affliction Affliction is all that that is contrary to ones will thereby God eats out the core of our wills Whensoever therefore you meet with any affliction pray over it and beg that God would eat out the core of your wills thereby and the more the core of your wills is eaten out the more willing will you be to suffer for the name of Jesus Christ Eleventhly And then to draw to a conclusion that you may be willing to suffer for the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ lay these things and this great reward wishly upon your hearts and thereby you will be made more willing You see how it is with a man that 's going to Court he rides through this plash and the other plash I am going to Court and there I shall be made a man if I get but thither Why truly we are going to the Court of the King of Kings and these sufferings that we meet withal are the plashes by the way But Christians there 's enough in heaven to pay for all Luther said Let him be miserable that can be miserable So you that suffer for the Name of Christ you cannot be miserable Christ hath pronounc'd you blessed and you shall be blessed and you see what a reward here is in the Text An hundred fold in this life and in the world to come life everlasting I shall only say this is the parting Speech There is no loss in loosing for Jesus Christ whatsoever you do loose for Christ you shall find it infinitely in Christ Christ and a little is a great deal The only way to have a mercy is to be content to go without it And the only way to prevent a misery is to be willing to endure it Now therefore if you would prevent suffering be willing to suffer for the Name of Jesus Christ And thus you see what the means are to be made willing And so I have done with this Answer of Christ In this part of the Answer you see how we may be made willing to suffer for Christ and in the cautional part some of you heard how we should so order our sufferings as that they might turn to a good account Now He that hath ears to hear let him hear SERM. IV. The two VVitnesses their Testimony Rev. 11. ver 3 c. And I will give Power unto my two Witnesses c. AND I will give Power unto my two Witnesses That is unto the inner Court and those that Worship there spoken of before The whole Church of God under the name of the Temple speaking in the Jewish Language The whole Church of God under the name of a Temple is divided into the outer and the inner Court The Inner Court is measured and the Altar and those that Worship there in ver 1. The outward Court is left out and given unto the Gentiles and they tread down the Holy City fourty and two Moneths ver 2. But saith Christ I will give power unto my two Witnesses that is unto the inner Court and those that were measured of which he had spoken before Called Witnesses No sooner is the Holy City troden underfoot by the Gentiles but Christs Witnesses do begin to bear their testimony to Christ The Witnessing time is divided into three parts A Prophesying time The time of their Prophesie from the third verse unto the seventh The Slaying time from the third verse unto the 11th The rising time and restoring time from the 11. verse unto the 14. So that in this Scripture that I have now read you have the state of the Church Prophesying or Witnessing in the dayes of Anti-Christ called Witnesses who are here described First by their number Two I will give power unto my two Witnesses Secondly by their Work and Office And they shall Prophesie Thirdly By their mournful and sad habit and condition and the time thereof They shall Prophesie 1260 dayes cloathed in Sackcloth Fourthly By their quality These are the two Olive Trees and the two Candlesticks standing before the Gâ—d of the Earth ver 4. Fifthly By their Guard and by their Defence And if any man will hurt them Fire proceedeth out of their mouth and devoureth their Enemies ver 5. Sixthly By the great things that they shall do in the latter end of their Prophesie These have power to shut Heaven that it rain not in the dayes of their Prophesie and have power over waters to turn them into Bloud c. So that now from all this I take up this one Observation Observ Though the Saints and Faithful Witnesses of Jâ—sus Christ must lye in Sackcloth 1260 daies or years yet in that time they shall be very fruitful and Prophesie and do great things in the end of those dayâ—s For the clearing whereof five or six things will fall under our consideration First Why the Saints and People of God are called Witnesses Secondly What these Witnesses are more especially in respect of their number and quality Thirdly How and in what respect they are cloathed in Sackcloth and how long Fourthly What this Prophesie is and how it comes to pass that they Prophesie in the time of their Sackcloth Fifthly What is their Defence and Guard wherewith they are Guarded and Defended in the daies of their Prophesie Sixthly What are the great things that they shall do in the latter end of their Prophesie I shall run through these particulars as briefly as I may And First If you ask why the Saints and people of God are here called Witnesses I answer Because it is their work and business to bear Witness to the truths and wayes of Christ in opposition to the wayes of Anti-Christ If you look into this Book of the Revelations you will find they are so described by bearing witness unto the waies and the truths of Christ in opposition to the waies of Anti-Christ For look but a little into this Book and you shall find that there are two sorts of people that are marked The followers of the Beast are marked and the followers of the Lamb are marked in their Foreheads The followers of the Beast are marked in Rev. 13. 16. And he causeth all both small and great rich and poor free and bond to receive a Mark in their right hand or in their Foreheads The Followers of the Lamb are marked in their Foreheads too chap. 14. ver 1. And I looked and lo a Lamb stood on the Mount Sion and with him 144000 having his Fathers Name written in their Foreheads But now though the followers of the Lamb are thus marked with their Fathers Name written in their Foreheads yet their mark doth not only consist in some thing that is positive but in Refusing the mark of the Beast Rev. 20. why but to shew thus much That they are witnesses upon this account because they do bear witness unto Christ the truth and wayes of Christ in opposition to the wayes of Anti-Christ Thus they are conformed unto Jesus Christ who is the True and the
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
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
should be pressed upon them at vers 15. Moreover I will endeavour that you may be able after my decease to have these things always in remembrance Oh therefore what a necessity is there that we should grow in grace Wherefore Brethren and Beloved in the Lord as you have been exhorted not onely by me at this time but by others of Gods servants so now labour to abound in all well pleasing to abound yet more and more And for me I shall say to you and concerning you as the Apostle in Philip. 1. This I pray that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgement that ye may approve things that are excellent that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ to the glory and praise of God The first and last in Suffering-work SERM. II. Matth. 29. ult But many that are first shall be last and the last shall be first AT vers 27. Peter doth propound a question unto Christ saying Behold we have forsaken all and followed thee what shall we have therefore Jesus answered him in the following verse and his answer is partly comfortable and partly cautional In the comfortable part he doth declare what great reward his disciples or any other should have that did suffer or leave any worldly interest for his Name-sake The first part concerns the disciples onely in vers 28. I say unto you that ye which have followed me in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit on the throne of his glory ye also shall fit upon twelve thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel This shâ—ll be your reward And as for others though you make the question I 'll give my answer so saith he as shall concern more then you my promâ—se shall be extended unto others also at vers 29. And EVERY ONE that hath forsaken houses or breâ—hren or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands for my Names sake shall receive an hundred-fold Here 's their reward an hundred-fold It is a very great improvement We account Ten in the Hundred a great matter and if Merchants can venture to Sea and gain Twelve or Ten in the Hundred and be Insured of so great a gain they account it a great matter but here 's an hundred-fold not Ten or Twelve but an hundred for one and this insur'd too Verily I say unto you saith Christ every one that hath forsaken c. shall receive an hundred-fold And as for the cautional part that follows at vers 30. But many that are first shall be last and the last shall be first Wherein he doth give a Caveat not onely unto his disciples but unto all those that should suffer and forsake any worldly interest upon his account As if he should say thus 'T is true you have indeed left all to follow me thereupon you ask me what you shall have and I lay before you very great rewards but I would have you for to walk warily and to take heed how you walk in the matter of your sufferings for though you suffer for my Name-sake and though those that do so in truth shall have very great rewards an hundred-fold in this life yet many that are very forward shall appear to be backward and many that are backward shall appear to be forward and many that stand behinde they shall stand before and many that stand before they shall be set behinde The first shall be last and the last shall be first Which being spoken in reference unto suffering and forsaking of our worldly interest for the Name of Christ the Doctrine then is this That many that are first shall be last and many that are last shall be first in suffering-work For the clearing whereof there were four things propounded 1. First what it is for a man to be first that is last and to be last that is first 2. Secondly how it may appear that many that are first shall be last and many that are last shall be first in suffering-work 3. Thirdly how and in what respect that is true 5. Fourthly what are the Reasons on 't And then the Application First what is it for one that is first to be last and one that is last to be first what 's this Some think this is to be understood in regard of the sameness of reward as if Christ had said thus The first shall be as the last and the last shall be as the first in matter of reward And for this they have the next Parable to shew where this same speech is brought in A certain housholder went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard and agreed with the labourers for a peny a day and be hired some at the first hour and some at the last and those that came in at the last received a peny as the first did Whereupon the first they grumbled The Master answered vers 15. Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own is thine eye evil because I am good So the last shall be first and the first last Why because the last had the same peny As if the meaning of this therefore should be thus much That there should be the same reward given to the one as to the other But this cannot be the meaning on 't for it is not true for there shall not be the same reward given to all some shall have more then others some shall have greater degrees of glory then others If there be degrees of torments in hell then there are degrees of glory in heaven There are degrees of torment in hell for Christ hath said He that knoweth his Masters will and doth it not shall be beaten with MANY stripes with more stripes then those that are ignorant and know it not Now if there be degrees of torment in hell there are degrees of glory in heaven and therefore the thing is not true That there shall be the same reward And here in chap. 19. we see that the Apostles are set higher in their reward When the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory YE also shall sit upon twelve thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel And our Saviour Christ here he doth not speak universally nor indefinitely he doth not say that ALL that are first shall be last and ALL that are last shall be first neither doth he speak definitely The first shall be last and the last first but he speaks thus That MANY that are first he doth not say ALL that are first shall be last neither doth he say indefinitely The first shall be last but MANY that are first shall be last and the last shall be first That 's the meaning then Others think â—herefore the meaning is this and the words are to be understood in reference to mens conceit and opinion as if he should say Be not conceited
stand behinde the last letter first and the first letter last See it for instance When the Lord had to deal with Men and Angels which was the first in the Creation The Angels they were the elder brother to Man they stood first but when Men and Angels had fallen God â—e redeems Man and sets him before that stood behinde and takes the fallen Angels and sets them behinde that were first in the Creation sets them behinde and Man that was behinde he is brought before So when God would take a people to himself what people did God take to be his people A poor forlorn despised people The people of the Jews and past over all the glorious Nations of the world And when God would take a family out of that people what family did he take The family of Jâ—sse And when he would take a particular person what person was it David the younger brother that stood behinde and was among the sheep he that stood behind was brought before and he that stood before was set behind That for the time of the Old Testament So in the time of the Nâ—w Testament the Jew stands fiâ—st he had the hansel of the Market he had the hansel of the Gospel Christ was born of them after the flesh they had the Oracles of God they stood first the Gentiles stood behinde they called them dogs 'T is not meet to take the childrens bread and cast it to dogs Well these Gentiles that stood behinde they are brought before and the Jews that stood before they are set behinde And what Nation did God take out of the Gentiles did he take any great continent in America where the Gold and the Silver is No but the Isles shall wait for thy law and the inhabitants of Kedar shall rejoyce and the inhabitants of the rocks shall sing And when God would convert these whom did he make use of to do it He makes use of Paul Paul the last of all the Apostles the twelve Apostles they stood first but he that stood behind that was brought in last that was born out of time he is taken to do the work And who are they that are converted to him They are babes and sucklings not many wise not many noble but habes and sucklings Even so Father because thou art so pleased This is the ordinary way of God he takes those things that stand behind and brings them before and takes those things that stand before and sets them behind And why doth he do so Why Because he will shew mercy to whom he will shew mercy whom he will he shews mercy unto and whom he will he hardens and he orders things in such a way that no flesh may glory 1 Cor. 1. But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty and base things of the world and things which are despised hath God chosen yea and things which are not to bring to nought things that are Why That no flesh should glory in his presence v. 29. God will carry things in such a way as no flesh may glory either in their doings or in their sufferings And how will he order it then Therefore the first shall be last and the last shall be first both in doing and in suffering that no flesh may glory but that grace may be all in all Whom he will he shews mercy to and whom he will he hardens This is the first Reason drawn from God himself and from his grace The second Reason is drawn from our selves and from our sufferings and it lies thus If there be a great deal of suffering that will come to little and if there be a little suffering that will amount to much and come to much then many that are last shall be first and the first shall be last in point of suffering Now so it is that there is a great deal of suffering which will come to little come to little account Judas left all and it came to little Alexander drawn out of the croud in suffering for Christ and it came to little Alexander the coppersmith did me much evil the Lord reward him according to his works His sufferings came to little The poor Christians that are taken slaves by the Turks they lie in slavery ten years together rather then they will renounce the Christian Religion yet when they come out O what drunkards and swearers and enemies to God and such as have nothing of Christ in them O they suffer much but it comes to little they shall not be sav'd So that I say there is a great deal of suffering that will come to little On the other side there is a little suffering that will amount to much A cup of cold water shall have its reward the mite that the poor woman gave more then all the rest saith our Saviour 'T was no great matter that Onesiphorus suffered for Paul saith Paul Onâ—siphorus was not ashamed of my chains he sought me out diligently and oft refreshed my bowels The Lord shew mercy to the houshold of Onesiphorus It was no great matter that he suffered but it did amount to much But you will say How can this be that there should be a great deal of suffering that will amount to little and a little suffering that will amount to much Both ways I answer First if you ask how it can be that a great deal of sufferings should come to little I answer first 't is possible that a man may lose that he may gain I am a Minister and have a Living and I may lose my Living possibly that I may get a livelihood another way I may suffer and go to prison that I may be maintain'd I do not reflect upon any particular but only to shew the deceitfulness of our hearts in such a case And who doth not know that a man may suffer from a natural boldness and courage and that he may suffer by crouding in among good people that are in a suffering way And who doth not know that a man may suffer upon the strength of education As a Turk a Jew a Papist a Protestant may suffer in the Religion that they are educated and brought up in And who knows not that a man may suffer very much in a way of merit It 's recorded of one that he invited a friend of his to dinner that so he might shew unto him his Hounds And when he came he shewed unto him a company of poor people and said unto him These are my Hounds with which I do hunt for heaven In a way of merit he speaks And we see how it is with a Horse or a Cow in pasture that 's eaten down if there be herbs or pleasant flowers growing in the ditch that 's full of water the Horsa or Cow will reach and reach many times so far that it falls into the ditch Truly there are many
Baptist suffered for this that he reprehended Herods adulterous courses true but the Spirit of Christ put him upon it and therefore being stirred up thereunto by the Spirit of Christ he is said to suffer upon the account of Christ So that I say the Spirit of Christ is that whereby Christ is made known unto us and when a man doth therefore suffer for any work of the Spirit of Christ then he is said to suffer for the Name of Christ But secondly Christ also is made known unto us by the Gospel as by an outward means The Gospel is the Name of Christ whereby Christ is made known unto us Every truth is not a Gospel-truth 't is possible that a man may suffer for a truth and yet not suffer for a Gospel-truth But look when a man doth suffer for a truth which is properly the truth of the Gospel then he is said indeed to suffer for the Name of Christ whereby Christ is made known Would you therefore know when a man may be said to suffer for the Name of Christ Take all together thus When a man doth suffer for that whereby Christ is made known unto us then he suffers for the Name of Christ Christ is made known unto us by the Spirit he is made known unto us by the Gospel Look therefore when a man doth suffer for the work of the Spirit which is properly the work of the Spirit or suffer for the Truth which is properly the Truth of the Gospel then plainly he is said to suffer for the Name of Christ and whosoever doth so shall be well rewarded And that 's the first thing Quest. 2. And then secondly What is this reward that those shall have that do leave any worldly interest for Christ or for the Name of Christ and wherein doth that consist Answ The reward is great and it will appear to be very great if you look into and consider this text and Scripture well For this reward it doth relate unto the Apostles or it relates unto us to all others that â—o leave any wordly interest upon the account of Christ Now as for the Apostles their reward is here set down That they shall sit with Christ on his throne When Christ sits on his throne the Apostles shall sit on twelve thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel For the clearing of this onely these two things 1. What it is for the Apostles to sit on twelve thrones with Christ judging the twelve tribes And 2. Whether are there any degrees of glory seeing that the Apostles here seem to have a degree of glory given them above other men And as for the first briefly thus When Christ shall sit upon the throne they are said to sit on twelve thrones judging the twelve tribes to note their communion and fellowship with Christ in his Judicial kingdom But whereas the Saints shall judge the world 't is true the Saints shall judge the world and shall have communion and fellowship with Christ in that great work of judging the world The Apostles they shall sit as assessors on that day at the great Assizes the Apostles shall sit on the bench as assessors or as Justices of the Peace by the Judge and so shall have communion with him 'T is true that all the Saints shall judge the world by their lives and by their conversations but the twelve Apostles shall judge the world by their Doctrine not onely by consenting to the judgment of Christ as all the Saints shall do but in Rom. 2. 16. 't is said In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my Gospel So that this is all that is here meant That in the grand and great Assize that kingdom and glory of Christ the twelve Apostles they shall have a special fellowship and communion with him above others Quest. But then are there any degrees of glory for it would seem here that the Apostles have some degree of glory above other men Are there any degrees of glory Answ Yes surely there are degrees of glory For as one star differeth from another star in glory so shall the resurrection be saith the Apostle But though there be degrees of glory all that glory that the Saints shall have in heaven shall be of one piece for there 's no envie there Envie there is none in heaven And whence comes Envie We may see that among our children or among men If you have four or five cchildren and make them cloaths if they be cloaths made all of a piece they do not envie though ones cloaths be bigger then anothers But if they be not made all of a piece or my Brothers cloaths are better then mine or my Sisters cloaths are better then mine but when they are all of a piece they do not envie So if you invite twenty men to dinner and they all eat of the same dish there 's no envie but if you have a meaner dish for those that sit at the lower end of the Table say they Indeed we sat at such a Table but we had a meaner dish and so they envie But if one man eat more then another yet if they eat of the same dish there is no envie Now in heaven there is no Envie for though there be degrees of glory yet it shall be all of a piece and all of a dish But now though this glory in heaven shall be all of a piece and though there be degrees of glory in heaven yet I don't think this Scripture to be understood of the degrees of glory in heaven for there 's no judging of the twelve tribes in heaven Christ shall then at last give up his kingdom unto the Father This is spoken therefore of a glorious Judgement on this side heaven and it is here promised unto the Apostles above all others as a reward sutable to them for they were twelve preached to the twelve tribes some received the Gospel some did not and therefore here is a reward propounded sutable unto them But thus much for the reward that concerns the Apostles by the way But then it will be said What is the reward that doth concern all those that leave any worldly interest for Christ or suffer for the Name of Christ Why that doth either relate unto this life or unto the life that is to come It relates unto this life and then saith our Saviour There is an hundred-fold Look whatsoever that is that you do lay out for Christ here in this life you shall receive an hundred-fold for it even in this life Here 's a great matter and it is well worth our considering Look whatsoever you do lay out for Christ whaâ—soâ—ver worldly inâ—â—â—est you do part withal for Christ or lay out foâ— Christ that you shall receive in an hundred-fold even in this life And to make this out unto you I confess it is a great matter But first of all to clear it is it not a great matter for us
near his righteousness and his Salvation shall not tarry And he will place Salvation in Sion for Israel his glory Only for the present let me conclude and leave an Exhortation with you which I will draw up from all which hath bin said The first part on 't is this The Saints and people of God in Anti-Christian times they are Witnesses First therefore be sure that you bear your testimony faithfully Be faithful now in your Witness-bearing Christians Christ will pay all the charge that you are at in Witness-bearing If a man have a Suit at Law and have five or six Witnesses and carry them a hundred Miles he bears all the charge of their Witness-bearing Saith Christ I will give power to My Witnesses they are My Witnesses Ye are Christs Witnesses and look whatsoever charge you are at he will bear the charge he will bear all the charge of your Witness-bearing And if your Faith come not home enough as it should be yet Christ is Faithful though we believe not and therefore be faithful in your Witness-bearing Secondly Though you be but few be not afraid be not discouraged for Christ will alwaies have enough to bear Witness to his truth in the darkest times -Comfort ye one another with those words Thirdly Be fruitful as the Olive tree And be lightsome as the Candlestick O that God would roul away the reproach of a barren heart from every one of you and of a barren life T is time now to be fruitful that you may be as the Olive-Tree and as the Candlestick to hold forth your light to others Fourthly Pray now have a care that you wear your Sackcloth handsomly Truly these Meetings that now we do enjoy they have a Sack-cloth on them there is a Sack-cloth upon the loyns of every such meeting as this Christians you have your Sack-cloth on pray wear your Sack-cloth handsomly for in due time you shall have Robes you shall come forth in white Robes having your Palmes in your hands only for the present wear your Sack-cloth handsomly I mean carry your sad and mournful condition as you ought Fifthly If you find that you be not able for to bear your testimony as you would and as you should Go then to Christ and remember this promise I will give power unto my Two VVitnâ—sses O plead this promise Christians it is a great promise I will give power unto my two VVitnesses Though men take away power from you for Prophesy They will not let you Pray nor Prophesie yet I will give power I will give power in opposition to your own weakness And I will give power in opposition to mens Malice Therefore go to Christ and press this promise Lord I am one of thy poor Witnesses therefore give power according to thy Word for thou hast said I will give power and they shall Prophesie Sixthly Let not your mouth be shut but open in Prayer For it is said here If any man will hurt them Fire proceedeth out of his mouth That was the Prayer of Elijah It brought dovvn fire scorching and blasting Judgments Christians is there a Fire a Fire in your mouth O you that have any credit in Heaven pray now If there were any here that I could speak to I would say thus You that never prayed pray now but I hope there is none such but if there should be any such I would say you that never prayed pray now and you that have any credit in Heaven improve it in this day of tryal for the poor Witnesses And to conclude all If that you should see that the Witnesses shall have done such great things that they have shut Heaven that it rain not that they have turned water into bloud and yet immediately upon it they have bin slain and lye dead If you see all these things come to pass one after another then lift up your heads oh ye Saints and wait and wait for he that doth come will come and will not tarry And when he comes he will not only pay you your principle-money but he vvill pay you all your forbearance money too And therefore what I say to one I say unto you all and to my ovvn soul Let us wait upon the Lord and keep his vvay And thus novv I have done with the first time of the Witnesses their Prophesying time their slaying time follovvs But that you will conjecture at somthing by what hath bin said SERM. V. The uncertainty of the world should take off our Hearts from the Love of it 1 Cor. 7. 30 31. But this I say Brethren the time is short It remaineth that both they that have Wives be as though they had none And they that weep as though they wept not And they that rejoice 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 BUt this I say Brethren the time is short c. In this Scripture we have a great Exhortation to use this World as if we used it not which the Apostle openeth by divers instances and strengtheneth by divers Arguments The general Exhortation brings up the Rear They that use this world as if they used it not or as not abusing it The instances march in the body and middle of the words They that have Wives as though they had none and they that weep as though they wept not and they that rejoice as though they rejoyced not and they that buy as though they possessed not Which are inclosed with tvvo Reasons One in the Front The time is short This I say Brethren the time is short It remaineth c. The other reason in the close or rear of the words Fâ—r the fashion of this World passeth away From all which then I take up this Doctrine or Observation Doctr. That the consideration of the shortness of our time here and that the fashion of this World passeth away should move us to use the World in all our particular concernments as if we used it not For the opening whereof these several things will fall under our consideration First That a good man may make use of the world Secondly Though he may make use of the World yet he must use the World as if he used it not Thirdly What are those particular concernments wherein we are to use the World as if we used it not Fourthly what there is in these Reasons of the Apostle The shortness of the time and the passing fashion of the world that should move us so to use the World as if we used it not Fifthly When a man may be said so to use the World as if he used it not Sixthly What is the issue and the consequence thereof in case he do or do not Seventhly What a man should do that he may get his heart into this holy frame So to use the World as if he used it not First therefore We must grant that
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