of Jesus Christ and 2. Thes 3.3.4 The Lord is faithful who shall stablish you and keep you from evil Means IV. The last direction I shall give you look to recompence of reward Heb. 11. that made Moses leave all the pleasures of the World the pleasures of sin which were but for a season look to that reward to them that keep close to his commands Psal 84. vers 11. For tht Lord God is a Sun and Shield the Lord will give grace and glory no good thing will he withhold from those that walk uprightly now what would you have more what can you desire more Walk but uprightly God will never disappoint you you may believe him Jam. 1.12 Blessed is the man that endureth Temptation for when he is tried he shall receive the Crown of life which the Lord hath promised to them that love him I shall conclude all this Exhortation with the Direction and Exhortation of the spirit of God Rev. 2.7 To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the Tree of life and vers the 10. Be faithfull to the death and I will give thee a Crown of Life Oh take notice of the advice given to the Church of Philadelphia Rev. 3.11 Hold fast that thou hast that no man take thy Crown and Rev. 22.12 Behold I come quickly and my reward is with me to give every man according as his Work shall be God will render to every man according to his Workes Rom. 2.7 To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory honour and immortality eternal life Eternal life should be the end of all our Preaching and your hearing so the Apostle Rom. 10.1 Brethren my hearts desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they might be saved this was the portion of Scripture I first took to discourse upon when I first came amongst you and the desire of my Soul was that your Soules should be saved and I desire still that I and my People may serve the Lord and therefore I wish the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all and the Lord grant that they which love not grace may have grace wrought in their hearts and that you that have grace may grow in grace more and more I wish even your perfection I dare not appeal unto Heaven as Paul Act. 20. but this I pray that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and in all judgment 1 Thes 5.23 And the very God of peace sanctifie you wholly and I pray God that your whole Spirit Soul and Body may be perserved blamless unto the â—omming of our Lord Jesus Christ Heb. 13.20 21. and the God of peace that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus that great Shepheard of the Sheep through the blood of the everlasting covenant make you perfect in every good work to do his will working in you that which is well pleasing in his sight through Jesus Christ Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God even our Father who hath loved us and hath given us Everlasting consolation and good hope through grace comfort your hearts and stablish you in every good word and Work Amen FINIS 1 Pet. 1. vers 6. Wherein ye greatly rejoyce though now for a season if need be ye are in heaviness through manifold Temptations THough many Saints have but a small Portion in this World yet there is alotted to them a goodly heritage in another world though they are not filled with the good things of the earth yet they are promised which is better the glory of Heaven though they have but a little in Possession yet they have much in reversion and though many of them be Poore many times as to the things they have in hand ye they are very Rich as to what they have in hope These Saints to whom Peter Writes were Pilgrims and Strangers here on Earth scatttered up and down the World they had no certaine abode no continuing City yet they sougâ—… on that was to come they looked for a City whose Builder and Maker was God Silver and Gold many of them either had none or very little and as to the Possessions of the Earth their Portion was not great Houses and Lands they were either denyed or deprived of they suffered the Spoiling of their goods yet they were begotten to a lively hope unto an inheritance better then this world affords unto an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled that fadeth not away reserved in Heaven for them and that they might know it was not only reserved for them but to be obtained by them the Apostle tells them They should be kept by the power of God through Faith unto Salvation which now as it was promised them should ere long be manifested ready to be revealed in the last time and the Apostle having shewed what they had hopes of he shews what effect this their hope had upon them namely much joy and Alacrity in the minds of their present Sufferings and Calamities as the words I have read do declare unto you Wherein ye greatly rejoyce c. In which Verse we may Observe First The Christians great Joy Secondly The Christians great Sorrow I. You have here believers great Joy arising from hopes of their future Salvation in these words Wherein you greatly rejoyce II. The Christians or the Saints great Sorrow arising from sense of their present tribulation Ye are in heavyness through manifold temptations Which Heaviness or which Temptations are set forth First By the time of them Secondly By the ground of them I. By the time of them and that is declared in these words Now for a season II. By the ground of them and that is supposed or intimated If need be Wherein you c. Wherein that is in the hopes of Heaven in the hopes of their inheritance in the hopes of the glory of God and that eternal Salvation that was promised to them and expected by them as the 4. and 5. verses do declare Wherein you greatly rejoyce you though others do not yet you rejoyce others do not rejoyce in the hopes of Heaven they have no right to it no hope of it they have no ground to expect it it is not promised to them nor no ground have they to look for it but you that are the elect the chosen the called people of God you that were as elected by the love so sanctified by the Spirit of God 2. ver Wherein that is in hopes of the glory of God you rejoyce you greatly rejoyce you triumph for joy Though now for a season or though now for a little time you are in heaviness or in grief through manyfold temptations troubles and trials you have in the World The words are not difficult they may afford us these six Instructions From hence we might Observe You are in heaviness through manyfold temptations First That the people of God in this world are exercised with manyfold temptations Secondly That the Saints of the most high
STRENGTH MADE PERFECT IN Weakness In Four Sermons Preached By William Hickocks M. A. Quandoquidem nobis denegatur diu vivere relinquamus aliquid quo nos vixisse testemur Sen. LONDON Printed for Tho. Parkhurst at the Three Crowns and Bible at the Lower end of Cheap-side 1674. THE EPISTLE TO THE Reader READER THE worthy Author of these Sermons Mr. William Hickocks was Educated in the Schools of the Prophets and that in an happy time when the envious man was not permitted the Nurseries and Vine-yards to poyson and spoyle them with the Tares of unsound Doctrines and evil Examples and it pleased God to Sanctifie his Liberal and Pious Education that he became not onely a good Christian but also an able Minister not of the Letter but of the Spirit He made the work of his Ministry the work not only of his Head but Heart too shineing with the splendor of Knowledge and Holiness and burning with very Holy Well-grounded Affectionate Zeal giving himself to spend and be spent ready to impart his very soul and all in Delivering and Vrging his great Master's Errand Observing his Spirit as I had frequent opportunity of Converse with him I often thought he savoured too much of the other World to be far from it and so it was indeed His Light was too bright and hot to last his Race too swift and eager to hold he threw himself with strong girds before his feet and soon apprehending the prize left his Body behind Great Labours and Publick as well as Personal deep Resentments exhausted his Spirits and quickly reduced his Body to the dregs of Melancholy so that he was often as Epaphroditus once sick even to death for the work of the Ministry God also early called him forth as David when but a stripling to grapple with Goliah-like Temptations wherein indeed he was Conqueror but yet as Christ with great faintness of Spirit the Lord therefore seeing him weary took him up in his arms and carried him home excusing him his otherwise-remaining travel Oh! how precious had his experiences been had he had Life and Health to acquaint us with them Oh! the depth of the Wisdom and Counsel of God and his ways past finding out that so fruitful a Tree should not be spared that a Vessel of Mercy and Honor so purged and fitted for his Masters use should be dashed in pieces even as soon almost as it was seasoned and broached But yet blessed be God although the Earthen Vessel be broken we have not lost all the Treasure the less it is that is saved the more we should make of it as we carry it towards the Parents of many Children when they leave but one onely little one behind we account it very dear especially if it be like the Parent and truly so is this little Book in thy hand it being a representation of the Consistency of Faith and Doubting Fear and Hope Heaviness and Gladness in one and the same Godly Person whereof the Author was a famous Instance as if this had been his very Temper and Complexion Behold then here one onely little Birth * These Sermons being Published as they were taken in Short-hand something hurt indeed in the coming forth for want of better Midwifry but yet of many resembling the Parent and costing him his very Life Behold Reader I present thee with a taste of the Fruit under the waight whereof the Tree did Bend Break and Fall yet shall we answer at last if we Refuse or Receive so costly Grace in vain Oh! what a sad account shall we have to make if this man of God and the many others which are lately taken from amongst us should be gone to Heaven to complain of our Vnthankfulness Vntractableness Vnfruitfulness Vnsteadfastness c. whereby we have broken their Hearts Good Reader I warn in Paper and Inke and would more gladly do it in Tears if the Lord would please to hear Prayers that we may be Restored to the free Publick Exercise of our Ministry Amen The second Epistle of Paul to the Thessalonians the second Chapter the sixteenth and seventeenth Verses 16. Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God even our Father who hath loved us and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace 17. Comfort your hearts and stablish you in every good word and work AS it is the duty of all when they have the Truth made known to them to receive it so much more is it the duty of believers that have received the Truth to hold it fast As we are to buy the Truth so having once bought it never to sell it as we are to lay hold on it so never to let it go as it is our duty to imbrace the Truth so it should be our care never to let it go never to leave it The Apostle having in this Chapter exhorted the Saints to steadfastness to watchfulness and carefulness he presseth his Exhortation from variety of Motives taken partly from the Apostasie of those that are seemingly friends to the Truth partly from the misery of the enemies of the Truth and then again in regard of the holyness they were adorned with and the happiness they should ere long injoy and therefore he repeats his exhortation to stedfastness in the Verse before the Text Therefore Brethren stand fast and hold the tradition not of men but of God which you have been taught that is those Doctrines you have received whether from our mouths or writings that is from the Apostles who were infallibly guided by the Holy Ghost And to this Exhortation he adds Supplication in the words now read wherein take notice of four things First The Persons praying Paul Silvanus and Timotheus Secondly The Persons prayed for The Saints of the Church of the Thessalonians Thirdly The Persons prayed too and they are two First God the Son Secondly God the Father The Apostle mentions the Son first no◠that he is so in order of Nature but he 〈◊〉 not curious in placing his words though 〈◊〉 very well knew that God the Father is the first Person in the Trinity God even our Father where we have first his Love asserted who hath loved us Secondly declared and illustrated first in the effects of it and hath given us everlasting consolation and then in the cause of it and good hope through grace Lastly The Petitions themselves or Blessings prayed for and they are two Consolation and Confirmation Consolation comfort your Hearts Confirmation stablish you in every good Word and Work My time is but short the Text is large and therefore I must but only in many things paraphrase upon the Words Now our Lord Jesus Christ Now or first the Apostle here adds this Supplication to his former Exhortation from whence I might note First Doct. I. That the Ministers of the Gospel are not only to Preach to but to pray for the People As they are to speak from God to them so they are to speak for them
who hath hardened himself against him and prospered He can bind mens hands and rule mens hearts and do what ever he will Ephes 3. ver 20. He is able to do exceeding abundantly above what we can ask or think who is so great a God as our God we that fear him Psal 77.13 14. Thy way oh God is in the sanctuary who is so great a God as our God thou art the God that dost wonders thou hast declared thy strength among the people Job 11.7 Canst thou by searching find out God canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection Here 's thy priviledge if thou have the work of grace wrought in thee here 's thy safety God is thy Father that God that never wants power to defend his people that is seen in the mount and will not many times help till we are in extreamity that his power may then be manifest safe they are that have God for their Father he is sufficient to protect them Consider secondly God is very wise a wise Father and that in regard of his knowledge and in regard of his prudence he knoweth what ever men do in the World Job 34.21 For his eyes are upon the ways of man and he seeth all his goings Ver. 22. Ther 's no darkness or shadow of death where the workers of iniquity can hide themselves Iob 12.22 He discovereth deep things out of darkness and bringeth out to light the shaddow of death He knoweth men better then they know themselves God needeth none to give him intelligence he knoweth what is done in the secret closet of every one of our hearts Nay secondly he is very prudent too he knoweth how to order his affairs he is wise in heart saith Job that man is wise indeed that knows how to out-wit the wisest of men God knoweth how to ensnare the wicked in the works of their own hands 1 Cor. 4.5 Isa 44.25 That frustrateth the tokens of the liars and maketh the diviners mad that turneth wise men backward and maketh their knowledge foolish Come on saith Pharaoh let us deal wisely but he was out-witted Exod. 14.28 God turns the counsel of Achitophel into foolishness God is never at a loss he knows what to do Consider thirdly He is a very tender Father too he is very pittiful very merciful a very tender Father that lays to heart the miseries of his people when they were in Egypt he pittied them Isa 63.9 In all their afflictions he was afflicted and the angel ef his presence saved them c. speaking after the manner of men they that lay the troubles of others to heart as their own and he is not thus pittiful only to his Israel but to all his people Psal 103.13 Like as a Father pittieth his Children so doth the Lord pitty those that fear him Nay Consider fourthly He is a very careful Father he minds how it goes with his children 1 Pet. 5.7 Cast all your care upon him saith the Apostle for he careth for you you are never out of his eye or thoughts when Zion said The Lord hath forsaken me and my God hath forgotten me Isa 49.14 15. saith God Can a woman forget her sucking child that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb yea they may forget yet will not I forget thee c. The condition and troubles and miseries thou art in are always in my thoughts Psal 9.18 The needy shall not always be forgotten the expectation of the poor shall not perish for ever That 's the second but Use III. Hence we may learn our Duty If God be the Saints Father and what 's that First duty To pray to him whom should they go to but to their Faither Be careful for nothing saith the Apostle but in every thing let your request be made known to him by prayer and supplication Phil. 4.6 and Mat. 7.24 Psal 145.18 ver The Lord is nigh unto all that cal upon him Second duty Trust in him whom should we trust if not our Father therefore trust in him Psal 146.3 Put not your trust in Princes nor in the son of man in whom there is none help ver 5. Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help whose hope is in the Lord his God The Scripture denounceth a woful curse to him that trusteth in any thing but in God Jer. 17.5 Cursed be the man that trusteth in man and maketh flesh his arm and ver 7. Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord and whose hope the Lord is God takes notice of those that trust in him Psal 33.17 An horse is a vain thing for safety neither shall he deliver any by his great strength So long as we trust to our selves at any time for any thing our case is sad but none that trusted in the Lord have any cause ever to be ashamed Thirdly Let us Honour him if a Father and that in three respects first in our thoughts have always good thoughts of God what ever his providences be towards us Psal 145.17 The Lord is righteous in all his ways c. what ever God doth is good he is just he is righteous in all those ways that are most cavil'd at by men Job 34.21 He will not lay upon man more then is right everyman may say in the bitterest cross in the World God hath not dealt with me after my sins it 's a mercy we are on this side Hell Secondly Honour God as in our thoughts so in our words speak well of God Psal 118.1 Give thanks unto the Lord for he is good for his mercy endureth for ever Psal 146.1 2. ver Praise the Lord oh my soul while I live will I praise the Lord I will sing praises to God while I have a being Now praising God is honouring of him He that offers me praise glorifieth me Psal 50.23 Thirdly Honour him in all our ways 1 Cor. 10.31 Whether ye eat or drink whatsoever ye do do all to the glory of God and Mat. 5.16 Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorifie your Father which is in Heaven Phil. 1.11 Being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ unto the glory of God Be very obedient obey him willingly constantly universally in all his commands because he is our Father Lastly We that profess our selves to be Gods children be like him Be ye merciful as he is merciful holy as he is holy But to go on Who hath loved us Doct. God loves his People Psal 145.8 ver Psal 147.10 11. The Lord loves his Saints Love I here 's love indeed 1 Joh. 3.1 Behold what manner of love is here that we should be called the Sons of God And if this be so Vse Then bless him for his love thank him for it Psal 103.1 Bless the Lord oh my soul and all that is within me praise his holy Name And that in this respect First God loves us undeserved and that
in two respects first before we loved him 1 Joh. 4.10 19. Herein is love in that he loved us first and secondly God loves us as before we loved him so when we had nothing to render us lovely to him Rom. 5.8 While we were sinners ungodly in our wickedness when we had nothing but sin and corruption in us not that he loved his peoples sins but their persons when the whole head was sick and the whole heart faint nothing but sores and putrifying corruptions yet he loved his people though he hated their corruptions he loved them and loved them before they had grace Ephes 1.4 5 6. ver Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself according to the good pleasure of his will To the praise of the glory of his grace c. Secondly As God loved us undeservedly so constantly Jesus Christ having loved his own he loves them to the end A friend loves at all times saith Solomon in time of adversity as well as prosperity there are few such friends in the World but God is such a friend he loves his people when others care not for them God will love you that are his people always at all times Isa 54.10 The mountains shall depart and the hills be removed but my kindness shall not depart from thee neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee He hath taken you into an everlasting covenant with him and else where they are call'd everlasting hills because they last as long as the World lasteth but there will come a time when they shall be broken and the Earth shall be no more Oh but his love is everlasting when time shall be no more Vse II. Secondly If this be so then let them that have grace take heed of offending God a wise man will be willing to please and loth to displease such a Father as he is take heed of doing evil in the sight of God stand in awe and sin not for all iniquity is abomination in the sight of God God loves you oh do not provoke him Vse III. Again thirdly Doth God love his people then let us love them that fear God and walk in his ways Ephes 5.1 Be followers of God as dear children God loves the righteous First Hereby we shall resemble God Secondly Hereby we evidence our love to God 1 Joh. 4.20 Thirdly Hereby you will evidence Gods love to you if you love those that are Gods 1 Joh. 3 14. We know we are passed from death to life be 〈◊〉 we love the Brethren and 18.19 vers Let us not love only in word but in deed and in truth Vse IV. Fourthly Doth God love his people then let us not be troubled though the World hate us what though men regard us not remember this if thou fearest God God loves thee rejoyce in this oh Saints thou that art the servants of God though thou art not the favourite of great men thou art the favourite of the great God And hath given us everlasting consolation Everlasting consolation that is everlasting happiness everlasting life it is therefore call'd everlasting consolation because the happiness of mans life is the comfort of his life comfort in Scripture and consolation is taken for happiness Blessed are they that mourn for they shall be comforted Mat. 5.4 That is they shall be brought into that glorious happiness Luk. 16.25 Son remember that thou in thy life time receivest thy good things and Lazarus evil things but now he is comforted and thou art tormented He is comforted that is he is made blessed as appears in the opposition of the words but thou art tormented Luk. 6.21 Blessed are you that weep but you shall laugh it is not taken in that sense we commonly take laughing in but ye shall be made happy that is the meaning and so 〈◊〉 24. Woe to you that are rich now for you have received your consolation 〈…〉 are rich in self conceit in prid 〈…〉 vain glory that boast in the multitud◠of your riches you have received your consolation as if he should say you have all the happiness you are like to have they shall have no more From whence this Point Doct. God hath given his people everlasting happiness God hath given it them in the promise of the Word Luk. 12.32 Fear not little flock it is your Fathers good pleasure to give you the Kingdom and ere long they shall have the performance of it God is giving everlasting consolation it is not long ere thou shalt receive it Vse And if it be so then be not dejected at short tribulation and the troubles you meet with in the World why though you be afflicted for a moment Yet the rod shall not always lye upon the back of the righteous Psal 125. and Psal 126.5 They that sow in tears shall reap in joy Psal 30.5 Weeping may endure for a night but joy cometh in the morning the night of this World may be a night of affliction but in the morning we shall have joy and comfort Joh. 14.1 Let not your hearts be troubled saith our Saviour and we know saith the Apostle 2 Cor. 5.1 When this earthly tabernacle shall be dissolved we have a building of God a house not made with hands c. as soon as you dye your trouble shall end and your joy then begins and then no man shall be able to take that joy from you Joh. 16.22 God will hide his face from you no more Isa 54.7 For a moment have I hid my face from thee but with great Mercies will I gather thee And good hope through grace this is taken two waies Doct. I. As God gives his people everlasting happiness so he gives them hope of it Rom. 15. vers 13. He is call'd the God of hope as the object of our hope so the Author of it Secondly Good hope Do. II. The Saints hope of happiness is a good hope Good in the rise of it the work of God in the nature of it the work of the Spirit in the end of it it makes People good therefore let us all labour for it Doct. III. The ground of Peoples hope of Everlasting happiness is meerly through the grace of God The Saints everlasting happiness is from the free grace of God Rom. 6.23 The gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord Ephe. 2.8 For by grace are ye saved through faith and that not of your selves it is the gift of God And if it be so Vse Why then I mighty shew you it is not from man's deserving that he hath happiness man cannot merit Heaven it is not from the desert of man for mans merit and God's free grace are quite opposite one to another I should have show'n the folly of that opinion that hold men may merit happiness from God For First they must do that which is good And Secondly that only And Thirdly by his own strength Fourthly
the cause but only occasion through some mens imbracing of it whom God gives grace to and others rejecting and opposing of it it doth occasion divisions amongst those that are naturally most united there is a caution given Jer. 9.4 take ye heed every one of his neighbour and trust ye not in any brother for every brother will utterly supplant and every neighbor will walk with slanders i. e. raise false reports of you and bring you to suffer unjustly though every brother and every neighbour will not yet many neighbours and many relations will do so That 's one great temptation that the people of God have in reference to wicked mens persons Secondly In regard of Sathans temptations they have many troubles too For those whom Sathan knows he cannot destroy for ever he will do what he can to disturb here and though he cannot destroy them yet he will afright them here Temptations of troubles are the portion of God's people in this world Vse The meditation or thought of this truth may be useful both to those that are in a prosperous and them that are in a suffering Condition If God's people be under many troubles many temptations in this world then you that fear God and yet prosper let the consideration of this stir you up to a two-fold duty First To expect troubles to expect temptations how ever you flourish in your out ward man yet do not think prosperity will always last While God blesses his people with comfort and mercy bless him and praise him but look for an alteration expect a change They that at present enjoy their ease and safety and liberty and have many comforts and delights in the world O use the world but do not abuse it in those blessings God gives you but rejoyce as though you rejoyced not remembring it will not be always thus with you Think upon this truth temptations and trials will befall you sooner or later troubles will be all our portion remember the daies of darkness are a coming the time of suffering will come before we go out of this world Saith Christ in the World you shall have trouble but in me you shall have peace Though hitherto many of God's people may have met with no considerable temptations yet they may have their share of them they may have many of them let not those that are in a prosperous Condition in any respect let them not always expect Halcyon days the clouds may soon gather a storm may come before we are aware and trouble is many times nearest when we think it furthest off Secondly As we should expect temptation and expect trouble so let us prepare for trouble Get your selves furnished with those graces that may sure your conditions that you may not be overcome by temptation O pray get a stock of holiness that may stand you in stead in the evil day and in the hour of temptation O be not without faith and meekness c. that we shall have so much need of in the time of trouble The Scripture tells that we are pilgrims and strangers here on earth as all the godly were in all times we have a long journey to take from Earth to Heaven we must pass through the Sea of this World and the Winds will blow O let us be prepared against a storm for we must meet with fowl weather Acts. 20.22.23 Paul tells the Elders of the Church of Ephesus behold I go bound in the spirit unto Jerusalem not knowing the things that shall befall me there only one thing he knew Save that the Holy Ghost witnesseth in every City saying that bonds and afflictions abide me What success I shall have in Preaching I cannot tell or what other things may happen but I am sure to meet with troubles here and why should we expect otherwise then this good man did Now we had need be prepared against them for in every place we are like to find them Secondly Let them that suffer in the world take heed of rash judging themselves let no Person think that his case is bad because his condition is sad let no Person think he his none of God's people because he meets with so many troubles you saith the Apostle are in heaviness through manyfold temptations Let us not think that God doth not love us because he doth afflict us Paul was a pretious servant of Jesus Christ one that knew Jesus Christ and loved him and yet afflictions and troubles every where were his portion Heb. 12.7 If you endure Chastisements God deals with you as sons for what son is he whom the Father Chastens not It is not a sign of the hatred but of the love of God whom the Lord loves he Chastens and whatever troubles we may meet withal in this world 1 Pet. 5.9 remember this the same afflictions are accomplished in our brethren in the world Secondly You are in heaviness through manyfold Temptations not only have them but you are sensible of them from whence the Doctrin is Observe That the Saints may be in heaviness through their manyfold temptations You are in heaviness or you are sadned you are grieved God's people may have their spirits much sadned through the variety of troubles they meet with in the world The word in the Text you are in Heaviness or you are sadned comes from a word that signifies such grief as brings tears into the eyes such a grief as is expressed by weeping you are those that even cry your grief is such that causes tears I the thought of the great troubles you meet with hath such sorrow and grief not only the troubles of the soul but the troubles that God's people meet with in the world they much sadden their spirits and much grive their hearts Psal 6 6 7. David speaks of his Temptations saith he I am weary with my groaning all the Night make I my Bed to swim I water my Couch with my tears day and night he was full of griefe full of weeping Myne eye is consumed beeause of grief it waxeth old because of all my enemies not only the troubles that he had as to his Soul the thought of his sins but the troubles of the world did much affect him Psal 38.6 I am troubled I am bowed down greatly I go mourning all the day long 8. vers I am feeble and sore broken I have roar'd by reason of the disquietness of my heart And so the Church Lam 1.16 the Church having spoken of her misery what a sad case she was in in the world saith she For these things I weep myne eye runneth down with water because the comforter that should relieve my Soul is far from me and how great the trouble was that was then the Churches portion the whole book of Lamentations verifies Grace doth not make people insensible they whose hearts are sanctified may lay to heart their troubles Though grace doth correct and abate mens passions and rectify nature yet it doth not destroy nature or
and they discover men sometimes for the better sometimes for the worse many persons that fear God have worse thoughts of themselves then they ought to have c. Now God brings them to a fiery tryal and they see through the help of God they are inabled to stand out against all opposition then they begin to think there is something of good in my Soul and they manifest the truth of grace And then sometimes for the worse many a man and woman hath better opinions of themselves then they have ground for and the troubles they meet with in the World they plainly discover it God brings them to this pass you must either disown the truth or deny your selves as to the World you must either lay down that godliness you seem to have or lay down your livelyhood or lay down your lives and now they see or may see they were not the men they took themselves for they see how that the truths of Jesus Christ lay not so near their hearts as they thought for they are willing rather to part with that faith and love they have then to part with those good things they have many a person it is thus with Sometimes they discover the weakness of grace sometimes the want of grace sometimes the weakness of grace Peter thought when the Lord told him of suffering That all should be offended because of him that he should never be offended Though all men forsake thee yet will not I and yet Peter when he comes to trial his Faith staggers and so sometimes it discovers the total want of grace that people are other manner of persons then they took themselves for times of affliction they manifest that many are of another manner of Spirit then they did imagine Secondly Afflictions discover not only persons to themselves but they discover them to others discover them to the World make it known what people are and so sometimes for the better many are thought worse of in the World then indeed they do deserve the people of God are often judged a company of Hypocrites there is no such thing as goodness faith and holiness in them and if they come to suffer you shall see what they will do many are their evil surmises and the Devil if he cannot Persecute them will reproach them now God lets the World see that these people are mistaken his Servants were such as loved him in truth when it comes to this that they must leave all or not follow Christ they count not their life dear to them all is nothing then to Christ The stedfastness of Gods people in times of suffering testifies to the World that they that were called Hypocrites were the most upright persons that lived 1 Cor. 11.18 19. ver There are divisions among you and I partly believe it For there must be also Heresies among you that they which are approved may be made manifest among you That it may appear that they are indeed lovers of the Truth they will own it in such a time when it is so much opposed that they that are approved of God may be made manifest to the World that the wicked may say though some are covetous yet all are not bad men as they would think And sometimes for the worse to many because they are not openly profane are judged by the multitude that they are religious persons but when the Profession of Religion becomes dangerous they then begin to be troubled the World then sees what they are In hazardous times good men are made a spectacle to the World and Angels and Men the Angels the good and bad the Angels of light and the Feinds of darkness and the World both of godly and ungodly see what men they are who were not before acquainted with them God makes it manifest that many that professed much never yet loved him c. Many saith Christ in that Parable of the seeds they received the Word with joy but they had no root in themselves they endure but for a while and when Persecution ariseth by and by they are offended What must I serve God and suffer Truly if this be the fruit of this service I shall have no mind to it many their hearts say as those wicked ones Job 21.14 15. vers What is the Almighty that we should serve him and what profit should we have if we pray unto him What shall we get by suffering why if this be the way they will not walk in it c. The Jews would not admit of Proselites in the days of David because then the fear of David was upon all round about him nor would they admit of them in the days of Solomon because then out of love to the peace and prosperity that he had in the World they might imbrace the truth of Religion which in their hearts they did not delight in Many men do make use of Religion sometimes out of fear and sometimes out of love out of fear of suffering when Religion is not owned and out of hopes of getting by Religion when it is in esteem The falseness of peoples hearts is seen in this in love to their neighbour they have a great love for them that are rich but none for them that are poor The rich hath many friends but the poor is hated of his neighbour This discovers the falsness of peoples hearts in reference to their love to God their love to the people of God is discovered in this that they will speak well for them and associate with them when God is pleased to bless them in the World but if God once come to afflict them they desire to have no more to do with them Amongst many professing Israelites there are but few Nathaniels few that are Israelites indeed and the times of suffering manifest what people are Again There is a great deal of need of trouble and trials to bring Gods people to more earnest praying to God that they may more firmly and constantly seek him when Gods people are involved in trouble cannot tell which way to turn themselves then they will go to God for help when Jehoshaphat said 2 Chron. 20.12 speaking of his enemies in Prayer to God Wilt not thou judge them for we have no might against this great company that cometh up against us neither know we what to do but our eyes are to thee our eyes are upon thee Truly when people are at this pass in referance to Personal or National suffering when they do not know what to do then their eyes are upon God and then their hearts are to God then God shall hear always of them c. The Lord knows if prosperity drives us away from him that affliction will bring us in to him the Prodigal that cared not for his Father while his estate lasted when poverty was come I will arise saith he and go to my Father As long as we can have Friends Comforts and Mercies to delight in we do not take so much delight and pleasure in drawing near to God God will let us have nothing else to delight in Isa 26.16 vers Lord in trouble they have visited thee when thy chastning was upon them they that would not come at God before they would visit him in trouble and they powred out Prayer they that did but say a Prayer before they now shall Pray a Prayer and Pray it heartily too Crosses and troubles will make men mind Religious Duties that before they little regarded Upon the worst of men it hath this influence sometimes the Persian Messenger said thus when the Grecians hotly pursued our Host and we must needs venture over that great River that was now frozen but was beginning to thaw Then saith he did I behold many of those Gallants who denyed before and so boldly maintained that there was no God I saw every one upon his knees raying that the Ice might hold untill he got over O then nothing but Prâ—…yer will serve their turn I will go and â—…eturn to my place and I will distress and disturb them and in their affliction they â—…ll seek me early FINIS