that he should be more offended than any of the rest and that he should deny Him thrice ere the next morning came vers 34 But all this would not lay the high conceite that Petâ—…r had of himself for he resolved rather to die than do that and this he avowed openly little knowing this own strength In this carriage and in these Answers of Peter there are some things good and some things bad and the noticeing of both may be of use to us As for such things as are good here and may yeeld us some Instruction we shall mention these three First It was good that Peter was convinced did acknowledge that it was his duty and the duty of all Christ's Disciples to avow their Master and not to be offended in Him whatever came And this is an undeniable truth That upon all hazards Christ should be owned and avowed by all that would not have Him to be ashamed of them one day And yet how little is this beleeved beleevingly practised Secondly It was good that he was convinced and that he confessed that it was his duty though all the rest should have left alone yet notwithstanding to owne and avow his Master and not deny him For Christ and His truth and cause is worthy to be owned and avowed how small so ever our encouragment from others be And as we should not follow a multitude to do evil so neither will the defection of many justifie our defection and lessen our fault if we depart from the faith Thirdly It was good that he saw and acknowledged that he was obliged to owne his Master and stand at his back be the hazard never so great and that the very fear of death should not cause him deny his Master Thouâ—…h saith he I should die with thee yet will I not deny thee And indeed all that would be faithful Disciples to Christ must not think their life dear to the death for Him but must be dead to life and all that is dear to them But that which we would chiefly here take notice of is that which was amisse in him and which will ground some sad Truths for our use As First He had too great a conceite of himself and thought too much of what he had of what he was Hence obs That Christians are too ready to be puft up with thoughts of themselves and are in hazard to be carryed away with this evil of self conceite and vaine thoughts of their owne worth and excellency And this ariseth from these evils 1. Unmortified Corruption This is alwayes working against God one way or other and is as ready to work this way as any other way 2. Little self searching and self examination whereby we become strangers to the evil of our hearts and know not what enemies are lurking there and what wickedness aboundeth and when we know not what is within it is little wonder we be readily puft up with swelling thoughts of vanity 3. Little real acquaintance with the treachery deceitfulness and double dealing of our false hearts If we saw that and saw its activity for evil we would see more cause of humiliation than of pride and self conceite 4. Little mindeing considering aright the failings and falls of others who seemed to be as fast at the root as we If we thought upon this we might have cause to feare that we should also not be able to ride out a storme 5. Trusting too much unto our own present good disposition and frame
that their case called â—…or it otherwayes he had not exercised them thus 9. So the hand of the Lord is manifest in making the affliction answerable to their strength A potion may be fit for and suitable to the disease yet may be too strong for the weak patient and more readily kill than cure therefore a wise and tender Physician will take good notice of the patients present strength So the Lord who is tender of His peoples welfare will proportion the Physick of affliction unto their strength Hence we hear it said 1 Cor. 10. vers 13. But God is faithfal who will not suffer you to be tempted above that you are able Accordingly Ieremiah prayeth Chap. 10. v. 24. O Lord correct me but with judgement not in thine anger lest thou bring me to nothing The Lord s way is to correct his people in measure Iâ—…r 30. vers 1â—… and 46. vers 28. And as a father pitieth them that fear him for he knoweth our frame he remembereth we are dust Psaâ—… 103. vers 13 14. He knoweth that their strength iâ—… not the strength of stones nor are their bones of brass and so he knoweth they are not able to bear many blowes Thus we see the Lord measures the affliction to their strength It is true Paul saith 2 Cor. 1. vers 8. That he and his companions were pressed out of measure and above strength which would seem to contradict what is said But this seeming contradiction will be taken away by what we shall next adde 10. When the affliction and distress is such as would undo and presse the poor Beleever out of measure if he gote not some new supply of strength to stand under that burden the Lord's hand appeareth in fitting the Beleever for the stroke and in enabling him to bear it so that he is not killed thereby nor overwhelmed therewith by giving cordials he fortifieth the man against the violence of Temptations which otherwise would prevail against him Paul and his Company 2 Cor. 1. vers 8 9. were pressed with trouble in Asia out of measure above strength so much that they despaired even of life yea and had the sentence of death in themselves such a storme was it that they could not ride it out if fresh supplies of strength and courage had not been granted by God who raiseth the dead unto them and if the Lord had not thus delivered them from so great a death they had perished but how was this done See Vers. 4 5. The God of all comfort comforted them in all their tribulations and as the sufferings of Christ abounded in them so their consolation also abounded by Christ And thus the Lord fitted them for the stroke when the stroke was too sore for them So this same Apostle when assaulted with a messenger of Satan that buffeted him 2 Cor. 12. vers 7. Was strengthened by the grace of God Vers. 9. to stand out against that temptation which otherwise had overcome him as his praying thrice that it might depart from him Vers. 8. would import Thus the Lord keepeth the head of his poor people above water by making his power to rest upon them and by making perfect his strength in their weakness Vers. 9. Thus also are they strong when weak Vers. 10. 11. The Lord 's good hand of Providence appeareth in this matter in disappointing the Enemies of their malicious designes They are busie plotting and contriving the ruine and destruction of His people but the more they seek to destroy them the more they grow and thrive the more they multiply and the stronger they become It is almost incredible what multitudes of Christians through the whole Empire the bloody persecuting Emperours destroyed and put to death in the primitive times but the more they were massacred the more they grew the bloud of the saints and martyres was the seed of the Church Daniel's adversaries thought to have gote him destroyed but their enmity and rage against him tended to his further exaltation and establishment So was it with David the more that Saul did persecute him the more his bow abode in strength 12. The Lord's hand mightily appeareth in the afflictions of his people in that He powerfully and Infallibly carrieth on and bringeth to passe His own Purposes and Designes countermining and counter working the designes and wicked projects of the Enemies yea in effectuating His own ends even by what the Enemies are doing purposely to carry on their Ends. When the Enemies are blowing with all their might to make the furnace burn hot that the mettal as they suppose and intend may be wholly consumed the Lord by that same meanes is infallibly bringing about His Ends and accomplishing His designes to wit to purge the mettal and take away the drosse By what the Assyrian was doing in prosecution of his Ends to wit to destroy and cut off nations not a few Esai 10. vers 7. The Lord was performing his whole work upon mount Zion and Ierusalem Vers. 12. and what was this but to purge away iniquity and to take away sin Esai 27. vers 9 to chasten and punish for correction and amendement Ier. 30 11. and 46 28. 13. Herein also appeareth the Lord's over-ruling hand that while possibly the trouble is in its greatest strength and Enemies are swelling in their pride and thinking their contrivances cannot fail their plots and designes are laid so deep and so sure that they cannot misgive even then the Lord will make a door of outgate appear unto his people and give some foreruning tokens of the dawning of a fair day even then He will make a way for an escape that they may be able to bear it 1 Cor. 10. vers 13. 14. Lastly His hand appeareth herein that in due time He putteth a period to the trial and trouble by delivering his people out of them all Psal. 34. vers 7 17 19. He will not suffer the rod of the wicked to rest alwayes on the back of the righteous Psal. 125. vers 3. He will not contend for ever lest the spirits should fail before him and the souls which he hath made Esai 57. vers 16. He will keep His people no longer under Physick than He seeth necessary and therefore it is but for a season that his people are in heaviness 1 Pet. 1. vers 6. Enemies think to keep the people of God at under for ever but the Lord 's supream over-ruling hand appeareth here that He hath limited the duration of the trial and trouble to Ten dayes Revel 2. vers 10. He hath limited the rage of Enemies to an hour a day a moneth and a year Revel 9. vers 15. And the treading of the holy city under foot to 42 moneths Revel 11 2. And when the Lord's time cometh all the power and malice of the Enemies will not be able to hinder the delivery and how little so ever His own people look for it yet He will work it so that though there be scarce faith
His Love did meet with they durst not suffer a quarrelling thought to lodge within their heart but all their frettings and repineings would be turned into wonderings and praises 3. The Afflicted Beleever would hence draw this Conclusion Seing Christ was put to suffer such and such evils before me I may inferre that the sting venome and curse of these evils are taken away Seing He hath passed thorow the straits of Affliction He hath made the passage easier and wider for His followers He hath sweatened the passage and taken the sting away so that now it cannot hurt or harme so much as otherwise it would Christ hath gone thorow Sorrow Shame Paines Wants Temptations Mockings Spittings Scourgings Yea and Death it self and thereby hath paved a Way for His Followers and hath strawed it with flowres of fragant Love His footsteps all alongs the way have dropped fatness O how sweet hath He made an hard bed now He became poor that we might become rich even while poor and so might sanctifie Poverty to us He became a man of Sorrowes and acquanted with griefe that He might sweeten that lot unto His Followers and keep them from the evil of it from the hurt and poison of it May not this Consideration encourage His Followers to embrace the Crosse with Love Complacency and Delight when it is thus sweetened to them and in a manner no Crosse May not a Prison become an heartsome Palace unto His People when they consider how the Prince of Life the Absolute Lord of all the Chiefe or Standard-bearer amongst Ten Thousand was taken from Prison Esai 53 8. How welcome should an unjust Sentence from men be when our blessed Lord was taken also from judgment and was wickedly condemned for a Traitour How sweet should the most shamful and painful Death be to us that the wicked can devise as the expression of their imbittered malice and rage when Noble Jesus was crucified and so put the most shamful and cursed Death that could be seing hereby Death hath lost its sting and the curse is taken away for he was made a curse Gal. 3 vers 13. 4. The Afflicted Beleever may hence Inferre That seing Christ hath thus been exercised himself He knoweth how to Pity and Sympathize with such as are so handled Was He Mocked Vilified Maligned Despised falsly Accused Condemned for a Traitour to Caesar Buffetted Spit upon Scourged and Hanged as a thiefe He knoweth what it is to be so exercised and what such a condition calleth for and what they in such a condition have need of He knoweth what word of consolation will be fittest for them And this is no small encouragment unto the Beleever as was shown above Consid. 2. 5. The suffering Beleever may draw this Conclusion Seing Christ was put to all these sharp and sad sufferings I may well lay my hand on my mouth I may put my mouth in the dust be silent let the Lord lay one me what He will and by this meanes he may quiet all the insurrections of his spirit against the Lord and put a check unto all the insolent thoughts that arise in his mind against the Lord's procedour with him upon whatsoever occasion as 1. Doth this trouble and vex his spirit that he is innocent as to what is laid to his charge and is persecuted without cause And will he not be quieted when he remembereth how the Innocent lamb of God was handled how He was mis-used and persecuted who did never man hurt who never did sinne nor was guile found in His mouth 1 Pet. 2. vers 22. They hated and persecuted Him without a cause Ioh. 15. vers 25. as they did David who was a typ of Him Psal. 35. vers 19. and 69. vers 4. See also Psal. 35. vers 7. and 109. vers 3. and 119. vers 78 161. 2. Doth it vex him to think that he hath to do with unreasonable men worse than Heathens or Turks And will not this stop his mouth That they can be no more rude absurd cruel and unreasonable than those with whom Christ had to do What faire law or justice could Christ get They could not get so much as false witnesses to agree in any thing to accuse Him of yet they would persecute Him to the death Pilat was convinced of his Innocency and yet did deliver Him to be crucified What men more irrational than the brutish ignorant rabble set on by judicially-blinded and enraged Ring-leaders the Priests and Rulers 3. Doth it vex them to think that their own familiar friends and acquaintances turn their back upon them and refuse to comfort them And had not Christ this to wrestle against when all fled and forsook Him and His own Disciple betrayed Him Is it not said that He came unto His own and that His own received Hiâ—… not Ioh. 1 11. 4. Doth it trouble them to think that they are exercised with many troubles at once and which is worst of all when outward troubles are lying on the Lord is hiding His face And I pray was not this also Christ's lot was not He put to cry out even while on the cross and within a few minuts of expiring and of giving up the ghost My God my God why hast thou forsaken me And had He not a sadder inward exercise while in the garden where He was made to sweat drops of bloud than any that can befall them He had the weight of Law-wrath to bear that was due to all the Elect ones but the hidings which Beleevers can meet with are only fatherly with-drawings 5. If the duration and continuance of the trouble and affliction come into their mindes and vex them let them think that it cannot be worse with them than it was with the Lord Christ whose whole life was a life of suffering we read of His weeping but never of His laughing How oft was He in hazard of His life even from His Infancie How was He maligned slandered called a Devil a glutton and a wine-biber a profane Person How oft were snares laid for Him and how did Trouble follow Him to His grave 6. The afflicted Beleever may hence Inferre That it is his duty to study and to endeavour patience for in this did Christ leave us an example that we should follow His steps 1 Pet. 2. vers 21. In this passage of Peter we have some particulars which were evidences proofs or effects of Patience in Christ in all which we should labour to follow our Example as 1. As He was free of sin before He began to suffer His Enemies could lay no sin to His charge so while He was under their hands all the paine and trouble they put Him to caused Him not to sinne in thought word or deed So should the Sufferer labour strive against sin It is true we cannot be sinless and our corruptions will work yet it is our duty to wrestle against corruptions and to set a watch upon the door of our lips and to
contemned and slighted is not much but to see Princes hanged-up by their hand and the faces of Elders not honoured that is sad and lamentable Lam. 5. vers 12. So it is not much to see us base unworthy sinful and nothing creatures suffering and put to hardships disgrace paine shame miserie and wants But to see the Prince of the Kings of the earth in disgrace to see the Lord of life killed the Son of God despised the King of Kings spit upon and put to paine to see the Heire of all things suffering want that is an uncouth sight This maketh Christ's sufferings incomparably great and all our Sufferings nothing in comparison with these even when ours are at the greatest What are the sufferings of a beast of a worme or the like unto the sufferings of the greatest Prince that ever was or unto the sufferings of an Angel And yet the worme being a creature as well as the Prince or Angel the difference is not so very great but the difference is Infinitly more great betwixt the sufferings of Christ who is God equal with the Father in power and the sufferings of the greatest King or Emperour or Angel that ever was because there is no comparison betwixt Finite and Infinite betwixt God and the Creature 2. We know it is much more for one to suffer Death while in the flowr of his age and in the prime of his Strength and who in all probability according to his natural Constitution might live many years than for one who is half Dead already and is carrying about with him the Sentence of Death his Body being decayed and his clay-cottage ruinous and almost fallen to the ground So in this respect Christs Sufferings are far beyond ours for our Clay-bodies are so rotten with Corruption so broken with sicknesses and diseases that a few years should put an end to our dayes and we should quickly return unto dust though no hand were streatched out against us yea though all imaginable meanes were used to keep us in vigour and life But Christs Body though a true Body yet was naturally free of these Corruptions that come because of sin which our Bodies are obnoxious unto We never read of his sickness And though his death was not wholly miraculous yet we may not say that He would have died naturally as other men do though no violent hands had been laid upon Him 3. We use to think much more of his sufferings who suffereth wrongously and without Cause than of his who suffereth deservedly We will not be much moved to see a bloody Murderer put to Death but it will move us much to see a man put to death against whom nothing worthie of Death can be alleiged So in this respect our Sufferings are nothing in comparison of Christs for however as to men we should suffer innocently yet there is ground for God to plead His controversie against us and to use these as Instruments of His Justice to execute His righteous Sentence against us But it was otherwayes as to Christ who though as standing in the room of the Elect and made their Cautioner and so made sin for them or had their sin imputed to Him He was smitten of Justice yet as to His own Person He was the Innocent Lamb of God and without sin Holy Harmless Undefiled And as to men He suffered most wrongously as was seen above 4. The difference is great in this respect That Mercy is Master of work standing at the side of the fournace and ordering the same while His people are lying into it But the Law-wrath and Justice of God was blowing at the coal of Christs Sufferings We have to do but with men whose Actions are over-ruled by the Omnipotent hand of a Merciful God But He had to do with God executing Law-Justice because He stood in the room of the Elect. The Lord laid on Him the iniquity of us all He was wounded for our transgressions He was bruised for our Iniquities the Chastisement of our Peace was upon Him He bear the iniquity and sin of many Esai 53. v. 5 6 11 12. His own self bear our sins in his own Body on the tree 1 Pet. 2 v. 24. It is not so with the Lords People He dealeth not with them in pure Wrath or in Justice but in Mercy and in Moderation The Cup that Christ had to drink was full of the purest Law-wrath and so bitter that His Holy Sinless Soul did scunner at it But in the Cup of his Children there is not one drop of the revenging Justice of God or of Law-wrath but much of His Fatherly Mercy and it smelleth strongly of Love for He is bringing about their good hereby Therefore the disproportion betwixt Christ's Sufferings and ours is Infinite upon this account 5. Put the case which yet will not be that God should deal with any of His owne according to strick Severity and Law-Justice yet could not their Sufferings be comparable unto Christs Though they were pursued by pure Justice and by Law-vengeance and sent away to everlasting flames they should not for all that endure what He endured for they should but suffer in that case for their own particular and personal faults But Christ bear the sins of many even of all the Elect And this would make the difference great How much greater then must the difference now be when their Sufferings are of a far other Nature 6. This will be further clear if we Consider how Christ did not only undergo the Debt of the Elect and wrestled with strickest Law-Justice but by His Sufferings He made full Satisfaction to Justice which they all for whom Christ died had never been able in hell to have done there had they lyen for ever and had never come out of prison for they had never been able to have satisfied Justice But what Christ Suffered was full Satisfaction to Iustice that it could crave no more the Bond and Obligation was cancelled on the Crosse and Christ cried out It is finished intimating that the last penny was payed Thus Christ suffered more than all of them could have done for all Eternity and so certainly His sufferings were transcendently and surpassing great and the hardest of our Sufferings ought not to be named in one day with His. In Order to the Improving of this which is the Second Particular we shall mentione these few things 1. Were this Consideration rightly thought on and improven His people would not be so much troubled and affrighted in a time of Sufferings as usually they are We see how Christ went up to Ierusalem and set His face to go thitherward resolving to go thither notwithstanding of all Impediments in the way and albeit His Disciples were averse from that journay and would have disswaded Him from it He went thither with a full Resolution though He knew He was to grapple not only with the King of Terrours there but with pure Law-Curse and Wrath because of the Sinnes
which it is so necessary must be His peculiar gift also 12. Unto Christian Suffering for the sake of Christ it is necessarily requisite that the Sufferer have fresh Influences from the Spirit of God to stirre up the graces of God in him and to carry him thorow for if these be withheld a very Peter will sinfully and shamefully deny his Master now it is unquestionable that these Influences must needs flow from the fountaine and be the effects of Gods grace and love and therefore so must Christian suffering be which cannot be without these By these particulars the first point is clear And as for the Second Viz. That this gift of suffering is purchased by Christ is a fruit of His death and is obtained for His sake and bestowed in His behalfe To you it is given in the behalf of Christ to suffer we need not insist upon it seing it is certaine and undeniable that every gift of this kind and every spiritual grace is purchased to us by the bloud and merites of Christ He laid down His life to purchase heaven to His own and every thing else that was needful for them in the way to heaven In Christ are we blessed with all spiritual blessings in celestials Ephes. 1. vers 3. Every spiritual blessing cometh to us in and through the Covenant of Grace and of this Covenant Christ is the Mediator so that every blessing of the Covenant is purchased by Him This is also manifest from what was said in confirmation of the former Point for all these favours requisite unto a Christian suffering as the grace of Faith Hop Courage Stedfastness Patience Humility c. are purchased to us by Christ and consequently so must this gift of Christian suffering be purchased also The third point followeth to wit That this gift of Suffering Christianly for the sake of Christ is a gift in some respect beyond faith for the Apostle saith It was given to these Philippians not onely to beleeve but also to suffer which expression not only but also importeth a sort of gradation and giveth some eminency and excellency unto the last as Ioh. 5 vers 18. and 13. vers 9. Act. 19. vers 27. and 21. vers 13. Rom. 5. vers 3 11. and 8. vers 23. and 13 5. 2 Cor. 7 7. and 8 10. Ephes. 1. vers 21. and else where We shall clear this further by mentioning some particulars 1. This Christian-suffering for the cause of Christ doth presuppose Faith as we said above and so must be a gift given over and above faith 2. Many have the gift of faith who never receive this gift of suffering many precious beleevers go to their grave in peace and know not what it is to die for witnessing to the Name of Jesus on a scaffold or to suffer at the hands of Persecuters upon that account It is reported of famous Luther that he oft wished and praied for this and yet God thought fit he should die on his bed in peace This gift then of suffering not being common to all to whom faith is common must have some peculiar excellency as being more rare 3. Yea even all those beleevers who are called to suffer for the cause of Christ cannot alwayes win to this gift of Christian Valiant Suffering for the sake of Christ but through temptation and carnal fear over-powering them may for a time shrink cede and fainte and thus wrong their own peace harden the Adversaries discourage the Godly wrong the Cause and dishonour the Lord as we see in Peter when he denied his Master and that with Curses and Execrations whose faith yet failed not the Lord having prayed for that Luk. 22 32. 4. Though it be a matter of no small difficulty to beleeve yet some may win over that difficulty that cannot win over the difficulty of Suffering Christianly in bearing Testimony to the truth of Jesus as that instance of Peter cleareth It being then a matter of greater difficulty to suffer aright than to beleeve this gift of suffering must be a greater gift 5. Unto Suffering for the sake of Christ in a right manner there is requisite as we saw above a greater concurrence of the graces of the Spirit of God a necessity also for a greater concurrence of divine Influences to carry the soul thorow 6. This suffering for Christ's sake hath a special piece of honour attending it Hence the Apostles rejoiced that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for the Name of Christ Act. 5. vers 41. And Peter 1 Pet. 4. vers 13. desireth those he wrote unto to rejoice in that lot and Paul Rom. 5. vers 3. saith we glory in tribulations yea he speaketh of this as in some respect a step above their rejoiceing in the hope of the glory of God Vers. 2. for he bringeth it in with a not only so but also Which manifestly cleareth the excellency of this gift of Suffering 7. Christian Suffering for the Name of Christ is a common and publick good being edifying to the Body and so advantagious to many A mans faith is mainly profitable to himself and is thereunto ordained But Suffering in a right manner is profitable unto many to Enemies and Persecutors it giveth a dash and leaveth some ground of conviction and Friends are much encouraged thereby yea the whole Church receiveth advantage for thereby a noble Testimony is given to the truth and the bloud of the Martyres becometh the seed of the Church 8. Suffering for the cause of Christ in a Christian manner maketh the Sufferers to be like Christ and conforme to the Captaine of their Salvation as one now graduat or advanced to an higher class Christ came to bear witness to the truth and suffered upon the account of bearing Testimony to the truth and those who are honoured with this special gift are made in a special manner conforme unto Him and thus are greatly honoured 9. As Sufferers for the cause of Christ are thereby advanced to great honour and dignity so are they usually admitted to great neerness and access to God the Lord loveth to let out of himself unto them in a special manner that is a confirming expression which we have 1 Pet. 4 14. If ye be reproached for the Name of Christ happy are ye for the Spirit of God and of glory resteth upon you Sufferers have even here an happiness and an happiness upon the account of their suffering were it but reproach for the Name of Christ and who can tell how rich and great this happiness is and wherein it consisteth The Spirit of glory and of God resteth upon them this Spirit of God which is the Spirit of glory working in them all His glorious graces whereby He prepareth them for glory and comforteth their souls as if they were in the suburbs of glory resideth in them and resteth upon them as the sure earnest of glory wherefore this Suffering for His Name must be a great matter 10. This Christian suffering
quickly than otherwayes in all probability it would have been When Paul is speaking of his Sufferings Col. 1 24. he saith they were for them and not so only but for the whole body the Church Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you and fill up that which is behinde of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his bodies sake which is the Church So 2 Cor. 1 6. And whether we be afflicted it is for your Consolation and Salvation 2 Tim. 2 10. Therefore I endure all things for the Elects sake Another plaine Instance we have Phil. 1 12. But I would ye should understand Brethren that the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the Gospel 1. For further clearing up of this we shall mentione some particular Advantages which the Church reapeth by the Sufferings of Christ's Eminent Servants and Followers 1. Their sufferings upon the account of Truth serve much to Strengthen and Establish the rest of the people of God in the faith for the truth is thereby much confirmed unto them and made to have some deeper Impression in their hearts when they see that the Truthes which those Servants of Christ delivered unto them were such as the Preachers themselves were perswaded of as truthes and as weighty truthes yea and such as they are ready to seal with their bloud It is for this cause that Paul maketh mention of his sufferings in that Epistle to the Colossians for he is endeavouring to settle them in the faith and to keep them stedfast in the day of Temptation He would have them vers 23. Continue in the faith grounded and setled and not moved away from the hope of the Gospel And because they might have said what can we do when you are put to such sufferings and are shut up in Prison He obviateth this by saying I rejoice in my sufferings for you As if he had said My Imprisonment and Sufferings are not to your disadvantage but for your good and upon that account I rejoice in them So that this is a notable mean to keep others stedfast in the truth As upon the other hand it is a potent and forcible mean to shake poor people out of their hopes and to confirme many in Atheisme and Infidelity when they see such as have been preaching forth truthes unto them refusing to stand to them and avow them in a day of Temptation Hence is it that Satan seeing this so much for his advantage doubleth the force of his Temptations and Assaults against such knowing that the fall of one such may endanger many and occasione the staggering of multitudes 2. By this meanes the Gospel is made to spread more and and that not only by occasion of the banishment of Preachers as we see Act. 8. but also that by reason of their very Imprisonment or Persecution to the death many will be made to enquire after the cause why such are put to so hard sufferings and after enquirie some may be made to see that their Cause is just and righteous howbeit they be condemned thus may be brought to like their cause befriend it to hate the carriage of the Persecuters So that the Gospel-truth is no loser by all the loss that the Preachers suffer upon the account thereof for when strangers observe that such men of Understanding judgment and Conscience are ready and willing to confirme the truth of what they assert with their bloud and to suffer any thing rather than deny the same they beginne to search more seriously after the matter and to consider its consequences and come at length to affect that way more in their heart an Instance whereof we have Phil. 1 12. 13. He told them vers 12. that what hardships had befallen him had fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the Gospel and in the next verse he sheweth how this was saying so that my bonds in Christ are manifest in all the Palace and in all other places The report of his Imprisonment for the Name of Christ went far and neer so that even Caesars Court ringed againe with the noise of it and they are talking of it among themselves and severals are converted to the truth thereby and brought to embrace the Gospel for he tels us Chap. 4 22. That there were Saints in Caesar's houshold all the saints salute you cheefly they that are of Caesar's houshold 3. When the Lords eminent Servants are persecuted upon the account of truth the â—…ord is to speak so more engaged to do for His Church to owne her and to counter work the plots and wicked devices of Satan and this He is pleased for the glory of His name to declare and manifest by making thereby the Gospel to flourish more in power and life and to bless the laboures of a few the more The Church did never thrive better than in the Primitive times during these hote persecutions Iâ—… time of persecution the Church is purer for few adhere to the truth but such who have received the truth as it is in jesus and have the grace of God in them in truth then are there fewest hypocrites to be found in the Church the heat of persecution driveth them away and driveth the uprght hearted neerer to God so that their grace communion with God groweth their mortification to the things of this life increaseth and they become more and more crucified unto the world and the world unto them So that howbeit the outward bulk of Professours diminish yet the true hearted grow more lively strong and vigorous and the inward man is renewed day by day 2 Cor. 4 16. So that really the Church suffereth no loss but is a gainer 4. By this meanes many other faithful zealous and honest-hearted Servants of God are made through the Lord's wonderful defeating of the Counsels of Satan more bold forward in owning declaring the truth The devil thinks by the sufferings of some eminent Servants to discourage and fainte many as supposing that they will be affrighted from their duty but the grace and power of God worketh-out the contrary event As we see Phil. 1 14. where another fruit of Paul's bonds and Imprisonment is added And many of the Brethren in the Lord waâ—…ing confident by my bondes are much more bold to speak the word without fear So that the Church is a gainer through the Lord 's wonderful working by all these Sufferings 5. There is hereby an encouraging exemple laid before others â—…is no small advantage unto particular Beleevers in a time of Persecution to know of some precedent of some that have gone thorow the foord before them Therefore saith the Apostle Iames Chap. 5 10. Take my Brethren the Prophets who have spoken in the name of the Lord for an example of suffering affliction and of Patience so that such Examples are refreshing and helpful unto their Constancy and Stedfastness when they see others standing fast in the faith in the
that is meek and lowlie Even when he rideth in Majestie it is upon truth and meekness as the words may be rendered Psal. 45 4. When He rideth in state it is upon Meekness He is a King that cometh having Salvation lowlie and rideing upon an Asse and upon a colt tho fole of an asse Zech. 9 9. Mat. 21 vers 5. Though He be the terriblest King that ever was unto Enemies and Rebels yet He is all meekness unto his own 11. This King who sitteth and ruleth upon His throne is a Priest upon His throne Zech. 6 12 13. Behold the man whose name is the Branch and He shall grow up out of His place and He shall build the Temple of the Lord even He shall build the Temple of the Lord and He shall bear the glory and shall sit and rule upon his throne and He shall be a Priest upon his Thron and the Counsel of peace shall be betwixt them both Such a King is He that will not destroy His followers notwithstanding of their sins and rebellions but will rather make an attonement for them lay down His life for them and become an Intercessour on their behalfe 12. He is an ancient King His throne is established of old and He is from everlasting Psal. 93 2. The goings forth of this Ruler of Israel have been of old from everlasting Micah 5 2. And thus His throne is from everlasting to everlasting 13. This King of Zion hath Dominion over all the earth over hell over death Angels and Authorities and Powers are made subject unto him 1 Pet. 3 vers 22. He hath them all under his command and Authority that He may dispose and make use of them as He seeth fit By Him were all things created that are in heaven and that are in earth Visible and Invisible whether they be Thrones or Dominions or Principalities or Powers all things were created by Him and for Him Col. 1 16. God hath put all things under His feet and hath given Him to be Head over all things to the Church Ephes. 1 22. He is King of all the earth and He reigneth over the Heathen Psal. 47 7 8. All Power in Heathen and in Earth is given unto Him Mat. 28 18. 14. He is a King that rideth prosperously Psal. 45 4. The work He undertaketh doth not misgive in His hand nothing miscarrieth or can miscarry which He undertaketh He is the happiest sweyer of a scepter that ever was His purposes fail not He is not disappointed of his Projects or Designes all of them succeed well in His hand The pleasure of the Lord shall Prosper in His hand Esai 53 10. Secondly From these Comfortable Propositions let us draw some comfortable Conclusions 1. The Church and People of God are not an headless helpless Company as many take them to be They have an Head and a living head though Strangers and On-lookers do not observe it nor beleeve it The world and the men of the world look upon them as a contemptible Company yet they have a King reigneing over them and a King that shall reigne for ever and ever They themselves are oft times perplexed and distressed in minde when they see not one great Person owning them and their Interest and offering himself to be an head unto them but if they knew what anone they had for their Head Husband and King they would not be much troubled though not one great Person in all the earth should owne them and theirCause So that when all earthly Powers forsake them and withdraw their helping hand this may comfort them That there is a standing relation betwixt Christ and them as is betwixt a King and his Subjects and this relation neither is nor can be broken off 2. Let devils men do what they can they shall not be able to destroy and root out the People of God They may intend to destroy to cut them off from being a Nation that the name of Israel may be no more made mention of and may make a strong combination for this end as Psal. 84 vers 4. But this their Interprise is vaine they will never be able to effectuate what they designe Seing He is a King that reigneth on his Throne He must have a Kingdom and a People whom He must governe and over whom He must swey His scepter So that whoever would resolve to destroy His Kingdom must first think of making Him no King take away His Kingdom and take away His Scepter too Himself must be dethroned ere He have no Kingdome Enemies then may attempt great things and promise to themselves great success but in end they will prove themselves to be fooles for He must reigne for ever and ever and His Kingdom must be to all Generations He shall reigne for ever and of His Kingdom there shall be no end Luk. 1 vers 33. His people then may be at peace though they know what great things their Enemies designe against them and that their cruelty and rage is such as nothing but their utter overthrow and destruction will satisfie seing it is all one as if they should presume to pull God from His throne Let the Devil and his trustee Livetenant Antichrist conspire and use what Machinations and bloody Devices they will to destroy the whole Interest of Christ He must not want Subjects He shall not want a Kingdom so long as Sun and Moon endure Howbeit the people of God may be several times brought very low yea and almost out of sight as a Woman fled to the wilderness yet this exalted King who is set upon His throne by an everlasting Decree must have a Kingdom shall have a Kingdom over which to swey His Scepter 3. Yea Christ's Kingdom must be a coming and a growing Kingdom Luk. 1 vers 32. He must be great and have the throne of His Father David Many excellent promises have we of this Micah 4 1 2 3. But in the last daies it shall come to passe that the mountaine of the house of the Lord shall be established on the tope of the mountains and it shall be exalted above the hils and people shall flow unto it and many Nations shall come and He shall judge among the people So Esai 2 2 3 4. Rev. 11. vers 15. And the seventh Angel sounded and there were great voices in heaven saying the Kingdomes of this world are become the Kingdomes of our Lord and of His Christ and He shall reigne for ever ever We are taught to pray daily Let thy Kingdom come Our Lord shall be great to the ends of the earth Micah 5 4. 4. Wherefore Let Enemies do what they can His Church shall not get much hurt For so long as He is in the midst of her she cannot be moved though the earth be removed and though the Mountains be carried into the midst of the sea though the waters thereof roar and be troubled though Mountains shake with the swellings thereof Psal.
building too much upon such slender and slippery grounds And the consciousness of our own Unconstancy and Instability should make us live closer to Christ. 5. Strong Purposes and Resolutions to stand fast in a day of tryal will not keep us from reeling and staggering in a stormy day Peter had brave Purposes and stout Resolutions yet he fell notwithstanding in the hour of temptation And the reason is because 1. These Purposes and Resolutions are oft ill founded with us we ground them too oft upon something within ourselves on our Partes and Abilities our Light and Knowledge and upon our Grace and Receivings from God or upon former thorow-bearings and the like which may prove but a sandy foundation 2. The heart is deceitful above all things and desperatly wicked and so may faile us in a day of strait and difficulty 3 These purposes may soon be forgotten and laid by Which should learne us not to deceive ourselves with those specious and promiseing flourishes of Purposes and Resolutions even when they are real and without the reproachings of our heart for these are not strong enough to carry us thorow a sad storme that may come 6. A Person may resolve on death in avowing Christ and yet not stand out against a smaller temptation Peter resolved to die rather than deny his Master and yet the word of a Damsel made him deny Christ. And that because 1. Presupposed hazard is not so terrible to nature as what is present a small trouble present is more frightful to nature than a greater trouble afar off 2. We oft make our Resolutions without Christ and resolve not in Him but in ourselves 3. Oftentimes these Resolutions are not deliberat but done in a fit of a good mood and warm frame and when that is off the Resolutions animated thereby wax cold and faint The Consideration of which should make us feare alwayes and not to trust the highest and strongest of Resolutions Happy such as abide in Christ and depend upon Him for their daily Food Strength Courage and Activity and undertake nothing without Him 7. All these fast and firm-like Purposes Vowes and Resolutions will be so far from keeping a person from a fall in a day of temptation that they will not some time keep him even for a few houres So was it here with Peter for that very night he denied his Master And that because 1. A Christian when left to himself is not able to stand-out a storme even a very little time 2. Their adversary the Devil is active subtile and vigilant 3. After Vowes and fast Purposes they become secure as thinking their hazard less and trusting to their owne strength and so the Devil gets most advantage when they are gone from their watch-towr and are fallen asleep in their security 4. The Lord may see it good to suffer this to punish them for their Pride and Self-Confidence and to let all see that he that glorieth should glory in the Lord. This may let us see What an Unconstant Creature a beleever is when he is left to himself and how inconsistent he is with himself And should teach us to fear most and be most upon our guard when we think ourselves best and saifest And to know that our Strength and standing is in the Lord. 8. When Persons think themselves most sure they may be nearest to a fearful fall Peter thought now his mountaine stood so strong that he should never be moved as David did Psal. 30. And all the warnings he gote did not make him once fear a fall And yet wâ—… know what a fearful fall followed upon this And the reason is because 1. They oft judge by sense and carnal reason and so think because they finde themselves in a good mood at present that all is well and they need to fear nothing 2. They grow then most secure and self confident and therefore neglect their watchful and circumspect walking and are not in the fear of the Lord all the day long 3. Satan observing this watcheth his time and finding them secure setteth on cannot but prevaile 4. Self-confidence blindeth the eyes that they see not their owne weakness and where Satan may have advantage against them 5. The only Wise God ordereth it thus to let us see that all Flesh is grasse Therefore we should never resolve to quite our Watch-towr but alwayes minde watchfulness and circumspection and guard against Security Let us fear most when we think we are saifest and beware of promising saifty and immunity to ourselves in whatsoever condition or frame we be into Let him that standeth take heed lest he fall 9. Such as have an higher conceite of themselves than of others may come to fall fouler than any Peter thought more of himself than of all the rest and that he should stand by his Master though all the rest should shamefully turn their back upon Him and yet none among them all did as he did And the Lord wisely ordereth matters thus that 1 All Flesh may lye low in the dust be humble tremble and feare 2. That the best may be jealous of themselves and fear a fall 3. That He may chastise the pride of some who thought there were none comparable to them Which is a warning to all to have humble and low thoughts of themselves and to beware of proud imaginations and loftie thoughts 10. A Person may have true Grace and yet sinfully and shamfully shun suffering for Christ. As we see in Peter who had the root of the matter in him For to beleeve is one gift and to suffer is another distinct gift and they go not alwayes together See Phil. 1 v. 29. of which we spoke above To teach us to depend upon Him for the one as well as for the other and not to think that if we have grace we need no more to carrie us honestly thorow a day of temptation We would remember that it must be given us in that very houre to suffer stedfastly and to stand to the truth 11. A Child of God may fall into this grievous sin of denying his Lord and Master in all His Interests in His Person Offices Attributes and Works This was no small sin in which Peter fell at this time It had a long tail of direful and sad Consequences There is no sin which Beleevers are exempted from but the unpardonable sin unto death final impenitency and final and total Apostasie And Satan in all his temptations driveth at this to have them denying quiting and renouncing Christ. Which should teach us 1. To have charitie to some that fall in a day of temptation seing some in whom is the root of the matter may being left of the Lord fall very foulely 2. To be humble and watchful all our dayes not knowing what may befal us ere we die We may ride thorow one or two or moe stormes and yet fall shamfully ere we go off the stage 3 To remember what a strong and violent Body