Part 13
3. Mortify your inordinate affections of liberty, pleasure, and delicate living. O let not a prison seem so formidable to you. It is true, as Christ told Peter, in John xxi. 18. " When " thou wastyoung,thougirdedst thyself, and walkedst whither " thou wouldst ; but when thou shalt be old,thou shalt stretch " forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee " whither thou wouldst not." You have now your liberty to go whither you will, and it is a precious mercy if well improved; the birds of the air (as one faith)had rather be in the woods at liberty, though lean and hungry, than in a golden cage with the richest fare. But yet, if God will call you to deny this also for Christ, see that you be ready to be bound as Paul was, and receive the chainandbondsof Christwiththankffgiving : To which end, confider,
1. That the affliction, in such cases of restraint, is more from within, than from without you. There is no place but may be delectable to you, if your heart be heavenly, and the presence of God be engaged with you. What a sweet night had Jacob at Bethel! Paul and Silas in the stocks ! See that precious letter of PomponiusAlgerius. * Tranftulit in cælum Christi prafentia clauftrum ; Quidfaciet cælo ? quæ cælumjam creat antro. It is your own unbelief and impatiency, that gives you more trouble than the condition. 2. No keeper can keep the comforter from you, if you be the Lord's prisoners, Acts xvi. If they could bar out the Spirit from you, it would be a dismal place indeed : But ordinarily, there the saints have their clearest visions of God, and sweetest presence of the Spirit. You are the Lord's freemen, whilst men's prisoners : All the world cannotdivestyou of the state of liberty Christ hath purchased for you, John viii. 36.
If the presence of Christ once changed a prison into a kind of heaven,what will it do in heaven itself, which even here doth make a dungeon like heaven ?
360 Preparations for Sufferings : Or, 3. Though a prison looks fad and dismal,yet it is not hell: Ohbless God for that, that is a fadprison indeed ! Beloved, men have their prisons, and God hath his: God's prison is a terrible prison indeed, thousands are now there in chains, 1 Pet. iii. 19.,and there you deserved to have been sent long ago : If God exchange an hell for a prison,have you any cause to complain ?
4.How obdurate and cruel soevermen are to you, yet the Lord Jesus is kind and tender-hearted to his prisoners ; he puts the kindnesses that any shew them upon his own account, Matth. xxv. 36. " He looks down from heaven to hear the " fighings and groanings of his prisoners," Psal. cii. 20. He will tenderly sympathize with you inallyourprisonftraitsand troubles.
5. A prison hath beenhandselledand perfumed by the best and holiest of men in all ages, I Kíngs xxii. 27. Jer. xxxii. 2. Matth. iv. 12. Acts v. 18. andxxvi. 10. God hath made it a fettledfchool of discipline to them.
6. Should you, to avoid a prison, commit a fin, instead of beingman's prisoner, you shall be clapt up by God, for he hath a prison for your souls even in this world, Psal. cxlii. 7. And this is tenthousandtimes more dreadful, than any dungeon in the world. Oh it is a dark prison ! nothing to let intheleaft beam of God's countenance upon your poorfouls. What a fad exchange have you made then ?
ground of comfort God hath laid in that word, Rev. ii. 10. to obviate the fears and terrors incident to us in such a condition : God hath limited Satan and his in- struments, both for time, number, and all circumstances of the trial.
8. Lastly, You do not know what a mercy may be in it: It may be a time of retirement from the world, and the clamours and distractions that are abroad. These days ofimpri fonment may be your holy-days ; as a prisoner of Christ once called them .
4. Get an heart mortified to the excessive and inordinate love of life: This, I confess, is the highest and hardest point of self-denial, because it wraps up allotherfelf-interests in it. But yet consider, First,Though life be very dear, yet Jesus Christ istenthou fandtimes dearer than thy life: Ifthoubea faint, he is the life of thy life, and the length ofthydays; and in comparison of him, and his glory, faints should,andhavedespisedand flightedtheir lives, Luke xiv. 26. Rev. xii. 11 .
The best Work in the worst Times. 361 Secondly, Die you must : and if by shrinking from Christ, you should protract amiferable life for a few days longer, in the meantime losing that which is better than life, Psal. Ixiii. 3. Matth. x. 39. Oh! when you lie upon your death-bed, youwillwish that you had obeyed God's call, and fo have departed in peace.
Thirdly, If you have cordially covenanted with Christ, (as all sincere believers have done), then you have yielded up your lives to him, to be disposed of for his glory, Rom. xiv. 7. So that, look as Christ both livedanddied for you ; so ought you to live as Christ : And all the excellency you fee in life, consists in that reference and subserviency it hath to his glory. I fay then, if you have understandingly and cordially transacted in a covenant-way with him, your care will not be so much how to shun death, as by what death you may most glorify God, Johnxxi. 19. And certainly, you can never lay them down upon a more honourable or comfortable account than in his cause, and for his sake. It was a great trouble to Luther, that he carried his blood to his grave.
Fourthly, To die for Christ, is one of the highest teftifications of your love to Christ, that you are capable of, John xiii. 37. Yea, it is such ateftification of your love to the Lord Jesus, as angels are not capable of making.
Fifthly, Why should you decline even a violent death for Christ, when as the bitterness of death is past, and there is no hell following the pale horse ? It cannot separate you from Christ, Rom. viii. 38 .
Sixthly, Think what a death Christ suffered for you : In which the fulness of the wrath both of God and man met together, so that he was fore amazed; yet with desire, did he desire it for your fakes.
7. Lastly, Think what a life you shall have with Christ, as soon as this is delivered up to, and for him, 2Tim. ii. 12. It is but wink, and you shall see God.
Oh that these things might provoke you to follow on, and ply the work of mortification .
VOL . VII. Zz
362 Preparations for Sufferings : Or, CHAP.
Wherein is opened the singular advantage thatfufferingfaints have by their skill and insight into the methods and mysteries of Satan's temptations ; some of those wiles of Satan opened, and rules for the avoiding of the danger briefly prescribed. T
HE hazards and dangers of Christians in times of persecution, arise not so much from their sufferings, as from the temptations that always attend, and are by Satan planted upon their sufferings : for the most part, sufferings and temptationsgo together, Heb. xi. 37. And therefore it behoves such as are, or expect to be, called to sufferings, to dive into the mysteries of temptations, and be well acquainted with the enemy's designs upon them. So was Paul, and fo he supposes all others to be, that engage in the same cause: " We are not ignorant of his devices," 2 Cor. ii. 11 . is a manifold advantage redounding to suffering faints thereby.
There
1. He that is well acquainted with the methods of temptation, will be better able todescry the first approaches and beginnings of it, andatemptationdiscovered, is more than half conquered. It is a special artifice of Satan, to shuffle in his temptations as undifcernably as may be into the soul ; for he knows, that " in vain is the net spread in the fight of any " bird," Prov. i. 17. And therefore he ordinarily makes a suffering season to be a tempting season; because sufferings, like fire to iron, make it impressive and operable, they do ordinarily put the foul into an hurry and distraction, and fogives him an advantage to tempt the foul with less suspicion, and greater success . But now, a skilful Christian, that is acquainted with his wiles, willdifcern when he begins to enter into temptation ; as Christ's expression is, Luke xxii. 46. Andfo check the temptation in its firstrife, when it is weakest ; and most easily broken. Doubtless one reason why so many fall by temptation, is, because it is got within them, and hath prevailed far, before it be discovered to be a temptation. 2 He that is well acquainted with Satan's methods of tempting,will not onlydifcern it sooner than another; but also knows his work and duty, and how to manage the conflict with it, which is a great inatter. There are manypoorfouls that labour under strong temptations, and know not what to
The best Work in the worst Times. 363 do: They go up and down complaining, from Christian to Christian, whilftthe judicious Christian plies to the throne of grace with strong cries, see 2 Cor. xii. 8. keeps up his watch, Luke xxii. 46. countermines the temptation, by assaulting that corruption, by endeavours of mortification, which Satan affaultsby temptation, 1 Cor. ix. 27.
3. Lastly, To name no more; he that is best acquainted with the mystery of temptation, andcanmaintain his ground against it, he shall be the persevering Christian underpersecutions, and the victorious Christian over them. Here lies the main design of Satan, in raising persecution against the faints. It is not so much their blood that he thirsteth after, as their fall by temptation : and allperfecutionsare designed by him to introduce his temptations. These work upon our fear, and fear drives us into his trains and snares, Prov. xxix. 25. The devil'swork in raising persecution, is but as the fowler's work in beating the bush in the night, when the net is spread to take the birds, which he can affright out of their coverts. He that understands this, is not easily moved by the strongest opposition, from his place and duty; and so is like to prove the most constant and invincible Christian in times of persecution.
Oh! then, how necessary is it,that since all persecutions are intended as means to promote temptation, and that skill and insight intothesedesigns of Satan so advantages as to frustrate his designs in both ? I say, how necessary is it that you
all instructed wherein the strength of temptation lies ; as also how to resist those strong and dangerous temptations, which your sufferings only are intended tousherin, and make way for ?
It will not be unseasonable or impertinent, then, in this chapter, to fhewyou, First, Wherein the force and efficacy of temptation lieth ; Secondly, What you are to do, when in a suffering hour such temptation shallaffaultyou. And first, Quest. Wherein doth the efficacy and power of temptation lie?
Sol. I answer, It lies principally in three things. I. In the kind andnatureofthe temptation.
II. In the craft and policy of Satan in managing it. III. In that secret correspondencythat Satan hath with our corruptions.
I. It lies in the kind and nature of the temptation itself; for it is most certain, that all temptations are not alike forci-
Zz2
364 Preparations for Sufferings : Or, ble and dangerous. Some are ordinarily more successful than others ; and such are these that follow..
1. Strange and unusual temptations, I mean not such as none have been troubled with before us; for there is not a dart in Satan's quiver, but hath been let fly at the breasts of other saints, before it was levelled at ours, 1 Cor. x. 13. But by strange and unusual, I mean such as the people of God are but rarely troubled with,and possibly we were never exercised with before. These are the more dangerous, because they daunt and amaze the soul, and ordinarily beget despondency, even as some strange disease would do that we know not what to make of, nor can learn that others have been sick of.
2. Mark them for most dangerous temptations, that are adapted and suited to your proper fin, or evil constitution : For certainly that is the most dangerous crisis of temptation when it tries am an there. Now, if he be not truly gracious, he falls by the root irrecoverably, Luke xxii. 5,6. Or iffincere, yet without special assistance, and extraordinary vigilance, he falls
scandaloufly, 2 Sam. xi. 2. compared with 1 Sam. xvi. 12.
3. When it is a spiritual temptation, which rises undifcernably out of the Christian's duties. This is the less suspected, because temptations usually come from the strength and liveliness ofcorruptions; but this, from the slaughter and con quests we make of them, Duties,and enlargements in them, which are the poison of other lusts, proves the food and fuel of this, 1 Cor. iv. 7, 8. And how much the more covert and close any temptation is, by so much the more dangerous it is.
II. The strength and efficacy of temptation lies much in the skill and policy of Satan in the management of it : And hence they are called wiles, methods, and devices, 2 Cor. ii.
11. Eph. vi. 11. and himself an old serpent, Rev. xii. 9. And among the rest of his deep and desperate stratagemsthele following are remarkable.
1. In employing such instruments to manage his temptations as are least suspected, and have the greatest influence. A teacher, Gal. ii. 14. A wife, Gen. iii. 6. Job ii. 9. Friends, Acts xxi. 13. The devil knows it is a bad business, and therefore must make the best of it ; Paul's forest trial was by his dearest friends .
2. In the orderly disposition and ranging of his tempt at i ons, beginning with little things first, and then by degrees working over to greater. His first motions arecommonlymoft modest, Gen. iii. 1. Should he discover the depth of his de sign at first, it would startle the soul,and make it replyasHa-
The best Work in the worst Times. 365 zael, "Am I a dog that I should do thus ?" It is far easier to gain his end by parts, than putting for all at once.
3. Inendeavouring to engage the soul upon his own ground. I mean to tempt him from his station and duty where God
and expects to find him. He knows while you are with God, God is with you, 2 Chron. xv. 2. Whilst a man abides there,he abides with God, 1 Cor. vii. 24. Whilst he is there, the promise is a good breast-work to keep off all his darts : And therefore, as fishers, when they have spread their net in the river, beat the fishes out of their coverts and caverns ; fo doth Satan.
4. In not presenting the temptation, till the foul be prepar- ⚫ed to receive it. He loves to strike when the iron is hot. He first lets their troubles come to an height, brings them to the prison, gibbet, or fire, and then offers them deliverance, Heb. xi . 35, 37-
5. In tiring our fouls with along continuanceoftemptations. What he cannot win by afudden storm, he hopes to gain by a tediousfiege. Forty days together he afsfaulted the Captain of our salvation, Mark i. 13. And truly it is a wonder the soul yields not at last, that hath been tried long, Pial. cxxv. 3. "When the rod of the wicked lies long upon the back of the "righteous, it is much if he put not forth his hand to iniqui-
6. In falling most violently upon them,when they are lowest and mostproftrate in their spirits and comforts : So he assaulted Job with a temptation, to curse God and die, when he fat in that deplorable state uponthedunghill,Job ii. 8, 9. He loves to fall upon us, as Simeon and Levidid upon the Shechemites, when we are fore and wounded: And therefore ordinarily you find times of divine desertions to be times of diabolical temptations. So that,look, as the wild beasts of the defart come out of their dens in the night, and then rore after their prey, Psal. civ. 20. so doth Satan, when the foul seems to be benighted and lost in the darkness of spiritual troubles .
And this is the second thing wherein the efficacy and strength of temptation lies.
III. Lastly, It lies in that secret correspondency Satan holds with our bosom enemies. Were it not for this domestic ✓ traitor, he could not fur prize us so easily : As you fee in Christ ; he coulddonothing because he found nothing to faftena temptation on. He was like a chrystal glass filled with pure fountain water: So that though he should have been agitated and shaken never fo much by temptation, yet no fil
366 Preparations for Sufferings : Or, thy sediment could appear; but now we have an enemy withinthatholds intelligence with Satanwithout; and this would prove a devil to us, if there were no other devil to tempt us, Jam. i. 14, 15. It is a fountain of temptation in itself. Matth. xv. 19. and the chief instrument by which Satan doth all his tempting work, 2 Pet. i. 4 .
Our several passions and affections are the handles of his temptations . Every thing, faith Epictetus, hathδυο λάβας, two handles to take it by. Our affections are the handles of our souls. The temptation of self-confidence, and pride, takes hold of a daring and forward disposition, the temptation ofapostacy upon a timorous disposition, &c. These inbred lusts go over to the enemy in the day of battle, and fight against the soul, 1 Pet. ii. 11. This is a more dangerous enemy than the devil. It is true, they both work against us, but with a double difference. Satan works externally and objectively ; but lust internally and physically, i. e. quoadmateriale, as it is capable of physical efficiency. " Sin wrought in me all manner of " concupifcence," Rom. vii. 8. Yea, it is a subtle enemy that doth his business politicly, Rom. vii. 11. Sin deceived me; it betrays with a kiss, strangles with a silken halter, Heb. ii. 13. Eph. vii. 22. These be his agents fitting at the council-table in our own breasts, and there carrying on his designs effectually: Yea, it is the restless and perpetual enemy, no ridding your hands of him. Satan is sometimes put to flight by resistance, Jam. iv. 7. and sometimes ceases his tempt at i ons, Luke iv. 13. But when he ceaseth to tempt and inject, this ceaseth not to irritate and sollicit ; where we are, it will be; it is our fad lot to be tied to it, and perpetually assaulted by it, Rom. vii. 24. We may say of it as Hannibal said of Marcellus, that it is never quiet,whether a conqueror, or conquered ; yea, it is a potent enemy too, it hauls men away to the commission off in,Jam. i. 14. itseizeth the magazine of the soul, and de livers up the arms, I mean the members, to be οπλα άδικιας, weapons ofunrighteousness.
Thusyoufee wherein the efficacy and power of temptation consists. And it mightily concerns you that are, or expect to be sufferers for Christ, to be acquaintedwiththese things, and know where the strength of your enemy lies.
But how shallthefuffering faint so manage himselfinafuffering hour, as not to be captivated by temptations ? This bringsmeuponthe secondthingI promised; viz. to prescribe
rules for the escaping or conquering of those temptations that are incidental to a suffering state. And first,
The best Work in the worst Times
1. Rule. Labour to cut off the advantages of temptations before they come. It is our inordinate love to life, estate, liberty,and ease, that gives the temptations so much strength upon us. Do not over-value them, and you will more easily part from them, Rev. xii . 11. Omortify self-love, and creature-love; let your heart be loosened and weaned from them, and then the temptation hath lost its strength .
2. Rule. Secure to yourselves an interest in the heavenly glory. When once you clearly see your propriety in the kingdom above,you will set the lighter and lower by all things on earth. That is a pregnant text to this purpose, Heb. x. 34. It is our darkness and uncertainties about those, that make us cling so fasttothese.
3. Rule. Settle this principle in your heart, as that which you will never depart from, that it is better for you to fall - into any suffering, than into the least sin, Heb. xi. 24, 25.
This all will acknowledge, but how few practise it ! Oh that you would practically understand and receive it! Suffering is but a respective, external, and temporal evil; but fin is an universal, internal, and everlasting evil.
4. Rule. Believe that God hath cursed and blasted all the ways of fin, that they shall never be a shelter to any foul that flies for refuge to them, Mark viii. 35. Prov. xiii. 15. The way oftransgressors is a hard and difficult way. There is no security in the way of iniquity. He that runs from suffering to sin, runs from the seeming to the real danger ; from the painted, to the living lion.
5. Rule. Live up to this principle, that there is no policy like sincerity and godly simplicity. This will preserve and secure you, when carnal wisdom will expose and betray you. Psal. xxv. 2. Job ii. 3. Sinful policy never thrives with saints.
6. Rule. Confider sadly what the consequence of yielding up yourselves to temptations will be : The name of God will be dreadfully reproached, 2 Sam. xii. 14. A fatal stumbling block is laid before the blind world, I Sam. ii. 36. The hearts of many upright ones made fad, Psal. xxv. 3. The fall of a ✓professor is as when a standard-bearer fainteth ; and a dreadful wound it will be to thine own conscience, 2 Cor. ii. 7.
Matth . xxv. 76. One hour's sleep of security, may keep you many days and nights waking upon the rack of horror.
7. Rule. Never engage a temptation in your own strength, but go forth against it trembling in yourselves, and relying on Divine aids and assistances, Eph. vi. 10. What ! are you to grapple with spirits, to enter the lifts withprincipalities and
368 Preparations for Sufferings : Or, powers? Or what is your strength that you should hope?
8. Rule. Let the days of your temptation be days of strong cries and fupplications. Thus did Paul, 2 Cor. xii. 8. Psal. cix. 4. Your best posture to wrestle with temptation, is upon your knees.
9. Rule. Dwell upon the consideration of those choice encouragements God hath laid up in the word for such a time. As, (1.) Though he give Satan leave to tempt you, yet you are still in his hand to preferveyou, Deut. xxxiii. 3. Johnx. 28. (2.) That whilst Satan is sifting and trying you on earth, Christ is interceeding for you in heaven, Luke xxii. 31, 32. (3.) That an eternal reward islaidupfor those that overcome, Luke xxii. 28, 29. Rev. xxi. 7, 8. And now is this reward to be won or loft.
Lastly, Be content till God open a door out of your temptations, Cor. x. 13. The time ofthepromisewillcome, Acts vii. 17. Wait for it, though ittarry, and feemto be deferred; in the end it will speak,and not lie, Hab. ii. 3. There was a fecretdoor in the ark,though it could not be seen whilst the waters prevailed: And so there is in all your temptations, though at present it be not discernible by you .
And thus I have brought you one step nearer to Paul's blessed frame. O give diligence to makeyourselves ready for sufferings.
CHAP. XII.
Sheweth, that a choice part of our preparation and readiness forfufferings consists in the improvement of our praying abili ties, and keeping close with God in that beavenly andexcel lent duty, in days of suffering ; wherein also is opened the nature and means of its improvement. is amongst graces. Doubtless it is of special use and service at all times to a Christian : But yet in suffering days it is of more than ordinary use and necessity, Heb. iv. 16. James v. 13. And therefore it is reckoned among those choice pieces of armour,which suffering saints are to put on, Eph. vi. 18. I will here briefly discover the neceflity of it, and then shewyou that aChriftian may improve himself to an excellent degree in it; and, lastly, prescribe some means for an improvement.
The necessity of it toa suffering faint will demonftratively appear, if you confider,
The best Work in the worst Times. 369 1. That this duty is the outlet of troubles, and the best way the poor Christian hath to ease his,heart when fur charged with sorrow. Griefs are easedby groans. Such evaporations disburden and cool the heart, as the opening ofa vein in some cases doth. Oh the sensible ease that comes in this way! Whengriefin the mind, like vapours in the air, are condensed into black clouds, that overspread the soul, and darken that beautiful light that once shone there, then prayer, like the fun, dispels and scatters them, 1 Sam. i. 18. Many a faint, by prayer, hathfuckedthe breast of a promise, and then fell asleep by Divine contentment in the bosom of God. A time may come, when thy heart is ready to break with trouble, and not a friend to whom thou canst open and ease it, and then blessed be God for prayer, Micah vii. 5, 6, 7. That which finks others is, that when troubles fill and overwhelm their hearts, they try what reason, merry company, or outward comforts can do : But, alas ! this is to palliate a cure, it returns again with the more violence: But prayer gives fenible relief, Psal. cii. title, Psal. Ixii. 8. For, (1.) This opens and gives a vent to troubles, Jer. xx. 12. (2.) It gives our troubles a diversion, and so a cure, Plal. v. 1. and the lait verse compared. Yea, (3.) By praying over them, they are not only diverted, but sanctified, and so cease to be distracting, or destroying troubles .
2.As it gives a vent to our troubles, so an in-let to unfpeak- ✓able comforts and confolations. See a pregnant instance of this, Acts xvi . 25. For, (1.) Herebytheyobtain gracious answers from the Lord concerning their troubles, 2 Cor. xii. 9.
In this also they meet the gracious smiles of God, which swat low up their troubles, Psal.lxxxv. 8. And, lafly,hereby they prevail with God to open a seasonable and effectual door out of all their troubles, Psalm xxxiv. 4, 6.
3. Prayer begets and maintains holy courage and magnanimityin evil times. When all things about you tend to difcowragement, it is your being with Jesus that makes you boid, Acts iv. 13. He that uses to be before a great God, will not be afraid to look such little things as men are in the face. The woman clothed with the fun, had the moon under her feer. And what need you have of courage in evil times,hath been already shewed.
4. This is a dutyyoumay perform at any time, or in any condition : No adversary can cut you off from it. It cannot befaid so of many other duties. None can hinder the inter VOL . VII. Aaa
370. Preparations for Sufferings : Or, course betwixt heaven and your souls: You may perform it in a prison, Acts xvi. 25. in a banished condition, Psal. lxi. 2.And so is fitted for a suffering condition. Lastly, You must strive to excel in this, forasmuch as no grace within, or service without, can thrive without it. God hath ordained the whole work of grace to grow up to perfec tionthisway, Judg. xix. 20. He will have all mercies fetchel out this way, Ezek. xxxvi. 37. Jer.xxix. 11, 12, 13. All that comes from God to you, or to you from God, must come in this channel. Beconvincedthen of the need you have to im proveyourselves herein, as everyouhope to stand in the evil day.
But how are these praying abilities capable of improvement in the people of God ?
Praying abilities are either externalandcommon,or elfein ternaland special. The external and common ability is nothing else but that dexterity and skillmenget to express themselves to God in prayer. Thus manycanput their meaning into apt anddecentexpressions, to which the Spirit sometimes adds his common touches upon the affections. And this hypocrites rest on, and glory in. Or else they are special and internal, wherebymen are enabled to pour out their fouls to God ina gracious manner. And this maybe considered either in the habit or the act. The habit is given by the Spirit, when the principles of grace are first infused into the soul, Zech. xii. 10. Acts ix. 1 r. By being sanctified we are made near, and by acting those principles in prayer we are said to draw near, Psal. x. 17. Now in our actual drawing near to God, the Spirit hath the chiefandprincipal hand: And his assistance there in is threefold.
1.He excites the heart to the duty; it is he that whispers to the foultodraw nigh to God, Psalm. xxvii. 8.
2. He suggests the matter of our prayers, and furnishes us with the materials, Rom. viii. 26. guiding us as to them at ter, not only to what is lawful,but alsotowhat is expedient for us.
3.He stirreth up suitable affections in prayer, Rom. vi 26.Andhencethose groans and tears, those gafpings and vehement anhelations. But notwithstanding all our abilities, both habitual and actual, be from the Spirit,and not from our selves,yet aretheycapable of improvement by us : For though in respect ofacquirement, there be a great difference be twist natural and supernatural habits, yet their improvement is in
The best Work in the worst Times. 374 the fame way and manner ; and this improvement may be made divers ways : For, First, Though you have the Spirit, and can pray, yet you may learn to pray more humblythanbefore : Though you rise no higher as to words, yet you may learn to lay yourselves lower before the Lord, as Abraham and Ezra did, Gen. xviii. 27. Ezra ix. 6. Secondly, You may learn to pray with more sincerity than formerly: Ah ! there is much hypocrisy and formality in our prayers, much of custom, &c. Now,you may learn to pour out more cordial prayers. See Psal. xvii. 1. Psal. cxix. 10. Thirdly, You may learn to pray with more zeal and earneftness than before: Somefaintshave excelled, and been remarkable for this, Dan. ix. 19. Hofea xii, 4. James v. 16.
Fourthly, With more affiduity and readiness at all times for it, Ephef. vi. 18. Praying always, with all prayer. Hence Christ gives that commendation to the church, Cant. iv. 11 . " Thy lips, O my spouse, drop as the honey-comb." The honey-comb often drops,but always hangs full of drops readytofall.
Fifthly, You may learn to pray with more faith : Oh the qualms ofunbelief,thatgo over our hearts in a duty; faith is the soul of prayer, and according to the faith God finds in them, he accepts and values them. Now in all these things you may improve yourselves abundantly.
1. By being more frequent in the duty, Job xxii. 21. " Ас- " quaint thyself with the Almighty ;" in the Hebrew it is, accustom thyself: Those that havebeenexcellent, have also been abundant in it, Psal. xv. 17.
2. By taking heed that you grieve not the Spirit, on whose influences and assistances you so intirelydepend : Even as much as a ship doth upon the gales of wind for its motion.
3. By honouring the Spirit which enables you to pray, and that especially two ways ; (1. ) By dependance on him ; go not forth in your own strength to the duty, trust not to your own promptness, or preparations. (2.) By returning, and with thankfulness ascribing the praiseofalltohim; be humble under all enlargements : fay,Not I, but grace.
4. By fearchingyourown hearts, and examining your necessities and wants, when you draw nigh to God ; this will be ✓a fountain of matter, and give you a deep resentment of the worth of mercies prayed for.
5. Lastly, By looking more at the exercise of graces, and less at the discovery of parts ; by labouring for impressions more, Дааг
372 Preparations for Sufferings : Or, and pumping for expressions less. And thus I have briefly shewed you, how toturnish yourselves with this needful quali fication also.
CHAP. XIII.
Wherein is shewed the necessity of going out of ourselves, eum when our habitual and actual preparations are at the greate height ; and depending as constantly and entirely upon the Spirit, who is Lord of all gracious influences, as if we had done nothing : Together with the means of working the be art to such a frame. T
Hus you have seen your habitual and actual readiness for sufferings ; and blessed is the soul that gives diligèner to this work : But now left all that I have said, and you have wrought, should be in vain ; I must let you know, that all this will not secure you, unless you can, by humility, faith, and self-denial, go out ofyourselves to Christ, and live upot him daily for tupply of grace, as much as if you had none of all this furniture and provision for sufferings. I confess, grace is a very beautiful and lovely creature, and it is hard for a man to look upon his own graces, and not do at upon them. But yet know, that if you had all these excellent preparations that have been mentioned, yea, and all angelical perfections fuperadded, yet are you notcompletewithout this dependance upon Christ, Col. ii. 10, Whenever you go forth to suffer for Christ, you should say at theheadofallyourexcellent graces, duties, and preparations, as Jehofaphat did, when at the head ofapuiflant and mighty army, 2Chron. xx. 12. " O Lord, "have no might nor strength, but my eyes are unto thee. This is one thing in which Paul excelled, and was a special part of his readiness. See 1 Cor. xv. 10. What a poor cre ture istheeminentestsaint, left to himself in an hour of trial? the hop, the ivy, and the woodbine, are taught by nature to cling about stronger props and supporters : What they do by nature, we should do by grace.
The necessity and great advantage of this will appear upon divers considerations.
Confid. 1. The Christian's own imbecilityand insufficiency, even in the strength and height of all his acquirements and preparations ; what are you, to grapple with such an adversary! Certainly, you are no match for him that conquered Adam hand to hand in his stateofintegrity. It is not your inherent
The best Work in the worst Times. 373
66 strength that enables you to stand, butwhatyou receive, and daily derive from Jesus Christ, John xv. 5. Without me," or never fo little separated from me, "yecando nothing ; all yourfufficiency is of God," 2 Cor. iii. 5. Upon this very consideration it was, that the apostle exhorts the Ephesians, to " be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might," (i. e.) not to depend upon their own stock and furniture ; but Divine affistances , and daily communications ; " For we wrestle not " with flesh and blood, but principalities and powers," Eph. vi. 10, 12. In his own strength shall no man prevail. Confid. 2. It is the great design of God in the gospel, to exalthis Son,and to have all glory attributed and ascribedtohim, " That in all things he might have the pre-eminence," Col. i. 18. That Christ " might be all in all," Col. iii. 11. Hence, no saint must have a self-fufficiency, or be trusted with a stock as Adam was, but Christ being filled with all the fulness of God, and made the πρωτον δεκτικον, or first receptacle of all grace; " For it pleased the Father, that in him all fulness " should dwell;" all the saints are therefore to go to him for supplies, and of his fulness to receive, John i. 16. This fulness being a ministerial fulness, like that of the fun, or of a fountain, intended to supply all our wants. And hence is it that faith, a self-emptying and denying grace, is appointed to be the instrument of fetching our supplies from Christ. All must be derived from him, that all the praise and glory maybe ascribed to him, Phil. iv. 14. And this is a most wife and congruous ordination of God, for hereby not only are his people the better secured,but by this also, the reproach that lay upon Christ is rolled away. He was reproached on earth, as barren, empty, weak ; " Can any good come out of Naza- " reth ?" He was looked upon as a "Root springing out of a 66 dry ground," but by this shall his reproach be wiped away : So that unless you will go about to cross the great design of God, in the exaltation of his Christ, you must go out of your-
and humbly and constantly rely upon supplies from Christ, and his grace, to help in the times of need.
Confid. 3. A Christian is constantly todependupon Christ, notwithstanding all his own preparations, and inherent qualifications ; because the activity even of inherent grace depends upon him. Inherent grace is be holding to exciting and assisting grace for all it is enabled to do. You cannot act a grace without his Spirit, 1 Cor. xv. 10. 2 Cor. iii. 5. John xv. 5.
It maybe said of grace in us, as it was of the land of Canaan, Deut. xi. 10, 11, 12. " It is not as the land of Egypt, whence
374 Preparations for Sufferings: Or, τι yecame out, where thou sowedst thy feed, andwateredft it " with thy foot, as a garden of herbs : but a land of hills and " vallies, drinking water of the rain of heaven ; a land which " the LordthyGodcareth for: his eyes are always upon it, " from the beginning of the year, even to the endoftheyear." As the life and fragancyofvegetables depend on the influences of heaven, so do our graces upon Christ. And hence he is called, ( 1.) A root, Isa. xi. 10. (2.) An head, Col. i. 18. (3.) A fun, Mal. iv. 2. (4.) A fountain,Zech. xiii. 1. All which comparisons do fully carry this truth in them.
Confid. 4. Lastly, In this life ofdependance lies your security; and indeed this is the great difference betwixt the two covenants. In the first, Adam's stock was in his own hands, and so his security or misery depended upon the unconstrained choice of his own mutable and self-determining will. But now in the new covenant, all are to go to Christ, todependupon him for supplies,and are so secured against alldestructivedangers, Jude 1. 1 Pet. i. 5. Should you go forth in your own
against a temptation, either your grace would fail, and you fall in the conflict; or if you obtain any victory over it by your own strength, yet it is a thousand to one but your pridewouldconquer you, when you had conquered it : Like him that flew an elephant, but was himself slainby the fall of that elephant which he flew. But now, by this way, as God hath secured you against the dangers without; so also the frame and constitution of this new covenant is such as prevents the danger arising from our own pride too. Not Ego et Deus me-
2us; I and my Goddidthis; as was once faidby a prophane mouth; " but selfisabased, and the Lord lifted up in his own " strength," 1 Cor. iv. 7. And thus I have brieflyevinced the neceffityofthis dailydependance.
But next it concerns you to know, whatthisdependancewe speak of is: this also I shall briefly open to you, laying down somewhat negatively, and somewhat positively about it.
1. Negatively. It is not to deny the grace wrought in us by the Spirit; this were both injustice and ingratitude; we may know our own graces so as to be thankful for them, though not so as to be proud of them, I Cor. xv. 10.
2. Neg. It is not a lazy excuse from our duty: you do not depend, but rather dish on our Christ by so doing ; you must not say,because Christ must do all, therefore I must do nothing : but rather work out your salvation, because it is he that workethboth to will and to do,Phil. ii. 12, 13. These are not op posed, butfubordinated.
Butthenpositively, it lies in three things.
1. Positively. In seeing and acknowledging the infinite fuffi-' ciencyand fulness that is in Christ : to acknowledge him to be all in all ; notonlybyway ofimpetration procuring all,Heb. ix. 12. but alsobyway of application, bringing home to the soul all the blessings purchased by his blood,and setthng us in the possession of it, John xiv. 3. And fo from first to last to eyehimas the author and finisher of our faith.
2. Posit. In seeing the necessary dependance that allourgraceshave upon him. So that as you see the stream depending on the fountain, the beam upon the fun,the branch upon the root, the building upon the foundation,even so do our graces upon Christ: on him they live, and cut offfromhim they die. "Our life is hid with Christ in God," Col. iii. 3. When you feet his, and also fee that all your activity, and striving, is but as the hoisting up of the fails, in order to the motion of the ship,which candonothingtill there come a gale;when you look upon your grace as a creature that must be upheld, fed, acted, andprefervedby Christ, Col. ii. 19. then you are pre-- pared for this act ofdependance: As for instance,youcanneverdependupon Christ for the acting of that grace of hope, until you see Christ to be the prop and foundation of it, and that it depends upon him, as upon its cause, 1 Pet. i. 3. as upon its object, Heb. vi. 19. and as upon its foundation and groundwork, Col. i. 27.
You can neverdependupon Christ for your joy and comfort, until you fee what a necessary dependance this also hath upon him, Phil. iii. 3. and that, both as to its being and acting, John xvi. 22.
معا
You can never depend upon him, for strength inanyduty, untilyoufeehowyour duties depend upon Christ,not only for the strength by which they are performed, Johnxv.4,5. but also for acceptationwhentheyare performed, 1 Pet. ii. 5. It were easy to instance in anyothergrace.
(3.)It lies in * looking offfromyourowngrace whenever youareputuponthe acting of it, (I mean in regardofanydependanceuponit) and looking by an eye of faith for acceptation to Christ, Heb. xii. 2. Totheputtingforth of which act of dependanceupon Christ,holy ejaculations in our on-sets upon مسا duty, or those quick and vigorous lifting up of our souls to God that way, are of special use, it being a duty fitted for the
* Αφάρωντες τις τον της πίτεως αρχηγον. Looking off to the author of our faith,
348 Preparations for Sufferings: Or, purpose,when there is noroomforfetandfolemnprayer. And thus briefly of its nature. And tourgeyou to this duty, I shall offer these seven considerations : which,oh,that they i night prevailuponyourhearts, and make you for ever to clasp and cling about Christ more than ever you have done.
Consideration 1. You have little reason to rely upon the strength of your own graces, for you maybe easily deceived in that matter, and think you have much more grace than you have. How often are the common gifts of the Spirit mistaken for his special graces ! the sixth chapter to the Hebrews is able to make am an tremble in this thing.
Confid. 2. Suppose you have much grace, yet have you not strong corruptions, andmayyou not meet with strong temp. tations also ? He that hath less of other graces than you, may have more humility and self-denial than you,and so may stand when you fall. Great enlargements are often attended with great temptations of pride, &c.
Confid. 3. Whatever measures of grace you have arrived at, yet ail is not able to secure you from falling, if God with-hold or with-draw his aids and influences. Abraham had more faith than you, and yet he fell into a fin contrary to that very grace wherein he so excelled others,Gen. xx. 2. Jobhadmore patience than you ; which of you could behave yourselves as he did,hadyoubeeninthe like circumstances as he was ? chap. i. 2. he is renowned for it in the scripture, James v. 11. yet he fell into that fin which is contrary to this grace also, chap. iii. Moses had more meekness than you : "Now the man Mo- " ses was the meekestmanupon the earth." If you be but reproved, and thatjustlyforyour faults, howwaspish are you ? Yet see how this grace failed even in him, in an eminent trial of it, Numb. xi. 13, 14, 15. Adam was much more advantag ed in this respect than you, being made upright, and no cor. ruption inherent in him, yet he fell: the angels more again, yet they fell. Ohwhen will you learn the vanity offelf-dependance.
Confid. 4. Nothing more provoketh the Lord to withdraw his Spirit, and letyoufall,than this fin offelf-confidence doth, Luke xiv. 29, 30, 31. God will teach you by fad experience your own weakness,and what frail and vain things you be, it you will learn it by no other means.
Confid. 5. If God permit you to fall, (as doubtless he will, if you be self-conceited), then the more eminent you have been, or are for grace, the more will the name of God be reproached
The best Work in the worst Times. 377 by your fall. This will furnish the triumphs oftheuncircum cifed, and the lamentations of your brethren, and make them fay, " How are the mighty fallen !" What dismal consequents will attend your fall ?
Confid. 6. Have you not fad experience of your own weak. ness from day to day in your lesser trials ? Have you not said in some smaller conflicts, as David once did, " My feet had -" wellnigh flipt." Omethinks this should teach you to look more to God, and less to self. " If you have run with foot- " men, and they have wearied you in the land of peace, think "sadly how you should contend with horses in the swellings of " Jordan." Do not you fee that you are but feathers in the wind of temptation ? Consult your former experiences, and they will tellyouwhatweaklings you are.
Confid. 7. Lastly, Hath Christgivenyou more grace than o thers, then how much more hath he obliged you to honour him thereby ? And is this your requital of his love ? What ! to take the crown from his head, and put it upon your own! Certainly a greater injurycannotbedone to Christthanthis.
Well then,by all thisbe perfuadedto ceasefromyourselves, yea, from your religious selves ; and to all other your preparations, add this as a choice one; if you do these things, you
never fall. And thus you fee the complete Christian in his equipage for sufferings.
CHAP. XIV.
Containing the first use of the point by way of conviction, discovering the unreadiness of multitudes of professors for suffer ing-work. YOU have seen, by all that hath been spoken, what the necessary pre-requifites unto a suffering condition are: andwhatmanner of persons you must be, (both for habitual and actual readiness), if ever you honour Christ by bonds, or death for him. And I doubt not but your judgments and confciencesyieldtotheevidentnecessityofthesethings, where. in I have placed the Christian's readiness. But, alas ! where shall we find among the throngs and crowds of professors,any considerable numbers thus qualified and prepared ? To suffer for Christ, is a gift that few have received. We are fallen intothedregs of time. Oh how little of primitive zealand simplicity remains among the professors of this age! latter times VOL . VII. Bbb
378 Preparations for Sufferings : Or, have produced a fort of professors of another stamp and spirit.
have the light, but they had the love : these fee more, but they did and suffered more. Howmanythat are no ornament to religion, doadorn themselves with the name of it!
Now, according to this account given of a ready Christian, divers professing persons will be convicted of their unreadiness and inability to manage suffering-work : As first,
1. The politic and hypocritical professors,whose hearts were never set right at first, and therefore cannot be stedfaft when trials come, Psal. Ixxviii. 8. Their hearts were never found in God'sstatutes, and therefore no wonder if they be not only a shame to, but ashamed of their profession, Psalm cxix. 80. Never wonder if you fee that profession which began in hypocrisy, to end in apostasy. These want their habitual readiness for sufferings, and fo cannot drink of that cup: Needs must they fall when tried; and when they fall, they fall dreadfully, and often irrecoverably; for they neither have the feed of God in them, nor any promise of God made to them. And are there not many such to be found in every place For, ( 1.) How. difficult is it to persuade many of you to any duty that hath loss or hazard attending on it ? Doth not the sincere heart stand inclinable and disposed to all the known will of God ? Psalm cxix. 6. Do Christians use to enquire more what is cheap, easy, and safe for them, or what is their duty ? Gal. i. 16. Speak conscience, for to thee do I appeal ; artthounot conscious of some reserves, limitations,and excсер tions ? Doth not the man, like Naaman, desire the Lord to excuse and pardon him in this or that thing ? 2 Kings v. 17. And thinkest thou that this is consistent with sincere obedience, which excepts no duty, nor quarrels with any command, because they all flow equally from the sovereignty of God, James ii. 11. and so doth what it doth intuitu voluntatis, upon the fight of God's will. Say conscience, are there not great ftrug. glings, disputes, and contests betwixt thee,and fleshly interests insuchcafes ? And art thou not frequently over-borne ? Oh search your hearts in this particular.
Yea,secondly, I appealtoyou, whethertherebe not manyamongyou that choose sin rather than affliction ? This is always the hypocrite's option and choice: He judges sufferings the greatest evils, and fo orders himself in his election. It was merely to avoid persecution that those hypocrites, Gal. vi. 12. constrained others to be circumcised, only to gratify the Jews; that so, by a sinful compliance with them, the offence of the eress might cease. IfPaulwouldhave done fo, he might have
The best Work in the Worst Times. 379 avoided it too, but he durst not whatever he suffered, Gal. v.
11. Oh this is a shrewd sign of a false heart, Job xxxvi. 21. And the contrary disposition is always found in the upright heart, Heb. xi. 25.
Nay, are there not some that have, and others that are ready to throw up their profession, when they fee into what difficulties it involves them ? Whilst they could live upon theprofef-
of truth, they entertained it; but when truth comes to live upon them, they thrust it out, and cry, away with this profession, it will beggar and undo us : They then repent of their forwardness, and secretly wish they had never engaged in it. O examine whether your hearts be not thus turned back, and your steps declined. If so, it is manifest you are hypcritical professors, and that it was some outward self-respect at first engaged you in yourprofeffion, but can never enable you to hold out when difficult days come. I say it is manifest by this departure from your profession, that some outward felfrespect at first allured you to it. As now, when I behold the artificial motions of the wheels in a watch, and see how regularly the needle marks the journal-hours of the fun upon the flat of the quadrant, and fee nothing that moves or guides it ; it would cause admiration if I had never seen it before, or did not understand the cause and motion : but when I look upon the other side, and there find wheels, refforts, and counterpoises, and a spring that causes all those motions, I cease to wonder. Certainly some lust or other was the spring of all thy religious motions ; stop or take off that, and motion ceases: And if it be so, this scab of hypocrisy will at last break out into that botch of apoftacy. Thou canst never hold out long under trials, Matth. xiii. 21. Oh how many such sad fights may we live to fee as trials come! Difficult times are coming on, 2Tim, iii. 1. And woe to such then as want sincerity at the bottom of their profession.
2. And as these have no habitual readiness for sufferings, - and, consequently, must be ruined by them, so there are others that maybe truly godly, and have the root of the matter in them, who are yet far from an actual readiness, and fo continuing,are like to be a reproach toreligionwhen their trial comes ; for it is not a little grace in the sleepy habit that will secure you from falling scandalously by the hand of temptation: and although that feed of God which is in you, will re- - cover you again, and prevent total and final apoftacy, yet, Oh, -confiderwhat afad thing it is to enter into, and be conquered Bbb2
380 Preparations for Sufferings : Or, by temptation, to be led away in triumph bythetempter,and made a reproach to Christ. O it is afad consideration to think how many there be amongst the people of God,that discover little or no actual preparation for sufferings : As, first,
1. Upon how many of the saints is the spirit of slumber poured out ? Even the wife, as well as foolish, seem now to be asleep. There is a twofold spiritual sleep: the first is total, uponwickedmen : and it is one of God's forest and dreadful left strokes upon their fouls, Ifa.xxix. 10. * The Hebrew word there is the fame with that which is used of Adam,when God cast him into that deep sleep whilst he tookouthis rib. And in
2Tim . ii . 26. it signifies such a sleep as that which is occasioned by drunkenness ; out of such asleep doth the Lord awaken all that are saved, and they never fall into it any more. The o ther is partial, Cant. v. 2, and is incident to the people of God, Matth. xxv. 5. This is nothing else but thattorpor or fluggishness of Spirit which seizethupon the saints, and never did it prevail, I fear, among them more,than now. For where is their activity for God? Where is he thatftirreth up himself to take hold of God ? Ifa. lxiv. 7. Where is there such age neration as that, Psal. xxiv. 6.? We pray, confer, and hear, for the most part, but as men speak betwixt sleeping and waking. Where can you find, except here and there one, that hath a quick and lively sense of God's indignation upon him, or that trembles at his judgments ? Isnotthattheverycaseofthe most which God describes, Ifa. xlii. ult. ?
2.How many are seized by a private and worldly Spirit, e very man turning to his own house,and eagerly pursuing the world? Hab. i. 9. Jer. xlv, 4, 5. Oh ! how are we intang. led in the wilderness ? How doth the world eat up our time, and eat out our zeal ; cowardize and soften our spit its, and render us utterly unfit for theyoke and burden of Christ ? You that see so much beauty, and taste so much sweetness in the creature, you will have an hard task when called to deny it: You are not yet prepared to drink of the cup, or take up the cross of Christ.
3. How many poor Christians are of a low andtimorous Spirit, readytotrembleatthe shaking of a leaf? Ah poor hearts ! howunfit are you for bonds or death ! This passion of fear that sopredominates in you, is the very passion which Satan assaults, and lays siege to in the hour of temptation, as was before noted: And commonly it isoccasioned(where it flows
המריח תור
Ανανηψωσιν.
The best Work in the worst Times. 38г not from the natural constitution) from an excessive love to the world, or from some guilt upon the spirit. It is true, the Lord can so assist weak faith, and so subdue strong fears, as that you may be enabled to stand the shock when it comes : (For, asI noted formerly, our strength lies not in any thing inherent in us, but we are strong or weak, according to the divine presence and assistances that we enjoy) but yet if you labour not to mortify this evil, and stir not up yourselves in the use of all appointed means, to rouze your zeal and courage for God, I know no warrant you have to expect such assistances.
Lastly, How many poor Christians among us are to this day dark and cloudy in their evidences for heaven ? Hadtheywalked closely with God, been laborious in the disquifition and search of their own hearts, they had long finceobtained a clearness and satisfaction about the state of their own hearts : But as the case stands with them, how unfit are they for bonds or death. Oh ! it is a fad case, when inward and outward troubles meet together, as you may fee, Gen. xlii. 21, 22. when there shall be sightings without, and fears within : When such a pang as that, Lam. iii, 17, 18, shall come over thy heart, what wiltthou do ?
By all thathathbeen said, it appears, that the most of professors are in a very unready posture for sufferings; so that as troubles come to an height, we are like to see many fad spectacles : Many offences will come ; religion is like to be wounded in the house of its friends. Oh! what a day of merey have we enjoyed ? What helps and choice advantages, above any precedent age, and yet unready? Howfad and inexcufableisthis?
CHAP. XV.
Containing another use of the point, by way ofexhortation,persuading all the people of God, whilst the Lord refpites, and graciously delays their trials, to answer the end of God therein, and prepare themselves for greater trials : wherefeveral motives are propounded, to excite to the duty . UP then from your beds of sloth, awake from your security, O ye faints, get upon your watch-towers, trembleinyourselves, thatye may rest inthedayof evil, Hab. ii .
1, 3, 16. " Put on the whole armour of God, that yemaybe
382 Preparations for Sufferings : Or, " able to stand in the evil day, and when you have done all, " to stand," Eph. vi. 11. O let it never be said of your dwellings, as it is of the tabernacles of the wicked, Job xxi. 9. " Their houses are safe from fear."
of one that was deeply in debt, who yet slept heartily, sent for his pillow, supposing there was some strange virtue in that pillow. I wonderwhatpillow you have gotten, O ye drowsy saints, that you canfleep so quietly upon it, now that all things about you are conspiring trouble, andthreateningdanger. Can you sleep like Jonah, when seas of wrath are tumbling and roaring round about you, and threatentoentombyouandallyourenjoyments?Behold," The " stork in the heavens knows her appointed time," Jer. vii. 8. and hath not God made you wiser than thefowls of the air, Jobxxxv. 11. It maybe the found offome present judgment may a little startle you, like a sudden clap of thunder in the air; but how foondoth sloth and security prevail, and overcome you again. They say poison by being habituated, may be made innocent : We are soused to, or ratherhardenedunder calamities, that nothing moves or effectually awakens us.
Lord, what will the end of these things be ? Wilt thou furprizethypeople at unawares ? Shall thy judgments find them secure, and leave them desperate ? O that God would persuade you " to gather yourselves together, yea, to gather together," (not in an unlawful and seditious way,but inthewayofduty), " before the decree bring forth,and thedaypass as the chaff,"
Zeph. ii. 1, 2. O prepare to meet your God, Amos iv. 12. Prepare your faith, love, courage, &c. before God call you to the exercise of them. And to excite you to this duty, besides all the fore-mentionel benefits ofa prepared spirit, consider these following part i. cularsby way of motive.
1. Motive. The many calls which God hath given you to this work. The Lord hath uttered his voice, and called from heaven unto you ; will you be deaf to his calls ? He hath called upon you, (1.) By the word : God would have it cry to you first, because he would give the first honourtohis word He hath given all his prophets one mouth, Luke i. 70. and they havewarnedyou faithfully. (2.) By the rod : this also hath a loud voice, Micah vi. 9. Psalm ii 5. Men of understanding will hear this voice; and those that will not hear it, shall be Iashedby it even till they are fickwith smiting, verse 13. (3.) By prodigious andprotentous signs in the heavens and earth, such as no age can parallel, these have a loud voice to all that
The best Work in the worst Times. 383 regard the works of the Lord, or the operations of his hands. Eufebius calls them God'sfermons to the world *. Oh that we were wife to consider what God's ends are in these things ! one observes, That as they are the plainest and most obvious ⚫to sense, so they are commonly the last sermons which God
intends to preach to nations, before he inflicts his punishment on them, if they repent not ' O let not God, speaking in ordinary and extraordinary ways to you, still speak in vain.
Your preparation for sufferings, is the most probable means ofpreventingyourfallandruinbythosesufferings.
2.Motive. Sufferings prove fatalanddestructivetosome;but it is to secure and careless ones : Such as are diligent and faithful in the use of God's means, are secured from the danger. * Christ lays our constancy and perseverance very n.uch upon our forecasting the worst that may fall out, Luke xiv. 28. " Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to " stand," Eph. vi. He that hath first severed Christ in his thoughts from all worldly advantages, and puts the case thus to * his own soul, O my soul, canst thou embrace or love a naked
? Canstthou be content to be impoverished, imprisoned, and suffer the loss of all for him? He is most likely to cleave - faithfully to him, when the case is reallypresentedtohim in- ✓deed. And can it seem a lightthing in your eyes, to be enabled to stand in such an evil day? If you fall away from Christ, then all you have wrought is lost, Ezek. xxxiii. 13. Gideon's one bastard destroyed all his seventy sons. This act renders all former actions and professions vain. If you fall, you shall thereby be brought into a more perfect bondage to the devil thanever, Matth.xii. 23. Yea, ordinarily, apoftates are judicially given up to be perfecutors, Hofeav. 12. 1 Tim. i. 20. and are seldom or neverrecoveredagainby grace,Heb. vi. 4, 6. They that lick up their vomit, seldom cast it up any more. It is a fall within a little as low as the unpardonable fin, whence never any rise again. In some cases the judge will not allow the offender his book. And is it not then a choice anddefireable mercy to escape and prevent such a fall as this ? O goodfouls, plyyour preparation-work close then ; prepare, or you perish .
3. Motive. This will best answer the grace of God, in afford ingyou such choice helps and advantages as you have enjoyed. How longhaveyou enjoyed the free liberty of the gospel, shin
* Τα το Θεκκηρύγματα. Eufeb. hist. lib. ii. cap. 8,
384 Preparations for Sufferings : Or, ing in its luftre among you ? This fun, which to some other nations hath not risen, and to divers on whom it hath shined, yet it is but as a winter's fun, remote, and its beams but feeble; but you have lived, as it were, under the line, it hath been over your heads, and shed its richest influences upon you. Yea, God's ministers, who are notonlyappointed to be watchmen, Ezek. iii. 16. but trumpeters to discover danger, Num. x. 8. These have faithfully warned you ofadayoftrouble, and given you their best assistance to make you ready for it. And is not their joy, yea, life, bound up in your stability in such a day of trial ? Doth not every one call upon you in the words of the apostle, Phil. iv. 1. " Therefore, my brethren, dearly " beloved, and longed for, my joy and crown, so stand fast " in the Lord, mydearlybeloved." Will it not cutthemto the very heart, if after all their spending labours among you, they still leaveyouunready? enemies still to the cross of Christ, impossible to be reconciled and persuaded to suffering-work for Christ.
I remember I have read of the Athenian Codrus, who being informed by the oracle, that the people whose king should be slain in battle should be conquerors: he thereupon difrobed himself, and in a disguise went into the enemies quarters,that he might steal a death to make his people victorious.
Oh! howgladwould your ministers be, if you might con. querand overcome in the dayoftemptation, whatever become of their lives and liberties ! Yea, and if they be offered up up onthefacrifice and service of your faith, they can rejoice, and joywithyou all. Such is their zeal and longing after your fe curityand welfare. But if still you remain anunready people, and do become a prey to temptation,Ohhow inexcusable will you be !
4. Motive. Remember how ready the Lord Jesus was to fufferthe hardest and vilest things for you. He had a bitter cup put into his hands to drink for you, into which the wrath both of God and man was squeezed out. Never hadman such sufferings to undergo as Christ *, whether you confider, (1.) The dignity of his person, who was in the form of God, and might have stood upon hispeerageand equality with him; he is the sparkling diamond of heaven, Acts vii. 56. the dar: -lingofthe Father's soul, Ifa. xlii. 1. glorious as the only begotten of the Father, John i. 14. yea, glory itself, James ii.1. yea, the very brightness of glory, Heb. i. 3. He is thedeliciae
Dolor Chrifti suit major omnibus doloribus, Aquia.
The best Work in the worst Times. 387 Chriftiani orbis, fairer than the sons of men : And for him to be so debased, below so many thousands of his own creatures, become a worm, and no man ; this was a wonderful humiliation. It was Jeremiah's lamentation, that such as were brought up in scarlet, embraced dunghills ; that princes were hanged up by the hands, and the faces of elders were not reverenced : But what was that to the humiliation of the Lord of glory ?
Or, (2.) That he suffered in the prime and flower of his years , when full of life and sense, and more capable of exquisite
ofpainthan others : for he was optime complexion at us t ofa singular constitution; and all the while he hanged on the tree, his sense of pain not at all blunted or decayed, Mark xv. 37, 39. Or, (3.) The manner of his death. It was the death of the cross, which was a rack to Christ : for in reference to the distention of his members upon the cross is that spoken,Pial. xxii. 17. " I may tell all my bones." Or, (4.) That all this while God hid his face from him. When Stephen suffered, he saw the heavens opened. The martyrs were many of them. ravished and transported with extafies of joy in their sufferings; but Christ in the dark. He suffered in his soul as well as in his body; and the sufferings of his soul were the very foul of his sufferings. It was the Father's wrath that lay fo heavy on him, as to put him into such an agony, that an in- stance was never given of the like nature ! for he sweat θρομβοί, great drops, or clodders of blood, which fell from his body to • the ground, Luke xxii. 44. " It amazed him, andmadehim very heavy ;" see Mark xiv. 33. yea," sorrowful even to " death," Matth. xxvi. 38 .
And yet, as bitter as the cup was, he freely and willingly drank it up, Johnxviii. 11. prepared himself to be offered up a sacrifice, Psal. xl. 6, 7. gave his back to the smiters," Ifa. 1.6. yea, longed exceedingly for thetimetillitcame, Luke xii. 50.
Now, if Christ so chearfully prepared andaddressedhimself to such sufferings as these for you, should you not prepare yourselves to encounter any difficulty or hardship for him ? O my brethren, doth not this seem a just and fair inference to you, from the sufferings of Christ for you ? 1 Pet. iv. 1 " Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, " arm yourselves likewise with the same mind."
Oh, trifle no longer, feed not yourselves with fancies and * Aquinas. Cce
VOL. VII.
388 Preparations for Sufferings : Or, groundless presumptions ofimmunityandpeace,but foresee difficulties, and fit yourselves to bear them.
CHAP. XVI.
Containing the last useofthepoint, byway offupportandcomfort to poor tremblingfouls, who do take pains to make themselves readyforfufferings ; butyetfindingfuchstrength in Satan's temptations, and their own corruptions, fear that all their lab our is in vain, and that theyshallfaint, and utterly apostatize, when their troubles and trials come to an height. IN the last place, if it be such ablessedthing to be ready for bonds, or death for Christ, this may minister much comforttofuchfouls,who thoughtheycannot say as Paulheredid, that they are ready ; yet are at work daily upon their own hearts to make them ready, and strive, in the use of all means, toconquerthose corruptions that hinder it, and improve those graces in which it mainly consisteth. O poor soul, whatever presentunreadiness or indispositionthou findest,and complainest of in thine heart, yet thy condition is safe.
Objection. Oh ! but I cannot be satisfied in that: I fear I shall be over-borne by temptations, when they come to an height. I have such experience of the deceits andtreacheroufness of my own heart, that it seems impossible tome to do as these blessed souls did,when I come to the like trials.
Solution. It is well thou suspectest thine own heart, and tremblest in thyself; this fear will keep thee waking, when others are securely sleeping. It was a good saying ofa reverend minister, now with God, He that fears Mr.A. H. * to flinch, shall never flinch for fear.' It is true, seeminggracemay be totally loft, Luke vii 18 . Heb. vi. 4, 5. 2Pet. ii. 20. It is granted also, that the fins of believers deserve that God should forsake them, and that he mayfuffer grace in them to be sadly abated, and they may fall before a temptation, as Peter, and all the disciples did: but that thou shalt never be separated from Christ, or fall totus a toto, in totum, utterly away from God, thou mayest be abundantly satisfied, upon these five or fix grounds.
1. From God's eternal electing love, wherewithal gracious fouls are beloved and embraced,be their graces never so weak, or their corruptions never so strong. This is immutable, Heb. vi. 18. and hence it is said, Markxiii.22. "They shall deceive
The best Work in the worst Times. 389 (ifitwerepossible) the very elect." Now, this immutable purpose of God, is not founded upon anymutable ground or reason in thee, Rom. ix. 11. Yea, when he, Rom. viii. 29. elected thee, he saw what thou wouldst be, and yet that hindered him not.
2. From the covenant of grace,inthebosomofwhich thou art wrapped up: this is all thy salvation, and allthyhope ; it will afford thee abundant satisfaction, if thou do but weigh particularly these three things about it. 1. That the Author of this covenant is not a fickle creature, but a faithful God, with whom there is notyea and nay ; with whom there is no variableness, nor shadow of turning ; whose gifts and callings are without repentance : so that once within this blessed covenant, and in it for ever. 2, That God hath established the covenantwithyou in the blood of Christ ; therefore thefacramental cup, is called " the cup of the New Testament in his blood," - Luke xxii. 20. The everlasting merit and efficacy whereof, gives the soul ofabelieverthe highest satisfaction imaginable. Lastly,Add to this, that in this covenant God hath undertaken for us, as well as for himself: so that what is a condition in one
is the matter of a promise in another, Jer. xxxii. 40. い
3. From that strict and intimate union that is betwixt Christ and thee. And hence it is impossible thou shouldest be loft.
For, 1. Thy union with his person, brings interest in his properties along with it. Whatever he is, or hath, it is for thee : his eye of knowledge, arm of power, bowels of pity, it is all for thee.
2. This union with his person, secures thy feeble graces from perishing, John iv. 14, Thy graces have an everlasting spring. Whilst there is sap in this root, it will ascend into the branches..
3. It implies thy perseverance, because by this union thou becomest an integral part of Christ's body, which would be mutilate and defective, shouldst thou be cut off and lost.
4. From the prevalent interceffion of Jesus Christ in the heavens, for all his saints, in all their trials here on earth. From hence the apostle infers the certainty of our perseverance, Rom. viii. 34. and a pregnant instance ofityouhave in Peter's case, Luke xxii. 32. So Heb. vii. 25. speaks fully to the case. To strengthen this, confider, r. Who it is that intercedes : It is Christ, whose person is most dear and ingratiated with the Father, John xi . 42. 2. What he intercedes for : Surely for nothing but what is most suitable to his Father's will. The
390 Preparations for Sufferings: Or, will of Christ, and his Father's do not clash,John xvi. 26, 27 yea, whatheprays for,he prays not forgratis, or asks upon any dishonourable terms to the justice of his Father; but they are all mercies purchased and paid for; and therefore fear not the failing of your graces.
5. From the Spirit of Christwhichdwelleth and abideth in thee,andhathbegunhissavingworkuponthee.. I say,savings for else itwouldafford no argument. His common works on hypocrites cometonothing,but intheethey cannot fail. For
1. His honour is pledged and engaged to perfect it. That reproach of the foolish builder shall never lie upon him,that he began to build,but could not finish. Besides, this would make void all that the Father and the Sonhavedone for thee; both their works are complete and perfect in their kinds, and the Spirit is the last efficient in order of working. 2. Besides, the grace he hath already wrought in thee, maygivetheeyet further and fuller assurance of its preservation, inasmuch as it hath the nature ofafeal, pledge, and earnest of the whole,Rom. viii.
23. 2 Cor. i. 22. So that it cannot fail. 6. From those multitudes of affertory, promissory, and com parative scriptures, the rich veins whereof run through the book of God, as so many streams to refresh thy soul. Ofaffertory scriptures, see John vi. 39. John 10. 28. 1John ii. 19. Of promissory scriptures, see Ita. liv. 10. Jer. xxxiv. 40. 1 Cor. i. 8. &c. Of comparative scriptures, see Psal. i 3. Psal. cxxv. 1. John iv. 14. c. The principal scope of all which is to thew the indefectible nature of true grace in the saints.
And now, howshouldthis refresh thy drooping foul, make theegird up the loins of thy mind, fincethou dost "not run " as one uncertain, neither fightestas one that beats the air,"
1 Cor. ix. 26. but art so secured from total apostacy, as thou seest thou artbyallthesethings. O bless ye the Lord.
Obj, 2. But the Lord seems to be departed from my soul; God is afarofffrom me, and troubles are near. I seem to be insuchacaseas Saulwaswhen the Philistines made war upon him, and God was departed from him; and therefore I shall fall.
Sol. Not fo; for there are two forts of Divine desertions ; the one is absolute, when the Lord utterly forsakes his creatures, so that they shall never behold his face more : The other is limited and respective, and so he forsook his own Son, and often does his own elect : and of this kind, some are onAy cautional, to prevent fin;some are merely probational, to
The best Work in the worst Times. 391 try grace; and others caftigatory, to chastise our negligence - and carelessness. Now, though I have not a word of comfort