a good man may make use of the World he may make use of the world in reference to the persons of the world in reference to the things of the world In regard of the persons of the world So Abraham and Isaac did make use of Abimelech so Jacob did make use of Laban so the Israelites did make use of the Egyptians so the Jews did make use of the Heathen Cyrus Darius Artaxerxes for the building of the House of God Plainly then a good man may make use of the world the persons of the world And as he may make use of the persons of the world so he may make use of the things of the world for they are his own All things are yours whether Paul or Apollo things present and things to come life and death all things are yours And who may not make use of his own If a friend should send a man a gift it would be accounted an incivility and unthankfulness not to make use thereof Why truly as for the things of this world they are Gods gift The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh They are Gods gift And will it not be accounted an incivility towards God and an unthankfulness towards God not to make use of this his gift that he hath given us May not a Traveller make use of those things in his journey that are meet and necessary for him in his journey he may We are all Travellers to another Country we are upon our journey so far therefore as things are necessary for our journey we may make use thereof The Lord would have Adam himself to be imployed in the state of Innocency in the things of the world Six daies shalt thou labour and do all that thou hast to do And the Apostle in his second Epistle to the Thessalonians Chap. 3. v. 11. shews that those are busie-bodies whose bodies are not busie We hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly working not at all but are busie bodies working not at all but work in anothers ground busie bodies because their bodies are not busie See how they go here together working not at all but are at work where they should not work those whose bodies are not busie will be busie bodies And is it not an evil thing to be a busie body 't is so therefore we must work How can we work if we do not make use of the world and the things thereof So that plainly then we see the first thing clear'd A good man may make use of the world both in reference to the persons of the world and in reference to the things of the world A good man may make use of the world 2. But secondly though we may make use of the world we must use the world as though we used it not not regarding it too much not setting our affections upon it too much not spending too much time upon the world and the things thereof For look as wicked men do use the things of God and of the other world so a good man should use the things of this world Why now a wicked man doth use the things of God as if he us'd them not pray as if he prayed not and hear as if he heard not why because his mind is upon other things Why truly so the minds of the Saints are or should be upon other things Set your affections on things that are above 'T is a good speech that an Antient hath saith he As good men are where they yet are not namely in heaven so they are not where they now are namely on earth for your conversation is in heaven Though your communication be here on earth yet your conversation is in heaven and if heaven be our object earth will be our abject Few I confess that live at this rate to use the world as if they us'd it not But is there not reason good reason for it let 's see the reasons Is there not good reason for it yes For First If the world and the things thereof be so our own as if they were not our own then why should we not use the world and the things thereof as if we us'd them not why now though the things of the world are our own in regard of propriety yet if you look into the sixteenth of Luke you will find that they are called not our own ver 11. If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous Mammon who will commit to your trust the true riches and if ye have not been faithful in that which is another mans who will give you that which is your own That which is another mans that 's the same with the unrighteous Mammon who shall give unto you that which is your own spiritual things are our own the things of God are here call'd our own properly that is our own which we can carry up and down with us omnia mea mecum porto that is our own which we can carry away with us out of the world with us that 's truly our own But now as for the things of this world they have wings yea Solomon saith they make themselves wings If you clip their wings they will grow again they make themselves wings and fly away and they have the wing of an Eagle strong wings for to fly away Now if that the things of this world be so our own as if they were not our own why should we not use the world as if we us'd it not Secondly If the things of this world be and are as if they were not why should we not use them as if we us'd them not In the 23 of the Proverbs Solomon saith that they are not why shouldest thou let thine eyes fly upon that which is not They are not and if that they be as if they were not why should we not use them as if we us'd them no Thirdly If it be not in the power of any creature in this world for to help us or to hurt us to do either good or evil to us why then should we not use the world as if we us'd it not you know Psa 62. 10. If riches encrease set not your hearts upon them why God hath spoken once twice and I heard it that power belongs to God 'T is not in the power of riches or any creature in the world to do us either hurt or help In Isa 41. it s made Gods Prerogative Shew the things that are to come hereafter v. 23. That we may know that ye are Gods do good or do evil do good or do evil if ye will shew your selves O ye Idols to be Gods then do good or do evil this is Gods great Prerogative to help or to hurt its Gods prerogative 't is not in the power of any creature for to help or hurt now if it be not in the power of any creature for to help or hurt why should we not use the world and the things thereof as if we us'd them not
his Truth his Worship his People Things God delights in his Name When the Solemn Assembly is under Reproach his Truth is derided his Worship defiled his Children persecuted and his Name dishonoured Who can behold all these things and not bleed and not be affected there withall That 's a third 4. Look when the Solemn Assembly doth lie under Reproach then all the People of God the whole Generation of the Righteous are afflicted distressed and as a Lamp despised before him that is at ease Who would not grieve to see the necks of all the people of God lye upon the block together ready to be cut off Pray do but mind that place in Esther 'T is said there that when the Decree came out upon the Jews that their necks lay all upon the block in the third of Esther The Decree was given in Shushan the Palace and the King and Haman sate down to drink but the City Shushan was perplexed The City Shushan Why the City Shushan 'T is not said the Jews What was the City Shushan Jews No there were a hundred to one in the City that were no Jews I but the Neighbours of the people of God were perplexed O then is the City Sushan perplext in such a day and shall not the Jews themselves be perplext shall they not be affected much with it Then all the Saints their necks lie upon the block Look but into the Psalms and you shall see that when the Temple of God is defiled The reproach of the house of God and the persecution of the Saints go together Psal 79. 1 2. O God the Heathen are come into thine Inheritance thy Holy Temple have they defiled they have laid Jerusalem on heaps the dead bodies of thy Servants have they given to be meat unto the fowls of the Heaven the flâ—sh of thy Saints unto the beasts of the earth their bloud have they shed like water round about Jerusalem and there was none to bury them we are become a reproach to our Neighbours I these two go together the defilement of the house of God the reproach of the Solemn Assembly and the persecution of the Saints likewise Now who can see these things and not be affected 5. The School-men say That power which cannot be resisted is a cause of grief If evil be coming and I be able to resist it I am not much affected but if evil comes like an armed man and I cannot resist it this causeth grief Now when the Solemn Assemblie lies under Reproach evil comes upon the People of God like an armed man They cannot resist it hear's grief then 6. The School-men say All grief doth arise from the want of the thing loved and the loss of good Now when the Solemn Assembly doth lie under Reproach there good things are lost the Saints good things There 's the presence of God in the Solemn Assembly There 's the Chariot whereby Christ rides into the souls of sinners There 's the food of Faith There 's all good things gone and therefore no wonder they are so affected But 7. Look when the Solemn Assembly doth lie un-under Reproach then the world is scandalized and the world 's offended Wo to the world because of â—ffences 't is an evil thing that the world should be offended When is the world offended when the Solemn Assembly lies under Reproach aha so would we have it Then they laugh saith Paul who is offended and I burn not We say when the sick man laughs the Physician crys he is distracted saith he Why now the Saints and People of God they are the worlds Physicians to cure them and heal them by their lives and prayers and instructions What do they laugh what do they say Aha so would we have it But when the Solemn Assembly lies under Reproach then is the world offended Then therefore is the time for the Saints and people of God to be much affected 8. Look when the Solemn Assembly doth lie under Reproach then the Devil gets up again The Devil falls by the powerful preaching of the Gospel saith our Saviour Christ Rejoyce not that the Devils fall down like lightning before you What fall what doth our Saviour Christ speak of the Devils first fall no surely but of his fall by the preaching of the Gospel When the Gospel is powerfully preached then the Devil falls But when the Solemn Assembly lies under Reproach he gets up again And what good man would not grieve when he sees how the Devil gets up again especially if he have seen the falling of the Devil before 9. Look when the Solemn Assembly doth lie under Reproach then you have a certain presage of a Famine of the hearing of the word If one could assure you that for certain there would be a Famine of Bread you would be much affected Why the reproach of the Solemn Assembly is a certain presage of a Famine of the word and the hearing of the word a certain presage of it 10. The more that any good man hath any hand in any great evil that is come the more he is affected there withall 'T is fabled of the Eagle that when the Eagle was shot looking upon her wound she was troubled But when she lookt upon the Arrow and saw the feathers of the Arrow nay then saith she I am kill'd and am destroyed by some of my own kind in regard of the feathers and this wounded her again and troubled her more that she was destroyed by some of her own kind And truly when a good man looks upon the reproach of the Solemn Assembly may he not see his own feathers Yes This reproach of the Solemn Assembly have I had a hand in No wonder therefore that it doth grieve him and that he is much affected 11. When the Solemn Assembly doth lie under reproach God is departed Take away God and I am no body saith one A good heart will alwayes say so Take away God and I am no body Now when the reproach lies upon the Solemn Assembly then God is gone God is so much departed and so much gone as the Solemn Assembly lies under reproach so much we do bear the badges of Gods departure Do you then ask me what there is in this reproach of the Solemn Assembly that the Saints should be so much affected there withall There are these two things and judge you whether there be not cause that all the Saints and people of God should be much affected and carry it as a burthen upon their souls when the Solemn Assembly lies under reproach And thus I have done with the second thing that those that are of them Those that are the true Members of the Solemn Assembly they will be very sensible of it And you see the reasons of it But Thirdly Suppose the Solemn Assembly do lie under reproach and we have been and are very sensible thereof and carry it as a burthen What then Then will the Lord turn your former sorrow into
that I may be willing now for the present to suffer for the Cause or the Name of Christ Here are divers Directions Directions to suffer for the Name of Christ First Whensoever you do receive any thing from God when you do receive it then ingage your hearts to offer it up unto God when God calls for it again to lay it out for God And if at any time you find your hearts willing then pray to God and say The Lord continue this in the thoughts of my poor heart for ever whensoever you receive then ingage and keep this ingagement fresh upon your hearts Secondly Train up your selves in leaving and forsaking a worldly interest for the Name of Christ the Gospel calls for this work daily for you know the Parable A certain man made a great feast and invited many and sent his servant at Supper-time to say to them that were bidden Come for all things are now ready And they all with one consent began to make excuse One said I have bought a piece of ground and I must go see it Another said I have bought five yoke of Oxen and I must go prove them Another said I have married a wife and therefore cannot come All these were excuses But we should daily be parting with a worldly interest for the Gospel and Name of God It was a true speech of Mr. Greenham He will never be able to suffer by a Papist that cannot suffer from a Protestant Train up your selves every day daily you must meet with one Temptation or another therefore be daily training your selves up in this work of leaving and forsaking your worldly interest for the Lord Jesus Christ Thirdly Use the World as if you us'd it not for the fashion of this world passeth away He that is glewed to the world will never leave and forsake much of the worldly interest for the name of Jesus Christ the more a mans heart is glewed to the world and the things thereof the more unwilling he will be to part with a worldly interest for Jesus Christ Therefore let him that uses the world be as if he used it not he that marries as if he married not and they that weep as if they wept not and they that rejoyce as though they rejoyced not and they that buy as though they possessed not and they that use this world as not abusing it for the fashion of this world passeth away Witness the Revolutions of these latter times Fourthly Study Christ crucified much Let me say this to you and to my self and I pray consider of it the more frequently and seriously we do think on Christ crucified and what Christ did leave and forsake for us the more willing shall we be to leave and forsake any worldly interest for Jesus Christ I should think thus What shall Christ leave his Heaven for me and shall not I leave my Earth for him What shall Jesus Christ leave the bosome of his Father and that sweet Relation for me and shall not I leave the bosome of my Relation for him What shall Jesus Christ suffer for me a cursed death and shall not I be willing to suffer a blessed death for him The Death of Christ hath blessed our death Christ hath suffered a cursed death for us and our death is made blessed by the death of Christ And shall Christ suffer a cursed death for me and shall not I be willing to suffer a blessed death for him Think much of what Christ left for you and then you will be willing to forsake any worldly interest for him Fifthly Get your hearts filled with the divine sweetnesses of the Ordinances O Lord saith Austin when once thy sweetness came into my Soul how sweet was it to me to want my own sweetnesses Oh! when the sweetnesses of God shall come into our Souls this begets Love and much water cannot quench Love Go therefore and labour to get your hearts filled with Divine sweetnesses Sixthly Whatsoever you do now in a way of service do it because your Father wills it If you do therefore serve God now because your Father wills it then when you come to suffer you will willingly suffer because your Father wills it So that now use your selves to this to serve all your service upon this score because my Father wills it Seventhly Take heed that you do not stand lessning of a sin or of an error and greatning of a suffering What 's the reason that many are so unwilling to suffer The reason on 't is this they lessen the error and the sin in the yeilding and they aggravate and greaten the suffering O saith one Is this a great matter to yeild in such a thing as this 't is an indifferent thing but if I don't yeild I am undone for ever But take heed of this that you do not lessen the sin and aggravate your suffering for you will never be willing to suffer for the name of Christ if this be your way Eighthly If you would be willing to suffer for the Name of Christ then go unto God in prayer and pray unto God for boldness and go to your friends and beg of them to pray for you I remember when Latimer was to suffer he call'd upon his friends Pray friends pray for me for sometimes though I am as bold as a Lyon yet at another time I am so afraid as I could run into a Mouse-hole Therefore say Come O my friends I have a cowardly heart of my own and am unwilling to suffer for the Name of Jesus Christ O friends pray for me and go to God and pray for boldness for you see how it was in the 4th of the Acts they told their own Company what the Priests said to them And now Lord say they Behold their threatnings and what did they pray for Grant that with all boldness we may speak thy word And what was â—he issue in the next verse The room was shaken and they were filled with the Holy Ghost and they spake the word of God with boldness God answered their prayer presently Therefore if the Enemies threaten and you are afraid to suffer for the Name of Christ get together and in the midst of all your Petitions put up this to the Throne of Grace O Lord give us boldness Ninthly If you would be willing to suffer for the name of Christ O then read over the sufferings of others and how others have offered up their worldly interests to the name of Christ and by reading their sufferings you will be made willing to suffer as they were Having such a cloud of witnesses saith the Apostle he speaks of suffering-Saints Tenthly Improve all your afflictions to the mortification of your mind and of your will Take this for certain truly the more your own mind and will is alive the more you will be unwilling to suffer for the Name of Christ Well how shall I mortifie my own will Afflictions will help you do it Affliction What 's
Faithful witness Rev. 3. write These things saith the Amen the true and Faithful witness That is Christ Christ is the true and the faithful witness and therefore those that are his they must be witnesses too that they may be conformed to him Thereby they also overcome as you have it in Rev. 12. And they overcame him by the Bloud of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony They overcome by the Bloud of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony by witness-bearing So then the Saints and people of God they are Christs witnesses In Anti-Christian times they are Christs witnesses and if they be thus described why then should not we look unto this work especially Bearing of witness to the truths and wayes of Christ This is the work that we are born for For this cause saith Christ was I born and for this cause came I into the World that I might bear witness unto the truth This is the work of our Generation witness-bearing to the truths of Christ in opposition to the waies of Anti-Christ in Anti-Christian times This is the work of our Generation This is the work which there is a thousand years of glory and comfort promised unto above other things as you read in Rev. 20. This is the work Witness-bearing to the truths of Christ in opposition to the wayes of Anti-Christ This is the work that hath the Crown and Name of Martyrdom A Martyr what 's that but a Witness Every witness more or less is a Martyr We take the word only for them that dye But every witness is a Martyr This is that work which sometimes is necessary to Salvation Rom. 10. 10. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness and with the mouth confession is made unto Salvation This is the work I say therefore that sometimes is necessary unto Salvation And this is that work which Jesus Christ will own and acknowledg before all the world He that confesseth me before men him will I confess before my Father and all the Angels in Heaven And if this be the great work why should we not all of us look to this work especially this witness-bearing You will say what shall I do that I may be found faithful in this witness-bearing what shall I do that I may witness a good confession in these dayes of ours Something by way of Rule Something by way of means and yet not long because I must pass on to other things Rule 1. Something by way of Rule Be sure that your testimonies do agree Though there be 100 Witnesses about a business if their witness don't agree 't will be of little worth And now so it is Christs Witnesses this day are divided into many Opinions and Perswasions but they may agree in the main for Christ they may all agree in opposition unto Anti-Christ If that you wouâ—â—â—ave your witness valid and good labour you thaâ— are the witnesses for unity in your testimony Tâ—â—re are three saith the Apostle John that bear witness in Heaven speaking of Gods testifying of the truth of Grace There are three that bear Record in Heaven the Father the Word and the Holy Ghost these bear witness of Christ and their witness is good why For these three are One 1 Joh. 5. 7. And saith he at the 8. v. There are three that bear witness on earth the Spirit and the Water and the Bloud The Spirit I come to know that I am the child of God by the testimony of the Spirit bearing witness with my Spirit that I am the child of God And I come to know that I am the child of God by the witness of water by the testimony of Sanctification And I come to know that I am the child of God by the testimony of Bloud by the testimony of my Faith relying upon the Bloud of Christ And these three agree and these three agree in One. The testimony is good because they agree in one So in our testifying of Christ If our testimonies do agree our testimony is good that 's the first thing We have bin too much divided God knows we have and he hath punisht our Divisions with Divisions 't is time to unite our testimony If you would bear witness unite your testimony 2. If you would witness a good confession in these dayes of ours then you must be willing to own the truth of Christ to own it whensoever you are called thereunto 't is said our Saviour Christ he witnessed a good Confession before Pontius Pilate Pray what kind of witness was it was it any long confession or large nâ— â—ut the manner on 't was this when they call'd him before them to give an account of any fact he left them to prove it When they called him to give an account of the Doctrine that he held Art thou the King of the Jews then he owned it He left them to prove the fact and he owned the truth so should we do And indeed if that we be not willing for to own the truth when we are called thereunto why how can it be that the mark of the Father should be written upon our Foreheads only We read of the followers of the Beast that they received a mark in their right hands and in their Foreheads both why in the Forehead and why in the hand In the Forehead sometimes to wear it openly And in their right hands to put it into their pockets and to hide it They can own it sometimes and sometimes they can hide it but the followers of the Lamb they have the mark of their Father only in their Forehead Therefore I say If we would witness a good Confession we must be willing to own the truth whensoever we are called thereunto 3. If you would witness a good confession in these dayes of ours then you must be willing also for to suffer for the truth of Christ Those that cannot suffer for the truth of Christ and run the hazard of a suffering they cannot bear their witness fully See how they go together in Rev. 13. 10. Here is the patience and Faith of the Saints The Faith of the Saints and their Patience do go together So in chap. 14. ver 12. Here is the Patience of the Saints here are they that keep the Commandments of God and the Faith of Jesus Patience and keeping the Commandments of God and the Faith of Jesus they go together And therefore that 's a third thing 4. If you would witness a good Confession then take heed that when you hav born your testimony you do nothing that may revoke the same either directly or by consequence Some bear a good testimony to the truths of Christ but then they revoke their testimony by somthing that they do afterwards either directly or by consequence Mark what is said of John in Joh. 1. 20. 't is said of him He confessed and denyed not but confessed I am not the Christ He confessed and did not revoke his testimony He
any man will hurt them mind a little It seems then first That there will alwaies be some in readiness to hurt the witnessing people of Christ though they be impowered to witness from Christ himself Though the Saints and People of God be impowered by Christ himself for to bear their Testimony There will alwaies be some or other to hurt the witnessing people of God If any man will hurt them Them that are Witnesses But Secondly though men do hurt the witnessing people of God they shall not go unpunished If any man will hurt them fire proceeds out of their mouths and devoureth their enemies Though the enemies may hurt the witnessing people of Christ the enemies shall be hurt themselves they shall not go unpunished But Thirdly They shall not only be punished that hurt the witnessing people of God But they shall be punished with a So He must in this manner or So he must So be punished So how so So look in what way he thought to have hurt the witnessing people of God So shall he be hurt look by what mens he sought to hurt the people of God by the same hand and means shall he be hurt himself But So so by fire coming out of their mouth by the prayers of the people of God they shall be blasted and consumed not by sword not by might nor by strength but by fire coming out of their mouth So So he shall not only be punished but be punished with a so that hurts the witnessing people of God Oh my beloved friends why do you shut your mouths why should you not be much in prayer what doth fire come out of the mouth of the witnessing people of God to devour their enemies and will you shut your mouth and not pray Oh! where will Opposers appear what will become of those that hurt the witnessing people of God O wo to them Oh! what a dangerous thing is it to oppose the prayers of the people of God This is the fire that comes out of their mouth whereby those that hurt them are scorched And therefore let men take heed how they hurt any of the witnessing people of Christ and let all those that are witnesses pray You that are witnesses now open your mouths for fire proceedeth out of your mouths to devour the enemies that hurt the witnessing people of God Open your mouths wide And so I have done with the fifth thing The Guard whereby the Witnesses are guarded in the daies of their Prophesie 6. The sixth thing remains and that is what are the great things that these Witnesses will do in the end of the daies of their Prophesie and of their Sackcloth Why briefly thus In the general 't is said These have power to smite the Earth with all plagues as often as they will That is as I humbly conceive pouring out the seven Vials in Rev. 16. the seven Vials are poured out upon the earth and why is it spoken of here That they have power to smite the earth with all Plagues But to shew that at least some of the Vials shall be poured out before the Witnesses are slain But not to fix there more particularly First These have a power to shut Heaven that it rain not in the daies of their Prophesie What 's that Certainly it must relate unto Elijah That Elijah prayed and by his prayer he shut the Heavens that it rained not for three years and an half Plainly it relates unto Elijah as can be Elijah prayed and by his prayer he shut the Heavens that it rained not for three years and a half Well but what are the Heavens here Those cannot be understood litterally but spiritually As it is said in the 8th verse Their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great City which Spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt The Heavens here cannot be understood litterally but spiritually what then what are the Heavens then and what is the shutting of the Heavens that it rain not The Heavens are the highest power so that look when the Witnesses have power to restrain the highest power in Church and State from their wonted influence then is this word fulfilled that they have power to shut Heaven that it rain not in the days of their Prophesie I say the Heavens are the highest powers look when the Witnesses do restrain the highest power in Church and State from their wonted influence Then is this word fulfilled Secondly They have power also to turn water into blood What 's that plainly it must relate to Moses who turned Rivers and turned waters into blood What 's that It cannot be understood litterally but spiritually still What 's that then Why thus These waters are to be understood spiritually and so you read in Revel 16. The Sea and Rivers were turned into blood Look therefore when the Witnesses shall have power to turn the still waters of a State or Nation into War and Blood Then is this Word fulfilled But how came the Witnesses to have power to do this It may be not legally for it is not said here And I will give power unto them to shut the Heavens but these have power to shut the Heavens and these have power to turn waters into blood 't is not said here I will give them power as 't is said before it may be this may be done and not legally But when shall this be done It must be done immediately before their slaying I pray mark the coherence here They shall have power to shut the Heavens immediately before they are slain and to turn water into blood immediately before they are slain just before the three years and a half that they lye dead upon the earth For when did Elijah shut the Heavens but immediately before the three years and a half of drought When did Moses turn the waters into blood but immediately before the coming out of the Children of Israel out of Egypt So here immediately before the Witnesses are slain and they lye three years and a half as dead immediately before they have power to shut the Heavens that it rain not and to turn waters into blood Now therefore to draw to a Conclusion whensoever you see all these things come to pass I will not apply them to times or places this or that time or place But when you shall see all these things come to pass one treading upon the heel of another when you shall see that the Witnesses have power to shut the Heavens that it rain not to restrain the highest powers both in Church and State from their wonted influence And that they have power to turn water into bloud and still Nations into War and then immediately upon it they shall be slain and so lye dead deprived of their functions and vital operations as if they lay dead Then lift up your heads and comfortably say hopefully say Now now comes the three years and half which is the last time Now is our Salvation near for God will bring
Countrey man comes to London upon some business that doth concern him nearly in his life why will he run up and down the City for to see things Go and see the Lyons and the Bears and not mind and dispatch his business Or if a Citizen go into the Country about some business that concerns his life will he run up and down the Closes for to catch Butter-flyes and to gather Cowslips when all his time is but little enough for to do his business in Surely no we are upon our life and we are upon our Eternity and upon this little spot and moment of time hangs our Eternity what shall we â—un up and down catching Butterflyes gathering Cowslips running up and down to see the Lyons and the Bears and our business undone and our time but little All the time that we have is little enough to make our Calling and Election sure All the time we have is little enough for the preparing for our great change The Devil doth improve his time upon this score We read in the Revelations that the Devil is come down with great wrath for his time is short Shall the Devil improve his time because it is but short in a way of mischief And shall not we improve our time seeing it is but short Our time is short therefore let us use the World as though we used it not But then secondly as for the second Reason Use the World as if we used it not we must For the fashion of this world passeth away The fashion of this World 't is but a Scheme it is but a piece of Pageantry it is but a Stage one goes off and another comes on Take the World in the bravest dress and it is but a Fashion And as that 's a Fashion to day which was not yesterday that 's a Fashion to day which is none to morrow Fashions pass away So the Fashion of the World passeth away Joseph was in favour greatly with his Father and that favour past away His Brethren sold him then he was in an afflicted condition being sold down to Egypt That fashion past away he came into Potiphars house and there he had favour Well there he had favour a little time and that fashion past away then thrown into the Prison and there he was in a sad condition again and that Fashion past away he had favor with the Jaylor And then he came to the Throne to be the great Councellor of the Nation and that lasted â—ot long but that past away What piece of the world is there but the fashion thereof passeth away Will you instance in the strongest natural piece of the World or the civil moral piece of the World or the sinful fashion of the World or the Religious fashion of the World or the comfortable fashion of the World First for the natural piece the Fashion of the World what stronger piece of the World than the Heavens and Earth Now Read what is said in the first of the Hebrews v. 10 11. Thou Lord in the beginning hast laid the Foundation of the Earth and the Heavens are the works of thine hands They shall perish but thou remainest and they all shall wax old as doth a Garment and as a vesture shalt thou fold them up and they shall be changed but thou art the same as the Heb. in the Psalmes But thou art he But thou art the same and thy years shall not fail but as for them though these things be brusht over a little as a vesture shalt thou fold them up and they shall be changed The nap of all these things the fashion of all these things it will pass away Or will you instance in the civil moral part of the world that fashion thereof What more desirable thing is there in all the world than friendship a true friend to an ingenuous heart there is nothing in this world more desirable than friendship Will you see how that passeth away In Psa 88. v. 8. Thou hast put mine acquaintance far from me thou hast made me an abomination unto them It passeth away indeed an abomination to friends thou hast put mine acquaintance far from me thou hast made me an abomination to them See how it sticks upon his heart he comes over again in v. 18. Lover and friend hast thou put far from me and mine acquaintance into darkness See how the fashion of thiâ— piece of the world passes away Will you instance in the sinful fashions of the world why it may be the poor people of God they are in a mourning habit in a mournful fashion and the enemies of the people of God they are in a very brave and a gallant fashion you shall see how this fashion passes away in Isa 51. 7. Hearken unto me ye that know righteousness the people in whose heart is my Law fear ye not the reproach of men neither be ye afraid of their revilings for the Moth shall eat them like a garment They are brave fellows and they are in a very brave and a gallant fashion but the moth shall eat them up like a garment and the worm shall eat them like wooll but my righteousness shall be for ever and my salvation from generation to generation As for the redeemed of the Lord at v. 11. But the redeemed of the Lord shall return and come with singing unto Sion and everlasting joy shall be upon their head They shall obtain gladness and joy and sorrow and mourning shall flee away That fashion that their mourning habit shall off and that fashion shall pass away Or will you instance in the Religion piece and part of the world and the fashion thereof You know what is said in Heb. 12. v. 26. Once more I shake not the earth only but also heaven speaking of the Jewish Worship the Religious part and this word yet once more signifies the removing of those things that are shaken as of things that are made that those things that cannot be shaken may remain Indeed saith he we have received a Kingdom wherefore we receiving a Kingdom which cannot be moved Indeed the Kingdom of the Gospel it cannot be moved and the gates of hell shall never prevail against the Church of God in the general but the fashion of particular Churches may pass away and be broken What a famous Church was Coloss in the daies of the Apostle but O thou Coloss where art thou now What a famous Church was the Church of the Thessalonians where is the Church of the Thessalonians now this Tabernacle is pull'd down particular Churches though the Kingdom of Christ shall go on and shall prevail particular Churches may be scattered and the fashion thereof may pass away Or will you instance in that which you call the comfortable part of the world What 's that of all things you take the most comfort in your Relations the Husband in the Wife and Parent in the Child the fashion of these passeth away Children pass away Husbands pass
goods and pulling things out of the Fire But at last Where 's the Child in the Cradle So at last when we come to die O where 's my Soul all this while Your heart will reproach you when you come to die and blessed is that man or woman whose heart shall not reproach him when he comes to die Yea let me say this farther you cannot more prejudice the thing you love nor wrong your selves more than by loving it too much and not using of it as if you us'd it not A man leans upon a stick and if it be too weak it breaks he breaks the stick and it runs into his hand the stick suffers and his hand suffers So when we come to lean upon a thing and dont use it as if we us'd it not it breaks and it runs into our hands Look into the 23 of Ezek. and you shall see there how the Jews lovers and what they rested on run into their hands v. 5. And Aholah played the Harlot when she was mine and she doted on her Lovers on the Assyrians her Neighbours v. 7. Thus she committed her whoredomes with them with all them that were the chosen men of Assyria and with all on whom she doted with all their Idols she defiled her self What becomes of her Read v. 9. Wherefore I have delivered her into the hand of her lovers into the hand of the Assyrians upon whom she dâ—ted Wherefore Why she doted upon the Assyrians her lovers and I have given her into the hand of the Assyrians her lovers upon whom she doted Why when a people shall dote upon this and that God will give them into the hand of their lovers and make them to run into their hands 't is a most prejudicial thing to dote upon any thing in this World And indeed to say no more in it but this how will you be able to suffer Suffering times are come Christians not coming but come How will you be able to suffer in these suffering times if you dont use the World as if you us'd it not What makes the difficulty in suffering but because we cannot part with this or that Relation or this or that comfort Oh this makes the difficulty in our sufferings do but use the World now as if you us'd it not you will be the more able to suffer but if you dont use the world as if you us'd it not how will you be able to suffer in this suffering day Wherefore as you do desire that you may be able to suffer in this suffering day As you do desire that you may not be whipt by your own lovers that you may â—ot be given into the hand of your own lovers that that which you rest upon should not run into your hand As you do desire that your own hearts may not reproach you when you come to dye As you do desire that you may not be defiled by the things of the world As you do desire that you may have communion with Christ in his death and in his Resurrection And as you do desire that you may have this mark and character of a good man labour so to use this world as if you used it not But Seventhly you will say What shall we do that we may get our hearts into this gratious and holy frame which indeed will fit us for every condition under grace what shall we do that we may use the world as if we us'd it not First I shall a little farther speak to this and shew you what that man doth that doth use the world as if he used it not And secondly give you some means First of all for that what that man doth that doth use the world as if he used it not 1. He will be sure to use Grace in the use of the world and in all his dealings in the world and the things thereof He is never satisfied unless he doth see that he doth use Grace in the use of the world and the things thereof 2. He is alwayes ready to give up that part of the world unto God wherein his affections are most engaged His Isaac for saith he God doth use to try his people in the things wherein they do most delight And therefore still he is upon that ready to give up that unto God wherein his affections are the most engaged 3. He will be sure to stand at a distance from the World and the things thereof in the getting as well as in the keeping and in the keeping as well as in the getting There are some that are very worldly in the getting part and are very free and prodigal as to the keeping Some are not so worldly in the getting but they are worldly in the keeping A man that doth use the world as if he used it not he doth stand at a distance from the things of the world in the getting as well as in the keeping and in the keeping as well as in the getting 4. He doth not place his Religion in a morning and in an evening duty but in his walking with God in his place Every man hath so much grace as he uses in his place Consider what I say He doth not place his Religion he that uses the world as if he used it not in a morning and in an evening Prayer but in his walking with God Adams tryal did not lye in the Morning and in the Evening Prayer but Adams tryal lay among the Trees So the tryal of a man don't lye in the morning and in the evening duty but in the Trees and in his Calling and in his place And he doth not place his Religion meerly in a morning Prayer or in an evening Prayer and all the day after muddling up and down in the earth No he that uses the world as if he used it not he doth not place his Religion in an Evening or in a Morning duty but in walking with God in the use of the world 5. A man that uses the world as if he used it not he is sometimes more afraid of prosperity than of adversity All men are afraid of adversity but a man that uses the world as if he used it not he is sometimes more afraid of prosperity I am sure of this he will fear God in prosperity and love God in Adversity Now therefore would you use the world as if you used it not remember these five things But secondly by way of Means If you would use the world and the things thereof as if you used it not then labour to possess your hearts much with Gods Allsufficiency In Psal 62. If riches increase set not your hearts upon them once and twice have I heard it that power belongs unto God And mercy also unto the Lord God's All-sufficient there 's enough in God alone Come O my Soul possess your heart with this Ah there 's enough in God alone Still be pressing this upon your own souls There 's enough in God alone Gods All-sufficient
us'd it not thereby I say you shall have the world and have it in more abundance Yea thereby you shall have it in a better edition in a better impression the world and the things thereof sanctified unto you use the world as if you us'd it not and the things thereof as if you us'd them not you shall have them in a better edition sanctified to you Yea thereby you shall have that which is better than all you shall have the mind of Christ And we hope we have the mind of Christ saith the Apostle we believe we have the mind of Christ who have the mind of Christ saith David in Psa 119. Lord saith he I am a stranger in this earth hide not thy Commandments from me Here 's his argument in Isa 28. Whom shall he teach knowledge v. 9. And whom shall he make to understand Doctrine them that are weaned from the milk and drawn from the breasts them shall he teach knowledge and them shall he make to understand doctrine I 'le say no more but this thereby you shall be happy indeed use the world as if you us'd it not and thereby you shall be happy Who is the happy man in the world He 's an happy man that can contemn and be contemned saith the Heathen Seneca He 's the happy man in the world that can use the world as if he us'd it not And yet again I le repeat that Thereby you shall be fit to suffer in suffering times Suffering times are upon us and by using the world as if we us'd it not you shall be fit to suffer And therefore again I say As you do desire that you may be fit to suffer in suffering times That you may be happy That you may have the mind of Christ That you may have the things of the world in a better Edition That you may have them in more abundance That you may know how to want and part wiâ—â— all things easily Now use the world as if you used it not And if nothing else will do I beseech you take these two Arguments that the Apostle here uses and lay them with all their weight upon your Souls lay them with your experience Beloved this I must say to you The Holy Ghost doth never spend reasons in vain the Holy Ghost hath no wast of reasons in Scripture Here are two Reasons The time is short Use the world as if you us'd it not For the time is short Use the world for the Fashion of the world passeth away 'T is Scripture reason and there is no waste in it and therefore lay it unto your own experience And if you desire now to get this holy frame of Spirit and to use the world as if you us'd it not go and say unto your own Souls Come O my Soul why should I not use the world as if I us'd it not indeed the time is short Ah the time of our opportunity is short The time of our Spiritual enjoyment is short The time of this life is short The time is short O my Soul and therefore why should I not use the world as if I us'd it not And come O my Soul the Fashion of this world passeth away And this I have experience of witness all the Revolutions of these later times how the Fashion of all things hath past away We have seen in these late Revolutions the Fashion of this world passeth away and therefore come O my Soul why should you not use the world as if you us'd it not You have now Riches it passeth away Relations pass away And Friends pass away And Creature-Comforts they pass away The Fashion of this world it passeth away and therefore O my soul now use the world as if you us'd it not Thus the Apostle speaks this is his Argument and these are his Arguments And so say I Brethren and Beloved The time is short It remaineth therefore that both they that have Wives be as though they had none And they that weep as though they wept not And they that rejoyce as though they rejoyced not And they that buy as though they possessed not And they that use this world as not abusing it For the Fashion of this world passeth away SERM. VI. Mens VVrath against God's People shall turn to Gods Praise Psal 76. 10. Surely the Wrath of man shall praise thee the remainder of wrath shalt thou restrain IN this Psalm we have a Declaration of the Majesty and glorious appearance of God in and for his Church and people In Judah is God known his Name is great in Israel in Salem also is his Tabernacle and his dwelling place in Sion ver 1 2. Where God appears as a Captain and General unto his people and as a Judg. As a Captain and General therefore in ver 3. There In Syon brake he the Arrows of the Bow the Shield and the Sword and the Battel Thou art more glorious and excellent then the Mountains of prey At thy rebuke O God of Jacob both the Chariot and Horse are cast into a dead sleep As a Judg at ver 8. Thou didst cause Judgment to be heard from Heaven the Earth feared and was still When God arose to Judgment to save all the meek of the earth But if God do thus appear to and for and with his people why doth he suffer the wrath and anger of men to be so much against his people Why he answers it in ver 10. Surely the wrath of man shall praise thee the remainder of wrath thou shalt restrain Though God do suffer the Enemies of his people to be very angry and wrathful with his people yet that wrath of theirs shall turn unto the praise of God and the remainder of their wrath God will restrain From whence then I take up this Observation Observ Though there be a great deal of anger or wrath in the hearts of men against the people of God Yet God will either turn their wrath unto his own praise or restrain their wrath For the clearing and prosecuting whereof two things will fall under our consideration First That there is a great deal of wrath and anger in the hearts of men against the people of God Secondly That this wrath God will either turn to his praise or restrain the same First of all There is a great deal of wrath and anger in the hearts of men against the people of God A great deal of anger so much anger as doth amount to wrath for wrath is the height of anger Now the men of the world they are wrath with the people of God not only angry but wrathfully displeased Psal 124. Had not the Lord bin on our side when men rose up against us then they had swallowed us up quick when their wrath was kindled against us There is not only Wrath in their hearts against the people of God but such wrath as doth amount to Rage For as wrath is the height of Anger so Rage is the height of
why if he had not a design to turn it to his praise The Lord bid Shimei curse David Who was it that bid Shimei curse David God And who was it that sent Joseph into Egypt God sent him The wrath and anger and envy of his Brethren indeed were instruments but God sent him God had a design upon their anger and upon their envy and wrath in Rev. 16. you find that three unclean Spirits that came out of the mouth of the false Prophet and Dragon and the Beast they stir up the Kings of the Earth to battel and they are the Spirits of Devils working miracles which go forth unto the Kings of the earth and of the whole world to gather them to the battel of that great day of God Almighty They go forth to stir up men to battel but in verse 16. 't is God that gathers them Behold I come as a Thief blessed is he that watcheth and keepeth his garments c. and he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon God had a hand upon their hand God gathered them in Mich. 4. 11. Now also many Nations are gathered against thee that say Let her be defiled and let our eye look upon Zion Let her be defiled her 's anger enough but saith he verse 12. They know not the thoughts of the Lord neither understand they his counsel For he shall gather them as the sheaves into the floor He shall gather them in the 11th verse 't is said Now also many Nations are gathered against thee that say let her be defiled and let our eye look upon Zion But they know not the thoughts of the Lord They are gathering together against the people of God and God is gathering to thresh them They gather together God hath a design upon their gathering God gathers them So in Ezek. 38. you have there the story of Gog and Magog that came up against the people of the Lord in a great multitude and they came up to spoil Therefore verse 14. Son of man prophesie and say unto Gog Thus saith the Lord God in that day when my people Israel dwelleth safely shalt thou not know it and thou shalt come from thy place out of the North parts Thou and many people with thee all of them riding upon Horses a great company and a mighty Army and thou shalt come against my people Israel as a cloud to cover the Land it shall be in the latter daies And I will bring thee against my Land Why That the Heathen may know me when I shall be sanctified in thee O Gog before their eyes verse 11. Thou shalt say I will go up to the Land of unwalled Villages I will go to them that are at rest that dwell safely c. to take a spoil and to take a prey But see the Lord hath another design Thou shalt come up against my people Israel as a cloud to cover the Land it shall be in the latter daies and I will bring thee against my Land Why That the Heathen may know me when I shall be sanctified in thee O Gog before their eyes And in verse 23. Thus will I magnifie my self and sanctifie my self and I will be known in the eyes of many Nations and they shall know that I am the Lord. Here 's Gods design God doth let out the wrath and anger of wicked men against his people and he hath this design that his Name may be sanctified So that you have this assurance also the great design of God 3. You have the assurance of Gods Zeal The zeal of the Lord of Hosts shall do this The God whom we serve is a zealous God Zeal is angered Love Now there are three things that God doth love especially He loves his Truth he loves his Worship and he loves his People When wicked men do prevail against the People of God They scorn the Truth they defile his Worship they persecute his People I say these three things God loves in the World But now God will not suffer these things that he loves thus to be alwaies trampled on for he is a zealous God and therefore you may build upon it you may be assured of it That either he will restrain the rage of men or he will turn their Wrath and Anger unto his own Praise But then Thirdly Suppose all this What is our Duty that doth flow from hence First of all if that there be such a deal of anger and wrath in the hearts of men against the Saints and people of God wonder not at it be not offended when you see it it was alwaies so from the begining God hath put enmity and the enmity that God hath put between the seeds shall stand Cain began betime and as Luther saith Cain will be killing his Brother Abel to the worlds end It hath alwaies been so and do you think there shall be less anger in the hearts of the men of the world against the people of God now in the latter daies No rather more in Rev. 12. 't is said The Dâ—vil is come down having great wrath because he knoweth that he hath but a short time The shorter the Devils time is the more his wrath will be in his Instruments Why now we are fallen in the latter times and therefore his anger must be greateâ— now Anstin thinks that the anger and wrath and persecution of the wicked will be greatest at the last saith he The persecution of the Primitive times was very sharp But afterwards there followed the persecution of the Arrians and that was sharp But the last persecution is the Persecution of Antichrist and that shall be the sharpest And we find in the 11th of the Revelations speaking of the latter daies That the Nations are angry verse 18. And the Nations were angry and thy wrath is come That 's well Gods wrath goes with their anger But the Nations were angry speaking of the latter daies There are three or four things that will raise the anger and wrath of Antichrist in the latter daies There is the Prophesying of the Witnesses The Witnesses Prophesie and when they have finished their Prophesie the Beast shall kill them and being slain they shall make merry over the Witnesses that Prophesied verse 10. and rejoyce over them and shall send gifts one to another Why because these two Prophets tormented them that dwell on the earth the Protestants and reformed Churches do torment by tâ—eâ—r prophesie So that there is one thing that doth image them Another thing that doth raise the anger of the Antichristian party â—â— the world in the latter daies is the separation For there shall be the greatest separation that ever was Come out of her my people that ye be not partakers of her sins and that ye receive not of her plagues There shall be the greaâ—est separation and that provokes them 3. Another thing that shall provoke the Antichristian party in the latter daies is this That they shall
power forth the vials The Angels that come out of the Temple they shall have an hand in pouring out the vials And what then Why then the men of the world they shall be tormented and gnash their teeth and bite their tongues for pain The pouring out of the vials is another thing were-in they shall be instrumental for the angering of the Bestial party But then the Fourth thing is The setting up the Kingdom of Christ So you have it in Revel 11. The seventh Angel sounded and there were great voices in Heaven saying The Kingdoms of this world are become the Kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ and he shall reign for ever and ever c. What then And the Nations were angry When Christs Kingdom comes to be set up then the Nations are angry 'T is the setting up the Kingdom of Christ that angers the Nations and therefore in the second Psalm Wâ—y do the Heathen rage and the Kings and Princes take counsel together It follows I will set my King upon his holy Hill I will set up my Kingdom and the Kingdom of Christ shall be setup for all they are so angry at it I will do it But this is another thing that shall raise the anger of the men of the world in the latter daies I but is this so that there is such a deal of anger and wrath in the hearts of the wicked against the people of God Be not offended at it it alwaies was so and it must be so in the latter daies But Secondly If there be so much wrath and anger in the hearts of wicked men against the Saints Why should we not all make sure of the love of Christ O the Love of God in Christ will weigh down mens anger What need I care though men be angry if God love me though men frown so God smile If God be angry and wicked men angry too how shall we bear that how shall we stand under that Wicked men are angry and full of anger and 't is a persecuting time and wicked men are very angry against the Saints if God be angry too how shall we bear it Therefore labour to make sure of the Love of God in Jesus Christ Thirdly If that the wrath and anger of wicked men shall turn to the praise of God Why should we fear when wicked men are angry why should we be afraid When men are angry we are apt to fear but in Isa 51. Who art thou that art afraid of a man that shall dye and of the Son of man that shall be made as grass and forgettest the Lord thy Maker that hath stretched forth the heavens and laid the foundations of the earth c. Who art thou that art afraid of a man that shall dye Is that all the Argument There 's another Argument before verse 7. Hearken unto me ye that know Righteousness the people in whose heart is my Law fear ye not the reproach of men neither be ye afraid of their revilings why for the Moth shall eat them up like a garment They shall eat out themselves as the Moth eats out her self For the Moth shall eat them up like a Garment and the Worm shall eat them like Wool But my Righteousnesse the Gospel of my Righteousness and the Righteousness of Christ that 's my Righteousness shall be for ever and my salvation from Generation to Generation Fear not why God will turn all their wrath and anger unto his praise And therefore why should we fear But fourthly If God will turn the wrath and anger of wicked men unto his own praise why should we not be contented satisfied and comforted under all the rage and malice of unreasonable men in such a day as this Will you say O but they are not only angry but they are furious Why their fury shall turn to the Lords praise You will say O but they are not only furious but they hate and they are enraged and their rage ascends up to Heaven All this shall turn to Gods praise Their great design is to damp the Spirits of the People of God But they waxed bold by my bonds saith Paul speaking of the Saints Their great design is to scatter the people of God But by the scattering of Gods People shall his truth be scattered They scatter Gods people and Gods people scatter Gods truth it shall turn to his praise Their great design is to destroy the Gospel to suppress the Gospel But saith Paul my bonds turned to the furtherance of the Gospel Thus God will work it to his praise And therefore when you see the wrath anger and malice of wicked men breaking out to such Persecution be quiet be contented be satisfied be comforted all this shall God turn to his praise or he will restrain it But then fifthly If these things be so why should we not now stand still and behold the Salvation of God See what God will do expect the fulfilling of all this 't is a day of anger 't is a day of great wrath there is abundance of anger and wrath and hatred and malice in the hearts of men against the people of God at this day who doth not see it Well then Friends stand still you know how angry Pharaoh was when he followed after the Israelites and saith Moses stand still and see the Salvation of God So say I you shall see all this turn to Gods praise You shall see the restraining of prayer turn to the inlarging of Prayer You shall see the seeking to suppress the Gospel turn to the furtherance of the Gospel Now in such a day as this be righteous in your places For saith the Lord say to the Righteous It shall go well with him Say Who should say it Why Ministers say it Christians say it one to another Let every man say to himself Say to the Righteous It shall go well with him therefore be righteous in such a day as this And then secondly Fear before the Lord In such a day of Anger be sure that you fear and fear before the Lord. Look what is said in Eccles 8. Though a sinner do evil an hundred times and his daies be prolonged yet surely I know that it shall be well with them that fear God which fear before him That fear before him What 's that That is a man that fears the Lord walking up and down in the presence of God But what Case doth he speak to Look into the 9th verse There is a time saith he wherein one man ruleth over another to his own hurt and saith he because they rule thus and sentence against wicked men is not executed speedily but they go on and prosper in their rule and Government therefore the heart of the Sons of men is fully set in them to do evil But saith he Though a sinner do evil an hundred times and his dayes be prolonged yet surely I know that it shall be well with them that fear God which fear before him