suffer for a Christ whom he never yet received or take up the yoke of the cross when he casts off the yoke of the command he cannot be saved in his sins no not by Christ himself the atoning blood will not wash him that wallows in those corruptions that are the price of it Or will he suffer for the Gospel He turns a deaf car to the Calls violates the sacred Commands casts away the pretious offers of it and it is not to be thought that he will suffer for that Gospel which he so despises Indeed it would be a very strange thing for him to suffer in so doing he must part with all this World in which his portion total sum of happiness lies he must suffer the spoyling of his goods when he hath no eneuring substance in Heaven be a reproach among men when he hath no honor with God and cast away a temporal life when he hath no title to an eternal one We see by these things that an unmortified man is not in case to suffer for Christ Awake therefore O Christian set upon the work of Mortification resist inward Corruptions that thou maiest stand against outward temptations lay holy restraints upon sin that thou maiest bear a Guison for Christ die unto sin that thou maiest be able to die for the Gospel set thy heart against every thing of Concupiscence that breaths in thee that there may be nothing to turn thee aside from the sure Religion cast out every secret idol out of thine heart that thou maist not fall down and worship the outward Idols in the World Do this work impartially do not mortify one or two sins but all Every indulged Lust is a Traitor in thy bosome a false Byas upon thy heart Spare it not But to give some particular instances labor to mortify the sins following 1. Mortify the unbelief in thy heart This is the foundation of Apostacy Aquin. 22 qu. 10. the greatest of sins because the greatest separation from God it dep irts from the living God Hebr. 3.12 it gives the lie to the true God 1 Joh. 5.10 it blasts the pretious Gospel as if it were not worthy to be obeyed in its Precepts or credited in its Mysteries or promises If it totally prevail in the heart there can be no such thing as suffering for Religion To such an unbeliever Christ is but a Fancy and the Gospel but a golden dream for which suffering is plainly ridiculous and if it be in thy heart but in some degree it will in the same degree weaken thee and make thee ready to stagger at the Cross Watch therefore over the unbelief in thy bosom assure thy self of this that which inwardly departs from God will be ready to depart from him outwardly too that which Secretly gives him the lie will be ready to deny him openly when suffering comes Look narrowly to thy heart if there arise there Scruples touching the Mysteries or Promises of the Gospel bid them be gone drive them out of thy heart in the power of the word these come to undermine thy Christianity and make thee fall in a day of triall If distrusts and diffidential fears disquiet thee chide thy base heart charge it to trust in that God that never leaves those that are his When thou art ready to sink in the deep waters call to thy fearful heart ask it why it doubts the Lord will be with thee to bear thee up in his Arms When thou startest at the fiery Furnace telthy self that the Lord will be there in those inward comforts which will make outward torments tolerable set thy heart to hate and extirpate this cursed root of Apostacy expost ulate with thy Soul and say Hath God let down a Gospel of Grace and Salvation from Heaven to us and shall it not be believed Hath he given us the two immutable things his Word and his Oath and wilt thou yet be such a wretch as not to believe him Hath thy Saviour Christ sealed up the Evangelical Truth with his own blood and wilt thou be so vile as not to seal it up by Faith Arm and strengthen thy heart against unbelief that when the trial comes thou maiest be ready to speak to thy soul as Hilarion did egredere animamea egredere quid times quid dubitas Go out my soul Go out why dost thou sear or doubt Heaven is ready for thee and great is thy reward there 2. Mortify the Love of the World the three great Lusts mentioned 1. Joh. 2.16 the Lust of the Flesh the Lust of the Eyes and the Pride of Life that is the inordinate Love of Sensual Pleasures Earthly Riches and Wordly Honour These three make the World in the heart and joyn us to the outward World to become one with it Unless these Concupiscential Chains be broken we can never be in a posture for suffering if thou wilt not part with a little Sensual Pleasure for Christ thou wilt never suffer for him if Lust blind thee and turn thee into a Bruit thou wilt be too low and base to be capable of it He that is melted in the fire of Lust will not endure the flames of Martyrdome he that makes his belly his God will never suffer to avoid Idolatry It is very observable in the Prophet that first he tels them that whoredom and wine and new wine take away the heart Hos. 4.11 and then adds My People ask counsel at their stocks that is their Idols Verse 12. A Sensual man that is unhearted by his Lusts is much fitter to fall down to an Idol than to suffer for Religion Separate thy self therefore from the sensuality of the World that thou maiest never fall into the Idolatry of it Put away the Cup of Pleasures that thou maiest be in capacity to drink of the Cup of Sufferings the Sensual Cup leads to stings and torments but the Suffering one tends to the pure Pleasures that are above Again if thou wilt not part with one earthly Estate for Christ thou wilt never suffer for him When our Saviour bid the young man sell all he went away sorrowful Math. 19.22 S. Cyprian Facultates sue velut compedes ligaverunt illa fuerunt vincula illae catenae quibus virtus erat retardata fides pressa anima vincta De lapsis speaking of some in his time that fell off in persecution saith that their estates were as chains and fetters to them that they could not go and suffer for Christ The covetous man who is a mental Idolater will if occasion require be an outward one too and fall down to a Stock or Stone rather than lose his Land If thou wouldest be able to suffer for Christ thou must break off the earthly Chains from thy soul that when the Temptation comes and thou art offered as the blessed Martyr Julitta was to have thy estate upon the denial of Christ thou maiest then be able to give the same answer as she did Magd. hist
land of Promise Such speculative conceits of the Food of Life as we may find in the Schoolmen are of as little force to inflame our hearts with longing after that Heavenly Kingdom as Poetical Descriptions of far Countries are to make us undertake their Conquest We must have Knowledge and Sense Phil. 1.9 Theory and Experience too to make us stand in the evil day we must tast and see that the Lord is gracious that we may be able to suffer for him A spiritual relish of the sweet streams of Grace that flow from him is a choice preparative to make us take and drink of the bitter Cup. Gotteschalcus suffered a close imprisonment for twenty years together meerly for preaching up the Doctrine of Grace and it is without question that he had not a meer Notion but an experimental taste of it in his Suffering Many have the Knowledge of Christ in a way of Speculation but we must have the Savour of his Sweet Ointments upon our heart that we may follow him into Suffering We had need feel the sweetness of his blood in the calms of Conscience that we may Shed our own blood for him Let us not content our selves to have Christ only in our Bibles but endeavor to have a proof of him in our Hearts a proof of his sweet-smelling Sacrifice in our inward peace a proof of his rich Anointings in our supplies of Grace The experience of Christ in us is a strong encouragement to suffer for him He that hath a Christ only in Notion will fall off from him but he that hath a tried Christ will hardly leave him 4. It must be a Knowledge practical and operative in the life that will prepare us for suffering A meer notional Knowledge of Christ is not a right one He that saith I know him and keepeth not his commandments is a liar and the truth is not in him 1. Joh. 2.4 Such an one contradicts himself his Conversation gives the lie to his Profession the Truth is not in him in a practical way his Knowledge is but a Flash a vanishing Vapor that gives no vital influence to his life he will not do other Commands much less will he take up the Cross which is a Command more grievous to Sense then others are He that would be prepared for Sufferings must labor for such a knowledge as gives a proof of itself in holy Obedience Doing is a good preparative for suffering he that sincerely doth other Commands will take up his Cross too that being a Command as well as others He that indeed is subject to Gods commanding Will will be subject to his disposing one too which orders the coming of the cross to us It is the active Christian that will if occasion serve be passive Our Saviour Christ doth notably set forth what kind of Christians will stand in time of Persecution and what will fall He that heareth his sayings and doth them builds upon the rock and when the storm comes he stands fast because he is founded upon the Rock Math. 7.24.25 that is he is founded upon Christ by Faith and Ocedience and in the Storm he continues upon him by Patience the Rock bears him up as a part of itself But he that heareth Christs sayings and doth them not builds upon the sand and when the storm comes he fals Vers 26 27. Because he is upon the Sand he hath no true Foundation for his Religion he never did dig deep enough to come to Self-denial and therefore in the Storm his fall is very great he and his Religion utterly perish as when a house is broke up from the very Foundation or a Tree is blown up by the Roots Therefore if we would stand firm and unmovable in a Storm let us labor to have Such a lively and operative Knowledge of Christ as may diffuse itself into an universal Obedience to his precepts He that enures himself to do the Will of God will be ready when the Cross comes to take it up and say This is the Will of God too and must be done To conclude that we may have this excellent Knowledge we must not only read the holy Scriptures but with Zuinglius look up to Heaven for that holy Spirit that is able to lead us into all Truth and to seal it upon our hearts for ever CHAP. VII The fourth direction for Suffering is pretious Faith This hath a triple respect arespect to God his providence Power and Grace Arespect to Christ as a propitiation a Pattern an Head and Helper Arespect to the Promises the Promises of Gods Presence the Promises of Confirmation the Promises of a good Issue THe fourth Direction is this if we would be in a fit posture for Suffering we must labour after a pretious Faith A Dogmatical Faith will not do it the Devil himself who is the Chief Agent in Persecution hath such a Faith neither will a temporary Faith do it this is but a meer blossom that fals off in a storm of Persecution it must be a pretious Faith a Furnace Faith that will endure the fiery Trial This is the Apostles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Shield like a door broad enough to cover the Soul and all its Graces Eph. 6.16 this is to be taken above all other pieces of Spiritual Armor it is eminent among the Graces as the Sun is among the Planets It is the great conquering Grace all other Graces act in conjunction with it In the eleventh Chapter to the Hebrews stiled by some the little Book of Martyrs the Saints are brought in doing and suffering great things but all is ascribed to Faith as the Captain-grace of all the rest the first mover to other Graces It works by Love and not only so but by Meekness Obedience Patience running like blood and Spirits in every part of the New-creature Faith hath a triple respect to God to Christ to the Promises and in each of these it is of singular use in order to sufferings 1. Faith hath a respect to God it makes its approaches to him nay it fixes the the Soul in him as in its Center Hence it is that the righteous fears no evil tidings because his Heart is fixed trusting in the Lord Psal 112.7 The word rowles about but he by faith stands fast in the unmoveable God Hence it is that the Church becomes unmoveable too God is in the midst of her she shall not be moved Psal 46.5 There are three things in God which Faith fixes upon in order to pious Suffering 1. Faith fixes upon his Providence The Stoick could say That there was no living in a World empty of God and Providence Much more may the Christian that is tossed up and down in a persecuting World say so But his Faith tels him that persecution comes not by Chance Man rages but God reigns The World is as a tempestuous Sea but God sits at the Sterne and governs all He limits the fury of Persecutors the wrath of man shall praise him
may be considered in that which it doth with respect to God and here are three things to be taken notice of 1. Patience subjects the soul to the will of God when the Cross comes the patient Christians will with Aaron hold their peace or if they speak they will do it in some such language as that of Eli It is the Lord let him do what seemeth him good Patience will instruct them to lye in the lowest posture of Humility and to argue the matter with themselves in this manner Is God the Rector of the World and shall we not subject to him His Presence is in all his Power is over all his Wisdom and Righteousness orders all who can stay his hand or say to him what dost thou or call him to give account of any of his matters To strive with him is folly to murmur at any piece of his Government is Rebellion to think that things might have been better is to blaspheme his wise and just Providence And is he the Father of Spirits and shall we not be under him We give reverence to the Fathers of our flesh and how much thers should we be in subjection to the Father of Spirits and live Our Saviour Christ who suffered for us to sweeten sufferings to us argued thus with himself The Cup that my Father hath given me shall I not drink it John 18.11 After his pattern we should submit our selves to suffering remembring that though it come through bloody hands to us yet it is ordered by the Father of Spirits nay and by the Father of Mercies too who assures us That all things even Afflictions among the rest shall work together for good In those very sufferings in which man is cruel God will be merciful While the world hates and persecutes us God will embrace us in the Arms of his Love and carrie us through the Cross to the Crown of Glory Upon such accounts as these Patience doth subject the Soul unto the Cross Our Saviour the Mirror of Patience being to drink up the cup of Wrath expresses himself thus not my will but thine be done Luke 22.42 His will was swallowed up in his Fathers St. Ambrose in his Commentary on those words gives us this excellent note Disce Deo esse subjectus ut non quod ipse vis eligas sed quod Deo scias esse placiturum Learn to be subject to God that thou mayst not chuse what thou wouldest but what thou knowest to be pleasing to God Patience teaches us to be pleased with Gods pleasure and to will every thing not as it is in our own will but as it is in Gods 2. Patience waits upon God for strength to bear the Cross and for a good issue out of it We have both these promised in that of the Apostle God will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able but will with the temptation make a way to escape 1 Cor. 10.13 In the first Clause we have a Promise of strength proportionable to the Temptation in the last we have a Promise of a good issue out of it First Patience waits upon God for strength to bear the Cross this is the right Method of obtaining strength Wait on the Lord and he shall strengthen thy heart Psalm 27.14 Strength comes in a way of dependance upon God St. Austin speaks of a double patience De patientiâ cap. 15. there is patientia superborum the patience of the proud and patientia pauperum the patience of the poor humble Soul The one waits upon the will of man the other upon the Grace of God True Patience knows that it is God only that can strengthen the Inner man by his Spirit Eph. 3.16 No other but his glorious power can strengthen with all might unto all patience Col. 1.11 De Martyr form 5. Notable is that of St. Austin Haec est vox Martyrum omniatolerare de se nihil praesumere This is the voice of the Martyrs to bear every thing and to presume of themselves nothing Thus the noble Martyr Potamenia Spondan Annal. An. 310. being threatned to be cast into a Vessel of burning Pitch begged that she might not be cast in all at once but piece-meal that they might see how much Patience the unknown Christ had given to her True patience waits upon God for strength but this is not all it also waits upon God for a good issue out of the suffering Salvation belongs unto the Lord and he gives many good issues to his suffering people If they have an encrease of Graces and Comforts that 's one good issue If they hold out and persevere to the end that 's another good issue If by death they pass from the Cross to the Crown from a Temporal Life to an Eternal one that 's the best issue of all For such issues as these do patient Souls wait till the Lord put an end to all their troubles 3. Patience produces spiritual joy and praise This is the difference between Philosophical Patience and Christian Patience Philosophical may bear adversity but Christian hath joy in the bearing of it It was the ancient custome of the Primitive Christians to have often in their mouths Aust in P. l. 132. Deo gratias God be thanked for this mercy and for that mercy The patient Christian that looks upon the good issues of suffering may sit down and sing Deo gratias not to Blessings only but to Afflictions also Job being stript of all cried out The Lord gave the Lord hath taken away blessed be the name of the Lord Job 1.21 St. Austin speaking of Job observes That when he had nothing of outward things yet there were Gemmae laudis Dei Aust de Temp. Ser. 105. the Jewels of the Praise of God found with him Suffering Saints have so much of the Love of God shed abroad in their hearts that they have praemium ante praemium a lesser Heaven before a greater St. Paul saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I super abound or overflow in joy in all our Tribulations 2 Cor. 7.4 The gracious Presence of God did not only cause joy but the overflowing of it in his heart St. James saith to the seattered Christians Count it all joy when ye fall into divers Temptations Jam. 1 2. That is when ye fall into Afflictions for the Gospel All joy How can poor afflicted Souls reckon thus In the Trial their Graces appear in their pure beauty Strength is made perfect in Weakness Consolations abound as much nay more than Afflictions the beams of Divine Love irradiate the heart and fill it with a sweet serenity Hope enters Heaven and fixes upon the Crown of Life and Heaven comes down in a Spirit of Glory upon the heart Here is joy all joy indeed the total sum of it in this life is made up in these things It was the saying of the Martyr Mr. Philpot That to dye for Christ is the greatest Promotion that God can bring any
valuation of him it esteems him to be such an one as he is set forth in Scripture To be the only wise God the only Potentate the only One that is good to be all these essentially fontally supereminently He that hath such an estimate of him will be ready to suffer for him To such an one it is folly to learn the only Wise weakness to leave the only Potentate misery to leave the only Good And how can he leave so excellent an Object to such an one it is prudence to adhere to the only Wise strength to adhere to the only Potentate happiness to adhere to the only Good And how can he chuse but adhere to him It was the saying of an Ancient Minut. 〈◊〉 18. Tum dignè Deum aestimamus cum inaestimabilem dicimus then we rightly esteem God when we account him inestimable Estates Bodies Lives may be valued but he is infinitely beyond all estimation All creatures are but as shadows and little drops of being in comparison of him It is a just debt we owe to him to rate him incomparably above all things and in so doing the Soul it self is ennobled and made fit to suffer for him As a man by valuing the World above itself becomes base and brutish and like the Beasts that perish so a man by estimating God above all things becomes heroical and Divine and like the Angels that live altogether upon him Such an one is able to part with life in the Channel to have it in the Fountain to let go all other things to have all in the one All-sufficient God 2. Love to God stands in holy D sires after him it makes the soul pant after him as the heart panteth after the Waterbrooks Duleissimo Deo totus immergi cupit inviscerari Carthus and go out of itself in holy anhelations after union with him Such is the Heavenly property of it that it aspires to be one Spirit with him to have idem Velle and idem Nolle to will as he wills and nill as he nills and when once our Wills are melted into his every thing that comes from him will be welcome to us Though Flesh and Blood may cry out of Suffering as a very hard thing yet Love will say that nothing can be wiser or better then that which our Father orders and laies out for us If desire after God as the supream good once put our Souls into motion we shall follow him not into Ordinances only but into Sufferings also His gratious Presence is in both In Ordinances it is in a good measure but in Sufferings which are the highest Services on Earth it is in a more eminent manner God doth not barely say to his afflicted people I am with thee but I will strengthen thee yea I will help thee yea I will uphold thee with the right hand of my Righteousness Esay 41.10 many words are heaped up together to impart the excellency of his presence with them O let our hearts burn within us with ardent desires after him that we may be able to bear the fiery Trial at its coming 3. Love to God stands in an holy Complacence in him it makes the Soul rest upon him as Noah's Dove did upon the Ark and Center in him as in the supream Good Holy desires end in inward satisfaction David thirsting after God comes to have his soul satisfied as with marrow and fatness Psal 63.5 And Christians that breathe after him come to have sweet spiritual joys and delights tasts of Heaven and drops from the pure rivers of pleasures that are above These are able to sweeten the bitterest sufferings It is said of the Thessalonians that they received the word in much affliction with joy of the holy Ghost 1 Thessal 1.6 The Gospel doth not go alone but Affliction accompanies it neither will affliction go down alone but the joy of the holy Ghost sweetens it The blessed Martyrs have experimentally found these divine joys in their hearts It is said of Alexander the Martyr Magd. hist Cent. 2. Chapt. 12. famous for his Love to God that ne ingemuit he did not so much as fetch a groan in the midst of his Torments and doubtless he had strong consolations within to bear him up in his Sufferings The Martyr Algerius being in prison wrote thus in the dark Dungeon I find a Paradise of Pleasure in a place of sorrow dwells tranquillity in an Infernal Cave I have joy of Soul O how good is the Lord How easy and sweet his yoke Such Heavenly Cordials will bare up Christians in the greatest trials O let us labour to delight our souls in God that we may be able to suffer for him 4. Love to God stands in an holy Benevolence towards him it delivers and surrenders up the whole man to him it wills and endeavors so far as a poor Creature can to an Infinite Creator to bring all service and glory to him Thus the 24. elders fel down before him and cast down their crowns saying Thou art worthy O Lord to receive glory and honour and power Revel 4.10 11. renouncing themselves they referr all that they have and are to him alone This is an excellent preparative to Suffering If we would indeed serve him we must be willing to suffer for him for that is the highest Service that can be done to him on earth If we would indeed glorify him we must be ready to Suffer for him for that is the greatest glory that we can possibly give unto him therein we do practically declare to all the World that God is our All Riches Honours Relations Life it self are as nothing to him O let us labor to surrender up our selves to him in other things that we may not fail to make the greatest surrender of all in Suffering 2. Love to Christ is a preparative to suffering Ignatius whose Motto was Amor meus crucifixus My Love was crucified would suffer any thing for Christ The Martyr Felicitas was so in love with Christ Magd. hist Cent. 2. cap. 12. that she would not only suffer herself but have her seven sons suffer for him also Love to Christ stands in four things each of which will dispose us to suffer for him 1. Love to Christ stands in an high Valuation of him it esteems him altogether pretious Pretious in his Person being Immanuel God and man in one pretious in his atoning sufferings which being by his Deity elevated into a kind of infinity were enough to pay for the sin of a World pretious in his holy words his Mysteries being heights his Commands rectitude his Promises Grace pretious in the rich Treasures of Grace which are in him and everflowing out towards Believers He that thus esteems of him will be ready to suffer for him To leave his atoning sufferings is to run into Hell to leave his words is to run into all Error to leave his Treasures of Grace is to run into Spiritual Poverty And how can we leave
him To adhere to his Atonement is peace and comfort to adhere to his Words is to keep the way of life to adhere to his Treasures of Grace is to have continual influences of grace from him And how can we chuse but adhere to him St. Paul counted all things dross and dung for him Phil. 3.8 St. Cyprian in his Exhortation to Martyrdome gives this as one rule that we should nihil Christo praeponere prefer nothing before Christ To esteem any thing better then him is the way to turn Apostate but to esteem him better then all is the way to stand in a day of Trial. 2. Love to Christ stands in holy desires after him it causes a man to long and faint for him and as one in extremity to cry out Give me Christ or else I dye Without the laver of his blood I dye in my sins without the supplies of his Grace I dye in my wants O! that I may have him the Spouse in the Canticles was sick of Love languishing and ready to fall into a Spiritual Swoon with her passionate desires after him and his gratious Presence nothing in all the World could cure or satisfie her but his all-desirable self That soul that truly desireth Christ doth not desire aliud praeter illum aliud tanquam illum aliud post illum any thing besides him any thing equally to him any thing after him Such an ardor and holy flame of Love as this is is an extatical thing it makes a man go out of himself to seek after him it will sell all for him and like those virgin souls Revel 14.4 follow him whithersoever he goeth not only into the Banqueting-house of Ordinances but into Sufferings and Afflictions for him The Martyr Gordius had such an ardent Love to Christ Magd. hist Cent. 4. cap. 12. that he was ready to suffer mille mortes a thousand deaths for the name of Jesus Christ O let us Labour to have our hearts kindled and inflamed with holy desires after him that we may be able to stand and endure the fiery trial 3. Love to Christ stands in an holy Complacence in him it makes the soul enjoy a kind of heaven in his Presence and delight itself in his satisfying Sweetness The Spouse in the Canticles was ravished and as it were swallowed up in him the savour of his sweet Ointments lay upon her heart his Love was better to her then all the Wine of the World she sat under the broad shadow of his Merits with great delight Pardons and Graces dropping down from the Tree of Life upon her he is in her eyes totus desideria all loves or desires every thing in him hath a divine sweetness in it This spiritual joy and delight in Christ our Saviour is an excellent preparative in order to suffering The Church will have him lie all night between her breasts Cant. 1.13 all night that is in times of fear and temptation that his presence may sweeten the bitterest condition to her The Cross of Jesus if we tast the sweetness of it will turn a Marah into joy and comfort Tua praesentia Domine Laurentio ipsam craticulam dulcem fecit thy presence O Lord made the tormenting Gridiron sweet to St. Lawrence saith an Ancient Philip Lantgrave of Hesse being a long time Prisoner under Charles the fifth felt the divine consolations of Martyrs supporting of him O let us labor to tast more of the sweetness of Christ to find his blood in every Pardon his Spirit in every Grace his Wine-cellar in every Ordinance that the Divine Comforts that we experimentally feel in him may sweeten the Cross to us 4. Love to Christ stands in an holy Benevolence towards him it surrenders up the whole man to him it endeavours to serve and honour him to the utmost Thus those many thousands cry out worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honour and glory and blessing Rev. 5.11 12. they give all to Christ This is an excellent Preparative for Suffering If we would serve him in other things we must serve him in suffering for him if we would honour him in obedience to other Commands we must honour him in taking up the Cross too St. Paul desired that Christ might be magnified in his body whether it were by life or by death Phil. 1.20 If he lived he would magnifie Christ by Active Obedience and if he died he would do it by Passive Either way he would have Christ glorified in him Tot laudant-ora quot sunt vulnera Magd. hist Cent. 4. cap. 12. The Martyr Romanus having a multitude of wounds in his body thanked the Persecutor for opening so many mouths to glorify Christ In nothing is Christ so much glorified as in his suffering Saints therein they demonstrate the highest Love Seal up the Evangelical Truths with their own blood practically prefer Christ before all the World and offer up themselves for him who gave himself a Sacrifice for them O let us labor to make a total resignation of our selves to him that if sufferings come we may be able to bear them for his sake CHAP. IX The sixth Direction for suffering is a lively hope of eternal Life Hope assures us that there is another World that the good things of it exceed those of this that we have an interest in them Hope disposes us for them Hope waits for them unto the end THe sixth Direction is this If we would be in a fit posture for suffering we must get a lively hope of eternal Life As our life is a Sea Hope is compared to an Anchor which makes us stand steady in a storm As our life is a warfare Hope is compared to an Helmet which covers the soul in times of danger As the body liveth Spirando by breathing so the Soul lives Sperando by hoping A man cannot drown so long as his head is above water Hope lifts up the head and looks up to the Redemption and Salvation that is to come in another World in its fulness and perfection Hope doth three things it assures good things to come it disposes us for them it waits for them unto the end Each of which will be of singular use to fit us for pious Sufferings 1. Hope assures good things to come It is called the Hope of Salvation Thessal 5.8 the hope of Glory Rom. 5.2 the hope of eternal Life Tit. 1.2 because it assures these things To this I shall speak in three Particulars 1. Hope assures us that there is another World called in Scripture the World to come without this there can be no foundation for pious Suffering no man can freely part with this World unless he be assured of another If in this life only we have hope in Christ we are of all men most miserable 1 Cor. 15.19 Miserable indeed to be persecuted out of one World and to have never another to go to If Christians were in as dark a case
as the Emperor Adrian was when dying he cried out O my poor soul whither art thou going they could be in no rational capacity of suffering But hope assures them that there is another world where things are administred in a different manner then they are here in this Duas vitas novit Ecclesia una est in fide alterain specie una in tempore alterain aeternitate una in labore altera in requie una cum hoste pugnat altera sine hoste regnat Aug. in Joh. Tract 124. Here good men bear the Cross there they wear the Crown here they are black with reproaches there they shine as the Sun here they are tossed at Sea there they enter into rest here they drink of the bitter Cup there of the Rivers of Pleasures above here they are in the bloody hands of men there in the arms of a gratious God Hope is sure that these things are so God's Promises secure them and that we might have strong consolation God's Oaths is superadded also Our Saviour hath sealed up the truth of them with his own blood and we may venter our dearest lives upon them Hence it is that hope is said to be the anchor of the soul sure and stedfast entring into that within the Vail Hebr. 6.19 Other Anchors may break but this will never fail other Anchors are fastned in this World but this enters into that within the Vail and fixes it self in the unmoveable Heaven and in respect thereof Christians become in some measure unmovable in the midst of all the storms here below St. Cyprian saith of the Christians in his time that their Faith and Hope did stand unmovable and unshaken inter ipsas seculi ruinas Ad Demetrianum among the ruins of the World When the excellent Melancton was threatned by his enemies Mel. Ad. in vità ejus that they would not leave him a footstep in Germany he replied That he should have one in Heaven In like manner when a poor persecuted Christian is ready to be cast out of this World he may comfort himself with this that he hath another to go to where he shall have better usage and a reward for his sufferings 2. Hope assures us that the good things of the World to come do incomparably exceed the things of this World If the things of this world were the better no man would leave better for worse nay if they were but equal no man would part with that in possession for that in expectation But Hope assures us that the good things of the World to come do far transcend those that are in this World The mansions in glory are better then the houses of clay the incorruptible inheritance exceeds a fading one eternal Life is much more pretious then temporal the crowns of immortality above out-shine all the titles of honor here below the pure rivers of Pleasure in Heaven are far sweeter then the delights on earth the fruiton of God who is the supream Good Center of Souls Sabbath of rest and Fountain of blessedness cannot but be infinitely beyond the enjoyment of Creatures A good assurance that these things are so will dispose us to part with the lesser concerns here below that we may enjoy the greater that are above We read of some Worthies that took joyfully the spoiling of their goods because they had in Heaven a better enduring substance Hebr. 10.34 And again of some that would not accept deliverance because they would obtain a better resurrection Heb. 11.35 Suadows trifles were to be parted with rather then Masiy durable Felicity the bubble or vapor of a transitory Life was to be let go rather then an everlasting one When in the Persecution under Dioclesian the Martyrs were asked What made them bear such torments and what they expected after all their sufferings They made this answer That they did hope for those good things which eye hath not seen nor ear heard neither have entred into the heart of man which God hath prepared for them that Love him We see what bore up their spirits in their sufferings Let us labour to have an high sense of the excellencies of the World to come that if need be we may part with all for it 3. Hope assures our interest in the good things of the World to come And here two things are to be noted the one is this Hope in its initial Existence assures our interest in them fundamentally he that hath a true lively hope of them hath a real interest in them every right Grace touches upon Heaven and gives a right to it but Hope doth it in a kind of peculiar way it enters in within the Vail and in a sort takes possession of the other World As the ship is at Land in its Anchor so the Soul is in Heaven in its Hope and he that hath a true interest there will not part with it in a time of suffering The Anchor being in Heaven and fastned in the unmoveable felicity there will hold out in a Storm Such an one will reckon as St. Paul did that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us Rom. 8.18 Or if a comparison be made the sufferings in respect of the Glory will be but as a drop of wormwood to a vast Sea of infinite Sweetness The other thing is this Hope in its full stature assures our interest in the good things to come sensibly he that hath a plerophory of Hope certainly knows that he hath an interest in them We know that we have passed from death to Life saith Sr. John 1 Joh. 3.14 As if the Apostle had said we are in the borders of Heaven and we know it as it were sensibly as we do our passage from one place to another Holy Job saith I know that my Redeemer liveth and maugre all the Worms in my Flesh I shall see God Job 19.25 26. He was sure of the bliss-making Vision and could look through the dust to Immortality Such a full hope ushers in a kind of Paradise into the Soul and admirably fits it to bear sufferings the internal Suavity is able to sweeten any outward Condition The Learned Rivet at his dying hour brake forth into these words Expecto credo persevero dimoveri nequeo Dei Spiritus meo Spiritui testatur me esse ex Filiis suis O amorem ineffabilem I expect believe persevere cannot be moved Gods Spirit witnesses to mine that I am one of his Children O! ineffable Love Let us Labor to have not only a lively hope that we may have a title to Heaven but a full hope that we may know our title to it This will be an high Cordial in an evil day and make us able whatever the sufferings be to go on triumphantly and with full Sails to Heaven 2. Hope doth not only assure the good things to come but disposes us for them Hope is not an idle Dream
what that Fear is which prepares us for Suffering and then how it prepares us thereunto 1. I shall consider what that Fear is which prepares us for Suffering and this I shall dispatch in three things It is not the Fear of man but of God that doth it It is not the fear of man that can do it God gives us a charge against this Who art thou that thou shouldest be afraid of a man that shall dye Esay 51.12 There is no cause to fear a weak piece of Clay a very Breath a fading Leaf he must dye and there is an end of him and all his thoughts perish with him The wise man tels us That the fear of man bringeth a Snare Prov. 29.25 It made Abraham dissemble as if he had no wife David change his behaviour as if he had no reason Peter curse and swear as if he knew not his Master This Fear disposes to apostacy and must be cured by that Fear of God which disposes to suffering When we are ready to drown in worldly sorrow it is of singular use to spring another a godly sorrow in our hearts and when the Fear of man puts us into trembling fits it is an excellent remedy to raise up the Fear of God in our Souls above the other Thus God directs his People not to fear the confederate Enemies but to sanctify the Lord of Hosts himself and to let him be their fear and their dread Esa 8.12 13. He is Lord of Hosts God over all and the fear of him should be above all other fears this is the way to have him to be a Sanctuary to us as it follows If we Fear him he will be an inviolable place of retreat where we may repose our selves in a day of Trouble 2. It is not a diffidential Fear but a fiducial one that doth it A diffidential Fear makes the mind as Meteors in the Air to hang in suspense and in case Affliction come to fail under the burden St. Peter walked upon the water to go to jesus but when he saw the wind boistrous he was afraid and began to sink Math. 14.29 30. By Faith he walked and by diffidence he began to sink Non ambularet nisi crederet nec mergeretur nisi dubitaret Aust de Verbis Rom. Serm. 14. Our condition is the very same in the waves of a troublesome World we stand by Faith but fall by diffidence That Fear which prepares us for suffering must be a fiducial one Ye that fear the Lord trust in the Lord he is their help and their shield Psal 115.11 Holy fear is and must be in Conjunction with faith Fear flies from the evils of Sin and Hell Faith closes in with the Promises of Grace and Glory both concurr to make a man fit for suffering and such a sufferer shall have God for his help and shield 3. It is not a servile Fear but a filial one that doth it He that hath a meer servile fear of the wrath to come may forbear an act of sin but he hath the Love of it in his heart adbuc vivit in eo peccandi voluntas the Love of sin lives in him still as an Ancient hath it Such an one is not in a fit case to suffer for the Truth he hath not a Love to God to move him to it nor a capacity to have Heaven after it and how can he suffer It is very hard for a man to suffer for a God that he Loves not Or part with the good things of This World when he hath no hope of those in a better That Fear which prepares for Suffering is not servile but filial it stands not in conjunction with the love of Sin but with the Love of God the nature of it is such that he that hath it will displease man rather then offend God part with a World rather then let go the Truth and pure Worship nay and lay down his Life rather then forfeit the Divine Presence and Favour which are better then Life Thus much touching the nature of that Fear which prepares us for suffering 2. I come to consider how holy Fear doth prepare us for sufferings and this I shall open in three things 1. Holy fear looks upon sin as an evil much greater then any suffering suffering is opposite to the Creature but sin is opposite to the infinite God it is a Rebellion to his Soveraignty a contradiction to his Holiness a provocation to his Justice an abuse to his Grace a stain cast as much as in us lies upon his Glory nay as the Schools speak it is a kind of Deicidium it strikes in a sort at the very life and being of God it wishes that there were none at all and if it could effect it there should be none Suffering doth not make a man worse then he was before but sin doth it Those Saints that were destitute afflicted tormented wandring in Deserts and Mountains and Dens and Caves of the Earth were yet such excellent ones that the World was not worthy of them Hebr. 11.37 38. On the other hand Antiochus Ephiphanes who was as his name imports illustrious and glorious in the World was yet but a vile person and was made such by his wickedness Suffering strikes at the estate or body of man but sin strikes at his Soul a thing more pretious then a World nay and at the Divine Image there which is more worth then the Soul it self It doth where it can prevail turn men into Beasts in its sensual lusts or into Devils in its spiritual Wickednesses Suffering may have good nay great good in it but sin is evil only evil t is called by St. James 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the superfluity or excrement of all evil Jam. 1.21 It contains all evils in it and if all evils saith a worthy Divine were to have a scum or excrement crement sin is it as being the abstracted quintessence of all evil and having nothing at all of good in it Sin saith Bradwardine is a thing not to be done pro quantiscunque bonis lucrandis aut pro quantiscunque malis praecavendis for the gaining never so great a good or for the avoiding never so great an evil He that hath this holy Fear in his heart will chuse suffering as the lesser evil rather then sin which is much the greater When Antitiochus Epiphanes brought forth Wheels Rodds Hooks Rakes Racks Caudrons Joseph Ant. Cages Gridirons Gantlets Awles Bellows Brasen Pots and Frying-pans before Salamona here seven sons to terrify them they could not be induced by all his tormenting Engines to trespass so far as to eat of a little sacrificed Swines-flesh to save themselves from a cruel death It was the saying of Anselm That if Sin were set before him on one hand and Hell on the other he would rather chuse Hell then sin Scult Decad An. Dom. 1528 Henry Flander being a Prisoner for the Protestant Religion would not say that his Wife was his
Whore no not to save his life offered to him on those terms Holy Fear will tell us that sin must not be done to avoid suffering that we were better bear all reproaches then dishonour God lose our Estates then leave our Religion nay and lay down our lives then be separated from the Divine Love O let us look upon sin as the Maximum formidabile as that which hath in it the most proper cause of fear and flight that no external miseries and dangers may be able to drive us into it 2. Holy Fear looks at the sufferings which God inflicts in Hell as incomparably greater then those which man doth or can inflict upon Earth Our Saviour directing our fear to its right Object takes notice of the vast difference between them Fear not them which kill the body but are not able to kill he soul but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in Hell Math. 10.28 Mans killing is one thing but Gods destroying another Man may kill the Body and it may be in a tormenting manner but there is no death like the second no torments on Earth are comparable to those in Hell no finite arm can strike so hard as the infinite One no Culinary or Elementary Fire can burn so hot as the Infernal doth God bid Moses take and sprinkle the ashes of the Furnace and they should become boils and blains Exod. 9.8 9. A Great Doctor of ours glosses on the words thus The sufferings here on Earth are but the ashes of the Furnace small things in comparison of the Furnace itself an Hell of unquenchable fire man may kill the body but he is not alwaies a killing of it he may torment but he cannot bear up the Patient in long suffering the torments in a little time will cease and the Martyr Sleep in Jesus but God kils the damned and is still a killing them power supports them and Justice punishes them the fire of Hell kindled by eternal breath never goes out and the smoak of their torment ascends for ever and ever After thousands and ten thousand of years still there will be wrath to come such as no time can measure Man may kill the body but after that he can do no more his Engines of Cruelty cannot reach the Soul or touch the inward man which is a Sanctuary for God but God kils the soul his wrath is in a peculiar manner poured out there where the chief seat of sin was the neverdying Worm is ever growing upon corscience The spirit of the damned furiously reflects upon itself over the eternal misery that it lies under All the horrors of a Spira or a Judas are far short of that desperate rage and anguish which tortures the lost souls in Hell He that hath this holy fear in him will chuse any sufferings on Earth rather then those in Hell One of the sons of Solomona told the Tyrant Antiochus that his fire was cold and indeed it was so comparatively to the Fire of Hell St. Austin putting the question whom we should obey God commanding one thing or the Emperor commanding another makes his answer Da veniam Imperator tu carcerem minaris ille gehennam Gives place O Emperor De Verb. Dom. serm 6. thou threatnest a Prison he a Hell When Polycarp was threatned with Fire his answer was That the Persecuter threatned only a momentary Fire but knew not The Eternal one He that ever heard that true Thunder which is the voice of God would hardly be afraid of such Artificial Cracks as the Emperor Cajus Caligula used to make to shew himself a God And he that carries upon his heart an awe of those sufferings which God inflicts in Hell will hardly fear those which men inflict on Earth 3. Holy Fear looks upon Spiritual and Eternal Losses as incomparably greater then Carnal and Temporal ones The loss of the World may be made up in the saving of the Soul but for the loss of a Soul nothing can make a recompence That little sparkle of Divinity mightily outweighs the great Globe of the World What are Bodies to Spirits Nemo saith Austin bene se inspexit qui non omni corpori qualemlibet animam praeponendam esse fateatur he that looks well into himself must confess that any Soul is to be preferred before all Bodies The loss of mans favor may be richly made up by the presence of Gods Moses endured the King's wrath as seeing the invisible one the presence of God was so with him that he feared no human frowns But if the Divine Favour be wanting nothing can supply the defect of it It 's true a man without it may have all outward blessings flowing round about him but he eats and drinks and Sleeps under the wrath of God which hangs over his head as the sword did over the head of Damocles at the Tyrants Table and as soon as the thread of life breaks it comes down upon him in an utter ruine The loss of Creatures may be made up by an interest in God a real Christian having nothing may possess all things in him but if a man forsake God what will the World give in exchang for him It 's Riches are but poor moth-eaten things which in a little time vanish away its Pleasures are but the titillations of Sense and perish in the using its Honours are but a blast a little popular Air which soon go away and come to nothing When once God who is the Fountain and Spring of all good departs it is in vain to hope for any thing from the little Rivulets and Cisterns of the Creature He that hath this holy Fear in him will chuse to suffer loss in Carnal and Temporal things rather then in Spiritual and Eternal It is the saying of St. Ambrose Eaest vera pietas quaepraeponit divina humanis perpetua temporalibus Lib. 7. Epist 56. that is true Piety which prefers Divine Things to humane and perpetual things to temporal St. Austin sets out servile and filial Fear by an Adulterous and a Chast Wife Timet mulier adultera In Joh. Tract 63. in E pist Joh. Tract 9. ne vir ejus veniat timet casta ne vir ejus abscedat The adulterous woman sears lest her husband may come the chast woman fears lest her husband depart In like manner servile Fear makes us afraid that God will punish filial Fear makes us afraid that God will depart The loss of him is more then the loss of all things When the Martyr Menas under the Persecution of Dioclesian Magd. hist Cent 4. cap. 12. was brought forth to suffer he gave this reason for it Nihilest quod meâ sententiá conferripossit cum regno coelorum neque enim totus Mundus potest aequâ lance expensus uni comparari animae there is nothing in my judgment like the Kingdom of Heaven neither may the whole World if weighed in an equal ballance be compared with one Soul He had
but giveth grace unto the humble Jam. 4.6 God hath two hands with the one he casts down the proud that lift up themselves against him with the other he lifts up the humble that lye at his feet for mercy Humility is not only a Grace but a capacity to receive more of it He that goes to a River to take up water puts the mouth of his Vessel downward to do it he that goes to God for Grace must put his mouth in the dust and cry to have it not for his worths sake but for his spiritual poverty An humble Heart is as Parisiensis cals it a spiritual Vacuum and as nature doth not suffer a Vacuum in Bodies but fils up the space one way or other so Grace doth not suffer a Vacuum in Spirits but fils up the humble Soul with fresh supplies of Grace St. Austin sets out this by a notable similitude Si humiles sunt valles sunt quod infuderis capiunt non dimittunt Aust de Verb. Apost ser 9. The water that fals down from Heaven upon the Mountains flows away but the water that fals upon the Vallys stays there In like manner the Divine Grace that distils from above doth not rest upon high proud persons but upon humble ones God leaves the full Souls and fils the empty abases the exalted and exalts the abased All other Graces grow together with Humility the more humble we are the more we have of God with us the more we have of Grace in us and the more we have of these the more we have of strength in the inner man and the more we have of preparation for a day of Trial. If we build so high as suffering for Christ we must dig deep and lay the Foundation low that when the storm comes we may stand fast and unmovable 3. Humility makes a man freely to bow and subject himself to God in all things This is a choice and excellent preparative for suffering the same which our Saviour commends to weary and heavy laden souls take my yoke upon you and learn of me for I am meek and lowly in heart Math. 11.29 Christians are to take up a double yoke the yoke of Evangelical Commands and the yoke of the Cross that accompanies them in both subjection is requisite In the one Subjection to Christs Authority commanding in the other subjection to his Providence ordering And that Christians may be subject to both they must look to the great Pattern learn meekness and humility from him The heart of man naturally is a very proud Belial thing that will bear no yokes it will not be under Christ not under his Righteous Commands by Obedience nor under his Afflicting Providences by Patience it lifts up itsel and by a kind of Blasphemy practicalls aspires to be above God himself But when the Divine Grace hath melted the heart and made it humble then it will bow down and take both yokes upon itself it will become freely subject to God and all his holy pleasure I say freely A proud man may be bowed down under the pressure of an external Calamity but an humble man bows himself down by an internal Principle of Grace in the one the subjection is meerly of necessity in the other it is free and of choice Humility makes a man lye at Gods foot and say Lord what wilt thou have me to do or What wilt thou have me to suffer Let the word of God come saith Baldasser the German Divine and we will submit to it six hundred necks if we had so many Let the Cross come saith the humble man and I will submit to it Humility is virtually all obedience and patience it makes a man to be as a little child ruleable by all the Will of God Whether that Will come forth in Precepts or providences Humility will comply and bow down under it The lowly in heart will do or be any thing for God therefore our Saviour promises rest to such De Tempore Ser. 213. as the gracious reward of their labors and sufferings It is good counsel that St. Austin gives Esto parvus in oculis tuis ut sis magnus in oculis Dei be thou little in thine own eyes that thou mayst be great in Gods Subjecting thy self to all his pleasure is the way to be exalted by him 4. Humility causes a man to depend upon God for support and comfort in his Sufferings The proud person stands in the posture of the Pharisee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 standing to himself Luk. 18.11 he stands upon his own bottom and thinks himself able by his own power to do or suffer any thing as he pleases But standing in his own presumption it is very likely that he will fall off as soon as the trial comes But it is otherwise with the humble man he knows that he is weak in himself and must be strong in God and therefore he will not trust in his own Power or Will but look up to God for support and comfort in the evil day De Verb. Dom. ser 13. It is a notable passage of St Austin Multos impedit a firmitate praesumptio firmitatis nemo a Deo fit firmus nisi qui a seipso sentit infirmum A presumption of firmness hinders many from being firm no man is made firm by God but he that feels infirmity in himself The story in the Marian Persecution is very memorable Mr. Sanders the Martyr at first shewed much weakness and fear but Dr. Pendleton said to him What man fear I will see every drop of my grease melted before I forsake Christ and his truth But afterwards Sanders triumphantly Suffered kissing the Stake and saying Welcome the Cross of Christ but proud Pendleton turned Papist Unto this instance I shall add a more ancient one Peter a Great Apostle fell and denied his Lord but among the Primitive Christians Women and little Children suffered in a brave and heroical maner Aust in Joh. tract 113. The greatest Christians may fall by presuming upon themselves the Least may stand by depending on the power of God The poor in Spirit would not be their own Keepers but would commit themselves unto God Psal 10.14 as being safer in his hands then in their own Humble souls not being able to bear up their own weight lean upon the Rock of Ages and having no rest in themselves they acquiesce in the Center of Souls The feeble Conies have their houses in the Rocks and the weak Christians dwell in the secret of the most high Annas Burgus a Senator of Paris suffered for the pure Religion with that constancy that many were curious to know what Religion that was for which he so patiently endured death and one reason of his patience was his humble dependance upon God which he expressed in that often repeated prayer at his death Deus mi ne me derelinquas ne ego te derelinquam Thuan Lib. 23. O my God leave me not lest I leave
him The more we act our Love Meekness Mercy Goodness or any Grace the more we are united to him and incorporated with him nay true Obedience makes us to be of neer alliance to him When our Saviour was told that his Mother and Brethren stood without to see him his answer was My Mother and my Brethren are those which hear the word of God and do it Luke 8.20 21. St. Ambrose upon these words tels us In Lucam cap. 8. Religiosiores copulae mentium quam corporum the conjunction of Minds is more sacred than that of Bodies The Obedient Christian is Brother to Christ being born of the same holy Spirit in Regeneration of which he was conceived in his Incarnation nay he is Mother to Christ bringing him forth in the exercise of holy Graces somewhat of the Love Mercy Piety Meekness of Christ is still a coming forth from him In both these respects doth obedience dispose us to suffering the more we grow up into Christ the Head the more Divine Power and Virtue we have from him our chief strength lies not in our selves but in our Head we may do nay and suffer any thing through him strengthning us And the more we are allied to him the more we are bound to adhere to him Our supernatural Birth obliges us to live to him nay and if need be to die for him and we are to bring him forth not only in other holy Virtue but in that of Patience St. Paul bore about in his body the dying of the Lord Jesus 2 Cor. 4.10 and the Allies of Christ must be ready at Gods call to suffer with him 4. True Obedience produces an increase of Grace and spiritual Strength Obedience is a Christians daily walk the more he exercises himself to Godliness the more grace he hath in his Soul That Faith which was but as a little grain of Mustard-seed becomes a Tree spreading itself forth at last as high as assurance That love which was as a little spark raked up in the ashes comes to be a vehement Flame aspiring after the fruition of God in Heaven That Hope which was but a poor weak thing in the Soul comes to have more liveliness and supernatural stature The path of the just which is in obedience is as the shining light which shines more and more unto the perfect day in heaven Prov. 4.18 The more a Christian exercises himself in Obedience the stronger he grows in the Inner-man of a Plant he comes to be a Tree of Righteousness of a Babe he comes to be a Man in Christ His vital Principles become more strong his supernatural hear increased he holds on his way of Obedience and so grows stronger and stronger Job 17.9 Such an Obedience as this admirably Disposes a man for suffering The greater his stock of Grace is the better will he hold out in the straits of the World The more strength he hath in the inner-man the more able he will be to bear the burden of the Cross If thou faint in the day of adversity thy strength is small Prov. 24.10 Great strength will keep a man from fainting When the Children of Israel were come to be above six hundred thousand Numb 1.46 it was a great encouragement to make them go on gallantly against their Enemies And when Christians have their Graces multiplied and among the rest Patience comes to be all Patience as the expression is Col. 1.11 it gives them spirit and life to bear sufferings 5. True obedience obtains the gracious Presence of God to help and comfort good men in the doing his Will The Rabbins say That if two sit together conferring about the Law the Shechinah is among them I may say if one single Christian be a doing of Gods will the Divine Presence is with him Thus our Saviour saith If any man love him and keep his words the Father and the Son will come and make their abode with such an one John 14.23 Such an one hath a Shechinah in his heart God will be there helping and comforting of him Whilst he is a doing of Gods will strength will come in as it did to the Levites 1. Chron. 15.26 and not only strength but comfort too In keeping his commands there is great reward some of the oyl of Joy which is upon Christ the great doer of Gods will drops down upon good men in their sincere obedience they have an inward peace and joy unspeakeable In this respect obedience prepares the heart of Christians to endure suffering An obedient Christian can argue thus with himself I have found Gods gracious Presence strengthning and comforting me in the doing of his will much more shall I have it when I come to suffer and part with all for his sake When all forsook St. Paul yet the Lord stood with him and strengthned him 2 Tim. 4.16.19 When Mr. Sanders was examined about his Religion he was wonderfully comforted and received a tast of the Communion of Saints a pleasant refreshing did issue from every part of his Body to his heart and from thence into all parts again Cicely Ormes was filled with such joy and comfort that at the kindling of the fire she said My soul doth magnify the Lord and my Spirit doth rejoice in God my Saviour O let us firmly conclude this with our selves that God will not leave or forsake his people no not at other times much less will he do it in the time of Fiery Trials Then they shall have strength and comfort in a more than ordinary way enough to make them to triumph over their Sufferings or at leastwise to bear them with Patience 6. True Obedience is the way to Heaven Those blessed ones that do the commands of God have right to the Tree of Life and enter in through the gates into the City Rev. 22.14 The more obedient a man is to the Divine Will the richer entrance he hath into the blessed Kingdom After sowing to the Spirit comes the Crop of Eternal Glory after walking in holy Obedience comes the blessed end of Life and Immortality In this respect Obedience fits us for Sufferings A man that is in the way to Hell is not capable of suffering it is not imaginable that a man should bear Reproach for Christ who hath no hope of Glory or that he should part with his Treasure here who hath none in Heaven or that he should lay down his Life Temporal who hath no right to an Eternal one or that he should let go his Portion of good in this World who hath none in another But the Obedient Christian who is in the way to Heaven is in a capacity to suffer any thing that meets him in the passage thither Reproaches may come but he is going to shine in glory Worldly Goods may be spoiled but he hath an Inheritance incorruptible that fadeth not away Temporal Life may be lost but in the very instant there begins an Eternal one with the blessed God in Heaven he may by
a Persecution be justled out of this World but he hath a better to go to where there are Crowns of Glory Rivers of Pleasures Plenitudes of Joy and all in the blessed God Our Saviour Christ for the joy that was set before him endured the cross Hebr. 12.2 St. Paul would finish his course that he might have the Crown of righteousness 2 Tim. 4.7 8. When the Martyr Babylas suffered he sung that of the Psalmist Magd. hist cent 3. cap. 12. Return unto thy rest O my Soul his mind was upon the eternal Sabbath in Heaven When Basil the great was threatned with Banishment and Death he was not at all moved at it Banishment is nothing to him that hath heaven for his Countrey neither is Death any thing to one to whom it is the way to Life He that is in the way to Heaven hath great reason to break through all Difficulties to get thither CHAP. XIII The tenth Direction for suffering is Patience under Gods will With respect to the Christian it makes him possess his Soul conquer the World and have inward Satisfaction With respect to God it subjects the Soul to his Will it waits upon God for strength and a good Issue it produces spiritual Joy and Praise THe tenth Direction is this if we would be in a fit posture for suffering we must labor after Patience under the will of God this must be joyned to our Obedience that we may be able to answer to all his will As obedience respects Gods commanding will so Patience which is also a duty respects his disposing one Ye have need of patience that after ye have done the will of God ye might receive the promise Saith the Apostle Hebr. 10.36 We are not only to do other Commands by Obedience but when Providence cals us to it we are to do that of taking up the Cross by Patience Other Graces may help to bear the Cross but Patience takes it up upon its back It is its proper peculiar office 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to make a man abide piously under the Cross This Grace may be considered two waies either in that which it doth with respect to the Christian in whom it is or in that which it doth with respect to God both ways it is of singular use in order to sufferings 1. Patience may be considered in that which it doth with respect to the Christian in whom it is and thus three things may be noted 1. Patience makes a Christian possess his soul Luke 21.19 there is a great difference between the wordly mans patience the Christians The word by man endeavours much that he may possess the things that are without him but the Christian bears that he may possess his own Soul The Christian in a fit of Impatience loses himself and puts himself as it were out of possession not only of his Rational Faculties but of his Graces too at that time he acts not like a Man or a Christian When Jonah told God that he did well to be angry unto death Jon. 4.9 he was in his furious passion more like a Beast than a Man or a Saint If thou deal thus with me saith Moses to God kill me out of hand Numb 11.15 The word thou here is of the Feminine Gender At for Aita the perturbation of Mind made Moses the meekest man on earth unable to fill up his words or to speak as he meant to do It is by patience that the Christian possesseth himself and hath the free use of his Reason and holy Graces While he is patiently bearing the Cross his Faith will roll out as Gold out of the Fire his hope will fix itself in the unmovable Heavens his love will burn within him towards God and his Glory All the Powers in Earth and Hell cannot put him out of the possession of himself or hinder his Graces from coming forth into act he will be like himself in his suffering 2. Patience makes a Christian to be a Conqueror of the persecuting World The Overcomer mentioned in the second and third chapters of the Revelation of St. John to whom so many pretious and excellent promises are there made is not one that overcomes by Martial Fighting but one that hath the Victory by Patient Suffering Who shall separate us saith St. Paul from the Love of Christ Shall Tribulation or Distress or Persecution or Famine or Nakedness or Peril or Sword In all these things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we are more than Conquerors through him that loved us Rom. 8.35 37. More than Conquerors because they conquered by suffering while their Bodies were slain their souls were triumphing over death itself Thus St. Austin saith Epist 42. that the Pagans were overcome non a repugnantibus sed a morientibus Christianis not by resisting but by dying Christians Patience makes their Persecutors secure them and frame Crowns of Glory for them This made the Martyr Vincentius tell his Tormentor Nunquam aliquis adeò bene servivit mihi actu no man ever served me so much as thou hast done Patience doth so frame the heart to the will of God that it makes a Christian to be a King overhis Crosses losses to him are gain reproaches glory confinement liberty anddeath life While he suffers in any thing he is above it 3. Patience makesa Christian to have inward content and satisfaction in suffering It is the Apostles Exhortation Let patience have her perfect work that ye may be perfect and entire wanting nothing Jam. 1.4 He that hath not Patience is but a lame and imperfect Christian he may go a little way in Religion as far as his Principles reach but if he come to suffering which is beyond them he will halt and turn aside But if a Christian hath an effectual Patience he is then perfect and entire wanting nothing he hath every thing that may fill up his Christianity or happiness in this Life The Cross may come but he hath Principles to bear it Outward Blessings may be taken away but he hath all in God St. Austin brings in patient Job De Simb ad Cateck stript of all but only his God speaking thus Quid mihi deerit si Deum habuero quid mihi alia prosunt si Deum non habuero What can I want if I have God What can other things profit if I have him not Patience gives the suffering Saint quiet and sweet satisfaction in God and not only so but in the very suffering as it is a pious submission to his will There is a sweetness and a secret reward in the doing of Gods will much more in holy suffering for Him The blessed Martyr Baynham at the Stake told the bloody Papists O ye Papists ye talk of Miracles behold here a true one these Flames are to me a bed of Roses It 's true all holy Sufferers cannot say thus but all of them find by experience that there is a sweet satisfaction in suffering for the good God 2. Patience