dangers when the feet of them that carried out the dear servants of God in bloudy winding sheets to their graves stand at the door to carry us forth next if providence loose their chain and give them a permission so to do and our fears on this account are heightned by considering and revolving these four things in our thoughts which we are always more inclined to do than the things that should fortifie our faith and heighten our Christian courage as 1. We are very apt to consider that as the same race and kind of men that committed these outrages upon our brethren are still in being and that their rage and malice is not abated in the least degree but is as fierce and cruel as ever it was Gal. 4. 29. As then he that was born after the flesh perseouted him that was born after the Spirit even so it is now So it was then and just so it is still the old enmity is entailed upon all wicked men from generation to generation multi adhuc sunt qui clavum sanguine Abelis rubentem adhuc circumferunt Cain 's club is to this day carried up and down the world stained with the bloud of Abel as Bucholtzer speaks 't is a rooted antipathy and it runs in a bloud and will run as long as there are wicked men from whom and to whom it shall be propagated and a devil in hell by whom it will not fail to be exasperated and irritated 2. We know also that nothing hinders the execution of their wicked purposes against us but the restraints of providence should God loose the chain and give them leave to act forth the malice and rage that is in their hearts no pity would be shewen by them or could be rationally expected from them Psal. 124. 1 2 3 4 5 6. We live among Lions and them that are set on fire of hell Psal. 57. 4. the only reason of our safety is this that he who is the keeper of the Lions is also the shepherd of the sheep 3. We find that God hath many times let loose these Lions upon his people and given them leave to tear his lambs in pieces and suck the bloud of his Saints how well soever he loves them yet hath he often delivered them into the hands of his enemies and suffered them to perpetuate and act the greatest cruelties upon them the best men have suffered the worst things and the Histories of all ages have delivered down unto us the most tragical relations of their barbarous usage 4. We are also conscious to our selves how faâ— short we come in holiness innocency and spiritual excellency of those excellent persons who have suffered these things and therefore have no ground to expect more favour from providence than they found â— we know also there is no promise in the Scriptures tâ— which they had not as good a claim and title as ouâ—â—selves With us are found as great yea greater sin than in them and therefore have no reason to please our selves with the fond imaginations of extraordinary exemptions If we think these evils shall not come in our days 't is like many of them thought so too and yet they did and we may find it quite otherwise Lam. 4. 12. Who would have thought that the enemy should have entered in at the gates of Ierusalem The revolving of these and such like considerations in our thoughts and mixing our own unbelief with them creates a world of fears even in good men till by resignation of all to God and acting faith upon the promises that assure us of the sanctification of all our troubles as that Rom. 8. 28. Gods presence with us in our troubles as that Psal. 91. 15. his moderation of our troubles to that measure and degree in which they are supportable Isai. 27. 8. And the safe and comfortable outlet and final deliverance from them all at last according to that in Rev. 7. 17. We do at last recover our hearts out of the hands of our fears again and compose them to a quiet and sweet satisfaction in the wise and holy pleasure of our God 5. Cause 5. Our immoderate love of life and the comforts and conveniencies thereof may be assigned as a proper and real ground and cause of our sinful fears when the dangers of the times threaten the one or other did we love our lives less we should fear and tremble less than we do It is said of those renowned Saints Rev. 12. 11. They overcame by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their Testimony and they loved not their lives unto the Death They overcame not only the fury of their enemies without them but their sinful fears within them and this victory was atchieved by their mortification to the inordinate and immoderate love of life certainly their own fears had overcome them if they had not first overcome the love of life It was not therefore without very great reason that our Lord injoyned it upon all his disciples and followers to hate their own lives Luke 14. 26. not absolutely but in comparison and competition with him i. e. to love it in so remiss a degree as to slight and undervalue it as a poor low thing in such a comparison he foresaw what sharp tryals and sufferings were coming upon them and he knew if the fond and immoderate love of life were not overcome and mortified in them it would make them warp and bend under such temptations This was it that freed Paul from slavish fears and made him so magnanimous and undaunted indeed he had less fear upon his spirit though he was to suffer those hard and sharp things in his own person than his friends had who only Sympathized with him and were not farther concerned than by their own love and pity He spake like a man who was rather a spectator than a sufferer Acts 20. 24 25. none of these things move me saith he Great soul not moved with bonds and afflictions how did he attain so great courage and constancy of mind in such deep and dreadful sufferings It was enough to have moved the stoutest man in the world yea and to have removed the resolutions of any that had not loved Christ better than his own life but life was a trifle to him in comparison with Jesus Christ for so he tells us in the next words I count not my life dear unto me q. d. 'T is a low priz'd commodity in my eyes not worth the saving or regarding on such sinful terms O how many have parted with Christ peace and eternal life for fear of losing that which Paul regarded not And if we bring our thoughts closer to the matter we shall soon find that this is a fountain oâ— fears in times of danger and that from this excessive love of life we are rack'd and tortured with ten thousand terrors For 1. Life is the greatest and nearest interest men naturally have in this world and that which
death in this extremity it is now in The Mother answered I refer that to the will of God But said her friend if God would â—â—fer it to you what would you chuse then Why truly said she if God would refer it to me I would even refer it to God again This is the true committing of our selves and our troublesome concerns to the Lord. 4. The committing act of Faith implies our renouncing and disclaiming all confidence and trust in the arm of flesh and an expectation of relief from God only If we commit our selves to God we must cease from man Isai. 2. 22. To trust God in part and the Creature in part is to set one foot upon a Rock and the other in a Quick-sand Those acts of Faith that give the intire glory to God give real relief and comfort to us 2. Let us see what grounds and encouragements the people of God have to commit themselves and all the matters of their fear to God and so to enjoy the peace and comfort of a resigned will and there are two sorts of encouragements before you let the case be as difficult and frightful as it will you may find sufficient encouragements in God and somewhat from your selves viz. your relation to him and experiences of him 1. In God there is all that your hearts can desire to encourage you to trust him over all and commit all into his hands For 1. He is able to help and relieve you let the case be never so bad yet let Israel hope in the Lord for with the Lord is plenteous redemption Psal. 130. 7 8. Plenteous redemption i. e. all the stores of power choice of methods plenty of means abundance of ways to save his people when they can see no way out of their troubles Therefore hope Israel in Iehovah 2. As his Power is Almighty so his Wisdom is Infinite and unsearchable He is a God of judgment blessed are all they that wait for him Isa. 30. 18. When the Apostle Peter had related the wonderful preservations of Noah in the Deluge and of Lot in Sodom one in a general destruction of the world by Water and the other in the overthrow of those Cities by Fire He concludes and so should we The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptation 2 Pet. 2. 9. Some men have much Power but little wisdom to manage it others are wise and prudent but want ability in God there is an infinite fulness of both 3. His love to and tenderness over his people is transcendent and unparallelled and this sets his wisdom and power both a work for their good hence it is that his eyes of providence run continually throughout the whole earth to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose hearts are perfect i. e. upright towards him 2 Chron. 16. 9. Thus you see how he is every way fitted as a proper object of your trust 2. Consider your selves and you shall find encouragements to commit all to God For 1. You are his children and to whom should children commit themselves in dangers and fears but to their own father Doubtless thou art our father saith the distressed Church Isai. 63. 15 16. Yea Christian Thy maker is thy husband Isai. 54. 5. Is not that a sufficient ground to cast thy self upon him What! a Child not trust its own Father A wife not commit her self to her own husband 2. You have trusted him with a far greater concern already than your estates liberties or lives you have committed your souls to him and your eâ—rnal interests 2 Tim. 1. 12. Shall we commit the â—ewel and dispute the Cabinet Trust him for heaven and doubt him for earth 3. You have ever found him faithful in all that you trusted him with all your experiences are so many good grounds of confidence Psal. 9. 10. Well then resolve to trust God over all and quietly leave the dispose of every thing to him he hath been with you in all former streights wants and fears hitherto he hath helped you and cannot he do so again except you tell him how O trust in his wisdom power and love and lean not to your own understandings The fruit of resignation will be peace 5. Rule If ever you well get rid of your fears and distractions get your affections mortified to the world and to the inordinate and immoderate love of every injoyment in the world The more you are mortified the less you will be terrified 't is not the dead but the living world that puts our hearts into such fears and tremblings If our hearts were once crucified they would soon be quieted 'T is the strength of our affections that puts so much strength into our afflictions It was not therefore without great reason that the Apostle compares the life of a Christian to the life of a Souldier who if he mean to follow the Camp and acquit himself bravely in fight must not intangle himself with the affairs of this life 2 Tim. 2. 4. Sure there is no following Christ's Camp but with a disintangled heart from the world for proportionable to the heat of our love will be the strength and height of our fears about these things more particularly if ever you will rid your selves of your uncomfortable and uncomely fears use all Gods means to mortifie your affections to the exorbitant esteem and love of 1. Your Estates 2. Your Liberty 3. Your Lives 1. Get mortified and cooled hearts to your Possessions and Estates in the world The poorest age afforded the richest Christians and noblest Martyrs Ships deepest laden are not best for encounters The believing Hebrews took joyfully the spoiling of their goods knowing in themselves that they had in heaven a better and induring substance Heb. 10. 34. They carried it rather like unconcerned Spectators than the true Proprietors They rejoyced when rude Souldiers carried out their goods as if so many friends had been bringing them in And whence was this But from an heart fixed upon Heaven and mortified to things on Earth Doubtless they esteemed and valued their Estates as the good providences of God for their more comfortable accommodation in this world but it seems they did and O that we could look upon them as mercies of the lowest and meanest rank and nature The substance laid up in Heaven was a better substance and as long as that was safe the loss of this did not afflict them They could bless God for these things which for a little time did minister refreshment to them but they knew them to be transitory enjoyments things that would make to themselves wings and flee away if their enemies had not toucht them but the substance laid up for them in Heaven that was an enduring substance So far as those earthly things might further them towards Heavenly things so far they prized and valued them but if Satan would turn them into snares and temptations to deprive them of their better substance in Heaven they could
It is an allusion to workmen who going forth in the morning to their labour gird their loins or reinâ— with a girdle now there is no work wrought by God in this world But his faithfulness is as the Girdle of his Loins The consideration whereof should make the most despondent believer gird up the Loins of his mind that is encourage and strengthen his drooping and discouraged heart Those works of God which are wrought in Faithfulness and in pursuit of his eternal purposes and gracious promises should rather delight than affright us in beholding of them It pluckt out the Sting of David's affliction when he considered it was in very faithfulness that God had afflicted him Psal. 119. 89 90. But more particularly let us behold with delight the faithfulness of God making good six sorts of Promises to his People in the days of their affliction and trouble viz. 1. The Promises of Preservation 2. The Promises of Support 3. The Promises of Direction 4. The Promises of Provision 5. The Promises of Deliverance 6. The Promises of Ordering and Directing the Event to their Advantage 1. There are promises in the word for your preservation from ruine and what you read in those promises you dayly see the same fulfilled in your own experiences You have a promise in Psal. 57. 3. He shall send from Heaven and save me from the reproach of him that would swallow me up Selah God shall send forth his mercy and his truth Say now have you not found it so when Hell hath sent forth its Temptations to deâ—ile you The World its persecuâ—ions to destroy your own heart its unbelieving fears to distract and sink you hath not your God sent forth also his mercy and his truth to save you Hath not his truth been your shield and buckler Psal. 91. 4. May you not say with the Church it is of his mercy you are not consumed his mercies are new every morning and great is his faithfulness Lam. 3. 23. 2. As you have seen it actually fulfilling the promises for your preservation so you may see it making good all the promises in his word for your support in troubles That is a sweet promise Psal. 91. 15. I will be with him in trouble I will deliver him you have also a very supporting promise in Isa. 41. 10. Fear not thou for I am with thee be not dismayed for I am thy God I will strengthen thee yea I will help thee yea I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness O how evidently hath the faithfulness of God shone forth in the performance of his word to you in this respect you are his witnesses you would have sunk in the deep waters of trouble if it had not been so So speaks David Psal. 73. 26. My heart and my flesh faileth but God is the strength of my heart and my portion for ever Have you not found it so with you as it is in 2 Cor. 12. 10. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities in reproaches in necessities in persecutions in distresses for Christ's sake for when I am weak then am I strong God's strength hath been made perfect in your weakness by this you have been carried through all your troubles hitherto hath he helped you 3. As you have seen it faithfully fulfilling the promises for your preservation and support So you have seen it in the direction of your ways So â—uns that promise Psal. 32. 8. I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way that thou shalt go I will guide thee with mine eye Certain it is That the way of man is not in himself Jer. 10. 23. O how faithfully hath your God guided you and stood by you in all the difficult cases of your Life Is not that promise Heb. 13. 5. faithfully fulfilled to a tittle I will never leave thee nor forsake thee Surely you can set your seal to that in Ioh. 17. 17. Thy word is truth had you been left to your own counsels you had certainly perished as it is said of them in Psal. 81. 12. I gave them up unto their own hearts lusts and they walked in their own counsels 4. As there are promises in the word for your preservation support and direction So in the fourth place there are promises for your provisions as in Psal. 34. 9. the Lord hath promised that They that fear him shall not want When they are driven to extremity he will provide Isa. 41. 17. When the poor and needy seek water and there is none and their tongue faileth for thirst I the Lord will hear them I the God of Israel will not forsake them And is not this faithfully performed He hath given meat unto them that fear him he will ever be mindful of his Covenant Psal. 111. 5. In all the exigencies of your lives you have found him faithful to this day you are his witnesses that his providences never failed you his care hath been renewed every morning for you how great is his faithfulness 5. You also find in the word some reviving promises for your deliverances You have a very sweet promise in Psal. 91. 14. Because he hath set his love upon me therefore will I deliver him and again Psal. 50. 15. Call upon me in the day of trouble I will deliver thee you have done so and he hath made a way to escape Our lives are so many monuments of mercy we have lived among Lyons yet preserved Psal. 57. 4. The burning Bush was an embleme of the Church miraculously preserved 6. There are promises in the word for the ordering and directing all the occurrences of providence to your great advantages so it is promised Rom. 8. 28. That all things shall work together for good to them that love God Fear not Christians however you find it now whilst you are tossing to and fro upon the unstable waves of this world you shall find to be sure when you come to heaven that all the troubles of your lives were guided as steddily by this promise as ever any Ship at Sea was directed to its Port by the Compass or North-Star And now what remains but that I press you as before 1. To enter into this Chamber of Divine Faithfulness 2. To shut the Door behind you 3. And then to live comfortably on it in evil days 1. Enter into this Chamber of God's faithfulness by faith and hide your selves there Every man is a Lye but God is True eternally and inchangeably faithful O exercise your faith upon it be at rest in it Now there are two great and weighty Arguments to press you to enter into this Chamber of divine faithfulness 1. Arg. Is fetched from the nature of God who cannot lye Tiâ—â—s 1. 2. He is not as man that he should â—ye Numb 23 19. Neither the son of man that the should repent hath he said and shall he â—ot do it Or hath he spoken and shall he not make it good Remember upon what everlasting steddy grounds
easily slight them and take the spoiling of them joyfully In a stress of weather when the Ship is ready to sink and founder in a Storm all hands are readily imployed to throw the richest goods over-board No man faith it's pity to cast them away but reason dictates to a man in that case better these perish than I perish with and for them These be the wares that some will not cast overboard and therefore they are said to drown men in perdition 1 Tim. 6. 9. Demas would rather perish than part with these things 2. Tim. 4. 10. But Reader consider seriously what comfort they can yield thee when thou must look upon them as the price for which thou hast sold Heaven and all the hopes of glory even as much as the price of bloud yielded Iudas and so they will ensnare thee if thy unmortified heart be overheated with the love of them as his was 2. Be mortified to your liberty and take heed of placing too great an esteem upon it or necessity in it Liberty is a desirable thing to the very birds of the air accommodate them the best you can in your cages feed them with the richest fare they had rather be cold and hungry with their liberty in the woods than fat and warm in your houses But yet as sweet as it is there may be more sweetness and comfort in parting with it than in keeping it as the case may stand The doors of a Prison can lock you in but they cannot lock the comforter out Paul and Silas lost their liberty for Christ but not their comfort with it they never were so truly at liberty as when their feet were made fast in the stocks they never fared so deliciously as when they fed upon Prisoners fare God spread a Table for them in the Prison sent them in a rich feast yea and they had musick at their feast too and that at midnight Acts 16. 25. Patmos was a barren Island andâ— place designed for banished persons it lay in the Aegean Sea not far from the coast of the Lesser Asia it was inhabited by none because of the exceeding barrenness of it but such who were appointed to it for their punishment so that here Iohn could meet with no more earthly refreshment than what the barren rocks or wild and desperate persons condemned to live upon it could afford Ay but there there it was that Christ appeared to him in unexpressible glory there it was that he had those ravishing visions and saw the whole Scheme of Providence in the Government of this world there he saw the New Ierusalem coming down from God out of heaven as a bride prepared for her husband This made a Patmos become a Paradice never did any place afford him such comfort as this did So that Christians may not think there is so strict and necessary a connection betwixt Liberty and Comfort that he that takes away the first must needs deprive them of the other Again Suppose we should be so fond of our Liberty as to exchange truth and a good Conscience for it cannot God so imbitter it to you yea hath he not so imbittered it to many that they were quickly weary of it and glad of an opportunity to exchange it for a Prison Our own Martyrology furnishes us with many sad examples of it O What will yo do with your bitter dear bought Liberty when peace is taken away from the inner man When God shall clap up your souls in Prison and put your Consciences into his bonds and fetters then you will say as the Martyr did I am in Prison till I be in Prison 3. Be mortified to the inordinate and fond love of life as ever you expect relief against the fears of death Reason thy self into a lower value of thy life Methinks you have arguments enough to cure your fondness in this point Have you found it such a pleasant life to you for so much of it as is past You know how the Apostle represents it 2 Cor. 5. 4. We that are in this Tabernacle do groan being burthened And is a burthened and a groaning life so desirable You know also as he speaks in the next Verse that whilst you are at home in the body you are absent from the Lord and is a state of absence from Jesus Christ so desirable to a soul that loves him Can you find much pleasure so far from home You may fancy what you will but upon serious recollection you will be able to tell your selves that till you be dead you will never be out of the reach of Satans temptations never freed from your own in-dwelling corruptions these conflicts cannot have an end till life be ended You also stand convinced that till you be dead your Souls cannot be satisfied nor your desires be at rest have what comforts soever from God in the way of faith and course of duties your hearts are still off the center and will still gravitate and gasp heaven-ward You also know that die you must and the time of your departure is at hand and of all deaths if you might have your choice none is more honourable to God or like to be so evidential and comfortable to you as a violent death for Christ therein you come to him by consent and choice not by necessity and constraint therein you give a publick testimony for Christ which is the highest use that ever our bloud can be put to or honoured by and for the pain and torment as the Martyr said He that takes away from my torment takes away from my reward But even in that point God can make it easier to you than a natural death would be he will be with you in your extremity and administer such reviving cordials as other men must not look to taste at least not ordinarily they being prepared and reserved for such against such an hour O then work out the inordinate love of life by working in such mortifying considerations upon your own hearts and if once you gain but this point you will quickly find all your pains and prayers richly answered in the ease and rest of your hearts in the most scaring and frightful times 6. Rule Eye the encouraging examples of those that have â—rod the path of sufferings before you and strive to imitate such worthy patterns Behold the cloud of witnesses encompassing you round about a cloud like that over the Israelites to direct you Yea a cloud for multitude of excellent persons to animate and encourage you Heb. 12. 1. O take them for an ensample in suffering affliction and patience Iames 5. 10. Examples of excellent persons that have broken the ice and beaten the path before us are of excellent use to suppress our fears and rouze our courage in our own encounters The first sufferers had the hardest task they that first entred the lists for Christ wanted those helps to suppress fear which they have left unto us Strange and untried torments are
fears troubled with a bad heart and a busie devil 〈◊〉 well as you they also had their clouds and damps as you have yet the Almighty power of God supported them and out of weakness they were made strong Despond not therefore but get a judgment satisfied Psal. 44. 22. A Conscience sprinkled 2 Tim. 1. 7. And a Call cleared Dan. 6. 10. Exercise Faith also with respect to Divine assistances and everlasting rewards as they did and doubt not but the same God that enabled them to finish their course with joy will be as good to you as he was to them Consider Christ hath done as much for you as he did for any of them and deserves as much from you as from any of them and hath prepared 〈◊〉 same glory for you that he prepared for them â— that such considerations might provoke you to shew as â—uch courage and love to Christ as any of them ever 〈◊〉 7. Rule If ever yi will get above the power of your own fears in a â—â—ffering day make haste to clear your interest in Christ and your pardon in his blood before that evil day com The clearer thâ—â—s the bolder you will be an assured Christian wâ—â—â—never known to be a coward in sufferings It is impoâ—â—â—ble to be clear of fears till you are cleared of the â—â—ubts about interest in and pardon by Christ. Nâ—thing is found more strengthening to our fears thâ—â— that which clouds our evidences and nothing â—â—re to quiet and cure our fears than that which clears â—r evidences The shedding abroad of Gods love iâ— our hearts will quickly fill them with a spirit of gâ—â—rying in tribulations Rom. 5. 5. When the beliâ—â—ing Hebrews once came to know in themselves tâ—â—t they had an enduring substance in Heaven they quickly found in themselves an unconcerned heart for the loss of their comforts on earth Heb. 10. 34. and so should we too For 1. Assurance satisfies a man that his treasure and true happiness is secured to him and laid out of the reach of all his enemies and so long as that is safe he hath all the reason in the world to be quiet and chearful I know saith Paul whom I have believed and am perswaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed to him against that day 2 Tim. 1. 12. And he gives this as the reason why he was not ashamed of Christs sufferings 2. The assured Christian knows that if death it self come which is the worst men can inflict 〈◊〉 shall be no loser by the exchange nay he shall 〈◊〉 the best bargain that ever he made since he 〈◊〉 parted with all in his afflictions to follow Christ There are two rich bargains a Christian makes 〈◊〉 is wheâ— he exchanges the world for Christ in his â—â—rst choice at his conversion in point of love and stimation the other is when he actually parts witâ—'he world for Christ at his dissolution both thâ—e are rich bargains and upon this ground it waâ—â—the Apostle said To me to live is Christ and to die is â—â—ain Phil. 1. 21. The death of a believer in Chrâ—â— is gain unspeakable but if a man would maâ—â— the utmost gain by dying he shall find it in dyinâ— for Christ as well as in Christ And to shew you werein the gain of such a death lies let a few particulâ—â—â— be weighed wherein the gain will be cast up in bâ—â—h he that is assured he dies in Christ knows 1. That his living time is hiâ—â—labouring time but his dying time is his harvest tiâ—â— whilst we live we are plowing and sowing in all teâ—â— duties of Religion but when we die then we reap 〈◊〉 fruit and comfort of all our labours and duties Gal. 6. 8 9. As much therefore as the reaping time is better than the sowing and plowing time so much better is the death than the life of a believer 2. A Believers living time is his fighting time but his dying time is his conquering and triumphing time 1 Cor. 15. 55 56. The conflict is sharp but the triumph is sweet and as much as victory and triumph is better than fighting so much is death better than life to him that dieth in Jesus 3 A Believers living time is his tiresome and weary time but his dying time is his resting and sleeping time Isai. 57. 2. Here we spend and faint there we rest in our beds and as much as refreshing rest in sleep is better than tiring and fainting so much is a Believers death better than his life 4. A Believers living time is his waiting and longing time but his time of dying is the time of enjoying what he hath long wished and waited for Phil. 1. 23. Here we groan and sigh for Christ there we behold and enjoy Christ and so much as vision and fruition is better and sweeter than hoping and waiting for it so much is a believers death better than his life 2. As the advantage a Believer makes of death is great to him by dying only in Christ so it is much greater and the richest improvement that can be made of death to die for Christ as well as in Christ For compare them in a few particulars and you shall find 1. That though a natural death hath less horrour yet a violent death for Christ hath more honour in it To him that dies united with Christ the grave is a bed of rest but to him that dies as a Martyr for Christ the grave is a bed of honour To you saith the Apostle it is given in the behalf of Christ not only to believe but also to suffer for his sake 1 Phil. 29. To you it is granted as a great honour and favour to suffer for Christ all that live in Christ have not the honour to lay down their lives for Christ. It was the great trouble of Ludovicâ—s Marsacus a Knight of France to be exempted because of his dignity from wearing his chain for Christ as the other Prisoners did and he resented it as a great injury Give mâ— saith he to his Keeper my chain as well as they and create me a Knight of that noble Order 2. By a natural death we only submit our selves to the unavoidable consequence of sin but in dying a violent death for Christ we give our testimony against the evil of sin and for the precious truths of Jesus Christ. The first is the payment of a debt of justice due by the fall of Adam the second is the payment of a debt of thankfulness and obedience due to Christ who redeemed us with his own bloud Thus we become witnesses for God as well as sufferers upon the account of sin In the first sin witnesseth against us in this we witness against it and indeed it is a great testimony against the evil of sin We declare to all the world that there is not so much evil in a Dungeon in a bloudy Ax or consuming flames as there is in sin That it is far better to
lose our carnal friends estates liberties and lives than part with Christs truths and a good Conscience as Zuinglius said What sort of death should not a Christian chuse what punishment should he not rather undergo yea into what vault of hell should he not rather chuse to be cast than to witness against truth Conscience 3. A natural death in Christ may be as safe to our selves but a violent death for Christ will be more beneficial to others by the former we shall come to heaven our selves but by the latter we may bring many souls thither The bloud of the Martyrs is truly called the seed of the Church Many waxed confident by Pauls bonds his sufferings fell out to the furtherance of the Gospel and so may ours In this case a Christian like Samson doth greater service against Satan and his cause by his death than by his life If we only die a natural death in our beds we die in possession of the truths of Christ our selves but if we die Martyrs for Christ we secure that precious inheritance to the generations to come and those that are yet unborn shall bless God not only for his truths but for our courage zeal and constancy by which it was preserved for them and transmitted to them By all this you see that death to a Believer is great gain it 's great gain if he only die in Christ it 's all that and a great deal more added if he also die for Christ And he that is assured of such advantages by death either way must needs feel his fears of death shrink away before such assurances yea he will rather have life in patience and death in desire he will not only submit quietly but rejoyce exceedingly to be used by God in such honourable imployment Assurance will call a bloudy death a safe passage to Canaan through the Red Sea It will call Satan that instigates these his instruments and all that are imployed in such bloudy work by him so many Balaams brought to curse but they do indeed bless the people of God and not curse them The assured Christian looks upon his death as his wedding day Rev. 19. 7. And therefore it doth not much differ whether the horse sent to fetch him to Christ be pale or red so he may be with Christ his love as Ignatius call'd him He looks upon death as his day of enlargement out of Prison 2 Cor. 5. 8. and it is not much odds what hand open the door or whether a friend or enemy close his eyes so he have his liberty and may be with Christ. O then give the Lord no rest till your hearts be at rest by the assurance of his love and the pardon of your sins when you can boldly say the Lord is your help you will quickly say what immediately follows I will not fear what man shall do unto me Heb. 13. 6. And why if thy heart be upright mayest thou not attain it Full assurance is possible else it had not been put into the command 2 Pet. 1. 10. The sealing graces are in you the sealing spirit is ready to do it for you the sealing promises belong to you but we give not all diligence and therefore go without the comfort of it Would we pray more and strive more would we keep our hearts with a stricter watch mortifie sin more throughly and walk before God more accurately how soon may we attain this blessed assurance and in it an excellent cure for our distracting and slavish fears 8. Rule Let him that designs to free himself of distracting fears be careful to maintain the purity of his conscience and integrity of his ways in the whole course of his conversation in this world Uprightness will give us boldness and purity will yield us peace Isa. 32. The work of righteousness shall be peace and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever Look as fear follows guilt and guile so peace and quietness follows Righteousness and sincerity Prov. 28. 1. The wicked flee when none pursueth but the righteous are bold as a Lyon His confidence is great because his Conscience is quiet the peace of God guards his heart and mind There are three remarkable steps by which Christians rise to the height of courage in tribulations Rom. 5. 1 2 3 4. First they are justified and acquitted from guilt by faith v. 1. Then they are brought into a state of favour and acceptation with God v. 2. Thence they rise one step higher even to a view of Heaven and the glory to come V. 3. and from thence they take an easy step to glorying in tribulations v. 4. I say 't is an easy step for let a man once obtain the pardon of sin the favour of God and a believing view and prospect of the glory to come and it is so easy to triumph in tribulation in such a station as that is that it will be as hard to hinder it as to hinder a man from laughing when he is tickled Christians have always found it a spring of courage and comfort 2 Cor. 1. 12. This is our rejoycing even the testimony of our Consciences that in all sincerity and godly simplicity not with fleshly wisdom but by the grace of God we have had our conversation in this world Their hearts did not reproach them with by-ends in Religion their Consciences witnessed that they made not Religion a cloak to cover any fleshly design but were sincere in what they professed and this enabled them to rejoyce in the midst of sufferings An earthen vessel set empty to the fire will crack and fly in pieces and so will an hypocritical formal and meer nominal Christian but he that hath such substantial and real principles of courage as these within him will endure the trial and be never the worse for the fire The very Heathens discovered the advantage of Moral integrity and the peace it yielded to their natural Consciences in times of trouble Nil câ—nscire tibi nullâ pallescere culpa hic murus aheneus estc It was to them as a wall of brass much more will godly simplicity and the sprinkling of the bloud of Christ upon our Consciences secure and encourage our hearts This Atheistical Age laughs Conscience and purity to scorn but let them laugh this is it will make thee laugh when they shall cry Paul exercised himself or made it his business To have always a Conscience void of offence both towards God and towards men Acts 24. 16. And it was richly worth his labour it repayed him ten thousand fold in the peace courage and comfort it gave him in all the troubles of his life which were great and many Conscience must be the bearing shoulder on which the burden must lie beware therefore it be not galled with guilt or put out of joynt by any fall into sin 't is sad bearing on such a shoulder Instead of bearing your burdens you will not be able
as the fears of such a misery awaken you to prayer for the prevention of it it may be serviceable to your souls but when it only works distraction and despondency of mind it is your sin and Satans snare The Prophet Ieremy made a good use of such a supposed evil by way of deprecation Ier. 17. 17. Be not a terror unto me thou art my hope in the day of evil q. d. In the evil day I have no place of retreat or refuge but thy love and favour Lord that is all I have to depend on and relieve my self by I comfort my self against trouble with this confidence that if men be cruel yet thou wilt be kind if they frown thou wilt smile if the world cast me out thou wilt take me in but if thou shouldest be a terror to me instead of a comforter if they afflict my body and thou affright my soul with thy frowns too what a deplorable condition shall I be in then Improve it to such an end as he did to secure the favour of God and it will do you no harm 2. It is not usual with God to estrange himself from his people in trouble nor to frown upon them when men do The common experience of Believers stands ready to attest and seal this truth that Christians never find more kindness from God than when they feel most cruelty from men for his sake consult the whole cloud of witnesses and you will find they have still found the undoubted verity of that tried word in 1 Pet. 4. 14. That the Spirit of glory and of God resteth upon sufferers The expression seems to allude to the Dove that Noah sent forth out of the Ark which flew over the watry world but could not rest self any where till she returned to the Ark. So the Spirit of God called here the Spirit of Glory from his effects and fruits viz. his chearing sealing and reviving influences which makes men glory and triumph in the most afflicted state This spirit of God seems like that Dove to hover up and down to flee hither and thither over this person and that but resteth not so long upon any as those that suffer for righteousness sake there he commonly takes up his abode and residence 3. And what if it should fall out in some respect according to your fears that heaven and earth should be both clouded together yet it will not be long before the pleasant light will spring up to you again Psal. 112. 4. Unto the upright there ariseth light in the darkness You shall have his supporting presence till the comforter do come When Mr. Glover came within sight of the stake he suddenly cries out O Austin he is come he is come 6. Plea O but what if my trial should be long and the siege of temptations tedious then I am perswaded I am lost I am no way able to continue long in a Prison or in tortures for Christ I have no strength to endure a long siege my patience is too short to hold out from month to month and from year to year as many have done O! I dread the thoughts of long continued trials I tremble to think what must be the issue Answer 1. Cannot you distrust your own strength and ability but you must also limit Gods What if you have but a small stock of Patience cannot the Lord strengthen you with all might in the inner man unto all patience and long-suffering with joyfulness according to his glorious power 1 Coll. 11. And is it not his promise to confirm you to the end 1 Cor. 1. 8. You neither know how much nor how long you can bear and suffer It is not inherent but assisting grace by which your suffering abilities are to be measured God can make that little stock of patience you have to hold out as the poor Widows cruise of oyl did till deliverance come he can enable your patience unto its perfect work i. e. to work as extensively to all the kinds and sorts of trials as intensively to the highest degree of trial and as protensively to the longest duration and continuance of your trials as he would have it If this be a marvellous thing in your eyes must it be so in Gods eyes also 2. The Lord knows the proper season to come in to the relief of your slideing and fainting patience and will assuredly come in accordingly in that season for so run the promises The Lord shall judge his people and repent himself for his servants when he seeth that their power is gone and that there is none shut up or left Deut. 32. 36. Cum duplicantur lateres venit Moses In the mount of difficulties and extremities it shall be seen The rod of the wicked shall not rest upon the lot of the Righteous lest the Righteous put forth their hands unto iniquity Psal. 125. 3. Ubi desinit humanum ibi incipit divinum auxilium Gods power watches the opportunity of your weakness 7. Plea But what if I should be put to cruel and exquisite tortures suppose to the rack to the fire or such most dreadful sufferings as other Christians have been what shall I do do I think I am able to bear it Is my strength the strength of stone or are my bones brass that ever I should endure such barbabarous cruelties Alas death in the mildest form is terrible to me how terrible then must such a death be Answer Who enabled those Christians you mention to endure these things They loved their lives and sensed their pains as well as you they had the same thoughts and fears many of them that you now have yet God carried them through all and so he can you Did not he make the devouring Flames a bed of Roses to some of them Was he not within the fires Did he not abate the exâ—remity of the torment and enable weak and tender persons to endure them patiently and chearfully some singing in the midst of flames others clapping their hands triumphantly and to the last sight that could be had of them in this world nothing appeared but signs and demonstrations of joy unspeakable Ah friends we judge of sufferings by the outside and appearance which is terrible but we know not the inside of sufferings which is exceeding comfortable O when shall we have done with our unbelieving ifs and buts our questionings and doubtings of the power wisdom and render care of our God over us and learn to trust him over all Now the just shall live by faith and he that lives by faith shall never die by fear The more you trust God the less you will torment your selves I have done the Lord strengthen stablish and settle the trembling and feeble hearts of his people by what hath been so seasonably offered for their relief by a weak hand Amen THE END THE RIGHTEOVS MAN'S REFUGE IN THE Evil Day OR A Treatise upon the Attributes of GOD as they are opened in his Promises and Providences
these permissions of Providence prove singular advantages and blessings to you SECT III. WHat remains then seeing God is Unchangeable in his love to his People pursuing the the great ends of all his gracious promises in a steddy course of Providence wherein he will never effect or permit any thing that is really repugnant to his own glory or their good but that we enter also into this Camber of Rest shut the doors about us and comfortably improve the unchangeableness of God while we see nothing but changes and troubles here below 1. Enter into Gods Unchangeableness by Faith take up your lodgings in this sweet Attribute also and to encourage your Faith thereunto seriously consider a few particulars 1. Consider how constant firm and unchangeable God hath been to his people in all times and streights not one among the many thousands of his people that are passed on before you but by frequent and certain experience have found him so What a singular encouragement should this be to our Faith in the case before us Psal. 9. 10. They that know thy name will put their trust in thee for thou Lord hast not forsaken them that seek thee So Isa. 25. 4. Thou hast been a strength to the poor a strength to the needy in his distress a refuge from the storm a shaddow from the heat when the blast of the terrible ones is as the storm against the wall Neither is there any thing in your experience contradictory to the encouraging reports others have made of God you must acknowledge that notwithstanding your own changeableness who have hardly been able to maintain your hearts in any Spiritual frame towards God for one day together yet his mercies towards you have been new every morning and great hath been his Faithfulness You have often turned aside from the way of your duty and have not followed God in a steddy course of obedience and yet for all that his goodness and mercy have followed you all the days of your life as it is Psal. 23. 6. 2. Consider how often you have doubted and mistrusted the unchangeableness of God and been forced with shame and sorrow to retract your folly therein God hath many times convinced you that his love to you is an unchangeable love how many changes soever in the course of his Providence have passed over you consult Isa. 49. 14. and Psal. 77 78. and see how the cases parallel both in respect of Gods constancy to them and you and the inconstancy of his peoples Faith then and yours now your fears and doubts are the same with theirs though his goodness and love have been as unchangeable to you as ever it was towards them 3. Consider the Advocateship and intercession of Jesus Christ in Heaven for you by vertue whereof the favour and love of God becomes unalterable towards his people If any thing can be supposed to cool or quench the love of God towards you nothing in the world is more like to do it than your sin and this indeed is that which you fear will estrange and alienate the heart of your God from you But Reader if thou be one that sincerely mournest for all the grief and dishonour of God by thy sin appliest the bloud of sprinkling to thy Soul by Faith and makest mortification and watchfulness thy daily business comfort thy self against that fear from that singular encouragement given thee in this case 1 Iohn 2. 1 2. My little children these things write I unto you that ye sin not and if any man sin we have an Advocate with the Father Iesus Christ the righteous and he is the propitiation for our sins Look as the death of Christ healed the great breach betwixt God and thy Soul by thy reconciliation at first so the powerful Intercession of Christ in Heaven effectually prevents all new breaches betwixt God and thy Soul afterwards so that he will never totally and finally cast thee off again 2. Shut the door behind you against all objections scruples and questionings of Gods immutability and by a resolved and steddy Faith maintain the the honour of God in this point by thy constant adherence to it and dependence upon it and especially see that thou give him the glory of his unchangeableness 1. When thou shalt see the greatest alterations and changes made by his Providence in the World What though thou shouldest live to see all things turned upside down the foundations out of course all things drawing into a Sea of confusion and trouble Yet in the midst of those publick distractions and distress of Nations Encourage thou thy self in this thy God and his love to his people is the same for ever Psal. 46. 1 2 3 4 5. God is our refuge and strength a very present help in trouble Therefore will we not fear though the earth be moved and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea God is in the midst of her she shall not be moved 2. Live by Faith upon Gods unchangeableness under the greatest changes of your own condition in this world Providence may make great alterations upon all your outward conforts it may cast you down how dear soever you be to God from riches into poverty from health into sickness from honour into reproach from liberty into bondage thou mayest overlive thy comfortable relations and of a Naomi become a Marah Thou hast lifted me up and cast me down said as good a man as you Psal. 102. 10. Yet still it is your duty and will be your great priviledge in the midst of all these changes to act your faith upon the never changing God as that holy man did Hab. 3. 17. Although the Fig-tree shall not blossom neither fruit be in the vine the labour of the olive shall fail and the fields shall yield no meat the flocks shall be cut off from the fold and there shall be no herd in the stalls yet will I rejoyce in the Lord I will joy in the God of my salvation q. d. Suppose a thousand disappointments of my earthly hopes yet will I maintain my hope in God O Christian with how many yets notwithstandings and neverthelesses must thy faith bear up in times of trouble or thou 'l sink 3. See thou live upon Gods unchangeableness when age and sickness shall inform thee that thy great change is at hand though thy heart and thy flesh fail comfort thy self with this thy God will never fail thee Psal. 73. 16. O God saith David thou hast taught me from my youth and hitherto have I declared thy wondrous works now also when I am old and gray headed forsake me not Psal. 71 17 18. 4. Live upon the unchangeableness of God under the greatest and saddest changes of your Spiritual condition God may cloud the light of his countenance over thy Soul he may fill thee with fears and troubles and the comforter that should relieve thee may seem to be far off yet still maintain thy faith in
the unchangeableness of his loves trust in the name of the Lord stay thy self upon the God when thou walkest in darkness and hast no light Isa. 50. 10. Thus shut thy door 3. Improve the unchangeabless of God to thy best advantage in the worst times by drawing thence such comfortable conclusions as these 1. If God be an uchangeable God in his promises and in his love to his people what should hinder but the people of God may live happily and comfortably in the saddest times and greatest troubles upon earth As sorrowful yet always rejoycing as poor yet making many rich as having nothing and yet possessing all things 2 Cor. 6. 10. Certainly nothing ought to quench a Christians mirth that is not able to separate him from the love of Christ Rom. 8. 35. 2. If God be an unchangeable God in his love to his people then it becomes all that have special interest in this God to be unchangeable and immoveable in the ways of their obedience towards him God will not cast you off see that you cast not off your duties no not when they are surrounded with difficulties he loves you though you often grieve him by sin see that you still love him though he often grieve and burden you by affliction he will own you for his people under the greatest contempts and reproaches of the World see that you own and honour his ways and truths when you are under most reproach from a vile World CHAP. X. Opening the Care of God for his people in times of trouble as the fifth Chamber of Rest to Believers SECT 1. CAre in the general Notion of it as it is applyed to the Creature imports the studiousness and solicitousness of our thoughts for the safety and welfare of our selves or those we love and highly value Now though there be no such thing properly in God at whose dispose and pleasure all events are and to whose counsels and appointments all difficulties must give way yet he is pleased to accommodate himself to our weakness and express his regard and love to his people by such things as one creature doth to another to which it is endeared by relation or affection To this purpose we find many significant Synonomous expressions in Scripture all importing the careof God over his people in a pleasant variety of notion and expression as Nah. 1. 7. The Lord is good a strong hold in the day of trouble and he knoweth them that trust in him He knoweth them i. e. he hath a special tender and careful eye upon them to see their wants supplyed and to protect them in all their dangers for in the common and general sense he knoweth them that trust not in him as well as those that do and further to clear this sence of the place it is said Ps. 40. 17. The Lord thinketh on them Importing not only simple cogitation but the immoration or abiding of his thoughts upon them as our thoughts are wont to do upon that which we highly esteem especially when any danger is near it And yet farther to clear this sense it is said Iob 36. 7. He withdraweth not his Eye from the righteous As when Moses was exposed in the Ark of Bulrushes where his Life was in eminent hazards by the waters of Nilus upon one side and the Egypan Cut-Throats on the other his Sister Miriam kept watch at a distance to see what would be done to him Her eye was never off that Ark wherein her dear Brother lay fear and care engaged her eye to keep a true watch for him Thus the Lord withdraweth not his eye from the righteous To the same purpose is that expression Deut. 33. 3. Yoa he loved the People all his Saints are in thy hand That which we dearly love and prize above ordinary we keep in our own hands for its security as not thinking it safe enough in any other hand or place And once more Isa. 49. 16. God is said to engrave them upon the Palms of his Hands alluding to what is customary among men who when they would charge their memories with something of special concernment use to change a Ring or bind a Thred about the Finger to put them in mind of it Thus is the care of our God expressed to us in Scripture notions The amount of all which is given us in that one proper and full expression of the Apostle 1 Pet. 5. 7. He careth for you To open this Chamber of Divine care as a place of sweetest rest to our anxious and perplexed minds in times of difficulty and hazard it will be necessary that you seriously ponder Of the care of God 1. The Grounds and Reasons 2. The Extent and Compass 3. The Lovely Properties 1. The grounds and reasons of Gods care for his people which are 1. The strict and dear Relations in which he is pleased to own them Believers are his children and you know how naturally children engage and draw forth the Fathers care for them This is the argument Christ uses Matth. 6. 31 32. Therefore take no thought saying what shall we eat Or what shall we drink Or wherewithal shall we be cloathed For your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things Children especially when young disquiet not themselves about provions for back or belly but leave that to the care of their Parents from whom by the tye and Bonds of Nature and Love they expect provision for all those wants Every one takes care for his own much more doth God for his own Children and indeed he expects his children should live upon his care as our children in their minority do upon ours 2. Gods precious estimation and value of them engages his constant care for them Believers are his Jewels Mal. 3. 17. his peculiar people 1 Pet. 2. 6. his special portion or treasure in this world Deut. 32. 9. and as such he prizes and esteems them above all the people of the earth and accordingly exerciseth his special care in all the dangers they are here exposed to Special love engageth peculiar care 3. The dangers and fears of the people of God in this world are many and great and were it not for the Lords assiduous and tender care over them they must necessarily be ruined both in soul and body by them The Church is God's Vineyard its Enemies as so many wild Boars to root it up Upon this account he saith Isa. 27. 3. I the Lord do keep it lest any hurt it I will keep it night and day And indeed it is well for Israel that he that keepeth it never slumbereth nor sleepeth Psal. 121. 4. that our houses are in peace that we and our dear relations fall not as a prey into cruel and bloody hands skilful to destroy that we find any rest or comfort in so evil and dangerous a world it is wholly and only to be ascribed to the care of God over us and ours 4. Jesus Christ hath solemnly recommended
all the people of God to his particular care It was one of the last expressions of Christ love to them at the parting hour Ioâ— 17. 11. And now I am no more in the world but these are in the world and I come to thee Holy Father keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me q. d. While I have been personally present with them I took the same care of them as a Shepheard doth of his Flock or a tender Father of his Children But now I must leave them in the world and in the midst of a world of dangers fears and troubles against which they can make no provision or defence themselves Father remember them look after them when I shall be removed from them they are thine as well as mine and I recommend them with my last breath to thy care and protection This is a special ground also of Gods care for them 5. Believers dayly cast themselves upon the care of God and resign themselves unto it in their dayly Prayers And by their often renewed acts of Faith than which no act is found more engaging from the creature upon its God though there be nothing of merit yet there is much of engaging efficacy in it Isa. 26. 3. Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on thee because he trusteth in thee We find it so among our selves the more firmly and entirely any one trusteth to us and dependeth upon us the more he engageth us to protect or relieve him Now this is the dayly work of Christians to trust God over all and put all their concernments into his hand which very trust and dependance draws forth the care of God for them 6. In a word the many promises God hath made to his people to preserve support and supply them in all the times of need engageth the câ—re of God for them as often as such wants or dangers befal them for indeed herein he at once takes care for their necessity and for his own honour and glory They trust to his word and rely upon his promises which therefore he will be careful to make good This was the argument which the Church pleaded in the time of eminent danger to engage the care of God for them Psal. 74. 20. Havs respect unto the Covenant for the dark places of the Earth are full of the habitations of cruelty q. d. O Lord thy people are in the midst of cruel enemies take care for their protection and though there be no worth in them to which thou shouldest have respect yet have respect unto thine own Covenant let the glory of thy Name draw forth thy care to thy People SECT II. WE have seen the grounds and reasons of Gods care over his people let us next view the extent and compass of this Divine care and here methinks the Lord saith to his people as he said to Abraham Gen. 13. 14 15. Lift up now thine eyes from the place where thou art northward and southward and eastward and westward for all the land which thou seest to thee will I give it and to thy seed for ever So here poor timorous dejected Believer lift up thine eyes from the place where thou art and take a view of all the promises in the Scriptures of truth promises of supports under all burthens supplies of all wants deliverances out of all dangers assistances in all distresses to thee have I given them all as a portion for ever This care of God walks the round and encompasseth the Souls and Bodies of them that fear him day and night There is no interest or concern of either found without the line of his all-surrounding Care and every one of his children are enfolded in his Fatherly arms Deut. 33. 3. All his Saints are in thy hand All and every one of their wants and streights are observed by this Care in order to their supply Phil. 4. 19. My God shall supply all your wants 1. Great is the Care of God over the Bodies of his people and all the dangers and necessities of them as they daily grow your meat and drink are daily provided for you by your Fathers Care Psal. 111. 5. He hath given meat unto them that fear him he will ever be mindful of his Covenant It is from this Care of thy Heavenly Father that necessary provisions have been made for thee of which it may be thou hast had no foresight This is the God that hath fed thee all thy life long Gen. 48. 15. It is from the same care thy body hath been cloathed Matth. 6. 28. How much more shall he cloath you O ye of little faith It is through this Care you sleep in peace and your rest is made sweet unto you Prov. 3. 24. When thou lyest down thou shalt not be afraid yea thou shalt lie down and thy sleep shall be sweet In a word thou owest all thy recoveries from dangerous diseases and narrow escapes from the grave to this Care of thy God over thee He is the Lord that healâ—th thee Exod. 15. 26. That the incensed humours of thy body had not overflowed their banks like an inundation of the Sea when they raged in thy dangerous diseases is only because thy God took the care of thee and set them their bounds 2. Divine Care extends it self to the Souls of all that fear God and to all the concernments of their Souls and manifestly discovers it self in all the gracious provisions it hath made for them More particularly it is from this tender Fatherly care that 1. A Saviour was provided to redeem them when they were ruined and lost by sin Ioh. 3. 16. Rom. 8. 32. 2. That Spiritual cordials are provided to refresh them in all their sinking sorrows and inward distresses Psal. 94. 19. 3. That a door of deliverance is opened to them when they are sorely pressed upon by temptations and ready to be overwhelmed 1 Cor. 10. 13. 4. That a strength above their own comes in seasonably to support them when they are almost overweighed with inward troubles when great weights are upon them the everlasting arms are underneath them Psal. 138. 3. Isa. 57. 16. 5. That their ruine is prevented when they are upon the dangerous and flippery brink of temptations and their feet almost gone Psal. 73. 12. Hos. 2. 6. 2 Cor. 12. 7. 6. That they are recovered again after dangerous falls by sin and not left as a prey and Trophy to their enemy Hos. 144. 7. That they are guided and directed in the right way when they are at a loss and know not what course to take Psal. 16. 11. Psal. 73. 24. 8. That they are established and confirmed in Christ in the most shaking and overturning times of trouble and persecution so that neither their heart tâ—â—neth back nor their steps decline from his ways Ier. 32. 40. Ioh. 4. 14. 9. That they are upheld under Spiritual desertions and recovered again out of that dismal darkness into the
make but such observations upon the care of thy God as follow and then tell me whether the world with all its pleasures and delights can give thee such an other entertainment 1. Reflect upon the constant sweet and suitable provisions that from time to time have been prepared for thee and thine by this care of thy God From whence soever thy wants did come I am sure from hence came thy supplies it hath enabled thee to return the same answer the disciples did to that question Luke 22. 35. Lacked ye any thing and they said nothing 2. Reflect with admiration upon the various difficulties of your lives wherein your thoughts have been entangled and out of which you have been extricated and delivered by the care of God over you How oft have your thoughts been like a ravelled skeyn of silk so entangled and perplexed with the difficulties and fears before you that you could find no end but the longer you thought the more you were puzled till you have left thinking and fell to praying and there you have found the right end to wind up all your thoughts upon the bottom of peace and sweet contentment according to that direction Psal. 37. 5. Commit thy way unto the Lord trust also in him and he shall bring it to pass 3. Observe with a melting heart how the care of thy God hath disposed and directed thy way to unforeseen advantages had he not ordered thy steps when and as he did thou hadst not been in possession of those Temporal and Spiritual mercies that sweeten thy life at this day Surely the steps of good men are ordered by the Lord and as for thee Christian what reason hast thou with an heart overflowing with love and thankfulness to look up and say My father thou art the guide of my youth It is sweet to live by faith upon Divine care Oh what a Serene life might we live careful for nothing but making known our request unto God in every thing Phil. 4. 6. casting all our care on him that careth for us 1 Pet. 5. 7. perplexing our thoughts about nothing but rolling every burthen upon godly Faith Thus lived holy Musculus when reduced to extreme poverty and danger at the same time then it was that he solaced his Soul with that comfortable Distich a good lesson for others Est Deus in coelis qui providus omnia curat Credentes nusquam deseruisse potest The Provident care of his heavenly father made his heart as quiet as the child at the breast Christian thou knowest not what distressful days are coming upon the earth nor what personal trials shall befal thee in this world but I advise thee as thou valuest the tranquility and comfort of thy life Shut up thy self by Faith in this Chamber of Divine Care it is thy best security in this world Reflect frequently and thankfully upon the manifold supports supplies and salvations thou hast already had from this fountain of mercies and be not discouraged at new difficulties When an eminent Christian was told of some that way-laid him to destroy him his answer was Si Deus mei curam non habet quid vivo In like manner thou mayest say if God had not taken care for thee how couldst thou have lived till now How couldest thou have overlived so many troubles fears and dangers as thou hast done CHAP. XI Opening the sixth and last Chamber viz. The Love of God as a resting place to believing Souls in evil times SECT I. THough all the Attributes in the name or Chambers of this house of God are glorious and excellent yet this of love is transcendently glorious Of this room it may be said as it was of Solomon's royal Chariot Cant. 3. 10. The midst thereof is paved with love In this Attribute the glory of God is signally and eminently manifested 1 Iohn 4. 9 10. And upon this foundation the hopes and comforts of all Believers are built and founded Rom. 8. 35. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ Shall tribulation or distress 〈◊〉 persecution or famine or nakedness or peril or sword He defies and despises them all because neither of them alone nor all together by their united strength can unclasp the arms of Divine Love in which Believers are â—afely enfolded In this Attribute Gods people by Faith entrench themselves and of it a Believer saith Hic murus aâ—enus esto this shall be my strong hold and fortress in the day of trouble and well may we so esteem and reckon it if we consider 1. That wherever the special love of God goes there the special presence of God goes also Iohn 14. 23. He shall be loved of my father and we will come unto him and make our abode with him And O how secure and safe must those be however times govern with whom God himself maketh his abode For as the Psalmist speaks Psal. 91. 1. He that dwells in the secret place of the most high shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty And he that is overshadowed by an Almighty power needs not fear how many mighty enemies combine against him 2. Wherever the special love of God is placed that person becomes precious and highly valuable in the eyes of God he appretiates and estimates such a man as his peculiar treasure which naturally and necessarily draws and spreads the wing of Divine care over him for his protection Deuteron 33. 12. The beloved of the Lord shall dwell in safety by him and the Lord shall cover him all the day long Things of greatest value are always kept in safest custody 3. Upon whosoever the special love of God is seâ— there all events and issues of troubles are sure to be over ruled to the eternal advantage of that Soul Rom. 8. 28. Which consideration alone is sufficient to unsting all the troubles in the world and make the beloved of the Lord shout and triumph in the midst of tribulations But let us enter yet further into this glorious Chamber of Divine love and more particularly view the admirable properties thereof though when all is done it will be found a love passing knowledge our thoughts may admire but can never measure it 1. And first you will find it an ancient love whose spring is in eternity it self Believer God is thine ancient friend who foresaw and loved thee before thou yea before this world was in being the fruits and effects thereof thou gatherest in time but the root that produces them was before all times Prov. 8. 22 23. The Lord possessed me in the beginning of his way before his works of old I was set up from everlasting from the beginning or ever the earth was Thus was the love of God contriving and providing the best of mercies in Christ for us while as yet there were no such creatures in the world nor a world prepared to receive us 2 The love of God to his people is a free and altogether undeserved love it must needs be
so seeing it prevented our very being which had it not done yet no motives had been found in us to allure it to us more than others Deut. 7. 7. The Lord did not set his love upon you nor chuse you because ye were more in number than any people for ye were the fewest of all people but because the Lord loved you So that we cannot find one stone of our own merit in the foundation of this love for those whom it embraceth in its arms are Immerentes malè merentes ill deserving as well as undeserving we were loved of God before we were lovely in our selves it is freely pitched upon us not purchased by us Isa. 43. 24. 3. The love of God to Believers is a bountiful love streaming forth continually mercies both innumerable and invaluable to their Souls and Bodies 2 Pet. 1. 3. Christian it would quickly weary thine arm yea let me say the arm of an Angel but to write down the thousandth part of the mercies which have already flowed out of this precious fountain to thee though all thou hast received or shalt receive in this world are but the beginnings of mercy and first-fruits of the love of God to thee 't is the love of God which daily loads thee with benefits as the expression is Psal. 68. 19. And if thou art daily loaded with mercies what an heap of mercies will the mercies of thy whole life be 4. The love of God to believers is a distinguishing love not the portion of all no nor yet of many besides thee 1 Cor. 1. 26. The generality of the world dwell in the Room of common Providence not in the Chamber of special love into which God hath admitted thee this consideration should make thee break out in admiration as it is Iohn 14. 22. Lord how is it that thou wilt manifest thy self to me and not to the world 5. The love of God to believers is a love transcendent to all creature love it moves in an higher Sphere than the love of any creature doth Rom. 5. 6 7 8. We read of Iacob's love to Rachel which is so celebrated in the Sacred story for the fervour of it and yet all that it enabled him to suffer was but the Summers heat and the Winters cold a trifle to what the love of Christ engaged and enabled him to suffer for thy sake We read also of the love of David to Absalom which made him wish would God I had died for thee O Absalom my son my son This love was only manifested in a wish which haply might have been retracted too had there been an exchange to be made indeed but the life of Christ wortâ— millions of his life was actually and willingly staked down for thy Soul We read of the love of one Disciple manifested to another Disciple in a cup of cold water but Christ hath manifested his love to thee in pouring out his warmest heart bloud for thy redemption Oh what a transcendent love is the Divine love 6. To conclude though alas little is said of the love of God it is an everlasting and unchangeable love Hills and moutains shall sooner start from their Bases than his loving kindness depart from his people Isa. 54. 10. Though he afflict us still he loves us Psal 89. 32 33. Nay though we grieve him yet still he loves us Mark 16. 7. Tell the Disciples and tell Peter Peter had grieved Christ denied Christ yet will he not renounce nor cast off Peter SECT II. WEll then if God have opened to your Souls such a Chamber of love where your Souls may be ravished with daily delights as well as secured from danger and ruine O that you would enter into it by Faith and dwell for ever in the love of God! I mean clear up your interest in it and then solace your Souls in the delights of it Need I to use an Argument or spend one Motive to press you to enter into such an Heaven upon Earth If the deadness of thy heart doth need it take into consideration Reader these few that follow 1. Motive Ponder with thy self how sad and miserable the case will be with thee in the days of calamity and distress if the love of God shall then be clouded to thy Soul in those days such as love thee will either be absent from thee or impotent to help thee all thy friends and familiars may be removed far off and whither then wilt thou turn should God be far off too This was that evil which Ieremiah so vehemently deprecated Chap. 17. v. 17. Be not a terrour unto me thou art my hope in the day of evil q. d. O Lord my Soul depends upon refreshment and comfort from thee when all the springs of earthly comfort are dried up Shouldest thou be a teâ—rour to me in the day of evil it will be the most terrible disappointment that ever befel my Soul if thou be kind I care not who be cruel if I have the love of God I value not the hatred of men but if God be a terrour who or what can be a comforter The love of God is the alone refuge to which the gracious Soul retreats upon all creature disappointments and failings This therefore is the main thing to be feared against the evil day 2. Mot. The knowledge and assurance of the love of God is a mercy attainable by a gracious Soul notwithstanding the imperfections of Grace Peter had his falls and failings as well as other Christians yet when Christ puts the question home to him Ioh. 21. 15. Simon son of Jonas lovest thou me more than these he was able to return a clear positive answer Yea Lord thou knowest that I love thee Study thy heart Christian and study the Scriptures if thou canst find the sincere love of God in thy heart that Scripture will clear the love of God to thy Soul 1 Iohn 4. 19. We love him because he first loved us If thou lay thine hand upon a stone wall and feel it warm thou mayest conclude the Sun beams have shone upon it for warmth is not naturally in dead stones Our love to God is but the reflex beam of his love to us and we know there can be no reflex without a direct beam Thousands of Christians do at this day actually possess the ravishing sense of Divine love whose fears and complaints have been the same that thine now are that God who indulged this favour to them can do as much for thee 3. Mot. Think how well thou wilt be provided for the worst and difficultest times when the love of of God shall be well secured to thy Soul when the love of God i. e. the sense of his love is once shed abroad in the heart by the Holy Ghost which for that end among others is given unto us we shall then be able to glory in tribulation Rom. 5. 3 5. We may then bid defiance to all the adverse powers of hell and earth and say