Souls better to draw us off from all our Idols and to draw us nearer to himself and to prevent our sinning here and our condemnation with the World hereafter O blessed gracious Ends our heavenly Father hath in all his Chastisements of us now it 's our Duty to comply with these his Ends and pursue them with utmost diligence Quest But how shall we pursue those Ends Answ First by deep and serious Meditation upon those few special things fit to be thought on in Affliction 1. Think seriously on the meritorious Causes of your Affliction search for your Sins let your Spirits make diligent search for your Sins for now God is searching for your Sins Job 10. 6. and we should set in with him and think how greatly you have provoked him how unkindly you have dealt with him against what Light and Love and Mercy you have sinned and think also upon the desert of your Sins you are now under outward Afflictions but where had you been â—f God had dealt with you according to your Deserts Call to mind your Sins and repent and reform 2. Think seriously on the Designs of God in all your Troubles what good Intentions God hath in them that he aims at nothing but your real spiritual and eternal good It he break your earthly Comforts waste your Estates and Bodies it is for the good of your Souls be perswaded of this consider it and lay it to heart 3. Think seriously of the Love of God in Christ to you in all your Afflictions they come from his Fatherly Love he sees that you need them that your Souls will perish without them and that he doth chastise you because he loves you and because you are his Children 4. Think also how infinitely better God deals with you than with others whom he chastnâ—â— not here but reserves them for the Wrath to come unto everlasting Destruction in comparison of which all your heaviest Afflictions here are not as much as Flea-bitings 5. Think also upon the many exceeding great and precious Promises which God hath made tâ— you for your support As that he will be â—â— you will never leave you that all shall work togethâ—â— for your good that he will uphold you and maâ— such 6. Think seriously and deeply on that â—â— more exceeding and eternal weight of glory for whiâ—â— all your Afflictions do prepare you Thus be mâ—â— in Meditation on those things Lastly Think upon the Sufferings of Christ foâ— you his bitter Agony and bloody Sweat in the Garden his cruel cursed shameful painful Death on thâ— Cross Isa 53. 10. Thus if we exercise our Thought in these Considerations it will help us to thâ— attaining the gracious Ends of God in his Chastisements Secondly As by Meditation so by Prayer we must pursue God's Ends Now pray pray continually pray without ceasing pray most earnestly most fervently strive and wrestle with God in Prayer as Jacob did for the Blessing so should we pray and continue instant in prayer that God would accomplish all his blessed Designs upon our Souls and perform his whole Work Thirdly By Faith in Christ and in the Promises for no Blessing comes to the Soul any way but in and by Jesus Christ and only in and through him are the Promises fulfilled Therefore in all our Afflictions we must look unto Jesus as unto him through whose hands the Affliction comes upon us for all our Afflictions come through his hand and the blessing of them comes through his hand also act Faith on all that Jesus hath done and suffered for you and upon what he is doing for you in Heaven and upon what gracious Promises he hath made to you and the more you can act Faith on Christ the more you will love him and the more you love him the more patiently and comfortably you will bear his Chastisements as knowing that they proceed from his Love to you Rev. 3. 19. III. The last Vse is for Consolation The Text and Doctrine is very full of Comfort If this be a Truth that I have held out That the perishings and wastings of the outward man of the People of God tend to the renewing of their inward man then let none of God's People be discouraged or dejected whatever Afflictions befal them Poverty Sickness Restraint loss of Relations Estates Remember and consider what great Spiritual Good all shall certainly produce to you and what a gracious issue all your Afflictions shall have upon you and therefore faint not nor be weary but be quiet and comforted Quest But when may we take Comfort in our Afflictions Answ 1. When God's smiting you works iâ— you true turning unto God Isa 9. 13. Jer. 31. 1â— 19 20. for then Affliction proceeds from God Love and turns to your good O the yerning Bowels of God towards returning Sinners 2. When by Chastisements we are made partakers of God's Holiness made more holy anâ— more conformable to Christ than formerly Heâ— 12. 10. 3. When God's Soveraignty works in us Sâ—lence and submission as in Eli David as others 4. When God's Rods on us make us morâ— obedient to his Law Psalm 94. 12 13. as 119. 67. 71. 5. When God's Righteousness in what he doth gives quietness and satisfaction to the Soul a Dan. 9 14. Nehem. 9. 33. 6. When Afflictions put us upon Self-examination and searchings for our Sins Lam. 3. 4. Gen. 42. 21. 7. When in Afflictions we can see God's faithfulness making good his Promises Psalm 119. 75. He hath promised to withhold no good thing 8. When we hope and believe that God wilâ— give us more and better things than those he takes from us 2 Chron. 25. 9. Psalm 90. 14 15. Isa 35. 6. 9. When God's Wisdom contents us that because God is only wise and knows best what is beâ—â— for us this contents us Isa 28. 27 28. Infinite Wisdom hath ordered it 10. When we can firmly believe that God's Love is in all his Chastisements Heb. 12. 6. All these things will produce Comfort in all our Afflictions especially when we can see these Effects in some measure brought forth in us we may conclude that God's gracious Design prospers in us Could we but find that our inward man grows better and that we grow and flourish in Grace when our outward man doth decay and perish we should not faint The good Lord grant that this may be the good Effect of all my Afflictions Amen So much of the First Part. PART II. Orthodox Paradox OR THE Greatest Temporal Evil working the greatest Eternal Good 2 COR. iv 17. For our light Affliction which is but for a moment worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of Glory THIS the Apostle brings in as a Reason of that holy Courage that he and the Primitive Christians had under all their Troubles that they did not faint but rather they got strength and as their outward man perished their Souls their better part flourished and prospered as in the foregoing Verse
in all our Afflictions that his Ends in afflicting us are all good and gracious that the best way to have our wills is entirely to submit them to God's Will 12. Think much on the shortness and uncertainty of Life Life is not vita but via ad vitam Hold out Faith and Patience thy Troubles and thy Life will shortly end together Let us most seriously and often speak thus to our selves I have great Works to do great Matters to dispatch a God to be reconciled to a Christ to close with a Soul to save a Race to run a Crown to win a Pardon to get an Hell to escape a Body of Sin to destroy a World to conquer a Heaven to secure and I have but a little short uncertain time for all this I have one Foot in the Grave I am just going ashore on Eternity what time have I to stand poring on my Troubles Oh! let my whole Soul be taken up with my most necessary Work oh let me engage all the powers of my Soul and Members of my Body in studying and labouring to secure my eternal Happiness how to improve all my Afflictions to the good of my Soul how to glorifie God in those Fires how to enjoy Communion with God in every condition how to live so this little short time that I may dye in Peace and enter into my Master's Joy to be with my dearest Lord in glory for ever and ever Oh! these things should take up our Thoughts and possess our Minds And thus if we endeavour in the Strength of Christ so to manage our Afflictions so to carry our selves under them and so to improve them as we have been directed we shall find by the Blessing of our good God and gracious Father in Christ that all our light Afflictions which are but for a moment shall work for us that far more exceeding and eternal weight of Glory to which purpose that Christians may be able to hear up under all their Troubles the Apostle subjoins a notable and singular help which himself and the Primitive Christians had found very useful by their own experience which is expressed in the following Verse And so much for this 17th Verse PART III. Heaven and Earth EPITOMIZ'D OR INVISIBILITIES THE Greatest Realities 2 COR. iv 18. While we look not at those things which are seen but at those things which are not seen for those things which are seen are temporal but those things which are not seen are eternal WE have seen in the former Discourse how bravely the Apostle and Primitive Christians bore up under all their cruel Sufferings and got advantage by them as Ver. 16 17. and what means they used to attain this holy Courage besides all which here is another singular Help they made use of to get this gracious frame of Spirit and that is in these words Verse 18. We faint not they say but gather strength and get ground inwardly while we look not at those things which are seen but at those things which are not seen So long as we shut out visible things of our Minds and shut our Eyes at them and so long as we apprehend and mind things invisible and fix our Eyes on unseen things while we do so we faint not under all our Sufferings but profit by them Here is looking off and looking on a double Act of Faith a looking off seen things things visible to the Eye of Sence we look off these and a looking on things not seen but invisible to the Bodily Eye Here is a double work one negative the other affirmative For the negative part observe 1. the Act if I may properly so call it a looking off or a looking away from a withdrawing of their sight 2. An Object things that are seen visible things things obvious to bodily right 3. The Reason annexed for they are are temporal All things that are seen are temporal things that will last but for a time a short time they are fading fleeting things transitory momentany things Be they good things or evil things be they prosperous or adverse be they sweet or bitter things if they be seen things visible things they are but temporal 2. A positive practice but we look unto those things which are not seen 1st Here is the Act we look Actus Animae it is the Act of the Understanding Will and Affections all are set and fixed on and employed about 2dly The Object things that are not seen things invisible and the Reason is added for they are eternal And because these unseen things are eternal therefore are they most worthy of our most serious thoughts and best affections And both these Acts of looking off from visible temporal things and looking on upon invisible eternal things have a very great influence in supporting Christians under all their Sufferings in this World as will manifestly appear in the following Discourse 1. First What is here negatively expressed We look not at these things which are seen the meaning is not that they did shut their Eyes upon all earthly things and take no notice at all of them for that was not their Duty The Apostle-himself laboured with his Hands and exhorteth all Christians to be diligent in their Callings which they could not be if they did not look upon the things of this World but he means this that their hearts minds and affections were weaned and taken of from earthly things they were not earthly minded They minded not the things of the flesh Rom. 8. 5 6. that is 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 yea not at all in comparison of invisible and eternal things So our Lord is to be understood Joh. 6. 27. Labour not for that meat which perisheth That is not so much not so earnestly as for that which endureth to Eternal Life Col. 3. 2. Set your affections â—â— things above not on things below that is comparatively but let the strongest steddiest stream of your Affections run Heaven-ward Let your Affections be set that is placed setled fixed upon things above Not that we should not at all mind things below but we must not set our Hearts upon them nor fix and place our Loves and Delights in them So here we look not on things that are seen that is we place not our Affections on them visible things are not the chief and principal things that we mind nor do we exercise and spend our most serious and chief thoughts about these visible things they are not the main study and care of our Souls I am saith this Apostle crucified to the world and the world is crucified to me Gal. 6. 14. There are two kinds of visible things visible good things and visible evil things neither of which was the object of their principal thoughts and cares and they give a good Reason for it because they are temporal they are short-liv'd and but for the present and therefore we do not much mind them nor look after them 1. Visible good things simply and in themselves
Duties More frequent in Self examination in heavenly Meditation in heavenly discourse Art thou O my Soul ashamed of and grieved for thy former Miscarriages thy mis-spending time Breath Liberty Strength c. More diligent in preparing for thy Dissolution and more contented with thy present Condition Dost thou endeavour now to go to the Fountain for all Supplies And dost thou labour with all thy might in the strength of God to make up all thy losses and breaches in God and in his Covenant through Christ Dost thou prize the promises and labourest to live upon them by Faith Is God and Christ more in thy thoughts and affections than heretofore And dost thou labour to get out the blessing of thy Afflictions and art most earnest with God for the blessing Dost thou labour to cast all thy care upon God and to trust him with all If any of these things appears let God have all the Glory and blessed be God for any weak desires after these sweet Fruits Deny not what God hath done for thee but be ashamed and grieved that thou art no better Cry to God mightily wrestle with him for his blessing upon thy afflictions 3. The third Particular is That the Decaying and Perishing of the outward Man to God's people tends to the strengthning the prospering and renewing of the inner Man The Adversity of the Body proves the Prosperity of the Soul to all gracious Persons and to them only The Soul and Body of a Saint is like the House of David and Saul as the one grows weaker and weaker the other grows stronger and stronger and where it is so there is good ground of Comfort under all outward troubles and where it is not so there is little ground of Comfort for the present although there may be a growing in the Soul when it is not discerned as there is of the Babe in the Womb and of the Corn in the Earth under the Clods both grow even when they are not discerned but in due time will appear But more of this afterward Quest But how comes this to pass What Efficacy and Influence have the perishings of the outward Man to help forward the increasings of the inward Man How the Sicknesses Pains Troubles Losses Crosses upon the outward Man should greatly contribute to the Strengthning and Renewing of the inward Man is the Question which great Truth resolved clearly apprehended firmly believed and experienced will tend very much to a poor Christians Consolation Ans 1. By the Decays and Witherings of the outward Man those Hinderances are removed which did very much obstruct the Growth Strength and Comfort of the inward Man When Davidâ— outward Man flourished When he had his Honour Health Ease Liberty and the confluence of earthly Comforts about him he was weak in his Soul that lay languishing in sinful Security he was so weak in his Soul that he could not resist the least Temptation but was shamefully conquered by the glance of his Eye Ordinarily our Souls are in the worst case when our Bodies are in the besâ— case It is pitty we say that fair weather should do hurt yet so it is The welfare of the outward Man tends to the ill-fare of the inward Man without a more than ordinary measure of Grace For first Ordinarily the Prosperity of the outward Man interposeth betwixt God and the Soul and keeps God at a distance from the Soul and the Soul at a distance from God Jesus Christ loves not to lye in their arms who embrace other Lovers God will be uppermost or not at all neare the heart or not at all there He deserves Best and will have the Best or will accept of nothing While the outward Man is fixt on the Creature the inner is not far off from it and then it is so in divided from God 2 Cor. 5. 6. While thâ— Soul is at home in the Body it is absent from power Lord and the reason is Because of that power the Body hath upon the Soul to draw it down tâ— it self and even sink it into it self and to participate with it It is hard for a poor Bird to flye uâ— that hath weights tyed to his feet and harder â—â— a poor Soul to Mount up or indeed to move wiâ—â— any speed heaven-ward that hath such a weighâ— of Clay hanging on it And this made godly Agâ— afraid of fulness Prov. 30. 8 9. Usually Prosperity begets Pride and Pride sets us at a distance from God God resisteth the proud he sees the proud afar off Christians are never so far from God as when they are nearest to their outward Comforts and Enjoyments God is then but in few of their thoughts Now it is the Presence or Absence of God that makes Summer and Winter in the Soul as it is the presence and absence of the Sun that makes Summer and Winter on the Earth Now if Prosperity does withdraw our hearts from God as too often it doth it causeth God to withdraw from us though we may not find him wanting while earthly Comforts continue with us it must needs do us a great deal of hurt for if God withdraw or withold the influences of his Grace from us our Souls must needs be in a sickly and languishing condition How weak and feeble must we be when God doth not continue his Grace to us Prosperity lies betwixt God and our Souls which we all know by woful Experience and our God our gracious Father knows it and therefore in tender love to our Souls many times breaks our outward Prosperity that our Souls may not be drown'd in it and perish by it 2. Secondly The welfare of the outward Man hinders the inner Man from that serious diligent hearty intent and Spiritual Service that it should perform to God in which the Soul might have had many sweet meetings with God and many Communications of Love and Grace from him which through the defects of his duties are suspended from him Isai 64. 5. and this must needs tend to the weakning of the Soul What Strength Life Comfort have God's People found in holy Duties How have their Souls been refresht their Hearts raised and quickned and enlarged after God many times but then they have been serious earnest fervent in Spirit in these Duties Now in Prosperity what careless heartless service do we perform How soon weary secretly glad when the work is over How ready upon the least occasion to neglect a Duty or an Ordinance Not so fearful to dispense with some Service that God calls for nor so fearful to draw nigh a Temptation O how cold dead and heartless are we in Duty All this is too true O my Soul see it lament and bewail and bless the Lord for time to do it and bless him more for an heart to do it What bad service did Manasses do to God Or rather what great service did he do the Devil when he was in his prosperity never minding his God or his Soul till his outward
contrary is true of wicked Persons they are curs'd in Soul when cross'd in Body their outward perishings prove inward perishings also for then usually they murmur and repine fret against God and Instruments then they think of sinful shifts and unlawful means to get out of trouble when their outward Man is hurt by affliction they hurt their Souls by sin by impatience and discontent as that wicked King who said what shall I wait upon God any longer but now we find the servants of the Lord as Eli David Job Micah Habakkuk and others when their outward comforts failed them then they submitted to the will of God fled to him for supplies trusted in him and so by the exercise of their Faith and Patience their Souls were supported and strengthned David expressly confesseth that it was good for him that is for his Soul his inner Man that he was afflicted Psal 119. 71. And in the Text we have the attestation of the Apostle and Primitive Christians And this is the comfort also of God's People that their greatest outward evils through the goodness and blessing of God turn to their greatest inward good and this makes them rejoyce in afflictions and glory in tribulations as Rom. 5. 2. to wit because of the Spiritual benefit they receive by afflictions and upon this very ground God gives that command Heb. 12. 12. Wherefore lift up the hands that hang down that is therefore be comforted and encouraged Therefore wherefore because of the great profit and sweet fruits of God's chastnings upon his People Therefore lift up the hands that hang down As it is a comfort to a Man that hath a Wound in his Body to have his Cloths torn off that so his wound may be healed so it is to have the diseases of our Souls cured tho' our outward comforts be rent and torn from us The Application I. For Information First Hence it appears that there is a great difference between the Godly and Ungodly in reference to afflictions between the upright and the hypocrite The godly are the better the wicked are the worse for affliction The godly Man gains in his inner Man by his losses in his outward Man but the wicked in their afflictions commit more wickedness and their Corruptions break out more to the ruine of their Souls The Righteous holdeth on his way altho' Briers and Thorns yea Lyons be in his way that tear and spoil all his outward Comforts and he that hath clean Hand and a clean Heart groweth stronger and stronger even when his outward Man grows weaker and weaker Job 17. 9. The wicked in affliction are like the troubled Sea that casts up nothing but miâ—â— and dirt Isa 57. 20. Secondly That an afflicted godly Person is in a far better case than an afflicted wicked Person thâ— the affliction be of the same kind measure and degree because an afflicted godly Person hath faâ— better grounds of Comfort than the other forth godly Man may be confident that his affliction oâ— his outward Man shall tend to the good of his Soul but the ungodly hath ground enough to fear that he shall be the worse for his affliction the wicked shall grow worse and worse Tho' all things may happen alike to all as to outward afflictions yet the godly have the best on 't upon this account that their outward afflictions shall tend to their Inward Spiritual and Eternal Good O happy are the People that are in such a case that no Winds can blow amiss to them but that all the cross and contrary winds that they meet with upon the Stormy Sea of this World shall but further them in their Passage and hasten them to their Harbour in Heaven Blessed be the Lord our God Amen Thirdly Then a gracious person hath more and better ground of Patience quietness and Contentation under all his afflictions than a wicked Person hath because every gracious Person hath good ground to hope believe and conclude that his good God is doing him good doing his Soul good by all the troubles on his outward Man and having ground to hope believe and conclude so he hath good ground of Patience and Contentation Now a Child of God hath good ground to hope believe and conclude so because he hath the faithful word of the true and faithful God for to ground his Hope and Faith upon who hath said that all things shall work together for good to his People if all things then afflictions Rom. 8. 28. And that all things are theirs 1 Cor. 3. 22 23. things present all their present sufferings and troubles are theirs that is shall work for their Spiritual good and God's word tells us expresly Hebr. 12. 10. that all our chastisements are for our profit our greatest profit namely to make us partakers of God's Holiness to purge away our Sins Isa 27. 9. to make us conformable to Christ and to fit and prepare us for that far more exceeding and eternal weight of Glory 2. Cor. 4. 17. Here we have a sure word of Promise the God of Truth who cannot Lye the Almighty God who is able to perform his promises which promises flow from his everlasting Love and unsearchable goodness mercy and are founded in the full satisfaction of Jesus Christ in whom they are made and through whom they shall be fulfilled to assure us of the truth of them I say the Almighty God hath engaged his word that all the sufferings of his Children shall work for the good of their Souls which is a most firm ground of Patience Contentation and Consolation to them When I can believe and be perswaded in my Soul that all my afflictions shall promote the welfare of my Soul I have all the reason in the World to be patient and content under them Our great care must be to look to this that we be the Heirs of the Promises and if we be in Christ really united to Christ grafted into him made partakers of his Spirit Life and Grace then are we the Heirs of the Promises Hebr. 6. 17 18. Gal. 3. last and we being the Heirs of the promises we have grounds of Patience because God hath promised all shall work for our good and then next that we may be able with patience to bear our afflictions we must labour to keep these promises still in our eyes looking to them and to the love goodness faithfulness and all-sufficiency of God in them and looking unto Jesus through whose satisfaction and mediation they come to us and labouring to keep our Eyes the Eyes of Faith and Hope fixed on those promises trusting in God and relying upon him and so shall we be able in our Patience to possess our Souls and Patience will do us great service in affliction for altho' it cannot keep us from misery it will keep us from being miserable for we can never be miserable so long as we have an interest in Christ and through him in the promises Now Faith in the
Fruits of the Spirit in us as the Work of true and sound illumination true Conviction of our Sin and Misery and of the Creatures Vanity of our own impotency and utter insufficiency to help 〈…〉 our selves and of Christ's Excellency All-sufficiency and willingness to save all such as come unto him and are heartily willing to take him for their onely Lord and Saviour all this is the work of the Spirit As also sound Conversion from all Sin unto God as the chief good the Spirit enabling the Soul to repent and turn to God and also working in the Soul the Grace of Faith enabling it to come to Christ to receive him accept of him rest upon him and to resign it self up sincerely to him and to his Government by his Word and Spirit The Spirit works Sanctification in the Soul destroying the old corrupt Principles of Nature and implanting new Principles of spiritual Life making it partaker of the Divine Nature mortifying in it the lusts of the flesh and quickning it to newness of life repairing the Image of God upon it and working all those other Graces which are the Conditions of Pardon and Justification as true love to God and Christ to his Word and People true Fear of God sorrow for and hatred of Sin producing those Fruits mentioned Galat. 5. 22 23. as Patience Meekness Humility and the like Also the Spirit helps the Soul to act those Graces and to perform those Duties required of us in order to our Salvation It guides and leads and teacheth us helps our Infirmities teacheth us to pray and carrieth on the whole work of Sanctification in us And this I take to be the Seal of the Spirit when those saving Impressions and Habits of Grace and Holiness are wrought in and upon the Soul whereby the Soul is made in some measure like unto Christ Jesus being by the Spirit united to him planted and grafted in him and by vertue of its union with him made partakers of his Life and Grace whereby it lives and grows until it come to the State of Perfection in the other World This Spirit thus savingly working is God's Seal upon our Hearts the Seal of his everlasting love to our Souls and of his everlasting Covenant which he hath entred into with us which he will never deface or blot out and it is also the Earnest of our Inheritance that thereby we may confidently conclude to our great comfort that as sure as he hath given us his Spirit thus savingly to work in us those gracious Works this gracious Change this true Repentance and Faith and Love and Holiness and other Graces even so sure he will give us the Inheritance in Heaven at last as surely as he hath sanctified us so surely he hath justified us and will glorifie us For this is the Seal this is the Earnest And upon this account saith the Apostle Having this Seal this Earnest this comfortable Assurance of a better state and of a better life after this we groan earnestly to be clothed upon with our house which is from Heaven That we may possess that glorious purchased Inheritance of which we now have the earnest we long to enjoy the full Harvest of which we have received the First-fruits and consequently we that have received these First-fruits this blessed Earnest have no cause to be troubled or disquieted when these our earthly Tabernacles begin to decay and perish because we are wrought by God's Spirit for a better state and as was said not only the Spirit of God worketh this willingness to die by working those Graces in the Soul as you see but also accompanying Afflictions and blessing them to crucifie our Affections to earthly things and helps to Holiness in order to our eternal Happiness and therefore also ought the more patiently to be endured Seventhly Then it is the chiefest wisdom in the World for every one of us to labour to become real Saints to get into a state of saving Grace and often to search and try our selves and never to give over searching and trying until we come to some well-grounded Assurance That we are indeed truly Regenerated and that we have a real Interest in Jesus Christ for this Assurance may be attained and we are commanded to give all diligence to attain it 2 Pet. 1. 10. It is not bare wishes or desires will serve the turn but we must labour and strive after it and be much in self-examination 2 Cor. 13. 5. How is it possible we can have any true comfort living or dying if we have no Assurance of a better Life and so long as we know not whether we shall go to Heaven or Hell when we die We all have been too negligent in labouring after this Assurance let us lament it and let us all now begin to bestir our selves and in God's strength lay out our utmost care and pains in the use of all means to get the clear evidences of our peace with God and that we are in a pardoned and reconciled state for upon this Assurance we shall have this Advantage above all others that we shall not be troubled nor much disquieted when our outward man doth decay and perish our earthly comforts fail us our bodily Members wither because all these decays and wastings do but make way and prepare us for the happiness of our Souls Whereas on the contrary it must needs be an uncomfortable thing to look upon a decaying Body and be altogether uncertain what will become of the Soul when it leaves this Body It must needs make Death terrible But when we know that our Souls at death shall enter into our Master's joy we shall bid Death welcom The Eighth Inference From what hath been said we may draw one Rule of Tryal to us all whereby we may know whether we be true real Christians or no or only nominal and but formal Professors viz. by the real good to our Souls that our Afflictions have done us we all have had Afflictions of one kind or other let us examine what spiritual good we have got by them look over the former Particulars and apply them It is a true sign of a Child of God to be the better for Prosperity and Adversity and commonly more the better for Adversity than or Prosperity But lest we should be mistaken I grant that Affliction may work some good in the hypocritical Professors as on Ahab and Nineveh But note these Differences First On the Godly Afflictions work good mostly on their inward man on their Souls although they work good also on their Conversations the sweet fruits of Afflictions appear also in their Lives But on others if Afflictions do work any good at all it is mostly on their outward man they may by them be outwardly reclaimed and reformed but not inwardly renewed and sanctified Now there is a vast difference between outward Reformation and inward Renovation 2dly The fruit of Affliction on the Godly is continually increasing and growing
Flesh and Fleshly Relations fail us our Outward-man perisheth daily our Bodily strength decays our Friends fail us our own Hearts fail us this should comfort us that our Lord is gone to Heaven to prepare a place for us and he is now preparing us for that place by his Spirit by his Word and Rod and when he hath prepared us he will come again and take us to himself that where he is we may be also And where is that but at his Father's right hand in Glory Col. 3. 3 4. 2. The second Preparative to this far more exceeding and eternal weight of Glory is that great and glorious Work of Christ in raising our Bodies from the Dust and uniting them again to our Souls the wonderful Effect of Almighty Power and Love Read 1 Cor. 15. 1 Thess 4. 15. Death shall not dissolve the Union between Christ and us not turn away his Affections from us but in the morning of Eternity he will send his Angels yea come himself and roll away the Stone and unseal our Graves and awake us out of our long sleep and call us forth to receive our own Souls again and oh what a joyful Meeting will that be and what unspeakable comfort will that produce The Devil had the power of Death till he was overcome by Death Heb. 2. 14 15. but he that liveth and was dead and is alive for evermore hath now the Keys of Death and Hell Rev. 1. 18. The Saints Resurrection to Glory is only the fruit of Christ's Death and this fruit they shall certainly partake of The Promise is sure Joh. 5. 28. All that are in the graves shall hear his voice and come forth Joh. 6. 39. And this is the Father's will which hath sent Christ that of all which he hath given him he should lose nothing but should raise it up at the last day So Ver. 40. Joh. 14. 19. As sure as Christ is risen we shall rise also because he lives we shall live also Besides this mortal life we now live we have a life that 's hid with Christ in God And when Christ who is our life shall appear then shall we also appear with him in glory Col. 3. 3 4. Oh then beloved Fellow-christians Let us be stedfast unmovable alwaies abounding in the work of the Lord forasmuch as we know our labour shall not be in vain in the Lord. Let us never look at the Grave but let us look to the Resurrection beyond it Let us contentedly commit these Carcasses to the Dust that dark Prison shall not long contain them Let us lye down in Peace and take our Rest it will not be an everlasting Night nor endless Sleep no no there will come a most joyful and glorious Morning What if we go out of the Stirs and Troubles of this World and enter into those Chambers of Dust and the Doors be shut upon us and we hide our selves as it were for a little moment until the indignation be overpast as sure as we awake in the morning after we have slept out the night so sure shall we then awake And what if in the Grave we become loathsome Dust cast out of the sight of Men as not fit to be endured among the Living What if our Bones be digged up and scattered about the Pits brink and Worms consume our Flesh yet we know our Redeemer liveth and we shall see him with these Eyes And why should we be loth to lay down these Bodies of Flesh how comely or fair soever they are they have been but the Prisons of our Souls Clogs and Hinderances to our Souls in the Work of God and Way to Heaven What care labour grief and sorrow have they cost us How many a weary painful tedious Day and Night Grudge not O my Soul that God should disburthen thee of all this and free thee from thy Fetters and break open thy Prison door remember that when this Earthly House of thy Tabernacle is dissolved thou hast a Building of God an House not made with hands eternal in the Heavens O my Soul labour now to have thy part in the first Resurrection now labour to get into Christ and to live in him by Faith and Love now labour to know O my Soul the Power of his Death and Resurrection in thy dying to Sin and living to Righteousness now act thy Faith on Jesus and thy Love to him and let Jesus live in thee and manifest his Life in thy mortal Flesh and let thy Thoughts and Affections be set on things above let thy Conversation be in Heaven and let thy Heart be where thy Treasure is now live to him that dyed for thee and rose again and then fear not Death but be confident that as sure as Jesus dyed and rose again so sure shall all they that sleep in Jesus rise also and that altho' thy Body be sown in Dishonour it shall be raised in Glory 1 Cor. 15. 43. This is the Second Preparative 3. The Third Preparative to this far more exceeding and eternal weight of Glory is that great Assize and general Judgment when the Lord Jesus shall sit upon the Throne of his Glory with all the innumerable Host of glorious Angels about him and all the Sons and Daughters of Men that ever lived upon Earth shall stand before him Rom. 2. 16. 14. 10. to be judged by him and to receive their final Doom Rev. 20. 12 13. Matth. 25. 31. at which time there will be made an exact separation between the Sheep and the Goats between the precious and the vile and then the Saints shall be first acquitted and justified and then with Christ shall judge the World Those that have truly repented and sincerely believed in the Lord Jesus they that have chosen the Lord for their God and Chief Good and Portion placing all their Happiness in him and have unfeignedly accepted of the Lord Jesus for their only Lord and Saviour and have unfeignedly given themselves wholy up to his Government by his Word and Spirit and entred cordiasly into Covenant with him and became entirely his these shall sit on his Right hand these have often judged themselves iâ— Heart-breaking Confessions and therefore shall not be then judged to Condemnation by the Lord for there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus who walk not after the flesh hut after the spirit Rom. 8. 1. Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's Elect Shall the Law These are not under the Law but under Grace their Surely hath fulfilled and satisfied the Law for them the Law of the Spirit of Life which is in Christ Jesus hath made us free from the Law of Sin and Death it is God that justifieth who shall condemn The Judge himself hath said That he that believeth is him shall not perish but shall have everlasting life he shall not come into condemnation Joh. 3. 16 17 36. but will say to all such You have confessed me before men and
the least Cross or Disappointment that doth befal us for how little soever it be it is 〈◊〉 Father's Rod his Messenger his Hand Nor â—ould we faint under any Affliction how great and â—eavy soever it be because he that lays it on doth â— in love to our Souls and will lay on no more than he will enable us to bear for he will uphold tâ— with his Hand 1. We must not despise them as noted before â—â— which I shall add this We are said to despise Messenger sent us when we do not bid him welcome nor comply with his Message but turn him 〈◊〉 without his Errands end We must not deal â—â— with any Affliction any of God's Messengers â—e must not be unwilling of Affliction nor be discontented at them but thankfully receive them â—â— Tokens of our Father's Love to us and as his wholesome Physick which our Souls stand in need â—â— as was also before noted and to which I shall â—dd a little more because it is an hard thing to bid affliction welcome and to bless God for taking as well as for giving as Job did And though we have no warrant to pray for Affliction although we may pray that God would use all means to do our Souls good and to prepare us for glory yet they must be thankfully received then God sends them and God is to be praised for them This is a hard Lesson to Flesh and Blood who can bear it Yet it is our express Duty Jam 1. 2. Count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations which I think mainly respects the Sufferings of the Saints for Christ in which we are bound to rejoice and be glad Matth. 5. 12. yet not excluding other Afflictions So 2 Cor. 6. 10. Rom. 6. 2 3. glory in Tribulations Job 1. last Obj. But is it possible that when Afflictions come on us as loss of our dear Relations loss of our Estate and Liberty loss of Health when grievous Pains are on our Bodies is it possible we can bid these welcome and rejoice in them Or if it be possible is it necessary Ans 1. God himself grants that the Afflictions of his People are not for the present joyous but grievous Heb. 12. 11. not to be delighted in God allows his poor People to complain and grieve under them which notes his Tenderness towards them He himself takes notice of their Afflictions Exod. 2. 25. Jer. 31. 18. Psal 56. 8. he telleth their Wandrings and puts their Tears into his Bottle He himself is grieved for their Afflictions Judg. 10. 16. his bowels work towards them and in all their afflictions he is afflicted Isa 63. 9. Now if our Afflictions be grievous to God it will not displease him if they be grievous to us Nay God expects that we should grieve for grieving him by our Sins We never find in Scripture God's People to be blamed for their grieving and complaining of their Afflictions unless they were immoderate God doth not forbid the workings of Nature nay God loves to see Nature work orderly and regularly Aaron's Case and Ezekiel's was extraordinary and not to be drawn into Example Chastening is a displeased Father's Rod therefore there must be a Child-like grief shame and sorrow Numb 12. 14. it is the Rod of Love There must be Grief and Love in us his Children He rebukes and loves we must grieve and love So that It must be granted that in the pain and smart and trouble that is on us simply considered we cannot rejoice nor bid the Burthen welcome A Man should have an Heart worse than of a Beast to do so Nor is it required but the contrary is required namely to humble our selves under the mighty Hand of God and to be sensible of his strokes to be afflicted and weep and mourn Jam. 4. 8. 2. But the sweet Fruit the Blessing of Affliction that God intends Affliction shall bring forth in us which we must pray for hope for believe for and to which we must have an Eye as soon as the Affliction comes this is that we must rejoyce in and bless God for and so in prospect of this good Fruit of this Blessing and in hope of it we must entertain our Afflictions thankfully as thus I am afflicted in my Relations in my Estate in my Body here are grievous painful sad strokes but Lord I hope all this is in love to my Soul I hope the Fruit will be good and therefore in hope of the good Fruit I 〈◊〉 and bless thy Name and most earnestly but th◠〈…〉 of all thy Chastisements So that if we 〈◊〉 consider and firmly believe that our Afflictions we Testimonies of God's Fatherly Love to uâ— and care for us as Heb. 11. Rev. 3. 19. Whom I 〈◊〉 I rebuke and chasten saith our Lord it being 〈…〉 taken of God's Wrath not to be afflicted 〈…〉 Let them alone saith God I will not 〈…〉 Luk. 6. 22. And if we could 〈…〉 Afflictions are the signs of our Sonship and the signs of the true way to Heaven that they are for our profit to make us conformable to Christ and to prevent our eternal condemnation and that we have need of them and that they shall prepare us for eternal glory I say these things firmly believed and duly considered we shall be able thankfully to receive our Afflictions and to bless the Lord in hope to receive those singular Blessings from them Rejoycing in Hope patient in Tribulation Rom. 12. 12. It is our want of Faith in God's Promises concerning those sweet Fruits of Affliction that we do not cheerfully bear them Lord encrease our Faith our Hope our Patience There is Joy and Peace in believing Rom. 15. 13. Had we more Faith we should have more joy and less grief in our Afflictions We are glad when our Physick works though it put us to pain in hope of Relief and Benefit by it let us do so when God's Physick works and we shall be sure to have Benefit by all Obj. But are not Afflictions Tokens of God's Displeasure and can we or ought we to rejoice in them then Ans They are so indeed against the Wicked and so are all the Mercies they enjoy And they are Tokens of God's Displeasure against the Sins of his People but Tokens of Love to their Souls Psl 99. 8. Thou answeredst them O Lord our God that wast a God that forgavest them though thou tookest vengeance on their inventions Isa 57. 17 18. and so are Mercies too Isa 38. 17. Q. Can we rejoyce when God takes away our choicest Earthly Comforts our dearest Enjoyments from us Ans Yes after we have been sensible of God's Hand and have been humbled under it and if it make way for better Mercies and God be pleased to bestow more of himself more of his Spirit more of his Grace and Love upon us then we shall have cause to rejoyce and to be thankful So much of the first part of our Duty in our Afflictions That
we must not despise them II. The second is That we must not faint under them nor grow weary of them This is the other Extream that we must carefully avoid Seeing Afflictions which are but light and short work for us and work us for that far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory therefore we must not grow weary under them By this weariness in general I mean a sinking of Spirit a despondency of Heart under the Rod when a man is as we say Crest-faln and without Spirit so that he cannot bear up his Spirit fails in the day of Adversity when a man is willing to throw off the burthen before God takes it off is Job 4. 5. Psal 88. 14 15. I am afflicted and ready to dye from my youth up while I suffer thy terrors I am distracted Thy fierce wrath goeth over me by terrors have cut me off Thus spake Heman a choice Saint Here I shall briefly shew 1. the Cause 2. the Cure of this Weariness that we may the better avoid it 1. First the Cause and that is manifold as first from Man himself we our selves are the Causes of this Weariness in a threefold respect as 1. Our not expecting Troubles In Health we look not for Sickness and when Troubles come unexpectedly they make us weary 2ly Our over-valuing of our earthly Comforts 3ly Because in truth we are more sensible of our Losses than of our Enjoyments 2. In regard of the Affliction it self 1st When it swells to any great height 2ly When Afflictions are multiplied one upon the back of another 3ly When they be of long continuance 4ly When inflicted on the nobler parts and upon the Spirit 5ly When but little support but few Comforters or miserable Comforters few to help to bear the burthen 6ly When they are heavy and ordinarily they are heavy because Sin is light and Glory is light for when Sin lies heavy on the Soul and Heaven much in the Heart Afflictions are much lighter on the Body Nil sentit in nervo cum aniâ—â— sit in Coelo 3. In regard of God He puts Lead into sonâ— mens Burthens sometimes he sets home Sin and Wrath upon the Conscience and then men grow weary 4. In regard of the Devil he doth his utmost to imbitter every Trouble and adds his Tempations to make it more intolerable So much â—â— the Cause of Weariness 2. Secondly for the Cure We must labour to avoid this Weariness under Affliction and thaâ— we may take these Directions 1 Direct 1st Let us urge our Heavenly Father Command upon our own hearts and the Command of our Lord Jesus upon our selves See the express Command of God Prov. 3. 11. Heb. 12. 5. Be not weary of his chastisements faint not when thâ—â— art corrected Thus speaks our Heavenly Father to his Children And the Command of our Lord Christ is express also John 14. 1. Let not your hearts be troubled Whatever affliction befals you let not your Hearts be troubled Let us urge these Commands upon our selves Consider we 1. Is there any cause of Heart-trouble when our Heavenly Father the great Lord of Heaven and Earth hath his will which we daily pray for All our Troubles are by the Will of God 2. When the great Proprietor and Owner of all things doth most wisely and most righteously dispose of his own 3. When we are called to render back but what we had borrowed Our Health Estates Liberty Relations Life it self all were but lent us 4. When lesser Mercies are removed that greater and better may be bestowed 5. When we have our Iniquities purged which is the sure Evidence that they are pardoned and that we are made more conformable to Christ and so sitted for nearer and fuller Communion with God 6. When our Graces are tryed and acted and so made more apparent and illustrious 7. When by all our Afflictions we are prepared for that far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory Let us weigh all these things well and they will help us against Weariness And for our further help against Heart-trouble see my Discourse on John 14. 1 2 3. 2. That we may not grow weary of God's Chastisements let us urge Reason also upon our selves as thus If I grow weary I break the express Command of my Heavenly Father and disobey the Counsel of my Dear Lord 2. If I grow weary it argues my Unbelief for who would grow weary of long and grievous Afflictions that did fully believe the gracious ends and designs of God in them and his sweet Promises to his afflicted People and that Afflictions are in the Covenant that they are the Fruits of God's Fatherly Love and shall surely work for our good that the Cross is the way to the Crown Who believes these things and yet is weary Again By Weariness we make our Burthens heavier than God intends them to be Cheerfulness and Patience makes them lighter The like Affliction to a patient humble contented Christian is much lighter than to another fretful weary and discontented person Now it is possible we may make our Burthens heavier than God intends them thus 1st When we think no Trouble like ours Consider Job's Case Trouble was upon all his Relations all his Estate upon his Body Soul and All. 2ly When we let loose our Passions to run whither they will without any restraint 3ly When we refuse the Comforts that God sends us So did good Jacob Gen. 37. 35. 4ly When we continually fix our Thoughts on our Afflictions and are always poring on them so that all the Mercies that we enjoy are quite swallowed up And have we any reason to greaten our own Burthens And again by our Weariness we dishonour God and discomfort our selves and discourage others 3. Thirdly Serious Consideration laying to heart and pondering upon several things that may prevent this weariness as 1. Consider what this Weariness signifieth and implies it hath very ill significations for to be weary signifieth a want or at least a great weakness of Faith for he that believeth maketh not haste want of Hope for we must hope to the end want of Patience for Patience must have her perfect work which is to last as long as Trouble lasts want of Love for Love endeareth all things or at least a great weakness of those Graces 2. Consider God is long-suffering He hath waited long on us 3. It hath been the Practice of all the Saints in all Ages to wait on God 4. That by our weariness we limit the Holy One of Israel and do indeed call in question all the glorious Attributes of God his Power Wisdom Faithfulness Let us consider these things 5. Consider that they that suffer without weariness they are blessed and happy Job 5. 17. Psal 94. 12. Jam. 1. 12. Blessed are they that endure that is that suffer without weariness 6. Consider that Afflictions are signs of our Sonship Heb. 12. and signs of God's Fatherly love 7. Consider God's good and gracious Ends Isa
after the water-brooks so panteth my soul after thee O Lord. The strongest steddiest Streams of his Desires and Loves did run after God and his Favour Thirdly He that is commanded by the World is a Friend of the World one Friend can command another so all Friends profess to one another and if they mean not so they basely dissemble Can the Profits and Pleasures of the World command your Hearts Thoughts Affections Time and Strength yea and your Consciences too Can the World keep you from serving God Can you dispense with the Service of God to attend the World then sure you are the Friends of it Fourthly Are you more intimate friendly and familiar more pleasant and joyful in the company of the People of the World And in your dealings with the things of the World are you more delighted and pleased and are as it were more in your Element and where you would be than when you are in the company of the Saints and than when you are dealing with God and Christ and heavenly things David who delighted greatly in God and in his Word and in his Saints professed himself to be a Stranger in the Earth as Psal 119. 19. When the Lord's Servants are in his work and among his People then they are in their Element then they are where they would be One day in thy House is better than a thousand Psal 84. Fifthly He that seeks the Worlds Favours and fears the Worlds Frowns more than God's is a Friend of the World A gracious Soul seeks nothing so much as God's Favour O how doth David pant after God's Favour and the light of his Countenance In thy favour saith he is life Psal 30. 6. and thy loving-kindness better than life Psal 63. 3. And how earnestly and frequently doth he pray that God would not hide his Face from him Sixthly He that is troubled more for the loss of those visible temporal things than for the loss of God or his Gospel and complains more for the want and absence of these things than for the want and absence of God such in such a degree are Friends of the World and being Friends of the World are Enemies of God Seventhly He that gives the World most Respect and best Entertainment we give our Friends most respect and best entertainment How oft hath Christ knock'd at our Doors in the Ministry of the Word and Motions of his Spirit begging our acceptance How oft hath Christ called to us in Ordinances and Providences for entertainment and we have shut our Hearts against him How oft hath the Holy Spirit been striving with us but we have grieved and quenched him by our Resistance But how easily have we entertained the Enticements of the World How readily have we embraced the Motions of the World This proves us to be Friends of the World and such are the Enemies of God By these things let us try our selves and we may know whether we be the Friends of the World or the Friends of God II. This Point is proved by Example Take our Apostle as a pregnant Instance as in the Text saying We look not at those things which are seen So in Gal. 2. 20. 6. 14. I am crucified to the world and the world is crucified to me As if he had said I am in the Eye of the World as contemprible despicable and abominable a thing as one hanged on the Cross as a Malefactor on the Gallows an Object that Passengers care not to look upon but turn away their sight from Such a one am I saith this blessed Apostle for the World said of him Away with such a fâ—llow he is not worthy to live And the world is crucified to me saith he I have a â—ow and base thoughts of the World as the World hath of me the World is as despicable and contemptible to me as I am to it I look no more upon the World than it doth upon me I do as little value the World as it doth value me And this is a full explication of his sence in the Text We look not on those things which are seen for they are temporal This is the Character of truly-gracious Souls So Gal. 5. 24. They that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts thereof Q. But how shall we know when we are crucified to the World Ans 1 When our care for visible temporal things doth not consume and eat out our care for invisible and eternal things when our care for our Bodies doth not destroy our care for our Souls Deut. 4. 9. Only take heed and keep thy soul diligently Our Souls must have our greatest care and all other cares we must cast on God Matth. 6. 33. First seek the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all other things shall be added 2. When the work of the World is neglected that the work of God may be attended See this in Martha's Case Luke 10. 40 41. one thing is needful 3. When altho' our Hands may be full of visible temporal things yet our Hearts are not entangled nor over-charged with them 2 Tim. 2. 4. Luke 21. 34. When our Engagements about visible temporal things do not hinder us from minding our concernments about invisible eternal things 1 Tim. 6. 19. When matters and businesses of the World are made to stand by and give place to the Service of God When praying times hearing reading meditating times are duly attended and observed And indeed we have need work while our day lasteth for there is no work wisdom or device in the Grave whither we are going All that is to be done for Eternity must be done in this world John 9. 4. 4. A man is then crucified to the world and to these visible things when he is content to be without these good things of the world when the will of the Lord is so Content to be without Friends Health Liberty Wealth Honours Pleasures Phil. 4. 11 12. Contentment is the Hearts Ease well-pleasedness with our condition without vexation or distraction to acquiesce in the holy will of God Godliness and Contentment grow both together if Contentment be little Godliness is not much if thou be truly godly then God the All-sufficient and Chief Good is thy Portion and so thou hast enough to content thee enough to make thee happy for ever It is a Paradox to the World That a gracious Soul cannot be content with the whole world only and yet can be content without it Let us seek Content where we will out of God and we shall never find it 5. And lastly when a man can patiently bear the loss of all visible temporal things then he is crucified to the world when Losses and Crosses do not sink him and make him faint as those Saints in this Chapter ver 16. and those in Heb. 10. 34. who took joyfully the spoiling of their goods And thus we have the description of a person that is crucified to the World and the
the Reality of those things Who hath believed our Report Isa 53. 1. and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed to make Souls believe and to work effectual Faith in them Surely to very few A very bare historical Faith is wanting but much more a cordial practical Perswasion of those things for by true Faith we come to have an Interest in all these eternal good things and if we had an Interest in them we should mind them more Those invisible eternal things spoken of in the holy Scripture signifie no more to most of us than those Mountains of Spices and Mines of Gold do that are in the Indies which we never hope to see or possess and for which none of us will part with our poor Cottages Alas alas it were impossible if we did really believe those things above and that they may be had by us but that we should take more pains to get a Title to them and having once got a Title surely we should mind them more than we do Now the grand Reasons why we that profess that we know and believe those great things of the other World yet take so little pains to be assured of our Right to them are these viz. our false Faith our false Hope and our inordinate Love of the World Cou'd we get these three Thieves out of our hearts it wou'd be otherwise with us 1. Our False Faith building our Faith on the Mercy of God and Merits of Christ in general not considering whether those Conditions are wrought in us to which the Mercy of God is promised and to which the Merits of Christ do belong Isa 1. 16. 55. 7. Rom. 8. 9. 2 Cor. 5. 17. 1 Cor. 6. 17. Heb. 5. 9. Matth. 11. 28 29. 16. 24. 10. 34. By all which places we shall find that the Mercy of God belongs to the penitent returning Sinner and that those only can truly claim an Interest in Christ that submit to his Yoke that have his Spirit that are new Creatures that deny themselves and give up themselves to the Government of Christ 2. Our False Hope that deceived those eminent Professors in Matth. 7. 21. and the foolish Virgins Matth. 25. and which deceives all Hypocrites and formal Christians that build their Hopes upon outward Profession Priviledges the performance of religious Duties outward Reformation c. not minding that express word in 1 John 3. 3. Every one that hath this hope that is to see Christ in Glory and to be made like unto him purifieth himself even as he is pure Col. 1. 27. Christ in you the hope of glory Not Christ without you professed by you but Christ in you formed in you dwelling in your Hearts by Faith living and reigning in you by his Word and Spirit that is the Hope of Glory the true and only ground of true Hope of Glory 3. Inordinate Love of the World 1 John 2. 14 15. If we be friends of this world we are enemies to God Too much love of Life Liberty Ease Relations c. our Hearts are let out strongly after these therefore our good God doth oftentimes strip his dearest Children of these in love to their Souls to take off their Affections from them that they may place them on better things where they are better bestowed III. It is Lamentable also that those invisible eternal great and glorious things should be no more minded thought upon considered and spoken of by Professors that hope shortly to enjoy them God Christ Glory Heaven are seldom in mens Minds and Thoughts What are most Peoples Morning and Evening Thoughts Psal 49. 11. What vain Thoughts lodge in our Hearts Jer. 4. 14. Oh how little talk is there of these things amongst us Is God our Father Is Christ our Head and Husband Is the Holy Ghost our Counsellour and Comforter Is the Word of God our Rule and Guide our spiritual Food and Nourishment our Comfort and Consolation Are the Promises our great Charter Heaven and Glory our Inheritance And do we indeed hope to enjoy all these things for ever and ever and yet think no more and speak no more of them Can this be so Can our hopes be good and well grounded Let us not deceive our selves IV. It is Lamentable that those great things should be no more laboured after Joh. 6. 27. Labour not for that meat which perisheth but for that which endureth to eternal life Prov. 2 2 3 4. Isa 55. 2 3. We labour for that which is not Bread not Bread for our Souls and spend that which is better than Mony our Spirits and Time for that which doth not cannot satisfie Why should visible temporal things have so much of our hearts heads tongues hands time strength and all and those invisible eternal things have so little Is there any colour of Reason for it Are not those invisible eternal things infinitely better than the other Certainly it is because they are not known nor believed nor minded that they are no more laboured after How do we dishonour God and Christ and the Promises how do we undervalue Christ's Purchase and Eternal Life when we lay out our selves so much for the World and so little for these How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation Heb. 2. 3. V. It 's lamentable also that the loss of the means of the discovery of those invisible eternal things should no more affect and trouble us Lam. 1. 7. Jerusalem remembred in the days of her affliction all her pleasant things that she had in the days of old A Famine of the Word is the worst Amos 8. VI. And it is lamentable that those who know believe desire and labour after those things themselves should be no forwarder and readier to commend those things to others and should take no more pains to perswade and draw others to look after them Oh how few cry out to others with holy David Come and I will tell you what God hath done for my soul VII And no less lamentable is it that those who claim an Interest in all those great and glorious good things and hope to enjoy them hereafter that those persons should no more express the power of them in their Lives that they should no more rejoyce in them and be no more raised in their Spirits and gladded in their Hearts with the fore-thoughts of them and that they should live no more comfortably upon them It 's sad that those thus interested in God and Christ and Glory and that are the Expectants of that far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory should not live better lives more exemplary shining profitable joyful lives We that look for such things what manner of persons ought we to be in all manner of holy conversation It 's sad also that such should bear up with no more strength holy courage and confidence in the midst of the Troubles of this short Life seeing they hope for such glorious things in the other World
We see how bravely the Primitive Christians carried themselves in all their Sufferings by looking unto minding and thinking upon those invisible eternal things Oh could we keep them in our view and keep our Eye on them we should not faint nor sink under any of our Troubles We look too much on and mind too much those visible temporal things and look too little to the Invisible God to our Blessed Jesus and Eternal Glory Oh that God would encrease and strengthen our Faith and help us to live in the lively actings and exercise of it By it we stand Oh that we could live more by Faith and less by Sense 2 Cor. 5. 7. Fifth Vse for Instruction If we would set our Hearts and Minds on those invisible eternal things we must 1. Be much in Prayer Pray oh pray for new Hearts old Hearts will not hold heavenly things Pray for Saving Light and Knowledge Ephes 1. 17 18. Pray that ye may clearly apprehend and understand those things Pray for Faith that you may really believe them and may be fully perswaded of the Truth and Excellency of them Heb. 11. 1. Faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen Pray for Love that your Hearts may be throughly and truly affected with them that you may relish and savour them and may feel taste and see the goodness of them Pray for strength of Faith and Love that you may act those and other Graces as Hope Joy Desire and Delight upon those heavenly things Pray without ceasing pray fervently for these things and never leave praying till you obtain Tell God that an earthly empty carnal Heart you have and how impossible it is for you your selves to make â—t heavenly Complain to the God of all Grace who can make all Grace to abound 2. Search the Scriptures diligently Read the Word of God conscientiously for there all those great and glorious things are discovered And labour to believe what you hear and read and to get the power and efficacy of God's Truths on â—â—our Spirits 2 Cor. 4. 4 6. 3. Be watchful against all Sin and against the World and the Lusts of the Flesh Be much in mortification of your inordinate Affections Col. 3. â—1 2 5. compared Watch against vain thoughts and strive in God's strength to draw up your â—earts to Heaven and hold them there 4. Seriously and often consider the great and â—â—al difference between visible and invisible things between temporal and eternal things uncertain and certain things transitory and permanent things between those things that respect the mortal Body and those that concern the immortal Soul between those things that are the Portion of Reprobates and those that are the Portion of God's Elect. Oh consider the great difference between those things which are the Effects of Common Providence and those that are the Fruits of God's everlasting Love and Christ's most precious Blood Surely a due and deep consideration of the vast difference which is between these things would help us to mind eternal things 5. Consider what taste these visible temporal things will have in a dying hour surely either none at all or a bitter one Oh then what will Honours Riches Pleasures signifie Oh then how much better and sweeter will those invisible eternal things be to a poor Soul Oh then an Interest in God and in Christ a Pardon a Title to Eternal Life Assurance of Salvation will be things of value And why should they not be so now 6. Converse much with heavenly-minded Christians but alas where shall we find them Let us all bewail our horrible Earthliness our Earthly Discourse all Earth in our Thoughts Earth in our Mouths and yet hope to go to Heaven at last and live in Heaven for ever O how unlikely Surely if I am not very much mistaken I think a great many of our Professors will be mistaken at last and that will be dreadful because irrecoverable O Lord give thy poor Servant an heavenly Heart Sixthly The Last Vse is for Comfort to those that do mind and look unto those invisible eternal things in good earnest For your Comfort consider 1. This is to you an Evidence of your Interest in all those great and glorious things That you do thus mind and converse with heavenly things with God and Christ and Glory it is a good sign that these are all your own that you have a good Title to them An heavenly Mind is a very good sign of one that belongs to Heaven 2. You shall shortly enjoy and possess them all Where Christ is there shortly shall his Servants be He will not always dwell in Heaven without you nor will he always be absent from you no but he will come again and receive you to himself that where he is there you may be also John 14. 1 2 3. And where is he but at the right hand of the Throne of his Father and there you shall be also when Christ who is our life shall appear we shall appear with him also in glory Col. 3. 3 4. Now you can see and think on those invisible eternal things but darkly and confusedly but then you shall see clearly yea possess and enjoy them for ever 3. This your minding of heavenly things will very much sweeten your present Sufferings And this brings me to the consideration of the last thing in the scope of the Text namely the help or benefit those Primitive Christians had by their looking unto those invisible eternal things which was that thereby they were supported under their present Sufferings Ver. 16. We faint not while we look not on things that are seen but on things that are not seen Hence may we observe this Doctrinal Conclusion Doct. That a believing sight and serious minding of unseen eternal things is a singular means of sweet support to poor Christians under all their Troubles This flows from the scope of the Text We faint not say they but rather we gather strength and courage and our inner man is renewed day by day while we look not at those things which are seen but at those c. Looking off from visible temporal things doth much help to support God's People under their Troubles but looking on upon invisible eternal things doth help more Crucifixion of our Affections to visible temporal things is very useful but the fixation of our Affections on invisible eternal things is more useful to our Support and Comfort Psal 27. 13. I had 〈…〉 believed to see the goodness of God in the land of 〈…〉 Ver. 14. So Heb. 11. 26 27. By Faith Moses endured as seeing him that is invisible Moses could never have endured all those hard things if he had looked only on those things which are seen but he looked on the invisible God and the unseen Jesus and on the Promises the Recompence of Reward he had a fixed Eye to those great things his mind was setled on these and that carried him through all
HELPS FOR Faith and Patience IN Times of Affliction In Three Parts VIZ. I. Sampson's Riddle spiritualiz'd II. Orthodox Paradox Or The greatest Evil working the greatest Eternal Good III. Heaven and Earth epitomiz'd Or Invisibilities the greatest Realities By James Burdwood late Minister in Dartmouth To which is added A sure Tryal of a Christian's State by John Flavell late Minister also in Dartmouth LONDON Printed by T. W. for Jonathan Robinson at the Golden Lyon in St. Paul's Church-yard 1693. TO THE Religious and my very dear Kinswoman M rs Mary Cholwich Of Hele in Cornwood in Devon AND To the rest of the Family related by the Bonds of Grace and Nature the Author of the ensuing Discourse heartily wisheth encrease of all Grace here and the fulness of Glory hereafter through the Merits of our Dear Lord Jesus Christ THE many multiplied Favours you have continually shewed to my self and Family obligeth me to make this acknowledgment thereof by presenting to you all this little Testimony of my true Love and real Gratitude humbly praying for your kind Acceptance and diligent Perusal Let me mind you and my self no less That we are come towards the Evening of our Days The Contents of this Book by the assistance of the Holy Spirit may help us in making due preparation for our latter end in which I doubt not but you are daily engaged The Sun of our Life is going down on our outward man You my most dear Kinswoman as well as my self have been kept several Years upon the Graves mouth and have been many times brought back from the brink of the Pit Oh that the Sun of Righteousness might shine on our inward man that therein we may be renewed day by day Our God hath tryed our Faith and Patience and made us more than ordinary Monuments of his Mercy and Goodness oh that He would make us Instruments of his Praise and Service What further Tryals our Heavenly Father will call us unto we know not may it please him to help us that our Faith and Patience may have their perfect Work He will have Glory and we shall be Gainers It hath pleased our good GOD to call us off from the enticing lying dying Vanities of this present Evil World for our advantage I hope what have we to do now but to give all diligence to make our calling and election sure Lord pardon former negligence and help us to get on the Wedding-garment of Christ's Righteousness and Holiness that we may bid our blessed Bridegroom welcome To the rest of my Honoured Cousins May I obtain the Favour from you to spend a little of your little unexpired time in reading this small Book and pray for a Blessing on what you read I am sure the Contents do nearly concern you all You are all travelling to another Country Eternity is at hand your Account is near Time is precious so are your Souls the World is vain the Heart is deceitful Oh could I prevail with you to spend some time in close Self-examination in constant heavenly Meditation in Watchfulness in Self-denyal and Mortification you would much engage me and advantage your own Souls I pray the Blessing of God may go along with this poor piece there are many have better Heads and better Hearts may do better Now that you all and your Relations old and young may be taken into the Covenant of Grace and may grow up in all things in Christ Jesus that after our wearisom Pilgrimage in this Wilderness World we may at last enter into the Promised Land and enjoy that everlasting Rest purchased by the most precious Blood of our dearest Lord and there live with him for ever is the earnest Prayer of Your very affectionate and much obliged Kinsman James Burdwood Aug. 1. 1693. TO THE Honest-hearted Reader INstead of an Epistle which for want both of outward and inward strength having been tryed with about Eight or Nine Years Sickness and most part of the time confined to my Chamber and Bed I cannot perform I shall only present you with the several Points of Doctrine handied in the ensuing Treatise having some time since cast one Mite into the Church's Treasury viz. my Hearts Ease do now adventure to cast in this other though very unworthy to be laid up among so many choice Pearls But I remember who will not despise the day of small things Had I not been unfaithful in the improvement of the Talents my Great Master had entrusted me with I might have had more I humbly beg the fervent Prayers of such Readers as truly love the Salvation of Souls to pray the Lord to pardon all my 〈◊〉 fulness and negligence in the Work of the Lord through the most precious Blood of the most precious Lord Jesus Christ without which I perish and which is all I beg of them for my self Now having been a long time disabled to say or do any thing for the edification of others and not likely to be of any use any more in this World I was willing while I could hold my Pen and in any measure compose my Mind much broken by Affliction to emit this into the World with my poor yet earnest Prayers That the Blessing of the Lord will go with it as also to testifie my Gratitude to Him who hath wonderfully delivered me from so many Deaths and yet doth deliver and graciously supports me under so many multiplied Afflictions for which I hope through God's great Mercy and Christ's precious Merits I shall have cause to bless God to all Eternity Readers pray for a Blessing on what you read and for Your affectionate Friend and Servant in any thing for your Souls good whilst I am J. B. From my Sick Chamber Aug. 1st 1693. THE CONTENTS PART I. From 2 COR. iv 16. THough our outward man perish yet the inward man is renewed day by day Doctrine 1. That it is the Comfort and the Character of truly-gracious persons that as their outward man doth decay decline and perish so their inward man doth revive encrease and is renewed PART II. Ver. 17. For our light affliction which is but for a moment worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory Doct. 2. That the light and short Afflictions of the People of God here in this World are singularly useful to work them for and to work for them a far more exceeding and eternal weight of Glory PART III. Ver. 18. While we look not at the things which are seen but at the things which are not seen for the things which are seen are temporal but the things which are not seen are eternal Doct. 3. That because all visible things are temporal and of no long continuance therefore gracious Souls engage not their Hearts too much in them nor concern themselves too much for them or about them Doct. 4. That a right and true Judgment of Earthly things will help much to support and uphold the Lord's Servants in and under all
the Afflictions of this Life Doct. 5. That truly-gracious Souls do most seriously mind and most diligently intend and aim at unseen and eternal things about these their Thoughts â—â—â—â—ainly and mostly fixt and about these their greatest Care and Study is employ'd Doct. 6. That the due minding of and meditating upon unseen eternal things will much help to support the People of God under all their Sufferings in this World Gentle Readers If you meet with some literal Mistakes or Mispointings I pray excuse the Author being so far from the Press and not in capacity exactly to review the Copy but in the exercise of your Charity towards him and by your Prayers on what you read you may by God's Blessing find Benefit which is the earnest desire of Your Servant J. B. THE Publisher to the Reader THE Pious Author sent this Treatise to the Press some time since but before it was finished it pleased God to take him out of a state of great Tryals and Afflictions into a state of Glory and Happiness so that his Friends may entertain this as a Funeral Sermon prepared by his own hand in the serious reading of which they will find that he experimentally felt and truly practis'd the substance of this Book viz. 1. That he found a great deal of Comfort in sanctified Afflictions and that as his outward man decayed so his inward man was renewed day by day 2. That the light and short Afflictions of this Life did work for him a far more exceeding and eternal weight of Glory 3. That because all visible things are temporal and of no long continuance therefore his Heart was not engaged in them nor was he too much concerned for them or about them 4. That having a right and true judgment of Earthly things he was thereby much supported under all his sore Afflictions 5. That he did most seriously mind and his Heart was most diligently fixed on unseen and eternal things and that 6. The due minding of and meditations upon unseen and eternal things did much support his Soul in all his Sufferings in this World and made him long for the full fruition of that God who is noâ— his Portion for ever I pray God succeed this Treatise and sanctifie the loss of such excellent anâ— holy men to us all particularly to the Town of Dartmouth which in less than Three years time hath been deprived oâ— Three Great Lights viz. Mr. Flavel Mr. Burdwood and Mr. Chapman FOOD FOR Faith and Patience OR SAMPSON's Riddle Spiritualiz'd PART I. 2 Cor. iv 16. For which cause we faint not but though our outward Man perish yet our inner Man is renewed day by day IN these words we have a Divine Cordial to prevent the fainting of God's People under the troubles of this Life commended to us from the experience of the Apostles and Primitive Christians For although the words may have a reference to what goeth before unto-some other grounds and means of comfort and support which they had as I have largely discoursed of elsewhere besides this yet this was one ground of their comfort and support that they gained by their losses Their Souls prospered while their Bodies wasted what they lost in the outward Man they gained in the inward Man and for this cause they fainted not and wherever this is found by experience it will be a ground of support and comfort Now that this truth of God so proper and pertinent to my present Condition which is a perishing of my outward Man may be a mean to support and uphold me to the praise of my God I have pitcht my thoughts upon it and humbly begging the gracious assistance of his Holy Spirit that I may rightly understand the mind of God in it and rightly apply it to my own Soul and may find and feel the power of it and by Faith suck out the sweetness of it to my support and consolation now seeing those evil days are come upon me wherein I may truly say I have no Pleasure in them praying also that these my Meditations on this Text may be useful to them into whose hands they may sall The Doctrinal Conclusion I observe from the Won is That it is the Comfort and the Character â—â— truly gracious Persons that as their outward Maâ— doth decay decline and perish so their inward Man doth revive increase and is renewed Four Things are to be explicated which wilâ— fully open the Text and demonstrate the Propsition 1. That in Man there are two Parts an outward and an inward Man and what these are 2. That the outward Man is subject to declining decaying and perishing it cannot be avoided nor prevented but it must be so and that the inward Man is capable of increasing growing and renewing 3. That the decaying decreasing and perishing of the outward Man in gracious Persons through the great Goodness and Grace of God tendeth unto the increasing and renewing of the inward Man and what influence the one hath upon the other to effect the same 4. That this is the Comfort and the Character of truly gracious Souls First that there is an outward Man is obvious to sense That we have Bodies of flesh and blood and bone is evident enough This is the Shell the Carcase the Bâ—rk of the Man as I may say but there is an inner Man also which every body doth not believe for too many live and walk in so much care and fear with so much sollicitousness about the outward Man the Body and the provisions and accommodations of it that the inner man is totally neglected whose whole care is for the Body as if they had no Souls at all to mind or care for And oh that God would pardon and purge this guilt from my Soul through Christ's blood but we must know there is an inner Man also 〈…〉 â— 22. Ephes 3. 16. And the Scripture speakeâ— Wisdom in the inner parts Job 38. 36. And of truth in the inward parts Psal 51. 6. and God promiseth to write his Law in the inner 〈…〉 31. 32. This inner Man is the Man of the Man the Kernel the Jewel the Treasure But more particularly By the outward Man I understand the Lady and all the concernments and accommodations thereof all that tends to the preservation and conveniences of it Animal-life Livelyhood Bodily Endowments and Comforts Health Strength Beauty Ease Liberty Friends Relations Estate and whatsoever tends to the outward Wellfare of the Body Food Physick Recreation Rest c. By the inner Man I understand the Soul and all its faculties the Spiritual in visible part of Man and all the concernments and accommodations of it and all that conduceth to the Life and Livelyhood of the Soul to the Preservation Health Strength Safety Liberty and Advantage of it all its Graces and Comforts all that belongs to the inner Man to its Being and well-being As for the Qualities of both they are these 1. As for the Body simply and singly considered
for the flesh and blood the Scripture gives us many Epithetes of it as Houses of Clay Earthly Tabernacles Dust and Ashes earthen vessels c. And these Bodies are 1. Vile bodies Phil. 3. 21. because made of vile and base materials subject to vile diseases to vile abuses to vile abominations and to a vile dissolution at last sowen indishonour shall end in Corruption great hinderances to the Soul many waies 2. The outward Man is the mortal Man that of Necessity must dye and return to dust from whence it came this cannot possibly live alway There is an irreversible Sentence of Death past upon it Hebr. 9. 27. and for these reasons the Body is the worst part of Man the worst by far and should be least esteemed and such as is the Body even such are all bodily Comforts and Accommodations Health Strength Beauty Liberty Friends Honours Estate c. all mortal mutable decaying fading dying things daily experience confirmeth this I need say no more 2. But for the inner Man the Soul that is 1. Precious so precious that it is more worth than all the World Math. 16. 26. Psal 49. 8. having the blessed Image of the glorious God stamped on it at first being capable of knowing and injoying the true and living God and when sin had spoil'd and captivated it it could not be redeemed but by the precious Blood of the Son of God So are all the Concernments of the Soul precious also 2. It is immortal also it never dies it lives for ever None can nothing can kill the Soul that is cause it not to be and for these reasons it is the noblest chiefest and best part of Man and hence also the Concernments of the Soul are more excellent more noble and precious than those of the outward Man the Graces and Comforts the Strength and Beauty of the Soul the Priviledges and Peace and Wellfare of the Soul are more excellent and precious as will more appear in the next particular 2. The second thing to be considered is That the outward Man is subject to decline and perish The Body it self all its Beauty Strength Health c. is subject to decay The Bodies even of the best Saints that shall one day be made like unto Christ's glorious Body are subject to vile Infirmities and Diseases What is become of Sampson's Strength and Saul's Beauty Job and David will tell us of their decays in all these their Friends Estates Relations their Health and all their outward Comforts failed them and how can we possibly hope that we shall keep them All outward things are dying Vanities we are all of us travelling to the Land of forgetfulness They that live longest go the farthest way about and they that dye soonest gâ— the shortest way home Our greatest Care should be to be sure that we are in the right way to Eternal Life But now the inner Man is capable of growing increasing and renewing our inner Man is reneweâ— day by day saith the Text Grace and Peace Spiritual Life inward Strength and Comfort are capable of increasing For 1. This God commandeth That Christian should grow and increase 2. Pet. 1. 5. and 3. 1â— and that they should abound and go forward and be strengthned 2. This is God's Promise to his People that they shall grow and flourish Psal 92. 14. Isa 14. 40. 29 30 31. They that wait on the Lorâ— shall renew their strength 3. This is the Character of a gracious Soul Prov. 4. 18. and 24. 5. Coll. 1. 10. and 2. 1â— Eph. 4. 16. And this the Apostle prays for 1 Thess 3. 12. and 4. 16. 3 Epist Johnâ— This the Soul is capable of being deformed iâ— sin and God's Image defaced on it it is capable of being renewed and of having God's blesse Image repaired on it which is begun in Regeneration and is still carried on and promoted â—â— God 's Ordinances and his Providences his Spiâ— working in them and with them upon his People All afflictions being intended for and sanctifie unto this end to make Souls more and more 〈◊〉 unto Jesus Christ Those weaknings and pershings of the outward Man being by the love at wisdome of God designed to strengthen repair and better the inner Man that the Soul may bâ— made and must be made more holy more humble more heavenly more like God it must group in all things like unto Christ Ephes 4. 12 13. The Soul the inner Man may and must get more strength against Corruption and Temptation it must get more Victory over the World and over it self it must grow in self-denyal in faith in patience in hope in Communion with God it must increase in knowledge and experience it must get nearer God and more weaned from the World and better prepared to put off this earthly Tabernacle of the Body Wherefore is the Christian train'd up in Christ's Schools his School of Ordinances and of Providences but that the Soul the inner Man may be made better That Grace may grow for it is the Growth of Grace that evidenceth the Truth of it And why doth our heavenly Father chastise us in our outward Comforts but to better us in our inward Man But before I proceed let me pause a little and commune with my own heart O my Soul Thou hast been under the blastings and witherings of thy outward Man these many years thou hast been in the School of Correction Thy God hath made many breaches upon thy earthly Comforts stript thee of thy dearest Relations of thy Liberty of thy Estate of opportunities of serving thy God in thy place deprived thee of thy Health and Strength c. yet hath he dealt with thee infinitely better than thy Sins have deserved It is his mercy thou art not consumed not in Hell not in thy Grave but O my Soul what art thou the better for all those stroaks upon thy outward Man What hast thou gained by all thy losses It is true Afflictions are dry Rods and my heart a dead heart there can be no blossoms nor fruit without God's Blessing and the Word and Spirit 's working in and by Affliction but what blessing upon all thy troubles canst thou discern What good to the inner Man have these afflictions done thee Art thou more sensible of the evil of Sin more weary of it and more grieved with it Is thy Heart more tender thy Spirit more humble thy will more subdued to Gods will Art thou more Crucified to the Creature thy inordinate Affections mortified thy unruly Passions subdued Art thou more meek and patient Are thy Affections raised and more inlarged after God and Christ and Heaven Is Jesus Christ more precious to thee And dost thou pant and thirst more after the manifestations of his Love to thy Soul Art thou more watchful over thy thoughts words and actions More careful to please God more fearful to displease him More tender of his Honour More sensible of the Afflictions of Joseph More diligent in holy
man perished 3ly It hinders communion with God which is the very life of gracious Souls their Heaven upon Earth Communion with God in holy Ordinances and holy Duties as Prayer Praises Meditation c. is that which fattens and prospereth the Souls of God's people but outward prosperity hinders communion with God in these for then even while outward comforts are present God and his company and presence are not so much sound wanting nor so much valued desired and panted after as in a barren Wilderness where no waters of worldly comforts are Psalm 64. 1 2 3. Psalm 42. 1 2 3. When David was in great straits stript of his earthly Comforts bedewed all with Tears then his Soul panted after God when he was in the Valley of Baca then he looks unto the Mountains of Myrrh the Garden of Spices Psalm 84. 1 2 3 4. Is it not so with God's People when their Liberty Friends Health Estate c. are gone then God is sought for and communion with him earnestly longed and thirsted for more than ever and then usually most enjoyed By Acts of Communion with God Souls converse commerce and trade with God trade in Heaven and that turns greatly to their advantage We can never take a Voyage to Heaven by Prayer or Meditation but it will turn to account first or last some gain to our Souls will accrue by every act of communion We cannot touch Christ by our Faith or Love but some Vertue will flow from him to our Souls Psalm 145. 18. God will fulfil the desires of them that fear him He will satisfie the hungry with good things Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness Every groan of a gracious Soul after Grace every pant and breathing after God in truth is observed and recorded in Heaven Mal. 3. 16. A book of remembrance for them that thought upon his Name O the transcendent goodness of our most gracious God to take notice of such poor things He will not despise the day of small things and what an encouragement is this to us to spend our most serious thoughts on God But Prosperity in the World doth stop and interrupt the Soul's converse and trade with God by estranging the heart from God and heavenly things and so it becomes very prejudicial to the prosperity of the inward man It is very hard for a man to have much of the World in his hands and much of Heaven in his heart also to have much converse with and much enjoyment of Creature-comforts and to have his Conversation in Heaven too And when do our Souls thrive and flourish best but when we are trading above conversing with God Now these great Mischiefs I have named to the inner man are promoted by the prosperity of the outward man thus 1. By making us forgetful of those things that we should necessarily remember in order to the good of our Souls Prosperity spoils the Memory exceedingly as to heavenly and spiritual things and that in these particulars Prosperity breeds 1. Forgetfulness of God the chief good and surely that Soul can never thrive that forgets God who is the Fountain of all its Life Grace and Comfort The remembrance of God brought sweetness and satisfaction to David's Soul Psalm 63. 5 6. but Prosperity makes us forgetful of God Deut. 6. 11 12. and Deut. 8. 14 19 20. Yea fulness of outward things makes men to deny God of which good Agur was afraid Proverb 30. 9. 2. Forgetful of their best part their Souls the Soul is then mostly forgotten when the Body is mostly minded 3. Forgetful of their Duties to God and Man so it was with Pharoah's Butler 4. Of the Affliction of Joseph Amos 6. 6. When we our selves are at liberty how apt are we to forget them that are in Bonds 5. Of Sin that usually is most remembred in time of Affliction as in Joseph's Brethren 6. Of God's Word that is too much forgotten in Prosperity the Precepts of God not obeyed nor the Promises so relished and believed not Threatnings feared 7. Prosperity makes us forgetful of Death Judgment the World to come Eternity The Evil Day is put far off All these Seven Things should be always remembred by us and have our frequent Thoughts and Meditations for the remembrance of them is very advantageous to the welfare of the inner man and will tend to the good of our Souls but the flourishing of the outward man breeds too much forgetfulness of all these things and the forgetfulness of these things drives us from God and God from us keeps us at a distance from him casts him out of our Minds and Thoughts makes us unserviceable to him and hinders our communion with him 2ly The flourishing of the outward man begets Pride Wantonness Security Envy Ambition Contention negligence in God's Service contempt of others and many hurtful Lusts Deut. 32. 15. Experience proves this 3ly It consumes precious Time and Strength wastes the Spirits Thoughts and Affections being placed on earthly things which should all be spent on God principally and but so much on other things as may fit us for his Service and in subordination to him But while men are contriving how to get how to manage how to spend c. This fills up their Time Hearts Thoughts Minds Spirits and all so that there is no place nor room left for God or the concerns of their Souls Therefore the wife God in great Love and Mercy to the Souls of his People breaks their outward Prosperity which otherwise would ruine their Souls removing those things that hinder the welfare of the Soul for when outward Prosperity is gone then the Soul flies to God it draws nigh to God Prosperity kept it at a distance before it forgot God before now it remembers him seeks God early serves him diligently Now it seeks communion with God pants after his Favour and the sense of his Love Now the Soul is awakened and enlightned and now it remembers God and it self and Sion and its former miscarriages it now minds Death and Eternity more seriously than ever and is more diligent in preparation for them and now the Soul that lay languishing and pining before while the outward man flourished begins to be in a thriving way for these things promote the welfare of the Soul And this is the first way how the perishings of the outward man help towards the renewing and strengthning of the inner Secondly The Adversity of the outward man promotes the Prosperity of the inner by being a means of bringing in Light and Conviction into the Soul Prosperity shuts Men's Eyes and deafens their Ears but vexatio dat visum Affliction opens Men's Eyes so that they see what they did not before and they see things otherwise than before dark Dispensations bring Light with them Afflictions put God's People upon the search Lamen 3. 40. Then they retire and look within themselves then they find out the filthiness vanity frowardness pride earthliness of their
promises is both the breeder and feeder of Patience let Faith live and Patience will not dye let Faith be present and Patience will not be absent and through Faith and Patience we shall inherit the promises Oh then let us labour to live by Faith and strive to keep up our â—aith in Act and Exercise and in special upon the real Spiritual Good that our good God will bring to our inner Man by the decays and perishings of our outward he having promised so to do and he being faithful who hath promised and let us also labour to live in hopes and expectations of that good praying also constantly for increase of our Faith and Hope so shall we be able with Patience to endure to the end and be saved Certainly it is every ones concernment to know and consider that Man consists of two Parts the inner and outer Man and which of the two is best and ought to be most minded and principally looked after for most live as if they had Bodies only and no Souls or if they have Souls that they need not much minding but say they leave the care of them to God whereas indeed it is the welfare the safety and salvation of our Souls that we all should be most solicious about What shall it profit a Man saith our Saviour if he gain the whole World and â—ose his own Soul Sin is the Disease of the Soul and Holiness the health of the Soul and afflictions are God's Physick to effect this Cure by surely then we had better take the Physick the Remedy tho' it make us sick than keep our Disease which will make us Die and that eternally the Remedy is better than the Disease So that when our merciful Father the only wise God sees that the blastings and breakings of our outward Comforts are proper means to keep us from and to purge from 〈…〉 Spiritual Diseases our sins which not purged would destroy our inner Man our Souls and therefore useth this means what cause have we to endeavour in God's strength patiently quietly and comfortably to bear all our breaches and perishings of our outward Man yea and to praise and bless the Lord that he will take this course with us thus to chasten us here in this World that we may not be condemned with the World hereafter 1 Cor. 11. 32. Fourthly It follows also from the Premises that wicked Men are fools very fools yea mad fools and cruel to their own Souls because all their caâ—â— is for their Bodies and none at all for their Souls they provide for the Servant but neglect the Master provide for the Horse but forget the Rider Eccl. 10. 7. We have seen how little care God takes of the outward Man but beats and break that many times that he may secure and preserve the inner Man of his People And also wicked Men are cruel to their own Souls Prov. 8. 36. He that sinneth against God wrongeth his own Soul Is it not a madness carefully to preserve the Box but lose the Jewel to spend precious time strength thoughts cares pains all Mans days in feeding cloathing preserving the outward Man but let the poor Soul starve perist and be eternally lost if there be any cruelty outâ— Hell this is a great piece of it Fifthly It follows also that the continuance oâ— outward Comforts is not to be expected Theâ— will be witherings decays perishings of our ouâ—ward Man it cannot be avoided our health at ease and peace will not abide always with us our dearest Relations must bid us farewel this on earthly Tabernacle must shortly be put off wâ— cannot live always all things here are mutable and changeable we see this by experience everâ— moment our pleasant and lovely Companions in the flesh our dearest friends in Christ our Yoak-fellows the desires of our Eyes the comforts of our lives they and we must part Psal 39. 6. This fully believed and seriously considered would unglue our affections from these things and prepare us to part with them that our parting with them be not so grievous to us as usually it is Could we use these things as we do our Gloves on our Hands which we can with ease pluck off and not as the skin on our Hands which cannot be pulled off but with much pain and smart It were good wisdom for us often to look on all our earthly comforts as things that we cannot long enjoy as things that we must needs shortly part with this my health my estate my ease my relations I must part with and I know not how soon a parting time must come This Soul and Body must part and to keep such thoughts in our minds and often to consider of it would help to moderate our affections to them while we enjoy them and to imploy them for God and also it would prevent our immoderate sorrow for the loss of them because we expected such losses and made account of them before they came but we are too often surprised and therefore too often overcome with sorrow Sixthly It follows from the premises that the Servants of God have no true cause or reason to be discouraged disquieted or dejected when their outward Man perisheth their outward Comforts wither their old House begins to totter and decay because by all these witherings and perishings of their outward Man their inner Man is renewed day by day and therefore no cause of fainting Such as know that is are assured by Faith that when this their earthly Tabernacle shall be dissolved that they have a building with God an House not made with hands eternal in the Heavens such will not be troubled when their Houses of Clay begin to totter no but rather they groan earnestly to be cloathed upon with their House which is from Heaven 2 Cor. 5. 1 2 3. And that God's Servants may thus be willing to put off their earthly Tabernacles and exchange them for Heavenly Houses God is working upon them and in them this willingness as Verse 5 by his Spirit his Word and by his Chastisements breaking and blafting their earthly Comforts weakning their bodies to make them willing to leave them and to long for those everlasting habitations which their dear Lord hath prepared for them John 14. 1 2 3. And for the more effectual working of God's People to this willingness he gives unto them the earnest of the Spirit which is the earnest of their Inheritance untill the Redemption of the purchased Possession Eph. 1. 13 14. and Rom. 8. 23. We which have received the First-fruits of the Spirit groan within our selves waiting for the Adoption to wit the Redemption of our Bodies Now this Earnest or First-fruits of the Spirit which in some measure God gives to all his people here in this life to prepare them for Glory is called also the Seal of the Spirit Ephes 1. 13. After ye believed ye were sealed Now this Seal of the Spirit I take to be the saving Works Graces and
it is renewing day by day as in the Text. But the Fruit of Affliction upon others is like a morning dew or early cloud which the Sun-blast of Prosperity dries all up and blows all off Those seeming Fruits of Humility of Sensibleness Patience Inclinations to good Duties Resolutions against Sin c. which appear in some in time of their Affliction are all blasted and withered again when their Afflictions are removed Hos 6. 4. Thirdly The Fruit of Affliction upon the Godly is more afterward than at present Heb. 12. 11. â—ut on others 't is most at present even while the Affliction is upon them then they will seek God early and earnestly but when the Affliction is over they grow remiss and careless And oh that this were not the fault of too many of the Godly It is the After-fruit of Righteousness the exemplary Holiness of our Lives afterwards that â—s the good Fruit of sanctified Afflictions which we must bring forth to evidence the Love of our Father to us in his Chastnings of us and our spiritual Profit by those Chastisements It is not so â—uch how we behave our selves in the time of our Afflictions though that must be minded also and â—â—reful we must be to carry our selves as Christians under the Cross for an Ahab may then â—ehave himself well but the great matter is how â—e carry our selves after our Afflictions that â—â—en we bear and bring forth the quiet and peaceâ—ble Fruits of Righteousness that we shew forth our Conversations the singular good and spiritual profit that we have got by our Afflictions at we are become more holy more heavenly â—umble meek lowly more tender-hearted more â—â—tchful and circumspect more zealous of good â—orks more charitable more careful in all things please God This is that will clearly prove That Afflictions have done us good and then we shall have cause to bless God for them Fourthly The promised Good and Blessing â—â— Affliction is the main thing which the graciouâ— Soul mostly desireth prayeth for and hopes and expects Thus he breaths O that this strokâ— may be a stroke of Love O that this Affliction may do good to my inward man O that my Sâ—â— may flourish and prosper and be a Gainer by a my outward Losses and Crosses O that my Soâ— may be purged in those Fires and cleansed iâ— those Waters of Affliction that I may bring for all the blessed Fruits of Affliction and O thâ— God would accomplish all his gracious ends upâ—â— my Soul by his Chastisements but it is not with others they cry Lord remove thy haâ—â— take away my Affliction Fifthly The gracious Soul understands God's a sign in Affliction and earnestly desires to kâ—â— the whole Mind of God and why the Lord oâ— tendeth with him and hears the Voice of Rod searcheth for his Sin for the Plague of own Heart repents and turns to God through casts away the Idols of his heart resolves agaâ—â— his Corruptions prays and hopes for the bleâ—â— of his Affliction and thereupon he labours submit to the holy Will of God and patiently bear his Afflictions But it is not so with othâ—â— they are not sollicitous about the attaining of spiritual good to their Souls so they can get the Affliction they care for no more Wheâ— the gracious Soul is afraid that he shall lose â— benefit of his Afflictions and therefore is nâ— earnest with God for it Sixthly The gracious Soul seeks a â—â—eparation of all his Losses and a Balance to all his Troubles in God through Christ and in God's Covenant 2 Sam. 23. 5. and there he finds it in some measure which stayeth and quieteth him When the streams of all Creature-comforts fail him he repairs to God the Fountain and there he lies for all Supplies Psalm 31. 14. Psalm 142. 4 5. Refuge failed me no man cared for my Soul I cried unto thee O Lord I said thou art my refuge and my portion in the land of the living But the Ungodly are strangers to this course in the time of their trouble Now these things considered we may by them attain in some measure the knowledge of our estate whether we be godly or no in a state of Grace or no to wit by the real good our Souls have gotten by our bodily troubles So much for Information II. Thesecond Vse is of Counsel to God's afflicted People when their earthly Comforts wither and decay 1. Bear the Indignation of the Lord take his blows with patience acknowledge his hand stoop and submit to his Will He is your gracious wise merciful Father that smites you he intends you no hurt He that loves you better than you can love your selves He that Redeemed you and he that knows what is best for you He that intends all for your good and will cause all things to work for your good therefore in your patience possess ye your Souls and quietly submit to his good Will 2. Search your Hearts and try your Ways and turne him that smiteth you Commune with your oâ— Hearts call to remembrance your neglects â—â— Duty to God and Man your neglect of the Soâ—â— of your Relations your careless performance â— holy Duties your mis-spending your Talents your earthly and unprofitable Discourses c. Thâ—â— is a time for Heart-searching a time for the trâ— of your ways Lamentat 3. 40. In the day of Adversity consider Consider wherefore God afflicts you consider what you have done against God aâ— what your present Duty is Repent of your fâ—â—mer miscarriages hurable your selves under God mighty hand and act Faith on the Lord Jesus â—â— Remission and by Faith labour to draw strengâ— of Grace to reform and amend and so compâ— with God's design in his Corrections which iâ— to take away your Sin and to make you partake of his Holiness 3. In your Afflictions consult God's Word aâ— be conversant therewith and conform thereâ—â— Now learn to kep God's Precepts Psalm 119. â— Now set straight steps to your feâ—t Heb. 12. 12. â— God 's Word you will finâ— sweet Counsels and Coâ—solations precious Promises encouraging â— amples of Faith and Patience supporting quiâ—ning and strengthning Arguments Had it â—â— been for God's Word David had perished in his â— fliction O therefore now study the Scripturâ— and make them your Meditation Night and Daâ— acquaint your selves with God's Word and appâ— it and yield up your selves to the obedience of â— holy Job in his Affliction esteemed the Word of Gâ—â— above his necessary Food and David above Gold â—â— Silver 4. Learn and comply with God's Designs in chastening you His main Designs are these To take away our Sins Isa 27. 9. He takes away our Isaacs to destroy our Dalilahs he removes the desire of our Eyes to consume the Defilements of our Hearts God designs the purifying of us to make us clean and holy and fit Vessels for himself to dwell in to make us partakers of his holiness and conformable to his Son to make our
Happiness of Suffering Saints is here set out by the Apostle 1. It is Glory it is Glory that they shall receive hereafter a Crown of Glory that fadeth not away It is Glory that they seek for Rom. 2. 6 7. and it is Glory they shall have Here in this World the poor Christian meets with shame and dishonour laden with Reproaches made the off-scouring of all things trodden down as Mire in the Streets the Song of Drunkards but hereafter they shall be advanced to Glory what this Glory imports I shall enquire hereafter It is surely a Soul-supporting a Soul-satisfying thing 2. It is a weight of Glory Not a grain or scruple though a little of this Glory will abundantly recompense all our Sufferings in the way to it but it is a weight of Glory enough to fill all the Faculties of the whole Soul enough to satisfie the vast Desires of the Mind which the whole Creation cannot do yea enough to sink the Soul under the weight of it did not the Almighty Power of God uphold it 3. It is eternal also The glorified Saints shall never be unglorified again it is everlasting Glory 4. It is an exceeding weight of Glory surmounting surpassing and transcending not only our Merits but our Desires our Thoughts and Imaginations Ephes 3. 20. and of which it may be said as the Apostle speaks of the Mysteries of the Gospel that it never entred into the heart of man to conceive 1 Cor. 2. 9. 5. It is a more exceeding it is a marvellous Glory what a Climax what a Gradation is here 6. A far more exceeding it exceeds all our Desires all our Thoughts it is more than we can ask or think it exceeds all our Doings all our Sufferings more than Heaven exceeds Earth or Light Darkness or any thing we can imagine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This Glory is excellent uper-excellent beyond all measure excellent Now in comparison of this excellent Glory all our present Sufferings are but light and short and if so is there any reason the Saints should faint under them but rather to bear up and be of good courage 3. The third Branch of this Argument is the Influence that these short and light Afflictions have upon this Glory or the Reference they have unto it or Tendency towards it and that is very considerable and it is this Those Afflictions work for us this transcendent Glory It is no where said that Honours or Pleasures or Riches work for us this Glory but Afflications work it that is the only-wise God who can bring Light out of Darkness Sweet out of Bitter Good out of Evil even He so ordereth and blesseth all the Afflictions of his People to them that they become singularly useful and influential to work out for them this Glory but not as the Papists hold who abuse this as they do other Scriptures concluding hence that the Saints Sufferings as well as their Doings do merit Glory for this was not St. Paul's meaning because he speaks to the contrary Rom. 8. 18 I reckon that the sufferings of this present life are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed Glory is Christ's Purchace not Man's Merit But Afflictions work for us this Glory by way of Preparation for it as a way and means though not the only and principal which our gracious God appoints ordereth and sanctifieth to fit and prepare his People for that far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory It was by the way of Suffering that our Lord the Lord of Glory went to his Glory Luk. 24. 26. Heb. 2. 10. And therefore seeing Afflictions have such a reference subserviency and tendency to Glory that they are made useful to fit and prepare us for this most blessed most excellent state of Happiness and Glory we faint not under them but rather we are encouraged and strengthned by the consideration of their tendency to prepare us for our eternal Happiness Now let us put all these pieces together and they will yield us this comfortable Doctrinal Conclusion viz. Doct. That the light and short Afflictions of the People of God here in this World are singularly useful to work them for and to work for them a far more exceeding and eternal weight of Glory in the World to come This is so plainly asserted here by the Apostle I need not stand to prove it all I have to do is to demonstrate and shew how those light and short Afflictions of God's People are thus singularly useful and influential to work them for and to work for them this far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory which by the assistance of God I shall endeavour to do But before I begin this it may not be amiss to say a little and I can say but a little a very little for I know very little of this far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory And shall I speak before I know Lord open my Understanding and pardon any Ignorance By this far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory I understand all that wonderful Happiness and Blessedness which the great and glorious God hath prepared for and promised unto his Children and which the Lord Jesus Christ by his precious Blood and Passion hath purchased for them which chiefly consists in their advancement and admission into the nearest enjoyment of the great and glorious God the Chiefest Good to be ever with the Lord to see his Face to know him as we are known of him to live for ever with him partaking of his Glory to their everlasting Consolation But alas how short and shallow are my Apprehensions of what I am writing If it did not appear to the beloved Disciple what Happiness the Saints should be advanced to at the last but only in general that when Christ appears we shall be like him No marvel if such a poor blind Worm as I know so little yet some glimpses we have in the Glass of the Gospel whereby we may come to a little dark Knowledge and a slight taste of this Glory It is the Souls enjoyment of God the chief Good and that is the sum and substance of all Happiness and Blessedness this is called Seeing God Matth. 5. 8. Psal 17. 15. Revel 22. 4. Beholding the glory of Christ John 17. 24. Seeing God face to face that is as far as Creatures are capable See the Prayer of Christ which doth notably express this weight of Glory Joh. 17. 21 22 23. That they all may be one as thou father art in me and I in thee that they also may be one in us and the glory which thou gavest me I have given them that they may be one even as we are one I in them and thou in me that they may be made perfect in one that the world may know that thou hast loved them as thou hast loved me What can be more desired Here is a far more exceeding and eternal weight of Glory indeed a
I will confess you before my Father and the holy Angels This will be the joyful day indeed the day of our full Redemption the time of refreshing indeed the fore-thoughts of this day should support us under all our present Troubles 4. The Fourth Preparative is the Saints solemn Coronation and receiving into the Kingdom of their Father Now the Crown of Righteousness of Life of Glory which was promised them from the beginning of the World and purchased for them by the most precious Blood of Jesus and laid up in Heaven for them shall by the Lord the righteous Judge he given them at that day they have been faithful unto Death and therefore shall receive the Crown of Life The Lord Jesus will then say to all his Saints Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world Every word is full of joy and comfort COME will Christ say Approach this exceeding Glory come is near as you will for the way to it is open for you I have made your passage plain by my blood Christ will not say then Come take up your Cross and follow â—â— but Come now and receive your Crown COME YE BLESSED In the world ye were accursed but now ye are blessed and shall be blessed for ever OF MY FATHER You are the objects of my Father's love he loveth you as he loveth me INHERIT You are the heirs of the promises the heirs of the kingdom the heirs of salvation No less than the Kingdom of Heaven You shall reign with me for ever and ever PREPARED Eternal Love hath laid the Foundation He prepares the Kingdom for us and then prepares us for the Kingdom FOR YOU for you all poor penitent Believers called Regenerate Souls for all you that received me by Faith and persevered therein to your death Thus much for the Preparatives to this far more excceeding and eternal weight of Glory II. Secondly I shall speak a little also of the Properties of this Glory but oh how short and shallow are my Apprehensions of this also Lord enlighten my Understanding and affect enlarge and quicken my Heart 1. This glorious state of Happiness is called The Purchased Possession Eph. 1. 14. It is the Friâ—â— of the Love and Blood of our dear Redeemer whom we shall in Heaven behold and enjoy We shall have our Redeemer alwaies before our Eyes and the liveliest sense and freshest Remembrance of that bleeding-dying-love still upon our Souls Oh how will it fill our Souls with perpetual Ravishments to think that in the Streams of this Blood we have swam through the violence of the World the snares of the Devil the seducements of the Flesh the curse of the Law the wrath of aâ— offended God the Accusations of a guilty Conscience and the vexing doubts and fears of an unbelieving Heart and are passed through all and are safely arrived at the Bosom of God O think and think again what weight of Woâ—â— and Wrath of Sin and Sorrow lay upon the Soul and Body of our most dear Lord to purchase foâ— us this exceeding weight of glory His Soul was oppressed exceedingly oppressed his Body broken his Blood shed to purchase this Glory We value things by the Price they cost If any thing we enjoy were purchased by the Life of our deareâ—â— Friend how would we esteem it Certainly thâ— bitter Death and Blood of our Lord will everlastingly sweeten our Heavenly Glory Oh that the Joy we shall then leave those Hearts of Stone and Rock behind us the Sin that here so close hâ— sets us and the sottish Unkindness that followeâ— us so long shall not be able to follow us into that Glory but we shall behold as it were the wounds of Love with Eyes and Hearts of Love for ever Now his Heart is open to us and ours shut to him but when his Heart is open and our hearts open too oh what a weight of Joy will there then be What a passionate meeting was there between our new-risen Lord and the first-sinful silly Woman that he appears unto How did Love struggle for expression Mary saith Christ Master saith Mary and presently she clasps about his Feet having her Heart as near his Heart as her Hands were to his Feet What a meeting of Love then will there be between the new-glorified Saint and the glorious Redeemer But I am here at a loss my Apprehensions fail me and fall short only this I believe that it will be the singular Praise of our Glory that it was bought with the price of that Blood and the singular Joy of the Saints to behold the Purchaser and the Price together with the Possession 2. Secondly This Glory also is most free it was dear to Christ but free to us Silver and Gold could not purchase this Glory nothing but the precious Blood of the Son of God but we have it freely for nothing without Mony and without Price It 's true this Glory is promised on Conditions but the Condition is but hearty Acceptance and to take him for our Lord who hath redeemed us especially when the Condition is also given as it is by God to all his Chosen Faith which is the main Condition is the gift of God O the everlasting admiration which must needs surprize the Saints to think of the freeness of their Glory O what did the Lord see in me to count me meet for such a state That I a poor diseased despised Wretch should be cloathed in the brightness of this Glory That I a silly worthless Worm should be advanced to this high Dignity That I who was but lately groaning weeping dying should now be so full of Joy as my Heart can hold Yea should be taken from the Grave where I was rotting and stinking and from the Dust and Darkness where I seemed forgotten and here sit before the Throne of God in Glory when the poor self-denying self-accusing humble Soul that thought himself unworthy the ground he trod on unworthy the air he breathed in unworthy to eat drink or live that this Soul shall find himself wrapt up into Heaven closed in the Arms of Christ crowned with Glory in a moment Dâ— but think with your selves what a transporting astonishing thing this will be surely our Unworthiness shall not hinder our Glory God hath chosen the Poor of this World rich in Faith to be Heirs of that Kingdom Grace is most free so is Glory As we pay nothing for our Pardon so nothing for our Glory What an astonishing thought will it be to think of the unmeasurable difference between our Deservings and our Receivings between the state we should have been in and the state we are in to look down upon Hell and see the vast difference between us and them to see the Inheritance which we were born to so different from that we are adopted to O what pangs of Love will it cause within us to think yonder in that dreadful place in those
Lakes of Fire and Brimstone was my native place my deserved Portion those unquenchable Flames should have lain on me that never-dying Worm should have fed on me But that unsearchable rich Grace and infinite Love in God through the most precious Blood of my Redeemer I am delivered from that place of Torment Eternal Life is the Gift of God through Jesus Christ my Lord Did not I neglect Grace and make light of the Offers of Life and slight my Redeemer's Blood a long time as well as those poor damned Souls Did not I waste my time forget my God and my Soul and walk after the Flesh as well as they Was not I born in Sin â—nd Wrath as well as they Or who made me to â—iffer Should I ever have loved God if he had not first loved me Or ever been willing if he had not made me willing Had not I been in those â—ames if I had my own way and if he had let me â—lone to my own will Oh how free was all this â—nfinite Love and how free is this Crown of Glory that so glorious a Crown should be set on the Head of so vile a Creature 3. The third Property of this Glory is that it shall be fully satisfying and contenting for it is a weight of Glory an exceeding weight of Glory It shall be a perfect freedom from all Evil and a perfect fruitiâ—ns of all Good This Glory shall be perfectly suiâ—â—ed to our Natures for as here in this Life every gracious Soul is made partaker of the Divine Nature of the Life of God in some measure and made like Christ in some degree so in the Life to come he shall have a Nature more fully like God his holy Image more fully printed on him and made more fully like Christ When he shall appear we shall see him as he is and we shall be like him â— Job 3. 2. When we awake at the glorious morning of the Resurrection we shall be satisfied with his likeness Psal 17. 15. This Glory shall be perfectly suited also to the Desires of the Saints then the So shall have all that Heart can wish all that ever thou O poor believing Soul didst ever pray or labor for there thou shalt find thou wouldst rather have God in Christ than all the World why there thou shalt have him O what wouldst thou give for the Assurance of his Love Why there thou shalt have Assurance beyond all suspicion yea thou shalt have infinitely more than thou canst desire This Glory is suited also to all the Necessities of the Saints it will make a full supply to all our wants for it is an exceeding weight of Glory My God shall supply all your need with the riches of his glory in Jesus Christ Phil. 4. 19. Here in this World we are always complaining of Wants for Soulor Body or both we want Grace want Peace and Comfort we want Health and Friends nothing but Wants But when once we come to possess this exceeding weight of Glory we shall have no more cause to complain of Wants we shall never want any thing for ever for we shall be filled with all the Fulness of God we shall ever be with the Lord and dwell in his presence for ever in whose presence is fulness of Joy and at whose right hand are Pleasures for evermore Solomon said That Mary answereth all things I am sure that Glory will answer all things 4. Fourthly This Glory is incorruptible 1 Cor. 9. 25. This is an Inheritance incorruptible and undefiled 1 Pet. 1. 4. We shall then have Joy without any mixture of Sorrow Rest without Weariness As there is no mixture of Corruption with our Graces then so no mixture of Sufferings with our Solace Our best Comforts here are mixed with Crosses we have no Flower without Prickles Our best Wine is mixed with Water and some times with Vinegar and Gall. We are now sometimes even at the gates of Heaven and presently almost as low as Hell Today we are well to morrow sick to day in credit to morrow in disgrace to day have Friends to morrow none The only thing that corrupts and imbitters our sweetest Comforts here is our Sins and God's hiding his Face from us for our Sins It is Sin that puts Gall and Wormwood into all our pleasant Cups but when we shall receive that exceeding weight of Glory we shall sin no more for ever Hark O my Soul the best News that ever thou heardst since that greatest good news of a Saviour the time is coming when thou shalt sin no more Rev. 21. 27. then Saints are Saints indeed Eph. 5. 27. O poor Believer if it were put to thy choice wouldst thou not rather chuse to be freed from Sin than to be made Heir of all the World Wait till then and thou shalt have thy desire That hard earthly carnal Heart that thou hast so often complain'd of to the Lord those vain and vile Thoughts which did lye down and rise with thee shall trouble thee no more Oh blessed state blessed time 5. And Lastly It is an eternal weight of glory a Crown of Glory that fadeth not away that Life is everlasting there is no more Death it is everlasting Peace everlasting Joy Pleasures for evermore Eternal Glory O blessed Eternity The Saints shall be Pillars in the Temple of God and go no more out for ever What! to be eternally blessed to be ever with the Lord What can my shallow Thoughts conceive of this O happy Souls in Hell if they could escape after millions of years But how infinitely happy are those in Heaven that shall live there eternally O this amazing this astonishing word Eternity O my Soul study this word Everlasting methinks it should revive thee in thy deepest Agony Thy Heaviness shall endure but for a night God will hide his Face but for a moment thy Afflictions are but light and short thy Temptation shall be but an hour thy Tribulation but ten days but thou shalt receive a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory Believe this O my Soul and let thy Heart break and melt that thou art no more affected with that eternal Love that purchased this eternal Glory for thee For ever adore and admire eternal Love and Grace and double thy Diligence to secure thy title to this eternal weight of glory and live in the Love and in the high Praises of thy dear Redeemer and patiently bear all thy Afflictions because they are preparing thee for this Glory Thus we have seen a little of the Preparatives to and Properties of this far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory and alas how little do I know of it Now before I proceed let us also enquire who shall be the Possessors of this Glory or what those happy persons are that shall be made partakers of this Blessedness that we may know whether we our selves have any title to it and have any good hope through Grace that we shall one
Afflictions change even such as were Beasts into Men yea into Saints Jer. 31. 18. I was saith Ephraim as a Bullock a Beast before I was chastized but being chastized I spake like a man yea like a child of God Afflictions working effectually work this Change Psal 119. 67. so on Manasses many a Child of God can witness this Truth Thirdly Afflictions both drive and draw God's People nearer to him they wandered before they went a whoring from God after other Lovers but Afflictions bring them home Psal 142. 4 5. As the natural Spirits in the Body retire inward and get close to the Heart in cold weather and in any danger outward so the Souls of God's People draw nearest to God in times of Storms and Tempests in the World Psal 31. from ver 9 to 16. his Troubles made him take Sanctuary in God and to trust in him I trusted in the Lord I said Thou art my God Fourthly Afflictions destroy that great Impediment that unfits for Glory and that is Earthly-mindedness inordinate Love of the Creature Phil. 3. 19. Earthly-mindedness fits for Destruction and not for Salvation Afflictions are intended to wean our Hearts from the World to crucifie our Affections to Earthly things And this effect they had on our Apostle here and upon the Primitive Christians as Verse the last We look not say they on those things which are seen for they are temporal All Creature-enjoyments which Worldlings set their Hearts upon and labour so eagerly after we value them not we care not much for them our Hearts are weaned from them we are crucified to the World and the World is crucified to us but we look to those things which are not seen we mind and think on and hope and believe and joy in those things which are not seen our Hearts are in Heaven set upon the unseen God the unseen Glory there the unseen Jesus And whence came they to be wrought into this blessed heavenly frame but much by the Blessing of God on their Afflictions God's Spirit working in and with their Afflictions this deadness of Affection to the World and raising up their Hearts towards Heaven So their Afflictions were useful to them to prepare them for Glory Fifthly By working in us and exercising in us those Graces to which Glory is promised Rom. 5. 3 5. Tribulation worketh Patience and Patience Experience and Experience Hope Yea God's Spirit makes Afflictions useful to work Holiness Heb. 12. 10. to make God's Children partakers of his Holiness without which no man shall see God So Jam. 1. 12. Happy is the man that endureth temptation for when he is tryed he shall receive a crown of glory which God hath promised to them that love him And in hope of this glory God's People rejoyce in their Tribulations Sixthly Afflictions quicken God's People to all diligence and seriousness in the use of all God's means to obtain Glory they quicken to Self-examination I considered my ways saith David They make them search their Hearts and try their ways Afflictions make them put away their Idols helping on the work of Reformation quicken them to Prayer then they cry unto the Lord and pour out their Hearts before him and God loves to hear their Cries then they wrestle with God in Prayer and then they are serious in their Reproofs Admonitions and Instructions of others then also they labour to act their Faith and their Love to God and Christ and to set their Affection upon things above and to look to their Sincerity and Uprightness Unto all those things we are too backward in time of Prosperity but in trouble we are awakened and quickened Lastly Afflictions prepare God's People for glory by working in them strong Desires fervent Pantings and Breathings after that far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory When holy David was in a barren Wilderness where no Waters of Earthly Comforts were to be had oh then his Soul and Flesh and all did thirst after God Psal 63. 1 2 3 8. then his Soul followed hard after God So Psal 42. 1 2 3 4. in Prosperity our Souls follow too hard after the Creature after the lying dying vanities of this World Oh how are we enamoured with these fading Beauties and Braveries How eagerly do we pursue the Profits and Pleasures of the World we may with Shame and Sorrow confess it but when our Heavenly Father strips us of all our pleasant things plucks our fairest Flowers out of our Hands and snatches our dearest Comforts out of our Bosoms oh then what Breathings and Pantings after God the light of his Countenance and the manifestations of his Love When Earth is gone then Heaven is welcome when the Creature is gone then Christ is sweet Before I come to the Application three Questions shall be resolved Q. 1. How must Afflictions be so born as that they may thus work 2. How must they be improved to attain this end 3. Who are the People interested in this Priviledge Q. 1. How must Afflictions be born that they may work thus to prepare us for that far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory Of all these Questions I have treated on other Texts which may be seen in my Notes Yet briefly Answ That our Afflictions may thus work we must be sure to bear them as Christians our Carriage and Deportment in them and under them must be as becometh Christians that is in such a Christian manner as Christ did bear his Sufferings We must set Christ before us for our Example to imitate him and we must set the Saints of God before us for our Example also and bear our Afflictions as they bore theirs And also we must bear them according to the Rules of Christianity set down in the Gospel and that is we must bear our Afflictions quietly silently patiently submissively contentedly willingly cheerfully and constantly So did our Lord Jesus and so did the Saints and so must we if we will have this great benefit by them that they may prepare us for Glory Q. 2. How must we improve them Ans By the conscientious practice of these Duties First Serious Consideration In the day of Adversity consider Eccles 7. 14. Do we suffer Let us consider for whom for what from whom we suffer Consider what our Lord hath suffered for us what our Sins have deserved and what our special Duties are in time of Afflictions Let us fill up our Thoughts with these serious considerations and dwell some time in the Meditations of them and let them sink into our Minds and it will much help us in the spiritual improvement of our Afflictions for our great advantage The want of this due consideration God chargeth on the Jews as a very great Sin Jer. 5. 3. I have smitten them but they have not grieved c. God expects that when he smites us we should lay it to Heart ponder upon it and consider it or else know this that there is a more dreadful stroke of hardness
out more after God to love God more to fear to please to follow after God more it is in love If thou are more fearful of Sinning against God and more careful to glorifie him it is in love Psal 116. 1 2 3 4 5. 2. If you enjoy the gracions Presence of God with you in your Affliction his teaching strengthning sanctifying quieting satisfying humbling comforting Presence with you then you may conclude it is in love Isa 43. 2. Psal 94. 19. 2 Cor. 4. 16. when your inward man is renewed as your outward perisheth 3. If your Afflictions make you more conformable to Christ in Meekness Humility Heavenlyness Patience Self-denyal c. 4. If you be taught by the Spirit and Word when afflicted by the Rod how to hate Sin more to dye to Self and the Vanities of the World more how to dye to all Relations and Creature-Comforts mâ—re and how to list up Christ more and love him more to prepare for Death more and mind Heaven more then you are afflicted in Love Blessed are they that are thus taught by Affliction Psal 94. 12. 5. If God lay no more on you than he enables you to bear Isa 27. 8. Jer. 30. 11. 46. 28. 1 Cor. 10. 13. 6. If you can be willing to lye in the Furnace until your dross be consumed Job 23. 10. Mic. 7. 9. Can you cry out Lord remove the Cause rather than the Effect take away my Corruption rather than my Affliction A Cure Lord a Cure of the Distempers of my vile Heart good Lord a Cure 7. If you can live by Faith on the Promises in your Affliction Isa 41. 10. 43. 1 2 3. 57. 15. 1 Tim. 1. 15. Psal 50. 15. Joh. 10. 17 27 28. Isa 26. 3. Matth. 11. 28 29. Heb. 12. 10. Hos 2. 14. Heb. 13. 5. Rom. 8. 28. Zech. 13. 9. Psal 34. 8. 84. 11. Let us labour to find these sweet Fruits of God's Fatherly Love to us in our Afflictions and then we shall not grow weary 2 Obj. But my Afflictions have been long upon me Ans 1. Not so long as thy Mercies have been Canst thou number the days of thy Health Have not thy good days been many more than thy evil days 2. Nor so long as thy Sins have been Thou hast been a Transgressor from the Womb a Sinner from thy Conception Psal 51. 5. 3. Nor so long as the Afflictions of others it may be far better than you See the 77th and 88th Psalms Gen. 15. 12 13. Four hundred years Exod. 12. 40 41. Job 21. 25. Some have not had a day of health or pleasure many years no not in their Lives Oh how should this quiet us under our Troubles that we may not complain that they are long 4. The longer thy Afflictions have been on thee the sweeter will Heaven at last be to thee Psal 126. 1 2 5 6. compared The longer the Storm the sweeter the Calm the longer in the Tempest the more welcome the Harbour 5. Thy Afflictions are not long but short if compared with that Eternity of Glory reserved in Heaven for you as in the Text Everlasting Habitations Eternal Life a Crown of Glory that fadeth not away Have an Eye fixed on the Crown while thou bearest the Cross One moments being in the Bosom of Christ will make thee forget all thy Misery oh long for that good hour 6. The longer you are in Afflictions the more spiritual Experiences you have of the Love and Care of Christ towards you 2 Cor. 1. 5. 2 Cor. 12. 5. O the Love-tokens that Christ sends his Spouse in the Furnace of Affliction then he speaks most kindly to her The blessed Martyn found it so 7. Long Afflictions are but Preparatives sometimes to long-liv'd Mercies as in Joseph and David Isa 54. 11 12 13 14. If by my long Affliction God make more room in my Heart for himself Son and Spirit his Word if he crucifie my Affections more to the World and make me more conformable to Christ I shall for ever bless his Name for them 8. The more Afflictions here the more Glory hereafter 2 Cor. 4. 16. Matth. 5. 10. For 1st the more Affliction the more Grace is exercised and the more Grace here the more Glory hereafter 2dly The more Afflictions the more religious Duties will be performed Psal 109. 4. Isa 26. 16. Psal 42. 1 2 3. Now God will reward every into according to his works though not for them 1 Cor. 15. last 2 Cor. 9. 6. 9. Impatience will but lengthen our Affliction God's time is the best for deliverance Affliction shall last no longer than need Act. 27. 13 15. Psal 23. 1 2. 94. 9. Rom. 8. 28. Moreover that we may bear up as Christians and not grow weary and so may find that all our Afflictions are blessed to us to prepare us for that far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory let us dwell on a few more Considerations 1. That these our Troubles are all the Hell we shall have 2. Think much on the real spiritual Advantages we shall have by Affliction Have we not had some bless God for them 3. Your choicest and chiefest Treasure is safe your God your Christ your Portion your Crown your Inheritance is safe your Graces your Souls are safe 4. Consider it is our unmortified Lust that is the sting of all our Afflictions its Sin adds gall to our wormwood Let us set our selves in earnest to the mortifying of our Sins apply the Blood of Christ beg his Spirit Rom. 8. 13. 5. That all our Afflictions come to us through the Covenant of Grace Psal 89. 30 c. 6. That they do but reach our worser our baser part our Bodies 2 Cor. 4. 6. our Souls may grow better 7. Labour to live by Faith and keep it as much in exercise as possible for Faith in exercise 1st shews the extreme vanity of all earthly things for the Soul by Faith seeth them as God seeth them to be all vanity and vexation and so it overcometh the World 1 Joh. 5. 4. 2dly Faith presents to the Soul greater sweeter better things in God and Christ than can possibly be found in the Creature Faith looks and feeds on Invisibles 3dly By enabling the Soul to center it self on God and to be satisfied with the naked enjoyment of him God is All to the Soul that trusteth in him Joh. 14. 8. Psal 17. 15. Phil. 3. 8 9. 8. Labor every day to be more humble low and little in your own Eyes Who am I I am not worthy of the least of God's Mercies I have forfeited all I have improved none it is Pride only that brings Discontent 9. Consider the worst that God doth to his People here is but to do them good in the latter end Hos 2. 14. Heb. 12. 10. 10. What God wills is best God is Wisdom it self and he is Goodness it self when he sends Sickness Sickness is best 11. That God will be with us
World to him one that looks not on the things which are seen that sets not his Heart and Affections upon them III. The Reasons of the Point why gracious Souls do not so much regard and mind visible things are those that follow Reason 1. One Reason is in the Text which is because they are temporal fading perishing transitory momentany things All flesh is grass and the glory thereof as the flower of the field All are dying things and therefore no suitable Objects for never-dying Souls to spend themselves upon All our Relations how dear and near soever our Health Estate Liberty yea our Life is but a Vapour that appears but a little time and then vanisheth away therefore not fit for immortal Souls to fix upon Reas 2. Because these visible temporal things the outward good things of this World are most times great Enemies to our Souls and have proved very hurtful and prejudicial to them that have had the greatest confluence of them but beneficial to very few Deut. 32. 15. Oh how few have been the better for Prosperity Now this damage and hurt to mens Souls cometh not from those good things themselves for they are good in themselves and are God's Blessings but this hurt comes partly from the Devil and partly from mens own Corruptions 1st From the Devil the god of this World 2 Cor. 4. 4. who causeth Mischief to the Souls of Men by the good things of this world these ways 1. He misrepresents the things of this world to Men the Riches Honours and Pleasures of it Liberty Health Ease Money Estates the Devil shews them in false glasses and not as the God of Truth in his Word declares them to be and indeed so they are and not otherwise but Satan represents them not as vain deceitful vexatious and uncertain things but as brave glorious satisfying things and thence men promise themselves so much Content in them 2. He lays Snares Baits and Temptations in all visible temporal things 1 Tim. 6. 9. There is not any visible Comfort but there is some Snare some Temptation attending it 3. He over-values all temporal things to us making them to be worth all our Affections Strength Time and Pains but undervalues Heaven Grace and Glory there he saith why so much ado time enough hereafter 4. He greatens present Evils as Shame Poverty Sickness Losses c. Oh! these must be avoided by any means but lesseneth eternal Evils God's Wrath and Vengeance and eternal Damnation Thus the Devil makes these visible temporal things hurtful to men 2dly This hurt comes to men through their own Lust and Corruptions within them without which the Devil could not hurt them if Men had 〈◊〉 the Spirit of this World within them 1 Cor. 2. 〈…〉 a worldly Spirit a vain Mind a foolish Mind an earthly Mind darkned and corrupted 〈…〉 earthly things which complieth with 〈…〉 unto Satan's Temptations without 〈…〉 their Hearts are carried our 〈…〉 these earthly things else Satan 〈…〉 Now the great Mischiefs 〈…〉 do to Mens-Souls through the 〈…〉 and Mens own Corruptions 〈…〉 First These Earthly thing◠〈…〉 coming to Christ as they 〈…〉 Matth. 19. 22. by darkning their 〈…〉 their Minds that they cannot see that transcendent Beauty and unspeakable Amiableness and Comeliness that is in Jesus Christ nor their own absolute necessity of him and their undone estate without him by filling their Hearts Heads Hands and Time and all so that there is no room for Christ nor time to mind Christ Profits and Pleasures take up all their time and carry away their Hearts Secondly They hinder men from following Christ Phil. 2. 21. All seek their own not the things of Christ at least they hinder men from following Christ fully and wheresoever he goes as Joshua and Caleb did and those in the Revelations 14. 4. Thirdly They hinder men from owning Christ and his Truths and Saints and from suffering for Christ when called thereunto as it hath millions of Professors in time of Persecution Now from the consideration of the danger we are in from visible temporal things we have good reason to draw off our Hearts and Affections from them and not much to mind or regard them And indeed our Souls are in danger on both hands both from the good and from the evil things of this World Prosperity and Adversity 1. From Prosperity we are in danger to have our Hearts divided and estranged from God and so to commit spiritual Idolatry setting up our Enjoyments for Idols in our Hearts taking more pleasure and delight in them than in God and his Service We are in danger of forgetting God and of falling into sinful security in danger of being lifted up with Pride and Vain-glory and thereby provoke God and in danger of growing careless and negligent in the Service of God And these are great Evils 2. From Adversity there is danger also as in case of loss of Friends Estate Liberty Health c. We are in danger of Impatience Discontent Despondency c. And therefore gracious Souls labour to get off their Hearts as much as they can from all visible temporal things and to be as indifferent and as unconcern'd to them as possibly and to be as dead to them as they can 3 Reas Because of the Vanity utter Insufficiency and Impotency of all earthly things without God either to preserve from the least Evil or to procure the least good All the Riches in the world cannot cure an aking Tooth Haman's Honour could not save him from the Gallows nor Herod from the Worms See Prov. 11. 4. Eccl. 1. 2. 5. 10. Isa 55. 2. There is no satisfaction to be had in them or from them 4 Reas Because there is not the least true happiness in having the greatest abundance of earthly things for if there were then Reprobates and Cast-aways should have the greatest share in Happiness for they have most of those things 5 Reas Because every gracious Soul is in Covenant with God united to Christ partaker of his Spirit and so made like unto God and like unto Christ The Great God is his and all the great things of the Covenant are his Christ and all his Benefits are his and alas what mean low base things are all the visible temporal things of this World in comparison of God of Christ and Glory Besides all gracious Souls are in measure made like God And we read what a low esteem God hath of these things Luke 16. 15. Those things that are highly esteemed amongst men are an abomination to the Lord. And our Lord Jesus had a very low esteem of them being contented to be without house or home or a penny in his Purse And every true Christian hath the Spirit of Christ in some measure and the same mind that He had Rom. 8. 9. Gal. 4. 6. 6 Reas Because gracious Souls are born of God and that unto far higher and better things than these visible temporal things are at their best 1 Pet.
1. 4 5. They are begotten to an inheritance incorruptible undefiled and that fadeth not away reserved in Heaven for them who are kept for it by the mighty power of God unto salvation And they are also bound for God and for Heaven they have not their Portion here nor their Treasure here they are bound for another Country they seek a City that hath Foundations and their Hearts are where their Treasure is and there ore they do not much mind and regard those visible temporal things 7 Reas Because they have been so often disappointed and deceived by those things they never found that in them which they expected from them the World hath ever proved false to them they have tryed it and by Experience have ever found it Vanity and Vexation and nothing else 8 Reas And Lastly Because gracious Souls have Principles of Faith in them they have the same Spirit of Faith in them that those Primitive Christians had and that is a victorious Principle a World-conquering Faith Heb. 11. 1. By Faith the Soul mounts aloft and takes a prospect of the invisible eternal things being the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen fixing its Eye upon and conversing with those things and so it overlooks and looks beyond and above all visible temporal things 1 John 5. 4. This is the victory that overcometh the world even our faith And this I take to be the main thing intended in the Text As if the Apostle had said We look not unto things that are seen that is we live not by sence but by Faith as 2 Cor. 5. 7. we set not sence on work on visible temporal things but we set Faith on work on invisible eternal things and by our Faith on invisibles we get victory over visible temporal things Q. But how doth Faith help a Soul to take it off from minding and over-much regarding visible temporal things Ans Faith doth it many ways 1. First by carrying the Soul to pitch its Eye upon and take a view of the invisible God in Christ and his God in Christ Heb. 11. 26. Moses saw him that was invisible and thereby he endured the evil things of this World and despised the Riches and Honours of Pharaoh's Court Alas how vile and base are all earthly things in comparison of the Eternal God the All-sufficient Good And by Faith the Soul pitcheth it self upon this God and applieth and appropriateth this God to himself This God is my God 1 Sam. 30. 6. Psal 31. 14. I said Thou art my God and 48. 14. This God is our God and 73. 26. My Portion Also by Faith the Soul is carried to pitch upon Jesus Christ in whom dwells all fulness and by Faith sees his Interest in this Blessed Jesus and thence he is mounted aloft above all visible temporal things having his Affections raised and fixed upon Jesus his Saviour who sits at the right hand of God Col. 3. 1 2. This sight of God and Jesus by Faith takes off the Minds and Thoughts of Believers from those things below having higher better and more excellent things above to feed and fill their Thoughts with for no man can look up to Heaven and look down to the Earth at the same time as while Paul pressed forward towards the mark he forgot those things which were behind and as Jesus is said to be in Heaven John 3. 13. that is his Heart and Mind was there when he was on Earth even so it is in some measure with all true Believers their conversation is in Heaven Phil. 3. 20. 2. Faith receives the Testimony which God hath given in his Word concerning those visible temporal things that they are all vanity and vexation of spirit and therefore judgeth them not worthy of too much place in their Hearts and Minds 3. Faith raiseth the Soul to a believing sight of a better World than this present evil World is and of better things than those visible temporal things are of a better Life an eternal Life of a better Rest than can be had here even an everlasting Rest of a 〈…〉 inheritance 1 Pet. 1. 4. an incorruptible and undefiled our that fadeth not away of a better Country than Earth at best even an Heavenly Jerusalem and of a better House than the best House here even an house not made with hands eternal in the heavens whose Builder and Maker is God and of a better City even a City that hath Foundations 〈…〉 that better and more enduring Substance in Heaven Heb. 10. 34. and that infinitely-better Company the Blessed God and the Blessed Jesus the Mediator of the New Covenant the glorious Angels and the Spirits of just men made perfect and better Joys Delights and Pleasures than can possibly be enjoyed here and also far better Employment and indeed all better things and all these better things the Believer by Faith doth realize to his Soul and all those so exceeding great and glorious things the Believer knows he must have cost what Cost and therefore the strongest streams of his Thoughts Cares Studies and Pains run this way and after these things even after these better things above Faith looks within the Veil unto those unseen Excellencies to those invisible Glories to be with God and with Jesus and to enjoy that full and perfect Communion with them above and when a Soul is pitcht and fixt by Faith here setled and centred on things above then farewel deceitful World 4. By Faith the Soul apprehends as the most transcendent Excellency of those things above so by Faith the Soul sees its absolute necessity of those things Interest in God Peace with him Union with Christ Title to Eternal Life c. are things not only infinitely better than all visible temporal things but saith the believing Soul these things I must needs have I shall be eternally undone without them It 's true I must have Food and Raiment also these are necessary too but not so necessary If I have God and Christ I shall not want Food and Raiment the faithful God hath past his Promise that I shall want no good thing I may be happy for ever without Riches and Honours without earthly Friends and Relations without Health or Liberty but not without God and Christ oh there lies my Happiness One thing is needful only needful absolutely needful and that is my Interest in God and Christ and the making sure of that deserves and calls for our most serious and utmost Thoughts and Cares If a man were condemned to dye whereupon would he spend his most serious Thoughts but upon getting his Pardon if there were any hopes of it and not in providing himself fine Clothes or a full Table The application is easie 5. By Faith a Soul is perswaded that neither the evil things of this World can hinder nor the good things of this World can further his Happiness nor his way to it of themselves but rather the contrary for a man
may be poor in this World yet rich in Faith and an Heir of the Kingdom as James 2. 5. and a man may be rich in this World yet poor in Soul and an Heir of Hell as we see in Dives 6. Faith is a powerful a victorious conquering Grace This is the victory that overcometh the world even our Faith Stephen was full of Faith and Power Acts 6. 8. The work of faith with power 2 Thess 1. 11. Faith brings all visible temporal things under the Believer's Feet it gives the Believer power to use the World and not to abuse it not seeking Rest and Contentment in it to use it moderately without damage and detriment to the Soul to use it for God's honour it s own spiritual advantage and the good of others and power to keep it out of the Heart Christ dwelling there by Faith to use the World and not losing our Hearts our Peace nor our Consciences in it Faith gives the Soul power to withstand the Threats and Temptations of the World and power to be willing to leave it and to go to a better World Oh the mighty power of Faith and by the Power of this Faith gracious Souls are taken off from those visible temporal things And so much for the Doctrinal Part. The Application follows First for Information If it be the Character and Duty of gracious Souls because visible things are temporal therefore they must not they do not much mind or regard them I. It follows then that Earthly-mindedness worldliness is a great Evil and very unbecoming true Christians for their minds and conversations are it Heaven Phil. 3. 19 20. There is the discriminating Character both of the gracious and ungracious a vast difference between them the one mind Earthly things the otherâ— have their conversation it Heaven Most People look on those things which are seen all seek their own things those that they count their own and those are mostly â—hiefly and principally minded as appears manifestly thus 1. By the stream of their Thoughts which runs steddily upon visible temporal things having vain Minds 2. By the common current of their Discourses their Talk is all of the World 3. By the tide of their Affections Love Joy Fear Sorrow Delight all run strongly Worldâ—â—rd 4. By the course of their Actions their Time Pain Care all is spent about the World rising early going to Bed late eating the Bread of Carefulness and all about the World This is a great Evil because expresly forbidden Matth. 6. 19. Lay not up for your selves treasures on earth Joh. 6. 27. Labour not for that meat which perisheth Col. 3. 2. Set your affections upon things above and not upon things below And this Worldly-mindedness is contrary to the Practice of true Christians as in the Text We look not on those things which are seen So Phil. 3. 20. And it is the Character of such as are in a state of Nature and that cannot please God Rom. 8. 5 8. They that are after the flesh do mind in things of the flesh Such are not crucified to the World but conquered and captivated by it yea crucified by it conquered by the Profits Honours and Pleasures of it and meer Slaves to these and crucified by the Crosses and Losses of the World their Hearts and Spirits lye under the Feet of these and are at the beck of these their Hopes and Comforts lye all at the Courtesie of the World and this is a woful Bondage Remember this we can never conclude that we are truly gracious until we have Grace enough to keep God and our Hearts together and to keep the World and our Hearts asunder 1 John 2. 14 15. Love not the world nor the things of the world for he that loveth the world the love of the Father is not in him Woe to them that have their Portion in this World Psal 17. 14. who have their good things here who have laid up their Treasures upon Earth and there have their Heart That Text Phil. 3. 19. is enough to terrifie aâ— such Their end is destruction who mind earthâ—â— things Inf. II. It follows from the Premises that Contentment with our Condition and with any portion of visible temporal things is a great Virtue and well becoming Christians Discontent proceeds from our over-minding and over-valuing and over-loving earthly things and it is a very great Evil for it practically denies God's All-sufficiency his Wisdom Soveraignty Faithfulness and Mercy it disgraceth the Gospel and Godliness and is in it self a great Plague Q. But how shall I do to be content content to be deprived of my dear Relations Estate Health Liberty c A. Read Mr. Burroughs's Book of Christian Contentment Take also these Directions 1. Labour to make God your own and then you will have a full and sufficient Ballance to all your Losses He is God All-sufficient Weigh well those two Scriptures 1 Sam. 30. 6. 2 Sam. 23. 5. 2. Labour to make Christ your own he offers himself to you in the Gospel with all he is and with all he hath And in him dwelleth all fulness he is all in all Psal 23. 1. The Lord is my shepherd I shall not want said David 3. Search the Scriptures and be acquainted with the many exceeding great and precious Promises that are there suitable to every Condition you can be in Act your Faith on them and apply them lye upon and suck those full Breasts of Consolation 4. Pray for Contentment and pray earnestly for the manifestation of God's Love to your Souls and that will so satisfie and content you that any measure of earthly things will content you 5. Be much in Heavenly Meditations look upon invisible and eternal things spend serious frequent fixed Thoughts on them 6. Consider your Deserts No person in the World how little soever he hath of the good things of the World but hath much more than he deserveth and more than he doth well improve and how much soever he hath of the evil things of the World he hath infinitely less than he deserved for every thing out of Hell is a Mercy It 's of the Lord's Mercy we are not consumed 7. Consider if you be true Christians you have the Spirit of Christ in you Rom. 8. 9. Jesus Christ had a most contented Spirit Contentment is the inseparable Companion of true Godliness 1 Tim. 6. 8. Having food and raiment let us be content Let us that are Christians who have the Great GOD for our Portion and Blessed Jesus for our Treasure and Heaven for our Inheritance having Food and Raiment any Food any Raiment though never so coarse let us be content content with such things as we have Heb. 13. 5. Inf. III. Thirdly hence it follows also that great is the Folly of all by Nature and great is their Blindness which appears in this that they value prize mind and follow after visible temporal things much more eagerly and earnestly than after invisible eternal things
〈…〉 and that Earthly things were temporal 〈…〉 and therefore not so â—e command 〈…〉 less to be valued or 〈…〉 Heavenly things Q. 1. But how 〈…〉 of Earthly things A. 1. We must judge of 〈…〉 only wise judgeth of them 〈…〉 judge truly and rightly of them Now God hath declared in his Word his Judgment of them Isa 4. 6 7. The mouth of the Lord hath spoken this The voice said Cry and he said What shall I cry All flesh is grass and all the goodliness thereof as the flower of the field The grass withereth the flower fadeth Psal 39. 5 6. Verily every man at his best estate is altogether vanity Surely every man walketh in a vain shew Psal 103. 14 15. we are but Dust As for man his days are as grass as a flower of the field so he flourisheth For the wind passeth over it and it is gone and the place thereof shall know it no more Job 14. 1 2. Man that is born of a woman is of few days and full of trouble He cometh forth like a flower and is cut down he fleeth also as a shadow and continueth not So 1. Pet. 1. 24. Jam. 1. 10. 4. 14. What is our life It is but even a vapour that appeareth for a little time and then vanisheth away This is the Judgment of God concerning Man all Men They are but Dust but a Shadow but Grass and the Life of Man very short and full of trouble but even as a bubble but a vapour and we may be sure that the Judgment of God is according to Truth And then for all the things of this World Solomon by the Spirit of God hath declared what they all are Eccles 1. 2. Vanity of vanities saith the Preacher vanity of vanities all is vanity Vanity and Vexation Riches Honours Pleasures Relations Friends Liberty all pleasant Accommodations all is vanity and vexation of spirit This is the true and right Judgment we should have of all earthly things 2. We must judge of these earthly things by the experience of the best and wisest men that ever lived upon Earth they will tell us from their own experience that they are all vanity and vexation So Solomon Job David Moses Psal 90 4 5 6. Yea we all know this by our own Experiences every day that all flesh is as grass and as the flower of the field How soon do all our earthly Comforts wither and perish our dearest and nearest Relations wither and dye away our Health and Strength our Life and all still withering and perishing See largely of this in Dr. Reynold 's Three Treatises the first part concerning the vanity of the Creature 3. Once more judge of Earthly things by the evil use we make of them while we have them through Satan's Temptations and our own Corruptions as was shewed before and also what cloggs and hinderances they are to our Souls in our way to Heaven Altho' Life and all the Accommodations of Life as Health Strength Liberty Estate Friends are good things in themselves and given us to be helps to Holiness and to Heaven yet we must confess to our shame that all our Earthly Comforts yea and our animal Life it self doth very much most times hinder our Communion with God hinder us in the Service of God keep our Hearts at too great a distance from God and many more Evils they bring upon us all which considered we have but little reason so to value them as we do nor to let our Hearts and Affections so to run out after them Thus let us take a right judgment of all Earthly things It is true that so far forth as these Earthly things are useful to us in the Service of God and further the good of our Souls so far forth we ought to love and prize them and praise God for them and pray for the continuance of them but so far forth as they are hinderances to us in Holiness and bring Sin and Guilt on our Souls as too oft they do so far forth and in that respect we had better be without them than with them their Room would be better than their Company And when they prove Snares to us and like Solomon's Wives draw away our Hearts from God and like Dalilah to Sampson betray our Souls into the hands of our spiritual Enemies then surely it is the goodness of God to separate them from us and strip us of them and we shall have cause to bless God for so doing Sickness and Weakness improved is better for our Souls than Health and Strength abused Restraint and Confinement improved better than Liberty abused Solitariness improved is better than a Family and Company abused Poverty improved better than Riches abused c. Thus you may get a right Judgment of Earthly things Q. 2. But how will this right Judgment of Earthly things help us to bear our Troubles in this World A. 1. By acting our Faith upon the Word of God Believe and be fully perswaded of the truth which God the God of Truth hath spoken concerning all Earthly things Believe that all flesh is grass that life is but a vapour c. here lies the root of all our Impatience and Discontent under our Losses and Earthly Comforts even our Unbelief we do not fully and firmly believe they are such vain things that we are deprived of out grass but as the flowers of the field Just like a man that finds a Box or Bag of Counters and takes them to be all pure Gold and greatly rejoycech in what he hath found then after a short time he loseth his Counters and then he is exceedingly troubled for the loss of them because all this while he took them for Gold but if once he comes to believe that it was but a Box or Bag of Counters then he grieves no more So it is with us we believe not that all our Comforts are vanity and vexation we look not on them to be so but that there is much contentment and sweetness and satisfaction to be had in them And therefore we grieve immoderately when we lose our Counters but if we did firmly believe they are but Counters Shadows Grass Vapours we should not be so cast down 2. Meditation and Consideration of the true nature of all Earthly things as God hath shewed us in his Word often thinking pondering and meditating on their vanity uncertainty transitoriness and deceitsulness Without this due and serious Meditation a right Judgment of them will do us no good When God smites our Comforts maketh our fairest Flowers to wither blasteth our flourishing Grass then let us consider what God hath smitten and blasted nothing but grass but flowers What have we lost Nothing but Shadows but Counters This deep Consideration will support us under our Losses Consider also the Experience of the Saints who in all Ages have found these things to be but vanity and vexation 3. Add Prayer to God That He will throughly convince your Minds of the
vanity of all earthly things as David prayed Psal 39. 4. That we may judge of them as God judgeth of them and not otherwise and then it will not so much trouble us to part with them So much for a right Judgment of the good things of this World We must also labour to get a right Judgment of the evil things of this World as Poverty Sickness Imprisonment Disgrace loss of Friends and Relations we usually judge amiss of these also and therefore become impatient Now that we may have a right Judgment of these things also we must observe the former Rules 1. To judge of these Evil things as God in his Word judgeth of them Now God tells us in his Word that Afflictions are short and light that is comparatively as was shewed before that his ends and designs in all the Afflictions of his People are good and gracious of which largely before that they are Tokens of his Fatherly Love to us and Evidences of our Sonship that they are for our spiritual and eternal profit to take away our Sins and to make us partakers of his Holiness and to prepare us for that far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory that they are needful and necessary for us Afflictions being as necessary to God's People in their passage to Heaven as Water is to a Ship to carry her to her Port. Now if we judge of Afflictions thus as the Only-wise God judgeth of them we shall bear them with much patience 2. To judge of them as the wise good and holy men of God do judge of them Moses chose rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season Holy David professeth That it was good for him that he was afflicted Psal 119. 71. Vpon which Text I have written at large by it self So the Primitive Christians 2 Cor. 4. 17 18. and Heb. 10. 34. And thousands now in Heaven and upon Earth can seal to this Truth That Afflictions have done them good 3. Let us judge also by our own Experiences that as the good things of this World have been by Satan's Temptations and our own Corruptions very hurtful to our Souls so the evil things of this World have been through the Grace of God sanctifying them to us very profitable to our Souls and we have cause to bless God for them And as Earthly things good in themselves become evil to us so evil things so in themselves but by the Blessing of God on them become good into us Now this right Judgment of the evil things of this World will much support us under them 1. If we strongly act our Faith in believing that God in his Word hath said of these Evil things that they are all but light and short that He hath such gracious ends in them and if we act faith and Hope upon the many exceeding great and precious Promises in the Word made to his People in their Afflictions and relye upon his faithfulness in them we shall be sweetly supported under them 2. If we duly meditate and consider of the good â—ruits that our Afflictions shall bring forth in us â—â— due time and do duly ponder upon the gracious ends of God in them it will doubtless mightily uphold us under them 3. And if we add fervent Prayers to God to give out all those spiritual Blessings of Afflictions to us and wait on him for the blessing hoping â—esiring and panting after these Blessings we shall be enabled to bear up under them all Application Let us bewail our wrong and false Judgment of Earthly things both of the good and evil things of this World and pray earnestly for a true spiritual and right Judgment of them let us fully submit our Judgments to the Judgment of God and setledly acquiesce in God's Judgment let us pray earnestly for a spiritual Understanding and a renewed Judgment let us look on all visible temporal things as God looketh on them and settle it in our minds That the Judgment of God is right and best and let us not lean to our own Understandings and by this means we shall be much helped to bear all our Afflictions with Comfort and Patience So much of this Doctrine Now to proceed to the last words in this Verse 2 COR. iv 18. But to the things which are not seen for they are eternal THIS is another Act of Faith Faith enables the Soul not only to look off from things which are seen for they are temporal but also to look unto those things which are not seen for they are eternal We look the original word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 prospicio to look seriously diligently earnestly to look upon a thing as his mark and scope to look with ardent desire to attain that which he looks for Now saith the Apostle We look not on those things which are seen temporal things as our mark and scope with such eagerness and diligence to attain them we see not such worth and excellency in them as to spend our best Thoughts about them and our ardent Affections upon them no no but we look on things not seen we look on unseen things as infinitely more worthy and more highly meriâ—ing our best Thoughts and Affections for those â—â—seen things are eternal things and therefore more worthy of our Affections Two Points of Doctrine arise hence Doct. I. That truly-gracious Souls do most seriously mind and most diligently intend and aim at unseen eternal things upon these their thoughts are mainly and mostly fixt and about these their greatest Care and Study is employed Doct. II. That the due minding of and meditating upon unseen eternal things will much help to support the People of God under all their Sufferings in this World Doct. I. First That truly-gracious Souls do most â—eriously mind and most diligently intend and aim at â—â—seen and eternal things Here we must enquire 1. What those invisible eternal things are 2. The Reasons of the Point 1. What they are They are things not seen and they are eternal unseen to the bodily Eye opposed to the visible things of the World Riâ—â—es Honours Pleasures Friends Health Liberty c. those good and evil things of this World these we look not unto but to invisible and they are 1. First The Invisible God whom no man hath seen nor can see with bodily Eyes Coll. 1. 15. 1 Tim. 1. 17. Moses saw him that is invisible Heb. 11. 27. We saith the Apostle look unto him Mic. 7. 7. I will look unto the Lord Psal 34. 5. Gracious Souls make God their aim and their end how to serve and please and glorifie him and how to have Communion with him and to enjoy him This is the chief Study Care and Labour of gracious Souls to be accepted with God and to bring Glory to him 2 Cor. 5. 9. We are always looking to God to his Precepts to obey them to his Promises to believe and rest upon them to
his Providences to observe and comply with them answering them by suitable Duty 2. Secondly We look unto our Blessed Jesus the Image of the Invisible God the eternal Son of God He was once visible and seen in the Flesh and shall be so again at his second coming Acts 1. But now we see him not yet now we believe in him and look on him by Faith And that we may look upon and behold this unseen Jesus and by Faith and Love to enjoy Union and Communion with him to know him living in us and to have fellowship with him in his Death and Resurrection and in his Life to receive of his fulness Grace for Grace This the Saints aim at and spend their Thoughts and Cares about and make this the main and principal work of their Lives Phil. 3. 8 9 10. That they may be joyned to Christ married to him engrafted into him partake of his Spirit Life and Grace that they may be conformable to him and enabled to walk as he walked that he may sup with them and they with him that he may dwell in their Hearts by Faith and take up his abode with them and manifest his Love unto them that they may grow up in all things like unto him These are the Aims Intentions Desires Prayers Longings and constant Endeavours of truly-gracious Souls Not to be rich and great and honourable in the World but to partake of the unsearchable Riches of Christ to get and possess Jesus this Pearl of greatest 〈◊〉 to be rich in Faith to have a clear Title to â—e Crown of Life which Jesus hath purchased â—â— promised to live in Christ and to please hoâ—â—ur and enjoy Jesus This is their Chief Laâ—â—ur 3. The holy Spirit is invisible and eternal the â—â—cious Influences and Operations of the Holy â—host on the Hearts and Spirits though the â—ects may in some sense be said to be visible â—â— of eternal efficacy yet the Operations are in 〈◊〉 sence invisible the Graces of the Spirit â—â—ch I take to be those Waters of Life which our â—â—d speaks of John 4. which spring up to Eterâ—al Life the Joy the Comforts of the Spirit the â—aintings teachings guidings of the Spirit the â—â—iness and sealings of the Spirit all these are inâ—â—able and eternal things and these are the things â—hat natural men cannot know nor discern 1 Cor. 2. â—1 13 14. Strangers intermeddle not with this by because Strangers to it It is hidden Manna â—â—at these are the unseen things that gracious â—als mind seek and breath after and always â—â—g for Oh that they may be filled with the â—pirit filled with the Graces and Comforts of the Spirit and enjoy Communion with the Spirit 4. The Word of God the glorious Gospel that is invisible and eternal not in the Letter of it for that is to be seen in the Book but the Mysteries of â—t are hidden Mysteries Matth. 11. 25. These things are hid from the wife and prudent of the World It 's true the sound of the Gospel is gone â—ut abroad throughout the World but the power and efficacy the vertue and inward workings of it the sweetness of it that is invisible to the Eye of the Body and hidden to the World 1 Cor. 2. 9 10. God reveals those things to his People by his Spirit The infinite Beauty of Christ his transcendent Excellencies the Beauty of Holiness the surpassing sweetness of the Promises the glory of Heaven with many many other unspeakable Excellencies which are held out in the Gospel all which bodily Eyes cannot see nor carnal Hearts understand The powerful enlightning quickning transforming nourishing strengthning refreshing and comforting power and vertue of the Gospel but very few see and feel none but such as are spiritualized and whose Understandings are savingly enlightned Eph. 1. 17 18 19. There are great and glorious things represented in the Gospel but Men's Understandings must be enlightned before they can see them Life and Immortality is brought to light by the Gospel Heaven and Hell opened in the Gospel but not to be seen by the bodily Eye Hence the Gospel is said to be hid 2 Cor. 4. 4. and this word abideth for ever 1 Pet. 1. 25. and it is an everlasting Gospel Now saith the Apostle we look to the Word of God and mind the glorious Mysteries of the Gospel and feel the sweet and powerful effects of it we desire the sincere milk of the Word that we may grow thereby we esteem the Word of God above our necessary food Job 23. 12 13. and it is sweeter to us than the hony or hony-comb Psal 19. 9. 5. We look unto and mind all the exceeding great and precious Promises which are in the Word of God the vertue sweetness and good of them are all invisible to carnal Eyes Tell a carnal man of the goodness and sweetness of the Promises it is a Riddle to him give him present Enjoyments he never tasted any sweetness in them but true Christians look on them as exceeding rich things and look up to them and embrace them and live upon them they could not â—re without them The Promises are dry Breasts â—â— carnal Hearts they can draw no vertue from them but they are full Breasts to gracious Souls â—â—il 27. 13. I had fainted unless I had believed that â—â— in the Promises to see the goodness of God in the 〈◊〉 of the living The Promises That God will be our God in Christ and our Portion and exceeding great Reâ—ard Gen. 17. 1. That He will be a Sun and a â—ield to us give us Grace and Glory and will with-hold no good thing from us Psal 84. last â—romises of Pardon of Peace of Holiness and â—â—essedness of Rest for our Souls Mat. 11. 28 29. Promises of his good Presence with us in all our â—roubles of Supports Supplies and of a gracious 〈◊〉 out of all gracious Souls trade in the Promises converse with the Promises these they mind â—nd rest upon and find Sweetness and Comfort in 6. And Lastly We look unto all those great and glorious things which the Great God hath prepared for us from the foundation of the World and which our most dear Lord Jesus hath purchased for us by his most precious Blood Oh the great and glorious things which God our Father â—ath prepared for us that blessed Vision of God that Kingdom of Heaven that Life eternal that Crown of Glory of Life of Righteousness that inheritance incorruptible undefiled and that saâ—â—th not away that far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory that everlasting Rest all these things are invisible and eternal And unto these â—â—seen and eternal things we saith the Apostle 〈◊〉 and set our mind upon And also the great and glorious things which our Lord hath purchased as Peace with God his Favour Acceptance with him Adoption Sonship Heirship Remission of Sins an heavenly Inheritance these are all invisible and eternal things great and wonderful things things of the greatest
promised prepared Inheritance they live in hope of Eternal Life Tit. 1. 2. and rejoyce in hope of glory Rom. 5. 2 They live in hope of a better Resurrection they groan after their House in Heaven they seek a Country an heavenly and therefore they cannot but mind and intend look unto and aim at those invisible eternal things Our natural Life much less our spiritual Life doth not consist in the things which we possess that is in visible temporal things for in God we live move and have our being VI. Because these invisible eternal things are the only things that are suitable and satisfying to the Souls of gracious persons Earthly things are not suitable to Heaven-born Souls Riches Honours Pleasures not suitable nor satisfying to immortal Souls which are begotten of God Earthly things are no Bread for Souls Isa 55. 2 3 4. John 6. 27. They are all but Ashes but Wind Husks Chaff not Food for Souls these are suitable to the Body Meats for the Belly and the Belly for Meats but God and Christ and the Word c. for the Soul for the renewed gracious Soul other things will not content it VII Because these invisible eternal things are the best the choicest the chiefest the most excellent things the principal things as all will confess and therefore most worthy to be minded and looked after Phil. 4. 8. GOD and Glory Heaven and Happiness are the best things for certain Heb. 10. 34. 11. 16. The Saints Happiness lies in those invisible eternal things They may be happy without visible temporal things but they can never be happy without the other And indeed all visible temporal things are not worth minding at all in comparison of the other Oh that we could believe this and act accordingly VIII Because those things are most sure and certain incorruptible and undefiled and that fade not away Matth. 6. 19. nor moth nor rust nor thieves can spoil us of these 1 Cor. 9. 25. Heb. 11. 9 10. 13. 14. 1 Pet. 1. 4. Psal 48. 14. This God will be our God for ever None can say so of Relations or Possessions of Health Wealth or Liberty Jesus Christ is the Believer's for ever their Joy is everlasting none can take it from them their Peace is everlasting their Kingdom everlasting IX Because by minding of and by setting their Affections upon those invisible eternal things they are much freed and discharged from the Snares Fears Cares Sorrows Entanglements Incumbrances and Temptations that accompany the minding of those visible temporal things Nil sentit in Nervo cum Anima sit in Coelo Oh the intolerable Burthens the unavoidable Snares Cares and Fears that attend these earthly things how are the Minds of Men rack'd tortured distracted distempered macerated with these while they mind them eagerly and inordinately What cross Passages fall out what Disappointments do they meet with how strangely are mens Minds bewitched with these things what unruly Passions are oftentimes stirred up and thence they break out into many uncomely words and actions piercing themselves thorow with many Sorrows 1 Tim. 6. 10. Against this our Lord caution'd his Disciples Luk. 21. 34. Take heed lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting and drunkenness and cares of this life And by these worldly entanglements many times God is forgotten Conscience wounded Peace broken Guilt contracted Duty neglected and Sorrows multiplied But now when we can get off our Hearts from Earthly things and can get them up above these things and can fix our Minds upon those high and heavenly things how are our Spirits discharged and disburthened and our Minds eased and quieted Psal 63. 5 6. My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness When I remember thee upon my bed and meditate on thee in the night-watches O the sweet Peace and Tranquility of Mind that those enjoy that look above and live above and have their conversation in Heaven who walk with God and talk with God and constantly converse with things above To be spiritually minded is life and peace Rom. 8. 6. X. Because by this minding Heavenly things the Saints get good Proof and Evidence of their Title unto and of their Interest in God and Christ and to those invisible eternal things 1 Joh. 5. 4. Col. 3. 1 2 3. Joh. 3. 6. 1 Cor. 15. 48. This is a good Proof that we belong to God and Heaven because we mind them and set our Hearts upon them XI Because by the minding of those things above the People of God are wonderfully supported under all their Troubles in this Life and by their Heavenly-mindedness their Troubles are alleviated and sweetned to them as in the Text and Context We faint not while we look not at those things which are seen for they are temporal but at those things which are not seen for they are eternal By our looking off from temporal things and by our looking on upon eternal things we are supported under all our Sufferings XII And Lastly Because this is the way to salvation For if the end of those who mind earthly things be Destruction as Phil. 3. 19. then the end of those who mind Heavenly things must be Salvation Thus much for the grounds of the Point Q. But wherein consists this Duty of looking unto invisible eternal things What is this minding of them And how must this Work be managed Ans 1. It consists in the distinct knowing and right understanding of those invisible eternal things to know God and Christ the Mystery of God and Godliness Col. 2. 3. Ephes 1. 17 18. Let us pray as the Apostle doth there That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ the Father of glory would give unto us the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him That the eyes of our understandings may be enlightned c. 2. In a full perswasion of Heart of the Reality and transcendent Excellency of those invisible eternal things that they are indeed the most real the most substantial and the most excellent things infinitely surpassing all temporal things Phil. 3. 8 9. Psal 73. 25. If we believe not this and be not fully perswaded of this that Heavenly things are incomparably better than Earthly things we shall never set our Hearts upon them 3. In the frequent and lively Actings of Faith Love Desire Hope Hungrings Thirstings Pantings Breathings Longings and Expectations upon and after those Heavenly things Psal 42. 1 2. 63. 1 2 3 8. Isa 26. 9. Oh that I had a clearer fuller sight of God more acquaintance with my Blessed Jesus more spiritual relish of Divine things more experience of the saving workings of the Holy Spirit more sense of the fatherly love of God in Christ Oh that I had clearer Evidences of my title to Everlasting Rest Oh that the Love of God may be shed abroad on my Heart abundantly Oh that I could taste more sweetness and feel more Power in the Word and Promises Oh that
then Heirs Heirs of all those invisible eternal things Rom. 8. 17. Now if we be the Children of God we are led by the Spirit of God Rom. 8. 15. As many as are led by the Spirit of God just so many and no more are the Children of God If we have the Image of our Heavenly Father on us and do love him with all our Hearts and can trust him and depend on him in all things and for all things and are most careful to obey him in all things if it be so with us in Sincerity then have we a good and firm Right and Title to all those great and glorious things in the other World And when we can prove our Right to them and can call them our own then surely we shall think on them our Hearts and Minds will be set upon them all our Affections will be carried out after them Psal 73. 24 25 26. Whom have I in Heaven but thee and there is none upon Earth that I desire besides thee My flesh and my heart faileth but God is the strength of my heart and my portion for ever When a Soul can in truth and upon good grounds say My God my Lord my Jesus then he will in earnest mind them Psal 63. 1 2 3 4 5 6. O God thou art my God early will I seek thee my soul thirsteth for thee my flesh longeth for thee To see thy power and thy glory because thy loving kindness is better than life my lips shall praise thee Thus will I bless thee while I live My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness and my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips When I remember thee upon my bed and meditate on thee in the night-watches And v. 7 8. Because thou hast been my help therefore in the shadow of thy wings will I rejoyce My soul followeth hard after thee thy right hand upholdeth me And the ground of all this was his Interest in God O God thou art my God 2. If we would have our Hearts and Minds set and fixed on invisible eternal things let us seriously consider the nearness of those things of those invisible eternal things unto us and of us to them things that are great but at a distance from us seem but small things to us and but little affect us The time of our departure hence is at hand and then farewel for ever to all visible temporal things our Houses our Honours Estates and Friends shall know us no more we shall have no more converse with or enjoyment of any visible temporal thing for ever And it will not be long e're this parting come God is near to every one of us Christ is nigh the Holy Spirit is nigh stirring and striving with us the Word is nigh us even in our Mouths and in our Hearts Rom. 10. 1. Heaven and Glory are nigh to us if we be Saints we are not far from our Father's House not far from the Kingdom Hell and Destruction nigh to us if we be wicked but a Breach between us and everlasting Damnation and if we be Saints and Believers the day of our full Redemption draws nigh the Coming of Christ is at hand our Salvation at the very Door As it is dangerous for the Wicked to put far off the evil day Amos 6. 3. so it is disadvantagious to the Godly to put far off the good day We shall shortly very shortly enter the Conâ—â—nes of Eternity and converse with nothing but invisible eternal things those things that now are out of our sight and too much out of our minds but it were our great Wisdoms to look on them as night at hand and to spend our Thoughts and Affections upon them We are displeased with our Friends that when we are out of their sight we should be out of their Minds And may not God and Christ our best Friends be justly displeased with us that they are so much out of our Minds But though God and Christ be invisible to our bodily Eyes they are nigh unto us therefore we should still mind them Psal 16. 8. I have set the Lord always before me because he is at my right hand c. Psal 109. 2 3 4 5. 3. Let us be often discoursing and speaking of those invisible eternal things let those things be often in our Mouths Should not the Children of God be often talking of their Heavenly Father and of their Father's House and of that Kingdom and Inheritance which he hath prepared for them Should not the Heirs of Salvation be often speaking of that Crown of Glory of Life of Righteousness that is purchased for them and promised to them and of that incorruptible Inheritance that they are born unto 1 Pet. 1. 2 3 4 5. Oh! can we have any Title to all the Promised Glory and not speak often of it How much is it to be lamented that those that profess themselves Children of God and Heirs of Heaven when they come together that they speak so little of God and Heaven This is our great Sin and should be our great Shame and Sorrow Whither are we bound Where are we travelling Where is our Home our long Home our last our everlasting Home Where is our Treasure Where lies our Inheritance Is it above or below Where is our Country Where is our Father our Redeemer Where are all our pious Relations that slept in Jesus Are not all these above And do we so seldom think or speak of these Shame shame on us Are we born of God born from above and do we belong to that City that hath Foundations to that heavenly Canaan to that New Jerusalem What! and our Minds so glued our Hearts so fastened to Earthly things and our Tongues so constantly employed about earthly things Oh our idle words Matth. 12. 36. Can our Treashres be in Heaven and our Hearts not there And can our Hearts be there and nothing appear in our words Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh Surely the earthliness vanity empriness unfavoriness frothiness of our common ordinary Talk doth but too much discover the vanity and earthliness of our Hearts Oh that we did all of us lay this to our Hearts The more we talk of these invisible eternal things the more we shall mind them 4. Consider it is the express Duty of every true Christian to set his affections upon things above and not upon things below Col. 3. 1 2. Charge the Command of God upon your Consciences accustom and inure your selves to it O my Soul this is as much thy Duty as to pray or hear or read how long wilt thou neglect it O dare not neglect it any longer begin it presently call upon God to renew and raise thy Heart 5. Let us learn that blessed Art of Spiritualizing earthly things every earthly Mercy to a Child of God is a taste of Eternal Mercy every visible temporal thing discovers somewhat of invisible eternal things This is a sweet
work to converse with God and Heaven in the Creatures As for instance When we sit down at Table remember there is a time coming when we shall sit down with Christ and eat and drink at his Table in his Kingdom that is we shall enjoy free and intimate Communion with him in Heaven And let us labour to raise our Hearts from temporal to spiritual things and be much in praising adoring and admiring God in the Creatures 6. Be convinced also that all our happiness and comfort both here and hereafter for ever lyeth not in any or all of the sensible temporal things but all lyeth in those invisible eternal things It lyeth not in having Honours Riches Pleasures c. for a man may be happy without them as Job and Lazarus were and miserable with them as Haman Ahab Dives and others were Psal 144. 15. Yea happy are the people whose God is the Lord. Happy indeed if God Christ and Heaven be ours happy for ever or else miserable for ever 7. And Lastly Let us labour to be renewed in the Spirit of our Minds or else we shall never seriously and heartily mind invisible eternal things as was shewed before We must get those invisible eternal Principles of Renewing Grace planted in our Hearts the Divine Nature the Life of God the Spirit of our heavenly Father to renew our Spirits or else we shall never mind those things in good earnest for which purpose let us go to God call cry to him for Renewing Grace Psal 51. 10. Let us look up to and lay hold on God's Covenant Ezek. 11. 19. go to the Promise Luke 11. 13. If you being evil know how to give good things to your children how much more will your heavenly Father give his spirit to those that ask him A precious Promise indeed let us rest upon this Promise and most earnestly beg God to perform it to us Old Bottles will not hold new Wine nor old Hearts retain Heavenly things New Hearts we must have heavenly holy Hearts or we shall never mind heavenly things as we ought III. Motives to this Duty 1. Consider that thus to look unto and mind invisible eternal things is the express Character of every true Christian No man can approve himself to be a true Christian and be a total Stranger to this Work for to be a true Christian is to be like Christ Now Jesus Christ minded those invisible eternal things as is most evident in the whole course of his Life his Heart was in Heaven while his Body was on Earth John 3. 13. Shall we profess our selves Christians and not be like Christ nor have the Character of Christians 2. Consider this will be a sure sign and clear evidence to us of our interest in and title to all those invisible eternal good things in the other World Matth. 6. 20 21. Where the Heart is there the Treasure is If our Hearts and Minds Thoughts and Affections are on God on Christ and Heaven it is a sure sign that these are ours An heavenly Mind is as good a sign that we belong to Heaven as any is as was also shewed before 3. This will begin our Heaven upon Earth these heavenly things minded affected delighted in will yield such joy and comfort as to begin our very Heaven here when Faith and Hope Joy and Praise Love Desire and Delight are exercised on God and on Christ and Glory we shall be filled with Joy and Peace as Rom. 15. 13. 1 Pet. 1. 8. Psal 31. 7. Oh then let us labour to begin our Heaven here by our Heavenly-mindedness 4. This will yield Contentment and Comfort Satisfaction and Peace to our Souls in every condition It will sweeten every bitter Cup To think on God as our Father and on Christ as our Redeemer Head and Husband and on all the sweet Promises of which we are Heirs what comfort will this bring to our Souls Lam. 3. 33. He doth not afflict willingly nor grieve the children of men Isa 63. 9. In all their afflictions he was afflicted and the Angel of his presence saved them in his love and in his pitty he redeemed them and he bare them and carried them all the days of old Rom. 8. 28. All things shall work together for good to them that love God With many other exceeding great and precious Promises which our good God hath made that our Faith might feed upon them and find satisfaction or else our Souls would faint 5. This will fit us for every Duty to God and man The more we think on God and heavenly things the more conscientious shall we be in our Duties to Man because it is for the Lord's sake from whom we look for the Reward as the Apostle speaks to Servants Eph. 6. 5 6 7. And for Duties to God it will make us serve God cheerfully delightfully and constantly having the Glory of God the enjoyment of him and the Recompence of Reward in our Eye Oh how will it quicken raise animate and encourage us For why are all those great and glorious invisible eternal things proposed and promised to us but that we should mind them aim at them and live in the lively hopes and comfortable expectations of enjoying them Heb. 11. 6 24. 1. 1 2 3. 1 Cor. 15. last Therefore be stedfast unmovable always abounding in the work of the Lord forasmuch as ye know your labour shall not be in vain in the Lord. 6. This will serve to encrease and strengthen Grace for the more we mind those invisible eternal things the stronger will be our Love our Faith our Hope and our Patience yea the more heavenly and spiritual we shall grow and the more useful savory and profitable in all our Discourses By our heavenly-mindedness we shall smell of Heaven in all our Converses and Communications to the advantage of others 7. This is one principal way of enjoying Communion with God here in this World for by this we open our hearts to God raise up our Desires after him spend our Thoughts and Affections upon him and in these heavenly Meditations God communicates his Light and Love his Grace and Peace to our Souls By these Meditations on invisible eternal things our Souls converse with God talk with God walk with God have our conversations with God and this is most sweet and contentful to gracious Souls this is to live in God and to live the Life of God and it is the sum of all our happiness here and hereafter The enjoyment of God's good presence here in acts of Communion with him will produce greatness of Joy and the enjoyment of God's glorious presence hereafter in the uninterrupted Acts of Communion with him in Heaven will produce fulness of joy and pleasures for evermore Psal 16. last 8. By this looking to and affectionately minding invisible eternal things we shall be more and more changed into the image and likeness of them 2 Cor. 3. 18. We all with open face beholding as in
a glass the glory of the Lord are changed into the same image from glory to glory even as by the spirit of the Lord. These believing loving sights of heavenly things will change us into the image of them 9. By this we shall be made more and more willing and desirous to leave this World and to go to a better Compare this Text with the beginning of the next Chapter 2 Cor. 5. 1 2 3. the Apostle having said We look not on visible temporal things but on those things which are not seen which are eternal presently adds for we know that when the earthly house of this tabernacle is dissolved we have a building of God an house not made with hands eternal in the heavens for in this House we groan earnestly to be clothed upon with our House which is from Heaven And this made Paul desire to be dissolved that he might be with Christ which was far better or best of all Phil. 3. Certainly such as really apprehend and truly believe those invisible eternal things and their title to them and portion in them will be really willing to dye that they may enjoy them knowing that they lye on the other side of Death and cannot be enjoyed but by dying and after Death Death being the In-let to all that purchased promised Glory Now the more we do seriously think and meditate on those glorious things the more willing we shall be to leave all those fading vain and vexing Comforts to enjoy those eternal Delights And it is a great Mercy and sweet Priviledge to be willing to dye and I know nothing will more effect this willingness in us Now let all those Motives effectually perswade us to draw off our hearts from those visible temporal things and to set our Affections upon things above How long shall vain Thoughts lodge within us how long shall this present evil World gnaw and feed upon our Spirits consuming and wasting them and eating out our time and strength how long shall the God of this World blind our Minds and the Dust of it fill our Eyes how long shall we misplace our Affections and mistake our Rest Our Rest is not here our Heaven and Happiness is not here Earth is going from us and we from it and shall we hug what we cannot hold Shall we kiss and embrace that which is withering in our hands and dying in our arms Are there not infinitely-better things to be minded Duke de Alva wickedly said when one told him of an Eclipse that was then present I have so much to do on Earth I have no leisure to mind Heaven O that it may not be so said of any of us Let us call to mind what those invisible eternal things are aforementioned as God Christ the Holy Ghost the Promises the Purchased Inheritance the Glory of Heaven c. withal let us mind Christ's second Coming to Judgment the manner and end of it 2 Thess 1. 6 7 8 9 10. which the Apostle often spoke and wrote of and minded Tit. 2. 13 14. the glorious Appearing of the great God and our Saviour the Resurrection of the Body and the manner of it 1 Cor. 15. the full Redemption and glorious Manifestation of the Sons of God the happy uniting of the Souls and Bodies of the Saints after so long a Separation and the uniting and solemn Marriage of both to Christ the King of Glory the passing of the Saints into Heaven with Christ in Triumph their living for ever with God seeing his Face and knowing him as we are known Oh that we could mind these things and set our Faith and Love our Hopes Dâ—stres and Delights on work upon these things what sweet Contentment what Soul-refreshing Joy and Comfort would such thoughts yield to our Souls even in the midst of all our Troubles No wonder we are such Strangers to the Joy of the Lord because we are such Strangers to God himself and to the great things of his Kingdom I shall conclude this Use with that of the Apostle 2 Pet. 3. 14. Wherefore beloved seeing that ye look for such things be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace without spot and blameless Be diligent to prepare for the enjoyment of all those great and glorious things and to secure our title to them which Preparation consists in two things mainly as exprest in that Scripture 1. In a state of Reconciliation with God 2. In a spotless blameless Conversation 1. In a state of Reconciliation with God Be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace There will be a most strict and accurate search made at the last day all those that look for those invisible eternal good things at last must be exceeding careful about this to make this the Mark Design and Aim all their Life and at Death that they may be found in a reconciled state in a state of Peace with God This is the critical point the main hinge whereupon hangs all the safety and happiness of a Man or Woman for Eternity Not whether rich or poor high or low honourable or contemptible in this World the Differences and Distinctions will signifie nothing then nor whether Presbyterian or Independent c. but whether reconciled to God or no. This strict search will be made by the Lord who cannot be blinded nor deceived And the consideration of the issue of this search should quicken us to diligence in our Preparation which shall be 1st on them that shall then be found not reconciled the danger will be to their whole man Soul and Body Depart ye cursed c. most dreadful and most intolerable 2dly On them that are found reconciled their Comfort will be unspeakable the Lord Jesus will own them all as the Purchase of his Blood and will embrace them all Come ye blessed of my Father c. and will commend them Well done c. and will crown them with a Diadem of Eternal Glory Oh then let us presently engage all the Powers of our Souls in striving to be found of God in Peace And if we will be found of God in Peace at that day we must 1. Fall out with all Sin and make an open breach with all Ungodliness and all Worldly lusts Tit. 2. 11 12. No Peace with God so long as we have Peace with any Sin We must search for our Sins of Heart and Life heartily repent of them declare open War against them all not regarding any Iniquity in our Hearts but hating and mortifying all Go to God to give you sound Repentance Acts 5. 31. 3. 19. 2. Fall in and close unfeignedly with Jesus Christ the only Peace-maker accepting him on his Terms taking him for Only Lord and Saviour resigning up our whole selves unto him in all things giving him the Preheminence in us and over us and heartily submitting to his government by his Word and Spirit Thus by true Repentance and Faith we are to make our Peace with God And this
in every Creature-comfort that we enjoy Not only look unto God in our Mercies as was said before in the other particular but let us labour to ascend higher and that is let us labour and learn to live upon God and his Love in those Mercies Let this be minded by us That it is not the Creature but God in the Creature that we must love and live upon The Creature should not content us without some sense of God's Love in it If we have Health Wealth Liberty Friends we should put this Question to our selves Do we enjoy God's Love with these A great Question yet seldom ask'd It is surely the Love of God in a Mercy that doth sanctifie and sweeten the Mercy to us as is evident in that famous Instance of Hezekiah Isa 38. 17. Thou hast in love to my soul delivered me from the pit of corruption Then Deliverance is sweet when it comes from God's Love to our Souls Q. But how may we know that A. As Hezekiah did For saith he thou hast cast all my sins behind thy back When Pardon of Sin comes with a Mercy 't is a Mercy indeed a double Mercy Note When a Soul-mercy comes with a Bodily Mercy a Soul-mercy with Ease Recovery c. then that outward Mercy comes from the Love of God indeed And thus many times our Lord Jesus distributed his Mercies in the days of his Flesh upon the Earth healing Souls and Bodies together forgiving their Sins and curing their Diseases all at once Q. But how shall we know that our Sins are forgiven as well as our Trouble removed Ans 1. When the Soul is stirred up to suitable praising of God as in Hezekiah so in David Psal 103. 1 2 3. the sense of God's Mercies to them enlarged their Hearts with Thankfulness 2. We may know that our Sins are forgiven us if those Conditions are wrought in us unto which forgiveness of Sins is promised and those are chiefly Repentance and Faith Acts 3. 19. Repent ye therefore and be converted that your sins may be blotted out when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord. Acts 10. 43. To him namely to Jesus do all the Prophets witness that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins Now if after Mercies God gives us Hearts to repent and believe we may certainly conclude that those Mercies come to us from the love of God We follow hard in our Prayers and Desires and Endeavours after earthly Mercies when we want them whereas our Souls should follow hard after God in them Psal 63. 8. 31. 23. In every Ordinance Priviledge Duty Providence in every Enjoyment it is the Love of God in it that our Souls should thirst after as David did Psal 63. 1 2 3 My soul thirsteth for God for the living God So Psal 84. 1. Thee thee Lord my soul longeth for He longed for God's Ordinances too but chiefly for God in them So should we cry Health and Ease and Liberty and Deliverance with thy self Lord and with thy Love Peace and Plenty with thy Love Lord not without it Better be without these Mercies than without the Love of God in them Jude 21. Keep your selves in the love of God Gal. 2. 20. Psal 62. 10. If riches Friends Ease c. encrease set not your hearts â—â— them but on God in them To look through and beyond and above a Mercy unto the God of that Mercy is a Mercy in that Mercy and a choice one too for none but God's Chosen ones can do it And so to do argues much Grace and much Communion with God Col. 3. 1 2. Let us look up look up to God in all our Mercies Stay not on the Mercy be not content with the outward Mercy for that is but the Shell but look up to God and long to see and taste his Love in it for that is the Kernel his Love in Christ feed on that by Faith Love Meditation O let us labour to have God in all our Thoughts for to look to love and live upon Creature-comforts meerly barely only is but to live upon Husks Ashes Wind and Vanity these are no Bread for the Soul Isa 55. 2. Psal 143. 6. I stretch forth my hands unto thee my soul thirsteth after thee as a thirsty land When we taste and see the earthly Comforts we have if we can also taste and see the Love of God in them we enjoy a double sweetness an outward and an inward a visible and an invisible sweetness Oh what sweetness then may we taste for both Faith and Sense are fed at once And we may further know that any Mercy comes to us in Love when our Souls are the better for that Mercy more endeared to God and more enlarged after God 3. We must labour to use and enjoy all our Mercies for God for his Honour and Service as was hinted before This is God's end in giving them and it should be ours in using them 1 Cor. 10. 31. Whether ye eat or drink or whatever ye do do all to the glory of God This great End should always be minded by us We should judge all that good that leads us nearer to God and all that evil that draws us farther from him Prov. 16. 4. The Lord hath made all things for himself We have lost most of our Comforts for want of this to wit our not enjoying them in God and for God and God in them We feed on them but not on God in them and this provokes God to remove them and to take away our best outward Mercies from us even his Gospel for our not using it and not improving it for God and for contenting our selves barely with it without God in it Bare Ordinances bare Duties without God in them are but dry Breasts without Milk which Souls may lye upon all their days and starve and perish notwithstanding if they meet not God in them But now if we thus eye and look unto God and seriously mind the invisible eternal God we shall hereby be sweetly supported under all our Troubles For 1st This will take out the gall and wormwood of our Troubles which is our inordinate love of the Creature for there is no immoderate Sorrow for the loss of any thing but of that which was inordinately loved So that if God had had our Hearts and Affections when we had our Creature-Comforts he will have them much more then they are removed for God remains the â—ime still every way as full and as All-sufficient â—â— supply and support us So that if we had lived â—â—on God the Fountain when we had the Cisterns â— shall live more immediately upon him when the â—â—sterns are broken and shall then have our Comforts more pure and more refreshing And this is not all but if we be truly gracious â— will grieve us to the very Heart when our earthâ—â— Comforts are gone that we set our Hearts so much upon them that
heed that our hearts be not at any time over-charged with the Cares of this Life but let us labour to keep the World and our Hearts asunder for those things that are visible and temporal will darken our sight of God if we let them into our hearts and they will drive God out of our hearts if we entertain the inordinate love of them Covetousness is Idolatry because it sets up the Creature for a God in the Heart 1 John 2. 14 15. He that loveth the world the love of the Father is not in him Keep a strong Watch then against this present evil World and suffer it not to get into your Hearts if you will maintain your Communion with God in Christ 5ly Be much in the acting of Faith Love Hope Joy in the Lord Be much in praising God By the exercises of these graces we enjoy God and God communicates himself to us Oh labour to live in the lively exercise of Faith Christ dwells in the Heart by Faith Eph. 3. 17. Gal. 2. 20. Labour to believe the Love of God in Christ to your Souls in giving his Son to be a Sin-offering for us John 3. 16. 2 Cor. 5. 21. And this believing it will warm and enflame your Hearts with Love to God again and so you may enjoy much sweet Communion with God and Christ John 14. 21 23. In the Actings of our Love to God we shall meet with more Manifestations of God's Love to us Where and when we open our Hearts to God and Christ and give them our Loves there and then will God and Christ open their Hearts to us and give us their Loves Cant. 1. 2 3. Cant. 7. 10 11. There is a mutual Manifestation of Love to each other no Love is lost between Christ and his Spouse If any man open to me saith Christ I will come in unto him and sup with him and he with me Rev. 3. 18. Now by the exercise of Faith and Love we open to Christ he is always ready to come in Open your everlasting doors that the king of glory may come in Ps 24. 6ly Be very watchful Watch and keep your hearts with all diligence Prov. 4. 23. Take heed let not the World nor Vain Thoughts lodge there Take heed of wandring from God watch your words watch your steps take heed grieve not quench not resist not the Holy Spirit for by him God communicates himself to your Souls carefully observe all his Motions and still beg his assistance in all your Duties and rest upon his Aid without which you can do nothing 7ly And lastly If we would maintain our Communion with God which is our Heaven upon Earth we must look well to our whole Conversation that that be ordered aright for to such God will shew his salvation Psal 50. 23. God looks for a well-order'd Conversation a Life order'd by the Rule of his Word setting narrow Steps to our Feet looking straight on not turning aside to the right or left hand Prov. 4. 25 26 27. nor wickedly departing from his way Psal 18. 21 22 23. but to be righteons just honest saithful upright charitable in all our dealings with Men and carefully performing all our Duties to GOD and Man in singleness and integrity of Heart This is a well-order'd Conversation Also in our Conversation we must mind two things 1. That we have no fellowship with the unfruitful Works of Darkness Ephes 5. 11. that is no more than need no intimate Familiarity and Communion with them lest thereby we lose our Communion with God no more Communion with the Wicked than Piety Charity and Necessity will allow Too many have lost Communion with GOD by their too intimate Communion with the Wicked Away from me saith holy David all ye workers of iniquity 2. That we break not Fellowship with nor withdraw Communion from the People of God from those that bear his Image although differing from us in some circumstances In the Communion of Saints we may have Communion with God Psal 16. 2. God is among his People he walks in them and dwells in them Our Love must be not only to those of our own Opinion but to all Saints and professing Christians and must hold Communion with all those with whom we may charitably judge that Christ holds Communion were this well minded it would do much to heal our sad and sinful Breaches Heb. 10. 24 25. And thus we have seen how that our looking unto invisible eternal things especially unto God in Christ and maintaining our Communion with them we may be sweetly born up and comfortably supported under all our Troubles O Most holy most merciful most gracious Lord God Father Almighty and my most loving and tender-hearted Father in my most dear and sweet Redeemer Jesus Christ I render Thee my most humble and hearty Thanks and Praise for lengthning my days and for supporting me with thy Special Goodness in this poor Work for giving me sometimes hours sometimes half-hours and sometimes days of some Strength and Ease between those many sad and painful Distempers upon me since I began it And I most humbly beseech thee to write these Truths on my Heart and keep them there that by the assistance of thy good Spirit they may be effectual to spiritualize raise and fix my poor cold dead carnal Heart upon thy blessed Self in Christ and be pleased to vouchsafe me sweet sensible and constant Communion with thy self in Christ for thy Mercies sake that thereby I may glorifie thee in this my day of thy Visitation and may be throughly sanctified by and comfortably supported under all my Troubles Amen TO ALL MY Christian Friends IN DARTMOVTH Or elsewhere That desire to know the true state of their never-dying Souls In order to their making clear and sure their Interest in the Lord Jesus Grace and Peace BEfore I had finish'd the foregoing Treatise there came to my hands by God's good Providence some Papers of very great concernment to all our Souls for Eternity being the Conclusion of a Discourse by that Eminent Learned and Pious Servant of the Lord Jesus Mr. John Flavel whose Works praise him and of whose Presence and Labours we that knew him by Face or Works have continual cause to lament our Loss which Discourse was from 2 Cor. 13. 5. concerning Self-examination about a Man's Interest in Christ Which Papers when I viewed and reviewed I bless God I felt so much power in the Contents of them and so much sweetness that I thought not fit to eat my Morsels alone but was strongly imprest to make them publick which here by the consent of his dear Relations I presume to do hoping it will awaken those that did hear those close-trying Truths to be more exact in their trying Work and may also excite others to due diligence in that so profitable and too much neglected Duty of Self-examination Those Characters in this will help us against Self-deceiving Do not read only but pray earnestly for
the Spirit 's help and do no longer delay this Work lest thou be cut off before thy Work be done and what will become of thee then That this with all other Helps to thy Soul in the way to Heaven may do thee good is the unfeigned Prayer of thy unfeigned Friend James Bardwood The Reverend Author having preached many profitable Sermons on the 2 Cor. 13. 5. Examine your selves whether you be in the Faith c. in which he industriously and clearly shewed the necessity of Self-examination the nature of the Duty consisting in a secret Debate of our eternal estate and conditions within our own Bosoms wherein the Mind of a man ponders and weighs all that makes for him or against him in an even Ballance The Object-matter of this Debate is things eternal the eternal concernments of his Soul as likewise the manner of the performance of this Duty with greatest seriousness and solemnity setting the perfect Law of God before us and humbly imploring the special Assistance of the Holy Spirit Men are to debate these two things 1st Whether they are in Christ or in the state of Nature a great Question indeed upon which hang all our Hopes of Heaven Christ in you the hope of glory Col. 1. 27. 2dly If we be in Christ what condition we are in whether thriving in Grace or decaying In the first of these Questions the painful Author spent many Exercises in the resolving of in laying down opening and answering eight several distinct Rules of Tryal of a Saving Interest in Christ with the several Objections that poor doubting Souls might make against themselves things highly worth the publication as I perceive by some imperfect Notes taken from him which because I cannot attain to a more exact Copy of them I must omit them the more is the pity But for the ninth and last Mark I find more full and perfect and therefore only offer this one to your consideration concerning which hear his own words As to this ninth Mark of a Saving Interest in Christ I have this to say That if the Lord shall clear but this one Tryal I do not value whatever Objections you have against any of the former This will undoubtedly speak your Souls Interest in the Lord Jesus without any more ado and as far as the Lord shall clear it to you you may venture your Souls into Eternity upon it And therefore try your selves by this if any of you be sincerely and fully resolved upon full conviction of your sinful and miserable state by Nature and the answerableness of Christ to all your Wants to let go all that hinders the enjoyment of him and embrace all that furthers the enjoyment of him You need not make any Doubt or Question after this Whether Christ be yours or you be his Consent is essential to Marriage there can be no Spiritual Marriage to Christ but by consent of the Will Knowledge is essential to Consent he that doth not think and know cannot consent If you be therefore consenting and willing to be Christ's upon his own terms there remains no Doubt whether Christ be yours after that Consent Hos 3. 3. Thou shalt be for me so also will I be for thee Christ is for vou if you be for him And when the great Work of Conversion is exprest in Scripture you find it exprest under the Act of the Wills Consent in the 110th Psalm 3. Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power in the beauties of holiness from the womb of the morning thou hast the dew of thy youth That is of thy Spiritual Off-spring and this is brought about by consenting to take Christ upon his own terms But Beloved don't mistake your selves I am not about to shuffle over so great a concernment as this is rashly I am well aware my own and your Salvation too is carried in the matter I am to discourse and therefore I resolve in the Strength of Jesus Christ to be impartially faithful between God and us in this great matter I would not for ten thousand Worlds a word should drop from my Lips to the ruine of any Soul nor yet to disturb the Peace of any gracious Soul and therefore let me explain what I have to say clearly There are three things of absolute necessity for the gaining of a solid Scriptural Interest in Christ the two first I hope will pass current with most of us yet some may stumble there 1. The first is this There must of necessity be a full and serious conviction of Sin and Misery without Christ there 's not a Soul that comes to him without such a conviction The Spirit when he cometh he shall convince the World of Sin and of Righteousness John 16. 9. that's the Spirit 's first Work and 't is fundamental to all his After-works And therefore you shall find in all the Converts in Scripture the Lord has been dealing with their Understandings first to convince them of their sinful and miserable state by nature And the Lord Jesus professedly tells us He came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance Convinced Sinners not those that think they have Righteousness of their own and that the whole have no need of a Physician but they that are sick And it must needs be so that Christ must take his course because his Commission leads to it Isa 61. 1 2. The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me because he hath sent me to preach glad tydings to the meek to bind up the broken in heart and proclaim liberty to the captives These are the persons upon whom Christ is to act the great work of Salvation they are said to be such as are bound with the sence of Sin such as are broken hearted through the sence of their Sin and Misery And when he invites Men and Women to come to him see how he doth it in the 11. Matth. 28. Come unto me all that are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest These are the persons Christ bestows himself upon So that there must be such a conviction of Sin and Misery by Nature as leaves us without Hope without Christ I don't speak of the degrees of spiritual Trouble but I take this to be an unquestionable Truth that so much Conviction as unbottoms the Soul from Self-righteousness and False hopes is absolutely necessary and before this is there can be no Match between Christ and the Soul If any man be married to his own Righteousness Duties and Performances that Soul hath nothing to do at all with Christ nor can that Soul be married to Christ for 't is married to the Law another Husband as you may see in the Sixth of the Romans the Apostle in that Chapter proves to us that we can have nothing to do with Christ until we are divorced from our own Self-righteousness That 's the first thing and this I hope the Lord hath wrought upon many that are here before him The