V y # i? f 4 CD *** 3 g * "5 a3 \ \ c& & _J ■ = ' !| o _ » g c ** o : *S Eh Q_ \ i ^ g o ft C 8 t ^ M o .§ K -£ 33 s o s § Sectio Num <*■* ~o o (J *? % % *> SC & rn Q<-( OBEDIENT ; PATIENCE IN GENERAL^ AND In XX particular Cafes. WITH Helps to obtain and ufe it 5 and Impatience repreflfed: Croft -bearers left to be pityed, than Croft-makers, Written for his own life, under the Crofs, impofed at once by God and Man, and Publifhedas now feafbn- able to many thoufands who hold faft FAITH and CONSCIENCE. By RICHARD BAXTER. L N D ON, Printed for Robert Gibs, at the Sign of the Ball in Chancery-Lane, 16S3. ' ( / •' j if THE PREFACE. I Here offer to others the fame which I have pre- pared for myfelfandfindne- ceffaryfor my daily itfe. All men \mofl favour that which they find mott fuitahle to them. When 1 was young and lay under the fad fuf picions of my own hearty and fhedouhts of my found con- verjion, and jujlification, I was far more pleafed with a Sermon that opened the na* "Hre- of fi'ving, grace y and I A 2 helpt 1 ne rrerace. help me againjlfucb doubts, than with aSermon ofaffliB- ionjindits ufe ;yeatbo I be- gan to be affliBed. But now thisisthefubjeB of7ny daily necejfary thoughts : Mans implacable enmity matytb them fomewhat necejfary ; but Gods more immediate corre&ions on my body, in- comparably more. And while every day almofl fills my ears, with the fadcom- plaitits of wea\, Meta7i- cholly, affliBed, imfoverijh- ed, fic\, pained or other. wife The Preface. wife difirejfed perfons, and andibe weekly News-boo^s tell us of foreign Wars, P executions, mines im- placable contentions ^malig- nant combinations, against tbe ; Church, purfuing Con- fcience and obedience to God, with diabolical rage to drive it out of the world, and of tbejucceffes of blood thirjly Men, and the deluge of Atheifm, Idolatry, Sad- ducifme , Injidellity > Ma- hornet anifme,hypocrifie,fen^ fitality x ambition 5 worldli- A 2 nefs^ The Preface. - »ofi Jying, perjury y maligni- ty , and groff ignorance , which hajh even drowned the Earth , while there is little hut doleful tidings \ complaints and fears jrom Kingdomes , Churches, Ci- ties, Families , andGcd in Judgment fermitteth man- kind to he worfe than Ser- pents, Toads, or Wolves y if not than Devils to one a~ not her; and while wit and learning , reverend err our and hyfocrifie , are every day as hotly at wor\, as any The Preface. Smith in bis flaming forge, * to blow the coals of bloody malice ; and bating and de- fir oying others , even thofe whom they pretend to love as themj elves, feemetb to multitudes the mofl honour- able and neceffary wor\, and the hilling of love, and of Souls and bodies, is ta^en for meritorious ofeverlaU- ing happnefs : I fay , -while all this is fo in the world, and while allflefb mufl lool{ for pain , ficfy- nefs and death, and all men The preface. are y et worfe to t be mf elves and greater burden* than all their Enemies are y I cannot think a Treatife of Patience needlefs or un- feafonahle. R. B. December the 2jt&i 1682, The The Contents. Chap. i. WBat true Patience is, and is not, towards God and Me^ e Jdow we pofjefs cur Souls in tf*™ a . What Impatience is worji ? n herein heth the finfulnefs of Impatience to- wards God. P- *' Chap. o. Hefts for patience in particular Cafs. . P- 2 7- Cafe i. In pains and p/^efes of bed) : ?&* ticular helps. P- 2 9- Cafe 2. Vnder the Sentence of death, againji inordinate fears. p. %6. Cafe 3. Vnder poverty and want, through lof- Jes, or any other Caufes. p. 43* Cafe 4. -Jf *. £Ww //* Offerings and deM of friends. The Contents. friends, i.* Of Children. 2. Of ungodly Kindred. 3. Some dear friend^ who dyed in pain or mifery. 4. Some Pillars in Church or State. P- 53- Cafe 5. Z)nkindnejs and injury of frigndt ? and Relatives. p. 65. Cafe 6. Injuries from malicious TLnemies $ I . Perjonal, 2 . Verfecuting. p. 7 3 . Cafe 7. {}ppreJJion and injufiice by Men of wealth and power . . V* 99* Cafe 8. Superiours fitfferings by badChildren^Ser^ vanls^Tenantr^or Subjeffs. p. 117. Cafe 9. Fdlje accnfalion , defamation^ duty made odious crimes^ reputation rui- ned, p. 123. Cafe l®. Vexatious jlrong Temptations cfofSa- 4 t ft$y condition calleth me to add fome more, efpecially on the coniideration of jthefe Texts of Scripture, Heb. 5.8,9. YTboughbe were a Son, yet learned be obe- dience by the things which he fuffered ■: JLuke 2i* 1$. In your Patience pojjefsyour *SohIs. H b* 12. 1. to 14. Rom. 5. 3, 4. and 15* 4, 5. Heb. iQ. 36. Yea have mzd of patience that after yon have done tlj* vJll of God, yon may inherit the promife> B J«B CO Jam~ 5. 7, to 12. Jam. 1; 3,4. Let pa* tience have its perfeli nwj^, I Pet. 2. 19. To the end, and 3-9. Mat. 5. io 3 n, 12. 1 Pet. 4. 12, totheend, 19. Let them that fkffer according io the Will of God commit the keeping of their Souls to him in well doing, as to a faithful Creator y Heb, 6. 15. § 2. What is Patience, 1. 'towards God y 2. towards Man. 1. Patience confidered only Phyfical- ly, as meer fuffering, is no virtue orrno* ral good. Devils, and Malefadtar$ 5 and all Men mufi fujfer whether they will or not. 2. Stupidity, or natural duWfs is not Patience. 3. Nor to bear the lofs of any mercy becaufe we undervalue it, as bad Men can eafily bear the lofs of Gods grace, and all the means thereto. 4; Nor is it Patience but felfiflinefs, and want of Love, in thofe that eafily bear the lofs or fufferings of Friends , (yea and of the Church or Common -wealthy) fothey be but well themfelves, becaufe vthey much care not for any but them- felves. 5. Muchlefsis it Patience def* perately rodefpife and dare Gods Judg- ments, like Men that are madordrunkj and take it to be valour to defie the Gal- lows* CO lows. 6. And it is not holy patience when Men reftrain their paflions only, leaft they thereby afflid themfelves , and ► not in obedience to God. 7. Nor when it is but the fufficiency of the worldly profperity which yet is left, which mak- eth them bear foine diminution : He that hath ftill enough to gratifie his flfcfh, may bear the lo(s of that which it car* ■*fpare, yea though it a little pinch him. 8. Yea if a Man be in greater want or pain and mifery, and bear it quietly only * becaufe he hopeth for deliverance in this world, it is but prudent forbearance of • of felf-affii£Hng, and not the obedient patience of faith. 9. Yea a prefump- ^tuous falfehopeof Heaven itfelf, and of *<}ods approbation of fome badcaufefor * which Men fuffer, may fomewhat alle- viate , the fuiferings of ungodly Men* Some poor Men and fick Men think that they (hall be faved from fufferings here- after, merely becaufe they have their fuf- * ferings in this life > as if afflidion with- out holinefs would ferve. And many an erroneous perfon hath futfered the 'more eafily for ill doing, by thinking that it was Martyrdom for the caufe of m God. Clement, Ravilliack^ Guy Faux, (4; ' Garnet, many fuch Murderers, Kniyper* dolling 9 and others at Munfier, endured much by fuch preemption. § 3 . But true Patience is , when both , body and mind, having a natural and duz * Jenje of the futfering, we yet refirain inordi* fiate ffffipn > (griefs fear and anger,) and their ill eff e £is , especially repining thoughts or mrds of Gcd, and ufe no finful means for our ddiverance *, hut fill acknowledge the Soveraignty^ Juftice, Wifdom^ and Love * of God , and obediently fubmit our Wills to mGods , and approve and Love his Holinefs and Jujiice, though we Love not fuffering \mit.felf, and comfortably hope for a happy iffue, even amendment and increafe of Holi* nefs htrc , and Heaven hereafter \ where all eur faffetings will end in Everlajilng ]oy.~ » This is patience. •— ~"~ § 4. 2. Patience towards Men, is not 1. Foolilhly to take hurt or wrong for none. 2. Nor to be indifferent towards Mens %r fins, as if they were a fmall and toller- able evil: Nor to let them alone in the way to Hell, and make our pretence of patience and quietnefs, an excufe for unbelief, and unmercifblncfs to Souls >* * feffCviaily when they arepublick^r com- mon f5) inon fins , which are defended as w as Committed by Men pretending • Learning and piety , endangering t Church or Land, either by their increale, or by expofing us to the Plagues of God; In this Cafe, (though fober Wifdommufc be ufed) it is firiful cruelty to pretend •" patience, Charity or Reverence to Men,. for the omiflion of fuch duty as is need- ful to Reformation and deliverance: yea tofpeak eafily of heinous im^ a,s Eli did to his Sons, on pretence of gentleneft and patience i$ but to tempt Men to irn- penitence and damnation. 3 % Nor is it patience but contempt of • God, for Magiftratcs , Parents and Ma- tters, to forbear neceffary Judice and Corre&ion, towards intolerable fin : Or for Paftors to forbear neceflary Reproof or Difcipline, to the corrupting and in- v dangering of the Church. 4. It is not ju(t and moderate pajjton is finful Impatience. Fear is necef- fary. for felf prefervation : Chrift was heard in the thing that he feared > anger is neceffary to fhew our Difplacence at fin, and to repel evil : Chritt looked with anger on obilinate finners : And God is faid to be angry every day 7 and his wrath CO doth kindle the flames of Hell. Grief if moderate is but the neceflary fenfe of *.evil , by which we difference it from good. God made our Pailions for our good, and the right ufe of th^m is our duty. 5. Lawful and neceiTary defence of ^our innocency , our Reputation , our Eftates, our Lives, our Liberties, our Country , is not finful impatiency , no % more than to defend the Reputation, E- ilates or Lives of others, whom we rauft Love but as our felves. Selfifh Male- factors, Perfecutors, Deftroyefs, Repro- ved iinners, are wont to call them im~ patient, who let them not fin , ilandcr , deftroy and dominere without eontra- didon > yea that praife not the Plagues of the world and their detfroyers. .Chrift isfoaccufed for his words, of Herod and the Pharifces. §,5. But true Patience towards Men hath ail thefe properties. 1. It maketh 'not afuffering or a wrong feem greater than indeed it is. Impatience maketh a tollerable pain or injury to feem intoller* able ; A tooth-ake feems as the break- ing of the bones : A Man feems undone if he lofe but his Houfe, or his Land, or friend : ( 7 ) friend : A threatningof Men is a fright- ful thing : Martyrdome is more feared than Hell. To be Imprifoned or Rob- bed or Perfecutcd, or falfly accufed, to be accounted wicked and guilty, where we are innocent, feem all unfufferable * evils to the. impatient 5 which a patient**' Man maketh not half io great a matter of. To be cad down from honour or • preferment •, yea to mifs of his afpiring hopes, and have another let up before him, is a great and vexatious thing to the ambitious. To have a Mans opini- on flighted, contradicted and confuted, * his underftanding villified , his worth >*and parts difgraced , his Will oppofed, I' yea to be but mockt or (corned, feem- eth a very troublefome injury to the I proud, which patient Men would eaiily^ endure. Much of the wickednefs and ! vilainies in the world come from Mens impatient, over- great fenfibility of their crofs. The Thief ventureth on £&e Gallows and Hell becaufe he cannot; bear his wants : The Fornicator , Dran- kard, and all the voluptuous, venture on everlafting mifery, becaafe they cannot ^ btar the denying or difpleafing of their flwihy appetite , and luft : The great B 4 Tyrants (8) Tyrants ofthe Earth , depopulate Coun- tries, raife needkfs Wars , and fill the world with Hellilh wickednefs , blood and mifcry , and their Confidences tvith the moil heynous guilt , becaufe vrhey cannot bear an equal , or a feem- ^ ing flight or wrong, or to fee other Prin- . ces greater than they, or to be confined ; to moderate dominion (though large e- nough confider ing their' account to God J*' Murders are committed by the proud 2nd impatient, becaufe they cannot bear an injury or affront- Yea Sacred Church v Tyrants rack and tear Chrifts Churchy by their needlefs Impofitiofcs , and flick not at the cruelleft perfections and ru-^ inings, of Men better than themfelves, Becaufe rhey cannot bear that Religion - . which is not fubjed to their Wills* or to fee any teach the Flocks in any points, *• againft their' opinions } or worfhip God but in their words., or in obedience to^ their pleafure : Much lefs to have any that differ from them , to be e (teemed and preferred before them. As Neb*+ | : cbadnezzcr, Van. 3. by his Idol : They cannot endure any that bow not to their •Tdol Will: A Fiery Furnace feems not too hot for them , they can better . bear I 9 J bear the moft profane and filthy firmer, v> who hateth Godlinefs and God , than the wifeft and belt that will not ho- wnour and obey them. The fight of Mor- decbai depriveth Haman of all the plea- fure of his power and wealth. 2. Patience towards Men doth not blind aind pervert our judgments, to think that things and perfons are other _than indeed they are , or that the caufe is worfe or better than it is. It leaveth 1 the Judgment impartial, and quiet, and fedate, to right confederations and con- clufioiis. Impatience feldome ufeth a vtrue Bailaiice. Toapaffionate Man or .Enemy, all that their Adversaries fay or | _ but will fpeak for the innocent, and gain- fay fuch unjuft aggravations , he is not m able to endure their Charity, but accuf* eth fuch as defenders ofthofe, whom his pride and impatience hath feigned to be Criminal and intollerable. 3. Patience flops the injuries of Men that they go no farther than Man can reach. If Mens fcorns and flanders come to our ears, patience flops them ^from coming to the heart; If Men take away our Eliates, 'patience hinders them . from taking away our peace and comfort. v- If Men lay us in Prifon or a Dungeon, patience difableth them to keep out our Heavenly light "and confolation. If Men defpife us, flight us, crofs ourO-. ninions or Wills, patience doth not fuf- *rer this to vex us, orcaftus into malici- ous difcontent. But impatience open- €th the door of the heart, to every croft, or injury,or difplealure * And when Men can but touch our outfide or our acci- dents , impatience doth more , an4 v wql nds the Soul, It torraenteth a Man at CiO at the heart , becaufe another hurts his flcfli, or lefs than that , his goods , or vname, orfome fuperfluity, which even the flefh might fpare. 4. Patience keepeth Men from re- ' venge and all defires of it: It hath no -* tendency to do hurt. Yea it forgiveth^ injuries, and dedreth God ( on his juft terms) to forgive them. Yea it is ftill i^jpyned with atruedefire of the good of thofe that do us wrong, and with juft and J 'prudent endeavours of their welfare. .Malcbuis ear is healed by Chrift, who prayed for his Enemies , as he taught Stephen and all his Followers to do. Its true 5 we cannot forgivethe fin as it isa- gainft God, nor the future punifhment > *> but we may pray God to give Men Re- pentance and forgivenefs. But impati- ence is a hurtful and revengeful difpoliti- on: It thirfteth after it: It delighteth in it^ and rejoyceth to hear of an adver- faries Offerings, 5. Patience will keep a Man from feekinghisown^e/fee and rigfo ?t not on- ly by unjuft means, but by means other- wife lawful, when it is like to do more r vha*t to others, than gcoi to him: If it be like to hurt the Soul of an Enemy,. by hindring his converfion to a Chri- fli'an Life > it is not our defended out- ward Eftate, that will compenfate fuch* a hurt and lofs. This is the fenfe of ^Chrilts Command , of giving our Gar* merit to him that fueth us at Law, and ^pOf turning the other cheek to him that ** firiketh us^ Mat, 5. That is, patience mult fubrnit to tollerable injuries, ra- ther than by impatience to ftrive by * violence and felf defence, when it will M>ut exafperate another whofe Souls is *f precious , and whom we muft love as our felves, yea we muft not fly to the Law ox Magiftrate to defend aright which we canfpare, when patience -and fubmiffion will do more good to him that wrongs ? us, or to others, than the vindication of + vour right will do to us or them. But th e xneaning is not that Intolerable injury , jmay not be oppofed , nor the Common' wealth have the prefervation of the Law, and that Theives or Murderers be tol- erated 9 nor that all Govetous,Malicious, OppreffingMen fhould be encouraged to*' injure others, by knowing that they will never feek their right. Its more for Order wand Common good than for our felves that + wrongs muft be refifted* & 6. Ev ( *3 J § 6. By what hath been faid, we may under/land what it is in Tatience to pop- ^fefsonr Souls, i. A man lofeth him- r t felf, or Soul, .when he lets in the Enemy** or evil mto it, that before was but without the doors. His Soul mufl be Gar- ** rifoned with Patience , againft fuife- rings, which are more grievous at the *Heart, than in the outward accidents , or the Skin : The Spirit of a man, if found, will bear his outwatd infirmities, but a wounded Spirit who can bear. Pa- «* tience in true Believers,and waiting hope- fully on God, doth keep the Garrifon of the Heart, when the Out- works, our Eftates, our Papulation, our Freinds, our ! Health, are taken from us : For r. It ^ j kee.ps the Soul againft fclf afflidting. 2. A- gainft temptations to Sin by any unlaw* ful means. 3. Againft backfliding by for- * faking duty, and not' continuing in the life of appointed means* 4. Againft fin-V ful doubts, that God forfaketh us, or in- tends our hurt. It keeps up the peace and corriort of the affli&ed, which is our iftrength. 5. And by all this it hdpeth * llo fecurc our Salvation. 6. And fbfaras Btttward deliverance or eafe, or fafety is good lor us} it is the likelieft way to have C?4) it, BUffed are the meek,, , for thy Jh all in- herit the eanh* Patient enduring and tur- ning the other cheek, doth fhame Affli- %*3:ers, and fooner make them forbear us r *+ J than impatient violence and felf defence: JHe that refifteth ftirs up the wrath of his Affli&er > when he that blefleth him, and doth him good, and really manife* ftethlove to him, doth heap coals of fire ** *cn his head : He that cannot bear one blow is like to bear two : And he that ^annot bear a letter abufe, fhall bear a greater. Be patient Brethren, andeflahlijh Mymr hearts^ the Judge is at door, and the * Homing of the Lord is nigh , Jam. 4. 8 ; pt But this is not a Rule for Govern- ment % nor to whole Kingdomes \ as if they muft forbear a necejfary felf-defence againji dejiroying Enemies') but for private men v whofe felf defence would hurt the Com- mon good* § 7. But is all Impatience equally fin- full. No j here the difference is very great. 1. Impatience towards men is a leffer vjin, than again/; God: Man is a Worm, and may do wrong , and deferve- an- ger and acci.fation : But again!} God*" there is no pretence for this, 2. Imoatience 05) 2. Impatience towards Men that de» ferve anger, ^nd which doth exceed only in degree, is not fo bad , as to be angry without juft caufe. Anger is oft-times a a duty, as it is a difpleafednefs at any evil, and a juft repelling of it. 3. Anger which defireth not anothers hurt, further than juft Correction is ne- ceflary to his or others good, is not fo bad as that which tendeth to hurtfulnefs* and revenge. 4. Anger which is fliort (though too much ) and is laid by when it hath done its duty againft evil, is not fo bad as that which continueth , and is turned imo malice and cannot forgive: Let not the Sun go down upon thy wrath. 5. ^Impatience which breaks forth into jjinful words (as Curfing, Swearing,. h g, &c. ) is far worfe than that v doth not. Impatience, which is but fach ne* rnuatedfenfe orpaffioii, a? is the $ffc& I* natural bodily infirmity, js no Iin at all farther than fin did bring that Infir- mity > as (bine Children cannot chcofe ibut cry : Some Women cannot choofc but be afraid at fudden frightening oc- cafions. One may make the lioutc^Mm fome- ( 16} fbmetime to ftart. Sick people anc! aged feeble perfons, are naturally Iflfs patient with matters about them, than ftro.ng and healthful Men. Some constitutions, efpecially of Women, can no more a- Void fome hurtful fear, grief, trouble of mind and anger, than a Man in an Ague can forbear to fhak; ■'■; Lfjpccially Mdan- cholly and Hyfterica 1 petfofcs. And God Condemns not perfofrs for being fick or weak, Infants or Aged. The will hath but a Political and not a D< tied power over many paffions, as i: idth over the Tongue and EUnd. 7. Impatience #hich Infeð not the J >{a L /t:>it and Will s but only cot- GRs in trouhlefome fajjiotx^ isfariefs finful than thai wnlch dom. When it blind* eth and pervertetha Mans judgment, efpeciallv in great points, to think ill of ' •rGodliiiefs or Duty, or eo^ : God, or ' dtfb'utt uis promises, orw ; nit corrupt teth the Jr/#, and Loue 9 and defire, and turnethk from God or any good, this is the damning fort of p (lion. So that paffion of Luit and plea? ire, in fenfual Youths , in Drunkards , fornicators , Gamfters turned their hearts to fin from wthe Lo^e of Holinefs* It becomes dead- ly, (I7) Jy, wickednefs when it captivateth th Judgment and the Will. And (b when it vitiateth a Mans Converfation , and carrieth him againft Confeienceand Rea- fon to iniquity. When Hypocrites can- | not fuffer for Chriil: and Righteoufnefs, nor endure contempt and poverty in ! the world , they will force their judg- ements to believe that fuch fuffering is*' ; not necetfary, and that its lawful to do | that which will deliver them, much more if it tend to their wealth , honour and preferment. When fenfual Men cannot - »bear a holy fober temperate life , they xan make themfelves believe that it is nnneceffary. This is the damnable fort*" wof impatience. 8. Some excefs of impatience in the^ i caufe of God , is more excufable than : when it is in our own caufe. Zeal is a pailion, but a great duty : Vhinehas fecm- cd to have been irregular in his zeal, but -his Juftice was imputed to him for Righteoufnefs, and on it God ftayd the** Plague. Had not Jefafs zeal been too : much tor himfelf, though ir feemed cm- i el, God would have excufed it. Chrift J feourged the Merchants out of thsTem- *ple, and the DTciples remembred, the zeal .(i8) zeal of thy Houfe hath eaten me up. God fpeweth the lukewarm Laodiceans out of his mouth. Indeed it is an aggravation of the fin to farther on God a cenfori- ous , perfecuting , envyous , dividing , hurtful zeal: But when it is but fome excefs of paffionor impatience with fin, and maketh a Man, but too eager in ># doing good, and not to hurt or injure^ any, the fault is fmall* p. There is fome paffion that may be too much, and yet doth but drive a Man %*»to God and to his duty: Some excefs of fear and forrow may make a Man pray%* harder , and fly from Temptation, and from fin the more, and live more watch- fully and value the mercy of God more^- wtharckfully h but there is impatience which quite unfitteth Men for their dy* ty to God and Man: When an impatient froward heart ,. maketh one unmeet for ^Prayer, or Meditation, or any holy and comfortable thought of God , and un- ^able to rule their finful thoughts , and unfit to converfe with their Families ' and Relations with any kindnefs, fruit- ^ fulnefsor peace, this is a very finful paf- fion. When an impatient heart doth live in difcontent with Gods provifion** and and difpofal, and falleth Melancholly by that discontent, and giveth Satan ad- vantage thereby to delude their imagina- tions, and hurry them into defperate Temptations, and fometimes to go mad, and fometimes to make away themfelves, or at leait to be unthankful for all GodsV mercies, this is a very bad impatience. 10. A paffion towards Men about frnall matters, which is but a fudden dif- plicence ( as anger at a provoking word or accident, which loon paffeth away ) isafmall matter if it (hould be caufelefs, in companion of a prophane impatience with Mens duty : When Men cannot bear a plain reproof, nor a fearchingv \ book or Sermon , nor holy difcourfe , nor a Godly Life* when they think all top much, or Prayer or Preaching ftill -too long , and can endure many hours more eafily at a Play , or in a Tavern, j or in Common Or vain talk , or worldly I bufinefs, than one hour in any Spiritual +* \ employment ■> when they bear more eafily with a Swearer, a Jefter , an ig- norant, carnal, worldly Companion, than with one that ferioully diicourfeth of 'Death, and Judgment, and the world to 'come, this is a malignant fort of impati-^ ence. In Q2o; In .a word, bad Men are incompetent Judges of patience and impatience; They take that Man for a peevifb impa- tient perfon , who is angry with their fin, and giveth them neceflary reproof, or is not as cold as Eli to finfu! Chil- \*dren or Servants, or is of a quick and eager temper, or fheweth but half that Zealand fervency in holy things^ which the nature and weight of the matter doth require : And they will praife that Manas a mild and patient perfon, who is fenfelefs of the greateft things which (hould affed him , and will quietly let Men fin and perifli, and fuffer them to ^be as bad as they will, and never fpeafc fharply or difgracefully of their fin, nor crofs and contradidt them in the moft dangerous errour, much lefs corredt in* feriors for doing evil, but be. indifferent * in every caufe of God , and live like a Man afleep or dead, when fin (liould be ^refilled, or duty done. ii. That impatience is worft which fets Men upon unlawful means ot deli- verance : As lying fiealing, defrauding, unlawful wayes and Trades of getting, pleating Men by fin •> yea mifer: ^"Witches make compads with the L and K 2t J and fome go to real or feigned Con- fers , to obtain their Wills > in j :\x impatience : Bat that is a kfs frn, which ventureth on no forbidden re- medy. J2. That impatience is the worft, which is juftificd, and not repented of, when Men fay as Jonah ^ I do well to be angry '<> and that deliberately when the pailion fhould be over. And that is lefs ( and more pardonable ) which is con- felled and lamented , and which we fin- ccrcly pray ard watch againfr, and fain would be delivered from. §8. Queft. Wherein Ikih the finfulnefs of impatience towards God ^ or under his hand j when Men are his vifttmnents, or per- mitted by him to affliCx us^ or in any other tryal which is of God* If we fee. not the eyjl of it we-flirfl i not be diligent to avoid it: To) many take it rather for a fuffering than a fin. Anfxv, r. Impatience towards God. doth fignihe anfvverable unbelief : Did we believe his prormfes that all Jhall woi\ together 'for our good^ and of all the benefit that we may get by patient fuf- uring, it would do much to pacific the 4 Soul Soul 4 Eut we are difcontented at his V4}fage, becaufe we cannot trufthim. •■^ 2. Yea this fort of impatience imply- eth fome degree of Atheifmor Blafphe- my : For it implyeth fome Murmuring againft Gods Providence, and that im- plyeth fome accafation of God > and all accufation of God implyeth an anfwe- rable degree ot Blafphemy * and confe* quently denyeth God to be God. For ii he be blame-worthy in any thing'* he is not abfolutely perfect : And if he be not perkd, he is not God ? 3. Impatience fignifieth firong felf- y mllednefs s '-When [elf-will is Mens Idol it ufurpeth Gods prerogative, and when it fhould follow his Will by obedient fubmrflion , it fcts up it felf , and tnuft needr be fulfilled, and cannot endure to be croft ; As if we were Gods, that mull have the difpokl of all that (hall befall us, and nothing mufi be otherwife than we would have it. Self-will is the great Idol of the world. 4. Impatience fignifieth an anfwe- rable degree of over loving the fiejh and tforldh which alio is a kind of Idolatry. Were it predominant it were mortal; >+For to be carnally mindzd is death \ and if // any Man ( Co ) love the world 3 the stove of the Father is not in him : Fob low any impatience up to its Spring , and you will find that it all cometh from this Carnal Worldly Creature,Love. If we did not over love our eafe, our lives, our reputation, our provifion and Eftates, our Children or Friends, or any Earthly thing, we could patiently bear all our loiTesof them. 5. Impartence (heweth that we are anfwerably wanting in our efieem of iChrift, and Grace, and Glory, and that we live not as we ought on the hopes of Heaven, Ifwedid, Godandour Savi- \ our would be enough for us : Our Hea- venly Treafure being fafe would more fatishe us : Great Men can bear eafily the lofs of a peny or a pin ; The things of the flefli are lefs in comparifbn of i-Chrift and Heaven, than a pin is to a Lord (hip. Senfe would do lefs to trouble us, if we lived by faith. 6. Impatience (heweth that we are too unthankful to God for all his mer* cies. A true Chriilian never lofeth the tenth part fo much as he poffeffeth : When he lofeth health, and wealth, and and friends > he lofeth not his God or \ Saviour Saviour , nor his right to everlafiing life : Yea when God taketh away one or two of his temporal gifts he leaveth us more than he taketh away. And •wwhat unthankfulnefs is it to forget all that we have received, and poffeft, and hope for, becaufe that (omething is ta- ken from us? Yea if God take away our health or wealth at laft, fliould all the years that we unworthily pofleft them, be unthankfully forgotten ? *^ 7, Impatience fheweth that we are too much unhurnbled for our fins , and;;; too infenfible how ill we deferve of God # , He that deferveth the Gallows and is ~ pardoned, (hould not be impatient of a (hort Imprifonment , and to pay the Jaylors fees. Can we believe that our fins, are fo many and great as we cuilo* marily confefs them , and that we de- ferve Hell fire, and yet impatientfy re- -^ pine at difgrace or injuries from Men, or at the lofs of Goods, or health, or friends ? This bewrayeth an unhurnbled v- ^and unmortified Souls (in fuch adegree) how humble foever Mens words and con- fcflions are. 8. Impatience (heweth that we do not well underftand our felves, or the Provib (*5) Providence of God. We neither un- deritand well our difeafe, nor the mean- ing of our Phyfician : Did we know what a worldly heart is,- or a hard heart, or a heart that hath not by Pvepentance w got out the Coreoffin, and how ufeful .affl&on is to heal all thefe difoafes, we (hould not be impatient of the iharpeli cure. p Impatience fheweth that we have ►-not fuch a Love of Holinefs as we ought to have: Kile wefliould think no affhdti- on too dear a means to procure the in- i creafe of it •• When God tells .us that he Chafteneth us to make us partakers*- -of his holinefs, and that it may bring forth the quiet fruit of righteoufnefs > and that it may be good for us that we are aiBidted, by reducing us by Repentance from our wandring folly , land worldly vanity and deceit ; A due fteem of fo great a benefit would make us take affliction for a gain. At our true ^Converiion we do in heart, rcfolutionj land vow, fell all for the precious Pearl, forfake all for Chrift, and Grace, and Gory : And (houkl we not forfake that which afflidrion takes from us, for the fame ufe 5 if we be really of the mind C that (26) that we profe'fs. A little Grace is better than all that is taken from us, jo. Impatience, when it is great and tormenting, is a degree of likenefs to Hell it felf. Hell is a State of Sin tor- menting the Sinner (God jufily defert- ingand aiflidling fuch). Their own wick- ednefs continually teareth and vexeth them, and depriveth the*n of all fenfe wof Gods Love and Mercy , which might eafe them. And what a refemblance of this hath the impatient Soul i which con* tinually vexeth it felf with it$own felf- willS)ar\dflejhly mind, and worldly defires, which are all unfatished, and hath no mortification, obedient fubmiffion, faith, * or hope, to relieve and eafe it, but is night and day a felf-tormenter. Such ufe to fay, rve cannot help it : Oar thoughts and pajjhns are not in our power : We cannot chooj'e but le continually troubled- with discontent , and anger ^ and grief \and fear* 1 1 . dnfe.Thh (he we th a further evil in your paffion , viz* That you are over bruitifh , and that Reafon it felf is de- throned , and hath loft its due govern- ment of fenfe and pailion. When a man can give you great and undeniable Rea- fons enough, againftall youtdifcontents, and ♦ and yet they are impotent, and cannot prevail. God gave you reafon to bear rule over paflion, and he hath furniflied you with Arguments, which (hould eafily fuffice . If your Reafon be enflaved 5 and faith turned out of doors , and pafiion rule, whence came this but by your own willful fin ? You fay, Ton are not a- ble to bear what you complain of. Why, then you (hall bear more > God will make you able to bear more whether you will or not, if you cannot obediently bear his tryals. CHAP. II. Argument f and Helps for Patient and Obc* dient Sufferings in particular infiances. JTTAving thus far confidered of Pati- jjLJ. ence and Impatience in the gene- ral, it will be ufeful to apply fome fpeci* il Remedies to many particular Cafes : jAnd firii I will name the feveral Cafes, which I mean to fpeak to : And they are h Gods afflicting hand upon ourFldh, n Pains and Sickncfs. OS) I I I. Lofs of Goods and Eftate , and filtering Poverty and want. IV. The Sicknefs and death of Freinds. V. Unfaithful nefs off reinds- VI. Perfecutioa by wicked men and Enremies. VII. Difhonour and Jofs of reputati- on, even to fcom, VIII. The unrighteoufnefs of Rulers, and the wrath of powerful Men. IX The Treachery, and abcfe of Ser- vants, and hearers, and other inferiour.s. Xt Great and iirong Temptations of Satan, &c. XI. Trouble of Conference, and doubts of pardon and Salvation. XII. Tolofe the preaching of the Go- ipel, ard other ordinary means of Grace. . XIII. \\ hen God fceme.th to deny our Prayers, and not to blefs his Word and Mercies to us„ JXIV. When all our duties and lawful endeavours feem fruftrated by God. XV. The great weakness of our Faith, Hope, Love, and other Graces. XVI. The Mifery of the Uueonverted World, which lycth in ignorance and wickednefs. XVII. The great weaknefs, fcandals, and : and divifions of Cbrijlians : The great and manifold, troubles ot the Church. ; XVIII. The Triumphs of Sin and \Yi;kednefs. X I X. Publick and National fins , plagues, and miferies, efpccially by war. XX, The uncertainty of deliverance here, and the fewnefs of thofe that (hall be faved at lalt, and the delay of our Sol- vation. Eich of thefe require fome fpe- cial helps for Patience, betides the Com- mon Helps. CASE I. In Tains and Sickgeffes of Body : Particular Helps. I /^"\ F the Firft of thefe I have fpoken al- V-/ ready in the Meditations on Chrifts Sutferings , and oft elfewhere. I (Hall now briefly add, i Sintul Souls / Look back upon the which was the ,cau(e ot all thy pajns As Adam and EvesRn brought fuffcrings-into the world, upon our na- tures, io my own (in is the caufe ot my own particular fliffering. A finful plea- ding ot my appetite with -raw Apples, Pears, and- Plumbs, when 1 was young, C 3 did O) did lay the foundation of all my uncure- able Difeafes : And my many offences ^have fince deferved God's Chaftifements ! While Confcicnce fo juftly accufcth thy felf, dare not to mutter difcontents and waccufatioGS againft God. I will hear the indignation of the Lord becaufe I have finned againft bitn. My pain is to me as the di- ftrefs of Jofephs Erethren was to them. Gen. 42,21. We were verily guilty concer- ning our Brother in that we faw the an- ■ guijh of his SohI , when he befought us^ and we would not hear : Therefore is this di* jirefs come upon us, and Gen44, 16. What ft) all we fay unto my Lord ! Wlxttjhall we fpea^ or how Jhall we char ourfelves : God hath found out the iniquity of thy Servants* So may I fay: How oft hath God checkt vmy vain and wandring imaginations, and carnal thoughts, and I did not Efficient* ly regard him » And if God find out my ■ fin, and my fin find cut me, why (hould I blame any but myfelf and fin ?■ 2. I can fee the necejftty of Jujiice to* wards others : And why (hould I not fee it towards my felt? What is % Kingdom without it , but a Wildernefs of wild. beads, or a Land of Tories t What is a School without it. butaMafterlefs Houfe of of Rebellious folly? What is a Family without it , but a pernicious equalling good and bad. It God made no Laws * to Rule Mankind 3 he were not their moral Governour, but only a caufe of Phyfical motion : If he make no Laws, than there are no Laws in the world but Mans : Apd then there 'is no fin againft God 3 and Law-makers themfelves are Lawlefs, and can do nothing for which they need to fear the difpleafure of God-* But if <3od have made Laws , and will not by execution coiredt difobedience, his Laws are contemptible and no Laws, becaufe no Rules of Judgment. And fhonld / alone expeft to be free from Fa- therly Juftice , and that my fin fhould have no correction and rebukes, 3, It is but the fame vile fleGi that dif- fers, which muft ftortly rot and turn to Earthy and if Jean fubmit to that , why fhould inotfubmittoprcfent pain? 4. As fin made its entrance by the fenjes into the Soul, God wifely cbiveth it out the fame way , and maketh the fame paflage the entrance of repentance. Jtis pleafkre that temptech anddeftroyeth the tinner* Zeis fmart and forrow which 'contradið that deceitful pleafure,^ C 4 • $nd and powerfully undeceiveth brutifti fiir nos. Ard when Repentance is necef- vfary to pardon and Salvation, and if it be not deep, and true, and effectually* it will not ferve; why Ihould I be impati* em with fo fuitable a remedy and help, as my bodily pains and weaknefs arc. Had / been in this pain when I was temp- ted to any youthful folly > how eafily^ tiould I have refitted the temptations which overcame me. 5. The great benefit that I have found in former afflidhns, afTurethme that they w came from- Fatherly Love > yea have been fo merciful a work of Providence, as I can never befufficiently thankful for;*' What have they done but keep me awake, and call me to repentance 3 and to im- prove my fhort and precious time , and to bid me work while it is day ? What have they done but keep nefrorn Covetoufnefs , Pride, and Jdlencfs, and tell me wherelmuft place all my hope, ^ and how little the world, and all its va-, rriticsdofignihe. And (hall I think that vthe fame Gcd, who intended me good * by all the reft of the afflictions of my lite, doth now intend my hurt at laft. Experience Condcmncth my impatience, •* 6. As C 33 ) 6. As Velivcrancer havfe ^afcd many a pain already, and turned all into thank- fulriefs to God , -fo Hetv?n will quickly end the red , and turn all into greater •-thanks and joy. And can I be impatient ill firmly believe fo good an end of all £ 7.. What ? did ChriA fiiffer for my fin, and (lull I not patiently bear a gentle rod H 8. what "do the- Bruits that never fin- ned, endure by Man, and for his fin? Tney labour, they are beaten, and hurt, rnJ killed for us, and eaten by us ? What then do finners defer vg of God ? *- p. How mi-cH forer punifhment in "•Hell hath God forgiven me, through £Chriii? And how much forer muit the /unpardoned endure for ever ? And can- not I bear thefe ftbukss for pjrdorel fin, when they are \intended to prevent far xyorfe i lOs How do I forfake \tVti and how could I fuffer Martyrdom fcr Chrift , . H-ivcaiinot bear his own Chaftizemcnts^ Arc thefe- (harper than the flames ? 1 1.. -Godihath from afy youth been -training me up in the School of afflicti- on, and calling on me, ai-.i tfeaehmgme 1 to prepare (or fufiain^,.. and ami unpiepaied. C 5 J2-. Impair • < C34> 12. Impatience is no remedy, but a great addition to my fuffering > both by ^adding to my fin, and by a foolifh vexa- tion of my fclf. It God afflidl my body, ' (hall I therefore fooliflily vex my Soul ? w Lord all thefe reafons do convince me of my. intereft andduty ; I am folly fa- tisfied of thy Dominion, wif4om et and perfed goodnefs, and that all that thou Vdoftis well done, and (hould not be ac- cufed- I am fully fatished, that I ought with an obedient will to accept of this Chailifancnt, and not to murmur againfti thy hand jiut the Grace and ftrength to do thismuft come all from thee. O tfirengthen*' thy Servant that he faint not, nor layby £ vJiis faith and hope > or fin againft thee* Queir. But is there no means but fitch Rcafoning with our J elves to be. ufed^.to help us to obedient patience in our fakfief- fes and pains ? Anjw, What means but intelle&uaV can be fit to quiet Souls ? Opiate- Me- dicines, that quiet the body* cannot caufc . ♦^thefubniffionot the mind. Eut i. Pie« paritoriiy,it is of great advantage not to ftfe the body too tenderly in oui health : Pepper it not, and ufe it not with too gieat indulgence^ as to its appetite, eafe and (ft) and pleaTure* Be as careful of its r health as you can, but not of its fenfual wdefires. As they that fondly indulge their Children, and let them have what they would in health, cannot rule them in-ficknefss fo is it with our bodies, ufc them to temperance and feafonable ■ fading, and daily labour, and a Dyct and Garb not over pleafant : As Paul teacheth Timothy, 2 Tim. 2.3, Fndxre hardnefs as a good Soldier of Jefus Cbrift : They that live in fenfual pleafure are dead while they live. They that mud have fport,and meat, and drink, and eafe, be- caufe the flefli defirethit, and muft take nothing that appetite, or floth, or fancy is agiinft, do cherifli the Flefti in fuch a ftateof fwlf-plealing , as will hardly bs brought to patient fuffering.~^ 2. Read the fuffrrin^s of Chrift wittfj due confideration. 3. Read oft the Hiftoriesof the Mar* tyrs fufferings. 4. Go oft to the Hofpitals or thefick wthat lie in pain , that you may fee what is to be expected. 5. Look on the Graves, and bones,and dull , and you 1 perceive, that it is no wonder if fuch an end nauftharc a pain- ful way. C. Get (30 / 6. Get but deep- Repentance for fin 9 and holy felf-difpleafurc,. and revenge ' will make you confent to Gods Cor* , rcdUon. Jr Get but a fenfe of the danger of profperity, and bodily delights, and eafe, and how many millions are tempted by k ? into the broad way of Damnation , and what thofe poor Souls muft fuffer* for ever, and you will the eailer bear your pains', and choofe to be Lazarus rather than Vives.^ and a Job. rather than a Nero, 8. But there is no» efFe&ual cure till \+rFaith and Hope have fuch faft apprehen- lions' of the Glory, where all your pains will end, as may Teach you to take them but as Phyfick for your everlafting health. Tncrcfore. Prayer for Grace, depending „*on Chnilj obedience to the Spirit, and /a fruitful Heavenly Life , are the true:,* preparations tor parent fufferings. CASE II. Vnder the Sentence of Veath^ againfi inordinate fexrs. IL *"TT* H E next Cafe that requir- J. eth Qkdient Patience is the Sen-. unce oj Death ' Q£ (17) Of this I have alfo fpokenfo oft, that •I (hall now ufe but thcfe (hort remem-' brances. r. He that would not die ( when he 'knoweth that there is no other way to ' Paradice) would have no more than he fhall poffefs on Earth : Which he may eafily know is tranfitory vanity , mixt with fo much vexation more than mod of the Bruits themfelves have, as would make Man as unhappy a Wight as they ,«*" \{ not much more •. And Mans nature which abhorreth death, doth abhor the endingot irs being, activity and delights : -And will any Mans reafon then diredi him to cho .,•£ fuch an end .of all ?■ And ^ to defpair of ever having any life 3 activity or pkafure after "this/* Doubt- lefs nothing, but Hull is more contrary to our inicteft ; And Lcrur intereft if 'known will be our deG.re and choice^ * Who would wiliiugly dig as Bruits h * ' 2. 7r it be i'.ui bfcutifli unbelief and idefptraiion which maketh t)eath fear- !ful, as n obtt; r to he had, iRcafoa (h.j.ili .nvike fuch erquiryand ifearch, whether there be no hores: And if this be but falthti , the <\£iit of nacur* and the Gofjpei will confute- v fudi (38) ' ; fuch defperation, and give man the joy- wful profpeft of happy immortality. Lt the darknefs of ignorance, errour and unbelief, that makes us fear that, which vlhould be our joyful hope. 3. But if it be the fear of Hell or fu- ' future puniftiment that makes us afraid of death, fas>alas, to moft there is grea- ter caufe than they will believe) fuch fears, ftiould drive Men prefently to the *» remedy. We are not in Hell, where there is no hope, but on Earth where mercy is ready to fave us, and feeketh to us, and beggeth our acceptance. If you fear death and Hell, fly prefently to** ftCChrifi for grace i> Repent unfeignedly of / all the fin which is your danger : Give up your Souls to be faved by Chrift on^, his own reafonable terms, and then you may boldly and joyfully hope that he v will fave them. All your fears, if you will truly repent and truft in Chrift, may ^be turned into afTurance of Salvation^ v and glad defires to bewithhimr- ' ' 4. Did we not all our Life time know that we muft die ? And ftiould a Man therefore live in continual terrour ? If not, how little doth the cafe and reafon differ H at thelaft, from that which he was all his Mifein. 5. All (39; i 5. All that have been born into this world fince it was made, have quickly. * palled oat again. Death is as common as Birth* And hath God made all Man- kind to live in continual terrour , fo '-much more miferable than the Bruits thtf know not that they mull die ? Shall •I wifli alone to be exempted from the + Cafe of all .Mankind, <5» yea, all the Saints, that ever were on Earth (Ifave Enoch and Elias) died. AH that are in Heaven have gone this way before me. Faith can fee beyond ** * the. Gulph or Stream , which they are fafely wafted over j and fee them ftand ^fafe and joyful on the fhore of Glory. - And (hould I not long to be with (b de- „ firable Company. But of this I have fpo- ken more elfewhere. «> 7, Do we beleive in Chrift , that he fr hath: done and fuffered all that he did,' to purchafe Heaven for us, and his in- ^ terceffion^ and grace is to bring us to it, and when all's done, would we not come there, and had we rather iiay in a finful, malignant,vexatious Earth. & Are we in good earned when we * pray, and labour, and fuffer for Heaven , and make it the end of all our Religion +^ and cm: and Obedience, and rwake that the b$fi- ncfs of our lives, and yet would: we not go to that which we fpend- our* lives in w fcekin^. 9. It our fears be unreafonabky fie- ceffitated by Nature, &g$ott rhe convicti- ons of -Faith ,. even thote fears liquid % and thai! we tear it, as if it were • evil ? and fly ffiom the only hope and hap- w vpynefs of Souls. 4 ! Qu e'. 7 Safe Ktafons. to Godly mm are nn- : deny able ; but the fear's of death will not yeild to reafon : Haue you. m Qiher way of Remedy agiiriji it. Anjn^ Souls are wrong tit upon by Soul-operacions ar.d rvirieiks. iiut fur* tfttt, i .\\ htnF.ear con^th from Natural zv£r* fencL todie,ai:d drang--.-tv I- tociu State of ** feparaua Soiujy and tiuiu.foau; unreveal- ed c.^ w (40 ed things of the unfecn World, its wif- dom to ca(t thofe dark and unknown ^fJpightful tbing^quite out of our thoughts, %0 ^ and quietly to (hut our eyes againfi them- When I was young./ was wont to go up the Wn\qn-\i\\\ with great pleaiuref being near my dwelling ) and to look down on the Country below me, and fee theVil- * iages as little things ; But when I was weak with age and fickneft, the laft time I went up , if 7 did but caft my eye downward my Spirits failed, and I was ^ ready to fall down in fudden deaths 1 Were I chained faft to the top of a high Spire Steeple, /am fure that I could not- fail, and yet I am confident, that one look down would fuddenly kill roe. •• What then (hould / do > As on the Hill * .Ifixt my eyes on the earth at my feet, til I came down > fo / would in fuch a *• height, either look only upward, or (hut my eyes, and take heedot lookingdown to the Earth ; So do here, li Faith and v i/Reafon tell you., that death is not to be ! (o feared, and that all your hope and corn- •ibrtmiui be beyond it and that you are | fafe in Gods promife, and in the hand of * 4Chriit i but yet the thoughts of a Grave, - -''and of Separation from the Body, aadof all all thats unknown to us in the next • World, is frightful to you, (hut your eyes, and think not on thofe things > wink and # fay, They belong not to my thoughts. — ^ I But then joyn the other remedies* | 2. Look upwards, and dwell on the de* lightful thoughts of all that revealed ojoy and glory, which is ready to receive us, and of the company that is there, that^ Hope and deflre may conquer Fear, 3 A nd efpecially truft jefus Chri ft ^ with your depart ing Souls, and truftTum ^ •"quietly and boldiy , as to all that [he hat h \^ wevealed, and you know > and as to all that's unrevealed and unknown s He is ^fully ajblc, wife, and willing. Trnft him^ wfo rJie_commandeth it» T ruft him, fo r »*he"iie verde~c eiveth any . He hath faved all departed Souls, that ever truly and o* ^ ob ediently trufted h i m* Caft away all di- ' fi rufting, caring, "fearing thoughts, thaT would taKe his work out ot his hand :v\ Agai nrt all fuch even wink,and truft him :^ . It is his part and not yours to know tuU */ ly what he will do with you, and to re- ceive you into his prepared Manfions, and %r to juftihe you againihhe accufations of Sa- i^ tan, and the guilt of pardoned Sin \ andw to bring you into the Jemjakm above, and f43 J) and prefent you fpotlefs to his Father. / Caft therefore all thefe Cares on him , ^ who hath promifed to care for you. Com- mit your felves to htm,and truft him with his own which he hath wonderfully pur- v chafed : Sjfpecft not his power, skill, or will ; And b^g his grace to increafe your v » Faith, that you may not fear nor faint through felf caring and unbeleif. CASE III Vnder Poverty and Want^ through lojjer, or any other Caufes* Hi. /k Nother Cafe that needeth Obe- Xjl dient Patience is Poverty and want 5 either through lofTes, which come by the afflicting Providence of God, or^ by robbery , or by opprefiion of unjuft men,by violence or injurious fuits at Law, or by the failing of our Trade or Calling, or by multitudes of Children, or byfick- nefs, lamcnefs, and difability to work, or • by the unhappinefs or mifcarriages and debts of Parents, or by ra(h Suretifhip, or any other way. Poverty hath its temptations, and they may and will be felt, but mutt not be over-felt. It is fome tryal to want food and N U4; i. V and ncceffary cloa thing and habitation; It is more to be put to beg it of others, **or be beholden to them, ttptcu J + \\ give it grudgingly : But yet to a tingle man thefe are comparatively fmah H?rd ^ faie and fcdnt, wifh patch'd or ragged Garments, may be confident with health, when (ulnefs caufeth mortal dillafls to ^ the Rich. But it is far harder to , bear the wants of an impatient Wife and cry- w ing Children : to havemany to provide for, and to have nothing for them /And it is yet harder to be in debt, and bear the importunity, frowns, and threatning of Creditors: what ihould the ppor, do in this diftreiled caie, and how fhould it be patiently indured ? I will firft premife this counfel for prevention of ilich neceffity anddiftrefs y and then tell you how to bear it patient- i. Let not your own fin bring you in-*/ to Poverty, and then if it be by the try- ing Providence of God without your guilt, its the more eafily born. Some run themfelves into want by idlencfs, re- futing diligent labour in their 'Callinjg; ' Some come to poverty by ba'fe and bruit- i(h fetffuality, by pampering the ikth in Meats Meats and Drinks > their appetites muft be pleafed till neceflfky difpleafe them :*^ Some ly covetous gaming lofing their own, while they gaped after anothers : Some by fooiifh pri le, living above their efhtes * in worldly pomp, in houfes, furniture, ap- parel^ and retinue : Some by ra(h Bar- gains, .and covetous venturoufnefs : Some by r*fh imprudent marriage : Some by filthy beaftly lufts> and many byunadvii- -cd Suretilii/p: Willfulnefs and guilt arc the fling and (hame of Poverty. 2. If you have little, live accordingly, and fuit your diet 2nd garb according to • your condition, with a contented mind-; Nature is content with little 5 but pride and appetite are hardly fatisfied :Courfe • Diet and Ufage arc as fweet and fafe to a contented mind, as daily feafting to the voluptuous and rich. 3. If your labour will not get youne- ceflaries' for life and health, beg rather than borrow, when you know you are un- able and ui.like to ply. Its far eafier beg- •ing before \ou are in debt than after: Two v. .i burdens are heavier than one; Such borrowing, if you conceal your difaoiliry to pay > is one of the worlt forts of Thei ve- ry, and a great addition to your mifery. 4. Draw C40 4* Draw not others by Suretifliip or « Partnerihip , or unfaithful trading into fuffering with you. Be not guilty ot the. fuffcrings of others : It is more inno- wcent, and more eafie to fuffer alone. 5. Therefore Marry not till you have a rational probability that you may main- tain a Wife and Children ; The Cafe of abfolute neceility to the luftful is com* monly excepted j> and fo it ought when it is but harder livings that a Woman is by fuch a Man put upon, and (he knowingly confenteth to the fuffering : But I know not how any fuch Mans ne- ceility can warrant him to make Wife* and Children miferable,and that by fraud and without her knowing confent ? Nor do I think, that any Man can be under fuch neceility, which may not be cured by lawful means: Its a fhame that any fhould peed fuch a remedy » but I think ChrilMntimateth a better than fuch a wrong to others, if no leis would ferve, Math. 19. 20. and 18 p. I L But what is to be done for Obedient Patience whzn Poverty .( however ) is upon us. Anfa. 1. Find out all your fin that caufed it, and repent of that , a;id fee that I 47; that you are much mote grieved for that ** than for your Poverty : And prefently fly . to Chrift by faith , till your Confcience " have the peace and comfort of forgive- nefs. 2. Remember that whatever were the means or fecond caufes, Gods Will and Providence is the over-ruling caufe, and hath choten this condition for you, whether it be by way of Tryal fas to Job and the Apoftles) or by way of puni- and apply your felves firft and principally to God , for w Reconciliation, and pardon of the pu* niflbment, and for grace to ftand in all your Tryals. Behave your felves in all your wants, as -a Child to a Father, as if you heard God fay. It is I that do it : ^ It if I that corrects tbee> or that tryes thee, or that choofe thy dyet and Medicine ac- cording to thy need, and for thy good. 3. Think of all thofe Texts of Scrip- j ture, from the Mouth of Chrili and his j Apollles, which (peak of the temptation and dangcrouinefs of riches, andthedif- L ficulty of the Salvation of the rich > and how few fuch are found Chriftians or w faved h C 4* ) w faved > and how commonly they prove ' worldly fenfual Bruits, and Enemies and Perfecutors of the faithful. Mat. jp.23, 24. Jam. 4. and 5. And then think of all thofe Texts that tell you , that Chrili himfelf was poor* that he mighr make many rich a , and that the Apoftlcs were poor, and that Chrift tryed the Rich Man, whether he were found, by bidding him Sell all and give to the poor. y and follow him, and tryeth all his Difciples by taking up the Crofs ^and forfakingall. He (hewed what the. Spirit of Chriftianity is when he caufed ' all the ftrft Believers to fell all and to live in Common : And he blefTeth his poor, that are poor in Spirit , becaufe that theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven, Mat. 5. 4. Study well the great advantages . of Poverty , and the particular danger w of Riches. The Damnation of Souls 1 cometh firon^ the love of this World and fleflily profpenty and pleafurcs bet- ter than God, and Holineft, and Heaven* And whit ltronger temptation to this can (here be, than to have all frulnefsand*- pleafurei which the flcfti deiheth. Tho it was not for being Rich that Dives , Lw z 16. Was damned 3 nor for being poor ($9) poor that Lazarus was faved \ yet it was Kiches which furniflkd Dives with that pomp and pkafure , which drew his • heart from God and Heaven } and Pover- ty kept Lazarus from thofe Temptations/* I Doth not reafon and experienc? tell you, that its very much harder for a Man to be weaned from the Love of this world, and to feek firlt a better, who liveth in all plenty and delight, than a Man that is in continual aifii&ion, and hath no« -V» thing in the world to allure him to over- ^ love it ? O what a help is it to drive us to look homeward for a better Ha- bitation , and to fave us from the de- ceitful flatteries of the world, and the Lufts-of brutiili fle(h, to be flill wea- ried with one crefs or other, and pincht with wants , that even tho flefh it felf may confent to die, or not be importu- nate with the Soultoferve it any long- er. A Man in miferable poverty is motit unexcufable if his heart be not in Hea- W vcn. 5; To be overmuch troubled at Po- verty is a fin of dangerous fignification. It fheweth that you over-love the flefh and the world, and do not fufficiently take God and Heavenly felicity for your D Portion *S \ 5° ; Portion. No Man is much troubled for the want of any thing but that which lie loveth ; And to overlove the world is a fin, which, if it prevail againft the -^ greater Love of God and Glory, is cer- tainly damning. And he that taketh not Gods Kingdom and Righteoufnefe ** as better than the world, and feeketh it not firft, cannot obtain it. If God and Heaven Teem not enough for you, unlefs . ~ you be free from bodily want, you'truft T.' r:ot God aright. y^ 6. Doth it not properly belong to God, todyethis Family, and give to e«£ very one what he feeth beft ? If he had r made you Worms, or Dogs, or Serpents, < you could find no tault with him: May \ he not diverfifie his Creatures as he pleafe ? Shalkvery fly and verminemur- tnur^hat he is not a Man : And may he not as freely divexfifi? ihc Provifioti of his#j Creatures, as their Natures ? Muft all be Matters, and yet none be Servants? Muft the Rich be bound to relieve the poor, and muft there be no poor to be relieved ? Theyoor yon have alwahs rtitlf' w you, faith Chrift: How (hall Jvten be re* warded at lair , as they Cloathcd them, kd tKeai , vifited them , &c. if there were CsU were none that flood in need thereof? Is not God wifer than we to know what is beft for us > and can he not give us all that we defire if he faw it beft Z And do you think, that he wanteth fo much love to his Children as to feed and cloath them? Were it for want of Love, he would not give them the far greater gifts, *^ even his Son, and Spirit, and life everlaft* ing; If this were the Tryal of his Love, .# you might fay that he moft loveth the ,worft of Men , who more abound in ^ Riches than the moft cruel and Perfect- ing Tyrants , the moft wicked fenfu a i profligate Monfters; Were Riches any " fpecial Treafure, God would not give them tofuch flagitious .Enemies, and' deny them to humble fai>hfi,l r^fr^ Its no fmall fin to murmur at God Tor * j maintaining and governing his F*™,'Kr according to his Wildom and WiTTTnd tif for not being ruled by the defires of our w flcfli. 7. Do you not fee that Riches bring Infant right to Salvation: and that all fuch fo dying are faved by promife.%. And if any thing binder adtual Baptiz- ing, as long as aBeleiver is juftly fuppo- fed to devote himfelf, and his Child to ^Gcd, as far as in him Jyeth > it is not the (55; the bare want of water or the outward Ceremony, that depriveth fuch of part w 'in Gods Covenant.— All this I have eifewhere opened and confirmed* Eat if this (hould prove an . errour, yet all grant that there is more i ^probability of Gods fpecial mercy to the . ^Children of the Faithful than toothers; But I think there is more. — 2. And they are taken out of a danger* ous and troublefome world f What a- bundanceof fad thoughts muft they have -undergone, and what abundance of temp- stations, and what abundance of fufferings of many kinds, if they hid lived till old age? Had it been but the fear of dying > to elcape it is no contemptible mercy. ** To bz at the harbour fo eafily and quick- ly while others muft be toft many fcore years on fo tempeftucus and dangerous a ^ Sea, is matter of rejoycing. And tho. ^confirmed Grace be never loft, fuch as I, who incline to think that the Grace gi- tbrven to the Infants of Beleivers as fuch, is i as lofable as Adams or the Angels that fell was , muft with Augnftim take it for 4 mercy, that their poffible apoftafie m , is by Death prevented. For my own part when I fee how many Children of D ± rv. (56) excellent Men, prove wicked, and' (coura- ges to the Church, and what a miferable world it is that we are in, even funk in- fo darknefs , wickednefs , and felf-de- iriraftiofl, like the Suburbs of Hell , I have many times rejoyced , but never vgueved, that I never had a Child. And why then (hould I mourn if I had one^ and God had quickly taken him a* ■ way. -; II. Iconfefs the death of ungodly Kin- fo muft it be with fer- jviceablcmen : Eiifha mutt have his time ' and part as Elias had s and a Davids So- lomon Hczekjab, or J Gfiab live not hereal- wayes. Every Generation muft have its proper Servants, work, and honour. If r.,~ (62) fome have till evening born the burden and heat of the day, allow them their reft , and let others work the following * day. 3. And God hath the falnefs of the (^'Spirit in Chri/}, to fend forth on Succef- /fors : And he is the Lord of the Church, and knoweth whats beft, and what the People are fit to receive: Chrift lived on Earth to no great age, and he tells his Apoftle, That it was expedient for them, ^ that he go azpay> that the Comforter might eome : God will choofehisown Servants, and their times^ and we mull fubmit to ^his difpofal. 4. Paul was permitted ztRome to dwell two whole years in his own hired houfe, and receive all that came to him > prea- I ching the Kingdom of God, and teach- ** ing thofe things which concern the Lord v Jefus Chrift, with all confidence, no man forbidding him. Cut I have been per- mitted above forty years to preach the fame Gofpel, though long a Law, and Bi- w'&ops, and Jufticcs did forbid me, ( fave that for nine or ten years^ they confined my vocal preaching to my houfe), James was cut off near the beginning of his A- pofxLfhip. Steven vms fooncrcut off than he (63) he* Some excellent Ministers bath God taken away young. 5. Chriftismore worthy of their com- pany than we are: Heaven is more wor- thy of them than earth , than thole that *hate them and abufc them, titb. 11.28.^ Of whom the World was not worthy. The world knoweth not the "worth of a Saint,**' \ nor how to uie him, or what ufe to make of him. 6. We know not from what approach- ing evil God in mercy taketh them away. We have lately' lamented the death of many excellent perfons, Magiftrates and * Ministers: But the Storms that are now *raffaulting us,- tell us, that it Was a feafo- nable -and merciful change to them. m Chrift faith; Job. 14. 28. If ye loved me, y : I ye would njoyce^ becahfe I fay I go to the fa* ■ tber. They mourn not for their own re* moval : Would you wi(h them here a- ! gain from heaven ? You do not mourn, ' vthat Chrift, and Abraham^ and T)avid y and the Apoftlcs are gone to heaven , nor that Lazarus h^th changed his beggery for Abrahams bofom > nor that the Mar- tyrs are gone thither : The ancient Chur- ches were wont with thankfulnefs to re- cite the names of their departed Payor's** in C64) in their Liturgies, and to keep daycsof fhankfgivingf which we call Holy-dayes) in memorial of their Martyrs. They may fay, as Chrift, Wee*) not for me , but for your f elves and your Children : for thofe Vthat,muft indure the liorms that are- coming upon us, and muli be fitted by *Satan and hisMinifkrs, to try whether their Faith and Conftancy will fail. Chrift( purchafed them for heaven , and he will 1 have them there. It is his Will and pray- er, Job. 27. 24. Father I will that thofe whom thou hafi given me be with me where I *am, that they may fee the Glory , which thou haji given me : ( a better fight than we fee here, when we are laid among Makfa* < &ois in Gaols, or fcorned for preaching). . •* If our hope were in thi? life only , we were ofm all men moji m^ferahh : And do we love them lo little as to wilh them with us in fo'miferable a life? Is vanity and vtx» * ation , and the portion of the wicked* better than the Jentfalem above ? Our Cows, and Sheep, and Hens, &c s when they have bred up their yoking ones at great pakis atid love , muft part with them for us to kill and eat, yea^ and with their own lives alfo: And (hall we grudge %*that ' our friends and we muft die to go where C^5) where God will have us? If God fhould not take our Friends or us, till our Wills contented^ I doubt we fhould flay here too long , unlefs pain constrained us to confent : But God is fitteft to choofe the * time. Vrecious in the fight of the Lord is the death of all his Saints, Pfal« 116, Even the hairs of their Head are numbered : It rt is not then for want of Love to them M% that they are taken away by death, 'They reft from their labour and their worlds fol- low them ? Were we not fools and flow of heart to believe what the Gofpel faith • of blefTed Souls, we fhould know that they ought to fuffer with Chrift, and then to reign with him % as he fujfered, and then entered into his Glory* , And, as Vavid laid of his Child , we (hall come to them, but they (hall not return to us, CASEV. Vnkjndnefs and injury of friends > and Relatives. V, A Mother Cafe that calls for Pati- ** ence is the un^nd/ufs of fieinds % and their injurious dealing with us : Husband and IFife often prove burdens and continual qriefs (66) grief r to one another. Parents and Children prove worfe than Grangers : Thofe that we have obliged by our benefits are un- * grateful, and thofe untrufly whom we * have trufted. i. It muft be fo : Man will be Man, uncertain and untrufiy: David* and Paul fay that all Men are liars j that is, fuch as will deceive thofe that too much truft them. They are all finfully ignorant . erroneous, mutable > and felfifh: U in* terefl, change, or Temptations comes there is no hold of them, if God do not hold them up. Did you not know Man * till now ? 2. ItisGodsjuft rebuke for your too much tru/1 in Man> and for your errone- ous overvaluing Man : And it is his mer- ciful remedy to drive you home from %^Man to God; This deceit and failing of your friends is part of the curfe pro- nounced, Jer. 17. 5, 6. Cnrfed be the Man that trujhtb in Man, and makgtb fltfr his arm^ and whofe heart departetb from the Lord, For he Jhall be li\e the heath in the defert, &C» But blejfed is the Man ^that trujieib in the Lord, and wboje hope the. Lord //, for he jhall be as a Tree planted by 7 the water f) &c» 3. The I. C67) 3. The failing of Man doth but tell us what we are our felves, even untruffy and mutable as other Men : It fhould help to humble us for the badnefs of our v nature, and drive us, to feek to Chriftfor/j£ j his confirming grace, and not to truftour^ Selves too far. 4« And it fnould call us to examine whether we never wronged and decei- ved others ? Have we not put the beft * fide outward, and feemed better to our friends than we are? Have we not been * lefs helpful, friendly and comfortable to v ^them, than we promifed , or then w- fliould have been? And deceived their expectations/ Have we not by our fail- ings, or provoking harftwefs been their - grief? Or worfe , have we not pleafed " them in their fin, and been Temptations v and fnares to their Souls ? 5. Is there any friend that is nearer to you than your felves ? And is there any that hath hurt you halffo much as you have done your felves? Alas how /little fuflfer" we by friends or foes , in rcomparifon of what we fuffer by our felves, 6. Chrift went before us 10 this ki°d of +- futfering, to teach us what to expect t*o*n Men* Men, Teter denyed him with Curfingand Swearing , and that after warning and lit contrary protections : And all his Dif- h ciples forfook him and fled. And yet It * ^ he forfook not them, b -it dyed for them, 4 **) and as fopn as he was Rifen, kindly com - ^forteth them, Go tell my Brethren, and tell Peter, faith he, I go to my father and your father^ to my God and your God, 7. Were your friends fo much oblig- ed to you, as you were to God and to v^your Saviour v or did they ever promife and vow more to you, than you did in your Baptifm to Chrift ? And have you faithfully performed all your yows r * and anfwered all your obligations. Did you ever oblige any by fuch benefits as w God hath bellowed upon you^ No not by the thoufandth-, thoufandth part. And have not you moreunthankfuliy in- jured God, than ever any friend did in- jure you? Let this then provoke you to ^•repentance. 8. If it be an unkind Husband or Wife!) firft fee that you be innocent and give no provocation : If you have de- ceived them by feeming better than you are, or if you be a burden to them, no wonder if they deceive you, and be a bur- cm burden to you. And next remember that you had your choice, and that af- tet time of deliberation : If you have b^ blind love, or paffion, or Covetoufnefs,*^ ' or carelefs hafte, deceived your fclves, repent, and make the beft of it for the future that you can. Sin will not.be •without its fting. p. If you Love God and them, why are you not more grieved that .they wrong God, and that they hurt them- fdves , than that they wrong you and deal unkindly by you. They do a thou- fand fold more wrong to Chrift, and$£ s more hurt to their own Souls, than they %* can do to you. 10. I fear mod: of us too little confi- de* that friends over kind and fo over- loved are oft more dangerous than the unkind, yea than Enemies? To becrof- i fed by them may many waies do us good, ! but to.overlove them hath more danger •* and hurt , than I will now digrefs to || mention: Corrupted Love is the finful- eit and worft affedtion. ii. And why do you not confider the benefit and comfort , which you have had by your friends, as well as the injuries ? What if they now deal un-'' k\nALr f7o) kindly by you ? Have they not many years been kind and ufeful to you? And fnould that be forgotten ? And if ^you compare them, was not the klndnefs longer and greater than the unkindnefs : If Job fay , (hall rre receive good at the hands of God and not evll^ we may much more (ay fo of Men. B 12. Perhaps God permitteth it, that you may be the lefs grieved to part *nvith them at death? I have noted it in fome of my neareft acquaintance that have lived in the greatefl endearednefs, y (that a little before death fome unkind- ^ nefs hath fallen out between them, per- haps elfe death would have torn their * hearts more grievoufly than that un- kindnefs did. When God would fepa- rate Paid and Barnabas for his work, a little diffenfion became the Caufe. And when Paul was to be offered up, almoft. all his old Companions forfook him, 2 Tim, 4. 16. Who would have thought thztVavid fhould ever have dealt fo un- kindly by Mephibojheth : Buthisprofperity was lefs fweet and lefs cnfnaring by it. 13. It is purpofely to keep us from heart Idolatry and drive us to God our vfueft friend, that he permitteth friends to to fall us. It is not them but God that v we live upon, and that we mufttruftto, if we would not be deceived: It is not they but Chrirt that are our Treafure: 'God never dealt unkindly with us: Hev .hath promifed thathe will never fail us, nor forfake us : 2 Tim. 4. 1 6. When Paid had faid. At my firjl anfeer no Man flood with me , but all Men forfoot^ we, ( he addeth) yet thj Lord ftoed with me, and* Qrenztbened me, &c. Davids Lovers and Friends flood aloof from him , when God.* was his hope, Pfal.38. 1 1, 15. and Pfal. 14- 4, 5. I looked on my right hand and beheld^ but there teas no Man that would hfiorv me: Refuge failed me h no Man cared for my Soul. I cryed unto thee Lord^ I faid^ thou art my refuge and my Portion^ &c. ^ 14. Iconfelsthat the cafe of a bad or unfuitableand unkind Husband or Wife, is a very (harp Tryal.; They are near you, even in your bofome, bed and heart : They are fiill with you, and a contentious Woman is as a continual dropping, faith Solomon, To have a difcontented , dif- pleafed, angry, provoking perfon^al- waies withene to the death, is a greater affli&ion than any that ordinarily cometh "from Enemies, But yet let fuch confide;:, 1. That (70 * J. That it isajuft chaftifement for their fin, and may help to a more deep repen- tance: 2, As it is a great and conftant, tryal v fo if calleth for great and conftant ^patience , and exercife of Grace : And what is likcr to increafe grace, than great < and conftant exercife ? 3. It is a great and conftant prefervative againft the flat- teries of this world, or building a Pal- lace or Fools-Paradice on Earth h it is a daily voice ro fuch , faying, this is not %*your reft j Look-up and long for better Com* pany and friends. 4. And as near as Wife or Husband is, God is much nearer to us , and hir Grace is nearer us, even within us h and (hould make us rejoycingly forget wall other joyes or forrows, in companion of him. 15. The fame I fay of wicked Chil- dren : The anii&ion is grievous h but 1. It calleth Men to examine how they have done their duty towards them-, have you lovingly, familiarly, and un- w wearitdly inftru&ed , exhorted and ad- monifhed them ? Have you not thruft them into Company, Callings or Places of. Temptations r for a little Worldly: wealth or Learning or -Reputation ? Yea have you kept them from Temptations by C73; Ly prudent watchfulnefs and convincing •diffwafions ? Have you taught them as is rcquired,,2>«tf.<^i t* Or have you not flub-* bered over (o great a duty* and looktGod * fliouldfave them meerly lor being yours* ' 2. But remember that all the Children of * God in Glory will be dear and comfortable to you, as if they had been all your own. CASE VL Trrjuries from malicious Enemies? I. Per final. 2. Perfecting. VL \ Nother tryal, which requireth Y"\r Patience, is injuries from Ma- licious Enemies. Either Perfonal Enemies^ or jucb as bate and Perjecute us for our Duty. As to the former fort conGder, j. We have the greater reafon to be patient, when we confider what poor and worthlefs Worms we are i and that en* unity and injury again/1 fuch low and ;j kittle Creatures is a (mailer fault, than if it were againli forne nobler or excel* knter Wight. We make no great mat* ter of beating a Horfe or Dog, Tho this muft not diminilh their Repen- tance, itmuftdiminifhour impatience. 2. And we are fo bad, that we give 00* E cation ("74) cafion of hatred and hard thoughts of us to our Enemies * and tho this juftitie? vnot their miftakes, who take us to be -* worle thah we are, yet it Commandeth us, who tempt them to it, the more pa- tiently to bear it. They miilake us moit- ly by thinking that the fame fins that are in us are predominant, and in a grea- . ter meafure than they are : They call us Erroneous, Proud , Hypocrites , Cove* tous, Unpeaceable, &c. And when we knew that there is in lame Errour, fome Pride, Hypocrifie, and the reft, the Con- fcience of this muft make us the eaficr bear with , and forgive the falfe accu* {cis 3 that charge us with more than wc are guilty of. 3. And when we confider we were Enemies to God , and have far more w wronged him by fin than any can wrong us, and yet he forgivexh us > it mutt teach us to forgive the wrongs and en- mity of others : Yea God hath made our ^forgiving ot hers.a condition of his full for - giving us > and we cannot pray to him for * forgivenefs, and confequently not expert it, on any lower terms, yea we muft learn of God to Love our Enemies , and •.pray for them , and do them good, anc \* jnc 2 (75) not to feek revenge and fatisfa&ioa. 4. Which of us hath done no wrong toothers ? Have we unjuftly cenfured^ none ? Nor fpoken evil of them, or been angry,or reviled them without juftcaufe ? •Have we never tempted any to fin, nor w incouraged them in it ^ nor omitted any rduty which we owed them ? If we have we may fee Gods Juftice permitting in- juries againftus, as an equal caftigation. 5* However Confcience tells us that We have deferved a thoufand fold worfe *** from God: And he ufeth to make the fins of Men, the Inftruments of his pu- nishments on Earth ; God punifhed David by the permitted fins of Abfahm , and Shimet (tho he caufed not the fins.) And David the more patiently endured it, as acknowledging the Providence of a cor- « ceding God. <5. Its your own fault if all your Ene- * mies wrongs do you not much more good +* than hurt. God hath told you how fo to improve them; And if you do, you may well be patient with that which is your benefit and advantage > yea and ^thankful too, which is more than patient* But if you do not fo improve them, you have more to be grieved for than their E 2 ininri^c (76) injuries , even your own fin and omif- iion, which lofeth io gainful an advan- tage, 7. If they repent , God will forgive them all their greater wrong againft >him j (O what a deal doth he forgive at +* once to a converted finner ) and then lure you will eafily forgive your mite : . But if they repent not, inikad of im- patience and revenge , pity them and ••lament their cafe ; For they will fuffer more than you can now delire : Would you have themfuffer more than Hell ? 8. Your happinefsand all your great concerns are out -of the power of all w your Enemies ; It is but matters of little x moment that they can touch you in. They cannot take away your God, your £• Saviour, your Comforter, your Glory > ^no nor the leaft of your Grace : They cannot deprive you of your knowledge, wor of Love to God, of faith, or hope, or « ^ peace of Confcience, or Joy in the Holy «^Ghoft: They cannot bring back the guilt */of any pardoned iin, nor caft you into Hell? p. And if impatience open the door of your heart , and let that in , which your Fnemiescould bring no nearer you than (77 7 than your Eftate \ your Ears, or your fleQi at molt, it is not they bit your felves that are your chief tormenter. And will you torment your felves be- ■ caufe another vvrongeth you ? io. Do you not obferve how fin hath fet all the World in a State of Enmity to God, and all that is he>Iy, and to the way of their own Salvation ; And that all the unfandtified world 'is in a War againft •God and Goodnefs, under the unknown conduct of the Devil ; And do you make ■ a great matter then of feme petty inju- , ry or enmity to you ? This ismorefool- iftily felfifh, than if you fhould complain of a Souldier for taking a pin off your fleeve, when an Army is plundring all the Town, and fetting all the Country on fire, and murdering your neighbours before yoar face. . So much for patience in cafe of perfonal enmity and injury. . II. But if it be in the caufe of Perfecti- on for yourduty to God, impatience then is far more culpable. In this Cafe 1 pre* rnife this advice. r. Search diligently leaft fome perfo- nal Crimes of your own be in the caufe \ as well as your Religion : Sometime the E 3 fin- (78) ■ finful mifcarriagesof Chriftians doth pro- voke the adverfaries to think the worfe of their way of Religion for their fakes, and fo to perfecute them for truth and dut^, but provoked to it by former fin. In this Cafe your httt duty is to repent of the fin which firft provoked them, and openly confefs it and lament it : for while you remain impenitent , and hide or jufiifie your grofs iniquity , you harder* them that afflidt you, and you provoke %^God to let them loofe ; Efpecially when you can aggravate all the mifcarriages of your perfecuters , and cannot bear the naming of your own fin, but take it for enmity or injury to be called to repent/** If it beany fin of ours that have made us ftink in the noftrilsof our perfecuters, v'We cannot comfortably fuflfer or exped: * deliverance, till we repent. 2. Let us fearcbr with the fevereft fuf- picion and impartiality, that it be indeed truth and duty, and not error and fin, ^ for which we fuffer. I doubt not but men may be perfecuters and injurious, who do but afflidt men for fin and error, when it is done for fuch as are but thofe ♦ tollerable infirmities, which all Chrifti- ans in one kind or other are liable to : Or when (79 ) when the punifhment is greater than the fault dcferveth*, and when its done in malice againft the piety of the per- fons, or tends to the hinderance of piety, v and injury of the Church of God. Btit^ yet the guilt of his Perfecuters is no jufti- fication of any one that fuflfereth for his (in or Errour, nor (hould abate, but in- creafe his Repentance , in that he oe- cafionsby his fcandal the fin and mifery s of his Perfecuters. Peter juftly calleth us to make fure 5 that none of us fuffer as evil doors •> much lefs as impenitent pcrfons that cannot endure to hear of it. I am one that have been firft in all the 'ilorms that have befallen the Miniftry thefe twenty years laft , ( to look no further back :) And yet my Confcience v Commandeth me to fay , as I have oft done, that many through miftake, I am perfwacjed^now fuifeiws evildoers for a caufe that is not good and juftifiable* For the great difference among fufferers 1 proveth that fome muft needs be mifta- ken. 3» If we be fare that oar caufe is gold, ■let us al(b make fure that we ufe it well : A good caufe may be abufed : Let us fee, i. That we mixt no errour with it**^ E 4 2. That *: 2. That we do not manage it partially and uncharitably: That we make net the Contrary worfe than it is. 3. That we delight not to repretent our adver- saries more odiouily than there is caufe : 4. That we deny no juft honour or o- « fcedience to otir Governours : 5. That we (hew not the fame Spirit of Perfec- tion which we exclaim againft, by dif- ^ fering from them only in the manner of exprtffion: If they unjuftly fay that Men are fo bad as to be unworthy of liberty^ Tolleration, or Eflate , and you as un- juftly fay that Men are f? bad as to be ^unworthy ofChriflian Communion, you agree . in unjuft Condemning others, and on- ly wrong them feveral wayes. 6. Let us fee that while we are reftrained from (bme part of our work, we neglect not *r that which none forbiddeth us. Are we not fhamefully guilty in this; None for' biddeth Ministers to Catechize thofe that are under fixteen years of age , or to teach them by Preaching, or to Pray~ with them, and yet that is -commonly negk&ed. Noneforbidus toconferdai- ly with our ignorant or vicious Neigh- bours to try if we can convert them > ^ nor to win them by kindnefs 5 as Chrift went cm went to Publicans and Sinners : None forbids Religious people to Catechize, - and teach their Families,, and read good Books to them, and pray with them, and openly fing the praifesof God, as Dani- el openly prayed in his houfe, to be ex- amples to ungodly Families about them* And yet how much is this negle&ed :f* • And a dumb, and negligent Father and Matter of a Family will condemn himfelf by fpeaking againft dumb and negligent Minifters, and againft thofe that reitrain him from fome publick duties: Some think that if a Law were made ( which God ^preventj againft allCatechifing and tea- ching mens Families, and againft praying, and finging the praifesof God, it would „, by oppofition ftir up fome to do it better, *" v that now negledr it, fo prone are they to that which is forbidden : And iince it is * come into the headspf fome Clergy-men, to preach openly, that it is unlawful to receive Diflenters to their Communion, and they intend to forhid them md ex- communicate them , that they tray be J uncapable of publick truft or votes , I , hear that fome intend to communicate^ who before condemned it as unlawful ^ ^ and fbarplv cenfurcd thofe that did it*\ But (80 But when you have made fure 7 that you differ not as evil-doers, upon miftake, but for your duty and for righteoufnefs, confider thcfe following reafons for your patience. i. If you believe not that nothing is done againii you by Man,but what falls under ^the over ruling difpofing will and provi- dence of God, you deny his government, and are unfit to do or fuffcr : Though God caufeth none of the malice, and lin of the Murderers of Chrift, yet as to the effed of their free finful volitions, there was nothing done, but what Gods coun- fcl fore determined for the redemption oi the world : And if you believe this, dare v you impatiently grudge at the Providence . ofGcc). 2, Though you are innocent towards your perfecutcrs, and you fuffer for well- doing, you are not innocent towards God tyho may ufe bad men for juft Chaftife- noent. 3. It is an unfpeakable mercy tohav< unavoidable deferved fuffaings, to b< made ihefanwtihed means of your falva< tion, and to be for ever rewarded, fo] v bearing that which elfe would have beei but the foietafte of Hell, Sin brough *W unavoyd C83) unavoidable pain and death onallMan- * kind- No power, or policy 3 or pn<^ can fave you from it. If you deny Chrifi^C and (ell heaven to fave your lives , you *-^ flull die for all that* and hethatfo-fav cth his life (hall lofe it y and lofe his Soul i^ alfo by (uch felfTaving: It is appointed to all men once to die, and after that judge- ment. A Martyr doth but die , and fa* doth his perfecuter % and death to the un- >- godly is the door of Hell. And is it not ^ a marvellous mercy , that differing but the fame death, in faith, and hope, and*" *~ obedience for Chrifi, and for your duty, •Shall procure you a Crown of Glory. E- • • ven as the fame outward bleffings: which * to the wicked are but the fuel of Sin and Hell, art^by Beleivers improved for Grace *■ ard Glory > fo is it alfo with the Cafe of* Suffering : And what a terrour is it to Confcience, when the Sentence of death (hall be part upon you. to think* Now that life is at an end, which I fold my foul ~ to fave ! that I had rather cbofen to dk +~for my duty , than by my fin S this death would then have been the entrance into bea* ven, which is note iht entrance into mifery, i This made many dying Chritfians in Cy*+l frians charge to be hardly comforted, be- caufe caufe they had not dyed Martyrs , that Death might have been a double gain to« p$ them* Is it riot better have a glorious j reward for dying than die for nothing. 4. It is no (mail benefit to be called ^j out to the exercife of that, which every one muft refolve on , and be prepared for 5 that will be faved : that we may not ^be deceived , but know by experience, whether we are fincere or not: What e- ver worldly Hypocrites think, Chrift was *s in good earnefVj when he faid, He that ^ A fcrjaketb not all that he hath , even life it felf^ cannot be his (^fincere) Uijcifle, Luke «* 14. 26,30,33. Holynefs here and Hca- . ven hereafter is that which Chrift came ^ to procure for his own, and that which*** — all muft choofe and truft to as their hope wand portion, that will be his : World- lings never make this choice, but being doubtful of the Life to come, prefer the prefent profperity of the fltih, and will . be religious onely in fufcordination there- to, and hope for heaven ( if there be a* ny life to come ) but as a referve and fe-- cond good, becauie they carinot. keep the g world 5 which they will not lofe for the %rhope of heaven, a* long as they can keep it y but will rather vulture their Souls than cm than their bodies : This being the true u difference between the faithful and the worldly hypocrite, all that will be faved muftbe fuch as would let go life, and all the world, rather than by wilful fin to forfeit their Salvation, if they were cal- led to it > Tho all be not a&ually put upon the tryal, and feeing it is foeafie ,for a profperous Man to profefs Chrifli- anity with a worldy mind , and fay that | He would rather die than wilfully (in , be- ing in hope that he dial) never be put to v it, it is a great advantage to our affur* V r ance of Salvation , to find that we can iuifcr in a time of tryal, and fo that our resolution was not faife *, for fo far as My Man loveth the world , the love of *^ the Father is not in him : The heat of Perfccution wifhereth the Corn that groweth on the Rocks: They are offend-^ edandgo forrowrul away, becaule they \ cannot make fure both of Earth and Heaven. And as the Faithful have the fulle.it proof of their fincerity in the ff 1 greateft fufferings , r:o wonder if they have the greateft comfort : No reafon- 1 ing willfo fully anfwerall their fears and "doubts j whether they are fincere , and fhould not {or fake Chrift in fuffer ing* * 5. Be- (86) • 5. Believers (hould much more pity their Perfecuters than themfe'ves : If a mad Man in Bedlam fhould Spit in your face^ would you have your action againft him, or would you not be forry for him ? Th:y ae preparing fuel for themfelves win Hell, while they, make a Purgatory for you on Earth : O think who it is that ruieth them, and how he will reward them, and how dear they will pay for this for ever without Converfion > and pray £' God to have mercy on them in time. If ^/the Righteous be fcarcely £aved', and mull fuffer before they Reign , where ihall the ungqdly and finner appear? It is a Righteous thing with God to re- ** compence Tribulation to them that trouble you, and to ycu that are troubled c-Reft with Chrift- a tkfi u 6 % 7. Do wbut believe that dreadful reckoning of their day thats coming, when in vai-n they will wi(h the Hills to cover them,' a^d (hall receive acccording to their ^ works, and then you will 'rather weep ovet their forefeen mifery r than make too great a matter of your (uffcring by them. They know nothing bur prefent things like beads , but you fore^know wthe things to come : As God beareth with (37) 2with them , becaufe he knoweth that i their day is coming. 6. And remember that if you fuffcr Aox Chritt and Righteoufnefs, the wrong y ; is much more to him than to you : And he will judge them that do but negledt vfiis Servants , much more that perfe- cute them, as doin.^ it all againfl hinv I felf : And the caufe and inte rert being i lY.uchm ore his than yours, "calT it upo n ,.Jiim," ariH'truft him with his own cauTe ? w /W ho is to be trufted if he be not ? And | w hen is he to be t tultedffffi nofwhen 'we (uTIct tor him ? An honeft Matter i would bear out his Servant who fuflfer- eth tor obeying him 5 and will not Chrift ?(j£ Do you think that Chrift will be too flow, 5() |* or deal too gently in his revenge? Sure you would *wi(h no greater puniflarnent to ^Perfecuters than he hath threatened. It were better a Milfcone were hanged a- bout their neck , and they caft into the § Sea, who offend but his little ones ? On whom this ftone falls it will grind him to powder. 9 7. The promifes made to them that patidntly fuffcr far well doing, are fo ma- ny and great that I will nor recite them, fuppofing you cannot be ignorant ot them* And (.88) And clo you not believe the word ol w Chrift ? He hath bound himfelf to fave ^-you harmlefs , and to be with you in your fufferings , and never to fail you* v-r.or forfake you > and to give you for all that you lofe for liim an hundred fold (in valued in this world, and in the world to ^come Eternal life: If we trufl thefe promi- fcs undoubtedly our patience and choice will (hewn : He thatisotferd a Lordlhip in a Foreign Land, if he will leave his Native Land and friends where he liveth in Poverty b^^rifon, it he truftthe pro- miferwill leave all and go withhiin:But if he dare not venture, he doth not truft h>m. <* t 8. Do you fuffer any thing but what (j^Chriit foretold you of? Did. he not tell /you that you muft fit down and count*- what it will coftyou to be a Chriftian be- fore you undertook it? Did he not tell . you that you (hall be hated of the w world, becaufe you are not of the world > yeahattdof all (worldly) Men for hisv Name fake? And 'did you not profefs to take him and his Salvation on thefe •*• terms ? And to content to his conditi-* ons? If you thought them too hard you might have refufed them. What Hy- pocrites are they that filence Cjirifls Mi- niilers {*9 J nifters for fcrupling to engage them in Covenant to Chrift at their Baptifm 5 by* the Symbolical tranfiem Image of a Crof^ as obliging them to be the Sol- diers of a Crucified Chrifl, and when they ha ve done, abhor all that in Chrifti* Ianity which will bring the Crofs , and will rather venture on Hell than bear it ?w •Yea will lay the Crofs by Perfection up- " on others Uts true, that it was in your Infancy that this Covenant was made by others for you : But did you not own it at age, when you called your felves Chrifli- " ans? Alas Hypocrifie undoes the vifible Church ; Men mean nothing lefs [than what they vow.? They think that refb- lution for fuffering, or Martyrdome is proper to fbme rare extraordinary Saints,*^ and will not believe that none is a true Chriftian nor can be faved without it > r that is, without preferring Heaven be- - fore Earth, and the Soul before the Bo- I, dy : Take any of thefe worldly Hypo" crites afide , and fcrioufly ask him, (in France or Flanders) how dare you per- fecute the Servants of Chrilt > And they will fay, it is not long of us , we cannot help it j the Law and Magiftrates com- • mand us : We (hall fuffer our felves if we do do not obey tnern, would you think that ^thefe Men did ftand to their Baptifm ? As if, tiiey plainly faid, vshat ever-Chrift faith, rvewill do any thing againl himand his Servants that Mans Law bids us, ra- ther than we mil fuffer our felves : How far are thefe Men from being ready for ^Martyrdome, yea or being Chriftians or **the Servants of Gcd • If you are Chri- ftians you have bound your felves by Covenant to take up the Crofsand fol* low Chrift , tho to the death and to ^chofe rather to (uitlr than wilfully to fin. p. And did not you as Chriftians lift your felves as Soldiers under Chrift, againft the Devil, Flefhand World. .And is he a Soldier indeed that expeð to have no Enemies ? And that murmu- reth becauie he muft come in danger, and fee any Warr ? Did you not know that there is a War throughout all the World, between Chrift and Satan, be- tween the Womans and Serpents Seed, and is hurting and killing any wonder in a War ? Or that he that is born af- ter the ficfh (hould pcrfecute him that is born after the Spirit. jo. What hath a Chriftian to do in this life, but to prepare for a fafe and hap- ( 9* J ^ happy death ? And if you had done this, % you had prepared for Perfecution and^r* Martyrdome it felf. If you are ready to die by fickncft, why not by fire, or fword, or halter, if God will have it fo ? Do^ you not know that mod ficknefTes do by their length put the body to more pain than ordinary Martyrdome, -before they'* kill Men > How ealie a Death is hang* ing in comparifon of dying by the Stone in the Bladder , or by the Collick, or many other ficknefltes ? Yea the painful death of burning being foon difpatcht, is little to thefci And fure a Fine, or Prifoa, or Poverty is yet lefs then any of of thefe. O floathful Men ! unfaithful to * ^your felves that have lived fo long un- prepared for death, when you had no- thing elfe to do in the World. Your flying from fuffering by {in, doth fhew that you have negle&ed the great work w of Life, or that that which you lived for is yet undone. You would have been ready to fuifer, if you had been ready to die. And doth this feem flrange to you , <*i| after all your warnings and profeilions ? ii. Have you a due eftimateof worldly things ? Are you Crucified to the World, and it to you by the Crofs of Chrift ? Do a* uo you account them as lots and dung i^ for him ? Do you ufe them as if you ufed them not, and poffefs them as if you pof- feft them not? Do you Judge of them as vdeath will teach you to do? If you do, fure you will not count that Perfecution, that taketh them from you, an unfuffer- •rable things nor be impatient to be de- prived of them. 12. Had you rather be in the Cafe of the profperous Perfecuter $ or the Per- secuted Believer ? If the former, you are no true Chriftians ? If the latter, murmur not when you have that which you prefer? Sure a true Martyr at the Stake, or with Daniel in the Lyons Den, would be loth to change flates with Nabuchadnezzzr or Darius. i}* Do you think Chrift loved Stz* pben the firft Martyr, or James the firft Martyred Apoftle, or Peter and Paul that dyed for the Gofpel, lefs than he loved thofe that overlived them and fuffered no fuch thing ? Is not the Crown oi Martyrdome the moft glorious ? Why are /: they (aid to live before the reft a thou* *v-fand years ? Had you not now rather have Stephens place in Heaven thar theirs that fuffered nothing for Chrift i And if it be beft at iaft, is it not moi Eligible now. 14- Ar« (93) 14. Are you afraid of Men ? You have I greater than Man to fear, and greater fif hurt than Man can do you, Lukg 12.4. Fear not them that can kill the Body^ and after that have no more that they can do % % but fear him that can defiroy Soul and body in Hell ? Tea> I fay y unto you fear him. Are you afraid of a Prifon, or death or fire: Fear more Hell fire, and death^e-^ verlafting. When Bilney burnt his finger ^ in the Candle, he remembred that Hell fire was more intolerable. 15* Wherein hath Chrift been more w an Example to you, than in patient and obedient fuffering, even unto death, and to the molt accurfed (hamcful death ? Do you think that he only fuftered to keep us from all fuffering ? Peter faith, it was • to leave us an example 5» and Paul faith that we muft be conformed to him, and ■* per takers of his fufferings : Why elfe doth Chrift call us to bear the Crofs ? And is it not joyful to fee the footfleps ofi^ ,| Chrift in the way we go, and to know Ldiaf we follow him* 16 Sure that isnotaftateof greateft fear and forrows, in which Chrift hath*"" Commanded us to rejoyce with the great- eit joy ; But fo he hath done in the Cafe of C94) of Perfection, Mat. 5, io, 12. Bleffed *>are they that are perfecuted for righteoufnefs fab>, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. *•" R(joyce and be exceeding glad, for great is 4>our reward in heaven, 1 Pet 4,12,13 .Thinly it notftrange concerning the fiery Trial, but rcjoyce, in as much as ye are partakers of Chrijti Sufferings,, that xvhm his glory (hall -be revealed you may be glad alfo with exceed* */ ing joy. Heb. 1 o, 3 4. "they took^ joyfully the fpoilingof their goods knowing that in heaven they had a better and enduring jubjlance. So Heb.x 1. throughout. 17. God hath promifed you that all your fufferings (hall work together for your good, Rom. 8.28. and taught you how to make them your exceeding gain : Pra&ice this art, and you will be more patient, when you find the benefit and' ^feel that you are more than Couquerors. Our Vi&ory is by patient fuflfering: The word men may conquer our Eodies by force, but our Souls are unconquered, and we are conquerors of the temptation and real hurt, while we keep obedient pati«, encc. When its faid of Job, In all this Job finned not,, nor charged Cod foolijhly^ Satan was conquered and miffed his end, while he feemed to prevail upon his fleft. By f. It teacheth us to keep up faith and • ♦hope, as having our eye continually on • •God and on the Heavenly inheritai ce, without which we have nothing to fup- port us. 10. And it allurcth us that there is a day of Judgment in which ^Ghrirt will call over again in Righteouf-^ nefs 3 all the falfe Judgments and actions of (90 of this world : He that maketh all this ufe of Perfection , will have -gain, e* nough to plead for patience. 18. To review this laffcj if you be- K^licvc in Chritf indeed, you do believe that he will come again to Judge the World in Righteoufnefs , and tofct all ftrait that here was made crooked by the falfhood and malignity of Men, And willnotthe forefight of that day refolve * you patiently to fuffer ? Faith may fore- fee how poor blinded Perfecuters will then have their eyes opened , and fee him with terrour whom they Perfecuted C* in his Servants, and how he will filence ^% and condemn, tfiem, with, Depart from me ye Curfed into Fverlafiing fire^ prepared for the Devil and his Angels: Mat. 25. II, 12. and 2.12. If the forethoughts of that day do not quiet or refolve you, alas, you have greater %^ matter of fear and trouble than Perfecu- •* tion , even your own unbelief ; Pray, ^more for faith, than for deliverance from Men. ip. Confider comparatively what Man is that hurteth you , and what God is *^who hath promifed to help you and re- ward you. Man is a worm> blinded and mad (97; mad by the deceit of Satan s They know not what they are doing, againft them- *? felves and God > as well as againtt you; ^ They are all the while going towards the Grave, and their Souls towards thev dreadful bar of God; Their bones and duft are no whit terrible; If God will here have mercy on them, he will make • them know, Who it is that ibey Verfecute , * and how hard a work it is bare foot to ^l c K a g a i- n ft *bt prickj, and make them, as Fax!, themfclves undergo fuch Perfecti- ons tor Chrift, as they madly ufed a^ainft others: They will fay, as ?aul^ I was mad again]} them: And his cafe tells you, that iT the very Captain 6f the Perfecu- ters were but Converted, tho by a voice and Miracle from Heaven, the reft in* ftead of taking it for a Convidtion, woj things which are feen are temporal, but the things which are notfeenare Eter- nal* Wherefore let them that fnffer accor* ding to the Will of God commit the keeping ■ of their Souls to him in well doings as to a faithful Creator, Pet. 4. j$>. CASE VI 1. Oppreffion and inptjlice by Men of wealth and power. jVII. A Nother Cafe that requireth *^- Patience is Oppreffion by Men pf Wealth and Power in the World, and in* juftice of ungodly Governours. Jutfice is fo much due to all Mankind, and in- juftice fo odious, that we are ready to take it the more heynoufly when we can- F 2 not ( ioo ; not have our right, Oppreffing Land- lords raife their Rents to fucha height, that poor Men with the mofl tiring care and labour, can hardly live. Andfome Rich Men do think that their Wills iriuft J w be poor Mens Rule, and that they muli deny them nothing that they Command, as if the poor were flaves, that had no property or benefit of the Law. And worftof all, when in too many Nations on Earth, Rulers are unjuft , and haters ^of jail and upright Men, and either break all bounds of Lawto rum them, orelfe turn the Law it felt againft thera^ and when they juftifie the wicked, and Con- demn the innocent , yea when Piety, an J Honefiy, and ConCcience are made the ~moft intolerable Crimes , and filthinefs ' and fenfuality do pafs for works of one that may be trufted i thefe Cafes call for extraordinary Patience , and it is the more grievous becaufe that Magiftracy is afpecial Ordinance of God , and the Ir mage of his fupereminance and gover- ning power ftiinethin it : And to have Satan get poflfeffion of it, and turn it a- wgainll God himfelf who made it, and make that the Plague and Calamity of Mankind, which was inftituted for order, justice $.(101$ juftice and defence , and the upholding of Goodnefs and fuppreffionof fin, this is a mofl: grievous Cafe. The fame I fay of cruel Matters Tyranni2ing over their Servants > and wicked Parents opprcf- fing virtue in their Chldrer; Here w Patience is of great rxeceffity. And i. We mult here be very care- ful to difHnguilh between true Power and itsabttfe y and not to think evil of power it felf becaufe it is abufcd- And t^hi.s muii be the more carefully ftudiecf, be*, caufe here practically to diftinguifh is exceeding difficult. For the bcft things * when corrupted are the worft. It is hard ; to love rain and waters in a delude , when it drowneth the Country , Men and Beads ? One that had feen the Fire of London, or \ efterday the burning of \?F To keep rich Men frotiu oppreffing the poor, and the unruly mulv titude from popular rage againft their . Neighbpurs , or Superiors > to keep up «r equity and Jufiice , and to frustrate Treachery, Perjury and frauds in a word, to be Gods Minifters or Officers* for the Common good , and to fee his- Lavvs obeyed by the Subje£s , being themfelves the moft zealous in obeying them, and to be aterrour toBiafphemers, Fornicators, Murderers, Thieves, Op- pre (lours and other Evil doers , and a w praife and defence to them that do well. These are two Cafes which are no bet* terthan ruin to Mankind: That is, to have no Government , and to have utter 'Tyranny, \^hich defigneth the undoing of v the Subje&s, Soulsand Bodies, by forc- ing them to fin againiiGod to their Dam ■ nation fas far as force can do it^ or Commonly to die as Martyrs, and which is iiftd to fubvert the Government of - God, and to fet up wickednek and Will, and to deftroy the Common well fare. And there are two Cafes which are fuch fuch as we muft fubmit to ; One is tfee follerable injujiice^ and oppreflion. of ungodly Rulers, who will kill, and ruin, and per- secute fomc particular innocent men , but yet are for the common peace and •welfare, and do more good by, their Go- vernment than hurt by their abufe ; Thefe muft be patiently indured,-fo far *s the evil cannot lawfully be remedied. The other fort is the defective government of good Rulers, who indeavour thecom- • mon good, and promote Piety, andfup- ♦prefs Sin, but with fuch mixture of fail- ings as follow their perianal imperfecti- ons 5 and with fuch blots as David had in the Cafe of Mepbibofhi'tb and VrLih. } and *as Afa had tint oppreiied man of t; People, and tsiConftantine had in the cafe ' of CtijpisdKid /Jtbanafws, and as Tbeodo- % fins Senior had in the cafe of the ThefTa- ■.lonians, and as Tkeodofins "Junior and A* najlafius had in the cafe of the Eutycbiagt, and as even our King Edward the fixth about the death of the Dukeof £0- merfet^ and he about his Brothers death. Grotins orwneth the old faying, that the names of- all good Kings may be writ- ten vtno annitlo in one ring : I think that is too hard a cenfure. But even thebe/i F 4 are (I0 4 ) are men : And as a Phyficians faults (ho s few, coil the Patient dearer than all their Neighbours faults do : So a Princes faults, tho he be extraordinary good, may coft a Kingdom dearer than the faults of chou- fandselfe. Yet thefehoneft Princes are fo great bleffings to the World, and fo rare, that it is a happy Nation, that hath no worfe, and mult be very thankful for •<- them. But there is a fifth fort imaginable in Eutopic and thofc men of fo per fed: wif- dom and goodnefs, as that all their Go- vernment is jufi. Short of Heaven, there is little or no hope of this, unlefs there be a golden Age to come, or fuch a Reign AL of Chrift for a thoufand years as fome de* y"fcribc, which is but the reign of wifdom, • juftice, piety, and love. But when God * hath (ome great bleffing for a Land he ufeth to railif up Rulers better than the tiix ol the Nations have •> and when fin«^ prcvokethhim he removeth them quick- ly from an unworthy Land , as he d d 'jofuh, and our King Edivzrd the fixth, and Jovian in the Roman Empire : yea, fometimes a wicked people and Clergy prevail againft a godly King, as they did zgSilnR LudivicHS Fins in France. 2. Eecaufe 2, Becaufe bad Rulers are a great Na- tional Judgment", it calleth a Land to fearch after and repent of National fins > ^ for it is for fuch that this Calamity ufually cometh : When Gildas defcribeth the horrid wickednefs of the Erittifh Kings, he defcribeth the great wick-* edneft of the Clergy and people as the ( 'deferving caufe. And no v/onder when in the day:s of Htzeklab and Jofiab y tho the Kings were excellently good 3 yet"" /the unreformed obftinate Clergy and people fo provoked God that he would ^ not fpare them, but caft them off, into Captivity and ruin. But ufually God gracificih their pernicious defires , and givcth them fuch bad Kings as they would have, as he did Saul , Jerehoam &c. and permits people to plcafethan- fdves to death. 3. Take heed that felfiflincG* and er- rour ca:fe you not to judge worfe oi Governours than they arc, anJ to take juft reilraint or punifnment for opprcfc lion, and to think all umuft rl if* + pleating to you. This errour is Com- mon to the felfifli, partial fort cf ' Men 3 that Judge Men and actions by fell in*-*' tcrcft. J 5 4. Take K l0 ° J 4. Take heed lead overmuch love to your Eftatesor Liberties make fomein- m juiiice and injuries done you, by Rich Men or Rulers, to feem much greater than they are * and it be your vice that ren- ejereth them unfufferable. Thefe things being avoided , bear your oppreffions with thefe confkkra- tions, !• Gcd permittethit for your fin, or ^for your trya! ; Therefore be humbled under it as Gods hand, and bear kobe- w « diently till he deliver you, 2. If wealth and power be fo lyable to make Men Gppreffors 5 do not you de- vfire them, but thank God for a faftfS ftation, and bear that which keeps, you from it, 3. The fin of. oppreffipn is a far grea- ter evil than the filtering of the opprefr wfed: Therefore rather pity them as mi- ~ ferable, than your felves. 4 Confider how much more many. Millions have fuftered by Oppreffions, vthan ever you did or are like to do. How many thoufands were killed and " ruined by Alexander? How many thou* fends by Julius. Ga far* How many thou-- fan.ds in many Romtn Civil . Wans * under. C 107) under^ Anthony^ Marias •> Scylla^ Sejanns* 6cc, Mow many Churches corrupted ancP Perfecuted by Conftaniuts , Valens a Gen* f ericas , Hunnericlms V &c. What a MuJ- tirade did Jujiinhn Murder in Eg)^ ir££ 'blind zeal for Chrift ? How few Ages have£ cfca.ped the guilt of innocent blood ? How many thoufandsdid the Popes caufe flay in the Paleftine Wars , and in the Italian frequent Wars, and the Rebellions a- gainft the Emperours , Frederick^ , Hen* \i ries, &c. How many thoufand Chritti- ans called Albigenjus , TFaldenfies^ and Bohemians did they Murder ? How ma* ny deftroyed in Piedmont^ Rbetia^ and Germany ? How many thouiands Mur- dered at once in France^ and oft beiid-es ?" What dreadful work hath the Inquifi- tion made in Flanders ^ Holland^ Spain^ and Italy ? What a dreadful cafe was Ire* land in , when two hundred thoufand Proteftants were Murdered^ and thoufands- * more itript and utterly undone ?• Q^een , Maries Bonehres were Ihirper than wev have yet felt h while Satan in all ages filleththe World with Wars and blood, a little tolkrablt oppreffioiv by Land" lord# or inferior Rulers fhould' not be >- oyer, tenderly, and impatiently con- * pUincdi (io8J) by Tenants Servants plained of * any other?. 5. Innocency is a found and heah fpl iiare, and can bear much/ Feter bi i. Servants be patient wh£n the^ fuffer u * defervedly > but its not thanks-wort to be patient when they are beaten i their faults. Peace of Confcience ma - cth all found within i and then a M may bear the more ealily all that bc'f leth him from without: When he c fay, it is not for my fins he may cot Nfortably commit his caufe to God. 6. Whoever oppxeffeth you, God w never do you wrong, and it is his han wthat your great concerns are In : He w life you with merciful Jullice , yea ai deliver you from all the oppreflions Men. He fuffereth men of the world to oj prefs the juft, that they may be driven 'P.'him by Prayer- and Faith} and may I '/raved from damning worldly love, ai « f GoJ may have the glory of their deliv ranee. Hew great a partoi the Pfalr arc written upon theoccafion of oppre fions, plots, and cruelties of wicked nemies % And what abundance of pf#ni ^fes of deliverance from fuch , are r cordc (\Q9) corded in the facred Scriptures. 7. Patience and Faith area thoufand .'times better than money ,or liberty, or a- ny thing that oppreffors can take from you : Do you but take the advantage of oppreffion toexercife thefe, andallis tur-*' ned to your exceeding gain. I - 8. In rhis alfo nothing befalleth you, ~* '/jbut what Chrift foretold you of, and taught you in what manner to bear. The profperity, power, and oppreflioirof the wicked, had alraoft fturo bled David him- felf, till he went into the Houfe of God, w and underftood their end ; They are •Oike Gallants fporting and feafting ina^ fumptuous houfe, which is to be blown upor fet on fire b-foie the frolick is well ended, and then who Will be found a* j mong them ? He will chink himfelf I happy that can fay, Irvas none of them : Yea in judgment how feiri would they asPihie, walh their hand from innocent blood ?. And eveft 6i omiffions, much ittiore b( ■Oppreffrins f , fiy^j Lord, rrhen 1 fan? rve thee ri'ci try. walg'J, in Prifin, &c« Qui pnitur vlziu CKHh hJth forerold 'you or all th s. an >ii to Love%/ your En • that curfe you, and p>ra ; (or them that hate and per- fecute (no) iecute you, arid turn the other cheek to him thatftriketh you, and go two Miles with him. that Gommandeth vou to go^ one, and give him your Coat that fueth you for another-Garaient: That is, ra- , ther fuffer than feek private revenge ,v yea.or (eck to -right your felves, when it Wwiil do more hurt to the Souis of others by fcandai or alienation or exafperatio3,-V than it will do good. Righting ones f If againfi injuries, e* " fpecially of powerful opprciTions, will ji coil one more than patient putiug up all 'will do : As I went along the iireet a ^.Tory in Latin reviled me, and itruck me^ on the head with his ilaff ; I took little f • noticeof him, ahdwentonmy way and j the hurt was fmall : I faw another iirick^ en and he iiroke again , and it raifed a tumult, and he and others were fordy t hurt, and went to Law after for re- paration. He that cannot bear one blow, mud bear many: And he that cannot bear to be eppreffcel in his EMate, perhaps may lofe his liberty or life ; We live in a, *,World or wicked Men '•> and the wicked will do wickedly: And two Rogues by. Injury may take away the lives of thj*/* moil; Cm) tnoft innocent and excellent Members of the Common-wealth or City ? And what Conference make fuch wretches ofv a malicious Oath, that ufe to adorn their Sentences with [God damn me ~] and / with direful Oaths ? Is not your oppreffion a reproof for your unthankfulnefs, that God by won- j derful retfraint , hath faved your lives w from perjury and oppreffion fo long? •Is it not a wonder of Providence that per- jury hath Murdered no more ? Yea that itill Popery made it fe em needful to their ends, few in many years did ever fjffer j by it: Isicnofa wonder that^the wor- • thidt Men both Lay and Clergy, are not utterly dellroyed, as to liberty and life, when two or three Aeheills, Infidels, ;Papiits> exafperated villains, may fwear * .them to the Goal or the Gallows almoft^ when they will ? Yea, when even lValJh> the Papift Prieft, out oSKeting tells you that his Irifli men, have in all Ages lived i in continual war^. and murdering one a- ! iioth^r on the lighteft caufes, yet if Irifl* Fapifts will come hither out ot their own j Land , and let up the trade of fwearing y- •Men to death, I know no remedy but \ to die in patience. I know fome ( the mofi flI2) moft innocent and worthy Men that I know J who dare not let Grangers ipeak •'with them , leaft they fhould Swear Treafon again ft them : For my own part before my weaknefs confined me to iifly Chamber, I long confined my felf to my Houfe. , and refufed to fpcak with r w unknown perfons (to my grief forced to rejcdl the prefence of Foreigners that came in want on begging) kail they fliould he Men that would Swear me to the Gallows, if they cduld but fay that once they fpeak with me or law me :% And as the world now gO;th if we efcape with our Lives by fuch avoiding human convferfe with unknown perfons (as vve fly from Wolvesaxid Serpents) we (hall cfieem it a very great protcftion by the ^Providence of the all Ruling God. I doubt not but ("while I am (imply ac- cufed by feme for coming too near the Papifts and Conforming ) there arc no fmali number o* them, wboi> Faces I ne- ver faw 5 nor ever had any . thing.ro do v, ith, who would tforitf im t i y fweat fome Capital Crime r but c the lead advantage ot Spe-echor ?rcfcnce, to make it feeni but apoiTibli ^nly becaufe I am accounted an Adve-iiary ^o ikir (US) heir fide and Opinion in Religion. And why fhould all this feem Itrange^ >r intollerable to us ? When Chrift doth o often tell us, that Rich Menareufu- llly the worft, and that he fent out his \poftles as Lambs among Wolves ? And .vhen we know how Chrift, and his A- (£ softies were ufed by the Rulers and <- Teachers, of the People h yea and ( hrifti- ms after them in moft ages to this day. p. Confider how great the Temptati- ons are, of Men that are in power, wealth "and pleafure* and then you will pity** them and pray for them ; Who knoweth what you would have done your {elves if you had their Temptations? They have a ftronger worldly intereft to tempt them*^ againfi that Law of Chrift, which calls them another way, than other Men have. They have more full and conflant /provi- sion for all the defiresof "thefldh : They are more than any otlier Men , affaulted**- by fubtile defigning feducers, who have their worldly ends fonCburch-pretcnces ufually J) to attain by their fedudtion : They are more in danger of the infedH- ous breath of flatterers, and the falfe ac- .cufersof Godlinefs and ^ood Men than an< others; Theyute to be deprived of the ("4) % the Common needful benefit to Mankind, *^of faithful and plain dealing Friends and Monitors , and truth is ufually kept far from, them, and out of fuch a hearing as if needful ior Conviction. And to live continually under fuch dangerous Temp-., ^ tations, needeth more than Mm for their J^prefervation, from deceit, and 'fin, and the ruin of themfelves and hurt of others. 10. Our obedience to God' were far from a tryed praife worthy degree, if it coft us little or nothing ; And doubtlefs £L:Chrift will bear all your charges Oh /what an excellent Servant is that ,. who will chearfully do all his duty, toatiun- juft and - ahufive Matter"? What an ex- cellent Child is that, who ufeth all due ' Reverence, Obedience, Love and Patience, i to a froward, harfti, yea and a Malignant Father, Not difobeying God, nor haz- arding his Soul by wilful fin,or forfaking v-Godlinefs, and yet jpot dishonouring his Parents, or difobeying them in any law- ful 'thing. What an excellent Wife is that who constantly and patiently performeth all loving and cheerful duty, to an abu- five, furious , drunken , prophane, Ma- lignant Husband; This requireth abun-« dance more grace,than to live in cheerful r ii5 J> love and duty to a Godly, tender> lovingw Husband. The former fort is called, more acceptable to God* and the latter fort«* of duty, is no glory, i Pet. 2. 20. To fufler for fia, is indeed a bitter fuffering,**' even for that which h worfe than fuffer- ing : 1 Pet. 3.17,18. It is better if the Wtllof God be fo, that we fujfer fir well- doing than for evil doing : For Cbrifl alfo hath once fujfered for fins tJ the ju(i for the mjuji > 1 Pet. 2. 11.^12. For hereunto were yea called, becaufe Cbrijt alfo fujfered / for us , leaving us an cxamph* that ye jhould *r follow his fieps who did no fin? neither wm guile found in bis mouth : Who when he tvas reviled 5 reviled 'not again 5 when he fu^ered he threat ned not^ but committed all" to him that Judgeth right eoufly. O fol- low this excellent example : There lyeth more oi Ghriitianity in learning of Chrift ~to fuffer from foolifti wicked Men, than mofr will think of. CqL%. 22. Servant r obey in all things, your Majlcrs according to the fiqb ; not with * eye fervice as Menptmfers, but in fmgleimft of heart j fearing Cod'-* an dm) at ever ye do, do it heartily and the Lord and not to Men } 'knowing that of the Lord ye floall receive she reward of the Inheritance* 1 Pet, 2 . 1 8. Not only Cii6) + only to the good and gentle but alfo to the froward: Thefeare the excellent Piecepts «*of Chrifi. It is therefore inconfiderately faid by >r many y (If I had deferved fuch ufege , I could have born it.) As if differing with- out fin were not a lighter burden than, wfmand differing for it. The oppreffor fcurts himfelf an hundred times more than he can hurt you, (if you do no worfe to your felf than he doth) as guilt of opprcilion is as James calls it terribly* a caufe to fuch (to weep and howl for tin miferies that (hall come upon them ? Their Jiiehes are corrupted^and their Gold and Silv.r Canhgred , and the ruji of them (hall eat their flefh asfire^ and they heap up Treafun^ fo^ the lafi dates. The cries of the Poor la- bourers opprefled by them , are entered into the Ears of the Lord => They live in plea fares and wanlonnefs on TLarth % and ■ nourijh their hearts 3 in feajling and fulnefs, and condemn and k^ll the jufi, rvho refiji +*ihem' not. Be patient therefore Bretheren to the coming of the Lord, Jam. 5. Luk. 18, God -will Jpeedily avenge his elect that cry tj him^ tho new he delay. <~— li CASE VIII. Super lours fuffmngs by bad Children, Sef * vantfy Tenants, or Sttbjetfs* VIII. A Nother Cafe, that needethPa- JLm tience, is the fuffering of Su- periors by bad Children and Servants, Tenaitts/Traclfrnei^and others,whom th(y mull ufe and tfuft. Of bad Children I have partly (po&g a before: Natural love maketh this one of the heaviest affiidlions in the ^world : When Parents have been at all that differing 5 care, labour, and coft, which go to the bringing of Children in- to the world, and bringing them up from the breads to raaturity,and teaching them j their duty to God and Man, and prepa* ringtheqi to be ufeful totbemfelves and ^ 1 others, that after all this they fhould ; prove bruitilh flelhly Sots, that are ilaves to their bellies, and wallow in the fink of filthy luft, and favour nothing but pride and flelhly pleafure , and the belief of Gods word hath no power to change them , yea perhaps prove haters of (er> j^-ous holinefs, and enemies of Good men, and plagues to their Country v and bgfa sgainft the only means of their own fn8) own and other mens Salvation. Oh, what a heart breaking affliction is this ?% • Yea , when in Cafe of the moft un- godly error, or fwinifh appetite and luft, ^thecounfel, the tears, .the prayers of Pa* rents cannot move them, to any true re- pentance or reformation ; I confefs , I that nevdr had a Child* am no fit Judge of the heavynefsof this Crofs* I have written my thoughts to fuch miferable youths, and partly to Parents, in a fmall Book, called Companionate Conn* fit to Tomgctnm : I he*e briefly adde, i. In this fad Cafe, make not light of \Xy or as ungodly Parents do , that are troubled more for their Childrens wafte- fulnefs and want than for their Souls >* And yet be not over much caft down ; .y -Nef kd no means ( prayer, counfel,com- i.jfijttfi&c*) which may tend to their re- covery, while there is any 'hope ? Andi efp daily look back -(not with defpair, tint J with true repentance upon your %rO\vn fins of youth againft God, your Pa- rent?, and your {elves. And then exa- mine, whether you have dealt withChri- Oian wifedome and fidelity to have pre- vented their mifery, in their education* ~>Did ^<^wUb ; . love and diligence labour nake th em u nd erltan d the things ot - "rand their Salvat ion ? D id you la- jour to bring it to their hea rts, j hat they night feaTGod and h is jud gements, and know thiTcvil and danger of fjoT Did f you labour to make Religion pleafant to them by (hewing them ihegoodftefs of it, and avoiding harfh averting ttayes ?Did you watch over their wayes ] and keep w them from a cuftome of pieafing their ap- petites over much ? And did you ingage /them in wife and godly Company, and ufe them in religious Exercifes, and keep them from the infectious company of bad licentious youths, efpeeially in places of PJays a-fid Gaming, drinking and kite* snefs, wicked School, or Academics , where temptations are too firongnr flefhly unexperienced youth. If you have failed in thefc duties, and have km your i Children among the vicious, fenf malignant, whether on pretence of lear- j.nitig, Miniftry, Courtfhip, b -r ft i gainful Trades i no wonder, if both they ^ i and you do fufferby it , and if they be plagues to their Country and to you y who have been plagues crnd treacherous ' to them, and fent them as into a Pgft- Houfe, or a Stews, and then are greu :d for their difeafes. m / « Be 2. Be humbled for the vitioufnefs of your own natures, which had the ro'ot'bf . all thefe fins, and conveyed them origi- vnally to your Children. 3. Let it ma ke you the more fenfible, wof the'gfeatneTs of Go3s Mercy^ which hath healed your natures, aad pardoned* your tin, and faved you from that wil- , ful fottiihne'fs and wickednefs, which o-i thers arc given over too^ of which you were in danger. 4. The thoughts of the far greater mi-- wferyof moffc^^fte^world, who lie inl- dolatry, Ini&ehty, wickednefs , or Er- rour, may (ornewhat drown the fenfeof a particular affii&on > As the common plague in London did overcome thefenfe of the lofs of our own friends h and the Common fire overcame the fenfeof the lofs of our Houfes. 5. Yet while there is life there is hope : 1 G id hath wales eoaw to humble and br ak the itiri'eft and the heardeii heart : 1£ Therefore pray for them and warn them /to the lath 6> Grace maketli all Chrifis Members wdear to us as well as oar own Hindered ; Chrifi himfelfanfwered when they men- tioned his Mother and Eretheren , that they they that heard Gods word and kept it were his Mather, Sifters and Bretheren; And when one faid, Blejfed is the Womb that bare thee, he hid* 'yea rather, blejfed are they that hear the word of God^ and do * it. Therefore rejoyce in the welfare of all the Children of God in Heaven and ' on Earth, who will be as dear to you, a$ your dwn Childi en. 7. Submit to Gods abfolute Domini- on who'lfcft knoweth what to do with his own, and nevex did wrong to any^ nor can do, and will fatisfie'all at lafl of the Wifdom and goodpefs of all hisdif- penfations. II. Bad Servants alfo are to Tome an exercife of Patience, fome will not learn nor be reformed , but hate good- nefs and live wickedly : Some in Drunkenneis, Filthynefs, Gaming, and Play-houfes : Some deceive and rob their Mafters > fome are Eye Servants and Slothful,, and make no Confcicnce of any fault or negled which they can but hide, or excufe with lying : Some burn their Mafters Houfes> or undo them, or at leaft much damage them by heedleflnefs, Y careleffnefs,and forgetfulnefs \ and the beft oft times prove very coftly by fuch neg- k&s. G In (121) In all thefe Cafes i. Repent ot all your negte&s of them; If you have not diligently taught them the principles of Religion ? which fhould have made them abetter, or if you have not ferioufly en- deavoured their true Converfion and w Salification , and bringing Heavenly things to their hearts, which would have kept out the Love of fin > or if yqu*have j not taught them a CoqfcionaUgJfflfe, by va cartful example of it in ydffr felves > -be humbled, and acknowledge the juft- nefs of your Corre&ion, and bear as the fruit of your own fin. 2. Be (lire that the fin and mifery of your Servants be more grievous to you,^ , i^than your own lofs and differing by them : It is but temporal things that you lofe. 3. Remember what unprofitable and I +, unfaithful Servants we have been to God,- J and how* much more he daily beareth with*! in us all. 4> Remember that the frailty of Man | isfuch, that nothing will be done per- j le&ly which imperfect perlbnsdo : The , vwifeftand beft arc lyable to many over- lights, forgetfulnefs, and omiffions, and have much which mull be born with. 5« Be 5. Eethc more careful that you fail not in any of the duty which you owe w to them or any others : For our own fin + hurts us more than theirs. III. What I fay of Servants," may ferve as to the Cafe of bad Tenants who will not pay their Rents: And bad Traxlel- men that unconfcionably borrow and breaJk, and live on other Mens Eiutes and riuije others by their falfeneG\ God will permit Mans badnefs to (hew it fdf i and he will have all worldly things ap» b^peartobe tranfitory, uniatisfadory, and accompanied with vexation. IV, As to the patience neceffar Princes and Magistrates to bad provok- ing Subjects, I am not to meddle withi being difcharged by Rulers from being i ji Moniter to them. \ V CASE IX. Falfe accusation , defamations » duty r,i odious crimes '•> reputation ruined. ! IX. A NotherCafe t'oat needed -£** enceis, Falfe ncmfnon, def j t iofa and taking away our go-id name \ \ innocent Mm a^e Proclaimed to be •? odious Crimes^ which they dzteft fa\ G 2 thai 1 C 124; than their accufers do : Tea when themofc 4 Confcionable Men^ that moji fear all fin, art* defamed by their Teachers themfelves , as well as by the brutijb Rabble, to be theworft Men in th& Land, unfit for human converfe. cr to be Members of any Society, and un worthy to live, at leaji out of Goals. Sin is fo much worfe than Poverty, or any bodily fuffering, that the imputation of *it unjuftly feemeth a greater tryal , than to be taken for a Beggar, or Lfper/ But the great tryal is , when Godly Magi-*" Urates or Minifiers of Chrift are taken.* for Rogues, Traytors, Schifmaticks, un- confcionable villaines, by which their endeavours for the Souls of Men are ren- dered ufelefsj And worft of all, when a m Malignant generation (hall make the ge- nerality of Men fearing God, and living Religioufly , to be taken for the molt wicked dangerous Hypocrites in the land. By this young and unexperien- ced perfons, and the ignorant Multitude, are brought to a contempt or hatred of* ^nferious practical Religion, and made the Enemies of their bed friends, and of the means of their own Salvation. 1. In this fad cafe^ we muft not on pretence of patience, and contempt of ho* (i2 5 J f honour, beinfenfible of tfie fnarcs that are laic! by Satan to deceive the multi- tude, and undo Souls '■> nor of the hey- nous wrong thats done to Chrift, arnd^ the Chriftian Religion and Name: Yea *~ this horrid Crime when it is common^ dothfo much threaten the deftruftionof aLand, and the removal of the Gofpel, thatitfhould make us^ll mourn and ear- r neftly pray, that God would not leave fo bad a people, that fay, Depart from us\ rve rvoxld not the knowledge of thy waies* What wonder if Chriit give up that w Land to darknefs and deceit, and Satan, and take away his Gofpel , when the practice of it is made a common (com, and taken for an intollerable evil.* ^ When Gods peeuliar peeople were deli- vered into Captivity, thereafonis given 2 Chron. 3<5. 14. All the Chief of the Priefls and the -people tranfgrejfed very much y and the Lordfent his Mejfenger^hecaufe he had U companion on his people, and his dwelling places ? But they mocked the Mejfengers of Gody and defpifed his words , and mifufed his Prophets , till the Wrath of the Lord « arofe againfl his people^ and there was no remedy Jer. 5-5. I will get me to the great bihn^ and fpeal^ to them\ for they have G 3 tylQXPB. (126) - fyown the way of the Lord. But thefe have altogether broken the yoke , and burft the bonds : Thefore a Lyon (hall flay . ,them, &ce When Chrift and hisApoftles were wtaken for intolerable , God would tol- lerate the Nation no longer, but gave them up to the cruelleft deftru&ion that ' hathbeenheardofin the world, and the remnants of them are fcattered, curfed : people in all Countries to this day. When they cryed oi (uch z$ Paul, Away m with fitch a fellow from the Earth, it is not ft thai he Jhould live > God concluded , Away with finch a wicked Nation , ficatter them as curfed over the Earth. They that % and things ov:rloved that undo the Soul # %j Prake is the ufual fuel of Pride, and Pride the ready way to mine ; But difpraife calleth us to examine and Judge our fe!ves y and is a help to Humiliation* And tho praife be due to all that i^ood, and other .Men owe it to wife and good Men > yet the wifeft and beft are foapt to* be tickled and pleafed with it, that they feldom efcape fome degree of proud in- *" fedtion by it. 5. It is Gods Judgment to which we ftindor fall; If he c-1-1 us his Children it is a fmall matter what Men call ua :. G 5 If C 130 J) If he juflificth us, who is fie that fhall condemn us* A sPaul faith, It is a [mall matter to me to be Judged of Man , or at Mans bar or day \ I have one that Judg- %,etb me^ even the Lord, 1 Cor. 4. 3. What Man can make a great matter , what «j Men think or fay of him, who believeth that he muft live or die for ever, as God** fhall Judge him, and not as Mea Judge him. *+% 6, The thoughts and words of Men, do not fo much as touch our skin : If they be let in to our hearts, and made our pain j it is not they but our felves that^ do it. ■* 7. What ki§ d of Men be they that /lander, reproach and (corn Men for ^their duty to God -or Man ? Is it not rniferable fools* led blindfold towards Hell in Satans Chaines ? And are we not • happy and fafe in Chrifts Juftification ?A And will a Lord or Prince be caft down if a Bedlam fhall revile him, orbecaufe a "Child of (even years old thinks meanly •of him ? How eafily do Learned Men bear the contempt of the unlearned, and it Men bear the obloquy of Beggers ? It is not wife or Godly Men that difho- fcr being wife and Godly, but only but only the ignortnt and ungodly that fpeakagainlt that which they never knew. 8, It it be for your obedience to God, % fhe reproach is more againft him than you • It was he and not you that made- *-the Law which you obey. He that ac- enfeth any one tor obeying his Father, i MiUcror Prince, doth moii accufe them ' that Commanded him. If it be a fault and didionour to mind Heaven above • Earth, and to obey God and his word, before Man , it is long of God that fo-' Commanded us, and not of us: And if * , they accufe God, be fare he is fufficient wto confute them, and to defend himfelfy he will flop the mouths of all Blafphemers, and you may boldly truft him if you (u< w for him, and yourcaufe be his- A bark^ . tog Dog may fooner (top the courfe of the +- Sun, than a Blafphemer conquer God- p, Yea 3 it is one of the greatefi Honour ^ in the World to be difhonoured for God . You arc deeplyeft engaged for his caufe-, l and he for you : You are principal Soldi- ers in his Army ? for fuffenng is vVi&oryof the Soldiers ofChrift". KGbds Name,and caufe,and intereft,and promife % cannot put Honour on you, nothing can. 10. The. • ( 13* ) io. The reproacher more dlhonour* eth himfelf than you: It is a dlfhonour indeed to be a falfe accufer and {tender- er, but none to be a patient futferer. ** ^ ii- And thowe be not guilty of that which malicious Lyars accufe us, we are . guilty of many other fins, which God ^may correct us for by their tongues. i 2. Chrift went before us in this kind of fuffering. He made himfelf of no Re* putation , but endured the Crofs , defpfmg ~tbe jbimeh He endured the contradiction of mfmntrs aguinji himfelf, Heb. 12, 2. &t. He that came into the World to deftroy the works of the Devil, and to fave Men from fin, was faid to be a finner and to ve a Devil, and to do his Miracles by the Devils help: They accufedhimtobe a Glutton and a Wine-bibber , and a Sabbath-breaker, and a Familiar with Publicans and Sinners, and a defpifer of Traditions, and Ceremonies, and Church Government , and an Ufurper , and a Tray tor againft Ce/ir, and a Blafphcmer againft God i and thatit might be believ- ed,' Crucified him as fuch betweea Male- factors, asworfe than Barabbas a Mur- derer, and foftened his Accufation on his Crofs, and to this day they call him a de- ceiver* reiver. And his Apoftles were accord- ingly accufed i> f aul was called a Peftilent fellow, a mover of Edition, that taught Men againfl Ctfar and the Law , and -> turned the World upiide down, not wor- thy to live upon the Earth. The Apoftles were made a gazing flock, the fcornof Men , the filth and off fcouring of all things. And did we notrefolve to fol- *" low Chrift and them, and to bear this 'Crofs. 13. But O whata joyful fupport to us v rfhould it be , to fore fee by faith the ^approaching day, when all this will be fct right, and Godlinefs will be a diftion- our no more 5 when Chriii will come to(ff be glorifiyed in his Saints, and admired w in all them that now believe? 2 Tbef. 1. ^io,ii. And when thefe accafers and flinders will all belilenced, confuted and confouned : And fin will be an everlafting w .fhame. O what a change will that day make: Then who will have the Honour * *and Glory, and who will be caftout as the dung? ■ Objedt. But odious lies are divulged , Printed, tnd believed of me , and jirangers and fojierity will not know but all it vtuu Anfw, re 134) 9 Anfw. And what if it be fo I It touch* ethyou not now s aad neither your bo- dy in the grave will feel it, nor your ^Soulin Heaven. Ee patient Bretherea to the coming of our Lord, -Jam. 5. Lies and falfe Hiitory are the Devils way by I which he deceiveth m6lt of the World : Its little thought by the Readers how ' much Hiflory is falfe. 7ur\s and Hea- thens think odioufly of Christians :? and Papiftsof Protectants, and by Mul titan of lies cherifh hatred and b u!tf-|1 nefs in their 'followers. Pity trs % * alas ic is they that are the fuifeurs, that ¥ by this are hardened in Mortal fin. O -^what a bleffed day is at hand, when all thefe flauderers will change their tune , and God will openly Juliifk his Ser-^ vants* And in the mean time the wicked ; will believe the Father of Lies, and we can- not help it: But the taitqtul honour, up-^ right Men notthelefs^but -the more for calumnies which they endure 5 and had » they not been prone to over honour them,, holy daies and Relicts had not beenufed as they are. Let it be your care to give the lyersno occafion by your fin* and, then mourn* for for the fuccefs of Satan, but joyfully wait %/ for the Judgment of God. CASE X, Vexatious (trong Tempt at ions, of Satan , e » fpecially to Mdancholly perfons. ^ ANother Cafe that needeth Patience is , Molejling ftrong Temptations of 'Satan, efpecially to af/HSed, fad difcontenttd^ and Mclancholly perfons* As to alluring ! Temptations to finful Love and pleafure, -it is abhorrence and watchfulnefs 5 and ©* fear that are more neceffary than patience. -But vexing Temptations 5 which would draw Men to murmuring, anger, malice, 'iear, hurtful grief, and fuch other fins, "rnuft be overcome by patience ardwatch- fulnefs conjunct. But bec^ufe againft this I have written a Trcatife of the Cure of Mellancholly and ovprmnch forrnv, and another of the true method of Peace of Con* ' Jcience^ I will here only lay this little fol- lowing. i ♦ God did not thirik meet to keej3 In- nocent Adam and Eve . no nor. Chri/l ^ hircfelf from being tempted. This life is appclnrtd for: Tryal and Conflict in -order co abetter. Not to be tempted , were were not to be Men on Earth > There is no Crown of Glory, but to them that vovercome i and no victory, where there is no fight or ftrife : It is not force but temptations* by which Satan conquereth the world, and which all muft conquer, wthat will be faved. Yea Chrift was tempted to the moil odious crime,to wor* fiiip the Devil. But to be tempted is no ti n of ours : RelHT and conquer an d ic w increafeth our acceptance witaGodTand ( which fome call our merit) our fitnefs w for the reward. It may be an advantage ./ to our own confirmed rooted Faith and'* holiaefs, and to our greater Glory in Hea- v venl 2, Satan is a conquered enemy :Chrift ^ ^our Head was tempted that he might o- w 'vercomehim for us : And as he laid, Be ^ofgoodcmr^ I have overcome the worlds fo we may beleive and rejoyce, that he hath v overcome, the Devil 5 that we might over- come him. He vpxstempted, tbjtbemigbf fuecour tbzm that are tempted^ Heb. 2.18. 3. AH that are in Heaven ( that had 1 the ufeof Reafpn J came thicher by o- wvercorning of temptations caearth. And would you go a way diiferent from them, all? 4. The C*37J 4. The Tempter cannot do what he will, but what God pcrmitteth him > w who hathpromifed to reftrain him, that w 'he may not over power us, 1C0r.1o.13* There hath no Temptation | taken you,* but fuch as a common to man : But God is faithful , who will not fuffer you to be %*- tempted above that ye are able > but will with the Temptation alfo make away to efcape, that he may be able to bear it. 5. God feeth oft-times, that we have need of troubling Temptations to humble us, ^ and to awake us from carnal fecurity, and make us more hate the fin that we are tempted to, 6. But alas/ we commonly are guilty f'of giving the Tempter his advantage a-*. I gainft us : We provoke God by fin to ^ turn him loofe upon us 5 and we give T him entertainment by long parleys with him, and by thinking over all that he hath ! againft us , and leaving our imaginations \ open to his accefs, and oft alfo our eyes and ears to feed them. In th'cfe cafes "true Repentance is needful to our deli* verance from temptations : Yea and out own miftakes, corruptions , difcontents, 'impatience , and linfui paffions are the very ilrength oftheTemDter,and hefind- eth «h within us, the fire which he blow- - ethup: In this Cafe, the Cure mufl b* - moftly wrought upon our fdves. 7' Strong Love and Refolution rejoycr ^to conquer flrcng Temptation* : As Rtond Men love not to be tied to the work ol Children and Women, but would have mch; as exeicifeth their ftrcngth. Ics *^the joy of friendfhip, to undergo much tor a friend : Cant. 8. 7. Love is ftrong as death : Many waters cannot fquench it nor the flouds drown it. If you would give all the fubflance of your Houfe fori Love, it would be utterly .contemned;; Jacob will ferve long and patiently for Love. And when Satan fheweth his ma- lice againfl Chrift and u? , flrong Love S!ma d ° 3S Sam ?fi» and T>avld by the . Phihfhans, go out againfl them in Gods itrength and overcome them. And tho we are weak, Gods grace is fuffident for wus, andhisftrengthis manifefied in weak- ness. 8. Remember who the Tempter is that you may meet his Temptations with hatred and abhorrence. Goddrd in mer- cy put an Emnity againfl Devil* into our Natures, as foon as the Devils Enmity had conquered Man , that fo we might abhor (i$9) >hor whatever we know to be from lem. What if the Devil appeared to 3u in fome ftiape, and perfwaded you*> ^difpair, or to Blafpheme God^ or to ■oubt of the life to come, or to any o- herfin or mifchief? Would it not be fufficient prefervative to know that w t is the Devil that makes the motion. do not think that the prefent forward Servants of the Devil would obey him is they do 5 if they faw him to be the Tempter. If he brought the Cup to the Drunkard in a known Apparition and fhape, fure it would go down with ter- *- ■rour if at all: If he brought a Harlot to the Whoremongers bed , it would cool his Lult; If he appeared and perfwaded the Malignant to hate , deride and per- fecute Men for obeying God, it would furc abate their rage. And why fhculd it not work alike in troubling Temptati- ons , when you know they come from +* him 5 (which the nature and fruit of xhem may make you know. 9. Let Temptations move you to ftudy their confutation ; Know every fnare, and the r^ncdy, God hath furnifhed you •* in Scripture with Armour againft all, if you will nfe it. 10, Long ( 140 ) 10. Long for the blefled day- when the Tempter and Troubler (hall be caft out,, #and never more moleft the faithful Soul, with any motion againft God or conv- fort* CASE xl. Settled doubts of fmcerity and Salvation : temptations to Mfpair. XI. T> U T it is yet a heavier affli<3:ion ? JlJ when a Soul is in a fettled doubt- fulneis of its fincerity, Juftification and . Salvation ; yea and firongly perfvyaded that he hath no grace, nor ever (hall have, and hath little hope left of mercy and Salvation, and the more he examineth and thinks of it, the more he believeth this fad conclufion. For an ungodly Man to know that he is ungodly is the molt hopeful prepara- - tion to his recovery 5 and not fo be fti- fled or made light of, but if it be a fincere per fori, 1. Before I tell you how far Patience is ufcful in this Cafe, I mult tell yoa Nthat on pretence of patience, xh&Cure muft not be negle<3ed,nor contempt or fenfelefT- nefs indulged. Sin is it that bringeth Men into f Hi) into this dark uncomfortable fiate > and it is prefent lin in which it doth confift I ^Search therefore what guilt of former fin was the caufe, and fee that it be truly ^ repented of; And then fearch how much prefent fin dothcherifh it. ^ ilfually there is mufch ignorance in it of the Covenant •©f Grace h and a great defe&ivenefs in our fenfe of the_ infinite Goodnefs of ^ God ^ "'"and of the wondersof hisTove if in Chrift , and of the Ocean of mercy 'continued in the work of Mans Red emp--^ tion : An d thenfi s much unEeHeFor di- ^firu ft of Go~d and our Redeemer, and of *> the promifes of Grace and Salvation > § and too little truit to the (lengthening ^ i and comforting help of the Holy Gholt : And there is too little care to Cure Mens finful fears and paflions \ andfometimes ■ ..to o little care, to forbear renewing the »vvo unds of Confcience by yielding to temptations, and renewing guilt, And~" i where thefe are the CaxiRs, theymuftfirft"^ I be refitted and partly overcome. • 2. And while the Soul fincerely re- ^penteth and ft rjveth againft that fw % (efpeciaTTy diftruirSf GoTand Lhriii) & it mull be confidereel that God giveth Sr not all his Grace at once : Infants are not itiong : (142) firong: Faith, Hope, Love and Com* fort are weak before they are firong » and ufually are long in getting ftrength K ^And weak faith hath alwaies unbelief joyned with it } and every weak grace is clog'd and clouded by its contrary fin. And while Grace is weak and fin thus cloudeth it, it cannot be expe&ed that* «*the Soul fhould have certainty of fin*^. cerity and Salvation » or be free from gri ef, an d fears, and doubting. ButPa- tienf vvaiclng^upoh Chriirin the ule of hi s appo inted means, may intime"5ring 1 ; faith a nd eve ry grace togreateFftrength, ' / and fo "the Soul coTnore affurance. «— 3- A Man that hath not attained to a certainty, of Salvation may yet have ^morecaufeof hope and joy, than of fear and forrow, upon the meer improbabi* lity of his Damnation. I have oft in- flaneed thus : It would torment a good Chriftian, if he believed he (hould evex commit but fuchlins as Vavid, and Peter did (topafsby Solomon) and no Chrifli- 4 an oux s fure-that he lhall not com- mit as great fin: And yet no wife Man T that by GTocfs Grace is refolved againft it, ttould torment himfclf with fuch a* - ' fear > 1TH3) No Wife is certain but (he may hate or forfake her Husband, or he may hate and Murder her i nor any Child but that Father or Mother may Murder it: '.And yet it is fo unlikely, that its folly to be fad with fuch a fear. The Old Fathers, who thought that j. no ordinary Chriftian ( but a few Con* | firmed ones ) can be certain of perfe- v ranee or Salvation., and thofe Luther- ans and Arminims that are of the fame ' mind, did not yet live in terrour for fear*' of Apoftacy and Damnation, but rejoyced ' * in the comfort of probable hope. 1 4. If your fears be whether you are true Chriflians, prefently become fuch,** ^and fo end thofe fears : It may be its too hard for you to know whether you have been fuch till now; But you may-pre- ; fently refolve it for the time to come : Do but underftand the Baptifmal Cove-~" riant, and confent ro it, and that work 1$ done; Prefent confent that is unfeigned is true Chriftianity. If you can fay that now you are truly willing that -Chrift £f* with his Grace and G!ory be yours^ and v you his on his Gofpel terms ., that is , ^your Prieft, Prophet and King;, you are true Chrifli^ps. Your 'C 144) Your concluding that the day of grace is part , and God will never give you grace, nor pardon you, while he hisdaily Entreating you to be reconciled to him, and accept his Grace , is an abufive fuf- ■^pition that God is not fincere, and a con- tradiction to the Tenor of his word and infiituted Miniihy** When he bids us go to the high wayes and hedges, and compel (even the bafeft ) to come ir , for a willing Soul to fufped that Godis^ unwilling is abufivcly to give him the wlie : But if you are unwilling your felves why complain you? Its an odd fight to fee a Begger in the cold intreated to come »in to the fixe, or a Man in. the Sea in- treated to come into the Ship, and he will not come, and yet cry and complain that he (hall never be taken in ■> that is, becaufehe will not. 5. It is a great mercy of God that you v4iave hearts fo far awakened as to be troubled with care and fear of your ever- latting ftate , which you fee the ftupid dreaming World fo little regard; And here <*are two comfortable Evidences appear in moftChriftians in thefe troub!es.Firlt,Your fear of punifhment hereafter fheweth that you have fome belief jof the word" of C r 45 J) of God, for you believe his Threaten - ings : Elfe why do you fear them ? And if you believe that his Threatings arc true, itisfcarce poflible that youlhould ^believe that his promifes are falfe : There- fore your defed is in the Application of ^ thefe promifes to your felf \ and to doubt *of our own faith or fincericy is not to doubt of the truth or word of God, and + is not damtiing unbelief (*ho fome mi- ftakingly have written fo^: Secondly, And you have fo much of the applying a& , as confift eth in conf ent and d efire : * r You would iain have Chrtft, and Cirace, and Glory : And you confent to be his as he confenteth to be yours : Elfe why do your compl aints a nd trou bles fignihc fo / much. And defire fighlfiefli Love andct/- rvillingnefs as really as Joy doth , tho not v fo pleafmgly. So that here is Faith , of Confent or Willingnefs , and Love to that which you mourn for want of: And thofe *re Evidences of Grace. Objed:. But may not a mckid Man be term rijied with the feafof Damnation ? An fiv. Yes: But if this fear were joy- ned with a willingnefs to be a tru^Chrifti- V i an, and to be Juftified, San&ified, and Ruled by Chrift, he ttiould be faved > H Object. 4* Objcdh But may be not be willing of Cbrift. and Holynefs as a means to his Sah vaiicn,iho elf e he bad rather be ungodly and live infm* Anfrv, i. He cannot truly defire SaU^ vatton it felf, as indeed it is Salvation ; Not robe tormented in Hell he may d'e- lire: But Salvation is to be faved: from- %*fin and reparation from God, and to live m pcrfedi HoJynefs, Love and Joy in the Heavenly fockty , praifing Gcd among -'the blellcd for ever; The heart of the "ungodly is againlt this holy life. 2. And \ every Nian hath forne end ; If this be_* rot the End intended by any Man, it'muft be feme iihful pleafure that he muft in- tend or defire : And to mak P erf eft Holy- 1 hefs ( which mortiheth all fuch defires and plcafiiresj to be defired as a Means to attain thofe pleafures ( which it de-- firoyeth) is a contradiction: So that a\ wicked Man cannot truly defire perfect. Holynefs more thanfintul pleafure, nei- ther as Hfe End, nor as the Means thereto* Yet I will not: deny but that while he hateth it, he may confent that God fliould make him holy as a minus malum, a lef*. fer evil than the pains of Hell, which he hateth more. But God hath not pro-w mifed C H7 J mifed to give Men Chrirt and holynefc, *^ becaufc they hate Hell more thanit > and defire it not for it felf. Objed. I fear that this is my Cafe: For I have a great wm>illin but Ihould help us to ftrive^ againft and bear. God will not impute our difeafed m ; fery to us as our damning >* fin. 8. Its one thing to hav£ grace, and a- nother thing to know that we have it: Many have it, who doubt whether it b^ lincere. And its an unfpeakable mercy *- to have it , tho you doubt of it. God knowcth his grace in us , and will own it , when we doubt of it or deny*- it. As long as this foundation of God is fure, that God kpomth who are bis , andwhilewe NameGbviJl we depart fronts H 3 iniquity, ^jmquhy , we are fa fe, th^ through fear 3y^we are uncomfortable. — p» Tho true faith do of its. own nature tend to the peace and quictftefs of the believer, yea and to fill his Soul with yf joy ; yet it doth not alwayes quiet it; djf But it alwayes (Confenteth to the Baptif- S s ?nal Covenant., which mzhgth us Chrijiians Y and fo far trufieth Chrifl for pardon, grace and glory , as to caft our Souls and hopes upon him, and to forfakg all other trufl and hope} rather than to fcrfake him : As I have oft fa id iJf a Priftce fay to a Beggar, go out of thy own Country with me in this Ship, and truft me to convey thee, to Mexico or China, and I will make the a Lord or Prince, if he venture and qo with him. tho 'he trembles with fear at every wave orPirate in the Voyage, he truly trufieth him, and fhall fpeed accordingly : If a Phylician fay^ truji me and take my ■ Medicine ^ and I un- dertake to cure you > if the Patient lake his Medicine, he (hall be cured, tho he trem- ble with fear and doubt of the (uccefs : He Trufteth him ^Practically , it he'eaft his hope upon him , tho with fear. Tho v Faith and Obedience be formally two v things, faith which will caufe us to con- - fent 3 venture 3 and follow or obey Cbri(i >u preferring (150 , preferring Heaven whatever wz lofe by H, is *% J/faving faith, whatever doubts, fears ot ^diiquietment remain. If this were bet-*' ter under/food, tirnerous and dark or Me- lancholly Chritfians, f_who know there wis none but Chrifl to truft to, and there* forerefo've to be Rnled by him) would . ^notio ordinarily think theyhave no true •* Waith, becaufeitdoth'nor caftoutall their doubts and fears an ^ quiet and comfort** them > ivhfch inieed a ltrong faith would do, which is not hindered by errour or I difeafes. 10. We greatly wrong-God and ourw felves in contenting our fclves with poor diminutive thoughts of the effential Love <- v^and Goodnefs of God. When we think - of the Sun C a thoufand times bigger than all the Ea.rtiO and of all the Scars, and the incomprehensible Orbs of the Heavens, and the unconceivable fwiftnefs ot their motions, and the power and ex* tent of their Rayes of Light and emana- tions > we are overwhelmed with the thoughts of the greatnefs , power and ^ wifdome of God : But when we think *of his Goodnefs and Love, we fcarce think much more highly ot it, than of the goodnefs and love of a Father i a friend, H 4 or ; .f'50 # or fome excellent Man. And (hould we match his Power, but with a Mans/ what * madnefs and ugly Blafphcmy were it ? Yet I would not have the prefump- tuous here rniflake, and hence conclude that a God fo good will not condemn the -rejc&ers of his grace* and fay, EJJential ' infinite Love will make all Men as happy* as be can : For i. Experience aflureth us of the contrary i that he rnaketh great variety of Creatures , and permitted} pain and mifery in the world. 2. And the Execution of Juftice on the impeni- tent wicked Subjects ^ is good , as a means to the right Government of free Agents* 3. And the infihitenefs of Gods ^goodnefs and Love , doth not appear iti his Loving any Creature which is finite* but in loving that which is infinite, and ^ that is himfdf. But yet we mull: conceive of his effen* tial attributes as equal in themfelves: And if Gods goodnefs and love were con- ceived of by Mar^ in any proportion to •'his grcatnefs and power, we could never fo eafily fufpedfc his kindnefs, nor fear. that he will damn thofe who unfeignedly* ydciire topleafe him \ nor (hould we fly from him as from a hurtful Enemy , but \ 4 long C'53) ^long to be nearer him in holy Communi- on , as we defire the Company of our wifeft deareit friends >nor fhould we be *fo diltruftful of him, as if he were no fecurity to us from our dangers* but the name of the Lord would be our ftrong*^ Tower, to which when we fly_we fhould believe that we are fare , and our truft *in God would be thequietirigfof ourToi^ * merTting fears and cares. 1 1. And we have thefe poor thoughts mm *of the Love of God to Man, becaufe ^ *we do not fufficiently ftudy the Miracu- lous demonstrations of it in our Re -ft deemer h diverfions caufefus to neglcdtw this ftudy ; And perverfnefs and un- ^belief do caufe us to give it too narrow a Room , and too flight and (hort en- tertainment in our thoughts : Nothing in this world doth better _ defer vc our^- mod diligent and delightful ftudy, than Cthe Gofbel of Chrift, and the . wonder *- ^ful worK of Divin e Lov e in Mans Re- ~ demption and Salvation , ftudy this till w you firmly believe it, ancltaftc it, and it will be as Angels food, a heavenly feaft; here fent down to Earth, to draw Mens ^ hearts to God in Heaven : The Love * of God will turn your very hearts into H S ^returning holy Love: It was drops of /X: Love that Chrift fvveat in the fhape of /blood in his Agony, and it was afiream^ of Love, which flowed from his picrcrd* fidc r in the fhape of blood and water: It is love which the three witnefles on Earth, and the three from Heaven attcit- td. God knew how much. fin had ob- ^fcurcd his Love and gooclncfs to Man,* more than his power and greatnefs, bytf j^> making Man an unmeet receiver and K^difccrner of it 5 by reafon of guilt, fear,# and naughtinefs of heart, and therefore^ how very backward Man is to believe v-and relifh Gods Love* Therefore while Satan more induftrioufly emiceth the Soul of Mm to the Idolatry of Creature- ,, * carnaIL6ve,than ever he did entice the bo- dies of Men to worfnip Baal or fuch like, , God hath fet up his own Image , fent down to Man from .Heaven., in oppofi* lion to Satans Idols, that fen ft it felf may ^ have fuitable means for the Moral con- J quell of the tempter, and the replenifn- wing of the Soul with a truly excellent*' felicitating Love, and in a congrefs of the Love of God and Man 5 in and by him ^ \ that is God and Man, Heaven may be here begun, and may have afulier Com- . m union Ci55> munion with Souls on Earth , than it - Miad before Chriite Incarnation* Study the Gofpel aright, as the book of Divine ** ~Love, and it will turn you from many unprofitable Studies, and cureiinful Me* Lncholly fears* better than allother Me- dicines in the world : And even thofe that faid with 1'bomas , \_unlefs I may fee and fed I will nGt believe for as a he- Divine in deep Melancholly raihly faid to me, [If an Angel from Heaven fhmdd m tell me that I have true grace I would not**' believe him ] would repent as both thefe did 5 and when by faith you have as it were put your dinger into his wounded v iide the fenfe of Divine Love will make \ you cry out. My Lord^ and my God* 12 And it greatly hurtcth Chriftians that they are not duly ienfible* how much it is Satans defirn and work in all his temptations tomifrcprefent God to Man, . »and hide his Love and- Goodnefs froip-us : Ashedothit in the wicked by drawing them to flefhly deluding Love^ andmakv 'ing them ignorant 5 unbelieving or for- getful of the Love of God ■> fo he doth* much againft better Men by railing mi- jb ny obje&ionsagainftit, and filling them with falfe imaginations, and diminutive or ~ or fufpicious thoughts of God, as if he were far more terrible to us than ami*^ able. 13. And it wrongs (bme that they % mifunderftand the office of Confcience, as if it alwayes fpake as an Oracle from God, whereas it is but the a# of a dark understanding, which very ufually erreth, w and misjudgeth of our Itate : And z miftaking Confcience accufing falfly, as I gracelefs, &c, Shall no more condemn ills at Gods Bar, than a {tendering Enemy. r I Judge not my own felf> faith Paul, I \non> nothing by my ftlf finconfiftent with "fincerity ) yet am I not thereby juftified : Ihere is one that judgeth me> even the Lord :■ That is, It mil not really go with me as * W I judge, but as God judgeth. 14, And alas when fear beareth down both faith and reafon , as to the ad, no filencing reafon prevaileth with the w Soul. I prove to them from the Gofpel * this great truth, that [Chrift damnethinone ( thathear the GofpdJ butijoofe t hat ml * fully reject him and ref ufe bis^ ojfered grace,* Mout of greater Love to fomethingelfe^ and this mn/tp thelaji.'] loft convince deje&ed Chri- £ liians that this is true, and that this is not their Cafe v they do not continue to re-* fofc. ffuTc jChrift and his grace, by preferring f f fbme thing dfe. And yet this quieteth^ them not y nor receive they the £onclti- fipn: For fear* and feeling, and j^aknefs,^ and Melancholly overpower their reafon^ as bitter Phyfick, would not let Children believe that it is good for them, and given them in love * ij« Tho no pretence of patience muft/* abate our defires after full affurance and^f v perfection, yet while we find by experi- *• ence that God will have Man on Earth,/' to differ much from thofe in Heaven, and to have but low and little things in comp arifcn of their joy and glory, it is v our gr eat dut y to be thankful for our prefent rncalure, and tlvwait in hope for w * more* He that hath no comfortable ap* prehenfionof his condition can have no > thankfulnefs for it : And we are all ob- liged to great thankfulnefs for the leaft v v degree of grace and hope: And thank- fulnefs is fomewhat more than patience, and therefore doth include it. The a&sof the underftanding and of the Will go together : And if we had as full an underftanding of the Heavenly , ftate, as thofe have that poflcfsit, our V Wills by anfwerable Love and Joy, would own \ now cmoy in and fo we fhouldjnve I * th? peculiar priviledges* oVTfTcTglorTficd | hereon Earth : But this is no moreiuited , I t(^«^nt^efy^^ iTto Cities, Courts anXchurcfifS areTor wliit Trades,, and Merchandize, and Husban- dry is, or what Books, and Arts , and Sciences are > or what Meat, and Drink, and Recreation are. We muft be con- tent on Earth with the mcafurc which ^ ' |t*^God defigneth unto Earth. We fee by con font' experience that he hath prelu- ded the Heavenly fiate from all our fen- ces; He will not let us fee whats done above : Thefirft Martyr had fuch" a fight j by Miracle, but we muft not expert it : He will not let our departed friends ap- * pear toushere togive us notice of what A they fee: He will not fend Angels to \ ^fatisfie our defire of fiich knowledge: i Nay infernal Devils (hall appear but j^ rarely : The rarenefs of all theft leaveth , fadnefs in doubt whether there be any fuch things or not. And Vanls fight ©f Paradife \yas fuch asmijftnot be uttered p And full fubje&lve^certainty of Sal- vation, which excludeth all doubts and " fears* fearSf is fohipha degree as f j ^in flcfli l*" think obtain . Objidtive certainty "" » very true Ihrmlan natq : lhat is. Salvation (if he (bdie, at lealt) is ablb- lately certain it felfc fo that his befi ef and - *hopeof it, (hall ne ver decei ve him: But t oBf certainly \noccnto ftfo7 y that is/with an ,. Sppr efrenfion which as mu ch e xcluaefb dohbfo and~ fears 'as fnht and pofleffiqn woukt dp ? ^ " or asj he Light and the v i lible objects T ^ '^e xclude all doubts, whether we behold ^ ^r ffrnT Tof as we .knov fr that tw'd and two t* a r efoiir^ or that e very- effiff hath zcaKje r . - ^nd every re/afg ^T correlate, and that full r t ~ contradictions are inconftllent* I think this 1 ] de^ree^ of certainty none have upon Eart^ ^ "viThout fome M iu ffiifeus Infpixation or 1 ^ Revelation.' Et^Pfc nftav artful iff Iff > /firm an apprehenfion of that truth and: '.-* \ f blefledncfs, which is certain in it felt, as- may make our hope* and joy, and ddire • far greater than^our* doubtsand fears/" ~ and averfation. j^"d*thi5 joylul Me afr^ »well grounded hope may be calledY cer-*^ armty or full alirirance > tho vet it be'" fr ar ihort of Perfect ■, and the cer? TnTT t anty of Beatihca] vili on an cf. t "A'iiJ'alasa r » who "at tarn this o 1 :.' IOD« I •^ All rM|^ppir^con(ideredvou fg; _ fl at .„ jwhile we are on Earth we rouft no look- for Heaven j ryjr in the Wildemefs to find the Land of promife : jo(buj , and ■ Calebs encouraging wands, and the bunch of Grapes, and Gods promife and pre-'' ^fence, and his conducting. light 5 provi- fion and protection, muft quiet us in our ^Joumyjand fome few have Mofis Pif~ gab fight. Murmuring at Wildcrneft wants, dangers and difficulties was the Iftalitesfm and falk .Wcmuftnot Iook w ^J^for .the Harveft at feed time, nor for more m vknowledge, an&aiTurance", and joyful ap^ ^.prehenfions of Heaven, on Earth, than is fuitable to the^ftate of Travellers in** flefli: We arc yet al^s too finful: And * fin will breed doubts" and fears : We are here very ignorant , and confeious that w we are very lyable to Err h and that e- * very Man hath many errours* an4 there- fore we are apt to. doubt even of that which we fee and feel, yea and to fear f where we fee.convincing Evidence of cer- * tainty .» and we can fcarce tell when and'* w how to truft our own understandings ; We arc in a dark World > and in a dark — .Jj.HjWJTi J chajj^t^4»^u«wJtings:. ^All our grace ancrgoodnefs is impelled: ; * And b And till every grace be perfect in us 3 af- hfurance of Salvation will not be perfect ; ** 'For the Perfection of every grace is neceflary to it : And is it any wonder that fucha wight as Man, in flefh, and fin, w and under Temptations, and in a dark ' Malignant world, which God hath very^ much forfaken, fhould not have the Joy -as of full afTurance of invifible glory ? The Chriflians of all thofe ages , who held that none (or only a few rare per- ^ fons ) could be certain of their Salvati- w on, could not have that certainty which they t hought none had ? Yet they did, *nd we mull "re Joyce in hope , and be thankful here for a Travelling degree. *r CASE XI Iv The loft of Teachers ) and fuit able meant of Grace and Salvation. XII. A Nother great affii&ion which • jt\ require th Patience is, The loft— of the found and jerious Preaching of the Goffel, by the death, or Banijhment, or flen* ring of our Teachers 5 while our own great wants and weaknefs call for the hefl a$(h' ance. The Soul being more precious ^ than the Body, the welfare of it is more valuable^ C *& ) valuable, and its lofs and famine more I * lamentable : And we fee that God or-.i dinarily worketh according to the apti- tude of means : And when he taketh a* ^ way fuch needful means, it is a fad de- vgree of his own forfaking us, and deny- ing to us further grace : Alas^ how bad are we under the beft helps, and how dark and doubting under the moft clears convincing teaching, and bow cold 3 and dull- under the molt warm and lively* . Miniftry : And what (hall we then be, if God remove our Teachers from us ? May we not turn cold, and dull, and worldly, and deceived, under cold, dull, deceiving Worldly, Paflors ? And grow carclefs of our own Souls uncbr thofe that are carelefs of their own and ours ?<* It in the Communion of wife and holy Chriftians, we found it hardto grow in w grace, may we not fear declining when we are fepa rated from fuch, and dwell as Lot in Sodom, and mull converfe with worldly or Malignant Men? As to the fad cafe, i. You may have the greater comfort n fcecaufe you make %,not light of the affiidtion > and may be the more patient believingly , becaufe you are not patient as contemptuous unbe- lievers* 0*3 3 lievers. The patience of carnal Men under fuch a lots, is a greater evil than* the lofsitfclf: And the patience of faith Js a greater good , than the helps which you Jofe. Had you been fo blind, and dead and bad , as to let go the Gofpel, and be eafily quiet and content as long ^ as you enjoy your honour, wealth and ^^ .eafe, this had been a far greater mifery J than a want of Teachers; As a mortal ficknefs whicjl caufeth loathing and in- digeftion, is Worfe than the hardeft fare with appetit 1 ^ and health. Thank God^ that you are (enfibleofyourlofs. 2. If you ark true Christians you have the Law and dcfpel written upon your ^hearts, whence none can by violence take w it from you, you may lofc t he provifion of your Houfe, and the food on your Tables > yea and caft up that which you have ea- Iten: But if it be digeited and turned into your flefh and blood, it is not fo eafily taken from you. Oblcfs God, that be- * fore he took away the means, he did con- vert you by them, and taught you effect- ually before he took away your Teachers. \\ hen the word is digefted and turned in- * to knowledge, faith 5 repentance, defire, obedience, patience, hope and love, nei- ^ ther ( i*8 ) ther Men nor Devils can take it from you h your heart where it is fown and rooted is not within their reach) unlets you will give them the Key, andfooliGily*" betray your felves. When God hath made you his Habitation by bis Spirit r (Su and Chrift dwelleth in your hearts by - ^y faith , and the Kingdom of God , and ' life Eternal is begun within you, the lofs* of outward helps will not undo you. I am not imitating them that tell you, that all Men have fufficient light within them, or that call you to undervalue the word written andPreacht, en pretence of that wfufficiency, as if you need no other no- tice of God -y and Chrift, but to be told that he is in you. But yet rejoyce that*" God is within you, tho all thefe outward means were gone : That is , that your ^Faitb and Love have within you fuchan obje& to live upon as your Father, Sa*C viour and San£iifier y and fuch an Agent as* wthe Spirit to adhiate all. When they" filence your Teachers, burn your Boo&s , (hut up your Church doors, they can- wnot (hut out the Spirit of Chrift, nor deprive you of its Life, and Light, and^ Love. y If Men takeaway the means fore- men* mentioned, they do not therefore take away all. i- You have all Gods works ** to view andftudy: Sun and Stars, Hea- ven and Earth, Sea and Land, Cities and Country, Feilds and Meadows,Beafts and Men, good and bad : And you arc taught already by the Gofpel to fee not only the great Creator in all thefe, fyrt alfo the Gracious Redeemer, purchasing, v' upholding, and ufing all as delivered to whim for the good of his Elc6i\ 2. You have the daily ufe of Medita- tion, as on all thefe works God, fo alfo / on Chrift and the Gofpel which you have ^learnt \ yea and of the joys of Heaven. *f 3. You have daily and hourly leave to open your Cafe to God 5 you have ac- ^<:efs to him by Chrift in Prayer, Thankf- ^ giving and Joyful Praife. If you have but an appetite, you have here a continu- al feaft, which you may enjoy in every v place* in your C!ofet 3 in the Feilds, in ^ your Shop, or in a Prifon. 4. Its very likely that you may fave your Eibles, and other good Books, and v * fohave Gods word ftill at hand: It was written in Hebrew and Greek, but God hath ufed Man to Tranflatc and unfeal it to you > And you m3y choofe your time, and C*66) and choofe the Subjed which you would *f read : And the writings of your Teach* ersare ufually more accurate than their fpeaking h and at a cheap rate you may have choice, and excellent helps. And you may read thefe in your Families to ^your Children and Servants, and fet up many Teachers for one. Undervalue not c thefe remaining helps. 5. And if God continue to you in the publick AfTemblies, but found Do&rine and lawful Communion, do not fay allL means are gone. If it be but the Reading of the Holy Scriptures , and Singing jj Pfalms , and Praying no worfe than is expreffed in the Liturgy of this Nation, •vit is a mercy not to be defpifed : It was but a little part of the New-Tefiament, which was, contained in Peters Speech which Converted three thoufand, Aft. 2* And but a little part which was in the- words of ?aul 3 which the Gentiles de- fired might be again fpoken to them the & next day: A^Lbut a little part which Paul wrote to any one Church, when he required them to Read it publickly, and to Reaci that to one Church, which was written to another : Chriits own Ser- mon Lv\. 4. And that to his Difciples Math. I l °7 J Math. 5. Were but a little of what bare Reading now can tell us. Ezra was put to fpend much of the day in a Pulpit to Read the Law, and make them under* ftand the Reading: That is, when by their Captivity they had loll the Lan- guage in which the Law was *iyritten, he was fain as he Read it in Hebrew, to Tranflate it by word of mouth, and turn the Hebrew into the Chaldean Tongue which they underfiood. This was far lefsthan the bare Reading of both Law and Gofpel already Tranflated dorhfor you. The quantity of one or two of our Chapters, were received in the daies of the Apofilcs, with great joy, tothecon-v verlion of many Souls. And in Queen Maries daies fome poor Women would hire a Boy fecretly in a Corner to Read to them a little of the Englifh Bible, yea 4 of the Primer. But the full Soul loaths the Hony Comb , when to the hungry every bitter thing is iweet. There are fome ignorant Chriftians that think it enough to charge any thing in Worfh'p or Religion to be unlawful becaule it is humane, the work of Man. Its like thefe will not be grieved that their Teachers are iilenced : For they were 070 were Men. And as Men have written fome forms of Prayer, fo they are Men that have written the many hundred holy Books that are now among us ; And Preaching and Praying, are the words and works of Men : The Singing Pfalms were turned into Metre by Men : Yea all ycur Englilh Bibles were made Eng- liGi by Men, and you Read and hear no Englifti words but the words of Men, tho they fignifie the word of *God : The dividing of the Scripture into Chapters and Verfes, is the invention and work of Men : And I think they were but Men that taught you to fpeak and Read : God worketh by Man on Man , as fociable fit Inftruments : And if you defpife all in Religion, that is the work of Man , you will defpife the word and work of< w God , and fhew that you are lefs than Men. 4. When God taketh Teachers from one People ( before death) he ufualiy fends them to another: And itproveth oft to the advantage ot the Church. When the Difciples were all driven a- way from Jtrufakm^ they went Preach- ing the Gofpel into all Countries about* Perfecurion drove the Apoflles all over the Ci6 9 ) the world : It fent Paul to Rome to Preach it at the doors of Nero : When he and 'Barnabas were driven from one City > they carryed the Gofpel to another; Perfecution had a great hand in fend- ing the Gofpel to moft Nations in the World that had it. .Yea the very Ban- Ilhment of fuch as Neftorius^ Diofcorus, and others fuch as Hereticks, for fome formes of Speech, had a great hand in the Tending of Chriftianity into Perfia , India , and many remote parts of the Eafl, South and North, and of late to New*England, and other Plantations in Amerka y it was fent by the Prelates > and other Rulers from this Land. A Captive Maid its faid, began the Con- vcrfion of the Iberians* as Fmmentius and Edifitts did of the Indians ( or rather planted a Miniihr^iri Habajfea , mitealled India, which before had none but Lsy ; Christians fince the Eunuchs daies.) And every good Chriftian is otapub* I lick Spirit y and loveth Chrifrs grcateif ^ intereft with the greateft Love , and . therefore loveth the Church and the world better than himfelf, or his native foil; Why than ihould we not the mere patiently bear the lofsof thofe Labourers^ I whom c 170.; whan God fends to do greater work a« broad : Is it like that Mr. John Elivt? would ever have, done half the good in England that he hath done in America ? We ~ pray that Gods name may be hallowed, and his Kingdom come, and his Will be* done on Earth as it is in Heaven, and England is & very little part of rhe Earth. 5. We muft have our time of Reft ^ivith Chrift when we have had our time of Labour : If God call home his Ser- vants to himfelf, re Joyce with them that there re Joyce 9 and have fought a go/)d fights and have finished their Courfe y and do receive the Crown of Right eoufnefs : Grudge them not their Reft and Happinefs. God ftnt them hither to work, run,and fight, ^and not to Reign or long abide: It may feem hard to us that fo holy a Man as Stebben (hould do Chrifl no longer fer- vice inhisChurchi anil that James who hoped to have fit next Chrift in his Kingdom on Earth, fbould fo quickly be taken from the work of hisApofllelLip : But he had his Petition to be near to Jfc^Chriftina better manner than he defi- red; And Stephen and he -did -more in-* day by dying than mod others do by living long ; The Foundation of th< Churd Church was. To be bid in .Blood y and toone is too precious for fo great work, for which thrills bltfod wjsls not too precious* ~ • 6. Minifters be not idle or ufelefs when -they afre filenCetl : They are Pray- %• ingfotthe Church* and they are Lights in the Houfes.and Company where they come, afnd Chnrt difdaified not oft to ^ Preach 'ft* one Woman or Man, : (as Job. 4. and • 9. &c.-) Andfomeof them pub- IKhGods truth by writing, and that to a far greater extent and nuinber,than ever tb£f covild have done by voice ; The word of God; is not bound when we arebound. + r -.'y.j.yefi. the fil.ence and; fuffe rings of Chrifts faithful Minifters A do powerful- ly Prdach: It makcth Men fee the evil of that proud and Malignant Spirit , which hatethluch. Men, and cannot en- dure fhem : The vulgar are hardly (tfoyght to wifdom by meer words, or to know the difference between good and evil, till by fenfe and experience they feel and taft. the feveral fruits: The Cured bJindvM^n, John £. copld quickly dif- cern that- God heareth not iinncrs, but ^ if any Man be a (truej Wor(hipper of God, him he heareth; And thathemuft ceed$ be of God that could open his eyes ; I 2 And fi740 tnerto its turns of profperityandadver* fity : And profpcrity hath recreated the number of Chriftians, andadverfity hath *-tryed them , and increafed the grace of thofe that ; perfevere. 20. It is more our diligence and faith- ful ufe of means, by which we grow in^ grace, than by the enjoyment of the heft, if we be ilothful under it: And fome- time God feeth that fullnefs breedetb wwantonnefs and loathing? and like fool* ifh Children we pky with our meat, or quarrel about it> And then its time to take it away, and let falling help us to a better appetite. I have known thofc that when they lived among the ignorant, and could 'hardly hear a good Sermon without going divers Miks. for it, and hardly borrow a. good book, and rarely fpeak with a ferious Ghriiiian, were fo hungry, affe&ionate and diligent, that Mhey evidently profited very much.; But when they came .where they had variety, choice and fulnefs of Teachers.Books and Religious converfe, fome gcew more no- tional, wordy, and cold, andfome turned felf-conccited , proud and quirrelfome , and fome down -right Heretical or Schif- . matical': And do we need any more to • 1 juftifie II (175) fuftifie the affli&ing Providence of <3od, Y in taking away and filencing Ministers, than the fad review of our common mifcarriages ? Hive not pious Minifters been difgracefully guilty of over-valuing their own judgments and Opinions, and laying Life and Death on Words which they underftood not, and railing Hatred, cenfures and contempt, againft their Brethren that differed from them , though wifer and better than thetji- felves ? What fhameful and doleful work did the Neftorian, and Eutychian, and Monathelite Controverfies make ? The doleful Wars about Predeftination > Grace, and Free-will, which have torn the Church and defiroyed Love, thefe twelve hundred years j I have fully pro- ved to be (hameful and finful, mofta bout ambiguous words, or unrevealcd' things ( in a Book called Catholic}^ Tim* frgy ). We have heard with grief what unchriftian contentions there have long been beyond Sea, among Protectants s* called Lutherans aryi Calvinijish and how oft the former have pcrfecuted the latter : We have heard of late, how fome reprefent Calvinifts, as if they were as bad as Heathens » and feme in I 4. * the 076J the Pulpits fay, the Religion of the Ar- minkns is the Religion of the Devil :. If none of thefe fpeak the words of Truth or Charity, nor know either what they fay D or what manner of Spirit they are of j is it not juft with God to filence them all* What dreadful worJk hath the Xntereft and Controverfies of Dio- cefanes, Liturgy and Ceremonies here made? And when we cannot bear ^with one another, it is juft with God to bear wkh noixe of us. How long have Epifcopal, Presbyterians, Indepen- dants and Anabaptifts, been cenfuring, w condemning, and feme of them perfecu- ^ting one another > and been teaching the People to believe, that thofe that they accufe deferve it? And if we thus (hew that we all deferve it how can we open * our Mouths againtt Gods Juftice if he w rejcdt- us all? ii. As when God fakeths away ^ftrength, hea[ife frth andliomthe Aged, they mull be thankful that they enjoyed * all thefe fo long, an^ conlider how they billed them while they had them > fowhen he taketh away Minifters and publick Helps, we mud be thankful that we had; fix Ipng, peaceable enjoyment of them * and C*77) and confider whether it be rot for our. abufe that we are deprived of ^ them. m 12. God is not tyed tc outward helps, though he tye us to them while we may have them: If he take them from us, he can give us that grace in our fecret w Clofets, which we had in the publick AfTembliesi> and we may expe&hisaf- w iiitance and bleffing in any means which he appointeth us to uf;. CASE XIIT. JVhen Gctd feemetb not to blefs Means to us \ Preachings Prayings &CC. XUI- A Nother great tryal of Patience l\ is, when Praying and Preaching , fiem to us to be all lofi^ and God denktb bis An fiver and his Bleffing* When w§ . h$ar from day to day, and uoderfiand and remember little that we hear, and. find not that weareanyfhrongerin Faith,*' Love, and Paaence than we were; I \Vhen we pray daily for more Grace, and yet find no more than we had be- fore : And we pray for our Country, and our Rulers, and Teachers, and format w ny Friends, and^God feemetk to deny V w almoft all . Am (178) And this is not only grievous in ft ** felf, but in the Temptations „ Is it outward things , as health, wealth, deliverance from dangers, the life of your Friends^he converlion of your Rela- ^ tions, &c. and why think you that Prayer in fuch Cafes is in vafh ? 1. Did you think that it was ever the mind and prornife of God, that on \ ^ * C*79) pretence of hearing Prayers, he (hould .give up 'to us the Government of the World ? And that we (hould never be poor, nor fick, nor die till we are wil- ling ) I doubt then few would ever con- fent, but live longer than Metbufalem in earthly profperity and pleafurc ? And muft our Friends never fnflfet nor die w as long as we will pray againft it } Where then would there be room for thofe that are born ( unlefs God made our Friends a burden to us \ and would not that be as much againft our Prayers** as their Death ) ? Did you think that God mull reverfe his firft Sentence, if you will but pray for it?" Vnjltho^af^ and to V.tjl thou Jh'ali return. In the. f&eat of thy Face {halt thou eat Bread till thm return unto the Ground, Gen. 3. 17, iSj ip. Muft there be no Thorns or Bryers, no Gold or Winter, no Night or Darknefs, if you will but pray that there be none? You will fay y it is more moderate and reafonable Prayers that w yoj make. But 2, Who muft be Judge what re- ^quefts are reafonable, God or you? If you muft b: Judge, how can we tell what bounds your and that God fhould « give them* what they ask ?■ this would infer a thoufand contradictions: A thoufand men would ask to be Kings ot England; when there can be but oner. Many would ask for the fame Loidfliip, Lands or Offi&s: Some of them would take you for Enemies, and ask for your death or ruin, and it may be you, would ask for theirs : They would have your Houfe, your Wife, your Trade*. a.nd ; you would have theirs : So many would live long, as that you would want Food and Room :. What a snad tti§3j wcre *h' s > f° r all men to have their Wills ? The World is full of FoHyand. 'Wicltednefe, and Wrath, and Malice » ftioulS all fuch Ptrfons have their Wills?- Vflm% this Conceit but a Dream of. mil? millions of roifchiefs, confufions^ and hnpofiibilities ? One may (eebyfuch de- fires how tfie World would be Governed, if God gave it up to the Will of Man 9 I Could there be any Unity, where every I Man, would Rule^ and every Man hath an intereft crofs to others ? Gan4Jhere be any order or goodnefs, when all Men are partly bad, and every bad Man would u have his Will ? i But you will fay, that it is not bad Men, nor bad defires that you would have God to grant, but only what is juft and good. Anfrv. But who (hall be Judge, what is juft and good ? If every Man ffiuft be Judge, unjuft and wicked Pray> v ers muft be granted : And the Judgment and wifhes of "nfany will be againft yours; If it be you that muft be Judge, tho its- like that is it that you would have, you , cannot for (ha me fure fpeak it out : This were for God to refign his place to you, and nuke you the God or Governour cf the World, and only .thofe Prayers muft be granted which you think juft and good ? Whence area!) the bloody Wars in the World, but that one King would have that which another hath, or have his Will gg'iinft. another? You may fee thea' then that its worfe than Midnefs tode- fire, that any but God (hould be the high- ^cfi difpofer of the affairs of Men^ and determine what (hall befall us in this World. 4. And do you think that Goi is un» fit to do it ? Doth he want JVifdom to \now what is beft? Doth he want Good- nefs to cboofe what is beft ? Or doth he want Power to do what is beft ? Who w hath it if God want it? And how come they to it if not by him? And doth he give more than he hath himfelf. If he have any imperfedtion he is not God. 5. It is moft certain that all things >^are done well by God, and as they fhould be: And therefore the caufeof yourdif- fatisfa&ion is in your fetves. And in- deed in thefe feveral evils you may find it. K By your fin you provoke God in Juftice to correft you and deny your Pray- * ers. 2. And by your prefent badnefs you make your felves unfit for that which wyou defire that is good, 3* And by your blindnefs and fkfhly mind, you defire that which is not to be do fired: 4. And after all this by your Idolatrous ufurping felf-will, you are difcontented with God for not giving you your defires. Thcfe Caur, four things .contain your Cafe: And is not every one of them a fhameful e- vil? II. But fuppofe (hat it be not outward things , but more grace, and affurance, ^ •and comfort, and deliverance from tempta- tiun and fin, that you pray againftj and God doth not give it you : Is not this canfe of queftioning the fuccefs of Pray- er 5 or of doubting at leait of my own fuccefs, and whether my Prayers are not^ 'alfinvain. An fa. That I may give you full £r tisfaftion/I will tell you* i. What kind of means Prayer is. 2. What Praye^it is that is fucha means. 3. What may be expected by means of Piayer, and what not. 4. I will prove to you that Prayer *? is not in viin, nor Gods promifes to it 'broken. 5. I will (hew you why you fhould be patient under Gods denyals.^ I. Prayer is not a Turcbafing means, ^nora meriting by giving God any thing which may b enefit him \ nor doth it work any change on God '•> ■ but it pro- cureth bleffings by fitting the Petitioner w. to receive them. Ai;d that in feveralTe- fpeds: 1. Even Naturally confidercd , it is a contradiction for a Man to be un* willingly happy . , and to attain the hap- pinefs which he dcfireth without fo much ^as asking him that alone can give it. 2. Morally confidered 5 a< Man is very un- fit for , and unworthjr of the benefit Mvhich he thinks not worth his asking * efpecially if it be the greateft bicifingj that Man is capable of , which he fo de- fpifeth. 3, And. Legally confidered, the ^gift cannor be his, that performeth not the condition impofed by the Doner, e- fpecially when it is but fo reafonabk a one . *^as ask ard have. So that you fee though Prayer pur- chafe not, and change not God, it is a naturally, Morally, and ©economically necetfary qualification and condition of our reception, and thus only it ha*: h the Nature of a means. II. There are three forts of i-V ;:r, which are not in vain, and yet much differ vas to their faccefs.. 1. There is Pray- - er thatisnotdiflembled, butcometh only from natural principle? or Common grace > fuch as Abahs Humiliation , and the Mariners Prayirs in Jonah, and its like the Nwivites \ ar>d Simon Isligus de- fires to efcuj-C pu&i&ment; This is not in vain, I cannot fay that, God is under 'any; ny promife to grant it* but he oft doth .grant it, and pity fuch as cry to him in w pheir mifery. Which it fecms was the sCafcdefcribed, Pfal.jS. and 107* And « whether ManaJJebs was any better I know not. 2* There is the Prayer of fincere, weak v Chriftians, who are guilty of much weak- nefs o f faith, and coldnefs of defire: f S Thefe yet tnrough Chriit have certain * promifes of neceffary things. 3. There are the fervent and fakhful Prayers of^ Men of eminent faith and holynefs ; and thefe oft prevail for extraordinary blef- w fings, which are not promifed to %f|e Prayers of every true Chriftian. E//W, and EUJhj, and Peter , did Miracles by Prayers There are Devils and fins and fufferings that go not out but by fafling and Prayer : The effectual fervent Pray- er of an excellent Righteous Man> a- vaileth more than ordinary Chriftians. w U Church hi/lory may be Credited* fuch were the Prayers of Gregory of Neoct- farea, Martin, of lours, and fome other holy Men that prevailed for wonders or Mirades with God. Ail attain not their * fuccefs. HI. And I will tell you what grant of Prayers (ISO Prayers you may or may not cxpeft from God # i. The attaining of Salvation, or< our ultimate end , every true Chriftian *doth pray for and fhall obtain. 2. The obtaining of all thofe means which are wof abfolute neceffity to Salvation, every true Chriftian prayethfor and (hall ob- tain b fuchas are our. part in the meritsrvj (Wand interceffion of Chrift, the pardon of /fin as to the damning punithment, the neceffary grace of the Spirit, deliverance wfrom the dominion of fin : Thefe we may be fure of, 3. There be fome fubordinate means - fc^ordinarily needful, tho notabfolutely necefTary, that we rnuft pray for them*^ ^with great earneftnefs, and may pray for them with great hojpe, though not with certainty of obtaining them » fuch are ^the ufe of Eibles, the benefit of a faith- ful Miniftry, Sacraments, Chriftian So- ciety, time of Preparation for a comfor-^ table death, &c. 4. There are fome things which feem better to feltifhpeifons, and to fle&and blood, than indeed they are, and are of very mutable various ufe > fometime they are good for us, and at other times hurt- ful > to one Man they are good, and to another another bad: Such are outward prof- perity, wealth, honour, eafe , health, friends, and Life : God beft knoweth w both to whom thefe things are good, and when, and how far, and how long: And becaufe we know not, we cannot tell when, and how far, and to whom, God will give them, when we Pray for them >~ •but we rnuft ask in hope, according to ^ our beft undemanding, and willingly leave all to the Wifdom and Will of * God. 5. There are fome things which would be certainly good for us, if we had them which fin maketh us unfit to receive, gr as the Scripture fpeaketh, unworthy of \^ not only in the fenfe of the Law of works, as all are, but even of the Law of Grace, or Gods ordinary Gofpel difpenfation :*/ Such are greater meafuies of grace, and of vidtory over fin, affiftance in duty,**' and the enjoyment of the beft means, and freedom from fome Temptations, and affli&ioris. Guilty culpable Chriiii- ans of the worfi fort, that have lefs faith, and defire and obedience than better Men, cannot expeft that in that condition their Prayers fhould prevail as much asbetteri and God (hould not punifhthemby any Cor- to C 18^) Corre&ion or deny them greater Grace jet and Glory. 6. A ftrong Chriftian who hath be fore lived byfaith, in a holy fruitful life, and overcome the ftrong Temptations of wittering profperity, and fetcht moft of his daily comforts from the hopes of Hea ven , may well expedt as with high pro- ^ bability, thonot with abfolute certainty, that God (hould give him in anfwer to Miis Prayers, an anfwerable vi&ory over all the Temptations of adverfijy 3 and deliver him from fudi faflferings as elfe would be to his greater heart than good; 7. Thofethat God galled to propagate tne Gofpelbythe attention and Seal of Miracles, ha.d anfwerable faith and grant of their Prayers. IV. By thus much you may fee, that while Prayer and hope are guided by-' wGodswordof precept andpromife« they are far from being in vain : And tho he give us not ail that we defire> hegiv* wTrth usall that we ought to defire abtV* lately, and all that we fhould conditio- nally defire , if we have the condition. For, 1. Prayer goeth toiiim thatjean ^ea lily giv e us whatever . _ we .nee d, with- ~ or coffor difficulty: To him who. iiiiy xtli outlols vho is fuller of goodnefs than the Sea )f -watery -or the Sun oflight; And if the Sun be a»n intelk&ual free Agent, it * Tiould ifi reafoh be no hard matter to * believe, that it is willing to give us - light. 2. We come not to God. before he calleth us: He hath commanded us to ask ; It is in his oWn appoihted way and *£ means that we wait for mercy. 3- Sincere Prayer cometh from God,^ ,and therefore is acceptable to him<: It ►is hisi Spirit that. giveth us holy defires, knd\teacKeth uslwhat.and how to askjand caufeth us to believe and hope for mer-w cy : And God defplfeth' not his Spirits work a If it caufe us but to groan out fin cere defires, he knoweth the meaning* of them. 4. In Prayer we retire from ourfelves** tot God; We exercife Repentance in humble Confeffion > we acknowledged our infuffici ency, emptinefs and unwor- - thinefc,. and f o are the fotejS-JJ ^£ gg a "^ ^ to receive the gitts othis iree Grace. 5. True P*ayer diipoilth us to the*' " right ufe of all that God (hall give, and thats the way to obtain our defire. *< -Prayer confefleth fin. and implyeth that wt f 19.0) we will take heed of finning for the time to cortie: It confeffeth unworthy *nefs, and therefore imply eth a promifeto ^be thankful; It trutterh to God and 4 .*feeketh;ali of him, and therefore in> plyeth our purpofe to live to him and ^pleafe him. . 6. We go ; to t3od tin the Name of (JtChrift, and have a Mediator whom he* /heareth always ; We plea d his worths nefs 3 and that by his own Command. f 0, 7. And Prayer hat h rna ny promifes^, wfrom God, who is faithfb hand never bra£e his "promiie* 4*1^ dud .ye Jhall * have. 8. Laftly , though we have not all that we would have, yet experience * c greatly enc ourag etli us to pray, and tells us that Prayer hath prevailed with \m God; I know that the Devil and Unbelief have many difTwading Qbje&ions. As 1. That God is not moved by our w words, much lefs by long Prayers. ' Anf. But our hearts ate movedwhile^ juft deiire is excited ancUsKercifed, and thereby made titter to receive Gods ^ ^ gifts : We pull the Boat to the Shore, and not the Shore to the Boat, when we Ii ( i9i ; we lay hold on the Shore and pull at it. If this reafon were good, all means in the World were vain as well as Prayer :* If wc do good, and obey God, and for* fake Sin, if it were to perfe&ion, all this maketh no change in God : Shall we therefore conclude, that it is in vain, and no means of his acceptance and ~ blefling; Your eating, and drinking, an trading, and plowing, and fowing, andftudy, and travels, make no change**.* r on God : Are they therefore all in vain ? and tt&ill he give you all that you want without them ? Changes a,re made on the*" ^Receiver, not on God. Obj. 2. God kyowetJ) what ?ve want without our Prayer, and be kgoweth out dejires, * Anf. What though you know what a Beggar wants, or what youlfc Child * .-wants j will \ou think him a fit Receiver, ■* ^ who thinks himfelf too good to ask, or thinks you muft give him all without : I asking ? Is it not God himfelf that hath ** v bid you pray , and are his terms too hard.? Have you lefs need than Chxit\ 0^ himfelf had, who fpent whole Nighrs'w. * in Prayer. Obj. J* Many live in Profperity that never U?2; never pray, and many in Adverfity that fray. Anf. Dives, Lukg i& lived in Prof- perity, and fo did Herod, Pilate, and (o do many Turks and Heathens : Is Chri-. ftianity therefore in vain ? And will you be contented with the Portion of fuch men ? Go into the San&ilary and fee their end: Are thofe now in rrofperi- ty who are in Hell with Devils , paft * help and hope. Prayer is not to make \ us richer and greater in- the World than I other Men, but to make us better and ^obtain Salvation. Do you judge of men I by their Cafe in this World ox the next? 'And are thofe men profperous, who are the Slaves of theFlefh, and the World* and the Devil? And are they not bet- ter, who are fecured of the Love of v - *God> «~ V. But I will next tell you, what Caufe you have of Patience, even when God feemeth to deny your Prayers. 1. Itisanunfpeakable mercy thathe^ will not deny us any thing that is ne- rceflary to our Salvation. Is that man miferable, and (hould he murmur h who is a Child of God, a Member of ChrifV vand an Heir of Heaven? and is par* doned* lot \c Ml i 3oned, fan&ifted, and (hall be faved£ Is there not enough in Chrift and Hea- # yen to fatisfkyou? 2. God gave you Mercy ,Yea,unvaluabIc *> Mercy, before you askt it ; He gave you your Being and Rea fon unaskt ; He gave the World a Saviour unasKT; He gave you^Chriftian Parents, Teachers and Books unaskt : An d he gave you his firft Grace unaskt, and many a Deliverance ^ tince ; Therefore if he deny you what you ask, it is not becaufe he is back- ward to give. 3. If it be any outward thing that he denyeth you, bethink you whether God or you be fitter to difpofe of fuch ? ^ Have you more Authority and Right? He owed you nothings if he have given it you long, be thankful for that «* though it be paft ; it was freely given. And who is wifer and better knoweth howtoufe you and all men ? Is it God jot you ? And who is better, or unlikelkr.^ |to chufe amifs? And again, remember how great a Sin it is> to grudge at God for his Govern- ** ment of the World, and to defire to depofe him, and to difpofe of any thing ' our felves ? Is this your fubjeftion and v* 094) fiibmiflion to his Will ? Did not Chrift^ wby his Examples teach you better? When he fa id, Not as I rvill^ but as thou wilt. And if this Cup may not pafs from ^ me unlefs I drin\ it^ thy Will be donz^ Mat. 26. 35>, 42. Mans Dufy, fioli : nefs, Intereft and Reft lieth in bringing over his own Will entirely to the ^Willof God, and his fin and . mifery in w ^reliftingit, 4. Either you are fure that what you ask is beft for you, or not: If it be Wealth or Health, you are not fure > wmote perifti by Profperity than by Ad- verfity : I before told you, that men arc condemned for lpving fomewhat more vthan God, an your fcrft duty v C l 95J jmxty is to examin whether there be net fybme great impediment in your lelves, which is the Caufe of Gods denial r w Do you go to the root of your old fins in your penitent Confeffion^ Do you ,»hide no fccret guilt or fin, and dcalc toogfcntly withit ? Do yau humble your felf fo thofe that you have wronged by *■ / word or deed ? And do you make jaft Reftitution (6 far as you are able to all ^ that you have defrauded? Do you net ^ dally \tfith temptation, and willfully re- >new your guilt ? Do you not over- much hanker after worldly profperity, *■ or fome finful pleafure ? Do you not wilfully omit fome certain duty to God f or Man, in your relation or converfe, ■* and look after none but your fclf, and 'live unfruitfully to others, your Chil- dren , Servants and Neighbours? li Confcience find fuch guilt as this, pre- .ffently- endeavour faithfully to amend if,^ L and then beg Gods further Grace, and I you fhall find him not unwilling to give * ♦ it you. But if none of this be the Cafe, but you have the tefilmony of your Conferences , that excepting your unwilling imper-*' ffe&ions and infirmities, in fimjtlkity and K 2 godly godly Sincerity yon have your con verfation in the World, and endeavour ^true~oBedi- /yC\ €ncFto~ChrTft > then you may be fore / that God hath denyed you no Grace cflential to ChriAianity, and neceflary wto Salvation, 5. And as to incrcafe of Grace and ^ higher meafure s, remernber that even ^the defire ot it is an unfpeakable mercy y* For the jdefire of perfe&ion is the £ : maflfof fincerity, and (oof Salvation : < /^Be thankful to God for thofe defires. But this is the afflidHon next to be fpokento morediftindlly. CASE. XIV. Weatyefs of Grace, Knowledge, Faith, Love, Comfort j Great Corruptions. XIV. TT is one of the greateft bur- X dens to an upright Soul, to be* .^kept under fpiritual languishing and weaknefs, and to have but a low degree «. of grace: When knowledge is fo (mall that it will not free us from daily un- w certainties about Truth, and Duty, and Sin \ and all that plead for their feveral opinions, perpkx us > and Scripture ieemeth unintelligible to us, and we do but C'97 ) ;xit grope after God as in the dark, ancf ure overwhelmed with Orange unfatisfiedf ^ thoughts', of God, and of Chrift, and af the World which we are going, to. When Faith is fo weak, that we truft Chrift for Heaven and Earth, with fear, «* and unquietnefs, and much diftruft 9 and can fcarce tell whether our Faith over- come the World , and our trufring * Chrift for Heaven would make us for- fake Earth and Life, rather tfoan chufe to hazard it by wilful fin v when doubts and fears do tell us that we have little w Faith. What a Calamity is it, when our hopes of Heaven do fo little rejoyce us, ~ that every worldly fuflfering feems ! ftrong enough to quell and quench our * joy : Yea, we have more dread than delire, more trouble than joy when ^ 9 we think of dying, aqd ot the next Life? What a Calamity is it, when our Love to God, and Chrift, and Glory is ** fo final I, that we are in fear that we j love more this Body, and wordly Prof- J perity, and Pleafurg? When all the I thoughts of Gods eflential-Goodnefs, *-' K 3 his- ol (I 9 8) his Love and mer cy to us and others, and all the wond erful Love and Mercy vofour Redeemer, and all the Mercies on Earth , and Promifes of Heaven , will ^fc arce w arm" our hearts with Love and thankful jo~in GocTT~And yet we can weafilv 7 Love and overlove our flefh, our . Houfe, our Lands, our friends, and fan- ciful arnourfnefs is a Common difeafe. What a Calamity is it that we have no more Government of our thoughts, to keep out Coveteoufnefs y Pride and Luft, and to caA out Satans abominable Temp- . tations. And that when we know that God | w-tryeth 13s to exercife <>u r pa tienc e:, we can no better ovcrcSSIe" fear , anger , grief and difcontent ? Should we be Ptf- tknt Under all this want of Grace. Anfn\ This is to me the greateft bur* ^ vdenin this World, and Ifuppofe it is fo. to all found Chrifiians, as to confederate trouble of mind, tho lofs of friends or bodily pains may ftir up more paffion. That which was before faid about . uncer^ ^tainty of Salvation, muft be taken in a-< bout this Cafe. And, 1. Let us make fure of our fin** aerity before we talk of our imperfections U99) if we can know that we have the truth * of fpecial grace, wc may know what to fay to the Cafe of our infirmities. And for that ftill rememb:r what I faid'be- fore about the fincerity of faith: If yon have fo rviU thought of tins World and the mxt^ and of the Gofpel of Cbrijl, that yw are foitndly refotved to trufk Chri\l for grace £f* and glory, to the for faking of all that jt andf^ jv agTinji it % yok~ have faving faith and title J to Salvation. I opened it before to you l by two fimilitudes , of a patient that pra&ically trufteth his Phyfician , 'and a poor Prifoner that pra&ically trufteth i one that promifeth him a Lordlhip in a Forreign Land: Tho you venture with ** . fear and trembling, if you will venture a II on tHrlff^and leave~all for him , fo - far as hercquireth you^ it is faving faith. ^ - Pradtically truft him^ and he will favc£j you. v - 2. When you are got thus far, remem- ber that as you were born in fin, foyoa" u-toolong lived in it : Sin hid a longtime to darken your undtrftandings, and har- w- den your hearts, and corrupt your wills, and % fet you at a greater diftance from God: And do think that all this muftbe* - undone and cured eafily and in a moment,' K 4 or ( aco) eras foon as you defire it ? It is an uifl •ipeakable mercy that it isfo far cured, as that you are tranflated from death to life, and made new Creatures, and the -|j Heirs of Heaven > And moreover that £jtVCbrift hath undertaken the perfect curev 'in his time and way. Grace fomewhat j^k rmitateth nature ; You were not born a£ foon as Conceived, nor were you at ripe age as foon as born. Your growth and^ itrength came by degrees in time, you had not your Learning all at once, but by long Study. You get not your Riches by Trading or labour in a few daies: Your Land brings not fruit to perfecti- on as foon as it is fowed > nor your Trees fo foon as they are graft or planted i And muft not fo great a work as the*' -Cure and Sanfiifiing of a Soul be doae by fuch degrees ? 3. And conlider that you muft not be mcer patients, but alfo Agents in the wncreafe of your grace and lirength ; It muft be had by exercife i the frequent z&s muft increafc the Habits j and God * will not do it all without you : He hath appointed you means to ufe, and will rry wand exercife your obedience therein/ As hegiveth not life, ajid ilrength to thofe - that OorJ that will not. take their food , nor the fruit of the Earth without our labour., fo neither hath he promifed to give more ^ grace, fave in the patient ufe of the means which he hath appointed. Time, Means*/ ,and diligence are needful. 4. And alas moil: Chriftians are too flothful, and ufe means negligently, and then look, that God (hould give them as much grace r at their meer with and Pray- ^ er, as if they were laborious and diligent. And too many do venture on fin, and fi>- keep under grace, by carelefs living. w 5. Andfome unskilfully ufe means for one fort of grace, when it is another that they moft need, and (hould ufe the means accordingly, When they (hould excite and feed their faith and hope and holy, * Love, by the consideration of Gods truth, and goodnefs, and his Love in Chrilt,'^ and by Heayenly Dodirineand thoughts w endeavour to get a Heavenly mind, fome ! ttudy fmall controverlies, and fome per- plex themfelves withfcruples about du-- ~" ties and (ins of their own making, and fome plunge themfelves into confound- ed and bewilding thoughts, ar.d think overagain aMSatans Temptations*, and fome only drive to get a more paffiontte K. 5. ' vweg* (202 ) weeping fo r row ,» And miichjnegleft aH fe rious endeavou rs for a believing, Lov-~ C • ing~ joyiul SouU *X 5. You muft remetriber that many 4 *>Chrifiians grow in grace and do not know it, but think that they go backward, or have none : Becaufe they do not fuffici- cntly cbferve wherein the nature of ^Sanftification doth principally coniift; Some lay it on paflion, and fome on Me- . mory,and (ome on the belief ot their own fincerity , Juftihcation and Salvation-,-' and fome on words and free expreflion, whereas it chiefly cqnfifteth in the E/ft- matron of the Judg ments ,, th e Refolution A of the Willi and the Obedience of our Lives :V li : you d\ecm Gods Gracelmd Glory better, ^^^nd^vTmrJT^ and the World to be good ox * bad, as it ferveth grace or fin, then you grow in underjianding: If you are more I tirmly refolved to place your hopes, and make your choke according to this eftima* !H <~uon, and to pleafe God, andfecure Grac$^ and Glory, whatever it coit you, and to^ y^; avoid wilfull fin, which is your danger, /'and toufe the World for holy ends, e- fpecially if you Love Wifdom, and Ho-** linefs, and JuiUce better ; and hate fin more * •^than you did. heretofore, then your Will doth, ( 203 ; doth grow in grace. And if you (he w this Will and choice in more Obedience of +* %~Life, avoiding known fin more, and en- deavouri ng to do go od , and de voting* ^yo ur fel ves m ore entirely to God^ ther** you grow in hoTynefs of Ofe ; Tho your memories grow weaker , and tho your 'holy paffions and feelings fhould grow ^ lefs, andarelels able for long Meditati- - on, or to keep an order or fteadinefs in ^your thoughts, and tho you want words /^in Prayer anddifcourfe, and tho fears and peevifd angrynefs and troubling thoughts * ihould by weaknefs or Temptation get i more advantage of you, yet all this Hands «* tfvrith rootednefs and growth in grace. 7. Forget not what you were hereto* fore ; Haci you not formerlly a higher efleem of worldly things, and lefs fear v vof finning than you have now. Growth in Grace may be like the growth of ] your Trees, or Corn, or Flowers, or the \ ihaddow on your Dial : You do not fee I thefe grow or move; But if you come after a fufficient time, you may fee th*r they are grown; We are Bigger at Age I than in ChilcUhood , and yet we never fawour felves grow ? It is by infcnfible degrees; Strong Chriftians have more - know?- ( 204 y knowledge then they had , and a more - fixed refolution for God and Heaven, and a greater contempt of Worldly va- ^ ' nity, and Vidory over fleflily deilres and wwilfull fin 3 tho they perceive not how thefegrow. 8* Be thankful that you defircto be Nt better : Thof e deilres ( as is aforefaid ) ^ prove iincerity, and are the EarneFs of what you do defire y and are a greater* <-blefiing than all the Riches of the World :. God that gave them you will not fee them ^ ^-lofl; The grace which we ha ve on E arth is defirin^ jeeking grace h defires are' our 'belt Evidence here 5 Blejfed are they that hunger and thirji after Kighteoufnefs b for they (hall be fatished hereafter. We mud know the difference between Earth and Heaven : Its there that we (hall have all that we defire. Here defiringand feekjxg< / ^iscur work : Perfection is the prize and Grown : Which is not to be had till we liave done our Race and Warfare; The Womb is but the place of preparation foio \Yhat is to be enjoyed in the open World * and no great matters are there to be ex- pected ; We muft not look. Tor more on Earthy than its part. %*. And when all ia> done God is a free 5 Agenr. \genf, andgiveth his grace in fuchva- 4 "* :iety as he pleafe, and doth not give to all alike : As >he freely diveriiHeth Nature and Common gifts, (o doth jie feve ral * degreesof grace. It is an~unfpea"kable *? mercy "t alia ve io much as (hall lav ] And now you are weary and ^feavy laden, come to Chrift for eafeand^ reft. And Remember that (ii you were * ungodly) you could once have endured*" r (in without wearinefs ? Who heard you then impatiently cry out againft it: Yea you were loath to think of leaving if. And look about you on the multitude of the ungodIy>and- you (hall fee how far they are from being impatient with their fin,*^ 'thoitbe mortals when they can fcarce be patient towards him that would but -fave them from it. They grudge, at God becaufe he will not give them leave to fin , and not becaufe he doth not Cure them : O how contrary is the impatience ^ of Saints and wicked finners. 12. While you remember what grace you want, remember alfo both what you have meived, and what is promifed you : * \ That (28b) that T^bankfulnefs and Hope may keep Jfeyou from difcouragement. You are not cured, but you are alive* and Chrift(; ^hatli promifed you a Cure. In many things we all offend, Jam. 2. 2. He that faith be hath no fin is a Lyar. 1 John I, 8. Pitt? tells u& that he had not obtained perfection^ but herejoycedthat he -was prejjing *> towards the mark. Phil. 3. 12, 13. We may rejoyce that our Captain bath over- come the Worlds John 16 . 33* And he s*will fbortly bruife Satan under our feet^ Rom. 16. 20. and 7. laft. Chrirtthat cured all bodily difeafes on Earth, will cure fpiritual blindnefs, lamenefs, and deadnefs too , if wc have but grace v enough to go to him for more. 1 j, Laftly, the more weary you are of fin andweaknefs, and the moredefirous %*you are to know God better, and love v him more, and praife him with grea- ter chearfulnefs and joy, the m ore yoik ^ fhould long to fcFwith ChriS : Heaven \ will deliver you from all imperfeftion > from alldarknefs, unbelief anddulnefs * from all fad uncomfortable thoughts, and from all both alluring and molc-fting*" temptations : O that we could believe 1? ^that moreitrongljr, and (hen our hone-it- w C 109 ) impatience with fin and imperfe&ion, would but quicken us to the means of*' 7 of our deliverance y and help our joy' in the fore fight of that blefled change, which will leave no matter of difcon-^ tent, and will give us more than wc could here defire. But to thofe who are overmuch de- jedfcd at their imperfe&ions and re- maining faults, I add thefe Cautions. i. Seethat it benot thedifgrace, or the \ outward troublefome fruits ofyourfin*^ which grieve you more than the fin it felf. 2. Takeheedj left while you complain* of your badnefs, there be no fccret pride ~ and hypocrifie, to make you angry with thofe that think you but as bad as you \ call your felf: Its an odd kind of con- i* tradition, at once to be impatient be- caufe wearefo bad, and alio impatient w with them that take us to be Co > and not to endure another to fay that of us which we fay our felves. 3. The worfe you take your felves and your fins to be. the more you (hould efieem, and defire a Saviour and his Grace to heal v ^you, and re Joyce that a full remedy is at hand , and freely offered you h and be ^ the more thankful for that mercy which * is given .and which is promifed tofo un- u worthy Sinners^ 4. Sh ew your impat ience w ith fin and ^wants bfhatingfin, and diligent u'fing the means of cure, and not by idle dif* couraged defpairing complaints. 5. R emem ber Lihat our Head i s^ pe r* fedt f or us v His Merits and Riglite ouf- I nefsare' per fed: > He is fully per feded Q - in Glory" T an d is it nothing that he is r c« A/^lated te us, a s~our Surety, Saviour, an d ' Head ? He hath his glory for our good. 6 Remernber that no fin or j mper* Medtion (hall condemn us, but thatwnich v we had rather T*eep than leave, and love ] ^ more than we hate it : And that all things are tollerable which will end in Heaven. We gfoan, being burdened both with *-"fin and forrow in the Fk(h : But we wait for full deliverance from the bon- dage of corruption, into the glorious* v liberty of the Sons of God. CASE CASE XV. When God doth not blefs the labours of our Callings*, Minifters, Parents endeavours for Children, for near Relations, Iradef* men, endeavour s for tfo Church. Nothcr Cafe which greatly needeth Patience, is, when God doth not blefs and profper our endeavours h when "Minifters ftudy, and preach and pray, and yet fee but fmall fruit of their la- bours > few converted, reformed, or ftrengthened, but all their labour feeaneth loft; When Parents take pains with« their Children, and they remain ftjll ob« ftinate and wicked: When Magiftrates endeavours are fruftrated by a contenti- ous rebellious people : When men la- bour in their lawful Callings, arid all goeth backward, and God feemeth not to blefs their labours : In ficknefs our Phyfick doth not profper: When we are falfly accufed, our juft defence is not be-*- lieved : When we endeavour the pub- lick good, we profper not > This ma- keth men fear that God forfaketh them, Thefe feveral Cafes fhould be feverally con- (212) confidered : And the Cafe of unprofpc- rous Minifters, I confefs, is very fad : When a man from his youth is devoted to that holy work, and by many years hard ftudy prepared for it, and is drawn to it by a longing defire to do good, and ftudyeth for it all his life, and fpendstime and ilrength in conftant la- bour, and after all can feefmall fruit*, thisiyeth heavy, and tempteth them to doubt whether they were called of God,^ and whether they are not unfit for the work, or unfaithful in it. Through vjGods great mercy it is not my own "tryali I know not that ever I laboured any where in vain* but I have lived near far better men, who have lived to above fourfcore years of Age, and have laid, that they know not of two Souls converted by them in the Pariflies where jthey lived j fome fpeed better upon fuch a$ "came from other Pariflies, and fome on very few at all : And alas to fee no bet- ter fruit of fuch employment, than barely to have a Benefice to live on, and fome reverence from the people, or a. few good words, is a poor encourage- ment, But i» The firft thing to he done in this this fad Cafe, is, to fearch whether the fault be not in our felves? Whether we choofe fuch fubje&s to preach on as are moft needful and fuitable to the Header* ftate, and Htteft to convince and win them ? Whether we fiudy plainnefs, and familiar words, and a clofe convincing way of fpeech ? Whether by familiar converfation with them we get their love, and alfo find out their ignorance, error and fin>their objedionsand doubts, that we may know what they ne§di and whether we deal with them private- ly and perfonally as well as publicftly, for their intfru&ion ? Whether our Lives * preach to them as well as our Tongues, and fliew them that we believe what we fpeak? and whether we do all in the ex- preffion of unfeigned love, and do them jtll the good we can for their Bodies, and quarrel not with them for worldly things, but lofe our right rather than fcandalize * I them, and harden them againft the Truth. If any of this be amils, it muft be amended > if not, then confider, 2. That to labour is our parts, and to profper it is Gods : Paul and A folios can but plant and water, but it is God that mull give theincreafe: Chrifthim- felf felf both preached and wrought mi- racles in fome places? when yet few be- lieved on him> yea, though the people cryed him up, it was no great number that were throughly converted by all his preaching and works > that being re- ferved for the coming down of the Holy Ghoft, after his Death and Refurre&ion. And in fome places few were converted by the A pottles, even among the learned Philofophers at Athens^ how little was their fuccefs ? 3. God knoweth his Chofen, and all v/fhall come to Chrift that the Father hath given him, and none of them fhall be loft: And God loveth Souls and Holi- nefs better than we do : All Souls are Ajjhish and Chrift knoweth the price of /the m: And we know that all that God*- \-xk>tlTis good, and we (hall fee the rea-^ fon of it at laft. The Prophets and Apoftles had more ^ unthankful requitals, than the meer lofs of their labour with the greater partf They were alfo perfecuted, fcorned,and killed, by them whofe Salvation thcy-> defired : Which of the Prophets have not your Fathers killed and perfecuted, *->faith Chrift, Mat. 23, fee Ifa- 53. fc. &c. John 12. 37, 38. ^c7/ 17. and ip. p. and 28. 2 4* Yea, to fome the Woriji is the favour of Death to Deaths and Chrift is as a Stone of jlumbling, and Mini- (icrs as the fcorn of the World and the off fcouring of all things *, and alas, they muft be WitnefTes againft their Hearers ^ to their Condemnation, and muft (Juke off the Vuji of their Feet againji them. 4. If our fuccefs were according to our own defires,it would be beyond what God intendeth for men in the World : We would have evciy man in this world converted and faved : It is our duty to defire *nd endeavour it as far as we are able^ for it is not Gods Decrees but his ^ Commands which are our Rule. Lu\e 4. 25. Many Widdows,faith Chritt, were in \ the days of Llifha^ but it was not to ma- \ ny that he was lent. We may have comfort in our juft defires and endea- w \rours. 6. God will accept and reward us, according to our faithtul work, and not according to our fuccefs : A bad man \ may be ufed to fave other mens Souls, •* when his own is loft, Ift 4P. 5, Though Ilrael be not gathered^ yetjball I b?. glorious **- r in the Eyes of the Lord } and my Godjhall be (216) be my ftrength. It is fpoken both of die Pr ophet and of Chrift ; It was to the loftjhetp of the boUfeoflfrael> that Chrift^ <~ faith he was fent* and he is called, a Minifter of the Circumcifwn. And yet Jfrael was not gathered, when he would have gathered them as a Hen doth her Chickens, Mat. 23. But they were to V be utterly ruined for reje&ing him. 2 Cor. 2. 14, 15. Now thanks be to God who cauftth us to triumph in Chrift, and makgtb manifeft the favour of his Knowledge by ur in every place : For we are unto God a jweet **, favour of Chrift in them that are faved and in them that perijh : to the one the favour of Death to Death , and to the other the favour of Life unto Life \ and who is fufjiclefft for thefe things* Faithful labour is never ^ wholly loft. 7. And one Soul is fo precious, as is v worth more than all the labour of our lives : He is an Hypocrite himfelf and no faithful Minifter of Chrift, that had not rather fave one Soul though he live in poverty,than have the richeft Biftioprick and fave* none. His Mony (hall peri(h~ with him, who loveth Mony better than ^ the Soul of the pooreft Beggar. 8. There may perhaps be many more Souls Souls converted than the Preacher ever heareth of. The work hath often ob- fcure beginnings : You know not what workings may be in the fecret hearts of ^ Sinners > and fome are bathful, and fome have not opportnnity to (bew themfelves. I have viiited fome aged Women before Death, who were not noted for any zea*' lous profeflion of Religion, but what they (hewed in the Church AffemblicSjand I found them of folid undemanding and**' experience h and perceived by their talk that they had been conftant in all fecret -duties, and confcionable in all their courfe : And when I enquired further, I found that they had Husbands that re- trained them from f he fociety of godly ^ people, and from all open manifeftation of what was in their hearts, fave what their Church-worftiip, and upright living +* : (hewed. Aral this is the Cafe of fome Children and Servants, who are under j the reftraim: of bad Parents and ; Mailers ; We muft not then con* ; elude, that all the Seed is loft, which j feemcth buried and appeareth not to us. p. It is not loft labour which doth but reftrain men from being worfe; L The Thefuppreflion of Vice, and the keep- ing up a profcffion of the Truth, is v/worth all our labour > as alfo the keep- ing out Herefies and Errors', and it is worth our labour to feed Chrifts Sheep, and help to confirm fuch as are true Chriliians already, and to increafe the ^ grace they have > and to comfort the fad, .and refolve the doubting, and edifie the Body of Chriii: Surely the work w which is to be done in guiding and edi- fying the Converted, requireth as great skill at leaft, as that which is required to the converting of Infidels and wicked* men b ( though the change made on the Learners be not fo great in regard of the 4 terminus a quo j for the higher includeth the lower and more ) and more Lear- ning is neceffary to teach the higher Form, than to teach the Alphabet : Some are for planting, and fome for wa- ning s fome went forth to make Dif- ciples of the Nations, and baptize them, and fome were to guide them when bap- tized, and teach them to obferve aJl *" Chri/is Commands. 10. If your Study and Dodfrine edifie and faveyour felves, it is an unfpeakable ^ mercy >you have had the comfort of fweet and ar.d holy ftudies, and the plcafant work ^ of opening and pleading fiving truth : And if all this iiudy and preaching have but prevailed with your felves, and con- quered yorr own finSj andfubdued your '-Souls to the obedience of Chrifi, how*' happy are you : Yet all this is not faid to make you indifferent as to your fuc- ccfs : I further therefore advife you : i. Long for the wining and edifying of ^ Souls > for I have obferved, that few profper this way, but thole that earncii- ^ly defire it. 2. Pray hard for them to God, and*' fee that you negledt not your own Duty. Study for eminent abilities; Preach plainly, earneftly, reverently > exhort ' them perfonally* do them good chari- tably > hurt none* avoid fcandaU live v as you teach > (hun all unneceffary crofs- nefs and Angularity* kgep the unity of ' the Spirit in the bond of pact with all i true Believers > and patiently leave the^ ^iffueto >God. 3. If you are diftafted through, per- * judice, and have long laboured without 1 any notable fuccefs , advife with your 1 Brethren whether youlhould riot remove, U and another be not titter for that people, L a and C220) and you for another, and do according. II. As to the fc-cond Caufe of the fruftration of all endeavours for the Souls of Children and Servants , I -toucht it before: I confefs it is a grie- vous Cafe to bring up Children who 'will be Slaves of Satan, Plagues to the Church, and Fire brands in Hell i and to fpeak to them in vain as to Blocks or Mad- men : But good men have lived comfortably that had bad Children: Adam had a Cain^ Neab had a Cham , ■ Abraham had znlfmaeljfaackjtiad an Efau> Jacobs Sons greatly finned > E/i had an Hophni and Phinebas, Samuel's Sons for- foqk their Fathers way \ David had an Amnon and an Abfalom^ Solomon had a - Rehoboam, Hezekjah had a Manaffhb, Job juftly feared his Sons forgetting God in their fulnefs, and loft them in it; Chr ill faith the Son (hall be againft the Father, Mat. 13, 12. And if you have but one-gedd Child,* wyou owe great thanks to God for that. If a Miniiter muft not deny God his thanks, nor himfelf his comforts, though moli of his Flock prove obftinate and perifh > neither muft Parents be un«^ thank (221 ) •thankful or uncomfortable , if moft of their Children fhould be obftinate and perifh, if G'od permit it, who hath more** intercft in them than you have •> you mu/t Submit, and take comfort in your good ^ "defires and faithful duty : But O fee care* fully that you ncgkdt not Love , and ..prudent diligence, and good Example,^ and that you keep out of Tempting Com- -pany, and keep under fuitable means. ^ III. And it is as near a tryal, when a Husband cannot convert a wicked Wife, nor a Wife a wicked Husband, but one** muftlieinthe bofomof a flaw of Satan, uand an Enemy of Chrift , and no per- fwafion will do fuch good. The near- *> nefs- maketh the affli$ion very great, K fuch as few that have not had fad ex- u perience of it can know. It is a very hard thing to love fuch with a true Con- jugal Love, who have no true Lovely- -^ nefs of Soul, but hate the holy waves of JfcCbrifl : And it is not eafie to keep up v ^innocency and Godlynefs and peace, un-«T der the conftant oppoiition of one fo*^ nca/i But yet this muft be patiently born* when it cannot be remedied. For i... Ufually it is a juft Gonetfion for a L 3 finful V ( 222 ) **finful choice, which muft be repented of :*. And its a mercy that your Repentance ^hathfome help. 2. It may be fuch a conftant exercife of * your grace, efpecially patience and pru- % derice , as may render you better and wilronger Chrifiians, than thofe that have ^ lefs exercife by tryals. 5. ThegreatncTs of the Temptations n\uil caufe you to double your watchful-^ nefs and refolutions , againft the fins which you will be tempted to, andtoper- wform all the duties of our place* As J. See that no pretence of Love, or plea- fing, or obedier.ee, draw you to imitate v'a Husband or a Wife in fin, and to te- come as bad as they, or to receive any er- rour from them , or grow cold to holy cuties. Some Women that have Papifts or other Erroneous Husbands , cannot ** tell how to Love and pleafe them, with- out being flattered or drawn into their EnrOtirs , itrong conflant tryals need v Vllrong 3nd conilant watch and refoluti- -on : For if you are overcome to be as they, its a thoufand times worfe than all the grief that you have by them. 2. Sec that their badnefs deftroy not Conjugal affe&ions towards them : Thofe may (223 J . may be loved as Husbands or Wives who cannot be loved as fincere Chriftians. ^ 3. See chat you exceed meer carnal . pgrfons in all the duties of your Relati- ^ ons. If your difference and grief do caftyou into fowerneft, and an unpleaf- ing difcontented converfation, or if you be as peevifh and frowatd as common perfons, you will be a fcandal to thofe # rhat you fhould win, and drive them further from Religion and Silvation„ v You muft fhcw if you are Wives more Love, and Meeknefs, and Patience, and •Obedience than Carnal perfons do, as well as more forwardness in Religion. Froward Impatient Wives do harden many ill Husbands in their (Tn. It* hath «^ much pleafed me to hear a Husbands fay- ing of a good Wife, \_1 differ from my , Wife in Religion and Church Order f : I go to one Churchy and (he to another : I thinks Jhtis too preafe andjlrici S but 1 thinly there **is not abetter 1Vife, abetter Mother^ and a better Miftrejs in the Land.~] A good * Chriilian mult be good in all Relati- w ons. 4. Continue Prayers and winning en- v deavours while there is hope. 5. And let the fenfe of anothers fin L 4 And (224) and mifery, provoke you to be thankful %>to God for his grace, and that he hath not left you to the like. IV. And as to the next Cafe (when God blafteth our Labours and Etfates, and profpereth not our Callings ) its an ufual tryal : Some are ruined by deceiv- ers , and breaking Tradfixien , fome by IcfTes at Sea \ fomc by Suretifhip > fome fey fire > fome by falfe Servants * fome "by Prodigal Sons > fome by Soldiers- feme by unjuii Suits at Law \ fome o- vcr rescht in bargains about Land j and divers other wayes there are by which the Rich have been brought to poverty (to fay nothing of Gaming, Luxury and frch vice, which belongs not to this prefentCafe^) and by which lawful means of living wantfuccefs. And here i. It Is your duty to fee that therehe no guilt of any other un- w pardoned fin which God punifheth this way. Sometime an Eftate is blalkd by God, becaufe it was unlawfully got by* Anceftors : Sometimes the owner is guil- . ty of former defrauding others, and hath made no reflitution •> Sometimes God thus puniflicth fome other fecret fid, as Fornication , Lying. Flefh-pleafing and fuch \\ ftich like. Search deep, and fee that no *- fuch guilt be unrepented of, and be as a moth or fire to confume your wealth. -* 2. Efpecially fearch left your hearts ^ grow fe ere tly into a Worldly difpofitionj "and too great hopes of Riches and prof- "perity, and too great a defire after plen- * *- ty % and too much pleafure in the pof- - feilion or the hopes of it : If this be your cafe, its Gods great mercy to blalt all^ to you, and to break your Idol, and to tire you out of the Garrifon that you m truft. . They that tmjl in riches, Chrift tells you, are as hardly fayed as for a Camel (ox GableJ) to go through the eye of a needle ; And its Mens hope, which is - called their truth When you hope for - more from Riches than they can give, «^ *-ycu are Taid to truji in them. If ever-' ^God faveyou, he will fave you from this> •"Worldly mind and love : And fure prof* perity is not. the likelyeft way to that > but? rather withering the objgft. of your^ hopes- 3. However make this ufe of your? croiTes , to be more weaned from the *it World, and more carefully to lay up a -Tjreafure in Heaven, where fire, ru(i or math comipts not* and Thieves, Pirate.. L 5, Mr :! (226) or Soldiers cannot ileal, and then your lofs, be it never Co great, is made your •' ** gain. 4. And let your croffes and fruftrati- ons call yoa to exercife the graces fuit- able to your condition ; to renew Re-^ wpentance, fubmiflion to Gods Will, - ' ^JPraytr 'and deprndance for your daily bread, abatement of Pride, not difdain- ing the lowed employment, nor to be beholden to others : And if you can fol- /*;low Chrift andhis Apoftles in a holy po- /Verty , you (hall quickly be above con- tempt and want. And let it make you ply that Calling and work wh ich wi ll w never difappoint y ou: B elieve"Tn d Fop e^ Wrrongly, p?ay earneflly, obey'diligcnfly, •^beiiedraft, immoveable always abound- ing in the work of the Lord, forafmuch as your labour fhall not be in vain, tho all your Worldly wealth be blaft- cd. ~ V. The :laft Cafe is the faddeft tryal of all, when juft endeavours (or Church and Stare, for Societies and Polkrity «*-fccm all in vain : When hopes of peace and piety and publick good have been high raifed , and all foon blafted and tuiacd into flume. But of this I muft {peak (227) fpcak anon. I conclude all this Cafe of Labour frufir ate ^ and hopes caft down, with this necciTary warning > Judge of*' ^Gods love to you by the great and fure^ wokens of his Love, and net by uncer- tain tranfitory things : If God loved thofe beft that profper moft in honour and wealth, Turkj and Tyrants , and the moft Luxurious wicked Men, would have the beft proof of his Love. If your Souls profper in increafe of faith» w and i n Tweete r or def iring thought s j)f w H eaven , and in delight jn God and ho- >^ linels, an d in vid tory ov er all you r car- ^ nal affedions 3 and difconte nts, and in ^ a more willing o5edience to all Gods ^ Laws, and in a word, in a fuller com* %• plianceof your Wills to the Will of God, then you are truly profperous perfons, and have the certain tokens of the Lovs wof God > when the profperity of fools will deftroythem, and turn to the in- creafe of their fin , and will but be as fuel to Hell fire, and prepare for end- lefs mifery. CASE y (228) CASE XVI. ■Jfie Common Jin and mifiry of the World^ t and fervnefs of wife and Godly Men* XVI. \ Hcavycr tryalof our faith and •** patience yet is, 77* rnifery qf this World by the wiiverfal corruption of Mankind^ the prevahncyofmoft odiousrvick^ ednefs, and paucity of wife and godly Men ; %hat at hve thoufand , fix hundred and eighty two years , after the Creation, .- moft of the Earth feemeth for fa ken of God : Five pares of (ix being Heathens^ Mahometans and Infidels V and of the fixth part the far greateft parts are Tapid^ ■ and lamentable ignorant Greefy Arrmni* ans, Abaflinets Jacobites^ Nefcoriam, &c. And of the Proreftants, fo few that fo 'mpchas feem to be ferious. prafticers of the Chriftian faith and hope , but moft live in, worldlynefs , fenfuality, if not; ajfo in enmity to ferious piety, and Per- secution of all that practice what thenv- fclves* profefs. This is a manifold and grievous tryal. - , Ik To our faith v While Satan taketb, advantage by. it to make us doubt whe- t&» Man was mado. fct another life^ when his nature feemeth to have no in- * clination to it, but rather to abhor it:*' And to doubt how Chrift is the Saviourf of the World , 3nd dyed for all , and w would have all to be favcd and come to the knowledge of the truth, when fo few do fo much as hear -his GofpeL 2. Its a great tryal to our Charity, to think that ~£o few of the World ihail be favcd, and fo many Kingdoms and Ages damned i when we can our felves fcarce bear the pain of the Stone or Chollick patiently, or the mifcarrage or mifery of a Child or«^ friend. And ir maketh it the harder to us to perceive the Goodnefs , Love and Amiablenefs of God, who can convert wand fave the World, and will not. I have anfvvered all this fo fully in a little Book called, "thz Vindication of Gods Love, chat to avoid Repetition^ I will fay. but this little following. i. We are fully certain of Gods per- *k£t goodnefs, by all his works » it being equal to his greatnefs: And therefore no Argument can be of force ag£!nft a cer* ^tain truth: Nothing can be true that i& inconiiftent with fo fure and great a •* truth. z. Gods-goednefs is infinite ina<9v in his, (230) «rtiis bleffed felf-love: No finite Creature is an object fit to demon/Irate infinite wLovc in per fed: a dt, nor capable of it. 3. It is certain de facto that God doth make Toads, Serpents, dung, and puts fenfitive nature in Men and Eruits to great pains and death ; Therefore it is certain that all this is confident with ^Gods perfed goodnefs. 4. Gods Love to his Creature is his Beneficence or Complacence. He was no way bound to make all Creatures equal, nor to give as much to a fly or flea as to a Man, nor to a Man a$ to an Angel, or to the Sun : Nor is it meet that he complacentially elteem any Creature bet- ter than it is. 5. It was no way unmeet that God fhould make a middle rank of aftive na- tures between neceilitated bruits and Immutable confirmed Spirits , even a rank of intellectual free Agents to be Governed Morally by Laws, in a life of tryal, with a power of felf-determining^ as to their Wills, and to leave them to theii undetermined choice, decreeing ac- cordingly to Judge them •> yet refolving *>to fecure the Salvation of fome. If it be not againft Gods goodneis to make Bruits C33TJ! Bruits that have nointelle&s nor capa- city of glory, its not contrary to it to make Intellectuals meerly capable , and leave rhem to their free wills. 6, While we are thankful for Gods*' mercies to his peculiar p?ople,the Church, - we muft not, as fome peevifhly and ralh- ly do, deny what he doth for the reft of the World. He ufeth them not ac- - cording to the terms of the firft Law, In the day that thou eatefi thereof thou /bait die: He leavetb rot bimfelf without wit* mfs while he winketh at their ignorance, A& .14, In that he giveth them abundance of Temporal mercies, fruitful Lands and feafons, health and time, and punifheth . them not as they deferve : So that, that which may be known of God is manifeji in them, for God hath (hewed it to them : For the invisible things of him from the Creati* on of the World are clearly feen, being under* flood by the things that are made 1 even his ^Eternal power and Godhead > fo that they are without excufe, becaufe when they knew God ^tbey glorified him not as God. Rom. ii I p. 20, 2 1 . Who hath made of one blood all Nations of Men, to dwell on all the face of toe L>rtb, and hath determined the times be- fore appointed and the bounds of their Ha* bitation y ("231) Citation y that theyjhould fee!{ the Lord^ if *~s> } appily they might feel after him and find him, tho he be not far from every one of us* A (ft 17.25, 26 , 2 7. And in every Nation be tb-it fearetb God and workgth rigbteouf* ^mfs is accented of him\ for he is no re 'fpefier of Perfons, A&. 10". He that comet h to God mnji believe that be is, and that heir a Re- ^ivarder of them that diligently feehjoim : And Noah that believed the warning- of God, and prepared the Ark^ being moved by fear^ became an heir of the Right eoufnefs of Faith J? Heb. 11. £, 7. God will render to every Man *s according to his deeds : To them who by patient continuance in well doing do feei^for ^glory^ and honour, and immortality, Eternal life: But unto them that are contentious, and L do not obey the truth, but obey unrigbteoiifnefs, indignatioh and wrath \ tribulation and an m guijk to every Soul of Man that doth evil , of the Jew firft and aifo of the Gentile : But Glory, honour and peace to every Man that *sjvorkgth good , U the Jew firjb and alfo to the Gentiles : For there is no refyefi of perfons with God: For as many as have finned with* out Law, Jhall alfj perifh without Law, and as many as have ftnned in the Law , Jhall be judged by the Law : For not the hearers of the Law are jujl before God^ but the doers of the Law (hall be jufiified : For when the Gentiles which have not the Lan>> do by Na- ture the things contained in the Law \ theft having not the Law, are a Law unto them- /elves, which Jhew the wori^ of the Law % written in their Hearts, their Conscience alfo bearing witnefss and their thoughts the mean xchile, either accufing or elfe excufmg me another \ in the day when Godfhull judge ^the fecrets of men according to my Goffel. Rom. 2. The World is not left in defpair as Devils, underthe fentenceof the broken Law of Innocence, but is under the edi- tion of the Law of Grace which wa$ made to Adam and Noah, and is ufed on **terms of Mercy and Forgivenefs, or elfe they fliould not receive all the Mercies as they do : They are all obliged to re* ■ pent in hope, andtoufefome means for -recovery and Salvation; And God under I the Law proclameth himfelf to be The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and graci* * ouS) long [offering and abundant in Good- nefs and Truth, keeping Mercy for thoufands, forgiving Iniquity , Tranfgreffton and Sin , and that will by no means clear, &c. Exod. 3*4- 5 5 tf> 7- God would be no other-* wife known to any men on Earth. And (234) And how far men keep or breake this La w of Grace, their Judge beft knoweth : But we know that they (hall be judged according to the Law that they are under, —and the meafure of Talents delivered to them : To whom much is given, of them^ much is required : Melcbizedeck^xvzs King .. of Jerufalem, even of Kighteoufnefs and Peace: And Job and his Friends feem to have been great men of (everai Coun* tries: In Nineve they believed God, pro- *^tlamed a faji , and God Jaw their worlds, that they turned from their evil ways^ and Godrepented of the evil, &c. Jon* 3. Mai- 1. 11. From the rifiyg of the Sun to the going down of the fame, my Name (pall fie, or. is ) great among the Gentiles, and in ■ every place Incenfe ( fhall be or is ) offered to my Name, and a pure Offering: For my Name ((hall be or is) great among the Heathens, faith the Lord of Hojis. H John and Chrift preached Repentance and RemiiTion of Sin, before they prea- ched that Jefus was the Chrift : And the very Apoiiles that dwelt with Chrifl and followed him, did not believe tilK ^ after his Refurre&ion, that mult be cru- cified and dye for our Cms, andrife a* gain, and afcend and intercede in Hea- ven, ( 2 35 J vetii&c They were Fools, and flow of ^ heart to believe all that the Prophets had fpoken, how that Chrift ought to fuffer fuch things and fo to enter into his*' Glory. Luk$ 24. We are too like the Jews, who were fo proud of their Peculiarity, that they deceitfully took their outward Privi- leges to fignifie much more for them than they did : As if all the reft of the World had been quite forfaken and were no people of God, becaufe they had not their Covenant of Peculiarity : When as indeed their Peculiarity was moftly ty- pical, in that they were a Type of the Peculiar Catholick Church under the Gofpel, and that Chrift was to be a Jew*" according to the Flefti: Even as their Law and the righteoufnefs of it was exc llent as typical, and as a Shoo!- matter to lead us to Thrift, though it was called faulty , and was to be done awiy^ that a better Covenant might take ^ place. God promifed Abraham tempo- ral greatnefs, viz, that his Seed fhould be as the Starrs of Heaven , and he fhould have a Land that flowed with Milk and Hony: And all this was made good : But in fuch good as this, how final] fmall was the Portion of the Ifraelites ? How fmall and poor their Land acid Kings, in comparifion of the Romans, * Turks , Chinenfes, Indians, &c. The whole Land of the twelve Tribes, not fobigas England* and they lived moft in vexation or Captivity by the Phili- ftines or others, till David conquered, and Solomon reigned in Peace and Luxu- ry v and no longer did David's Line reign over any more than two of the twelve Tribes, and thofe ere long went into Captivity : So that the glory of the Jews Kingdom was the Divinity of their typical Law, and that the Mefliah and-* the Original of the Gofpel Church was to fpring from them. And as to their goodnefs, all 4he Hiitory and Prophets tell us how bad they were a » and if the lives of molt of their Kings be compared with Alexin* der S events , M. Aurelius Antmine ?hi~ lof. and Anton. Piuf, and Trajan, and Titus, &c. there will no great caufe ap- pear to think that none but Jews couki wbc laved: the pride of their Peculiar Covenant fet them at a greater difiance from all others than their real greatnefs, wifdom or goodnefs did. Rome (237 ) Rom- 3.1, 2. What advantage then hath the Jew, and what profit is there of* Circumcifion? Much every rvay\ Chiefly becaufe to them were committed the Oracles of God 1 And the Chriftian Church hath now thefaid Oracles and the Covenant of Peculiarity in a more excellent kind^ than ever the Jews had: But tefus not follow them in our Pride, left we fol- low them in Destruction '•> for if we be worfe than others, weftiallfuffer more than others, as our light was greater. Though we only are the Church and the peculiar People, the reft of Mankind are part of the Kingdom of the Redeemer,^ who dyedi rofe and revived^ to this end y thai he might be Lord of the Dead and the Living, Rom. 14. p, 10. For all Power is given him in Heaven and Earth, and he is Head over all to the Church. Mat. 28. 1$. Eph. 1. 22, 23. And our Covenant of Peculiarity, is no repeal of the old Law of Grace made to Mankind in Adam and Noah by God the Redeemer, whoruleth^ all upon temis of Mercy or Grace* and was known accordingly as a merciful * -pardoning God, before he was Incar- nate or known asfuch: And fo is ftill known, when as Incarnate he is not known » (-238)- known : And it is part doubt, that as •"touch of his Grace and Mercy of Re- demption went before his Incarnation, fo much of it ftill extendeth further ^than the knowledge- of his Incarnation > as the Light of the Sun is not utterly gone, when Clouds keep it unfeen, and before itrifeth, and after it is fet. And as to the Queftion, How many +* among the uncalled World do fear God and ivorl^ llighteoufnefs^and are accepted of him ? Who art thou that ytdgeft another s Servant \ to his own Majier he ft and s or falls ? Only I repeat, that Abraham the Father of w the Faithful, who / aw Chrijis day ^thought that there had been fifty righteous per- fons in Sodom \ a City fo bad, that fire from Heaven muft confume it. And all Hiftory tells us, that in all Countries Where are pious virtuous pcrfons, who are hated and derided by the fenfual Herd, yea, and pcrfecuted in moft places. This much I think needful to be con- "fidered, that we wrong not God, and our felves, and others , by clouding his * Mercy and Goodnefs, and making diffi-"< ii * culties to our Faith and Love. 7. And again, and again, I repeat, that no man istit to judge diminutively of (239; • of Gods Mercy and Love, who knoweth not what he faith > (and yet fpeaketh againft a certain truth) But they that fay, more are damned than are glorified, ** know not what they fay; For it is vifible, that all the Earth is to the reft of the World, no bigger than an Inch to all England, thatlfay not> toall the Earth : And we fee that each Region hath Inhabitants connatural here below jf Wa- ter,Earth, Air J Add we fee that the fupe- rior Regions are moft glorious as well as vaft : And I think, that few men. of fenfe do think, that Sun, Moon and Starrs, and all the Orbs, are made for no higher ufe than to fhine upon, or ferve this dirty World of Earth : So that again I fay, that Hell is like the Gallows, and Earth like the Goal, to a whole Kingdom or vaft Empire : And its no fign of a bad Prince, to have one Gallows and one Goal in his Dominions.'' 8. And we muft remember that though Hell be but one word.it fignifieth divers degrees of Punifhment h and ^Xhrift who beft knew* tells us, that they who krietv not their Lords Will, Jball be I beaten with few firipes; And even to So* j dom in the V#y of Judgment it Jhall be * ; taper C 2 4o) eafter than to thof e that refuted the Gof- x^pel; And it is an airy a&ive life of mifery that the Devils themfelves have * now* p. And we fee by the pain and death of Bruits, that God doth lay fuch pain and death on them without defert by any fin ; And is it any diminution of ^his Goodnefs to lay more on finful man? All confefs that he might have killed and annihilated us without our fin : He that gave a man Life freely for thirty, fifty, fixty years, was not bound to con- tinue it for even And he that made Toads and Snakes might have made us fuch h and yet it is certain , that moft men had rather endure any tol- lerable degree of pain, than either to be annihilated or made Toads or Snakes ; And we cannot certainly tell how far thofe pains may be called tollerable y which vChrift calleth by the name of eafier, and few ftripes. 10. It is moft certain that when we come to Heaven , we (hall be fully re- conciled to all Gods dealings , and rejoyce^ in the glory of his Holinefs and Juftice, and fee no caufe to think diminutively of v his Goodnefs and his Grace. ii. And ii # An d in th e m eantim e, let us fre- Joyce that he hath mad e us Vefl els of*' Me rcy, and th at he hath endu ed fo m any ^houiandson Earth with his Grace , and that the heavenly Church is fo great and glorious: There will be no want of*' number there. 12. And as to the Temptations hence to unbelief confider 3 that the heavenly "hopes, and defires, and lives of all the •""" Godly 5 do prove that God intendeth them 'for Heaven; All the work of hisfandli-^ fying Spirit is notdelufion : and the fear and hope that human- nature hath of another life, doth fhew that we have another to expedt : And that the wicked have no fuch heavenly defire, doth.but (hew, that they are uncapable of trea- venly felicity, but not that all others ar« •* fo too. CASE XVIL \7he fad dijiempers and divisions of Chri* ftians, and the hurt they do to the JVorld^ J and to one another , and the dishonourable ftate of the Church. [i XVIL A Nother exercife of our Pati- £\ enceis, The great Imperfection^ M Scan- Scandah and Vivifions of Chriflians^ and the hurt they do to one another^ and to the florid, and the di(bono*trabh broken flats that they are iru It is a doleful Cafe to think, how narrow, and low, and corrupt a flate the Church was in for four thoufand years before Chrifts Incarnation ; How (mall it was for the the two firft Centu- ries : How quickly fliameful Herefies did corrupt it : How lamentably they mul- tiplyed even under Perfecution : How quickly the advanced enriched Clergy were corrupted: What odious Schifms they made in the Church ; How they ^ grieved the hearts of peaceable PrinGes, who with all their Power, were unable to keep even common Love and Peace among the Prelates, and to get them to live but as quietly with each mother as the Heathen did. What a fhame is it to think, how the Majority carried it in their mod famous Councils ? And into how many Sedte the Church was broken, and moil of them by Biihops continued* to this day > Greeks, Mofcovites, Ar- menians, Neftorians, Jacobites, Melchitcs, Papifis, &c. And that fo many hundred years experience doth not end or heal their the rents. To read the doleful Di-^ vifions and Cruelties by the Arrians, the bloody Feuds about Neftorians, Euty- chians, Monothelites, the Tria Capitula> Images. Excommunications, particular mens driving for pre-eminence, to read how the Papacy fprang up, and to read the Schifms and Lives of the Popes, the general Councils difmal Accufations of feme of them, their Ignorance, Simo- ny and Wickednefs : To read of the Wars between the Pope and Emperors, Fredericks^ Henry the ^tb. Henry the 5^. Otbo, &c. And how commonly the Clergy fwore, and unfwore, and for- fwore < ibmetime for the Pope, and fame- time for the Emperors : To read how a Council of Bifhops made it the Henricun Herefie to hold that Emperors have a Power to invefl: Bifhops baculo & anmtlo % and that the Pope may not excommuni- cate and depofe them-, and that they decre- 1 ed to dig up the Carcaffes of the dead Bi- fhops and burn them as Hmrician Heretickjy ' who hadbeen for theEmperors againftthe Popes : To read of all the horrid cruelties of Bifhops and Clergy-men, inlnquifiti- ons, the Murder of many hundred thou- | fandWaktenfesand Albigenfes, and the M 2 many 044) many Maffacrees and Burnings for Religi- on fince : To fee at this day.,that the Cler- gy will not by reafon or requeft, be in- treated to give one another, or the King- doms of Europe any peace: What cla- mors! What Preachings! W r hat Wri- tings! What. Railings! What diabolical Slanders, and malicious Perfecutions of one another? To fee Prifons filled, ■wHoufes rifled, muititudes of true Chri- ftians undone and hunted by one ano-_ ther ; To fee how ignorant the moft zea- lous Chriftians are in many Places, and alas, even the Teachers of them > and how contentious and prone to Sedts and bitfer Cenfures, and to juftifie unjufti- wfiable things, and to make odious one another, and tofpeak evil of the things they underftand not , and to be moft con- fident unto rage, where they are moft miftaken : To hear how confidently con- trary fides appeal to God, and father all their Caufe on him : How confidently and religioufly they feem to die* who^ are executed for contrary Caufes ? The pious words E. G. and Prayers of thofe in 1660. on one fide, and the pious words and Prayers of the Jefu/ts and other Papifts lately: To hear Come fwear C 245 ) War others guilty unto death , and the Jefuits Appeal to God that it was * allfalfr, and renounce all Equivocations and Absolutions at their death. Yea y " tohear lately in this Parifh at the Com-)( munion publickly while they received the Sacrament on it , one Man Swear or Vow before God thofe vifible Actions of another , which that other , there and then, as folemnly vowed to be all falfe. V n To Read every week News books, whofe fiudyed work is with the greatefi wit, and vehemency, and grofs lies to draw Chriftians to hate and deftroy each other: And while all cry up Love and Peace, for the fame Men f o to fight againft it , worfe than all their publick Enemies i fothat there appeareth no hope offaving -the Land > yea, the mod uprighc Chrifti- ans, from the lies, rage and malice ot w profeffed Chriftians. So that Men feem J incarnate Devils, ; A nd alas the few fincere Souls live be- £ I low the holy joy which their Chriftian Z- faith and hope befpeaketh > in too much 'fear and grief, or tendernefs of the bo- dy. How can Patience endure to fee all this. The Cafe is dekful but. 1. Re- M 3 member C 246 ) member that all this doth but tell us %^What fin is , and what it hath done to^- Mankind, and yet Men will hardly be- ^Ikve that it isfo bad. 2. All this may help you to believe that there is a Hell and Devils /that God is not to be accufed of it, when fin w w - CHS) to under-value fo great a work* 6. Chrift knoweth his own grace in c-all Believers, even the weakeft, notwith*^ .+ Handing all their faults and follies* And «~he loveth his own, while he hateth their fm much 'more , than any Man can do : And he pardoneth their remaining "in- ^firmities, and loveth their perfons, and^ * calleth them his Brethren, and fo muft we : If Chrift can pardon fin, and love vthe uprightnefsoftheimperfed, we muft imitate him. 7. As we muftlivein conftant need of our Creator for our daily bread, or life wand prefervation, fo muft we live indaily need of the pardoning and healing J ^graceTof our Redeemer > as once Crea- ting puts us not into a ftate of felf-fuffici- ency and independance, fo neither doth wonce Redeeming us. And the daily be- tf •nefit of a Saviours pardon , and healing w */g race > i s our daily comfort. ——^-^ J 8. AsZ told you before about the im- perfection of each ones grace, God. will ' have a difference between Earth and Hea- ven, and what we want here, we (hall j^there have in Perfe&ion .* Even greater ^ Perfc&ion than we can here believe.— 9. The faults of all ChriiHans teach us C H9 ) t^ us all to think humbly ofourfelves, and alfo not to overvalue imperfect Man,**' nor to truft the beft too far > nor to take all for true or good, which they do or teach > But to walk cguteloufly with all Men, and to put otir whole truft in* / ■ w God alone. 10, And the worfe we all are, the 1 more we dttcern the freenefs of Gods * vLove and Grace, and the great caufe of ^thankfulnefs that wc have for all ourv y mercies. it. And when we fee that the befton Earth are fo imperfecft, it (hould help us^ ^ all to long for Heavens where there is«~- ' no ignorance or Errour, no fin, no ma- lice, no proud cenforioufnt fs, no divifions* j* but God is joyfolly praifed by all, as with one Soul, one Mind, one Love, one^ Mouth. 12. In all ages and Countries where tjhe Church hath b?en mod degenerate, ;*-God hath had' many that have main- , tained their integrity, and have. not Con- fented to the Corruptions and contenti- ; onsof the times, nor run into the guilt of the ambitious Clergy, or of unruly Hereticks y and a few fuch as are his ^jewels, are worth many of the Earthly droflfy world.. M 5 13, And: 13. And what wonder is it if nomi-, nal Chriftians that are real Hypociites and wicked Men , be haters and Perfe- cuters of the juii, and the Plagues of jthe World, and the c{iiefcft inftruments of the Devil on E^tfi. Certainly the falfe profeffion of Chriftiaftity is fo far -from.- making Men good, and faving tliem, that . it fublimateth their wicked nefs,and mak- eth them the worft and moil miferable^ of Men. 14. It fomewhat tendeth to allay the. v/fearso( weak Christians, who think that 1 their faults axe inconfiitent with fincerity^ when they fee that fo many of all forts are fo faulty : They fee what Gods mercy*/ bearech with in all. 15. And k is no real caufe of difhonour to ChrifHanity : For no Enemy can find any fault in that ; There is no fin againft £ God or Man, which Chrift hath not for •$ fciddep, and is not moreagainft than the w- . moil righteous Man alive is, it is there- "fore inter impudence, to charge thofe faults of Men on Chrifi, which he forbid* wdeth and abhorreth: What would they, have him do more to fignifie his hatred of fin, than to Condemn it, and pre- pare Hell for all that live and die im-j peni*- C 25 r) penitent? andhimfelf to die rather than it fliallgo unpuniftied, even in thofethat**' ^ are forgiven band to do fo much as he hath done todefiroy it. 16. Andif the wicked .will perilh by the fcandal which they tafceyat Chrifti- ans faults, their impiidenc'e maketh their damnation juft. It were elfe eafy for them to fee a difference between the im- v* perfections of a Saint, and the wicked- nefs of a bea/tly or Malignant iinner? And they fhould rather' Gather, that if the; faults' of ferious Believers are odi- ous, their own reigning fin is much more fo" 5 And therefore this fhould haften their ^repentance. 17. And O how definable fhould the Common fin and ignorance and divifions in this World, mane Chriits appearing .** * and glorious Kingdom to us, when the. whole Church (hall be prefenfed fpotlefs,^ * and beautiful in holinefs and love, and ^Ghrifl will be glorified in his Saints, and admired in all Believers : The holy City ^ of God, the Jerufakm above, hath no- thing butperfedt amiablenefs, concord - love and Joy 3 where all are^tho tnzvy> yet but onu CASE CASE XVIIL Heavy Judgments on the Land, by Plagues^ Poverty, Fire and Wars. XVIII. A Nother tryal of our Patience **-*- is, publicly and common and heavy. Cbafiifements of God, upon whole Ci- ties , Countries, and Kingdoms ) efpecially by Plagues, F amine, Fire and War ? u In, 1665. How doleful was the Cafe of London ? When an hundred thoufand dy- ed in a (hort time > when Men were caft by heapes into pits for Burial, and when good and bad were fwept away, and the livipg were hard put to it to bury the ^ dead, and Husbands and Wives, and Pa- rents and Children who were burying their friends , expefred to be prefently dead themfelves > and when the Houfes *' that were not ufed to Prayer, had Pray- w ing doors, [God be merciful to us"] being written on them to notihe their Cafe : , And when we were glad to fly into re- mote and folitary places, and were a - fraid to meet a Wan le/i he (hould infed us. 2. And how doleful was the very next years Cafe. 3j where the Rich and Famous City City of London was burnt ? O what a fight were thole dreadful raging moun- ting Flames? How many thoufand Houfcs^ were conformed in three daies,which pride had adorned with coftly furniture , and where luxury had waited the Creatures *< of God ? What Treafures that had been long in heaping up were there confumed ? To fee the Streets crowded with Men attonifhed, that, lookt on all their wealth confirmed ^ and could -do nothing to faye it from the flames > apd others carrying out their goods, and fome laying thern in Vaults for fafety^and fome in Churches, and altogether there confumed : The Bookfellers hoped that the Famous Structure and Vaults of St. Pauls Church might have fived their great Treafure of excellentBooks, which yet did but increafe the Churches ruin ? Yea the Houfes of and now thofe that were fet up in their fteadsare driven ojjt by* the Flames, as they lately fled away ? from the Plague 5 and moft of them to this day br very many, lye un- built, and Gods worlhip is performed in fuch poor wooden Tabernacles, as before would have been made a'Tcorn. And how rhany; -thoufand Families had no Habitati r 6n/- : fod -were related- to Poverty, and 17 *©* this day liv : in the diftrefs whicK thofe Flames did 'bring upon them? And finetf then, how many dreadful Fires have confumedmany Cor- poration in this Land ? Ne^ruS; how Calamitous was that \k Sovtbvirk^ &nd -* but a Fortnight paft,' that 1, more' dread- ful Fire at Japping , where about a thoufand houfes that had 'above three-' thoufand Families we're burnt. 3! And though God hath not yet try* ed us with 5 any common; definitive Fa- roin. Poverty caufeth thouiands : to dye wof Sickncffes taken by want* even by drinking Water, and wanting Fire and Cloatbs^ and eating un who! feme Food; And we have ofc had notice of the Cafe Cafe of Germany s after the Wars, about j 62J. when they were fain to watch the the Graves, left the dead Eodies (hould be-*' digged up and eaten ^and of the more re- ferable Cafe of Rochel, and others like- wife. 4. But alas, bloody Wars have been more common, and Men to Men more terrible, than mad Dogs, or Wolves, or Tygcrs : We had fad experience of it in England, Scotland, and Inlands but other Countries have felt much more ; They that have not tryed it, know- not what it is to live under the Power of "lavage Souldiers, who domineer over all, and make all Slaves to them in their own houfes, and keep them undefdaily fear of Death, and take away all they ■have, and make no more to kill men,*- than to kill Dogs or Flies? and if they can but call them Enemies, think him the mod: honourable who killeth mofK O what difmal lights were our fields, covered with the Dead, and Garrifons ftormed, and all Countries filled with Men-hunters, who took their Neigh- bours Eilates and Lives for their lawful prey: Befides, that one Party of them grew to that Inhumanity and Blafphemy, as as to make a Scorn of Death and Hell, i andfotodefieGod s as that to this day i the word £ GW damn me"] continueth with them a Word of Courfe: And others thatprofefTed Piety,fclIinto pride and preemption, and contentious Sedts, for which they ulually raged and were confident. Is it not hard to think of fuchthings with Patience ? Much more^ to fee and feel much of them. But God hath not left us without Re- wraedy. I. As to Plagues, i. The great numbers that dye together, make us think otherwife of it than is meet ; It is but Death, and all muftdye: Notone more dyeth of the Plague, than would dye ere long if there were no Plague; and it is ufually a (hbrter pain than other Feavers bring-* and the pain is fmall fn comparifon of the Stone in the Bladder, and many other Difeafes. 2. And the terror of mens danger and dying Multitudes, ufually doth more to awaken men to Repentance and (erious preparation, than other difeafes ufe to do. Though Fear alone make not a found Repentance, Fear is a great and^ neceffary Preparatory. I have reafonto hope, that the great Plague in London was fC*57j was a help to the Converfion of many hundred Souls : Not only as it called men to review their Lives, and be- think them of (heir State \ but as it made them far more impartial Hearers of publick Preaching and private Coun- fel : There was then in London nofcor- ning at holy ferioufnefs and diligence -for Salvation, in comparifon of what is now : The Houfes that now roar out drunken fongs and fcorns at Godlineft, and revile, threaten andcurfe the religi- ous fort, had other Language then , when £ Lord bate mercy on us ] was written on the Doors : When the pub- lick Minifters fled, God ftirred up the Charity of many filcnced Minifters, who till then had forborn publick Prea- ching, and they ventured among them, and begged Mony out of the Country for the Poor > Vifited them, and preached**" to them in the deferted Pulpits : And the fenfe of approaching Death fo a- | wakened both Preachers and Hearers, <* that multitudes of young men and o- thers were converted to true Repen* w tance. And this was the chief occafion of the publick preaching of the lilenced Mini- fters (258) fters ever fince : They had fo great expe- rience of Gods blcffing, and their young Converts were fo fenfible of the be- ncfit,that bothPreachers and Hearers than ^refolved to hold on as long as they could. And was not London now a Gainer by this Plague? Did it not make men bet- ter ? Compare it and other places then : At Oxford the Parliament of Lords? Eifhops and Commons, who fled thither .from the Plague, even then in the heat c^of it were making that {wearing AcTv which ruineth and imprifonech Non- conformiftsj that come within five Miles of any City, or Burgefs Corporation, and take not their Oath and Declaration > (yea, and fome Lawyers fay, Confor- formifts too, that have but oncepreacht in that which they call a Conventicle and take not the Oath) But in London there is no fuch work h they were not 'then fending the Preachers to Goal, or hunting them as Roguesor Rebels, but gladly hea- ding them, and beggingfor their Prayers.' II. And as to Famin or common Po- verty, I have fpoken of it before: The great diftrefs that the Fires and oi'her means have brought on many thonfand Families, hath but drawn out the Cha- rity (259) rity of others, and exercifed the re- pentance , humility and mortificati* on of the poor and fo hath prepared both forts, rich and poor, for a greater ^ reward \ It hath done much to try mens Charity, and to (hew the difference be- tween man and man : I that have had opportunity to try both forts, have found by long experience, that where- as malignant worldly men were wont to fayjthat-thefe Religious perfons were but Hypocrites 5 though they read the Scrip- ture and prayed muchj they were as covetous and uncharitable as others* it is fo much contrary 3 that they excel others in Charity as much as in Piety > •and lean fooner get ten Pound or twen* ty for the Poor from religious Perfons,*-^ than ten Shillings from thofe that fpeak againft them, that are of greater wealth \ than they, III. And though the forefaid Flames iof London^ Southward Wappng^ Nor- I thampton^ 3tc, were great Corrections, let \ us not make them greater than they are: As to the lofs of Eftate by them, it is but what the richeit Merchant k liable to by Piracy or Shipwrak ; and not Co much as Death will fhortly bring onall, when when all the world muft be forfaken. 2. And it was a great mercy of God, that aniens lives were preferved when their wealth was gone > fo that they had time to improve the Corre&ion. 3 . And a great help if was to men of any fenfe and confideration, to fee the vanity of all ^worldly wealth and treafure, and to pre- pare for the time when it mult be final- ly left ; And the Flames of London and its after Ruins, were a notable fore- fignification of th? great Flames and ^---Ruinsof the final Judgment Day > and it loudly called on men to examin what the Corporation Common Sin of Eng- land is, which laid fo many Coporatb ons in A&es> and to repent in timcv And we need not make it an Aggravati- on that it was done by malice > for its eaficr to our Confciences, that it be done by others than ourfelvesy and it helpeth thofe men to fee the evil of thofe definitive Principles which engage men wto do fuch mifchief on pretence of the fervice of the Church* 4- Yei , and it is a prefignification of the new Hea- ven and Earth, when all things (hall be w-reilored, to fee fuch a City fofoon rebuilt, in far greater fplendor than before. IV. But IV. But cruel Wars, and Souldiers, •* are a more (harp Calamity: But yet leave us alleviating confederations, and matter #nough to exercife and help our patience. For i. It doth lively tell us what man is in his corrupted ftate, and what Sin is, and what we had been if Grace had forfaken us. 2. It tells us what our (late on Earth is* a militant life > and calls us to remember our fpiri- tual Enemies and Warfare, and to live +* as arm'd in conftant Watchfulnefs. 3. It helps our Faith to believe that there are Devils, and a Hell, when we fee the Works and Infiruments of Devils up- on Earth, and fee Earth made fo like to^ Hell. 4. It teacheth us to fet light by *4 earthly Treafure, which Thieves and Plunderers -can fo quickly take away; And to live in conftant preparation for*' Death, when men are fo ready to take away our lives. 5. And it tells us how much we are beholden to God for our-^ prefervation, and for our peace, that all men be not thus continually as incar- nate Devils to one another. 6. And it calls us to long for the World of per- fect Love and Peace, where there are no * .fuch men, and no fuch doings* How fwca ^ 202 J w-fweet will everlafting Peace and Joy be when we come newly out of fuch a eWorld of favage Cruelty? 7. And God often by Wars, prepareth people for a better Peace than they had before > the fweetnefs of which doth make the mi- *- feries of War forgotten. 8. Andufual- ly it is the . moft wicked men that are cut off by War, while the pious and ^peaceable look on and efcape, Wicked men are mad with fin 3 and will not give peace to themfelves or others : While they run with rage to murder others they "are killed themfelves, and God is known by the Judgments which he executeth, while the IFichgd are enfnared in the worJ^ of *~their own hands ', and dafht in pieces by their own rage * for the Wicked are likg the raging Sea, which cafts out dirt > there is no peace to the Wickgd faith the Lord. Ifa- 4^. And while men bite and devour one ano- ther, they are devoured one of another > and they that lead into Captivity, fhallbe led *into Captivity 5 and they that kjll with the Sword, fhallbe hilled by the Sword. So that it (hould feem no ftrange thing to a Souldier of Chrifts, that the World which he is paffing through is militant. ' CASE CASE XIX. The Trofperity- and Triumphs of wicbfd Enemies of the Church. ANother great Tryal of our Patience is, the Triumphs of the rvickgd Ene- mies of the Church, and that the Saints ^ are ufually under their feet infufFerings - andfcorn: I fpake before of Terfecution^ j and as to the Frofperity^ and Triumphs of 5 Malignants \ David who was under the like Temptation, hath longago given us Confederations fufficient for our Patience. Tfal. 37. and. 73. A T ,d the triumph of the Wicked is but for a Mordent, and their motion as the Grafhopper,, .hat fall as they rife : Their Vidrorie^ and Glo- ry, and Rage, are like a c quib, of Gun- powder, which makes a .vjife and is pre- fently extindt: They are rnov : ed Duft, which the Wind of Cods difpleafure ~ ! blows into our Eyes They are dying , whil(J, they are raging, and their own •« "D^athisat hand and UngewHh not, while. th45l afre killing others : Go? into the San<5tuary and fee t;heir End, and it may Wilence all Impatience y for fee their Corps in Rottenneft and their SquIs. in Hell, and C264) and pity will overcome envy , and their cafe will appear to youathoufand time 3 ^fader than theirs that fuffer by them for **> righteoufnefs fake. Their contrivances *-do but Plot themfelves intomifery. All ^the blood which they fhed , mud be w reckoned for: And precious in the fight of the Lord is the death of his Saints, ^even when they ieem delerted. Where now is Alexander^ C^far^ Tamberlain, and fuch other Famous Murderers called Con- querours ? Are they now Triumphing ? Is it an eafe to their tormented Souls, or life to their duft v that living fools do magnifie their names , and their dear bought Victories and Murders. If it be no glory to a Serpent , Crocodile, or a Wolf or a Mad Dog, to kill Men, no nor to the Devil who is a Murderer from the beginning, why (hould it be a Glory to ^thefe inftruments of the Devil ? O what a dreadful fearch will it be to Babilon , when in her (hall be found the blood of **the Saints and Martyrs of ]efus, and up- on her (hall come at once all the righ- teous blood that hath been (bed ! The blood of the many hundred thoufand Waldenfes , Albigenfes^ Bohemians- , &c. v Did but render the Papacy more odious : Their I 205 J Their Inquifition and AlvJs cruelties loft them the Low- Countries; They got nothing in France by the fudden Murder ot thirty thoufand or forty thoufand Pre teftants j nor will they get at laft by their prefent cruelties ; The two hundred thou- 2- fand Murdered by the Irijb^ prepared for"" the Murderers greater ruin 3 but did not fatisfie their defires. Queen Maries fires did but make Popery the more eafily and commonly hated and extirpated in the daeys of her Succeflbur : Perfecutors arc not immortal, but mud die as well as o* 4 thers ? And they have not alwayes the choice ot their SuccefTours : And as their names rot with their CarkafTes, and to pious, fober and wife pofterity, no names are more odious , fo their defigns and works alfo often perifh with them* We hafve feen in cur dayes and Land, the « fame Men, that were the terrour of the Nation in War, laid in a grave and left to the Common Earth, where no one is afraid of them: And the fame Men that were lift up by many Vi or Pilaff for having his name in the Creed : Or are the flames ever the eafier to Dives^ becaufe he once fared fumptuoufiy and was cloathed richly every day, while Lazarus lay at his Gate in Sores. The w time is fhort ; The Conqueror and the Con- (26 7 ) I Conquered will be equal in the duft s ' I where they will ceafe to trouble, and lie in -peace* But the Perfecuter andthePer- ! fccuted (for rightoufnefs fake) will be as di/lantly ieparated as Hell from Heaven. The Men of this world, who have their Portion in this life, are Gods Sword and Rod to correct his Children j but as they now glory in their fhame, fo they (hall fhortly be afhamed of their glorying > % and with in vain, that all their proud op- ' preilions and cruel Victories , had beea not done, or could be undone. -CASE 'XX. No probability in any vifible means that ever the World Jhould be much better* Twelve General Directions to get and ufe Pati* ence in every Cafe* XX. A ND it adds much to th^ X\ tryal of our Faith and Pati- jence, that There is no apparent means of deliverance, nor probability, in the eye of rea* fbn^ that ever the world (hould become better^ $ but it groxveth worfe and tvorfe: Could tv^ fee any hope of better daies, we might the eafier wait in Patience, i. The Heathen World is out of our reach; We know not how to fend any probable means a- ^ong'them; The Roman Jefuits and Fryers, who have greater flocks ofmony, have been encouraged by Kings, efpeci- ally of Portugal^ to go among fome Hea- thens with their EmbafFadors, or by their help : And to their due praife be it fpo- ken, in^CongO) Japan y China, and fome other Countries, they toook great pains and did much : But moft that they did was quickly undone, partly by the piavi- ty cf fenfual Heathens, and partly by their depravation of the Chriftian Doct- rine which they, (lould have Preacht. They confulting with carnal Wifdom, durft not tell Men long of Chriiis Cru- cifixion j and they did but change their Heathenifh Images, for 4 gnus Vet's) and Pidhues of the Virgin Mary, and other Trinkets like their own \ which was eafily received, but made not found Chriftians v while the People thought that Chrifii- anity lay in fuch little things; And two things broke, down all their paper buil- ding} In Congo they liked the Profeilion of Chriftianity, when it toucht not the flefh, and lay but in opinions, Names and Relicks h but when they were told that they muft leave Drunkennefs, Whose* dom and Royotous Sports, they cafl off all i 269.; a ll and would go no further. In Japan (and moll places 5- ) when they perceive that the defign is Secular, to fubjedt all Kingdoms to the Pope, the Princes abhor them > and cruelly perfecuted the new made Chriftians, till they had utterly ex^ tirpatcd Chriftianity there. The Proteftant Princes and States are - little regardful for the Converfion of Heathens, but contend about their own Dominions, interefts and Wills, when they (hould confederate for the promoting of the Gofpel of Salvation v Save that -old Mr, John TLliots, and his helpers have by long unwearied labour done much* intenfively, bat not much extenfively in New-England. And how to carry it fur- ther they know not ; Merchants that ftiould contrive to make their foSories ferviceaWe hereto, take little care of it butprofecute ^te way of their own gain.*' The moft capable perfons were Princes by their Emba/Tadours » but who much, ; regards it? Or rather, the Neighbour \ Nations of Chriftians , who live near the Heathens and Mahometan^ and trafik with them. But alas, thefearemoftly an * ignorant fort of ChrilHans, unfit toman* age fo great a work, fuchas the Armenia ms> Georgians ) Circajjianf , MengreUanr % N3 Abap> 1 270; 'Abdffinefi and mofl of the Jacobites and Nejiorians 5 or ignorant and vicious alfo, fuch as moftly arc the Greeks, and M^/- cw/Ve/ > or contemned by thofc that Ma- iler them, fuch as are thcTranftlvanians, ; and Hungarians. So that they are a fcan- dal to the lurkf and Heathens, and bring Christianity with them into contempt. And among Chriftians how fmall is the number of thofe that are fmeerely wgodly, and keep found Dodrine and live accordingly : And there appeareth no probability of Reforming them- The great and famous Eaftern Churches are * moftly gone already to Mahometanifm. And the fcrvitude of the Greekj keeps them in ignorance, and ignorance che- rifheth all vice. The Mofcovites have nei- ther ^ifhops or Priefis that can Preach or difireit, nor Emperours that will luffer it, but are ignorant ilavcs under the name of Chriftians. The Roman party are Ar- med with Wealth, Learning, Policy and Power to keep up the Papal claim and corruptions, and keep out that Reform ination, which would reftore Chriftianity to its Primitive purity. The Reformed, in France are : under heavy fufferings^ wand near extirpation. The Lutherans too titter Enemies to Concord, and mbft Ger* 070 I Germans too fenfual in their lives: The Proteftant Churches feem every where ^declining, if not haftening to ruin : Some Rulers that have profcfTed Reformation are ferving the Papirts, with refolved vio* -ed for a better World ; Or as the Wilder- nefs to the Ifialites where they were to be tryedby difficulties in their way to the .^Land of promife > or as a Winter Journy through dirty or craggy waies homeward. And what if this Womb, this Wildernefs, thefe ways never amend ? What Man is fo weak as to be difcouraged, becaufe po- sterity is like to rind the waies as fowl or rough as he hath done? Or becaufe the deferts of Lybia^ or Arabia^ or the dan- gerous pafTages over the Alps^ will be no better to the next Generation fhanihey are to this ? It is indeed the defire of every «^true Chriftian that the World were bet- ter > and thefe delires are not vain : They fliew thehonefty of them that with it: But God will not do all that he hath made it our duty to defire : We mufl defire the<* wConverfion and Salvation of many that never will be Converted and faved. 2. God will give us all that we de— > (ire, but it is not on Earth: If we did i v ftill fee by faith- the greater, perfed glo* rious World, which we are near, it would quiet ( 273; quiet nsagainfl: all our'p^ptexing doubts ^ and troubles in this World: All is well w in Heaven, even better than we can de-r fire > there is no Ignorance, no Infide- lity, Atheifm, Mahometanifm,no Wars, noSe&s, no Cruelties, no Contentions \ * Reformation is there perfed, and the*' Church all holy. 3. In all reafon, our Affe&ions fhould be but proportioned to their Objeds : It is our duty to monrn for the miferablev World, and the corrupt (late of the Church on Earth: But feeing the Hea- venly Glory incomparably, exceedeth the Worlds Mifcry > our joy {hould be. *-far greater to think of Heaven, than our trouble when we think of Earth. Again I fay, All the Earth is no bigger compared to Heaven, than our Goal f is compared to all this Kingdom, yea, to all the Kingdoms on Earths and it is I our duty to be forry, if thofe in Prifon do not amend S and that thofe muftdye: that are condemned: But (hould we not more rejoyce, if it went as wdl as wc could wkb it with all the reft of the Kingdom, or of the World: Heave which is many thoufand times -bigger thau-.Eaxthr hath nothing but pcrkcl N. j fcii „ felicity and glory, pctkA knowledge, love and joy. 4 And this Earth (hall ferve to all Gods Ends : He will gather all his Chofen j> and he will be glorified in his ^Providence towards the reft : Out of this Bedlam, Chrift bringeth many to faving Wifdom h and out of this Goal Gods Mercy taketh many Sons to Glory > He repreveth all, and pardoneth alK that «^are penitent Beliversj and Tray tors and Enemies are reconciled tohimhy Chrift,^ and being jufiitied by Faith, have peace ^ with God ; God placed man in an earthly Paradife, as the paffage to the heavenly > and mans own wilful fin and folly, tur- ned his Paradife into a Prifon, and it is row a Houfe of Corre&ion, where God joyneth Jnftru#ion, and by the Book and Rod doth teach his Chofen' faying*'* v/WifcIom: And as the Ifraelites in the • Wildcrnefs had their fuitable mercies for their forty years j and as Jeremy led the captive. Jews to build, and planr, and marry in Babilm, and pray for its-' Peace,, as the Place in which their own Ttzce nuift be had, till ft venty years : werepaft, ( which is the age of man J fi . fo<^cd here j^iveth us great mciciesfuit- ; able, ' C $5 ) ; able to our Wildemefs and Captive State v and when a little time is over, we (hall have better than we could here ^believe. And though I would not che-^ iifli that (inful defire, which would have that on Earth which is proper to Heaven, nor have I skill enough in the expofition of hard Prophcfies, to make a particu- lar determination, about the thoufand years Reign of Chrift on Earth before the final Judgment h yet I may fay, that - I cannot confute what fuch Learned jf * Men as Mr. Mead, Dr. Tnvffe and others ( after the old Fathers ) have hereof af- ferted; And I am certain, that Chrift %-teachethus all to pray that Gods Name may be halloaed, his Kingdom come and \ ; his Will he done, on Earth as it is in * ; Heaven? andtlut he appo.inteth .us to j ufe no Prayer or means in vain : And many are ready to believe the old thar as the. World was made in ; and the feventh was made a d reft, and a day with the L '. thoufand ^cars. To after frx the f years of fin and forrow. a thoufan frs \(i holy reft ihall follow : Of this I certa ; n> but I believe there will be a new Heaven and Earth, in which wifl dwe 1 dwell Righteoufnefs. We mufi not look for too great matters in a finful curfed Earth, We would fain have all the bleffednefs of Heaven, but we are w ^ioth to dye, and therefore would have it here on Earth i and the rather becaufe ashear-fay without fight doth not give a man a fatisfa&ory conception of any houfe or place that he would know > fo fuch a fenfible conception we would have of Heaven : But death is the wages of fin, > and dye we mufi:, but the gift of God is Mr eternal life, through Chrift who hath-* overcome him that had the power of death, by the fear of which we are kept in bondage : And we may re Joyce by an s QJL\ implicite truii to Chrift, in the hope of )( that Glory which we can in the fiefh have no explicite/We* or conception of \ where will be no fin, no death, no fear, noim- ^ perfection, no unbelief or cenlbrious diihfieat any of Gods words or works >" but beatifying vifion, ard fulnefs of weverlafting joy in glory. And agaiaft this and other Obje&iens* * \| youmuft ftill remember that a futfering condition is not fo bad for the Church on w Earth, as unbelief and fiefh would make you think* for k A c-277 ; i. A fleQily profperity is too bruitifh** and lhort to be true felicity : Its the por- tion of the wicked, and the occafion of their deceit and ruiae. PfaL 17. 14. Lukg 12.15,20, 21. And is the Church le(s happy , becaufe it is faved from fo^ dangerous temptations ? *■ 2. Forget not the unvaluable riches of *s the Church y i n its loweft ftate : Their <*<} od, their Chriih their ComTorter, the piomifes, and all fuitable providences fit- ted to their good, are a thoufand fold greater riches and honour, than all the ^Kingdoms and power of the ungodly* 1 " world. 3. The Church in its moft deprefTed ftate, hat hjrnp regnabk ftrength andjafe-^ ~ ty : TheirTiod is in vincible : Their Sa- ; £ viour is the Reck which the" Gates ofw Hell fhall not prevail againft.Mz*.i<5,i8. 4. When they are moft fcorned and contemned, and ufed as Fools and Rogues,, *-and as the bafeft and mo ft odious of man - kind s they are the Mem bers of Chriftyffi the Children of God, and bear his Image, w and are the charge of Angels, and puffing wo a Crown of Glory. And what is any difcorout from man, as fet againft fuch Srfaonours with God, and all the Bleffed? Bhjfed * Bfeffi'd-afe the pure in heart, for they (ball fe e God. Mat* 5. The reproach of Cbriji is grea* ter riches than Worldlings treafure. Heb. 1 1 . 26„Eph. 2.7.W5. 25,27. and 1.22. 23. and%» io. * 5. Remember that the far greatefi part of the Church, even all fince the Creation, are in poflcffion of Heaven al-^ ready, and it is but a fmall remnant as the gleanings, that are here yet behind. Heb. I2 e 2 2,23. read the defcription of them ^rthere : Chrift is not afhamed to call them Brethren. Heb* 2. 1 r. And ufeth them as * fuch: In his Fathers Houfe he hith many Manfionsfor them, John 14. 1,2, 3. And if you faw all tho(e Millions in Heaven "' with Chrift, could you for (hame grudge^ £ tha^the few b re paffing thither through t and tribulation? Or that k rni ft be as by fwiming-, or on M)roaken pieces of the Ship, that they niuft come all faft to Land, as Afts 27. If all be well in Heaven, grudge not at the \iLway rThefe things are never theworfe, or more uncertain in themfelves, for bcivguiJxcr). 6. And how great fecurity hath God given the Church of all this heavenly gk)iy promifed,? Can we fear that Chrift* will (279) will be defeated of the great defign of >;mans Redemption, and reigning in the /new Jcrufalem.Vihcic he is t o be i ts Light inftead of t he San/* A nd doth hot G od^>^ Jove his Chu rch much better than we do* and better know how to deal with**"' if, and all the World/* Shall we blind Sinners, who do nothing throughly well, F- b: afraid left God will mifcarry, or dojK "^ any thing amifs. w 8. The Church mud have its Purga-r tory on Earth > and Profperity filleth it with Hypocrites who corrupr it > and Adverfity mud refine it from (uch drofs. p. Particular Chriftians are better by w affliction > and what eife is the Church *- but particular Chriftians: God will not I ave our temptations to the damning * Love of the World too ftrong. i o. The Church muft be conformed to its Head, who iuffred and then entered^ j into glory. ii. While all Individuals are finful j ^ and imperfect, what wonder if all the ' ^Church do fuffer by it ? 12. Moft graces muft fhine and increafe - ~> by exercife ■, like fome Jewels that mui , be rub'd } as Fire in a Flint or Steel, that mult be called into fight by violence. We . are are bat like common men in appearance, till fomewhat more than common work, or fuffering call us out, and ihevv our ^difference, from Hypocrites. The(e and many fuch Confiderations before intimated, may convince us that theworft Hate of the Church or World," is no j-uft caufe of cenfuring Gods Provi- dence, nor of difcouragement or impa-%. ^tienceto any true Believer: But ft^ll in ^Patience we may poiTefs our Souls. I will draw*out this Treatise no lon- ger, but to remember all Chriftians, that . the common great defed of Patience is a great difiionour to our prtffeffion of Faith Y ^and heavenly hope, and leaceth us to that within as the paufe which we Should *^be greatly humbled for > and that it is a difeafe fo painfuy to our (elves, as (hould make us loth to cherifh or excufe it : A yt tender ftate of Body is not deiirable, which can endure no Cold or Air, no Dyet but curiouflydrelh neither Winter nor Summer, &ei Much worfe is a ten-«^ der impatient mind, that is hardly plea- Vfcd by Man or God \ that is impatient at* w every lofs or crofs, at every real cr fup- poflrd wrong h at every danger, threat- ening, or id news 3 that mult beilrok'd,. andv ( 2 8i) • androck'd 5 and ufedasa Child. Alas,ma» ny people that truly fear God, have lb ^great a want of patience, as that one can 'hardly live quietly with them > but he mult have extraordinary skill, and care and tendernefs, if not flattery, who will not be a trouble to them* And yet becaufe fome cauflefly judge thefe to be worfe than they are, I will fay a gafq» that Pafron, and the Wills defedion, * - are very different forts of Impatience, I conclude with thefe few brief Directi- ons, for eftablifhing the heart with pa- tience in all Tryals whatfoevcr. I, tlnderftand well the true nature of Patience and Impatience, that you mi- flake not natural Temper for either fa- cing Grace, or damning Sin* The Paflions mult be diftinguflhed fronn the Judgement and Will, A man of a cho- > lerick temper, and aged, fick or weak perfons may be peevifh^ and impatient with the little provocations which daily ^ ! befall them i fo far as to be angry, and - ' trouble themfelves and others: Chil- dren will cry* and moft Women are ^ eafilier caft into p^ffion than Men > they are apt to fear beyond all reafon, and to be troubled and troubkfome to others with • ( 252 ) with unquiet grief, difpleafcdnefs or an- ger ; This mult neither be made light of as no fault, nor yet made a greater fault than it is. Many men have iironger na- - tures, and free from pafiion, fand feme al- moft to ftupidity ) which joyned with w Grace and a duetenfeof weighty things, w is a great advantage and ornament : But its found oft in the moil gracelefs wicked v men, who deceive themfelvesby it, and think they are better than paffionate honeii men :*Yea, it ufually provetha great hinderance to their Repentance and' Reformation \ noSermon, noReafcn, no thought of Death or Eternity will move and change their fenilefs hearts. But the faving Grace of Patience is principally in this, when a man hathfo refolvedly given up hirnfelf to God by w £f* % Chrift for Life eternal, and is fa much ''under Divine Authority, that he can en- dure the lofs of all, even Reputation, fcliate , Friends, Liberty or Life, rather whan foriake Chrifl,or hazard his Salvati^ U^ : on by wilful fin \ and therefore a lfo iiri* ^ vech againft .alHinful .pailions, and re- * p£ntethof that which doth furpme him. And damning Impatience is, when a man cannot deliberately bear the lofs of cor- I corporal profperity, for the fake of Chrift w and Righteoufbefs, nor hold on in a holy, ** righteous, fober life > but will rather fall off, and wilfully fin>and venturehis Soul, •* than deny his ftefh, and be undone in the world j fuch take Godlinefs for a grievous*** Yoke, or elfe they would not be impati- ent to bear it, and they take not God and *^ ^Heaven for their beft. II. Nothing therefore will make one patient in aholy favin g fenfe,but the wel l * grounded retblved choice at Gods Love>*X u'in Chrift* and the blefiednefs of another w world, as that portion which muft make v w us happy, what ever we lofe or fuffer on Eaith: Therefore Faith and Hope muft^ be above, and fetch from Heaven the mat- ter ofourconftant refolution,orelfe there v^ can be no true patience: If we live more on earthly hopes and comforts than hea- ^ venJy, and-more to the Flefti than to the w Spirit ^ there can be no true patience, much lefs durable : For in the World we*" (hall have troubles* and if we have not yet a content in the love of it, is more^ damnable than trouble, III. Therefore the true contempt q£* flcfhly profperity and worldly things, by ** ^ mortification, is abfolutcly ncceiTary to pati- patience. While the body and its appe- tite, eafe or life, is over dear to us, we Mhall never patiently lofe or ipare them > and while we love the fle(h, and world, rcputation,wealth and pleafure too much, ^we (hall be overmuch troubled to lofe them. Account all lofs and d ung for Chrift, as Paul did, and you'l eafily bear the lofe*', ofit, IV. Think what you have as well as * wh at you want > reckon up truly all the , l^r riches oi Grace In Chrift *, to be a Child of God, beloved by him, an Heir of Heaven, ■•*" a Member of Chrift, pardoned, juftitied, fahdtified, under Gcds true promife of ^v^verlaftingjoy-, and compare this with your fuffering, and think whether it be- ■* comes an Heir of Heaven to be impatient^- in the way. - V. Th erefo re be diligent t o make your ^Calling^and EJed ion l ure h n either ne g- lec t neceff ary obedience,nor chenfhcaufe-' MefT3ouEfs i Uft you lofe that comfort of" hope which mull make yo u p atient in all w tryals h elfe when HeaverTand Gods Love fhouT d fupport y ou"urider ^all, you w ill be v flill queltioning^your title to it, and fo 9 have nothing. to let againft all your fcf- •"ferings and fears. If this Anchor of Hope- be c 285 ; be not well grounded, what (hall uphold;^A men in fufferings and death. — — w VL Live in the conftant belief and ap- J prehenfion o f Gods abfolute difpofe of al l the world » and lee all things and pertons ^ asinHishand, and remember that there - -is nothing comes to pafs without him 3 and ^ that he ufe th even the permitte d fins of ^ men, to his good and holy ends. Think on no man, or a&ion, or event as inde- pendent upon God i but remember ftil I y with whom you have to do, and who it is that over-ruleth alU and whofe Rod your v Enemies and Afflictions are : And this will tell you that nothing is done amifs by hi m, and that nothin g (hall be finally hurtful totheFaithtul *" and that we mnft not dare to accufe our Maker : And it will make you fay, It is the Lord y Let him do as*' feemetb hirnggod^thelVill of the Lord be done. VII. Here fee ftill the certain end of all; How the fufferings of the faithful will end 5 and how the power, wealth, pros- perity, and triumph of the wicked will end : Go into the Sanctuary; Believe what God hath foretold you> and faith ^^ . may fully fa tisfie you. VIII. Keep a due humbling fenfe of ^ your own and others fin, and of Gods 3f common mercies to you and all men, thatr ^ 086) *ypumay ftill perceive how much bette r , God deaTeth with you than you deierveV ^- • Its nofmall mercy to be alive, out ofHell, -. and t o have the jree'drfers o f a Saviour /g Cof Pardon and Salvation.and to have God *-j v intreat ing you to be reco n ciled to him, *■ and promife you ChriA_ and Life, if you *"-do but willingly, accept his gift. IX. Be acquainted with your chiefs jemptations, both' to impatience, and to 'other fin, that you may live in Arms s and watchful refinance. i.Renewnot your Wown wounds and filterings, by groftneg- Jigence or wilful fin, and yielding to the Tempter: For if you put God to ufea (harper Rod, your patience will have a ^harder work: And do not by rafhnefs make your own luffering, and tun into if, 'fasbyrafh vvords, by iurety-fhip, and imprudent actions many do J you may more confidently look for Gods fupport under the crofs which he layeth on you • -fortryal, than that which you make for yourfelves. though there alfo Repent tance may give us a comfortable Remedy. 2. And undcrftand what are your temptations to impatience > Is it croffes, poverty, threatnings of men, a froward Companion, a wicked Child, or rather a ..-■..,. ..J — ,ifb naffionate temper > * C^7) I Whatever it is, get thofe particular con* fiderations againlt it, which muft be your • Armour,and live in the daily ufe of them* X Refift the beginnings of unbelievingJg^J , troubling thoughts , and role thenvnot i ny^ yo ur mind ; Ab hor t he hrlt degre es of ^ ^diilruftingGod 5 ordifcontentwith his pro- %S^ videuce, or any fecret accufadon of his brdifpofa ls? and turn your thoughts prefent- ^ ^ly to hislove, and mercies, and promises, ^ £and Chrilis abundant grace > pore not up - 'xn troubling and difcontented things any *f furthc rthan is nece'flary to avoid the evlh *+ bu t ikdy \thg \ lkist aCiory pr omilcs an cl terms of further grace and endlefs glory : \s Be careful ( with diilrull: and trouble) for nothings but in all wants andftraits goto ** ;God 5 and open all to him, and ask him for ''your daily bread.rcmembring that be clod- # * tbed the Lillies of the fields and that a Spar* rvwmovtth not without bis providence^ and that-all the hairs of your bead are numbred y and that be hjiowetb what you need^ and what * is keft for you^ and that Sufficient to the day is the evil thereof : Think what a mercy it te*f : * -t^at he commands you, to tafi all your care on Godwbo cantk for you : And whether if the King bid a.Begar or Prifoner^r#/f him y and eaji all his care on bim y it would not comfort him. XI. For- (288) XT. Forget not all the wonderful delive- rances that you and the Church of God have had, and how oft his mercies have confuted flfcfild reproved your diffrufl. •\iXII. Laftly v throughly ftudy a crucified (fcChrift, and tbereafons and ufe of the Crofs, /said why he. will have us imitate him and follow him in fufferings to Glory ! And ne- ^yer think God difappointeth you, if he will but bring you fate to Heaven. And read oft the fuffringsofChrif^and his Sermons,Mz*. Y.Johniz. I4 5 15^ 16. and Mat. 6. *Rem.S m i+fet.^ and ^/jam, 4. and 5. Rev. 2, and 3. Rom. 5. 3,4,0?/ i. n.He^.d.i2.and 12.1, d&c. Ro. 12. i2>&c* 15, 4, 5. 1 Tim* 6. lis For you Jbave need of patience, that after y^u have done the Will of God you may in- herit thepror&ife, Beb. 10. 36. Count it all- fr'joy when you fall into divers ^trying) temp- tationSjknowing^t hat the trying of your faith (which is more precious than Gold which periftethj worketh patience: But let pad* ence have its perfedt work. And (bew that you arc patient toward God by your patience ^twvatdmexi.Notpthe God of Patience and Con > [elation grant yon^cl^ ?