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
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.
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
conditions This is the Anchor which he rideth by in whatever storms and tempests When sense and feeling fail he lives by Faith And thus let us learn to live So lived our blessed Saviour in his Passion upon the Crosse when sense and feeling failed him so as he did not finde those sweet influences and gracious communications from God his Father as formerly he had done as to his present apprehension he had even forsaken him of which he complains yet even then he lives by Faith setting that awork still calling God his God My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Matth. 27.46 Thus did he by this eye of Faith see one contrary in and through another Mercy in the midst of Judgement a tender Father in the habit of an angry Judge And thus learn we of him to live This is the proper life of a Christian to live here not by sense but by Faith The life which I now live in the Flesh I live by the Faith of the Son of God saith Paul of himself Gal. 2.20 Whilest he lived in the Flesh in the body he lived by Faith Faith in Christ resting and relying upon Gods grace through him And thus let us live and that in all estates Whatever our condition be however the Lord be pleased to deal with us Suppose as Hezekiah complains Isa 38.13 he breaketh all our bones as a Lyon or that with Job we feel the Arrowes of the Almighty sticking in us the Poyson whereof drinketh up our spirits and the terrors of God set themselves in array against us as he speaks Job 6.4 or that with Paul we are troubled on every side having fightings without and terrors within as it was with him 2 Cor. 7.5 being exercised both with Temporall and Spirituall conflicts in the outward and inward man both which God 's dearest children are subject to in this life yet even in this condition set faith awork to look through all these clouds that so we may behold our Fathers face see the light of the countenance of a reconciled God and Father in Christ making discovery of his yet continued love and favour to us Q. But how shall Faith make this discovery A. Why by looking through the Glasse of the Promise which represents God as he is not as he seemeth to be And this let us have recourse unto hearkening what the Promise will say to us In our saddest extremities when sense and feeling represent God unto us as an Enemy now hear what the Promise saith That will give us assurance of what we have heard that being once our Father he will be ever our Father So as though he may be angry with us yet he will not utterly reject those whom he hath taken into Covenant with himself If they break my Statutes c. I will visit their transgressions with the Rod and their iniquities with stripes neverthelesse my loving kindenesse will I not utterly take from him so runs that Promise forecited Now the word of Promise is a sure word a word of truth which God will not fail in the performance of I will not suffer my faithfulnesse to fail my Covenant will I not break so it there followeth And therefore whatever sense and feeling say hear what the Promise saith casting our Anchor upon that ground living by Faith in it It is the want of this that maketh Christians so dejected under their afflictions and troubles as often they are Living by Sense a cause of great dejections They live by sense and feeling apprehending God to be as they feel him Whereas if Faith were acted and set a work as it might be what a constant clear Sunshine day might the life of a Christian be Were a man aloft above the Clouds he should see the Sun shining clearly in the darkest gloomiest day of Winter and were the soul mounted as it might be by Faith upon the wings of the Promises what a constant apprehension of Gods love and favour might it injoy beholding God as a reconciled Father even then when there is nothing but wrath and anger in his face Which let all his Children endeavour to doe To close up this point Vse 3 in the last place Is God thus a Father when he strikes Christians to receive correct on from God as from a Father then receive we correction from him as from the hand of a Father So our blessed Saviour here taketh this Cup as from the hand of his Father And so take we all those Cups which he shall reach forth unto us all those Afflictions and Crosses wherewith he shall please to exercise us take them as from the hand of a Father Q. And how is that A. Why With a quiet and humble submission with a reverent and humble submission and subjection neither slighting of them nor fainting under them My Son despise not the chastening of the Lord neither be weary of his correction saith the Wise man to his Son Prov. 3.11 But quietly and contentedly submit to his Dispensations Humbling our selves under his hand as St. Peter exhorts 1 Pet. 5.6 So do children if ingenuous well-natured and nurtured receive correction from the hands of their naturall Parents and in like manner receive we chastisements from the hand of our heavenly Father That is the Exhortation which the Apostle presseth and that upon this very ground Heb. 12.9 Moreover saith he we have had Fathers of our bodies which corrected us and we gave them reverence should we not much rather be in subjection to the Father of Spirits For within the next Verse he subjoyneth a Reason For they verily for a few dayes chastened us after their pleasure but he doth it for our profit that we might be partakers of his holynesse vers 11. Naturall Parents sometimes prove unnaturall to their children correcting them in passion it may be out of some mistake or out of a corrupt judgement so doing more hurt then good by their Corrections But so doth not our heavenly Father who being a wise and mercifull God never correcteth his children but where need is and then he doth it in such a manner as may be for their spiritual advantage so as they may be the better for it And therefore whatever the Rod be kisse it whatever the Cup be take it as from the hand of a Father drinking it not only patiently but willingly submitting our wills to his will So doth our heavenly Pattern our blessed Lord and Saviour However he could have wished that this Cup might have passed from him yet he submits his will to the will of his heavenly Father Neverthelesse not as I will but as thou wilt Mat. 26.39 And this he doth willingly The Cup which my Father hath given me shall I not drink it But of this I shall have occasion to speak more hereafter Thus I have done with the Agent who it was that presented this Cup to our Saviour My Father Come we now in the next place to the Action it self
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
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
Apostle himself who tells his Corinthians 2 Cor. 1.8 that by the trouble which hapned to him in Asia he was pressed out of measure beyond strength 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And so falleth it out sometimes with other of the Saints There is a great disproportion betwixt their burden and their strength the one great the other small Now how shall a Christian be able to bear up in such a case so to fortifie and strengthen his spirit as that he may not faint in the day of Adversity A. A great and difficult work I confesse A. Some soveraign Cordials prescribed yet through the help of Grace attainable To help you therein let me prescribe unto you some Soveraign Cordials some spiritual Consolations which may be and being taken into the soul will be very usefull for this purpose for the supporting and bearing up the spirit under whatever affliction this poor life of ours upon earth is subject to These Consolations are many as also our Afflictions are I shall single out some of the choisest Which I shall desire you carefully to lay up Happily at the present you may have no great need of them but how soon you may you know not And therefore lay them up in the Closet of your hearts They are not like the Apothecaries Drugs some of which being long kept lose their vertue The day may come when some one of them may requite all your care and pains In the First place then look at Afflictions themselves Direct 1 Loâ—k at Afflictions themselves wherein consider The Israelites in the Wildernesse were cured of the stinging of the Serpents by looking upon the Serpent And so may a Christian by looking upon Afflictions strengthen his heart against them The Hony of the Bee is a medicine for the Sting Afflictions though never so bitter yet will afford somewhat that may serve to allay that bitternesse In them cast we an eye upon 4 or 5 particulars which may be usefull this way The Quality Quantity Continuance Commonnesse Issue of them 1. Consid 1 The Quality of them Here we shall finde that in themselves they are a Curse The Quality of them as qualified by Christ Such are all Afflictions all fruits and consequents of sin and punishments of it every one being an Appendix to that first Curse The day thou eatest thereof thou shalt dye the death surely die Gen. 2.17 that is be subject to manifold evils as in soul so in body tending to death to the destruction of both But by through Christ their nature is now altered the Curse is taken away That was one and the chief of those Ingredients which was put into this Cup which was given to Christ to drink and which he did drink upon the Crosse He being there made subject to that accursed death that he might free us from the Curse of death and of all its retinue Christ hath redeemed us from the Curse of the Law being made a curse for us Gal. 3.13 So that what the Apostle saith of Death it self 1 Cor. 15.55 O Death where is thy sting We may say the same of whatever afflictions and crosses can befall the children of God upon earth their Sting is gone Surely the bitternesse of death is past saith Agag having as he thought armed himself against the fear of it which is the greatest part of Deaths bitternesse 1 Sam. 15.32 And the like may all true Believers say concerning all their Afflictions and sufferings The bitternesse of them is past as to them the Curse being taken away from them by Christ which is indeed the chief part of their bitternesse Even as Moses altered the quality of those waters of Marah took away the bitternesse of them by casting into them that Tree which the Lord had shewed him so hath Christ taken away the bitternesse of all the waters of Affliction by the Tree of his Crosse to which he was designed by his Father The bitternesse of Afflictions as I said was the Curse going along with them they being in themselves all tokens of wrath But now that bitternesse that Curse is taken away So as to true Believers they are no longer tokens of wrath but rather Love-tokens Whom the Lord loveth he correcteth Prov. 3.12 chasteneth Heb. 12.6 Yea Pledges of Adoption So it there followeth Heb. 12.6 7. He scourgeth every Son whom he receiveth If ye endure chastenings God dealeth with you as with Sons Not to know what Chastisements mean it is no good sign If ye be without Chastisement whereof all all Gods children are partakers then are ye bastards and not sons so it there followeth v. 8. For God to exercise his Children with afflictions it is a sign that he owns them for his Children and a demonstration of his fatherly love to them and care of them Thus do these Cups which Gods people drink of they come from the hand of a Father not of a Judge being to them not satisfactory but castigatory punishments Not properly punishments but Chastisements Not tokens of wrath but Love-tokens A usefull and comfortable meditation for the soul of a Believer to feed upon in the midst of whatever distresse What is it that maketh these Cups so bitter unto the soul Why when it looketh upon them as they are in themselves as Cups of divine wrath and fury Now no wonder if it shake and tremble at the drinking of them So long as a man apprehends these Arrowes which he feeleth to stick fast in him to be poysoned Arrowes shot at him by the hand of a revenging God now no wonder if the soul have no peace no quiet But look upon them as they are changed and altered by Christ having the Curse taken away and as they are tokens and pledges of Adoption which being sanctified they certainly are the soul being perswaded of this this will be as a soveraign Cordial to it to keep it from fainting Q. Q. Yea but you will say how shall a man know this How Chastisements may be known from Punishments that they are so to him that they are only Chastisements and not Punishments and that they are tokens of love and pledges of Adoption When as they are tokens of wrath to some how shall I know that they are not so to me A. A. To this I have in part hinted an Answere already Take it a little more fully yet briefly 1. How do you drink this Cup how doe ye suffer these afflictions Doe you quietly patiently By the manner of suffering them contentedly submit to the hand of God in them If so now hear what the Apostle saith to you in that Text even now cited Heb. 12.7 If ye indure chastning God dealeth with you as with Sons 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Not if you suffer afflictions for so do the worst of men But if ye endure chastening receive Afflictions from the hands of God as Chastisements kissing the Rod humbling your selves under the hand of God as dutifull Children under