dangerous as if you being conscious to your self dare yet joyn with them if you deceive the Church herein God may justly avenge himself of you it may cost you your life Revel 2. 9. I know the blasphemy of them that say they are Jews and are not It is by God accounted blasphemy for any to say they are Jews and are not to make profession of godliness and not to be godly is blasphemy Surely then it is not sufficient to be with Israel but we must be of Israel not to be a Jew outwardly but a Jew inwardly so as God may own you in the last day when there shall be a narrow search who are the true people of God that then you may be found to be such indeed it will be a dreadful thing for any of you that now seem to be of Gods people and that have lived amongst the sheep if you should be found amongst the goats standing at the left hand when you shall see others of Gods people stand at the right hand looking upon you and say Yonder is one who lived with us and we could never discover him to be an hypocrite though sometimes we had jealousies of him there he stands now he is discovered therefore approve your selves to be of the true Israel of God Quest But who is a true Israelite Answ Such a one as can approve to his own heart an inward effectual call of God calling him out of the world as well as an outward call by the Ordinances such a one as hath testimony to his own spirit that he is separated set apart for God that he hath an inward sanctification of the holy Ghost such a one as in whose spirit there is no guile this is a true Israelite indeed Secondly if it be such a great blessing to be joyned in union and communion with the people of God hence labor to bless God for this great blessing that is such an amiable desireable condition it is your heaven upon earth that mercy that should sweeten all other mercies yea that should sweeten your afflictions to you Gods holy mountain Isaiah 57. 13. is promised as an inheritance opposed to vanity and promised as the blessing upon trusting in the Lord Vanity shall take them but he that putteth his trust in me shall inherit my holy mountain Let us not enjoy the world in all their vanity but bless we our selves in our God let us rejoyce in our inheritance the mountain of the Lord. Though we beg our bread says Luther is it not made up with this That we are fed with the bread of Angels with eternal life Christ and the Sacraments c We have cause to bless God that we might be with Gods people though in caves and woods and banished from all we have much more cause to bless God when we can be with them thus publiquely and peaceably and can go from Gods house to our own houses and have communion there this is the rest that the Land of Canaan did typifie for which the name of God is to be mganified God might so have left us that we should have had communion onely with the prophane ones and drunkards yea we might have been cast out from God to have had communion onely with reprobates and that now we may have communion with the godly it is a wonderful mercy Rev. 14. we read of Christ standing upon the Mount Zion and having so many people standing up to joyn with him in Church-fellowship for that is the meaning of that place there they were rejoycing at the mercy of the Lord that they were upon the Mount with the Lamb though there might be time when our Harps hanged upon the Willows yet if we be called to the Lamb upon Mount Zion Let us have our Harps in our hands Is there nothing in the delight that God hath in his people and the presence of God with his people and the great priviledges they have to raise our hearts to praise the Lord and let it not be verbally but really As namely thus Is it that we are Gods delight let him be our delight if we be his treasure let him be our treasure if we be his portion let him be our portion if he communicates choice mercies to us let us give choice endeavors to him if he gives us protection let us protect his truths and name if he honor us let us give him his honor And so I slip into a third particular which is a third branch of this exhortation 3. If there be so much excellency in communion with the people of God you that are such take heed you do not darken that excellency that God hath put in communion with his people there are three ways especially that darkens this excellency First if we rest in any Church-priviledge we have and make that to be our Religion and the strength of our spirits be let out about these things we enjoy more then others so as we begin to decline in the savour and power of godliness if others that knew us before when we had not those priviledges and mercies that we have now shall say What good is to be had there I knew such and me thinks they had more savour and relish in the ways of God then now more sweetness and warmth to be had in their company then now there is Take heed of this of giving occasion to any to say so It is a very evil and a dangerous thing to rest in Church-priviledges to make all our Religion to consist in being in a Church-way we may have this revealed to us and yet little of Heaven revealed There were two vails of the Tabernacle one covered the Holy of Holies the other the place where the Priests entred it may be we have had the first opened to us but yet the second which leads to the Holy of Holies may still be vailed Many whose hearts are very carnal may be much for Church-Ordinances We have in the 24. of Ezekiel ver 21 22. seven several expressions of carnal hearts prising Church-priviledges First they accounted them their strength Secondly the excellency of their strength Thirdly the desire of their eyes Fourthly that which their souls pitied Fifthly their glory Sixthly the joy of their glory Seventhly that whereupon they set their mindes What a noise did they make about the Temple of the Lord The Temple of the Lord The Temple of the Lord Ier. 7. 4. and yet they were carnal Take heed therefore you rest not in the Church-priviledges by this you will deceive your selves and darken the excellency of this blessed communion Secondly take heed of darkning this by any scandalous way as those do who profess themselves to be the people of God and yet by their wretched ways of sensualities or any other ways are a scandal unto Gods people this is an evil and a bitter thing Christ walks amongst the golden candlesticks Every Church should be a golden candlestick holding forth light in
and said He that could save others let him come down and save himself Again consider the great mercy of God in concealing the secret sins of your thoughts there are none let them be never so innocent in the world yet there is so much filth and baseness within the heart that if God should but turn the inside outward and discover all to the world certainly it would make them ashamed of the society of men make them ashamed to come into the Congregation what confusion and what matter of reproach would there be then Now seeing God in his goodness favors his people so far as he keeps in much secret evil that he could discover before the world if he should withdraw himself a little from you he could let you fall into such sins as your secret sins should be discovered but God favors your names so as that he hath kept in that secret evil that you have had secret inclinations unto now the consideration of Gods goodness in tendring you so far may very well quiet your hearts when you begin to be troubled for every reproach that is cast upon you Now I see my adversaries are fain to watch and search and pry for occasion of reproach God might have given them matter enough and therefore its mercy they have such little matter as they have It is a great work of nature to keep the filth of the body when it is in a man from being unsavory unto others so the filth of the soul though it be unsavory to God yet it is Gods mercy that keeps it from that unsavoriness that it might be to men Fifthly consider how much reproach the name of God hath endured for your sakes and is it so great a matter for your names to be reproached for his sake It is a notable speech Chrysostom hath That for us and for our life our Lord should be blasphemed is worse then if we perished Hath not the name of God been reproached for your sakes not onely in the time of your ignorance but since have there not been occasion given by you to cause others to reproach the name of the blessed God and if God comes to you in your names do you take it so ill Again consider who those are that do reproach you and for what it is It is the speech of an Ancient That a reproacher is beneath a man but the reproached that bear it well are equal to the Angels The Hebrew word that signifies scorners hath many other significations which set out the vileness the dangerous evil there is in a scornful spirit the Seventy besides that of scorning have five other words to shew the signification of it as first 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the first Psalm in the chair of scorners they translate it by a word that signifies the plague in the chair of plagues because scorners are a plague to the place where they live and do infect many a second word that they use to express it by is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Prov. 20. 1. which signifies incorrigible that which cannot be tamed because scorners are such Wine is a scorner res indomita an unruly thing that cannot be tamed because it makes men to be so and so are scorners there is little hope of such Thirdly sometimes they translate it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Prov. 9. 12. as such as are given up to all kinde of vice and so are scorners And fourthly by a word that signifies proud 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Prov. 3. 34. for such likewise are scorners Fifthly by a word that signifies to deal unjustly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psal 119. 51. because scorners are injurious Thus you see what kinde of men those who scorn and reproach the ways and professors of Religion are But besides they are especially such as have been brought up superstitiously or prophanely such as have been bred in superstitious Popish families are many times bitter scorners and reproachers of those who are most forward in the ways of godliness We read 2 Kings 2. 23. when Elisha went to Bethel there came forth little children out of the city and mocked him and said unto him Go up thou bald head go up thou bald head that is observable they came out of Bethel which was that idolatrous city in Israel where the Calf of Jeroboam was set up that place was full of scorners at the Prophets of the Lord you may know the temper of the place by the disposition of the little children they usually heard their parents and those who were elder scorn at the Prophets of the Lord they were brought up in that way and because it was at Bethel the curse of God was the rather upon their children to destroy them although they were but children yet two and forty of them were presently destroyed Hosea 7. 5. we read of those who were elder the great ones in that City even Jeroboam himself and his Courtiers what scorners they were In the day of our King the Princes have made him sick with bottles of wine he stretched out his hand with the scorners The Princes Nobles Officers great ones of the Countrey jeered and scorned at those who would not yield to that way of worship that Jeroboam had set up namely of the Calves O they must be so precise as no worship will serve their turn but going up to Jerusalem to worship there such as ventured the loss of their estates their offices their liberties they accounted them fools and reproached them as a company of simple silly people And as superstition is a cause of this so prophaneness and sensuallity causeth it likewise that is observable in the forenamed place of Hosea when he was made sick with wine then he streched out his hand with scorners when wicked men pamper themselves with good cheer and their hearts are hot with wine then they scorn at Religion and reproach such as are more strict and forward then others blessing themselves in the brave life they live contemning the ways of godliness and the professors of them as such who want those brave delights they enjoy and in regard of that they scorn at and reproach the ways of God and his people at those times Psalm 35. 16. with hypocritical mockers in feasts they gnashed upon me with their teeth the most cruel scornful reproaches against the Saints are at feasts That place is observable Deut. 32. 33 34. Their wine is the poyson of dragons and the cruel venom of asps because of the bitterness of their spirits against those who are godly when they are at their cups but mark what follows Is not this laid up in store and sealed up among my treasures to me belongeth vengeance and recompence their foot shall slide in due time God will remember this it is laid up in store with him it is surely sealed up and shall certainly be brought forth one day And yet further Who are your reproachers They are those that
happiness at all but besides it hath a kinde of infinite capacity whereby it is made capable of the highest happiness that belongs to the capacity of a Creature and certainly God hath not made this in vain God does intend to fill this capacity You will say An infinite capacity of happiness how is that Thus for there are two things in the rational part of man his understanding and his will now the capacity of this part must be judged according to the objects that are suitable unto these two faculties in mans soul For the understanding it is not any particular thing that is the object of it but truth in general take truth in the utmost latitude of it in the universality of it that is the object of mans understanding and therefore the understanding is infinite because it is not satisfied in this or that particular but truth in the utmost extent And for the object of the will it is good in the general it is not this or that particular good but good in the universality of its nature and therefore till it come to enjoy God that does eminently contain all good in him it can never come to have full satisfaction And here observe the difference between the capacity of mans nature and the capacity of other Creatures as for other Creatures their faculties can extend no further then some particular good and they are limited within the narrow bounds of their own nature and therefore if so be the eye have colour it goes no further and if the ear have sound it goes no further and so taste it goes no further then some particular good but the intelligent soul the rational soul goes beyond all particulars Now God having made mans nature of such a capacity for good and happiness certainly God intends great things for the children of men other maner of things then there are in this world and if for any surely for the righteous Thirdly surely there is a reward because it is the great design that God had in the making of the world in all his works to lift up and advance the glory of the riches of his mercy and grace now if this be Gods great design to advance the glory of his infinite mercy then certainly there must needs be a glorious condition for some of the children of men for that is not yet done though there be something of Gods mercy manifested that we have cause to admire at yet certainly God does not reveal that in the world whereby he should attain to the great design of lifting up of the glory of his great Name Fourthly the chief of the deep infinite counsels of God and the works of his wisdom that have been from all eternity have been and are yet exercised about this especially namely to bring mankinde to his eternal estate and to communicate unto the children of men that glory that he hath appointed for them that it might be in the most glorious way that can be now if God have set his infinite wisdom on work from all eternity about this namely what might be the most glorious way of communication of himself in the riches of his goodness unto mankinde certainly when this comes to pass that God should communicate himself as much as he does intend it must be infinitely glorious certainly there are great things and glorious things to be communicated hereafter Fifthly the power of God hath been already exercised in subserviency to other attributes of his to make known his wisdom and his bounty and his general goodness the power of God have been wonderfully manifested in the works of creation and providence now certainly the power of God is as well to be put forth in a way of subserviency unto his grace and mercy now if there be such a time as Gods infinite power is to be let out and work unto that end that it might be subservient unto the infiniteness of his mercy then certainly there are glorious and great things to be revealed and made known Sixthly certainly there are glorious and great things for mankinde in that God hath raised the nature of man unto such a heighth as he hath done in Christ namely to unite mans nature unto himself unto the second person of the Trinity and that with the nearest union that possibly can be namely an hypostatical union certainly then God intends great things for the children of men for that nature that is one person with the Divine nature This is such a great work of God as all other of the works of God are darkned in the honor of this great work Seventhly the great purchase that Jesus Christ hath made in that he hath been content to leave so much glory certainly this was to purchase great glory and in that he was content to be made a curse for mans-sin and to shed his blood and to give his life for man surely this was not onely to purchase outward comforts in the world it was to purchase higher things and therefore great must needs be the fruit of the purchase of the blood of Christ and therefore great are the things that are to be revealed hereafter Eighthly there are in Scripture many glorious promises which yet are not fulfilled abundant rich and glorious promises that have infinite treasures of good in them there must be a time of fulfilling of them all to the utmost extent of them and therefore certainly there are great things to be revealed hereafter Thy word O Lord is setled for ever in Heaven Psal 119. 89. Ninthly the great things that God hath done for his enemies is a demonstration that there is a glorious condition for Gods people afterward in that God hath filled their bellies with his hid treasure what treasures hath God to fill the souls of his own people with when as he does fill the bellies of the wicked whom he does intend to cast out as accursed Tenthly it appears there are great things for the people of God hereafter because of the great hopes that are wrought in the hearts of Gods servants by the power of the Holy Ghost Now surely such hopes as are wrought by the power of the Holy Ghost they must attain unto glorious things Rom. 15. 13. Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing that you may abound in hope through the power of the Holy Ghost the hope of Gods people is that which is not onely wrought by the Holy Ghost but by the power of the Holy Ghost and such an hope as God is pleased to stile himself the God of this hope and therefore certainly glorious things are to be revealed Another demonstration is this the very natures and excellency of grace is to take off our hearts from these present things in the world and from all the good that is here in the creature God does give grace for this end now then I reason thus if the chief excellency
the use of it too 2. The Apostle Saint Iames Cap. 1. 6. calls for joy in both conditions Let the brother of high degree rejoyce when he is abased and the brother of low degree in that he is exalted it seems we are not fit for sufferings and therefore our present condition is a mercy Thirdly seeing God spares us so much from sufferings and calls us not to such passive obedience as formerly he hath called his servants let us therefore labor to be more abundant in active obedience in giving God the glory of that peace and many liberties and those comforts that we do enjoy which we might have been deprived of by the malice of men let our strength now be employed for God in doing service which might have been spent in suffering the rage of man yea might have been spent in bearing the wrath of God himself O how much better is it that we have it to spend it in doing service for God in an active way for his praise and our own comfort The more peace and outward comforts the more service is due to God It is observable that Solomons Altar was four times as big as Moses's We read Exod. 27. 1. That Moses was to make an Altar five cubits long and five broad and three high but Solomon made an Altar twenty cubits long and twenty cubits broad Moses was in the wilderness in an unsetled condition full of troubles Solomon on his Throne in a peaceable condition full of prosperity as our peace and prosperity is more then others so our service should be more then theirs and that in a due proportion Salvian writing about the condition of Gods people in their suffering of affliction answers an Objection which some might make But we do not live under persecuting Emperors as formerly Christians did To that he says By how much the less they were in their passive obedience by so much the more they should be in their active obedience God is content says he that our peace should serve him that we should please him in the purity of actions undefiled in the holiness of a life unspotted by so much the more is our faithfulness and devotion indebted to him because he requires of us smaller things and hath granted greater things unto us and therefore seeing Princes are Christians there is no persecution Religion is not disturbed we are not compelled to manifest the proof of our faith by harder tryals we ought so much the more to please the Lord in inferior duties He instanceth in divers particulars as Christ says he commands us not to strive and contend with one another but rather to put up wrong let us obey him in this seeing he frees us from such great and dreadful miseries which others have suffered before us Again Christ would have us do that to others which we would have others do to us let us obey him in this He commands us by his Apostle that we should not seek that which is our own but every one seek the good of another he requires of us to love our enemies and to take heed of the occasions of evil c. Although duties be never so hard to flesh and blood yet let us set upon them It was an excellent speech of Eusebius Emesenus Our forefathers did strive against sharp piercing griefs let us be willing to strive against the most excellent pleasures They overcame the torments of the flames let us overcome the fiery darts of vices Fourthly let us take heed of the least froward murmuring and repining at little crosses that sometime we meet withal What are we discontented at such small afflictions at such light things when as others our betters have suffered such hard such grievous such lamentable things that our hearts do ake at the very hearing of What is our flesh better then theirs that we must have ours so pampered when as theirs was so grievously tormented How far are you from resisting unto blood O what an unworthy thing is this in Christians to vex and fret at every small cross when they read and hear what others have suffered before them all our troubles are but as the slivers and chips of that cross upon which they have been crucified Fifthly be willing to abate somewhat of your delight in the creature that you do enjoy do not give liberty to your selves to satisfie your selves to the full Is it seemly that when Gods choice Servants have suffered and still do suffer such hard things that you should delight and rejoyce to the utmost in giving content unto the flesh You know how it was with Uriah while the Ark and his Lord Joab was in the field he would not go down to his house to solace himself there Josephus de bello Iudaico lib. 6. reports of Titus when he had by his conquest brought the Jews into miserable extremities that some of the Priests petitioning him for their lives he commanded them to be slain saying they were of degenerous mindes that they desired to live when their people and Religion suffered so much as it did Titus a Heathen judged thus of them of what degenerous mindes then are those who not onely desire to live but to live in pomp in bravery in giving liberty to themselves in all sensual delights in abating nothing of their carnal contentments when they see and hear of the Churches of God suffering grievous things brought unto lamentable straights under the burthen of most heavy and sore afflictions The like we finde related of Anchises Aeneas his father when Aeneas would have saved his life Far be it from me says he that I should desire to live when Troy suffers that it does Absit ut excisa possim supervivere Troia Far then be it from us to desire to live diliciously when not Troy but the Churches of God suffer such things as they do It is reported of Alexander that being in extream thirst when a little water was offered to him he thought it a hard thing and not Princely for him alone to quench his thirst when others in his Army had not wherewithal to abate theirs wherefore he gives back again the cup with this speech saying I cannot bear to drink alone and here is not enough to divide amongst the rest Sixthly let us learn to be compassionate towards them that do suffer while the bowels of others are torn out by the rage of men let the bowels of our compassions work towards them let us be even in bonds with those that are bound in all our peace liberties and comforts let us remember them let us pray for them and as much as we are able relieve them and help to bear their burthens Seventhly let us lay hold upon our opportunities of peace and liberties that we do enjoy to edifie our selves in our most holy faith let us make use of our peace to prepare us for the times of affliction which God may call us unto This was the care of
hot and strong afflictions When men are in a swound we use to nip and pinch them and strike them and cast cold water upon their faces Gods strokes and the cold water of afflictions being sanctified by him recover many from spiritual swounds many who have so far decayed in their spiritual vigor and activeness that they have seemed to be even dead yet they have been recovered this way Job 36. 15. God opens their ears in oppression many mens ears are clogged up with the world but when God gives them up for a while to the oppressions of men then their ears are opened It is good for me saith David that I was afflicted for before I went astray but now have I learned thy word In the 2. Hosea God threatens the Church to strip her naked and to set her as in the day that she was born and to make her as a wilderness to hedge her way with thorns and thus the Lord did to that Church but mark what he says shal be the fruit of all verse 7. Then shall she say I will go and return unto my first husband for then was it better with me then it is now When Absolom sent for Joab once and again yet he came not unto him until Absolom caused his corn fields to be set on fire and then he comes God speaks and calls to his people who are grown secure once and again but they neglect God until God comes with the fire of afflictions and then they come Afflictions are like the prick at the Nightingales brest that awakes her and puts her upon her sweet and delightful singing Gulielmus Parisensis saith of Musk when it hath lost its sweetness if it be put into the sink amongst filth it recovers it this he applyed to decayed grace in the times of afflictions in afflictions it revives and recovers Ninthly afflictions are of great use to mortifie lusts to purge out filth and corruption Isa 27. 9. By this shall the iniquity of Jacob be purged and this is all the fruit thereof When Physitians purge the body they purge out that which is good as well as that which is evill but when God purges in the sanctified use of afflictions he onely purges out the evil this is all the fruit thereof As Aloes kills worms so do bitter afflictions crauling lust in the heart Cold and hard winters do destroy much vermine which otherwise would be very noisom so cold and hard afflictions vermine lusts Violent storms and thunder clear the air strong afflictions clarifie the heart by them we are as it were poured from vessel to vessel from whence the ill savour of our heart-distempers comes to be taken away Ier. 48. 11. Foul and stained cloathes are made white by laying abroad in cold frosty nights so the defiled heart Salt marshes purge rank humours so do the saltness of afflictions rank lusts Men let their armour lye rusting by them in the time of peace but in the time of war they scour all bright to make fit for service so mens hearts in the time of peace grow foul but in times of trouble they are then cleansed It is a great mercy to have the act of sin hindered afflictions are very useful for this and therefore Hosea 2. 6. they are as you heard called a hedge of thorns whereby the ways to sin are hedged up but to have the inward lusts mortified this is a greater good All the Prophets preachings could not purge the Jews from idolatry so as the Babylonish captivity it is observed never since that time have idols been found amongst them Tenthly Gods people are often in an afflicted condition as chastisements for their sins they bring many evils upon themselves by their loose walkings by their indiscretions by their pride by their selfseeking by their forwardness by their wilfulness and worldliness God chastens even whom he loves the Apostle tells the Corinthians that they were chastened of the Lord that they might not be condemned with the world Those whom God would never condemn yet he will chasten God will have his children feel something of the evil of their sins and will have them and others see how displeasing sin is to him in the fruits of his displeasure upon those who are his beloved ones who are exceeding dear and precious in his eyes because the Lord is careful of his honour therefore if his children sin he will chastise them hence the Greek word for chastisement signifies care of honour GODS children may come to be children under anger though not children of wrath yea God usually holds a more strict hand over his people then over any he quickly brings them under the rod when he lets other go on and rot in their sins yet he comes not upon his children as a revenging Judge to destroy the person for the sins sake but as a gracious Father to destroy the sin for the persons sake he is angry that they have sinned but especially angry that they might sin no more Eleventhly that which God ayms at in the afflictions of his people is to make them conformable to Christ their head that they may enter into their glory as Christ did into his Ought he not to suffer these things and so to enter into his glory Luke 24. 26. We read of S. Paul Phil. 3. 10. that he earnestly desired to be partaker of the fellowship of Christs sufferings and to be conformable to his death God will have a conformity to the death of his Son We read of Godfrey of Bulloin that he would not be crowned in Jerusalem with a crown of gold where Christ was crowned with a crown of thorns because he would not have such a great disproportion between him and Christ It is reported of Origen when Alexander Severus the Emperor sent for him he appearing to be meanly cloathed there were divers costly garments prepared for him and sent to him but he refused them and when he came near to Rome there was a Mule and a Chariot sent for him that he might choose which liked him best but he refused them likewise and would not go in pomp to the Emperor saying He was less then his Master Christ of whom he never read that he rode but once Twelfthly the afflictions of Gods people are in just judgement a rock of offence and a stumbling block to the ungodly Christ in regard of the afflictions that attend the profession of the Gospel is said to be a rock of offence and so appointed for the fall of many Luke 2. 34. How many thousands perish because they are offended at the mean afflicted persecuted estate of Christ in this life Thy heart is set upon vanity and outward pomp this persecuted estate of godliness is thy stumbling block at which God in his wrath lets thee stumble that thou mightest fall break thy neck and perish for ever hence is that speech of Christ Blessed are they that are not offended in me O
it s a great mercy of God not to let this be a stumbling block it is a mercy that God grants but to a few here and there a poor soul who is able to see the beauty and glory of godliness through all the dark clouds of troubles afflictions persecutious that attend it but for the generality of men this is that which hides the glory of it from them unto their everlasting perdition Lastly Gods people are here afflicted that Christ in them and they in Christ may in the conclusion of all be the more glorified First in the overcoming of all evils in the final destruction of all their enemies Secondly in their happiness after so many evils endured the bitterness of foregoing grief commends the sweetness of following joys Thirdly their afflictions work to the encrease of their glory 2 Cor. 4. 18. Our light afflictions work for us an exceeding weight of glory Gordius that blessed Martyr whom St. Basil so much commends in an Oration of his accounted it a loss to him not to suffer many kindes of tortures he says that tortures are but tradings with God for glory Tertullian hath an expression to that purpose The greater the combates the greater are the following rewards Bernard says of persecuters that they are but his Fathers goldsmiths who are working to adde pearls to the crowns of the Saints The seeds of happiness are sown in the deep furrows of affliction and the deeper the furrows are the more precious are the seeds that are there sown and the more glorious and plentiful will the harvest be When a curious glorious picture is to be drawn the grounds use to be laid in black but not in dirt so our grounds may be laid here in afflictions but let them not be laid in sin Here then we see that although afflictions are a bitter root yet there spring from them fair flowers and pleasant fruit no marvel then though God hath a hand in ordering things so that his people should be in such an afflicted condition in this world from Gods determining things to be thus let us learn CHAP. VII What use we should make of Gods ordering his people to an afflicted condition FIrst that our rest is not here in this world let us not promise to our selves any such matter let us not seek it here the promise will not bear it the promise will bear no further then that we should have onely so much of the things of this world as shall be sutable to our condition That which the Prophet speaks in another case Micah 2. 10. we may apply to all the things and places of the world Arise here is not your rest this is not the place this is not the time here are not the things that God hath appointed for our rest this is the place and time for troubles and sorrows and afflictions our warfare is here No man in his warfare will build himself a strong and sumptuous house in the field if we seek for our rest here we mistake as if a man floating upon the waves of the sea upon a board after shipwrack should think to lie down and sleep and settle himself there or as a bird should build her nest in a bush floating in the midst of the waves of the sea God says Bernard hath not cast man out of Paradise for him to think to finde out another Paradise in this world no man is born to labour Why do you seek the living amongst the dead why do you seek for living comforts where you must expect to dye daily It is only Heaven that is above all winds storms and tempests rest must be after labour our rest is the crown of our labour to seek it here is to seek it preposterously and Why do you require that in one place says S. Ambrose which is due in another Why would you preposterously have the crown before you have overcome Imagine the most setled condition you can in this world and although you had it yet it were but vanity so says the Psalmist Psal 39. 5. Man in his best estate is vanity the word is in the Original in his setled estate he is vanity not onely vain but vanity it self It was a heavy charge that S. James cap. 5. laid upon some that they lived in pleasure upon earth as if he should have said earth is not the place for pleasure this is the place of sorrow of trouble of mourning of affliction Thus Abraham charged Dives In your life time says he you had your pleasure the emphasis lies there in your life time that should not have been the time let us take heed we be not too hasty in seeking our rest our pleasure and delight we may perhaps have a little for the while to the flesh and because we will not be content with that condition that God hath appointed for his people here we may lose our parts in that glorious eternal rest which God hath prepared for his people hereafter Seek for that which ye do namely for rest but do not seek for it where ye do if we seek our rest in this world notwithstanding we meet with so many troubles in it what would we do if the Lord should let us prosper Behold saith an Ancient the world is troublesome and yet it is loved what would it be if it were peaceable you embrace it though it be filthy what would you do if it were beautiful you cannot keep your hands from the thorns how earnest would you be then in gathering the flowers Secondly hence it appears that prosperity is not always a sign of love and favor from God Rome makes it a note of the true Church if that were so then the Egyptians were in a righter way then the Israelites the Philistims the Ammonites the Midianites and afterward the Babylonians and the Persians might have pleaded that their gods were true gods and to be worshipped rather then the God of Israel and when the ten Tribes broke off from Judah and yet often prevailed against Judah and were more prosperous they might have pleaded that they were in the right that their worshipping of God was more accepted then that which was at Jerusalem And afterwards the Heathens might have pleaded this argument against the Christians and thus indeed they did as we finde in the 30. Epistle of Ambrose he answers to one Symmachus a great man who pleaded strongly against the Christians and for the maintenance of Idols by this argument saying That they prospered and flourished more in worshipping of their gods then the Christians did in the worshipping of theirs Certainly the ancient godly Fathers could not have heard this argument of outward prosperity of outward pomp and glory in the world pleaded as a sign of the true Church and of Gods love but with much indignation How cross is this to Scripture where we finde the estate of Gods people hath usually been a
if he should say Do you know whom you serve You serve the Lord the high and mighty and glorious and infinite God and therefore you had need be fervent in spirit do that you do with all your might and power for it is for that God that will do such great things for you As David when he danced before the Ark he did it with all his might Michol not knowing his meaning scorned him in her heart but says he It was before the Lord that chose me before your Fathers house that hath bestowed such mercies upon me and will bestow more mercies and if this be to be vile I will be more vile Carnal hearts cannot endure earnestness and fervency in Gods service as the wilde beasts cannot endure fire so beastly carnal spirits cannot endure fire fervency and zeal in Gods ways but suppose they should oppose you for fervency in Gods ways you might answer them If this be to be vile I will be more vile It is for that God that hath done great things for me and that I hope to receive great things from hereafter eternally Fourthly if there be such a glorious reward be encouraged to be abundant in Gods service this is the Argument of the Apostle in 1 Cor. 15. 58. Be ye stedfast unmoveable always abounding in the work of the Lord forasmuch as you know your labor is not in vain in the Lord. By that which hath been said you may know your labor is not in vain with the Lord be abundant in service there shall not be one tear nor one sigh nor one prayer lost many say Why do you so much will not less serve The godly do not onely aym at the reward that will require abundance but they would have the heigth of the reward and therefore they think they never have done enough It is an expression of Austin If a man should serve the Lord a thousand years it would not deserve an hour of the reward in Heaven much less an eternity Though it is true the grace of the Lord is glorious and he does accept of his grace as the most glorious thing in the world yet considering what our actions are how much corruption is mingled with them it would not deserve a moment in Heaven and therefore we had need do as much as we can 2 Peter 3. 11. Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved what maner of persons ought ye to be in all maner of holy conversation and godliness We should be ashamed and confounded in our thoughts that we can do no more and if there should be shame in Heaven when the Saints shall see and enjoy so much there would they not be ashamed that they have done no more for that God so glorious in his bounty goodness here Fifthly if there be such a glorious recompence of reward then let us labor to be faithful with God because we have such a good Master that is so good and gracious to us Princes make account they engage the hearts of their subjects that are about them to be faithful with them by their great rewards and by keeping of them in expectation of great things The great things that God hath prepared for us do lay more engagements upon our hearts to be faithful with him Let us not be false to such a God as this is God expects we should be faithful upon this ground Isaiah 63. 7 8. There are large expressions of the goodness of the Lord unto his people and what follows Surely they are my people children that will not lye As if he should say These are a people that I expect should be satisfied with me In Psal 36. 5. there God joyns his mercy and his faithfulness both together As Gods mercies and faithfulness are joyned together so let the hope of Gods mercies to us and our faithfulness unto God be joyned together It was an argument of God unto Abraham I am God All-sufficient and I am your exceeding great reward walk before me and be upright As if he should say You need not go and shark unto any other creature you have reward enough in me therefore walk before me and be upright So by all that which God hath revealed unto you concerning this glorious reward of his people God says You need not go and seek any thing else you need not be sharking up and down after the creature Is there not enough in me to satisfie any creature living The ground why any depart from God in a way of unfaithfulness is because they have distrustful thoughts and think there is not enough to be had in God but they had need shift for themselves another way If we understand this glorious reward and our hearts close with it this temptation could not have power to draw our hearts from it Therefore God is so plentiful in the manifestation of his goodness because his people should not have any shifting thoughts there is enough in God and in the treasures of his grace to make up all Now by that which hath been said be encouraged to go on in those ways in which you have no present encouragement there are many ways in which you have no encouragement from God or men you pray and hear and perform duties and do not finde God come in that way let the reward that is to come be enough to encourage you You do many good things and men are ungrateful and will not requite them well let this quiet you There is a glorious reward to come I remember a speech of Luther That servitude to men though it be to ungrateful men does please God and God says he wil abundantly reward you for it and that should be more sweet to us then all the treasures in the world In Isa 49. 4. says the Prophet I have labored in vain I have spent my strength for nought and in vain yet truly my judgement is with the Lord and my work with my God It is a speech of Latimer speaking of Ministers that would leave their flock because they did no good says he It is very naughtily done we must look to that which God commands us and leave the issue to God Christ saith Follow me me me three times he hath it and not your own lusts let us do our own work and leave the reward with God Though it be a sweet encouragement for the Ministers of God to see something of their labor yet if they do not it is enough to make them go on in a way of obedience for the present because God commands it though there were no reward but when we do obey God and please God for the present and it shall be rewarded so gloriously hereafter let not this be any excuse We can do no good if you be convinced of a duty whether there be good or no good come of it whether there be present encouragement or not it is enough that it shall be gloriously rewarded hereafter Sixthly if there be
here is an exhortation and in the name of God a charge upon every soul that does expect to have the portion of it in these great things that they would walk worthy of God who hath called them unto his kingdom and glory it is a great charge to walk worthy of God but to walk worthy of God who hath called us to his kingdom and glory this is great but the life of a Christian must be thus Now consider what life have I Is my life such as may be said to be worthy of God and that God that hath called me unto his kingdom and glory Surely great things must be in the lives of Gods people people talk much of strictness and preciseness that they may be too precise what do you think must this life be that must be worthy of God who hath called us to his kingdom and glory It must not be a dead-hearted life go on with a holy and heavenly chearfulness and courage in Gods ways It becomes the children of the Bride-chamber to be joyful see that in any case you rejoyce before the Lord comfort your selves and one another by these sayings We belye the truth of God if we do not walk joyfully Rejoyce in this that your names are written in the Book of life says Christ they rejoyced that the Devils fell down before them If there were any thing in the world to be rejoyced in one would think they might rejoyce in that but Christ would not have them rejoyce in that in comparison of this Caesar when he was sad he said to himself Think thou art Caesar that that might take away his sadness and so say I to a Christian Think of your Crown and glory let your lives be such as may make it appear you have your portion in these things I may say to some as Jonadab said to Amnon Why art thou lean from day to day being the Kings Son So may I say to every childe of God Why is thy heart so troubled and Why walkest thou so dumpishly in the ways of God being the King of Heavens Son Possibilities of heaven is enough to take away the sting of afflictions but having comfortable hope of these things this should take away even the sense of them at least so far as that they be no way disturbing to us Seneca says That vertue does not consider what it suffers but whither it tends It beseems them well enough but not you it beseems Swine to follow the trough but not the heirs of a Kingdom Plutarch tells of Themistocles that he accounted it not to stand with his state to stoop down to take up the spoyls the enemy had scattered in flight but says to one of his followers You may for you are not Themistocles Thus may it be said to worldly spirits You may be greedy of these things for here is your portion your names are written in the earth you are not the heirs of the kingdom Secondly walk above the world above all things that are here below take heed of ensnarling your hearts of too much mixing your selves with them There is a generation whose names are written in the earth Ier. 17. 13. and it beseems them to look after the things of the earth because their portion is there it is their All but Gods people have their names written in heaven and therefore they should not regard the things below as they do Whosoever was free of the city of Rome might not accept of any other freedom in any other city they counted it a dishonor to the freedom of Rome to take freedom any where else So those that are free of the kingdom of Heaven should not seek to be free here but they should be satisfied with a mean condition here and take heed they do not entangle themselves too much in the things below Besides those that have hopes of Heaven they should labor to have their lives like to Heaven It is that we pray for that the will of God may be done in earth as it is done in heaven How is it done in heaven The Saints and Angels there do it fervently universally readily constantly and therefore the Angels are called by the name of Seraphims it notes burning because they burn with zeal for God labor to conform your life to the life of Heaven Again labor to be much trading for heaven in this world let there be much intercourse between you and Heaven let your conversation be in heaven Phil. 3. 20. If a man intend to live in another Countrey he will have much traffique in that Countrey before he goes and if we believe we shall come to Heaven let there be much trading that way Our conversations should be so in Heaven as all the mercies we enjoy here should raise our hearts to heaven We read Exod. 25. that upon the Table of Shew-bread there was set a crown of gold In those provisions that we have here for souls and bodies our hearts must be raised to that Crown of glory reserved for us for the Shew-bread set before the Lord was to signifie Gods provision for us and the dedication of our bread of all our provision to God Again let us labor to encrease heaven in our hearts and to bring as much of heaven into them as possibly we can And keep your selves in a continual readiness whensoever God shall call you to such a glorious recompence of reward as this is It is said of Daniel though he was in Babylon he opened his windows towards Jerusalem he kept his heart in a readiness to go So you should do keep your hearts in a heavenly frame ready for heaven waiting upon the Bridegroom with your lamps burning that when he comes you may open immediately to him There is a difference between a wife that hath been faithful to her husband and waits for his coming home and another that hath been unfaithful to her husband and hath other lovers in the house when her husband knocks if her husband knocks she doth not go immediately but there is shuffling up and down and she delays the time till she have got the other out of the house but a faithful wife she immediately opens it is true though the wife be not unfaithful yet if the house be not handsom and things be not prepared she is loth to open So Christians they have been dallying with their lusts and their hearts are out of frame and they are loth to open to Christ but we should keep our hearts in such a readiness as immediately to open to Christ and to be willing to dye And when we dye to dye as heirs of such things not to respect things below house or lands or any thing here We read of Pope Adrian when he was to dye he laments his condition because he was to leave all his delights and pompous vanities and cryes out O my soul whither goest thou thou shalt never be merry more he was