this promise is to those that fight the good fight that finish their course that keep the faith c. Ah how many are there that fight indeed but is it the good fight They are fighters against God opposers of his interest they would if possible root the very name of of God and profession of Godliness out of the world They have such an antipathy to piety that as they say of the Basilisk it hath such an emnity to man that it will fly upon his picture so they have such an enmity to Christ and holiness that they fly upon any Persons or things who have any thing of Christs Image and Superscription upon them others are fighters great disturbers of humane societies with their quarrels But now for the good fight which is to be managed against our passions exorbitant affections and all the motions of the Soul that are contrary to the will of God how few of those are to be found that fight this fight How few are those that will manage an opposition for the glory of God against the temptations of the world How few are there that can glory in this that they have finished either their more general course as Christians or more particular Course as Christians under such or such circumstances How full is the world of those who have yet their first step to take in the way of Gods Commandments their life is a meer walking in the counsels and Imaginations of their own hearts a meer gratification of their sensitive appetite not only as moving contrary to the law of Christ but to the very law of reason Living beneath the better sort of heathens How many more whose only business is to heap up gold as dust and silver as thick clay but the way of Religion and holiness they have not known How few are there that mind the duties of their particular relation but as they use their own Souls as if they were the meer condiment of their bodies so they behave themselves to their Wives Husbands and Children as if they had no trust of their Souls committed to them How many that have lost the faith first delivered to the Saints and are fallen into pernicious and damnable heresies making Shipwrack both of faith and a good conscience Can these men possibly love the appearanâ—e of Jesus Christ But leaving others let us take the advantage Use 3 of this discourse to enter into our own Souls and to commune with our own hearts inquiring whether we be such Persons as when we shall be ready to dye shall by any Providence of God be made apprehensive that the time of our departure is at hand shall be able to say that henceforth there is laid up for us a Crown of Righteousness which the righteous Judge shall in that day give out to all such as love the appearance of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ To satisfy us as to these things we have heard in the explication of this text that we have several things to inquire upon they may be reduced to six or seven heads 1. What opposition we have made to the carnal desires and motions of our own hearts contrary to the revealed will of God You shall observe that a sinful walking in holy Writ is very ordinarily expressed by a walking according to the counsels and imaginations of our own hearts so contrary are the natural desires counsels and imaginations of the heart of man to the revealed will of God there is no surer sign of a wicked man then for him to walk after his own imaginations or for him to use Jobs expression to suffer his heart to walk after his Eyes Hence self-denial is by our Saviour made the condition and character of being one of his disciples and we are often in Scripture Commanded to mortify our members and the deeds of our bodies This kind of conversation which lyeth in the gratifying of our sensitive appetites is the broad way in which many walk but it is the high way to eternal destruction 2. What opposition we have made to the world either the men of the world or the things of it attemping either to frown or flatter us out of the duty which we owe unto God He who is at the worlds beck cannot be at the Command of Christ If we be the Servants of men we cannot be the Servants of God As Christ pleased not himself so neither did he please the men of the age wherein he lived in their oppositions to the will of his Father It is most certain that the generality of the men of the world love no Child of God as such they are two different seeds betwixt which there ever was and ever will be an emnity If they take us by the chin and kiss us it is but that they may have the better opportunity to smite us under the fifth rib The truth is their open war is better than their dissembled amity but that also requires in us wisdom when to oppose so as not to suffer as evil doers and courage and resolution that we may be able to stand 3. How we walk as to our more general conversation It is certainly a true saying grande est Christianum esse non dici It is a great thing not to be called but to be a Christian and in Christianity Tantum es quantum agis a man is just so much as he acteth in an uniform obedience having a regard to all the Commandments of God He that wilfully breaketh any of Gods Commadments is guilty of all for there is the same reverence due to God as to one Precept as unto another We have also further to enquire 4. How we discharge the duties of our particular Relations Not only how we run that race which we have to run in Common with others but that particular course which God hath set us how we have managed our duties as parents Children Husbands Wives Masters Servants Magistrates or Subjects Ministers or People c. 5. What steadiness wee keep as to the faith once delivered to the Saints It is true every warping in opinion from the truth is not damnable but we must take heed of warping in such points as a warping in is inconsistent with the exercise of repentance and faith I will not undertake punctually to determine what things are to be believed upon pain of damnation but I am sure every one that doth not repent and believe in or close with the Lord Jesus Christ is in an ill condition and from thence it follows that such opinions drank in as hinder the exercise of repentance or faith must needs be pernicious unto Souls 6. What particular faith and dependance we keep up in God and the Lord Jesus Christ The Scriptures are so full of texts giving testimony to the necessity of faith in Christ in order to eternal salvation that I need not instance in many see John 3.18 36. the Scripture saith expresly that he that believeth not shall be damned
and agree to so out of a burning love and zeal in your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ 3. Our Testimony ought to be a Judicious Testimony it is one thing that God requireth when we swear that it should be in truth righteousness and judgment Thou shalt swear the Lord liveth in truth righteousness and judgment Swearing is an Attestation a Solemn Attestation of a truth The Testimony which I am now speaking to is not necessary to be performed by Oath though we ought not to refuse if called to that but as it must be to the truth in righteousness so it must be in judgment The judgment that I would have attend the Testimony of which I am now speaking is not a judgment that the thing is true the truth of Christ but that it is a truth of that nature that will bear the weight of such a Testimony too as it must bear if it bear any for I must tell you though truth all truth be a very sacred pin yet every such pin hath not an equal degree of strength and will not bear a like weight I am afraid we have too loud a Testimony to some truths which though they may have spoken the faith of Christians and their love yet have not spoken the Wisdom and Prudence of Christians such Testimonies were those the Christians gave Rom. 14. For things that were in themselves of an indifferent nature and yet Christians on either side were too warm Any Christian is thus far bound to give his Testimony to every truth as not to deny it 2. In his own particular practice to own it but we ought not to make a party for every truth Now this dependeth upon this great truth That though there be no truth of God but we ought to own and being convinced of to Practise yet there are some truths of God as to which God willeth not that we should be contentious For God hath given his people a Latitude in them without hazard of their Salvation and therefore we must give our Testimony to truth with prudence a prudential judging of the weight and value of a truth before we give a zealous Testimony to it 4. Our Testimony must be with prudence Prov. 8.12 I Wisdom dwell with Prudence Wisdom doth often signify Grace and truly all true Grace in a Soul should dwell with Prudence we are commanded to be wise as Serpents and to walk circumspectly not as fools Matth. 10.16 but as wise there is a great deal of prudence to be used in giving our Testimony to our Lord our Lord himself if you observe him did it with prudence and we ought to let our Wisdom dwell with Prudence This Prudence must not be extended so far as to deny any necessary truth or to dissemble so as to declare our selves against it or not to own it for it must be such a prudencâ— as is opposed to impiety if there be a failure in piety there can be no prudence Prudence doth not so much respect the doing or the not doing of the thing as the manner of the doing of it In general we then give our Testimony with prudence when we give it without any just offence to Jew Gentile or the Church of Christ a Testimony of our Lord may be spoiled by the heighth of our Spirit through pride shewed in judging contemning and despising of others or through the boisterousness and the passion of our Spirits or by our noise and clamours so that to the prudence of a Testimony there are three things required 1. Humility in opposition to Pride Pride is a Colloquintida that maketh all our Messes of duty and Service to God bitter God abhorreth the proud he abhorreth a haughty and contentious Spirit he giveth grace to the humble and he accepteth his Testimony Paul saith Acts 20.19 He served the Lord with all humility of mind We are bid to put on humility of mind Col. 3.12 and 1 Pet. 5.5 To be clothed with humility Humility is our garment a Christian must do nothing but in humility in what he doth in the service of God there must be a vein of humility and in that part of our service to God where humility is wanting in that part a Christian always walketh naked and Men see his shame a fastidious scornful contemning sufferer is no Christian sufferer â— Another thing is meekness with respect to passion This is often called for we are bid to put it on Col. 3.12 And the Minister is to instruct in meekness those that are without The Apostle beseecheth you by the weakness of Christ meekness is opposed to frowardness and passion a passionate Testimony to a truth is at best but an imprudent and indiscreet Testimony The wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God 3. A third thing that commendeth a Testimony is courtesy in opposition to morosity and soureness when Festus told Paul That much Learning had made him mad he answered I am not mad most noble Festus Observe with how much complement Paul speaketh to Festus and others while he was bearing testimony unto the truth of God the soureness and morosity of a Christians behaviour in bearing his testimony maketh his testimony more unlovely and not so prudent as it ought to be 4. A Fourth thing is peaceableness The Servants of God must not strive there is nothing more asperseth the Gospel and the Profession of it then the imprudence of a Professor of it in the managery of his business 5. Your Testimony unto God must be uniform and sincere it cannot be uniform if it be not sincere the testimony of the Life must agree with the testimony of the Lips you know a Witness that contradicteth his testimony doth by it make his testimony invalid he that liveth contrary to his Profession giveth himself the lye he testifieth with his Lips but he denieth in his Life The Apostle telleth us of some Titus 1.16 They profess that they know God but in works they deny him being abominable and disobedient and to every good work reprobate You shall observe therefore that when the Devil at any time gave a testimony to a Truth concerning Christ and the Apostles they constantly refused and would not hear him speak the testimony of one of the Children of the Devil is rather a dishonour and weakning of the Truth than any strengthning and credit and confirmation a Man that is Holy in his Life bearing testimony with his Lips is a great Servant of God he by his Mouth declareth what he believeth and by his Life he declareth that he doth indeed not mock and dissemble with the World but he believeth what he professeth to believe You shall see in some cases some foolish Witnesses do more hurt than good so a Christian may do more mischief than good to the Gospel of Christ by his owning of it and professing to it 6. Let it be a bold and undaunted Testimony he is a good Witness in a cause who speakest modestly and with all
God hath made an inseparable connexion betwixt faith in the Mediator in him whom God hath sent and eternal life and salvation this indeed cannot be without obedience but faith and obedience are two things and must neither be separated nor confounded 7. Lastly What love have we to the appearance of our Lord Jesus Christ How Christs second appearance is the object of our love and wherein our love to it is discernable I have already opened Fourthly This notion affords a great deal Use 4 of consolation to every good Christian and that in two cases 1. Concerning all the labours difficulties pressures of this life The good Christian you have described in the text He is one who fighteth the good fight who not only runneth but finisheth his course who not only receiveth but keeps the faith c. The labours of such persons their difficulties their pressures are usually not a few not light but yet they are not such but a Crown a Crown of life and glory will compensate Let them therefore keep their Eye upon the recompense of reward Jacobs prospect of a Rachel made his fourteen years hard service seem to him but as a few days What should the prospect of this mighty reward this glorious crown do The Apostle having his thoughts upon the exceeding weight of glory calls the afflictions of this life light and momentany Let this crown promised in the text alleviate all our troubles if we suffer from God or for God how little must it be to him that considers he shall also be glorifyed with Christ Secondly It relieveth us against all our doubts and fears about our eternal state the promise is made to pious affections and actions not to Spiritual enjoyments a man may love both the first and second appearance of Christ he may fight the good fight finish his course keep the faith and yet walk in the dark and see no light but be troubled with his own dark and melancholick thoughts molested with Satans temptations want the witnessings of the Spirit with his Spirit The promise is not made to those who here enjoy much of God but to those who love God to those who do and suffer much for God We have therefore to uphold our hopes nothing to inquire upon but the faithful discharge of our duty and then to believe that he is faithful who hath promised Use 5 Fifthly Let this ingage us all to the duty of the text Let others be ingaged in the bad fights of the world let them if they will be found fighters against God against his truths ways ordinances people his interest and whole concern in the world let others be finishing their courses of sin and wickedness till their sins being finished shall bring forth death Let others be ingaged in the feuds and quarrels of the world This Sirs is not your fight this is not the good fight this is not your course it is not that for which God sent you into the world for not the work which he hath given you to do let others who have begun well in all appearance be weary faint turn back with the dog to the vomit the swine to the wallowing again in the mire remember you that God hath promised you shall reap if you faint not 1. Let me speak first to such as are strangers to God and hold up this Crown this glorious Crown to reasonable Souls while I sound a retreat to them from that bad fight wherein they are ingaged did ever any man fight against God and prosper How happy might you be if you would be persuaded to understand your true enemies and to ingage against the world the flesh and the Devil if you that are fighting for your lusts and for the Devil would turn and fight against those lusts which war against the Soul will all the victories which you can get over the people and and interest of God in the world or over your Brethren bring you to this Crown of Righteousness Will your eager pursuit of the world and out running of others in worldly business and concerns think you bring you to it If not cease that race and turn into the right path as of Gods Commandments run that race the winning of which will bring you to this prize why should you spend your strength for nought and your time for that which will not profit you in your latter end 2. Let what you have heard ingage you who have begun well to go on If the Righteous man forsake his Righteousness Commit iniquity his righteousness shall never be remembred but he shall dye in the iniquity which he hath committed O let not your hands be weary with holding up the Spiritual weapons nor your feet be weary of running the spiritual race do not forget your particular course you can hardly be good Christians if you in some tolerable measure answer not the duties of your particular Relation God hath set all of us in some particular Relation or other scarce any amongst us but have more then the charge of our own Souls upon us some of us are set in Conjugal Relations some in Parental Relations some in a Despotick Relation as Governours of Servants O let us be all able to say As to these we have finished our course we have done the work which as to them God hath given us to do we shall find it an hard matter cheerfully to look upon the day of our departure as at hand or to love or cheerfully think upon the appearance of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ till this be done Use 6. In the last place This notion affords us a great deal of Consolation to those who are mourners for their near and dearest Relations and are not mourners without hope I must confess there are some mourners to whom something may be said to satisfy them from the Revelation of the good and irresistible will of God and such other Topicks but little to comfort them concerning those that are gone But if any have lost an Husband a Wife a Parent a Child a Friend of whom they can judge that while they were alive They fought the good fight and finished their course and kept the faith and loved the appearance of our blessed Lord. We have no reason to mourn there is a Crown of Righteousness which the Righteous Lord hath in part already set upon their heads their Souls are in Abrahams Bosom and with which he will further incompass their heads dignify both their Souls and Bodies in that day that glorious day in the expectation of which we live when he shall come to judge the quick and the dead and this leadeth me to a more particular discourse for the end for which I have this day turned out of the common road of my discourse to take notice of Gods Providence to us in taking from us a Servant of his in the great work of the Gospel Who hath left a Widow without an Husband
desire of more than we have it is something strange but an old observation that the most of men the more they have the more greedy they are to have more the Apostle telleth us the love of mony is the root of all evil none are under greater temptations to love it then those that have the most considerable portions of it there is a kind of bewitching quality in the good things of this life and our heart naturally cleaveth to them and in regard that when we have a competent portion we have the better foundation and are at better advantages to get more commonly as our estates encrease so our love to things of this life doth more increase and covetousness is so great an evil that the Apostle calleth it Idolatry 4. Beware of Luxury Luxury is an excess in meat drink or apparel buildings houshold-stuff or any thing of that nature an affectation of an undue use of them the poor man hath no temptation to it being exercised sufficiently in getting his dayly bread they are only men of estates that are exposed to and ordinarily brought under the power of this temptation this is that which the Apostle often cautioneth us against that we should beware of Chambering and Wantonness that we should not mind high things c. Our Saviour pressing Christians duty to watch and pray expoundeth it by a taking heed we be not overcharged with surfeiting and drunkenness 5 Beware of Cowardliness in the cause of God it is an usual Observation that Cities though never so populous yet if full of riches seldom make any good defence against an enemy their love of riches prevailing against the love of their liberties and they are very rarely men of great estates that will venture themselves in the cause of God though this be to prefer the love of riches before the love of Christ which whoso doth our Saviour saith is not worthy of him these are those ordinary temptations to sin to which men of great estates are exposed and by which many often fall I shall only say unto you let him that standeth take heed lest he fall 2. If you look upon your selves as Stewards of these good things and make use of them to the end for which God hath given them to you God hath betrusted him that is rich with many talents not to be hid up in a Napkin but to be laid out 1 Tim. 6.17 18. Charge them that are rich in this world that they be not high-minded nor trust in incertain riches but in the living God who giveth us richly all things to enjoy That they do good that they be rich in good works ready to distribute willing to communicate This is the best acknowledgment that we can make unto God that by his power we have gotten our wealth when we are willing to lay it out at his command when we are ready to do good and distribute for with such sacrifice the Lord is well pleased and certainly if the Heathen who knew nothing of the mind and will of God yet thought themselves concerned to look upon their estates as given them for other uses then meerly their own Christians that have so many directions from God in the case should know much more SERMON IV. Luke 12.15 For a mans life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth THE words are the words of our Saviour brought by him as an argument against Covetousness you have the exhortation take heed and beware of Covetousness these words are the reason For a mans life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth The whole discourse as you may see cometh in upon occasion of one that came to our Saviour desiring him to divide his inheritance as v. 13. Or to speak to his Brother to divide his inheritance with him which our Saviour refused v. 14. As having no call from God to be a Civil Magistrate a Ruler or a Judge from whence we may learn two things 1. That the business of meum and tuum of dividing and setling inheritances is the work of Rulers not of the Ministers of Christ they may have commission from men for such employments but they have no commission from God it is a work that belongeth unto the Ruler 2. That the Disciples of Christ should be afraid of medling with things out of their callings it hath pleased the Lord to establish an order in the world as an order in Creatures that they do not enter into one anothers station and works so an order amongst men appointing unto every man what his work is and he ought to keep to that and not to turn aside from it but this impertinent solliciting of our Saviour to this eccentrick work giveth him a fair opportunity to press a spiritual exhortation upon them and that is to beware of covetousness the reason is in the Text for a mans life lieth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth I shall need no other Doctrine then the words of the Text. Doct. A mans life doth not lie in the abundance of what he possesseth This Doctrine will need 1. Explication 2. Confirmation I will open it in two things 1. The continuance and preservation of a mans life doth not lie in the abundance of what he possesseth In this sense life is taken Gen. 45.5 For God did send me before you to preserve life Gen. 42.2 and buy for us from thence that we may live and not die And so often in Scripture life signifieth the preservation and continuance of life the continuance of the life of man doth not lie in the abundance of what he possesseth abundance is not necessary to preserve life the greatest abundance that we have will not lengthen out our lives beyond the bounds God hath set Natura paucis contenta we see the lives of those preserved to whom God hath not given such an abundance in this life and preserved to as great an advantage as they who have the most Daniel fareth as well with pulse as those that did eat of the Kings meat 2. Oftentimes we see it that those who have the greatest abundance of the things of this life do not only die as it is appointed for all men but also they die sooner and preserve their lives but a little while the continuance of this life doth not lie in the abundance of that which a man possesseth 2. Life sometimes signifieth happiness because the most of men count their great happiness to lie in this life therefore you shall find frequently in Scripture life is taken for a state of felicity Prov. 4.23 Keep thy heart with all diligence for out of it are the issues of life Prov. 6.23 Reproofs and instruction are the way of life Prov. 16.15 In the light of the Kings countenance is life that Text is to be understood of happiness for to understand it strictly of life it is not true Prov. 18.21 Death and life are in the power of
the tongue Ezek. 33.15 That walk in the Statutes of life Thus in Scripture sense a man is said to live with whom it is well I take much of the sense to lie here for a mans life lieth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth The happiness of a man doth not lie in the abundance that he possesseth In the abundance it cannot be denied but something of a mans happiness as to this lies in some possession by what we have we are kept from those anxieties from those labours which would make our lives uncomfortable but it doth not lie in the abundance of that which he possesseth thus you see I have dispatched the Proposition in two things 1. An abundance of this life is not necessary to the maintenance of it it hath been proved to you by a double proof 1. Shewing you that those who have but little yet may injoy much in this life 2. That those who have much are often shorter lived and more incumbred then others who have but little 2. That the felicity of a mans life the chief felicity of this life doth not lie in the abundance that he possesseth this is that which I shall endeavour as briefly as I can to demonstrate unto you the demonstration of it will appear upon a due consideration wherein the happiness of a man lieth wherein the happiness of a mans life lieth Reason sheweth that happiness must needs lie in the greatest immunity from evil and in the freest enjoyment of the best good whether we take happiness relating to this life or to that which is to come the nature of happiness lieth in a fruition of good and a freedom from evil and according to the degree of the good we enjoy or of the evil we are freed from so is our happiness now good and evil is judged according to the differing lives that men live there is a natural life and there is a spiritual life the greatest good of a natural life is comfort and satisfaction of mind a contented frame of spirit the greatest good of a spiritual life is the enjoyment of God so that take it in which sense you will it will easily be demonstrated to you that a mans life the comfort and happiness of it doth not lie in the abundance he possesseth I remember a story I have read of Pyrrhus a great Prin. who going to Italy to fight against the Romans Rainoldi Orat. p. 35. Cneus Thessalus had a mind to dissuade him he telleth him my Lord the Romans are Valiant and Warlike but if we should overcome what shall we do then what shall we do saith Pyrrhus then we will conquer all Greece and all other Nations will yield to us well saith Cneus and what then then saith Pyrrhus we will go and conquer Sicily a rich Country that is well saith he but what shall we do then then saith he we will fall upon Africa and Carthage saith he but what shall we do then Hilaritati nos trademus facetis colloquiis nos oblectabimur saith he Cneus replieth but may we not let all these things alone which will cost much blood and be happy without them 1. The abundance that a man possesseth will not give him any quiet and satisfaction in his mind Prov. 14.14 a good man shall be satisfied from himself The satisfaction of a mans mind is from nothing without himself it is in the internal content and acquiescence of his mind this is a matter of every days demonstration it is plain that no man is happy that wanteth content and satisfaction Haman is a man advanced to great honour yet he is not satisfied so long as Mordecai sitteth in the Kings Gate so long as the desires of a man are not filled so long a man is not happy now a man may have abundance and yet be ambitious and yet be covetous and looking after and getting more and crying still give give hence it is that even in this world you shall see a poor man that hath little or nothing to live upon yet live a more sweet a more comfortable life then he who hath a great estate 2. A man may possess abundance as to the things of this life and yet enjoy nothing of God the happiness of a natural life lieth in the satisfaction of the mind in a moderate enjoyment of the things of this life but the happiness of a spiritual life lieth not here it is possible that a man may be filled with wind satisfied with that which ought not to give him any satisfaction though the appearing happiness of a man lieth in this and his sensible happiness be in the rest and acquiescing of his mind in what he hath yet the true happiness of the mind lieth higher in the enjoyment of that good which commensurate and adequate to the necessities of the Soul now nothing of good is commensurate to the necessity of the Soul but God alone the reason of this lieth because a man is created under an Ordination to an eternal existence in a life which is beyond this life and a man cannot be said to be truly and perfectly happy till he be either secured in his hope or in his possession of this the possession of this is referred to another life but the securing of this is in this life by a lively hope and by an assurance now every one seeth that the happiness of a mans life as to this cannot lie in the abundance of the things which he possesseth a man may possess abundance here and yet come short of Heaven yea saith the Scripture Not many rich not many noble There are not many to whom the Lord giveth a portion here and hereafter too Son saith Abraham to Dives remember thou hadst thy good things in thy life-time some indeed in this world are the Lords Benjamins he serveth them with a double mess they have much of the Creature and much of the Creator too but I say this is the portion of but very few but this is enough to have spoken as to the opening of the point and proving it shewing you that the happiness of a mans life doth not lie in the abundance which he possesseth I come now to apply it and the great use of this point shall be that which our Saviour maketh of it Use 1. Take heed-therefore and beware of Covetousness It is an exhortation that is much pressed upon Christians in Scripture Heb. 13.5 Let your conversation be without covetousness Eph. 5.3 let it not be once named amongst you Col. 3.5 and covetousness which is Idolatry Psal 10.3 the covetous whom the Lord abhorreth You shall find it joined with the vilest sins Rom. 1.29 Being filled with all unrighteousness fornication wickedness covetousness maliciousness full of envy murder debate deceit malignity whisperens Prov. 28.16 he that hateth covetousness shall prolong his days Ephes 5.5 For this you know that no Whoremonger nor unclean person nor covetous man who is an
covetousness 4. Consider Fourthly The unprofitableness of it no man by thinking can add one cubit to his stature how many do we see torment themselves with care fear and trouble and labour and when they have done all they can they are not able to reach to their ends I only desire further to press upon you this one argument of our Saviour which you have in the Text A mans life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth 1. Consider An abundance is not necessary to this life ad manum est quod sat est saith Seneca Sudamus ad supervacanea a moderate care a moderate labour is enough for necessaries what we sweat for is usually superfluiities an abundance is not necessary for thy own life nor for the life of thy Child something is necessary but an abundance is not necessary God hath so graciously ordained that our life lieth not in the abundance of what we have life is not maintained by the abundance of what we have 2. Consider An abundance will not lengthen out thy life you see Princes Noblemen and rich men they die as well as others something of this world is sometimes necessary to keep a man living but an abundance will not lengthen out a mans life 3. Consider The happiness of thy life doth not lie in the abundance of what thou hast in possession doth not thy happiness lie rather in the rest and quiet content and satisfaction of thy mind when thou hast gotten all thy heart can wish all that thy Childs heart can wish hast thou in the least purchased content to thy self or to him If God arms but one thought against thee or thy Child it spoileth all thy satisfaction if but an humour be disordered in thy body and thy self or thy Child be in a melancholy temper all the world will not give thy mind rest why then dost thou labour why dost thou cark and care and art so solicitous thy life lieth not in the abundance of the things thou possessest but thus much is enough for the first Exhortation take heed and beware of Covetousness and consider whatsoever hath been said as to your selves is true as to your Children so as you need not make that a pretence for your immoderate desires Use 2. My second use is that of the Apostle 1 Tim. 6.1.8 And having food and rayment let us be therewith content Food and Rayment are necessaries if the Lord giveth us but enough to cloath us and to feed us let us never be concerned mark how many arguments might be brought for this from Scripture 1. We brought nothing into the world we can carry nothing out of the world 2. They that will be rich fall into temptation and hurtful lusts 3. The love of mony is the root of all evil 4. Godliness with contentment is great gain if God hath given us but enough let us be therewith content Agur begged no more then food convenient for him he prayed against riches as well as against poverty Gen. 28.20 See Jacobs vow And Jacob vowed a vow saying if God will be with me and will keep me in this way that I go and will give me bread to eat and rayment to put on c. It is a shame for Christians they should not consider how contented the Heathens were and with what scorn they would look upon all the world What! have Christians principles below those of Heathens there were two opinions of Philosophers the Stoicks thought riches was no ingredient to mans happiness others saw a necessity of some of this worlds gooods for the exercise of Virtue but all agree in this that the happiness of a man doth not lie in the abundance of the things which he possesseth Use 3. What an opportunity doth this offer to those that are poor to bless God The Apostle rejoiced that God had opened a door of salvation for the Gentiles let those that are poor in this world rejoice and let us rejoice for them for this door of happiness which is opened for them by these words of our Saviour if only the rich could be happy if content were entailed upon them only then none could be happy but the rich but blessed be God it is not so the poor man may be happy as well as the rich spiritually happy as well as the rich man Use 4. In the next place see here what an encouragement here is to do good our Saviour viewing those who were throwing into the treasury saw some throw in a great deal and a poor Widow throwing in two Mites our Saviour said she had done more then they all for they had thrown in out of their abundance but she out of her penury and want a mans life doth not lie in the abundance of what he possesseth God doth not call to you to throw away that wherein your life lieth nor those things which are necessary for your life he only calleth to you to throw in out of your abundance he calleth to you only for your superfluities and certainly it is but reasonable that we should part with these when God calleth for them especially if we consider that God hath but made us his Stewards of these and hath therefore given us them that we should at his command part with them Use 5. If a mans life the happiness of it doth not lie in the abundance of what he possesseth if God hath not laid up your life in them do not you lay up your life in them your selves 1. Do not make it your business for to get them do not desudare ad supervacanea do not let the business of your life be to load your self with thick clay Habbak 2.6 There is a woe denounced unto him who thus loadeth himself Woe to him that encreaseth that which is not his how long and to him that ladeth himself with thick clay 2. Be not tormented if the Lord depriveth you of some of your riches blessed be God your life doth not lie in them they are not your happiness they could not preserve your life when you had them let them not destroy you now you want them they could not make you happy in the enjoyment of them do not make your selves miserable in the want and deprivation of them SERMON V. VI VII VIII 2 Tim. 1.8 Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord nor of me his prisoner but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the Gospel according to the power of God MY Text you see is in the Epistle of Paul to Timothy the second Epistle that he wrote to him Who this Timothy was the Scripture abundantly telleth us the name signifieth one that feareth God it was the usual course of Parents in those days to give their Children names that might either express their sense of the mercy that God had given them as Samuel begged of God Reuben see a Son Simeon hearing Levi joined Judah praise or such as might express the Childrens duty
and in this part of the Church wherein the Lord hath cast our lot 2. Another root of this bitterness hath been Those passions that the best of men have been subject to Elijah was a great man of God yet Jam 5.17 Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are and the Apostle writing to the Corinthians telleth them 1 Cor. 3.3 Whereas there is among you envying and strife and divisions are you not carnal the Apostle telleth us Jam. 4.5 that the Spirit that is in us lusteth to envy Envy is a peevish passion it maketh us to repine at the good of another and though it ought to be rooted out of the heart of Gods people and is in a great measure yet something of it remaineth and it is very often seen that when some Ministers of the Gospel excel others in Parts or in Grace or private Christians so exceed through this lust of envy which is in the hearts of others they are exposed to censures and to be evil spoken of others grudging at them which are all fruits of the old man which are in us strife and contention Acts 15.39 And the contention was so sharp betwixt them that they departed asunder one from the other the difference betwixt Paul and Barnabas was so very small that it was onely whether they should carry John with them yea or no but it waxed so hot that Paul and Barnabas upon it left one another Paul went one way and Barnabas went another way these are some of the afflictions of the Gospel not caused by the Gospel but incident to them who promote the Gospel 2. But a second sort of men that raise up afflictions to the Ministers and Professors of the Gospel are false Brethren men who have received the truth but not in the love of it who from some lusts would pervert the Gospel of Christ and become great enemies to the sincere Professors of it and that chiefly two ways 1. By broaching and publishing some Doctrines that are contrary to the truths of the Gospel the Apostle experienced some of these in the first beginning of the Gospel no sooner was the Gospel preached in Galatia but there arose some that troubled them and would pervert the Doctrine of Christ upon this account it is that the Apostle to the Philippians calleth the Jews those of the concision St. John telleth you of many Antichrists that arose in his time so as you read something of this in almost every Epistle of the Apostles these things have constantly given a great deal of trouble to the faithful Ministers of the Gospel and also them who have been the sincere Professors of it 2. By aspersing the faithful Ministers and Professors of the Gospel to lessen their reputation and make them odious unto people sometimes affixing crimes to them that they never designed in their hearts sometimes by aspersing them as weak unlearned men you shall see this was a great art they used against St. Paul as you will observe by reading over the Epistle of Paul to the Galatians and his Epistles to the Corinthians this maketh him speak so much in his own defence and in the commendation and magnifying of his Office nay they speak of him as if he were a reprobate they sought a proof of Christ in him 2 Cor. 13.3 which caused him to say Since you seek a proof of Christ speaking in me which to you-ward is not weak v. 4. for we also are weak in him but we shall live with him by the power of God he saith v. 6. But I trust you shall know we are not reprobates v. 7. I pray to God that you do no evil but that you should do that which is honest though we be as reprobates These are a sort and kind of afflictions which the Gospel of Christ hath always met with in the true Professors of it now the root of this is nothing but wrath and malice and envy lust liveth and reigneth in the hearts of such who though they have made a profession of the truth yet they never received it in the love of it 3. The afflictions of the Gospel are those afflictions which are brought upon the faithful Ministers and Professors of the Gospel for their Profession from the open and professed enemies of it now these are to be considered in their kinds and in their causes In their kinds In short they are all sorts of external afflictions man can kill the body and hurt the outward man but he can do no more but so far as they can they will go reproaches and calumnies respecting men in their honour and reputation rifling their estates casting them into Prisons taking away their lives in short whatsoever can be afflictive to the outward man for there are no sort of external afflictions but we shall find that the true and sincere Professors of the Gospel have met with James was killed with the Sword Stephen was stoned to death the Apostles were often imprisoned others as the Apostle saith had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings yea of bonds and imprisonments they were stoned they were sawn asunder they were tempted they were slain with the Sword they wandered about in Sheep-skins and in Goat-skins being tormented of whom the world was not worthy the story of Scripture and the story of the several Martyrs doth sufficiently tell us what the afflictions of the Gospel are but why the Gospel should suffer such things or men should suffer such things for the publishing owning and professing the Gospel may seem a little wonderful and deserveth a further enquiry for if we consider the nature of the Gospel the very import of the word is no other then a good message or good tidings the Angel gave the Gospel its true name when he proclaimed Luke 2.10 behold I bring you good tidings of great joy which shall be to all people So as there is nothing in the whole systeme of the Gospel that can deserve any hatred of it the Gospel is nothing else but that good saying that Jesus Christ is come into the world to save Sinners That God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth on him should have everlasting life what hath Christ done or what is there in the Gospel that should provoke the lusts and passions of men to give any opposition that there should be any affliction entailed to the Gospel 1. I answer the true root of this lieth in that enmity which God hath set betwixt the Woman and her seed and the Serpent and his seed you have it Gen. 3.15 And I will put enmity betwixt thee and the Woman and betwixt thy seed and her seed the Womans seed was Christ the Serpents seed are vile wicked and ungodly men there is an enmity an implacable enmity betwixt these two and so long as the world endureth this enmity will abide and the Devil will be managing a design to drive Christ and the Gospel of Christ
Magistrates and powers take no thought how or what thing you shall answer or what you shall say for the Holy Ghost shall teach you in that same hour what you ought to say It is a promise that some have applied to the assistance of God in the performance of other duties as Prayer Preaching c. and it may be there hath been but an ill use made of that promise the promise in the first place manifestly relateth to a time of testimony I do not say but there is a dabitur in hora which those who are much with God in Prayer and which the Ministers of the Gospel 〈◊〉 experience but that promise respectâ—â—â— not that so much as it respecteth men in confession and their Testimony for Christ in giving our Testimony for Christ the Spirit of God shall assist words shall be given us in that hour and courage and strength shall be given us in that hour you shall not give a Testimony for the Gospel you shall not suffer affliction for the Gospel in your own strength it shall be according to the power of God the Holy Ghost shall teach you what to say and what to do and you shall experience that it is not you that speak and act but the Spirit that dwelleth in you what you do in this case shall be according to the power of God you shall not spend meerly upon your own Stock you shall spend upon Christs Stock when you are upon Christs Service you shall spend upon the fulness of the Spirit of God and there have been many experiences of those that could never find the presence of God so strong in the consolation of their Spirits as in that hour be not therefore ashamed of the Testimony of your Lord for not only the thing which you testify is the Testimony of the Lord but your action in testifying the testimony which you give shall be from the Lord the Holy Ghost speaking in you so that this is a great Argument it is a standing up for Christ and the Spirit of God shall use your tongue and your hand 2. Another Argument the Apostle useth is frâ—â— the nature of the truth to which you testify and the person for whom you testify You testify for the truth which bringeth eternal Salvation you testify for him who hath called you with an holy calling and he hath done this freely not according to your works but according to his own grace for him who hath abolished Death and brought Life and Immortality to light through the Gospel The Apostle saith He was not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ for it is the power of God to Salvation I told you before that every one is a debtor unto truth there is such a cognation betwixt a rational Soul and Truth that every rational Soul is a debtor to truth he is a debtor to own the truth as to himself and to own the truth as to another and I told you by how much a truth is of higher importance to our or anothers interest by so much a Man or Woman is a greater debtor a Man is a debtor to the truth when it concerneth but his honour and reputation and when it concerneth his estate but much more when it concerneth Life and so when it is for his Brother by how much his Brother is more concerned by so much he is more obliged and as the nature of the truth raiseth his obligation so the relation of the person increaseth it a Man is bound by the Law of charity to give testimony to the truth on the behalf of his Neighbour much more on the behalf of his Brother and higher yet on the behalf of his Father or Mother that begat him and brought him forth but yet his obligation riseth higher when it is for his Saviour for him who hath done him the greatest kindness that ever was done without which he had better never have been born such is the Testimony that we are bound to give unto Christ The truth is of highest import the person is of the highest concern Oh! be not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ which is the power of God to your Salvation of the Gospel which bringeth Life and Immortality to light you testify for Christ who Witnessed a good confession before Pilate who hath done more for you than all the friends you ever had in the World could do for him who hath called you with an holy calling this is another Argument to enforce this Exhortation the consideration for whom and for what this Testimony is given 3. Another Argument which the Apostle bringeth here to perswade Timothy not to be ashamed of this Testimony is his own example v. 12. For the which cause I also suffer these things nevertheless I am not ashamed The Apostle saith God is not ashamed to be called their God And he saith of Christ Heb. 2.11 He is not ashamed to call us Brethnen Shall we be ashamed to testify his truth Shall we be ashamed of the name of his Witnesses And observe the reason why the Apostle saith he is not ashamed I am not ashamed for I know in whom I have believed and I am perswaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him 4. Let me use one Argument further with you Blessed be God we yet can say as Heb. 12.4 You have not yet resisted unto Blood striving against sin There are divers Arguments in that Text to make a Christian valiant in his spiritual fight 1. That a Christians fight is against sin 2. That in this fight of Christians against sin we ought if called to it to resist unto Blood 3. By how much the lesser the Trial is that God calleth to us to undergo by so much the greater obligation is upon us to endure it all a Christians fight and striving is against sin He giveth a Testimony to the Doctrine of the Gospel it is against sin to prevent the coming in of damnable errors which would sink the Souls of people into eternal ruine and destruction he giveth a Testimony for the pure Worship of God it is to keep out Superstition and Idolatry he giveth a Testimony for the Government of Christ this is also against sin against those that say the Lord shall not rule over them or others but we will rule over you all our fight all the resistance that we make is against sin Now the fight against sin is so noble a fight that every good man ought to resist unto Blood rather to die than to sin against God or to suffer sin to prevail in the World but now when God doth not call us to lay down our Lives but only to bear a lower Testimony there our obligation riseth much higher if God had called us to lay down our Lives should we not do it How much more when the Lord only calleth us to give a Testimony St. John Rev. 6.9 saw them under the Altar that were slain for the Testimony that they
us willing to suffer the spoiling of our goods with joy but a knowledge that we have in Heaven a far more enduring substance that we should ever be willing to part with our dear and sweet relations but upon the sight of better company if the Heathen upon the contemplation of the Immortality of the Soul could be content to make an end of their Lives surely we may hope that our contemplation of the pleasures that are at Gods right hand should dispose and prepare us for the parting with the pleasures of sin which are but for a season the things which are seen they are temporal saith the Apostle the things which are not seen they are eternal What was that which made Jacob endure the cold nights and watchings but the sight of Rachel He had a prospect of a Rachel his satisfaction in her was that which he thought would ballance all at last The quicker view of eternity any Soul hath the cheaper all the World will be unto him 7. Labor for a good stock of Faith Patience and Wisdom The more full assent you give to the Proposition of the Word and the firmer reliance you have upon the Promises the better you will endure an evil hour you will easily understand the reason of this if you consider that persecution lieth in nothing else but in your being straitned or suffering in things visible and sensible and faith is the evidence of things not seen I told you before that persecution only toucheth us in sensible parts for else indeed they were no afflictions let me shew you the force and power of Faith in this matter to bring a man into a state fitting for persecution 1. Faith sheweth an invisible God 2. It sheweth us invisible things Faith sheweth unto us an invisible God There is nothing so much emboldneth the Soul to sin as our not seeing of God the Fool hath said in his Heart There is no God no God that hath such an eye to see no God so omnipotent no God so strict and severe in Justice as he is said to be Now the more a man seeth of an invisible God the more a man despiseth all visible sensible things 2. Faith sheweth unto the Soul invisible things and those of an infinite transcendency and supereminent excellency above all things that are visible 1 Cor. 2.9 10. Eye hath not seen nor Ear heard neither have entred into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love him But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit Psal 16.11 at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore Heb. 11.16 a better Country Heb. 11.26 a recompence of reward Heb. 10.34 a better and enduring substance In all persecution there are two things poena sensus poena damni there is a pain of sense and there is a smart in prisons and in death Now Faith armeth the Soul shewing him a God more armed to punish him in case of sin than persecution is armed to make him sin Luke 12.4 Be not afraid of them that kill the body and after that have no more that they can do saith our Saviour but fear him that can cast both Body and Soul into Hell-fire This taketh away all the pain of sense in persecution sense telleth a man the Persecutor can do no more than kill the Body Faith drowns this by shewing the Soul a God that hath the Keys of Hell and Death in his hand and that can and will cast the Soul into Hell fire for the pain of sense it is plain that Faith devoureth all that and for the pain of loss it taketh away that Is it pleasure that maketh thee loth to endure persecution Faith sheweth the Soul the pleasures at Christs right hand where are fulness of pleasures for evermore is it profit that maketh thee loth to endure persecution Faith sheweth the Soul a more enduring substance a recompence of reward which is infinitely above thy proportion of labour yea and Faith evidenceth this to the Soul and giveth the Soul such an evidence of these things that the Soul hath no more doubt no more fear of these things than if it had these other things sensibly before its eyes therefore labour for a stock of Faith when I say labour for it I mean but two things study the promises of God that you may understand them and the compass of them pray to God to make them stick to your Souls and as this Faith doth it and hath a great influence upon the Soul to make it valiant in its spiritual fight so that Faith which is the reliance of the Soul upon the Lord Jesus Christ hath a very great power and influence for this teacheth the Soul to rest and rely upon Christ alone for Salvation and layeth the strongest and highest obligation imaginable upon the Soul to love the Lord Jesus Christ and again to do nothing that may give an offence unto him by disobedience to any of his Commandments 8. Endeavour to furnish your selves with patience Patience is either to be considered in the act or in the habit I now speak of the habit of patience a power to exercise patience patience is usually by Divines said to be active which is a power to wait the good pleasure of God for the fulfilling of the promise or passive a power quietly to bear the dispensation of God to us Both of them are highly necessary 1. For the first a power to wait for God for the fulfilling of the promise Heb. 10.36 37. For you have need of patience that after you have done the will of God you might receive the promise For yet a little while and he that shall come will come and will not tarry The staying of thâ— Vision to an appointed time and Gods not making hast in the fulfilling of the promise is that which sheweth us the need of this patience 2. The second is a power to bear the good pleasure of God and to suffer what is his will Both these are wonderful needful unto a Soul in an hour of persecution If you ask me how we shall come by patience the answer is easie the more faith the more patience for faith begetteth patience and because the habits of both are infused by God Prayer is the great means both to obtain these and all other influences and habits of grace from God Endeavour to furnish your selves with the grace and habit of patience patience is the suffering grace 9. Labour for spiritual wisdom Wisdom is a practical habit which directeth us to use the best means in order to a good end this wisdom doth not teach you to deliberate at all about the thing whether you should suffer or no but only concerning the manner and the circumstances of the thing to do it in the best manner is as God shall have most honour and your own Souls most peace and comfort You know our Saviour saith be wise as Serpents and the Apostle James to his Exhortation to
much greater must it be to do evil to one because he doth good God hath taken a particular charge of innocent persons Exod. 23.7 The innocent and righteous person stay thou not saith God Deut. 27.25 Cursed be he that taketh reward to slay an innocent person Job 22.30 He shall deliver the Island of the innocent Now I say if that stealing from a man that hath done me no harm or the taking away his goods by violence or oppressing him be such a guilt in the sight of God judge how great the sin must be to slay a righteous person to undo or do injury to a person meerly because he doth that which is good and dare not sin against the Lord his God 2. I would have you consider how much the Lord interesteth himself in the quarrels of his people and in their injuries He that toucheth you saith God toucheth the Apple of my Eye The Lord counteth his people as the Apple of his Eye as his Jewels Now for you to plunder the Lord's Iewels for you to venture to touch the Apple of God's Eye judge what the issue shall be When Saul was breathing out threatning and bringing persecution upon the Church of God the Lord called unto him out of Heaven saying Saul Saul why persecutest thou me And when he said Who art thou Lord the Answer was I am Jesus whom thou persecutest And if the Lord doth so severely take notice of the omissions of doing good to his people Mat. 25.41 Pronouncing the Sentence Depart ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels Verse 42. For I was an hungred and ye gave me no meat I was thirsty and ye gave me no drink Verse 43. I was a stranger and ye took me not in naked and ye clothed me not sick and in prison and ye visited me not What do you think the Lord will do to them that take their bread from them and their garments from them and are Instruments to throw them into prison 3. I would have you consider what a dreadful vengeance hath followed them who have been Instruments in persecution in all times You know how the Lord punished Cain so as he cryed out My punishment is greater than I am able to bear You know how the Lord punished Ishmael Pharaoh and Jezebel and the Jewish Nation In short this work of persecution hath been the ruine of all those that have ever medled with it Christ that stone which the builders refused hath faln upon them and ground them to powder Luke 20.18 Precious in the sight of God is the blood of his Saints he will requite it If the blood of a Man slain doth so defile a Land Numb 35.33 that the Land shall not be purged but by the blood of him that shed it what do you think will the precious blood of the Saints do What therefore Pilate's Wife said unto him in her message Have thou nothing to do with that righteous person So I say have nothing to do with men that only strive against sin and put themselves upon suffering in this extremity rather than they will sin against God let others meddle at their perils but have you nothing to do with them Take heed of all persecution and that you may know what you are to avoid let me desire you to compare this Text with Luke 6.22 Blessed are you when men hate you and when they shall separate you from their company and shall reproach you and cast out your name as evil 1. The root of persecution is hatred and he that hateth a man because he doth not sin persecuteth 2. The Eldest Daughter of hatred is separating from them from their company let those that have to do with persecution consider this 3. The third thing is casting out their name reproaching reviling speaking evil of them 4. Another thing in that which is set out under the notion of persecution reacheth to the spoiling them of their goods of their liberty and of their lives Take heed of it if God maketh it their lot yet be you not the Instruments in setting out their lot to them Executioners of Justice are necessary in a State yet the Imployment we see is what none is ambitious of Offences must come There must be some to persecute but woe be to those by whom they come Persecutors are but the Executioners of Divine Decrees and Justice but they mean not so God will reckon with them not for executing his will but for executing their own lusts of malice and rage Not many of them die the deaths of other men SERM. 12. 2 Cor. 4.8 9. We are troubled on every side yet not distressed we are perplexed but not in despair Persecuted but not forsaken cast down but not destroyed MY Text is made up of Riddles seeming but no real contradictions where several things seem first to be said then denied concerning the Apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ and the Primitive Christians whose lives as the lives of many good Christians are still made up of things hardly intelligible to carnal men who know of no distresses but what are from without no despair but that whose object is some muddy earthly good no forsaking but that of Providence no destroying but that of the flesh but yet intelligible enough to those who have tasted how good the Lord is and who have senses exercised to discern betwixt good and evil What is said here hath been true and is at this day true of many thousands besides those of whom the Text primarily speaks for that speaketh only of the Apostles and Primitive Christians but it concerns us upon whom the fagg-end of the World is come and who live in the latter part of the last days For whatsoever things were written before were written for our Learning that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope Rom. 15.4 The things that have been are and shall be and there is nothing new under the Sun There is no temptation hath befallen you saith the Apostle but what is common to men The second Epistle of St. Paul to the Church at Corinth is thought to have been written soon after his first Epistle to them from Philippi one of the first Cities upon the Coast of Macedonia Acts 16.12 Thither Paul went Acts 20.1 2. when he departed from Ephesus after the uproar made at Ephesus ch 19. by Demetrius for fear that by the Gospel coming amongst them he should lose his Trade of making Silver-shrines for Diana The occasion of the writing of it to those that read it will appear to be to vindicate himself from the calumnies and aspersions which false Teachers had cast upon him who charged him with levity pride ostentation rendred his person contemptible c. as also to acknowledge to them their forwardness in contribution to the Saints their kind reception of Titus and the good effect his former Epistle had In this and the foregoing chapter he magnifieth his Office in
Sometimes taking the wise in their own craftiness Job 5.12 13. He disappointeth the devices of the crafty so that their hands cannot find their interprise he taketh the wise in their own craftiness and the Counsel of the froward is carried head-long Thus the Jews experienced the presence of God in the case of Hamans conspiracy to destroy them all Infinite instances might be given of this in all ages 2 Sometimes he will fit his people sufficiently to deal with them Luke 21.15 I will give you a mouth and wisdom which none of your Enemies shall be able to resist This was verified as to Stephen Acts 6.20 Of whom it is said Acts 6.20 That his adversaries were not able to resist the wisdom and the Spirit by which he spake Hence Christ commanded his first disciples that when their enemies should deliver them up they should take no thought how or what they should speak for it should be given them in that same hour what they should speak For saith our Saviour it is not you that speak but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you Matth. 10.19 20. This was eminently made good to the first and most famous Ministers of the Gospel and hath in its measure been since made good in all succeeding ages so as plain illiterate ignorant creatures have been able to put to silence the wisest and most learned of their proud and cruel adversaries 3. Sometimes the presence of God is seen with his people in giving them a great liberty and freedom of Spirit so as they have not been 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 straitned in their own bowels they have been straitned as to room for their bodies shut up in close prisons but their Spirits have been at perfect liberty This liberty of our Spirits is seen in a Well pleasedness a satisfaction and contentment with the will of God concerning us So as we are never less in prison then when we are in prison and the Truth is a prison is nothing to him who hath his Soul and spirit at liberty Those who have read any Martyrologies have found instances enough of this how many Servants of God have found in prisons and under their great variety of sufferings the greatest freedom of their Spirit both for doing and suffering and from slavish fears imaginable 4. Sometimes they experience the presence of God with them giving them courage This was that boldness which the Sanhedrim took notice of in Peter and John Acts 4.13 which made them marvel and it is said that they took knowledge of them that they had been with Jesus God sometimes will not let his people see his power in delivering them from an evil nor his wisdom in countermining their Adversaries but they shall experience him making them couragious and valiant in the spiritual fight so as they shall not be afraid at what man can do unto them Nothing destroyeth a man in sufferings but slavish fears and dejections whiles the Spirit of a man holds he can bear his infirmity he may be cast down but he cannot be destroyed You shall observe it in reading the History of the Church as recorded in holy writ or in other Books that it hath pleased God sometimes to pick out some persons to be his witnesses to some Truths with these now the presence of God hath not been to cover them and preserve them from their Enemies nor yet to deliver them once faln into their hands but giving them a mighty Spirit and courage to go thorough their sufferings For this was the Apostles prayer Acts 4.29 And now Lord behold their threatnings and grant unto thy Servants that with all boldness they may speak thy word This was Paul's declar'd expectation and hope Phil. 1.20 That in nothing he should be ashamed but that with all boldness as always so now Christ should be magnified in his body whether by life or death Such is reported to have been the courage of Cyprian when he heard the Sentence of condemnation published against him He thanked God for it and when the Proconsul would have had him to have deliberated upon it he presently and boldly replied In re tam justâ nulla est deliberatio there was no need of deliberation in so just and righteous a Cause Such was the Spirit of Basil when the Emperour Valens threatned him with punishment and banishment Pueris illa terriculamenta propone saith he Scare Children with those Bugbears you may take my life from me but the confession of the Truth you cannot take from me 5. Lastly To name no more sometimes God 's not forsaking his people when they are persecuted appeareth in consolatory influences The consolations of God in such an hour are not small with them Stephen saw the glory of God and Christ sitting at the right hand of God when the stones were flying about him to take away his life Infinite almost are the stories that might be produced out of Ecclesiastical History to this purpose One when the fire was put to the wood under him to burning crying out Methinks you strew Roses under my feet That of Mr. Samuel who is reported to have had the day before his death one in white appearing to him and bidding him be of good comfort after that day he should never hunger nor thirst more And that of Robert Glover who is reported to have cried out to his Fellow-Martyr O Austin he is come he is come And that of Ridley to Latimer Be of good comfort said he God will either moderate the flames or strengthen us under them But these stories are endless and every where occurring in Ecclesiastical History Q. But will some say May one that feareth God build upon this and exercise a Faith in this experience of Paul as having in it the force of a promise Are there no instances of the Servants of God who have been sufferers for his Name sake and for Righteousness sake who have despaired and been forsaken Sol. 1. I answer When we speak of exercising Faith we must find some Word of God to be the object of that Faith for tho God be the object of our Faith yet we know nothing of God of this nature but in the Revelation of his Word So as tho God be the primary and remote object yet the promise is the proximate object Secondly There are general promises of God's presence with his people in danger such as that Isa 43.1 2. When thou passest thorow the waters I will be with thee and thorow the rivers they shall not overflow thee when thou walkest thorow the fire thou shalt not be burnt neither shall the flame kindle upon thee Now these are the objects of peoples Faith and every Child of God may repose a sure trust and confidence in God that they shall as to him be made good and prove Yea and Amen Thirdly For particular promises of preserving from dangers or deliverance out of dangers or comfort or courage it is enough if they be made
and become medicinal instead of being venemous Our natural passions are corrected either by Reason or by Grace the first working to its due height doth a great deal toward it It were no hard matter to give you a multitude of Instances of Heathens in this case from the operation of Moral Philosophy But alas what is the force of that operation compared with the operation of the Holy Spirit powerfully commanding and bowing of our Souls to a compliance with the Divine Will and commending to us the infinite Divine Wisdom in the dispensations of Providence O the felicity of a Child of God! if the Apostle hath in my Text given a true account of him he swimmeth like Cork upon the waters of all afflictions all troubles you cannot sink him he lies like Flint in the fire of affliction and is only purged and made more clean and bright by it Evils come to him as the Prince of this World came to his Lord but can do nothing against him because they meet with nothing in him to make them bitter and heavy 2. Nay here is not all Afflictions do not only not hurt him but they prove of exceeding great high advantage to him he is not only not distressed but he is refined purged and made more white they are to him as the refining pot for the silver and the furnace for the Gold He is not only not in despair but his Tribulation worketh patience and patience experience and experience hope such an hope as will not make his Soul ashamed He is not only not forsaken but he ordinarily never more experienceth the power wisdom and goodness of God even the most high God He is not only not destroyed but through much tribulation he entereth into the Kingdom of God his light and momentany afflictions work for him a far more eternal and exceeding weight of Glory And turn unto him for a Testimony Luke 21. v. 13. But of this argument I may possibly speak more hereafter VSE 4th Fourthly This discourse sheweth the vanity of wicked men in troubling the People of God On every side perplexing persecuting them and casting them down They onely satisfy their malice treasure up to themselves wrath that 's all It is a pitiful fruit of an Enemies malice if he cannot break ones Spirit distress him put him into despair destroy him What did Julian get by all his rage when he was at last but put to it in a rage to throw his dagger up to Heaven and cry Vicisti Galilaee O thou Galilean thou hast overcome When wicked men have done their worst if they cannot put Christians into distresses into despair c. They must at last cry their enemies are conquerors yea they are more then conquerours through Christ that loved them What did that bloody Bishop Bonner get by all his rage when he was forced at last to cry out A vengeance on them I think they love to burn Nay their Vanity appeareth yet further in this they cannot only not break their Spirits or Spoil their joys or hopes but they commonly add to them Christians ordinarily never finding more peace more joy in the Holy Ghost more satisfaction in their own Spirits more of the presence of God c. There are many that can say before we were hunted and persecuted we had more doubts more fears of our eternal state of the truth of our Spiritual habits since we were thus hunted God hath not so filled us with his terrors we have not so many doubts or fears we live in a clear view of our own sincerity and we have learned less to go astray VSE 5th Fifthly this discourse ought to quicken every one to inquire whether he or she be of those who if they should happen to meet with the troubles mentioned in in this Text yet might hope to meet with the relief and support of the Text. You will say to me how shall we know that I answer if we wistly look upon what goeth before and what followeth after in this Chapter we shall find it no difficult matter to conclude what we may hope for in a day of trouble of this nature 1. See v. 6. These that Saint Paul speaks of were such as that God who commandeth light to shine out of darkness had shined into their hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ God makes the light of the Knowledge of the glory of God to shine into mens hearts for a double end To shew them the truths of the Gospel and the way to everlasting life that their own Souls may be saved in the day of Christ hence enlightned regenerated Souls who were once darkness are said to become light in the Lord Eph. 5.8 2. That they may communicate this light unto others either by Doctrine which is the work of the Ministers of the Gospel or by an holy and exemplary life and conversation upon which account as well others as Ministers are compared Matth. 5. to a light lighted up in an house and commanded that their light should shine unto men that men might see their good works and glorify their Father which is in Heaven This is not the priviledge of the latter only but of the former also persons into whose Souls the light of the Gospel hath shined in the face of Jesus Christ who have received Christ as their Saviour believed in him given up themselves unto him Psal 91. He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty Such as have chosen God for their God Christ for their Saviour as have said of the Lord he is my refuge and my fortress my God in him I will trust These are those whom the Lord will deliver from the snare of the fouler c. And of whom he hath said I will never leave thee nor forsake thee 2. Secondly they are such as suffer in the exercise of that calling to which God hath called them Paul here speaks of such as had received a Ministry v. 1. and discharged it faithfully not handling the Word of God deceitfully v. 2. Such as preached not themselves but the Lord Jesus v. 5. God is present with men in their callings not in their extravagances if good men will go out of their road they must not expect Gods company or Christs presence with them But if they be in the way in which God hath set them in the station wherein God hath fixed them and meet with trouble on every side they may expect that they shall not be distressed they shall not be in despair they shall not be forsaken 3. They must be such as have renounced the things of dishonesty And commend themselves to every mans conscience in the sight of God v. 2. Such as the the life of Christ is made manifest in their mortal flesh v. 11. A good man may find himself distressed in a day when trouble is on every
that which is behind of the Afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his bodys sake which is the Church That which is behind of the Afflictions of Christ Is there any thing behind of Christs sufferings Hath he not suffered and entred into his glory where he is impassible living with and unto God where he can suffer and die no more The sufferings of Christ are to be considered in a double notion either as Expiatory or Exemplary If we consider them as Expiatory there is nothing of them behind nothing of them to be filled up He said upon the Cross All is finished And he trod the Wine-press of his Fathers wrath alone there was none of the people with him But if you consider them as they were Exemplary as he suffered setting us an example so there is much of the Afflictions of Christ to be filled up and they are to be filled up in the bodies of his Saints Or else thus Christ is taken personally or mystically Christ mystically is the Church he the Head Believers Members both making but one body and that his body which is the Church Now of Christ taken in this sense much of his Afflictions are to be filled up And Christians suffering in conformity to Christ is a Testimony to them that they are Members of an afflicted Christ yea and also that they are Members of that body of which Christ is the Head for in all Ages it hath been the Lot of those who would live godly in Christ Jesus to suffer persecution 3. It turns unto a Testimony to them both of the truth and of the strength of their Faith The Apostle describing Faith Heb. 11.1 calleth it the evidence of things not seen the substance of things hoped for For saith the Apostle What a man seeth why doth he yet hope for Many talk of Faith few understand it The work of Faith lies in a being persuaded of God and depending upon God for the things which we do not see Now it is the want of this Faith which makes men shrink in a day of Trial. The Apostle Heb. 10.34 ch 11.13 14 16. concludes from the Servants of God of whom he there speaks taking joyfully the spoiling of their goods that they knew in themselves that they had in Heaven a better and an enduring substance And from their confessing that they were Strangers and Pilgrims upon the Earth that they plainly declared that they sought a Country and desired a better Country that is an heavenly Mens unwillingness to suffer the loss of any thing that shall be made up with so great advantage speaketh them at least weak in Faith and but faintly persuaded of that better state and that they find a difficulty to depend upon God's Word for it But when men can freely for the Name of Christ leave their Country and go into Banishment part with their Estates and be content to be stript of all they have part with their Liberty and be content with a Prison part with their Lives and bid Death even a violent and most ignominious Death welcom it argueth that they both truly and strongly believe what God hath revealed concerning a better Country a more enduring Substance the glorious Liberty of the Sons of God a life everlasting and full of glory and not only that they are persuaded of the truth of the things but they depend and rely upon God and by hope patiently wait upon God for the bestowing these things upon them and making them their portion Now what would not many a good Christian give for an Evidence of the truth and reality of his Faith How many doubts how many fears hath he oft times about it An ability to suffer for the Name of Christ mightily tends to their confirmation The Apostle therefore putteth them together Phil. 1.29 Vnto you it is given on the behalf of Christ not only to believe on him but also to suffer for his sake Suffering a freedom to suffer is a great confirmation of our Faith both to our selves and also to others 4. It will be a Testimony to the people of God of their Love to him True Faith worketh by Love Love to another is discerned in nothing more than in suffering for them and indeed this is the heighth of Love It speaks a Soul to have discerned a great excellency in Christ and in heart to cleave to him that rather than part with him will suffer the loss of any thing Upon this account among the Heathens is celebrated the Love of Pilades and Orestes Theseus and Pirithous c. But see it in Paul Phil. 3.8 Yea doubtless and I account all things but loss for the excellency of the Knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord for whom I have suffered the loss of all things and do count them but dung that I may win Christ The Soul that may have had its doubts and fears whether it loveth Christ or no measuring its affections to this spiritual invisible Object by the motions of its affections to Objects more sensible which indeed is not a true and just measure can doubt no longer when once the Lord hath enabled the Soul to suffer for his Name sake it speaks a Soul to love Christ more than all sensible things when to serve and enioy him it hath freely parted with whatever it had of sensible enjoyments and satisfaction Nothing speaks Love like a deep suffering for the Object beloved Gen. 22.12 Now saith God to Abraham I know that thou fearest God seeing thou hast not withheld thy Son thine only Son from me That term of fear and fearing God in the Old Testament hath often a larger sense than as signifying that passion which we call fear God then knows that a Soul loveth him and the Soul it self may know that it loveth God when it can readily and chearfully suffer for his Names sake 5. Lastly It will be to a Soul not only a Testimony of Faith and Love and Patience and Perseverance and Constancy Steadiness and Unmoveableness in the work of the Lord but it will be also a Testimony of the Soul's Zeal for God Zeal is rather the intention of all the affections than a particular affection of it self A small degree of Love will not carry a Soul thorough sufferings That Love must be at a great degree of warmth which shall carry a Soul thorough great difficulties great trials great losses 6. To these I may add one thing more Suffering for the Name of Christ is a Testimony of the presence of God with the Soul The Three Childrens induring the fiery Furnace was a Testimony of a fourth persons being with them Dan. 3.15 Daniel's being in the Den of Lions and induring that danger turned to him for a Testimony of God's special presence with him and sending his Angels to stop the mouths of the Lions Paul's couragious suffering was a Testimony to him that the Lord stood by him and strengthened him 2 Tim. 4.17 A Christian needs desire no more than a