and Duties to Man are done with a greater regard unto God Himself Gods Approbation is more minded and the Eye being single looks not so much at other things but aims at this that God in all things may have Glory which indeed of Right appertains to Him 6. Another good Consequent of Affliction is a more full and compleat Victory over the World and silencing the God of it When Sickness seizeth upon the Saints the Love of the World is hereby struck more dead The World is out of Countenance and ashamed now to appear it's alluring Power and Charms are all gone And Satan the God of it does not so much care now to offer it Mammon can neither cure the diseased Body nor ease the afflicted Mind Affliction takes off the fine Mask upon Mammons Face and then 't is plainly seen how sorry a Master he is and how poor all his store The World cannot yield true Contentment to any for that little while they are the Inhabitants of it and can any thing of this World be carried away into another World Ah no! 1 Tim. 6. 7. For we brought nothing into this World and 't is certain we can carry nothing out He that has most of the World what is it all to him when he is leaving the World and all behind him Suppose the greatest Possessour of Earthly Riches lying upon a Death-bed in his fainting Fits and dying Agonies lay some baggs of Gold upon his Pillows bring in the sweetest Consort of Musick shew him the costliest Raiment he ever â—wore let a Table be spread and furnisht with the choicest Dainties and let the greatest Beauties stand by him proffering themselves and their service to him Alas Alas what 's all this to a Man that is breathing out his last Breath and ready to appear and give an account of himself unto the Judge of all Affliction gives a smart Admonition that this World is to be contemned in Comparison of the better and enduring Substance Satan notwithstanding his Subtlety is easily baffled in Affliction think seriously of Death and Judgment and all that He offers is just nothing though he should make as large an offer as he did to Christ in the hour of his Temptation when he shewed him all the Kingdoms of the World and the Glory of them 7. Another good Consequent of Affliction is an Increase of Grace and an abundance of the Fruits of Righteousness Wicked men receive not Correction being put into the Furnace they are found and rejected as Reprobate Silver but the Correction of the Saints is the Probation Augmentation and evidencing of the Grace of God in them Faith is tried and by trial is strengthned Patience Experience Hope augmented Rom. 5. 3 4 5. Tribulation worketh Patience Patience Experience Experience Hope and Hope maketh not ashamed because the Love of God is shed abroad in our Hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given to us The Lords tender Compassions towards his afflicted Children exceedingly endears him their Father to them His gracious Visits His stretching forth his own Everlasting Arm for their Sustentation when ready to sink under their Burthens His remembring Mercy in the greatest Severity His being within call and readiness to hear and help fills their Hearts with Love and Resolution to live and cleave to him With how much Tenderness and Compassion does the Lord express himself towards his afflicted ones Psal 69. 33. For the Lord heareth the Poor and despiseth not his Prisoners And Psal 22. 24. For he hath not despised nor abhorred the Affliction of the afflicted neither hath he hid his Face from him but when he cried unto him he heard Saints are great gainers by Affliction because Godliness which is great Gain which is profitable for all things is more powerful than before The Rod of Correction by a Miracle of Grace like that of Aarons Buds and Blossoms and brings forth the Fruits of Righteousness which are most excellent A rare sight it is indeed to see a man coming out of a bed of Languishing or any other Furnace of Affliction more like to Angels in Purity more like to Christ who was Holy Harmless Vndefiled and separate from Sinners more like unto God himself being more exactly Righteous in all his ways and more exemplarily Holy in all manner of Conversation 8. Another good Consequent of Affliction is an high esteem of Time and affecting Apprehensions of Death Judgment and Eternity Affliction brings Death within view Jobs Calamity makes his Mortality much thought of the things of the World had left him he speaks as a man just ready to leave the World Job 17. 1 13 14. My Breath is corrupt my Days are extinct the Graves are ready for me If I wait the Grave is my House I have made my Bed in the Darkness I have said to Corruption thou art my Father and to the Worm thou art my Mother and my Sister He claims kindred to the Worms and Corruption Death was most familiar to his Thoughts and in his Imagination the Grave was his Bed already Now at Death the Saints consider that Time comes to a full stop and Judgment will follow and fix them in Eternity It is of great use to us when our Thoughts dwell in Eternity before we our selves enter upon Eternity this makes an Holy and Happy Eternity infinitely desireable in our Eyes And how do we look unto Jesus through whom Eternal Life is given and with what Circumspection is the way of Holiness walked in which ends in Life Everlasting Rom. 6. 22 23. Affliction awakens the Saints care to improve Time to work while 't is day for it will be too late to work when the Night is once come and how are they concerned that there time be not ended before Eternity be well provided for 9. Another good Consequent of Affliction is Serious Diligence to make the Calling and Election sure When Affliction finds us at uncertainties in reference to our Spiritual State our doubts and fears are amazing and tormenting 'T is sad for a man to look upon himself as dying and then to say O animula vagula blandula Quae nunc abibis in loca O my Soul thou art departing hence but whither oh whither art thou going What is like to be the place of thy Eternal abode which must never be changed To be dying and doubting at the same time is very sad though we are really never so safe What is a well grounded Evidence of the Love of God in Christ worth upon a bed of Sickness How valuable and comfortable the Spirits Testimony concerning our Adoption Now Affliction puts the Saints upon a more strict and impartial Self-examination and upon a more thorow and perceivable turning unto God Lam. 3. 39 40. Wherefore doth the living man complain a man for the Punishment of his Sins Let us search and try our ways and turn unto the Lord our God Affliction makes that Admonition of the Apostle to be heeded 2 Pet. 1. 10 11.
not at all taken notice of if his anger is not at all minded nor any course or care taken to appease it it will be blown up to the greater fierceness and this fire may quickly devour consume and having begun with thee make a speedy and utter end of thee 3. It concerns you to fear Him under whose Power you are and who is able to destroy both the Body and the Soul likewise Luk. 12. 4 5. And I say unto you my Friends Be not afraid of them that kill the Body and after that have no more that they can do But I will forewarn you whom you shall fear fear him who after he hath killed hath Power to cast into Hell yea I say unto you fear him His hands did make that Earthly House of your Tabernacle and he can bring it to the dust again Your Souls he can require when be pleases and if you dye in your Sins your Souls will be doom'd to the place where other damned Spirits are and they are lost beyond all hopes and possibility of recovery Oh! sanctifie the Lord of Hosts in whose hand you are under whose hand you groan by making him your fear and dread he can command both first and second death to seize on you Rev. 6. 8. And I looked and behold a Pale Horse and his Name that sate on him was Death and Hell followed with him Death is the King of Terrors but Hell is ten thousand times more terrible Oh! be afraid of that mighty hand which with one blow can both kill and damn you together You cannot secure your selves by Hiding by Flight or by Resistance for Gods Eye is all-seeing his Power and Hand is irresistible and extends it self all Heaven and Earth and Hell over therefore humbling your selves and Submission would be the best and wisest way that you can take 4. In this ill Case in which you are remember now your evil ways and your doings that have not been good Ezek. 36. 31. Then shall ye remember your evil ways and your doings that were not good and shall loath your selves in your own sight for your Iniquities and Abominations Your remembring of your Transgressions is one way to have God forget them loath your selves and he will not loath you condemning your selves is the way not to be condemned by him Humble your selves in the sight of the Lord and he will lift you up Jam. 4. 10. Oh smite upon your thighs and say What have we done How manifold are our Transgressions How mighty are our Sins What guilt have we incurr'd How monstrously black and foul are our Defilements What wrath have we provoked How hot and low a place in Hell have we deserved Innumerable Evils compass us about our Iniquities have taken hold upon us so that we are not able to look up they are more than the Hairs of our Heads therefore our Hearts fail us Psal 40. 12. See how deceitful polluting and damnable the Nature of Sin is call your selves by the right Name Fools foes to your selves Self-murtherers and Self-destroyers in giving way to Iniquity Be utterly displeased with your selves for sinning against God and wronging your own Souls and fall out with all sin for ever 5. Be Inquisitive what you must do to be saved You that are outwardly afflicted and also prickt in the Heart and wounded in your Consciences should very seriously inquire whether the door of Hope be not yet open to you and what course you must take to be saved from Sin and Wrath and to have your Peace with God made Indeed the Lord speaks confoundingly and terribly to wicked men in their Calamity Prov. 1. 26 27 28 29. I will laugh at your Calamity and will mock when your fear cometh when your fear cometh as Desolation and Destruction as a Whirlwind when Distress and Anguish cometh upon you then shall they call upon me but I will not Answer They shall seek me early but they shall not find me for that they hated Knowledg and did not chuse the fear of the Lord. And do you acknowledge that the Lord might justly speak such Language to you but withal know that these distressed Sinners had these cries extorted from them meerly by Calamity but had no desire to be turned from their Iniquities Therefore you that are brought very low by Affliction do not only cry to God to deliver you from your trouble but that he would also purge away your Sins for his Name sake Psal 79. 9. And let not your Disconsolate Spirits doubt for there is hope in Israel concerning you Psal 130. 7 8. Let Israel hope in the Lord for with the Lord there is Mercy and with him is plenteous Redemption and he will redeem Israel from all his Iniquities 6. Look upon God as accessible and reconcileable in a Mediator who is his beloved Son the Lord Jesus Christ has suffered once for Sins the just for the unjust that he might bring men to God 1 Pet. 3. 18. And God is in Christ reconciling the World to himself not imputing their Trespasses to them 2 Cor. 5. 19. Now then saith the Apostle We are Ambassadors for Christ as though God did beseech you by us we pray you in Christs stead be ye reconciled to God God is more forward to be at Peace with you then you are aware He intreats you to accept of that Pardon which you desire and so much need but fear you shall not obtain and if you value his favour in Christ and intreat it with your whole Heart you shall not die under his Displeasure Psal 119. 58. I intreated thy favour with my whole Heart be merciful to me according to thy Word Are you willing upon any terms to have the breach made up between God and you Do you consent to be any thing to do any thing to part with any thing which he would have you so you may be but His and He Yours a God in Covenant with you and a Father to you Then let your drooping Hearts revive for there is an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the Righteous who is the Propitiation for the Sins of the whole World 1 Joh. 2. 1 2. His Blood speaks better things than that of Abel cries louder for Mercy than your Sin can cry for Vengeance Here you may safely venture your Faith for Christs Blood is the Blood of him who is God as well as man and he is able to reconcile God and Men together and those men who have been never so much alienated and Enemies in their Minds by Reason of wicked Works Col. 1. 21. In your Affliction be sensible of Gods anger and readily grant the justness of it but do not look upon if as not to be appeased If you come to him by Jesus Christ you will find his Fury all gone Isa 27. 4 5. Fury is not in me let him take hold of my Strength that he may make Peace with me and he shall make Peace with me 7. Pray to be turned
has done its work for which 't was laid upon you 'T is sad when Affliction goes off without doing any good to the afflicted when the Rod is like the first King that Israel had given in Gods Anger and taken away in his Wrath. When the Lord afflicts his Dispensations are mixed Checker-work Black and White Goodness and Severity together and there should be a Mixture of Holy Affections that are diverse one from the other answerably in your Hearts This is notably represented by one of our English Poets and his Verses have a great deal of Sense and Direction in them Ah my dear angry Lord Since thou dost Love yet strike Herberts Bitter-sweet P. 165. Cast down yet help afford Sure I will do the like I will complain the Praise I will bewail approve And all my four-sweet days I will lament and love Be not too eager for the removal of the stroke you smart under that removal is but a common Mercy but the Sanctification of it is peculiar kindness that which accompanies Salvation If the Plaister lies not on long enough it heals not the Sore if the Potion be cast up again assoon as taken down it works not a cure God knows when 't is fittest to remove your trouble therefore be dump with Silence and wait with Patience till this fittest time comes David did so though he was in an horrible Pit in the Miry Clay he was not over eager to be pluckt out but exercised Patience and how Happy was the issue Psal 40. 1 2 3. I waited patiently for the Lord and he inclined unto me and heard my cry he brought me up also out of an horrible Pit out of the Miry Clay and set my Feet upon a Rock and established my goings And he hath put a new Song in my Mouth even Praise unto our God many shall see it and fear and trust in the Lord. 8. Under Affliction let there be a most profound Subjection to the Father of Spirits Lights and Mercies The Father of Spirits will take special care of Souls and consult their Health and Reace and endless welfare If the Soul be safe the Body must be safe in the same Bottom The Body that belongs to a sanctified Soul must be a Glorious Body at the Resurrection of the Just And since the Lord is the Father of Lights you may conclude he perfectly understands what is most conducive to your Interest and what kind and degree of Affliction is most expedient and best for you and because he is the Father of Mercies Mercy he delights in as a man does in his own off-spring he will deal tenderly with you Mercy shall not be forgotten in the greatest Severity Psal 103. 13. Like as a Father pittieth his Children so the Lord pittieth them that fear him for he knoweth our frame and remembreth we aye dust Subjection to God when he afflicts becomes you and besides this Subjection is the way of Life Heb. 12. 9. Furthermore we have had Fathers of our Flesh who corrected us and we gave them Reverence shall we not much rather be in Subjection to the Father of Spirits and live Subjection to God is the wisest course to have temporal Life prolonged and liv'd to purpose and Eternal Life at length vouchsafed In the second Place I am to direct you how to carry it after Affliction now is a time of great danger when the Heart is apt to shew both its Wickedness and Deceitfulness together and to grow secure as if all Peril were over therefore 1. Keep alive in your Hearts the same Apprehensions of things after Affliction which you had under Affliction Things are really as they were though we of Sick grow well again therefore our thoughts of them should not alter The great Truths revealed and so much insisted on in the Word of God in Affliction had deep Impressions upon our Spirits How clearly and concernedly did we then perceive that Christ is the onely Saviour that all things were justly to be accounted loss that he might be gained We lookt upon time as too precious a thing to be spent Idly or Wickedly The Soul was lookt upon as more worth than the whole World and more to be regarded not to be neglected for the Worlds sake Mat. 16. 26. What shall it profit a man if he shall gain the whole World and lose his own Soul or what shall a man give in exchange for his Soul How did the thoughts of Eternity affect our Hearts when we were in the depth of Affliction Our Apprehensions of this Truth were amazing That all must quickly be in Eternity and all must be unto Eternity either in Joy or Wo. Our Conceptions of these and such like things were most rectified in Affliction therefore when Affliction is removed our Judgments should still remain the same The concerns of another World should always be esteemed far greater than the highest concerns of this Seriousness well becomes us in those matters which are of Everlasting Consequence where carelesness or mistake will issue in endless ruine understanding Diligence in Eternal Happiness 2. After Affliction be very Jealous over your own Spirits which are so very prone to deal treacherously both with God and your selves You are not naturally trusty to either but unfaithful to God and unfaithful to your own Souls Hearken how the Lord complains Hos 6. 7. They like men have transgressed the Covenant they have dealt treacherously against me You do not know your selves to be men if you don't know your selves to be treacherous and strongly inclined to break through all obligations in Point of Duty Gratitude and Interest it self which you are under ever since the first Adams Apostacy and fall from God his Posterity have a vehement Propension to start aside alike deceitful bowes A notable instance of the Hearts treachery in Afflictions and instability upon the removal of it you have Psal 78. 34 35 36 37. When he slew them then they sought him they returned and inquired early after God they remembred that God was their Rock and the high God their Redeemer nevertheless they did flatter him with their Lips and lied unto him with their Tongues for their Heart was not right with him neither were they stedfast in his Covenant Mens Resolutions in Afflictions are like Nautarum Vota the Vows of Marriners in a Storm the first things that are broken when once they get safe to Shore Be sure therefore to check your hearts and lift them up to God to secure them when first you perceive them so much as begin to start aside Apostacy begins in the Heart that does first turn back from God then afterwards the steps decline from his ways distrusting therefore your own Hearts follow Solomons Counsel Prov. 4. 23. And keep them with all diligence and unto your own strictest Vigilancy add fervent Prayer that the Lord would make your Hearts clean Hearts and that he would renew and keep your Spirits right with him Psal 51. 10. 3.
learned the Word who does not believe it to be indeed the Word of God who cannot lie 2 Tim. 3. 16. All Scripture is given by Inspiration of God Mens Contradictions to the Word are audacious and damnable falshoods And if Angels from Heaven should speak contrary to it they must not have our Assent but our Anathema Gal. 1. 8. But though we or an Angel from Heaven preach any other Gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you let him be accursed They who have learned the Word of God perceive the Harmony of all its parts and believe the whole and are influenced by that belief for the certain Truth of the Word makes it most Encouraging and Comfortable to the Saints and with what Sweet Security do they rest upon it And the same Truth should make it very Terrible to all impenitent Sinners 2. Learning the Word implies an observing the Scope and Design of the Word of God now the Design and Scope of it is the Glory of God and Mans Happiness and Salvation God cannot have an higher end in what he does than Himself for he is above all therefore he has made and does all things for Himself and truly since of him and through him are all things he is worthy that all things should be referred to him and that in all things he should always be glorified Rom. 11. 36. For of him and through him and to him are all things to whom be Glory for ever Amen In Subordination to his own Glory the Lord designs mans wellfare Luk. 2. 14. Glory be to God in the Highest on Earth Peace good will towards men When the Word of God is truly learned great notice is taken of its design and the Learners aim is accordingly directed The Glory of God and mans truest good are inseparably conjoined So that this is past doubt when man most Minds Gods Honour he Minds most his own Interest and Happiness 3. Learning the Word implies taking due notice of the Purity and Holiness of the Word of God Psal 12. 6. The Words of the Lord are pure Words as Silver tried in a Furnace of Earth purified seven times The Psalmist saw this Purity and did not take offence at it but very much liked it and loved the Word the better for it Psal 119. 140. Thy Word is very pure therefore thy Servant loveth it God the Author of this Word is of Purer Eyes than to behold Iniquity no wonder that the Word is purer than to allow of any Iniquity The Word will not permit Sin in the Tabernacle Job 11. 14. If Iniquity be in thy Hand put it far away and let not wickedness dwell in thy Tabernacle The Word prohibits our contentedly Suffering Sin to ly upon our Brother Levit. 19. 17. Thou shalt not hate thy Brother in thy Heart thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy Neighbour and not suffer Sin upon him The hands must be cleansed and so must especially the Heart Jam. 4. 8. Draw nigh to God and he will draw nigh to you cleanse your Hands ye Sinners purifie your Hearts ye double minded If Sin commands the Tongue Religion is but vain if Sin be regarded in the Heart Prayer is to no purpose How excellent and pure is this Word of God! and those that learn it see both the Necessity and Excellency of Purity and Holiness and they hunger and thirst and follow after Righteousness and true Holiness 4. Learning the Word implies beholding wondrous things in the Word of God Psal 119. 18. Open thou my Eyes that I may behold wondrous things out of thy Law And V. 129. Thy Testimonies are wonderful therefore doeth my Soul keep them The Light which shines forth from hence is marvellous 1 Pet. 2. 2. That ye should shew forth the Praises of him who hath called you out of Darkness into marvellous Light The Mercy is amazing which saves from so much Sin prevents no less than endless Misery and brings those to Eternal Life who deserved to die the Eternal Death Jud. v. 21. Keep your selves in the Love of God looking for the Mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto Eternal Life That Wisdom which appears in the contrivance of Mans Redemption by Christ the Mediator is the Admiration of the elect Principalities and Powers Eph. 3. 10. To the intent that now unto thee Principalities and Powers in the Heavenly Places might be known by the Church the manifold Wisdom of God And the Love of God in Christ is most sweetly astonishing 'T is without Motive without Measure without Alteration its height and length and depth and breadth are past our reach and finding out And how highly are those who are interested in this Love advanced 1 Joh. 3. 1. Behold what manner of Love the Father hath bestowed upon us that we should be called the Sons of God! and all his Sons are heirs of Everlasting Glory 5. Learning the Word implies knowing the Truth as it is in Jesus Eph. 4. 20 21. But ye have not so learned Christ if so be that ye have heard him and been taught by him as the Truth is in Jesus To know the Truth as it is in Jesus is to know Christ himself and all Divine Truths with respect to Christ He is the Center in which all the Lines in Scripture meet If God be lookt upon without respect to this Mediator the remembrance of the Holy and Righteous and Almighty Jehovah must needs be terrible and confounding to guilty and defiled Sinners But the Knowledge of God in Christ is beneficial and reviving for in Christ he is accessible and a God in Covenant and how encouraging is the Knowledg of Duty when we look to Jesus because in Christ we have assisting Grace to do it sincerely and when 't is thus done in Him we have acceptance 1 Pet. 2. 5. Ye also as lively stones are built up a Spiritual House an Holy Priesthood to offer up Spiritual Sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ Though the House be Spiritual though the Priesthood be Holy though the Sacrifice be Spiritual yet 't is not upon their own but upon the account of Jesus Christ that they are acceptable Looking to Jesus we may look upon Sin and Misery without dismay nay with thankful Hearts for He saves from both and through him an abundant entrance is administred into the Everlasting Kingdom He has not learned the Word to any purpose who does not know that Christ is all in all and fills all in all 6. Learning the Word of God implies feeling the Power and Efficacy of this Word till the Spirit accompanies it and sets it home upon the Heart and there is an experience of its Power the Word is not aright learned 1 Thess 1. 5. Our Gospel came to you not in Word onely but in Power also and in the Holy Ghost and in much Assurance The Holy Ghost made you sensible of the Gospels Efficacy and its Efficacy assured you of its Divinity So 1 Thess 2. 13. Ye
Wherefore the rather Brethren give diligence to make your Calling and Election sure for if ye do these things ye shall never fall For so an entrance shall be administred to you abundantly into the Everlasting Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ When once a Christian has attained unto a Sense and Assurance of the savour of God how prepared is he for whatever may befall him He can lie easie upon a Sick-bed because his God makes his Bed for him Psal 41. 3. The Lord will strengthen him upon the bed of Languishing thou wilt make all his Bed in his Sickness Nay the presence of his God makes him fearless in the gloomy Valley of the Shadow of Death Psal 23. 4. Though I walk through the Valley of the Shadow of Death I will fear no evil for thou art with me 10. Another good Consequent of Affliction is spiritualized Affections and a Conversation more in Heaven Saints are cast down by Affliction that they may rise with Christ and feel the Power of his Resurrection more That 's a lesson which every Rod is sent to teach Col. 3. 2. Set your Affection on things above and not on things which are upon the Earth The harder the Ball is flung to the ground it rebounds the higher when God flings a Saint down with a mighty Hand his Heart should rebound higher towards Heaven imitating those excellent and faithful Ones who confessed they were strangers and Pilgrims on the Earth who declared plainly they sought a better Countrey than any Countrey on Earth because they sought an Heavenly Countrey And God was not ashamed to be called their God for he prepared for them a City Heb. 11. 13 16. The Psalmist was very much helped towards Heaven by Chastisement Psal 73. 14. All the day long says he have I been plagued and chastned every Morning And though for a while Temptation prevailed yet at length his Thoughts and Eyes are fixed right upon that Glory promised to such as give up themselves to God and to be guided by his Counsel V. 23. 24. Nevertheless I am continually with thee thou hast holden me by my right Hand Thou shalt guide me with thy Counsel and afterward receive me to Glory Afflicted Saints study and endeavour to shew forth the Power and Vertue both of their Lord's Death and Rising again How profitable is it to Dye and to be Crucified with him to be Dead to the World and all the Evil of it And how Sweet and Pleasant is it to rise with him and by earnests and foretasts of Glory to sit with Him in Heavenly Places Eph. 2. 4 5 6. But God who is Rich in Mercy for the great Love wherewith he loved us Even when we were dead in Sin hath quickned us together with Christ by Grace ye are saved And hath raised us up together and made us sit together in Heavenly Places in Christ Jesus How great and good are these Consequents which follow upon Affliction I come in the last Place to the Application And shall begin with some Corollaries drawn from the Doctrine If Saints are afflicted for their good 1. Hence we may inferr Afflictions are not Sings of Gods hatred rather Tokens of his Love They are the Lot of the Righteous Psal 34. 19. Many are the Afflictions of the Righteous but the Lord delivereth them at length out of them all They are trained up under the Yoak and bearing it well is greatly beneficial Man is born unto Trouble as the sparks fly upward Troubles like sparks of Fire are innumerable which fill the few days of the Life of Man But those who are born again usually have more troubles than other men God cares for them Hedges up their way with Thorns which they may be afraid to break thorow into Paths which are destructive Hos 2. 6. Therefore behold I will Hedge up thy way with Thorns and make a wall that she shall not find her Paths Happy Saints in their Afflictions who have both a Thorny Hedge and also a wall between them and the broad Road which leads unto Eternal Perdition The Saints make an ill Comment upon their Afflictions when they say God cares not for them nor how he deals with them Several of them have born the Yoak in their Youth and have still carried it to their Graves It is said of One who lately died that upon his Death-bed being asked How long he had been ill made this Reply that he had been ill for fifty Years together Christ was a Man of Sorrows and yet the Son of Gods Love You may be very much beloved of God and yet be very much and often acquainted with griefs 2. Saints in their Afflictions should not be censured because afflicted Holy Job was stript naked and deprived of all that he had and was smitten in hiâ— Person from Head to Foot yet he was truly and eminently good and under all these Evils held fast his Righteousness and Integrity His Censorious Friends were blame-worthy in concluding him an Hypocrite because of his Sufferings He had a greater understanding in the things of God a sounder Judgment and more Grace in his Heart than they The excellent young Elihu spake right indeed when he pronounced Job a man to be justified as to his State Job 33. 32. But he blames him because in vindicating himself he spoke that which too much reflected upon God himself and therefore tells him Job 34. 23. That God will not lay upon any Man not upon the best of Men more than is Right that he should enter into Judgment with God But as for the other three Friends of Job who judged Job unsound in his Religion because of Gods heavy hand upon him they are very sharply rebuked The Lord owns his Servant whom they had so censured Job 42. 7. The Lord said to Eliphaz the Temanite my Wrath is kindled against thee and against thy two Friends for ye have not spoken of me the thing that is Right as my Servant Job And they are commanded to make use of Job as an Intercessour for them that they might not be dealt with according to their Folly To censure a Saint is ill but to censure him in Affliction and only because of Affliction is worse because this adds so much to his Affliction 3. There is no ground or reason for impatience in the Saints whatever Afflictions are their Exercise It may be a check to impatience to consider the very best have deserved worse a thousand-fold than ever they have suffered but the most effectual Remedy against Impatience is the Consideration of the Profit of Affliction Why should Saints repine and murmur at that which is so good for them When their Father is humbling purifying and healing of them when he is carrying on the good Work begun in them towards greater Perfection why should they count themselves hardly dealt with The Father of Spirits is not like the Fathers of our Flesh Will and Humour appears in their Corrections
but He gives not a blow but what is for his Childrens Profit Heb. 12. 10. And why should any be impatient at their being Profited and Advantaged Considering the blessed issue of the Saints Troubles they should be born with all thankfulness for sanctified Afflictions are great Promotions and hereby mighty advances are made in Heavens way 4. 'T is unreasonable for the Saints because of their Afflictions to question Divine Providence or to conclude that Religion is vain The Psalmist under the Rod and Temptation together was ready to draw such Conclusions Continued chastning made him to think of God and to speak of Religion unbecomingly and indeed impiously He was so foiled by the Tempter that his Feet were almost gone and 't was hard for him to recover strange kind of Language he utters Psal 73. 10 11 12 13 14. Therefore his People return hither and Waters of a full Cup are wrung out to them And they say how doth God know and is there Knowledge in the most high Behold these are the ungodly who prosper in the World they increase in Riches Verily I have cleansed my Heart in vain and washt my hands in Innocency for all the day long have I been plagued and chastned every Morning But at length the Psalmist comes to himself V. 15. If I say I will speak thus behold I should offend against the Generation of thy Children And he gives himself very bad Words but such as his yielding so far to that Temptation very well deserved V. 21 22. Thus my Heart was grieved and I was pricked in my Reins so foolish was I and ignorant I was as a beast before thee But he is cured of his brutishness and speaks like a Saint expressing desires after God above all things in Heaven and Earth concludes it good to draw near to God and rejoices in him as the Strength of his Heart and his Portion for ever Suppose a Saint never so much afflicted yet to be and continue a Saint is certainly good for him and a wise part in him Job when sitting upon the ground among the Ashes full of Boyls and Scraping himself with a Potsheard was still dear to God And so was Lazarus lying at the Rich mans Gate desiring to be fed with the Crumbs which fell from the Rich mans Table Saints under the greatest Troubles can't be miserable for God is Theirs and They are His still and these very Troubles do promote their Holiness and their Happiness 5. The Prosperity of the Wicked and their Freedom from Affliction should not raise the Saints Envy Saints are frequently tempted to envy the wicked their good things and sometimes this Envy has prevailed and has been their fault and failing it has proved their great both Sin and Torment Psal 73. 3. I was Envious at the Foolish when I saw the Prosperity of the Wiched That Caution is but needful Psal 37. 1. Fret not thy self because of evil doers neither be thou envious at the Workers of Iniquity For a man that is made wise to Salvation to be envious at the Foolish for a man that is enriched with Grace to be envious at the Workers of Iniquity because of their Prosperity there is no Reason at all for it Alas this Prosperity of theirs is greatly to their Prejudice and helps forward their Perdition Prov. 1. 32. The turning away or the ease of the simple shall slay them and the Prosperity of Fools shall destroy them And this Destruction is hastning and comes unexpectedly suddenly and so the more unavoidably upon them and 't wil be utter and Eternal Destruction Psal 73. 17 18 19. Until I went into the Sanctuary of God then understood I their End Surely thou didst set them in slippery places thou castest them down into Destruction How are they brought into Desolation as in a Moment they are utterly consumed with terrours The greatest Wealth and Glory of the Ungodly considering how soon 't will end and what will follow when it ends should not stir our Envy but rather our Pitty and Compassion for they walk in a vain shew full of vain Confidence till their Feet go down to Death and their steps take hold of Hell 6. To be Incorrigible under Affliction is inexcusable As 't is good for Saints to be afflicted so all should be bettered by Affliction 'T is a great Aggravation of Sin to smart and bleed and groan because of it and yet still to Love it If Saints are afflicted for their Good when Sinners are afflicted a great price is put into their hands which may be improved to an Eternal Advantage In Prosperity the Ungodly are usually hardned in Pride and Earthliness and Wickedness and Sensuality the Lord not rebuking them nor presently executing Sentence against their Evil Works they are apt to think Him altogether such an one as themselves Psal 50. 21. and that he dislikes Sin no more than they do Whereupon their Hearts are fully set in them to do Evil Eccles 8. 11. But when wicked Ones are visited with Troubles and they feel the smart of the Rod God is really very near them and if they would but cry to him with their Hearts how readily would he hear and turn them to himself and turn his anger away from them Jer. 31. 18. I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself thus Thou hast chastised me and I was chastised as a Bullock unaccustomed to the Yoak turn thou me and I shall be turned for thou art the Lord my God And according to his desire he was turned and instructed he obtained sure Mercy and became a dear Son a pleasant Child notwithstanding all his former foul Sins and reproachful Abominations V. 19 20. But when Sinners are smitten in vain and receive no Correction Nay like Ahaz in their Affliction trespass yet more this Argues a great Love to Sin and the more provokes the Lord to Jealousie and Indignation Judah was strangely fond of and wedded to their Idolatry and other Wickedness when the Sorest Judgments could not be a means to divorce them from it Jer. 5. 3. O Lord are not thine Eyes upon the Truth Thou hast smitten them but they have not grieved thou hast consumed them but they have refused to receive Correction they have made their Faces harder than a Rock they have refused to return 'T is the highth of Madness to be Sins Martyrs and not only to suffer trouble in this World but for the sake of it to venture burning in Hell for evermore 7. How great is the goodness of God who can make the Evil of Affliction to Work for good to his People 'T is the Physicians great art so to temper Poyson as to turn it into a powerful and wholesom Medicine What is Evil in it self and evil and Destructive to Nature God does make it become very good to the Saints and to further the work of Grace in them How securely may such a Gracious God be relied on who can make the worst things a Saint
behind will you be lavish of that time still will you lose any more Oh see the Wisdom of redeeming Time Eph. 5. 15 16. See then that ye walk circumspectly not as Fools but as wise redeeming the time because the days are evil And fear the loss of time 1 Pet. 1. 17. If ye call on the Father who without respect of Persons judgeth according to every mans work pass the time of your sojourning here in fear Be sure to lose no more for to lose all your time is most certainly to lose your selves and that for ever In the other World there is no obtaining Mercy by those who all the while they were in this World slighted Mercy There is no working out your own Salvation after death if all your Life-time Salvation be neglected 7. After Affliction be full of gratitude Holy Ingenuity and Love The Calves of your Lips most acceptable Sacrifices should be offered frequently nay continually with an enlarged Heart with a willing mind David was in danger of losing his Life among the Philistines God preserves it How Fruitful are his Lips in Praises Psal 34. 1 2 3 4. I will bless the Lord at all times his Praise shall continually be in my Mouth my Soul shall make her boast in the Lord the humble shall hear thereof and be glad Oh magnifie the Lord with me and let us exalt his Name together I sought the Lord and he heard me and delivered me from all my fears Hezekiah had been deliver'd from deadly Sickness he was raised by special Favour and Power when according to Nature Death was unavoidable Coming so unexpectedly and so quickly from a seeming Death-Bed to the Temple how does he make that Temple Ring with his Thanskgivings Isa 38. 17 19. Behold for Peace I had great bitterness but thou hast in love to my Soul deliver'd it from the Pit of Corruption thou hast cast all my Sins behind thy back The living the living he shall Praise thee as I do this day the Father to the Children shall make known thy Truth Not onely must your Mouths be fill'd with Praises but your Hearts with Love and Ingenuity should make you study what to render unto God Observe the working of the Psalmists grateful Breast after God had deliver'd his Soul from Death his Eyes from Tears and his Feet from falling Psal 116. 1. I love the Lord because he hath heard my Voice and my Supplication V. 3. The Sorrows of Death compassed me the Pains of Hell got hold upon me V. 5 6. Gracious is the Lord and Righteous yea our God is merciful I was brought low and he helped me V. 7. Return to thy rest O my Soul for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee V. 12. What shall I render to the Lord for all his Benefits towards me He thought nothing too good nothing too much for that God who had been so good to him who had done so much for him Still you should be contriving to make more suitable returns for what you have received and with your Praises and Service your Hearts and Love must be the Principal part of the returns you make Love lies in Desire and Delight no Mercies so desirable as the Father of Mercies God Himself is more to be delighted in than any of the Benefits he bestows Take heed of loving Deliverance more than your Deliverer Mercies themselves are Idolized and it provokes the Lord to Jealousie if they are prized and delighted in more than the Lord God of your Mercies Therefore the Psalmist though he valued Deliverance from Enemies and Trouble yet principally rejoices in God himself Psal 9. 2. I will be glad and rejoice in Thee I will Praise thy Name O thou most High Rejoice in God more than in the return of Health more than in the Prolongation of Life or any other Comfort and Enjoyment Mercies attain their end when God is more endeared to you by them God will be all in all in Heaven and the more he is your all at present the more of Heaven you enjoy on Earth 8. After Affliction be sensible you are not safe in your own Hands therefore commit the keeping of your Souls to God 1 Pet. 4. 19. Let them commit the keeping of their Souls to Him in well-doing as unto a Faithful Creator If you are indeed wise and know your selves you will distrust your selves Self-Confidence is an undeniable Argument of Self-Ignorance Trust your selves in no hands but those out of which none shall ever be able to pluck you and those are hands of Christ and the Father Joh. 10. 27 28 29. My Sheep hear my Voice and I know them and they follow me and I give unto them Life Eternal and they shall never perish neither shall any pluck them out of my hand My Father which gave them me is greater than All and none is able to pluck them out of my Fathers hand Not onely in the Hour and Agony of Death but all your lives long every Day and Hour you have need still to be commending your Spirits unto God for they are safe with none besides Psal 31. 5. Into thy hands do I commit my Spirit thou hast redeemed me O Lord God of Truth USE IV. Of Counsel more peculiarly to Saints who are afflicted Shew your selves to be Saints indeed and let your Graces now be much in Exercise Spices beaten in the Mortar are the more Fragrant Afflicted Saints should manifest a rare and excellent Spirit but no Dissatisfaction or Discontent considering the Truth of this Doctrine that they are afflicted for their good You that are Saints in your Troubles you need Counsel and 't is not to be doubted but you will heed it I shall give it in these particulars 1. Be Patient whatever your Affliction is That God whom you serve is patient towards Man has been patient towards you how many affronts and Provocations has he born put up and pardoned The Lord Jesus Christ was a Pattern of Patience and Meekness When he was reviled of Men he reviled not again when he suffered he threatned not 1 Pet. 2. 23. Nay many had Life by his Blood who imbrued their hands in that Blood and shed it And when it Vivificatâ—â— Christi sanguine etiam qui fudit sanguinem Christi Talis est Christi ac tanta patientia quae nisi talis existeret Paulum quoque Apostolum Ecclesia non haberet Cypr. de bono Patientiae p. mihi 316. pleased his Father to bruise him and to put him to grief yet as a Lamb brought to the slaughter and as a Sheep before her Shearers is dumb so he opened not his Mouth Isa 53. 7. The Members of the Body should imitate Christ the Head in Patience It may be an Inducement to a quiet bearing of Affliction that far worse has been demerited by the very best than is endured Ezr. 9. 13. Thou our God hast punished us less than our Iniquities deserve But the Benefit of Affliction proves that Patience
is a Grace with a great deal of Reason in it for who can rationally take it ill when good comes to them and spiritual kindnesses which are the most real kindnesses are done them I have demonstrated the good of Affliction to the Saints I shall now demonstrate the good of Patience Patience is your great Security and makes you to keep Possession of your Selves Luk. 21. 19. In your Patience possess ye your Souls A Patient man whatever he loses whatever he suffers is still himself not discomposed not distracted and hurried away from the Conduct and Satisfaction of that Holy Wisdom and the Grace of God which is in Him By Patient Continuance in well-doing and by patient Suffering rather than he will cease in well-doing his Soul is safe and shall never be lost for he that endures to the end the same shall be saved Mat. 24. 13. And in what a calm has he Possession of his own Spirit when his outward Condition is most Stormy and Tempestuous He has cast Anchor within the Vail and that Anchor is sure and stedfast Heb. 6. 19. Keeps his Mind from Fluctuation and tossing too and fro Patience is the Souls Garrison and preserves it in that Peace which neither Earth nor Hell are able to disturb Patience is that which makes you perfect Jam. 1. 4. But let Patience have its perfect work that ye may be perfect and entire wanting nothing The more there is of Christian Patience and Strength to persevere both in Active and Passive Obedience which God calls you to 't is an Argument you are arrived to the greater Degree of Perfection in Grace and Holiness And besides this Patience will make you less concerned at those Wants which to impatient Creatures are so sensible an Affliction He that is very Patient under Sickness may truly be said not so much to want health He that is Patient under Poverty does not so much want Riches The Christian is not disturbed at the want of those things which he can be contentedly without Patience made the Apostle go through great variety of Conditions with a most even and composed Mind and Spirit 2 Cor. 6. 4 8 9 10. In all things approving our selves as the Ministers of God in much Patience in Affliction in Necessities in Distresses By Honour and Dishonour by evil Report and good Report as deceivers and yet true as unknown and yet well known as dying and behold we live as chastned and not kill'd as sorrowful yet always rejoycing as Poor yet making many Rich as having nothing and yet possessing all things Patience very well becomes you considering the Relation you stand in to God who is a Father too Good and Wise to give to any of his Children a just ground for unsubmission things cannot be ordered better or with more Wisdom than He orders them The compliance of your Wills with His will be a great evidence that you are renewed in the Spirit of your Minds and that you have the new Heart promised in the new Covenant And this Patience of yours being manifested in whatever you feel from the Hand of God or Man will be a great Credit to Religion and a Conviction to the World that there is a great Efficacy in the Truth of the Gospel and in the Grace of God which can carry you so far beyond the Strength of Nature * Patientia est quae nos Deo commendat servat Ipsa est quae iram temperat quae linguam fraenat quae mentem gubernat pacem custodit incendium simultatis extinguit coercet potentiam divitum inopiam pauperum refovet facit humiles in prosperis in adversis fortes contra injurias contumelias mites tentationes expugnat persecutiones tolerat passiones martyria consummat Cyprian De Patientiae bono pag. mihi 319. Finally Patience will make and keep you acceptable to God it will restrain Anger and every other disturbing Passion it will bridle the Tongue keep the Spirit under Rule and Government it will extinguish Contention and keep Peace from being broken It will be coercive of the Power of the Rich and it will refresh the neediness of the Poor It will make you humble in the height of Prosperity so strong as not to faint in the depth of Adversity it will make you mild against the greatest injuries it will break the force of Temptation and fortifie you against Persecution though it should rise so high as Martyrdom Let all this perswade you to the exercise of this admirable Grace of Patience and see that it fail not in Affliction Cry to the Lord for the increase of it and that nothing may be too hard or heavy for it He is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The God of Patience and Consolation the more Patience is wrought in you you are likely to Experience the greater Comfort 2. You that are afflicted Saints Pray that your Faith may be so far from failing that it may continually be increasing Faith is a Grace of great Necessity and Use the Christian lives by Faith he sees by Faith he stands by Faith he works by Faith and is kept through Faith unto Salvation In Affliction Faith is the Saints mighty support for Faith bears hard upon the Faithfulness of God which will never fail God is faithful not onely in giving the good things he has promised but also in vouchsafing Correction which he sees 't is needful The Psalmist speaks thus I have believed therefore have I spoken I was greatly afflicted Psal 116. 10. The greatness of Affliction hindred not the Acting of his Faith but his Faith hindred his fainting under the greatest Affliction Psal 27. 13. I had fainted unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the Land of the living God may be trusted in though he hides his face though there are rebukes and frowns in his Countenance God may be trusted in though his ways are Dark and Cloudy and his Hand heavy Nay Holy Job says Though he slay me yet will I trust in him Job 13. 15. Though the Providence of God seems hardly reconcileable with his Promises but looks as if it thwarted his Promises this is onely Deceptio visus the Eyes mistake Let Faith believe what Sense cannot discern and Sense will be forced at last to grant that Faith was in the right In all Afflictions God is making good his Everlasting Covenant which is well ordered in all things and sure he is still pursuing his design of Mercy towards his People and promoting the Work of Grace and Salvation Believe this and rest satisfied onely let desires be strong that what God designs in sending Affliction may be attained and that his Discipline may be to good effect and purpose 3. You afflicted Saints give Glory to God who afflicts you Here you must know that God is of none but of himself his Perfections undenied He is unchangeable no Addition can be made to his Essential Excellency or his Blessedness As all that