31.9 and is to all within the pale of the visible Church but by Adoption that he hath by a speciall grace adopted us into the dignity of his children Which we may be assured of when once we have received that Spirit of Adoption which the Apostle speaketh of Rom. 8.15 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the holy Spirit of God regenerating of us and working effectually in us working in us a childe-like disposition filiall affections towards this our heavenly Father a filial fear a filial love a filial affiance causing us to fear him as a Father to love him as a Father to trust in him and depend upon him as a Father Finding such a disposition such affections in our hearts now may we be assured that God is our Father And being our Father let us now call him so Vse 3 Call God our Father This is that which the Lord saith of his servant David Psal 89.26 He shall cry unto me thou art my Father And it is that which he requireth from his people the Jewes Jer. 3.4 Wilt thou not from this time cry unto me My Father viz. from the time that he had admonished them of their duty and corrected them for their sins And so again vers 19. of the same Chapter I said thou shalt call me My Father that is so own and acknowledge me And this let all the Lords people do This is the language which the Spirit of Adoption teacheth all Gods children to call God their Father Ye have received the Spirit of Adoption whereby we cry Abba Father saith Paul to his Romans Rom. 8.15 And the like to his Galathians Gal. 4.6 Because ye are Sons God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts crying Abba Father And this do we call God our Father and that not only with our tongues but our hearts so looking upon him so owning and acknowledging of him Which do we at all times in all estates and conditions God to be looked upon by his Children as a Father in Adversity as well as Prosperity in whatever God doth to us or we to him still look upon him under the notion of a Father 1. As first in receiving of mercies and blessings from him In receiving of mercies take them as from the hand of a Father as pledges and tokens of his love therein acknowledging his Fatherly affection 2. So also in confessing of sins and begging pardon for them In confessing of sins come unto God as unto a Father So doth the Prodigall Son in the Parable Luk. 15.18 I will arise saith he and go to my Father and will say unto him Father I have sinned against heaven and before thee 3. So again in deploring of wants spirituall or temporall In deploring of Wants and making suit for a supply of them come unto God as a Father So our Saviour teacheth us to do in that Pattern and Form of Prayer which he hath left us When ye pray say Our Father which art in heaven Luk. 11.6 directing Christians to make all their addresses unto God under that notion as a Father When thou pray st pray to thy Father Math. 6.6 4. And so again in Deprecations of evils feared when God seemeth to be coming against us In deprecating of evils feared yet call him Father So did David his Father-in-law King Saul when he was coming out against him hunting his soul to take it as he speaks yet even then he calls out to him My Father 1 Sam. 24.11 And the like do we to our heavenly Father Though he come against us as an enemy yet still call him Father So doth our blessed Saviour when he saw this bitter Cup coming towards him apprehended his Passion at hand He fell on his face saith the Text and prayed saying O my Father if it be possible let this Cup passe from me Matth. 26.39 5. And the like also in Evils felt When the hand of God lyeth heavy upon us In present sufferings pressing us sore yet still call him Father So doth the Church in those Texts forecited when God hid himself from her dealt most severely with her yet still she challengeth her Relation calling him her Father Doubtlesse thou art our Father Isa 63.16 But now O Lord thou art our Father Cap. 64.7 And so doth our blessed Saviour in the Paroxisme of his Passion hanging upon the Crosse still he retains his former language calling God his Father Father forgive them Luk. 23.34 And when the pangs of death were upon him he breatheth out his soul with those words Father into thy hand I commend my Spirit vers 46. of that Chap. And the like do we stirring up our hearts to a holy imitation of this our heavenly Pattern In all our afflictions and sufferings of what knide soever they be yet still call God Father so look we upon him so apprehend and acknowledge him A good sign of a gracious spirit so to doe To call God Father when he frowns a sign of a gracious spirit I scarce know a better then to call God Father when he frowns upon us is angry with us hath a rod in his hand when he is correcting us An easie matter it is so to do whilest he is smiling upon us whilest we receive or expect blessings and favours from him Blesse me my Father saith Esau to Isaac Gen. 27.34 But when he hath as I said a rod in his hand and we feel the smart of it when his hand lyeth heavy upon us when he writeth bitter things against us when he is turned to be our enemy fighting against us by his Judgements then to call him Father so to look upon him so to apprehend and acknowledge him surely this is no other but a fruit of that Spirit the Spirit of Adoption And this let all Gods children stir up their hearts to doe To look upon God as a Father of great use in Afflictions thus to look upon God in all their afflictions A thing which will be of great use to us for the quieting and comforting and supporting our spirits under whatever sufferings So long as a man looketh upon God as an Enemy to him or as a severe Judge coming against him he can have no comfort being conscious to himself of his own demerits but when once he cometh to look upon him as a Father this sweetneth the bitterest Cup making a man drink it the more willingly whilest it giveth him a comfortable hope and assurance of a wise and mercifull moderation of his Affliction a gracious support under it and a seasonable issue out of it all which it doth Q. How this may be attained But how shall we attain to this thus to look upon God in our suffering condition A. Learn to live by faith For this learn to live by Faith So lives the Righteous person as the Prophet Habakuk tells us Hab. 2.4 The just shall live by his Faith Live by it in all estates and
Counsell but the Counsellor also whom he would not indure in his sight bidding him Avant Get thee behinde me Language one would think fitter for a Dog then a Disciple an Apostle a chief Apostle Nay more Get thee behinde me Satan Satan the word signifieth properly an Adversary and therefore in Scripture commonly given to the Devil the Arch-adversary to God and Man And this tearm then which he could not have found a worse doth our Saviour give unto Peter for his suggesting of this counsell to him wherein he was an Adversary to God opposing his will and an Adversary to Man going about to hinder his salvation as also an Adversary to Christ in taking him off from his work from his obedience Thus did our Saviour there look upon him as an Instrument of Satan actuated and set awork by him in the handing of this Temptation which tended to the taking him off from the work which his Father had given him to doe And thereupon he rejecteth his counsell and that with indignation though to flesh and blood never so acceptable Never should the counsels suggestions attempts endeavours of any finde better entertainment with a Christian which tend to such an end to the hindering of him in the course of his obedience unto God whether in doing or suffering his will whatever the Person be from whom they come though never so neer whatever the Affection be from which they proceed though never so dear whatever the Intention be though never so good yet herein hearken not to them but looking upon them as Instruments of Satan actuated and set awork by him reject their indeavours So did holy Job when his Wife gave him that counsell which we meet with Job 2.9 bidding him Curse God and die or as it may be read Blesse God and die for the word Barach there used signifieth both Benedicere maledicere Blessing and Cursing and in Scripture it is most frequently used in the former sense seldome in the latter and so Charity which still inclines to the better part may induce us to construe it there But however it be her meaning was she would have Job use some means that he might have a speedy riddance out of that trouble and misery wherein he was which she thought to be best for him Now what saith Job to her You have it in the next verse v. 10. Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh Thus he who in all his sufferings before had not shewen any the least Passion save that of sorrow not an angry posture or expression now his spirit is stirred within him so as he rejecteth this counsell of his Wife not without indignation casting it back in her face with a tart Reprehension Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh or as a wicked woman for so that word foolish in Scripture is often taken And why is he so angry with her Why inasmuch as this counsell of hers make the best of it tended to the taking him off from the course of his Passive Obedience to make him throw away the bitter Cup which God had given him before he had drunk it out So himself giveth the reason of this his impatience in the next words What shall we receive good at the hands of God and shall we not receive evil Shall we drink the sweet Cup of Prosperity and shall we not also drink the bitter Cup of Adversity if God see it fitting for us Thus doth he reject that counsell which tended to the taking him off from his suffering work and so from his obedience to God And the like let all of us be exhorted to do Applic. Christians to rejâ—ct such counsels and indeavours in whomsoever Never giving better entertainment to such suggestions such counsells such attempts or indeavours as tend to such an end whoever be the conveyors of them or actors in them Such is Satans policy that he often insinuates himself into the bosomes of men through the mediations of such as are neer and dear unto them Thus did he at the first convey that poysonous Apple to our first Parent Adam through the hand of his second-self her that was nearest and dearest to him his Wife Gen. 3.6 And thus doth he often convey his Temptations through the tongues or hands of unsuspected Instruments by which means they finde the readyer acceptance Poyson reached forth by the hand of a friend is least suspected and so more easily swallowed down And so do poysonous suggestions being conveyed by a friend a familiar and so mixed with declarations of affection and love they finde an easier passage to the heart they are more readily received and embraced Great need therefore have we to be wary and cautious not taking the services of others whoever they be upon trust knowing that they being subject to be deceived themselves may become Instrumentall in deceiving of others And therefore bring we them to the Touchstone to the ballance of the Sanctuary trying and examining whether they be for God or against him whether they perswade obedience to his will or disswade from it If they be for God putting us on forward in the course of our obedience receive them embrace them though coming from the hand of an Enemy If otherwise come they from what mouth from what hand from what heart they will reject them Herein Christians must learn warily to distinguish betwixt Satan and their Friends betwixt their Friends speaking and acting and Satans speaking and acting iâ— them and by them If they perswade any thing contrary to the minde and will of God it is not so much they that speak as Satan in them So then love and respect thy Friend still but abhor Satan though in a friend Peter was the same in Christs eye still when he disswaded him from going up to Jerusalem that he was before still he loved Peter I but Get thee behinde me Satan Take we heed of so respecting our Friends as to hearken to Satan in them An usuall thing it is when God calleth any to services of difficulty and danger for friends to interpose themselves as Peter here did betwixt his Master and those who came to apprehend him to hinder them from the undertaking of them What more common with the Martyrs of all Ages Being called forth to some eminent sufferings to seal the Truth of Christ with their blood presently what importuning of Friends what soliciting of Acquaintance what beseechings of Kinsfolks what tears cryes heart-breaking intreaties and supplications of Wife Children and other near and dear Relations every one crying out in Peters language Master Friend Brother Father Husband favour thy self these things shall not be unto thee It was Pauls own case Act. 21.11 when Agabus had prophesied and foretold of his bonds and sufferings at Jerusalem presently the Disciples his friends with others of Cesarea they come about him earnestly beseeching him that he would not goe up thither God having made known his minde and will what
be to all the sons and daughters of Zion Comfort to true Believers even all true Believers who are sometimes oft times sons and daughters of Affliction lying under the correcting hand of God Such was Jobs condition whom we hear complaining to his friends that the hand of the Lord had touched him Job 19.21 And the like doth David Psal 38.2.3 where he sadly bemoans his condition unto God Thine arrowes saith he stick fast in me and thy hand presseth me sore So again Psal 32.4 Day and night thy hand was heavy upon me And in the like language we may hear the Church bewailing her calamity Lam. 3.2 Surely against me is he turned he turneth his hand against me all the day Thus doth Gods hand his afflicting and correcting hand often lie heavy upon his dearest Saints But let it not discourage them so long as it is the hand of their Father which it is even then when God reacheth forth unto his people the bitterest Cups that can be yet still he is their Father A Father when he frowns as well as when he smiles when he strikes as when he stroketh still retaining the same Relation Yea and the same Affection Gods affection to his people still the same As he is an Everlasting Father so his Love is an everlasting love I have loved thee with an everlasting love Jer. 31.3 God sometimes oft times changeth his countenance towards his people but his Affection is not changed Sit licet in natos facies austera Parentum Mens tamen aequa manet Naturall Parents sometimes frown and bend their browes at their children there is nothing but anger and wrath in their countenance yet even then their affection towards them is the same that ever it was And so is it with God our heavenly Father being offended and displeased with his children he frowns upon them so as it may be there is nothing but wrath in his face yet even then there are bowels of fatherly compassion within So runs that known promise which the Lord maketh to the Seed of David Psal 89.31 32 33. If they break my Statutes and keep not my Commandements then will I visit their transgression with the rod and their iniquities with stripes Neverthelesse my loving kindenesse will I not utterly take from them c. God doth not take away his loving kindenesse from his people though for a time he may hide his face from them In a little wroth I hid my face from thee for a moment but with everlasting kindenesse will I have mercy on thee saith the Lord thy Redeemer Isa 54.7 8. Josephs bowels never yearned more towards his Brethren then when he turned his face from them and dealt most rigorously with them binding Simeon before their eyes as you have the story Gen. 42.24 God is never more affectionately compassionate towards his children then when he dealeth most severely with them Is Ephraim my dear Son saith the Lord in that patheticall passage Jer. 31.20 is he a pleasant childe for since I spake against him I do earnestly remember him still therefore my bowels are troubled for him Ephraim the people of Israel one Tribe put for the whole Nation they had not behaved themselves so as that they deserved to be owned by God as a dear Son as a pleasant childe that he should so look upon them so acknowledge them no they had walked unanswerably and unsuitably to that high Dignity conferred upon them and given God just cause for ever to reject and cast them off whereupon he spake against them threatning them by his Prophets yea and proceeding against them in a way of judgement yet he still remembred them having still a fatherly affection towards them His Bowels were troubled for him A humane expression suited to vulgar apprehension When a man taketh a thing to heart and is deeply affected with it it maketh his bowels yearn and move within him sending forth deep sighs and groans even so was the Lord affected with the condition of that his people In all their affliction he was afflicted as he elsewhere expresseth it Isa 63.9 Even as every stroak which a tender Mother giveth unto her dear childe it goeth to her own heart even so is God affected towards his people when being provoked by their sins he taketh the Rod in hand and dealeth sharply with them this is so far from alienating his fatherly affection from them that it is hereby rather inflamed and increased A strong Consolation Gods heart toward his people when his hand is against them which being rightly applyed may be of great use for the bearing up of the hearts and spirits of all Gods Saints and servants in the saddest condition Even then when God seemeth to be turned their enemy so as they have no sense and feeling of his love and favour towards them but all things are against them his countenance is against them his hand is against them he writeth bitter things against them as Job saith of himself Job 13.26 proceeding against them in a way of Judgement yet even then his heart is towards them He is still the same that ever he was I am the Lord I change not Mal. 3.6 Though he come against them as a Judge yet still is he the same tender and compassionate Father that ever he was At this time when Christ was to drink this bitter Cup to indure these bitter sufferings God the Father had now put upon himself the person of a Judge requiring and exacting from him a full satisfaction for all the sins which he as a Surety had undertaken so as his Fatherly affection seemed now to be layed aside yet even now doth he lay claim to this Relation calling him his Father still looking upon him under the same notion Now if he did so look upon him even then when he was powring out Vialls of wrath upon him inflicting upon him those satisfactory punishments how much more may his children so look upon him when he is inflicting upon them only castigatory punishments exercising them with afflictions and tryals for their good Which be they what they will never so sharp never so bitter yet let them rest assured that they cannot dissolve that Relation that Affection which is betwixt God and them so as to separate them from his love This is the matter of Pauls triumph in that known Text Rom. 8.35 Who or what shall separate us from the love of God in Christ This shall not whatever Tribulation or distresse doe as it there followeth God being once a Father he will be ever a Father to his Children Only then in the second place labour we every of us to make sure this Relation Vse 2 Make sure this Relation that God is our Father that God is once our Father Our Father and that not only by Creation which he is to all Creatures nor yet only in respect of an outward visible Covenant as he was to Israel I am a Father to Israel Jer.
off from it For this a threefold Reason may be assigned Answ This he did upon a threefold ground 1. Reas 1 The first and principal whereof is that which we meet with in the Text. His obedience to his Father His Father had given this Cup to him to drink and therefore he will drink it The Cup which my Father hath given me shall I not drink it God his Father had decreed willed that he should suffer and dye and this his will he had made known unto him And therefore in obedience to his command he thus willingly yieldeth hereunto I lay down my life of my self saith he but wherefore Why This Commandement I have received from my Father so himself there giveth the Reason of it Joh. 10.18 Even as Isaac herein a type of him in obedience to his Father yields himself to be bound and layed upon the Wood to be sacrificed Gen. 22. which he did willingly without the least reluctancy or resistance that we read of So did the Lord Jesus in obedience to his Father he willingly yielded up himself to the death He humbled himself and became obedient unto death even the death of the Crosse Phil. 2.8 Such an absolute and universal complyance there was betwixt Christ and his Father What his Father willed that he willed So himself declares it Joh. 5.30 I seek not mine own will but the will of him that sent me And again in the Chapter following v. 38. I came down from heaven not to do mine own will but the will of him that sent me Thus did he as God perfectly comply with the will of his Father Being one God with him there was but one will betwixt them What the Father willed the Son willed And as Man he was in every thing subordinate to him Not doing his own will I seek not myne own will As Man if it had been consistent with the will of God his Father he could have wished that this Cup might have passed from him which he doth Matth. 26.39 Father if it be possible let this Cup passe from me There was the will of his humane iâ—firmity Nature being desirous to preserve it self which it might doe without sin But this will he submits and resolves into the will of his Father Neverthelesse not as I will but as thou wilt so he there limits his desire And again vers 42. O my Father if this Cup may not passe from me except I drink it thy will be done Thus was there a perfect conformity of his will as God and subordination as Man to the will of his Father And from hence flowed this willing submission of his in drinking of this Cup. This he did in obedience to his Father Which I shall God willing make some Application of hereafter for the present passing it by 2. Reas 2 As herein he had an eye to his Father willing this so also to his Elect people needing it His good wil to his Elect people Their redemption their salvation depended upon it As for what he had already done in his Active Obedience in fulfilling the Law this alone could have been no wayes available unto them The Justice of God required further satisfaction even the suffering of death This was that which the Law had threatned In the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely dye saith the Lord to Adam Gen. 2.17 thou shalt die the death be subject and bound over unto death not only temporall but eternall And under this sentence do all the Sons of Adam by nature lye being bound over unto death not only in their Bodies but in their Souls bound over unto eternall death Now this Law must be satisfied before the Elect of God could be redeemed And how should this be without shedding of blood Without shedding of blood there is no Remission Heb. 9.22 And upon this account again it was that our blessed Saviour was so willing to drink this Cup to subject himself to this accursed death not only to a naturall but to that which was equivalent to an eternall death to suffer the wrath of God due unto the sins of the World that so he might free his Elect people from that Curse Which he did out of an unspeakable love to them This it was that induced God the Father to give this Gup to his Son God so loved the World that he gave his only begotten Son c. Joh. 3.16 And this it was which also induced him so willingly to drink it in this way to give himself for them Who loved me and gave himself for me saith Paul Gal. 2.20 Christ hath loved us and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God Eph. 5.2 Christ loved his Church and gave himself for it v. 25. This it was which next to the will of God his Father put him forward upon this service with such resolution and willingnesse even that ardent affection which he bare to his Elect people This will love doe The power of intense Love It beareth all things as the Apostle saith of it 1 Cor. 13.7 Where it is intense it will make a heavy burden light Jacob loving Rachel he served a Seven-years Apprentiship for her And saith the Text they seemed to him but a few dayes for the love he had to her Gen. 29.20 And thus would men serve their God did they but love him as they ought though it were for many years their service would not be tedious unto them So was it here with our blessed Saviour Loving his Elect people with such an intense affection as he did he thinks nothing too much that either he could doe or suffer for them Applic. Where before we passe any further Applic. This Love of Christ to be admited make we a stand a little suffering our thoughts to be taken up with an holy Contemplation and high admiration of this matchlesse love which our blessed Saviour doth herein expresse in shewing himself so willing to drink this Cup. A Bitter Cup So he had found it already Yet behold he not only submits to the drinking of it but will not indure that it should be taken from his mouth till he had drunk it off The Cup which my Father hath given me shall I not drink it As if he had thirsted after it no lesse then a thirsty man doth after a Cup of drink to quench his thirst withall Thus was he carryed on to this his Passion with an earnest desire Even as he was to the drinking of that mystical Cup concerning which he tells his Disciples Luk. 22.15 With desire I have desired that is Earnestly desired to eat this Passeover with you before I suffer meaning the Sacrament of the Lords Supper so was he to the drinking of this metaphoricall Cup whereof that was a forerunner and a sign his Death and Passion this was a thing which he was carryed to with the like earnest desire This is that which he tells his Disciples Luk. 12.50 I have a
a measure of mercy proportioning them to their strength that strength of grace which they have or which he giveth them And will you know why he dealeth with them after this manner Reas God correcteth his people this he doth in as much as he correcteth them in love for their profit 1. In love Whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth Heb. 12.5 As many as I love I rebuke and chasten In love Rev. 3.19 Hence is it that naturall Parents correct their children not out of hatred but love And so doth the Lord his children Whom the Lord loveth he correcteth even as the Father the Son in whom he delighteth Prov. 3.12 And thus correcting them out of love and good will which he beareth them he dealeth with them in such a way of mercy proportioning their sufferings not to their desert but their strength 2. And doing it out of love he doth it for their profit For their profit In this the Apostle sheweth how the heavenly Father differs from some earthly Parents Heb. 12.10 They verily for a few dayes chasten us after their own pleasure but he for our profit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for our spirituall advantage and benefit That we might be partakers of his holinesse Even as the Physician intending the health of his Patient he orders his Potions in that manner proportioning them to his strength But I shall no longer dwell upon Doctrinall illustration Bring we it home by way of Application Where let me in the first place serve in this Cup as a Cup of consolation Applic. A Cup of consolation to Gods people a ground of comfort to all the Saints and servants of God What doth God their heavenly Father thus measure out their sufferings unto them then let not them fear That is the use which the Lord himself maketh of it in that Text forenamed Jer. 46. last Fear not O Jacob my servant saith the Lord c. I will not make a full end of thee but I will correct thee in measure And such use let all the Sons of Sion all true Israelites make of it However God may correct and punish them for their sins which he will do as soon or sooner then any other You only have I known of all the Families of the earth therefore you will I punish for all your iniquities saith the Lord to Israel Amos 3.2 I will not leave thee wholly unpunished saith the former Text yet here is the comfort he will not punish them as he punisheth others Hath he smitten them as he smote those that smote him Isa 27.8 He will correct them in measure with judgement with a wise and mercifull moderation Which let it serve to byace and bear up the hearts and spirits of the sons and daughters of Affliction under whatever sufferings Which be they never so many never so grievous of never so long continuance yet let them know it is but their Cup the portion which God in wisdome and mercy hach measured out unto them And O that all the Lords people were but fully perswaded of the truth hereof that all their afflictions are thus dispenced to them How patient how contented how chearfull how thankfull would it make them under whatever suffering What is the reason that the hearts of men are so subject to melt and faint under afflictions Surely one chief cause of this deliquium this soul-fainting is unbelief Men are not fully perswaded that there is such an over-ruling hand of Providence in the ordering and disposing of them that they are thus measured out for the breadth the length the greatness and the continuance of them they look upon them as happening to them by chance or fortune Which while they doe no wonder if they sink under their burden But so let not Gods children look upon their sufferings Whatever they be let them look upon them under this notion as their Cup their portion measured out unto them And that by a measure of mercy There is the consolation The punishments of wicked men are measured out too they also have their cup. But it is by a measure of justice proportioning them to their sins But the sufferings of Gods people are measured out by a measure of mercy proportioned to their strength And what a support may this be unto them if rightly considered under whatever afflictions Be they what they will they shall not exceed their strength the strength which they have or that which God will supply unto them For this the Apostle is bold to engage Gods Fidelity in that forecited Text 1 Cor. 10.13 God is Faithfull who will not suffer you to be tempted above what you are able And what an incouragement is here Of all discouragements there is none greater to a Christian in his suffering condition then the apprehension of his own weaknesse want of strength to undergoe what he feeleth or feareth What is my strength saith Job that I should hope Is my strength the strength of stones or is my flesh of brosse Job 6.11 12. O saith the poor soul had I but strength to bear my burden were it never so heavy I should be contented with it but my burden is great and my strength little How then shall I but faint in the day of adversity as the wise man hath it Prov. 24.10 But let not this discourage any true Believer Thou wantest strength alas who doth not When as such a tall Cedar as that blessed Apostle was should be pressed beyond strength with the apprehension of an imminent danger how should such Shrubs as thou and I ever look to hold up head if we look at our own strength I but remember to whose strength it is that God proportioneth the sufferings of his children it is not their strength but his own strength Christians are much deceived when they look upon themselves for strength either to do or suffer any thing No this is a condition on Gods part not ours A comfortable meditation Gods Covenant with his people to give them strength as to doe so to suffer his will When God entreth into Covenant with his people the Covenant of grace they covenant with him to be willing to doe and to suffer what he shall require and impose so to be at his ordering and disposing both as to their active and passive obedience This is the condition on their parts But on the other part God graciously covenanteth with them to give unto them strength to doe what he commandeth That is the condition on Gods part As when he sends Moses upon that Embassage to Pharaoh Moses yields his service but God covenanteth with him to inable him for it Certainly I will be with thee Exod. 3.12 as to protect so to direct and inable thee So is it in Passive Obedience So long as Gods people are willing to suffer what he shall impose he will be with them When thou passest through the waters I will be with thee Isai 43.2 so is God with his
Baptisme to be baptized with so he calls his Passion and how am I straitned till it be accomplished 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Quomodo constringor how am I pressed viz. in spirit how earnestly do I desire the accomplishment thereof So we finde that word used Act. 18.5 where it is said of Paul that He was pressed in spirit and testified to the Jewes that Jesus was Christ Intus 〈◊〉 apud se astuabat prae â—tli ardore Beza Gr. Annot. in loc 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he had a strong motion upon his spirit which put him upon that service 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Annot. in loc And so is the same word here looked upon by some How am I straitned how am I pressed in spirit unto this work So it is explained by some of the Ancients As by Epiphanius taken notice of by Beza who readeth that Text thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. I have a Cup to drink and how doe I hasten to the drinking thereof And I have a baptisme to be baptized with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Grot ad loc ex Iren. and how doe I wish that I were even now baptized with it And to the same purpose Irenaeus taken notice of by Grotius who citeth it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I have another Baptisme to be baptized with and I am carryed on with an earnest desire to it And what he there tells them he here maketh it good by not induring that any should hinder or delay his drinking of this Cup. And what an unparallel'd affection was this which the Lord Jesus bare to his Elect people which should thus put him on upon this work this service That for their sakes he should thus endure the Crossâ—e and despise the shame as the Apostle saith of him Heb. 12.2 not so regarding whatever it was that attended his Passion as that he should withdraw himself from it Thus do we here see the truth of what the Spouse saith concerning Love Cant. 8.6 7. Love is strong as death many waters cannot quench Love neither can the floods of waters drown it So it is with true love where it is intense it is inexpugnable and unconquerable Omnia vincit amor No dangers no difficulties can quench or quell it And such was this love which Christ bare to his Church it was not the fear of death though a painfull shamefull and accursed death it was not all the waters of Marah bitter waters nor the Flood-gates of Divine wrath which were now set open ready to be poured out upon him that could quench this love of his Come what will come can come nothing shall take him off from this undertaking which he had designed for the Redemption and salvation of his Elect people He had tasted of the bitter Cup already and now he is resolved how bitter soever he will drink it off for their sakes Which love let all those who have an interest in it for ever admire And admiring it now study how to answere it Vse 2 But how shall that be Why Chriâ—ians to answer this love it is the nature of Love it will be repayed in its own coyn And thus do we answere this love of Jesus Christ with love loving him who hath thus loved us Which whoso doth not the Apostle thundereth out an Anathema against him and that a deserved one If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ let him be Anathema Maranatha 1 Cor. 16.22 Let him be accursed for ever And this expresse we as in other waves Being willing to suffâ—r for Christ so in and by our readinesse to suffer for him Which if he shall call us to do it willingly Willingnesse in performance sets a marvellous glosse and lustre upon all the services of a Christian as upon his Active so upon his Passive Obedience Shall Christ call any of us forth in any kinde to suffer for him do it willingly This is that which Paul professeth in that Text forecited Act. 21.13 I am ready not only to be bound but to dye at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus And let the same minde be in every of us Being ready even to die for him This was Peters resolution and had he not taken it up in his own strength it had been highly commendable and exemplary I will lay down my life for thy sake Joh. 13.37 And the like take we up in the strength of Christ Taking notice that whatever we suffer for him it is no more then what he hath done for us No more say I nay not the thousandth part so much An infinite disparity and disproportion there is betwixt our sufferings for Christ and his sufferings for us Put all the sufferings of all the Martyrs that ever have been together and suppose them all meeting in one and the same person yet were they not worthy to be compared with the sufferings of Christ One drop of the wrath of God poured out upon the soul is more then all the most exquisite torments that cruelty it self can inflict upon the Body But behold here not drops but Vials of wrath poured out upon the Lord Jesus A full Cup measured out unto him by a measure of Justice his sufferings being proportioned to the sins of the World Alas as for those spittings scoffings buffetings scourgings the pâ—ercing of his hands and side with the Nails and Spear his sufferings in his body which we would account eminent sufferings they were the least drops in his Cup. It was his suffering in soul which was the soul of his suffering No compare betwixt his sufferings and ours his for us and ours for him And besides A service honourable and profitable to them Nâ—t so to Christ Christs sufferings no Honor to him there are many inducements which may put us upon suffering for Christ and make us willing therewith This is to us both an honourable and a profitable service But for him to suffer for us was neither What honour could there be in that infinite abasure That he who being in the form of God thought it no robbery to be equall with God being coessentiall and so co equall wih his Father as God should make himself of no reputation which the Apostle tells us he did Phil. 2.8 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he evacuated emptyed himself of that Glory and Majesty which he had from all eternity reducing himself as it were to nothing and that he should take upon him the form of a servant as he there goeth on subject himself to such a mean and servile condition as that was wherein he lived upon earth this may well be looked upon as a strange and wonderfull abasure But what was it then for him as the Apostle there goeth on to humble himself and became obedient unto death even the death of the Crosse to such a shamefull such an accursed death and to do this for us us poor worms vile worthlesse creatures Nothing lesse then honour in this
persons and passages in all places upon earth But he hath a speciall Cognizance of his own people the eys of the Lord are upon the righteous Psa 34.15 Vpon them that fear him Ps 33.18 he taketh special notice of them as of their persons so of their concernments The Lord knoweth the way of the righteous Psa 1.6 Knoweth how it is with him what his condition is His eye is upon him as in prosperity so in adversity I know thy works and tribulation saith he to the Church of Smyrna Rev. 69. God taketh speciall notice of the sufferings of his people He seeth their tears putting them into his Bottle registring them in his Book as David saith Psal 56.8 And he heareth their sighing and groaning All our desires are before him and our groaning is not hid from him Ps 38.9 Be our griefs never so secret as to others they are not so to him The world it may be knoweth not where our shooe pincheth us but our God doth Thou hast known my soul in adversities saith David Psal 31.7 His presence with us Others may take notice of the ailements of our Bodies but God of our souls 2. His presence with us God doth not stand afar off from his people in their sufferings as Davids friends did to him My lovers and my friends stand aloof from my sore and my kinsmen stand afar off Psal 38.11 They would not own him in his distress But God as he taketh notice of the afflictions of his people so he is nigh unto them The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart Psal 34.18 The Lord is nigh unto them that call upon him Psal 145.18 Present with them God is our refuge and strength a very present help in trouble Psal 46.1 And what an incouragement is this So it was to David who upon this ground resolves not to fear whatever evils should encounter him Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear none evill How so For thou Lord art with me Psal 23.4 Such a true friend is God to his people False friends are like Swallows which are with us in the summer but in winter they are gone Paul complaines when he was to answer for his life No man stood with him but all men for sooke him 2. Tim. 4.16 I but then saith he the Lord stood with me v. 15. Thus doth God stand by his people in all their distresses When thou passest through the waters I will be with thee Isai 43.2 Q. How God said to stand afar off from his people But doth not God sometimes stand afar off from his people in their troubles A. Yes in their sense and apprehension he may not shewing himself to them hiding himself from them Of this David complains Psal 10.1 Why standest thou afar off O Lord why hidest thou thy self in times of trouble God doth not alwaies wayes shew himself unto his people yet he is still present with them Behold he standeth behinde our Wall saith the Church of her well-beloved Cant. 2.9 Thus where sense doth not apprehend Gods presence yet Faith may In truth God is never far off from his people Though they see him not yet is he with them The Lord is with you whilest you are with him and if ye seek him he will be found of you 2 Chron. 15.2 3. His compassion towards us Afflictions doe not abate Gods affection towards his people His Affection towards us but rather increase it The sicknesse of the Childe stirs up bowels of compassion in the naturall Parent God is never more affectionate towards his people then when they are in a suffering condition Now he pitieth them Like as a Father pitieth his Children so the Lord pitieth them that fear him Psal 103.13 Now his soul is grieved for them His soul was grieved for the misery of Israel Judg. 10.16 He even sympathizeth with them In all their Afflictions he was afflicted Isa 63.9 My Bowels are troubled for Ephraim Jer. 31.20 Mine heart is turned within me my repentings are kindled together Hos 11.8 All Anthropopathies expressions of humane affection setting forth the truth and greatnesse of Gods affection to his people in their distresses which be they what they will yet as the Apostle assures us they shall not they cannot separate the true Believer from the love of God in Christ Rom. 8.35.39 4. His Providence over us As God is truely affectionate towards his people in their afflictions His Providence over us so he expresseth that affection by exercising of a gracious Providence towards and upon them God is not present with his people in their afflictions as Jobs Friends are said at their first coming to have been with him who however they were much affected with his condition at their first sight of him they lifted up their voice and wept and they rent every one his Mantle and sprinkled dust upon their heads towards heaven as we have it Job 2.12 Yet as it there followeth in the next Verse They sate down with him upon the ground seven dayes and seven nights and none spake a word unto him not ministring any comfort unto him So is it not with God God active in the sufferings of his people he is not a bare spectator in the sufferings of his people but active in them ready to speak to them and doe for them and that for their comfort 1. To speak to them if they will lend an ear to him to speak comfortable words Ready to speak to them to speak peace to them I will hear what God the Lord will speak for he will speak peace unto his people and to his Saints saith David Psal 85.8 Outward peace when they are fit for it giving out the word for their deliverance however inward peace quieting their Consciences with the apprehensions of his love and favour in Christ 2. And thus speaking to them he doteth for them exercising his providence Acting for them his gracious providence towards them which he doth in divers acts of it As 1. Ordering their afflictions which he doth as for the kind so for the measure Giving to his children no Cups but what he seeth fit and proper for them And dispensing them as you have heard by measure Proportioning the Affliction to their strength God will not lay more upon man then is meet saith Elihu that he should enter into judgement with God have any just cause to complain of him Job 34.23 God is faithfull saith the Apostle who will not suffer you to be tempted above that you are able 1 Cor. 10.13 Thus he proportions affliction to the strength of his people 2. Supporting them under them And secondly he comforteth them in their sufferings Blessed be God who comforteth us in all our Tribulation 2 Cor. 1.4 Supplying strength to the inward man When Paul was brought before Nero and all men forsook him then as he tells us the Lord stood by him and
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which imports properly such a recumbency a resting of the soul upon Christ Which where it is though there be not Assurance for the present yet it is a true and a saving Faith As for Assurance pertinet ad bene esse non ad esse It belongeth to the well being to the perfection of faith And upon that account it is earnestly to be sought after and much set by but not to the being Sense and feeling may fail and yet faith hold out I have prayed for thee that thy faith fail not saith Christ to Peter Luke 22.32 Not that thy Assurance might not fail which in the best of Gods Saints it is subject to but thy faith which where once it is truly begun it shall never utterly fail In the paroxisme of his passion Christs assurance his sense and feeling were gone Why hast thou forsaken me Yet his Faith held My God my God Consid 3 To these add in the third place the unchangeableness of Gods Affection towards his people The unchangeablenesse o◠Gods affection and of his Covenant with them His Covenant being the Covenant of grace it is a Covenant of salt an Everlasting Covenant Once their God and ever their God Once their Father and ever their Father In the midst of this spirituall desertion yet Christ calleth God his Father The Cup which my Father hath given me Though God did for a time hide his face from him yet did not this dissolve that Relation which was betwixt his Father and him noe nor yet make any alteration or change in his Affection towards him Even then when his wrath brake forth most hotly upon him yet his heart was towards him as much as ever And the like may all that are Christians be assured of Having once taken God for their Father this is an everlasting Relation which shall never be dissolved However God may represent himself unto them yet he is still a Father towards them Doubtlesse thou art our Father Isai 63.16 And such is his affection to them I have loved thee with an everlasting love Jer. 31.3 Thus is God unchangeable we may change as to our apprehensions of him but he changeth not I am the Lord I change not Mat. 3.6 Even as it is with the Sun in an Ecclipse the moon interposing it self maketh a change of the face of it but the Sun it self is not changed which it soone sheweth by shining again as formerly Even so is it in these spirituall Ecclipses The light of Gods countenance through some dark cloud of temptation intervening is for a time intercepted so as we see it not as it may be at sometimes we have done but God is still the same And waiting upon him we shall by comfortable experience find him so Here are a few of those Meditations which among many other being applyed to the heart will be of great use for the bearing it up even under this greatest of tryals In the second place by way of Practise take only the like number of directions Help◠by way of practise because I am not willing to load your memories beyond their bearing 1. In this case make use of the judgments of others Make use of the Judgment of others A man is not looked upon as a competent judg in his own case And so is it here In soul conflicts men usually take part with sin and Satan against themselves And being parties they are no competent Judges And therefore submit rather to the Judgments of others Such as have had acquaintance with our Persons and conditions Specially herein lend an ear to the Ministers of Christ whose office it is under Christ to bind up the broken hearted Isai 61.1 To speak comfort to the afflicted Isai 40.1 To speak a word in season to him that is weary Isai 50 3. As Gods interpreters to shew unto man his uprightnesse Job 33.23 To acquaint him with the truth of his condition as also with his duty to shew him what state he is in and what course he is to take Thus are they Gods mouth to his people as the Lord telleth Jeremie Jer 15.19 And therefore as at other times so now specially to be hearkened to Thus the Lord sends Saul to Ananias that by him he might be restored to his sight and instructed what he should do Act. 9.6.12 And in the Chapter following he willeth Cornelius to send for Peter that he might tell him what he ought to doe Act. 10.6 Thus in matters of temporall Concernment men being in a straight they will not rely upon their own Judgment but will apply themselves to their Counsellours whose profession and practise gives them to be skilfull in the Law And the like let Christians do in their spirituall conflicts intrusting themselves hearken to the Ministers of Christ such as they judge to be able and faithfull and submit to their Judgment 2. In this case live upon former experience as upon the experience of others Live upon former experience so of our own Look back upon former times and remember what our condition hath been how it hath been with us as to our spirituall estate what we have seen and felt of God heretofore This was Davids practise if that Psalme be his which it is supposed to be Psal 77. Being in a most disconsolate condition so as his soul refused to be comforted as he saith v. 2. then saith he I considered the dayes of old the years of ancient time I call to remembrance my Songs in the night v. 5.6 I will remember the years of the right hand of the most high I will remember the works of the Lord Surely I will remember thy wonders of old v. 12 11. Now he cals to mind what God had done for himself and others and herewith he stayeth and comforteth himself being assured that God was still the same God And the like do we in the like case 3. But above all in the third place live upon the promises Live upon the Promises casting our selves upon them as a shipwrackt man doth upon the rast that is cast out to him Though for the present we find no comfort in them or from them yet lay hold upon them casting our souls upon them living by faith in them So did Abraham the Father of the faithfull Against hope he believed in or under hope Rom. 4.18 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 When naturall causes had left him hopeless as to any issue of his body yet grounding his faith upon the promise of God he still hoped And the like let all his Children doe When sense faileth live by Faith resolving come what will come not to let that hold goe That was Jobs resolution Though he slay me yet will I trust in him Job 13.15 A truly heroical Resolution which let al the Lords people take up However the Lord shall deal with them yet let them not let go their confidence Cast not away your Confidence Heb. 10.35 If this be gone