Saint Pauls Triumph, Collection · Sermon 9
THE NINTH SERMON,
VponUpon ROMANS 8. the two laſt Verſes.
For I am ſure, that neither Death, nor life, nor Angels, &c.
WE hauehave proceeded in handling this Scripture, as the Lord hath beene pleaſed to giuegive ſtrength, ſo far as that now we are come to ſpeake of thoſe particular dangers which the Apoſtle propounds to himſelfe, and to all the faithfull; and the particular comforts which they hauehave to ſuſtain themſelues in them, we hauehave ſpoken before in the generall of both. Now we are to proceed to the particulars; for ſo the Apoſtle makes mention of ſome principall and particular dangers here, as Death, life, Angels, &c. wherin we muſt not thinke that our Apoſtle ſpeaks raſhly, or at aduenture; but vponupon mature deliberation, & of ſet purpoſe he makes ſpecial choiſe of theſe particulars here mentioned, as being the moſt materiall things whereby any danger may acrue to Gods children, and ſecures himſelfe and them of ſafety and preſeruation againſt all theſe dangers: Our Apoſtle vnderſtood himſelfe well, for he ſpake as hee was moued by the ſpirit, and the ſpirit neuer ſpeakes idlely, he ſpake it in the height of his faith, and therefore in the height of his ſpirit, and therefore he ſpake moſt ſeriouſly, and aduiſedly, and not raſhly; and he ſpake it in the depth of his afflictions, verſe 36. and the words of the afflicted are not winde, as Iob ſpeakes, that is a bare and empty ſound, but vſually they are full of matter and ſubſtance; and ſurely that which the Apoſtle here mentions is ſo full of matter and ſubſtance, that I could neuer find by my poore reading, meditation, & prayers, any full content touching the full ſence and reach of the Apoſtle. But a man may paſſe in a ſhallow boat ouer a deepe riuer, and ſo farre as our lyne and plummet will reach, wee will endeauour (God willing) to ſound the depth of theſe myſteries.
Neither death, nor life, nor Angells, &c. ſhall ſeparate vsus. Firſt, of the firſt two particulars, death, and life. By life, and by death we are to vnderſtand not onelyonly the things themſelues, life, and death; but all occurrences and paſſages. Our whole eſtate in life, and death, we are then to take it thus, as if the Apoſtle had ſaid, I am ſure, that neuer any thing that doth befall Gods Children either in life or in death, ſhall be able to ſeparate them from the louelove of God which is in Chriſt Ieſus our Lord. The Doctrine is this.
All true Beleeuers are in good ſafetie vnderunder Gods aſſured protection againſt all dangers in life & death.Doctrine. That the Doctrine may be the better vnderſtood, and beleeued, take theſe two points for explication. Firſt,Explication. conſider the dangers that are offered vntounto vsus in life and death: Secondly, let vsus conſider how farre all true beleeuers are in ſafety againſt them. And firſt we will beginne with the dangers of life:Two dangers of life. Life indangers vsus two wayes, either on the right hand, when we are too much in louelove with it: Or on the left hand, when we are too much out of louelove with it. On the right hand, life is in it ſelfe very ſweet, and much deſired and delighted in; but eſpecially when it is ſeconded with outward comforts, as health, friends, eaſe, goods, honours, &c. then it is much more ſweet and deſired. Yea, but Gods children muſt know, that they muſt deny themſelues, & forſake their own wills, they muſt be crucified to the whole world, & the world muſt be crucified to them: yea, and happily they muſt bee called out to looſe their liues for Chriſt, and for his Goſpell. Now here is the danger, whether they will looſe their ſweet liues, or their ſweet ſoules, many of Gods deare children hauehave bin put to great plunges in this kind. Peter himſelfe, though hee loued his Maſter dearely, and profeſt that hee would neuer forſake him, but reſolued to dye with him; yet when it came to the triall, for the brunt of the proofe, that either hee muſt forſake his Maſter, or his life; Peter had rather forſake his beſt Maſter, then his ſweet life. When ſuch tall Cedars ſhrinke in ſuch a ſtorme, alas poore ſoules, what ſhal become of vsus the low ſhrubs? Againe, life indangers on the left hand by croſſes, whereby wee are too much out of louelove with it: After a time of well fare comes loſſes, wants, diſcontentments, ſickneſſes, paines, infirmities, temptations, perſecutions, terrours of conſcience, they come. What are wee to doe in this caſe? Here are great dangers towards vsus; our hearts droope, our ſpirits are dying, wee are a burthen to our ſelues, wee are weary of our liues, heere is our danger: Now, whether are wee content patiently to endure this dying life, or deſperately to deſire an vntimely death? This was a danger of Ionas 4.3. It is better for mee (ſaith hee) to dye then to liue: A fearefull ſpeech of a Prophet of the Lord: And ſo it was a danger of Iob, chap. 7.15. My ſoule chuſeth rather to be ſtrangled, and to dye: Yea, many of Gods deare children hauehave beene ſo hardly put to it in this kinde, that they hauehave beene tempted to make away themſelues, and to put an end to a weariſome life by a deſperate death; I ſay they hauehave beene tempted to it, but through Gods mercifull protection they hauehave beene kept from it: Here are the dangers of life.
Secondly, Death endangers vsus another way:How death indangers man. The very name of death is terrible to vsus; and ſometime the time of our death doth diſmay vsus; and ſometime the manner of our death troubles vsus; but the matter of death that ſcarres vsus moſt of all, when wee thinke with our ſelues, that now wee muſt die, and giuegive vp the Ghoſt, and leaue all the world, and forſake this preſent light that ſhines about vsus; when the body and ſoule muſt part, that hauehave been all this while louing friends together; the body to returne to the duſt, as it was, and the ſoule to God that gaue it; when wee thinke with our ſelues of the bitterneſſe, and ſowreneſſe, and pangs of death, and of our particular Iudgement in death; and the generall iudgement that ſhall come after death, and begin to feele theſe things come vponupon vsus, here is our danger: Many of the children of God hauehave beene ready vponupon their conſideration hereof, to let goe their hold in God, and to ſay that God doth not louelove them, becauſe he deales ſo rigorouſlly and extreamely with them herein: Adde herevnto that we may ſaue our liues, and eſcape all theſe feares for the time, if wee will our ſelues, as in the caſe of perſecution, if we will forſake our Religion and deny our faith, wee may ſaue our liues; then the ſweetneſſe of life alluring vsus on the one ſide, & the feare & terror of death affrighting vsus on the other ſide, makes this a great danger: oh what danger is vponupon vsus now in this caſe, of our vtter ſeperation from the louelove of God in Chriſt Ieſus? This was one of Sathans chiefe bolts, that he ſhot at Iob, Iob 2.4. Skin for skin, and all that euer a man hath will he giuegive for his life: Theſe are the dangers of life and death, great dangers, horrible dangers; well, yet whoſoeuer is the childe of God, is in ſafety vnderunder Gods protection againſt all theſe.
Therefore the ſecond point is to know, how farre the children of God are in ſafety againſt all theſe dangers? They are not exempted from any of theſe dangers in reſpect of the matter of them, for ſo all things fall out alike to all, to the iuſt and to the wicked, Preach. 9.2. There are ſome dangers of life, and ſome of death, and they fall alike to good and bad: yea but the faithfull are in ſafety from the euill of all theſe dangers, Iob 5.19. Hee will deliuer thee in ſixe troubles, and the euill of the ſeauenth ſhall not touch thee; Troubles ſhall be vponupon them, but the euill of the troubles ſhall not touch them. Pſalm. 23.4 Though I ſhould walke in the valley of the ſhadow of death, I will feare no euill: Dauid might walke in the valley of the ſhadow of death, as well as others, but God is with him, therefore he ſhall not feare the euill of the ſhadow of death; And this is as much as our Sauiour prayed for, and obtained for vsus, Iohn 17.15. I pray not that thou ſhouldeſt take them out of the world, but that thou ſhouldeſt keepe them from euill; and therfore this is as much as we muſt, or can looke for. But what are theſe euils that we are ſubiect to in theſe dangers of life and death? I anſwere;Foure euils Gods people are freed from in affliction. there are foure ſpeciall euils in the dangers of life and death which all Gods children are freed from, and which all the wicked fall into: The firſt is loſſe of graces; the ſecond is the hardening of the heart by ſinne; the third, is the furtherance of eternall damnation; the fourth, is the reuenging hand of God. Firſt, loſſe of graces; the ſeeming graces of the wicked may be, and vſually are loſt in their troubles and dangers, their ſeeming faith, their ſeeming repentance, and their ſeeming obedience, Luke 8.13. In time of temptation they fall away, their faith is loſt; but Gods children can neuer looſe their graces by their afflictions, they may decay in ſome graces, and the brightneſſe of them may be dimbd, and their edge blunted by the extremity of their afflictions, but they can neuer be vtterly depriued of them: Nay, ſo farre off are Gods children from looſing their graces by their afflictions, that they are gayners in grace by them; by their afflictions their ſinnes and corruptions are purged, and they come forth like the pure gold as Iob ſpeakes, Iob 23.10. He tryeth me, but I ſhall come forth like the gold.
The ſecond euill is the hardening of the heart in ſinne, the wicked are hardened by their afflictions in ſinne: let Pharaoh be in danger of Gods iudgements, and he will harden his heart in his ſinnes: but let Ioſiah bee in danger of Gods iudgements and his heart will melt at them, and he will humble himſelfe before the Lord: and ſo Iob 23.16. For God hath ſoftened mine heart, and the Almighty hath troubled me: Iobs troubles ſoftned Iobs heart, and made him to feare the Lord.
Thirdly, the furtherance of eternall damnation, that is another euill in theſe dangers, to the wicked the tryals which they endure here are the beginnings of hell; All theſe fearefull paſſages that befell Kaine in his life, & Iudas in his death, were the beginnings of their paſſage into hell and condemnation: but it is contrary with Gods children in their afflictions, for all their afflictions are preuentions of condemnation, 1 Cor. 11.32. When we are iudged, wee are chaſtened of the Lord, becauſe we ſhould not be condemned with the world: Yea, they are furtherances vntounto heauen, 2 Cor. 4.17. Our light afflictions which are but for a moment, cauſe vntounto vsus a farre more excellent and eternall waight of glory. Looke how it was with the Iſraelites, and the Egyptians in the red Sea; ſo it is with the wicked and the godly in their dangers of life and death; they were both in the Sea together, but the Iſraelites they paſſe ſafe through it, and the Sea was as a wall to them on the right hand, and on the left, and a high way to helpe them forward in their paſſage from Egypt towards Canaan; but the Egyptians were ouerwhelmed of it, and it became their graue, and they ſunke to hell in it: So the ſea of all the troubles both of life and death, are matters of vtter deſolation to the wicked, to further their damnation; But all that befall Gods children in this paſſage of life and death are helpes and furtherances to the heauenly Canaan, matters that further their ſaluation.
The fourth and laſt euill in theſe dangers is the reuenging wrath of God, and this is the euil of all euils, & the true cauſe of all the former, when God afflicts the wicked, hee doth it to bee reuenged of them for their ſins, as a wrathfull Iudge; But when he afflicts his children, if it be in anger, it is a fatherly anger, and indeed it is rather a fatherly louelove, and a ſigne of his fauour, Heb. 12.6. Whom the Lord loueth, he chaſteneth, &c. Iere. 10.24. Oh Lord correct me, but in iudgement, not in thine anger: God corrects his children, but he doth it not in anger & fury; no, that is for the wicked. Lay all theſe together; Firſt, the children of God in all their troubles looſe no grace; no, they are gayners by them; ſecondly, they do not harden their hearts in ſin; no, their hearts are mollified by them: thirdly, their afflictions are not furtherances to hell, but they further them to heauen: Laſtly, they come not as the reuenging hand of God in fury vponupon them, but in louelove, as a father corrects his child; and then ſee and ſay, Oh how ſafe are all Gods children in all their dangers both of life and death? So that we ſee the Doctrine is cleare, that all true beleeuers are in good ſafety vnderunder Gods aſſured protection againſt all dangers of life and death.
For proofe of this point;Proofes. firſt conſider life and death together, and then conſider them aſunder, and we ſhall find this to be true: conſider them together as Rom. 14.8. Whether we liue, wee liue vntounto the Lord, or whether we die, we die vntounto the Lord, whether wee liue therefore or die, we are the Lords: The perſons there ſpoken of are true beleeuers, wee, and there are two things affirmed of them: Firſt, their duty to God; ſecondly, Gods protection ouer them: their duty to God in the former part of the verſe, in life and death; whether we liue, that is for the time of our life, we liue vntounto God; that is, we conſecrate our bodies and ſoules, our liues and all our endeauours to Gods ſeruice, and to his glory: or whether wee die, that is for our ſtate in death, we die vntounto the Lord: that is, we conſecrate and offer vp our ſoules and bodies a holy Sacrifice to God: Then ſecondly, Gods protection ouer them, in the end of the verſe, Whether we liue or dye, we are the Lords: whether wee liue, that is for our eſtate in life, we are the Lords; that is, the Lord protects vsus. keepes vsus, and preſerues vsus in all dangers; or whether we die, that is for our ſtate in death, the Lord comforts vsus, ſaues vsus, and deliuers vsus out of all dangers and euils that by death are threatned vntounto vsus: ſo thou be a true beleeuer, and labour to liue and die in obedience to God, and then ſurely whether thou liueſt or dyeſt thou art the Lords, he will protect, preſerue and ſaue thee in all dangers of life and death, which is as much to ſay, that all true beleeuers are in good ſafety, &c. As in the Doctrine. In Pſal. 73.23.24. The Prophet makes it his owne particular, ſpeaking to the Lord in the ſweet meditation of his ſoule; I was alway with thee, thou haſt holden me by my right hand, thou wilt guide me by thy Councell, and afterward receiue me to glory: I was alwayes with thee, ſaith the Prophet, then he was euer in true ſafety, Thou haſt holden mee by my right hand; therefore alwayes protected by God in all dangers; here is intire ſafety: yea, but that is for the time paſt; but what ſhall be for the time to come? All ſafety too, for his whole life; thou will guide mee with thy Councell, thy counſell ſhall free me from all dangers, & preſerue me in dangers, & carry me ſafely through all my dangers, that is for the ſtate of my life: but what ſhall become of vsus at death? All ſafety too; euen to death, & in death, and after death; yea, more then ſafety, euen ſafety in glory, and afterward receiue me to glory. Phil. 1.20. I am confident (ſaith the Apoſtle) that the Lord Ieſus Chriſt ſhall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life or by death: Paul applies it to his particular, he is confident of his ſafety, whatſoeuer comes that Chriſt ſhall be magnified in his body, &c. And how ſhall Chriſt be magnified in his body in life and death? why, in life by his manifold deliuerances from the manifold dangers of life; and in death, by his full deliuerance from all euils and dangers of life and death.
Conſider life and death aſunder; firſt in life, Gods children are in full ſafety vnderunder Gods protection all their life, Pſal. 66.9. Our feete are ſubiect to many ſlippings and ſlidings, whileſt we walke here in this world, euen all our lifetime: yea, but ſaith the Prophet, God holdeth our ſoules in life, and ſuffereth not our feete to ſlip: that is, God holds vsus ſo, as that wee ſhall not fall away from his louelove in Chriſt. Secondly, in death, they are in ſafety too, vnderunder Gods protection, Pſal. 116.15. Pretious in the ſight of the Lord is the death of his Saints. A poore childe of God lies vponupon his death-bed, and bemoanes himſelfe, his friends alſo greeue for him; in the ſight of the world, he is in a greeuous and miſerable ſtate; yea, but in the ſight and eſtimation of God, his death is very pretious and deare, the Lord loues him, the Lord comforts him, and at his death the Lord receiues his ſoule as a pretious Iewell into his owne boſome, his death is pretious to the Lord, it ſeperates the vile from the holy; death ſeperates him from his foule ſinnes, and from his filthy corruptions, and from his vncleane fleſh, and from the wicked world, a pretious ſeperation, but it neuer ſeperates him from the louelove of God in Chriſt Ieſus our Lord; no, it is ſo farre from that, as God eſteemes his children more pretious in their death, then in their life.
Reaſon 1 The reaſons why all Gods children are in ſuch ſafety vnderunder Gods protection, are eſpecially theſe: Firſt, becauſe God is the Lord of life and death, Deu. 32.39. I kill and give life; and God is not onelyonly the Lord of life and death it ſelfe, but of the ſtate of life and death, he giues life, and he diſpoſeth of vsus, and of our whole eſtate in life, and he inflicts death, and diſpoſeth our ſtate in death; we liue of the Lord, and in the Lord, and to the Lord; and we die of the Lord, and in the Lord, & to the Lord. I ſay, he is the Lord of life and death, and they are his ſeruants, and they can doe nothing but what God will hauehave them to doe; and therefore except God himſelfe will hurt vsus; theſe can neuer hurt vsus, nor put vsus out of his ſafty; yea, further ſeeing the Lord himſelfe loues vsus, and protects vsus, life and death, being his ſeruants, ſhall be applyed and diſpoſed of for the ſeruice of our ſafety and protection. God is not gouerned by our ſtate & condition either in life or death, but our ſtate both in life & death is altogether ouer-ruled by God, & framed according to his owne will, ſo that his will being to doe vsus good, life and death therfore and our whole ſtate in them muſt be anſwerable therunto.
Secondly, the Miniſtry of Gods Angells, that is Reaſon 2 another reaſon of it, for both in life, and in death we are vnderunder the cuſtody of the Angells, and that by Gods appointment, as hee being the Prince of Angells, God giues his Angels charge ouer vsus to keepe vsus in ſafety both in life and death, and that is the true reaſon of our ſafety, Pſal. 91.10, 11. The Angels keepe vsus, and that vniuerſally in all our wayes; they keepe vsus, and that very charily and tenderly; they beare vsus in their hands, and they keepe vsus very ſafely and ſurely, ſo that we daſh not our foot againſt a ſtone. Now the protection of the Angels is Gods own protection, becauſe it is by his appointment, and therfore aſcribe it not to the Creature, it is due to the Creator, bleſſe God for it. The Angels doe many good offices for vsus, they waite on vsus, they deſtroy our enemies, they comfort vsus in our diſtreſſes and troubles; but aboue al they guard our perſons in the time of our life, Pſa. 34.7. The Angel of the Lord pitcheth his Tents round about them that feare him & deliuereth them: And they guard our ſoules at the time of our death, and carry them into Abrahams boſome, as they did the ſoule of Lazarus, Luk. 16.22. Here is the ſafety of Gods children vnderunder Gods protection both in life and death.
Thirdly, Life and death are ours, our friends, and Reaſon 3 on our ſide, and at our ſeruice, 1 Cor. 3.21. All things are yours; Life is ours, and therefore all the paſſages of life are for vsus, and not againſt vsus; Death is ours, and therefore all the paſſages of death are for vsus, not againſt vsus: Gods children hauehave a ſpeciall title to life & death to claime them for their owne, they hauehave warrant from God to take all the benefit they can afford them, and a priuiledge too, to free and ſecure them from all their hurts, God hath impoſed an ineuitable law vponupon life and death, that they ſhall be attendant vponupon his children to doe them all the good they can, but no euill; and God hath giuen power & an heart to his children, to ſerue themſelues vponupon life and death for their owne ſafety.
Reaſon 4 Fourthly, Death and life are ſanctified and ſweetned vntounto vsus, by the life and death of Ieſus Chriſt▪ and that is the reaſon that we are in ſafety againſt the euill of all our afflictions, and this reaſon the Apoſtle giues of it for his owne particular, Philip. 1.20.21. Chriſt ſhall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death: Why? for Chriſt is to me both in life and death aduantage. And ſo likewiſe it is the Apoſtles reaſon for all the faithfull in generall, Rom. 14.9. why, we are the Lords, whether we liue or die; for Chriſt (ſaith he) therefore dyed, and roſe againe, and reuiued, that hee might bee Lord both of the dead and quicke; that is, that hee might be a protecting and a ſauing Lord to vsus both in the ſtate of life and death. A Snake or a Serpent is in danger to poyſon vsus, and ſting vsus, if we handle them as they are, but if wee get out their poyſon and ſting from them, then we may handle them ſafely, and they can doe vsus no harme. In this corrupt ſtate life is as a Snake, and death is as a Serpent, full of poyſon in themſelues, and we are in danger to bee ſtung and poyſoned by them: but Chriſt Ieſus by his life and by his death hath taken away the poyſon of our life, and the ſting of our death, that is ſinne, and ſo wee are now in ſafety againſt all the dangers both of life and death, there is no hurt in them. The vſes are theſe:
The firſt vſe is for matter of comfort to Gods Vſe 1 children. It is matter of ſound comfort to all true beleeuers, that they liue in ſafety, & they die in ſafety: They liue vnderunder Gods protection, and they dye vnderunder Gods protection, they liue a happy life, and they die a happy death: Bleſſed are the people that are in ſuch a caſe; yea, Bleſſed are the people whoſe God is the Lord. Moſes was rauiſhed with the meditation of the happy eſtate of Gods children in their life, and in their death, Deut. 33.27.29. The eternall God is thy refuge, and vnderunder his armes thou art for euer. Bleſſed art thou, oh Iſrael, who is like vntounto thee, oh people ſaued by the Lord? &c. Here is a happy ſtate indeed, feares aſſault vsus, God comforts vsus; afflictions trouble vsus, God preſerues vsus; our enemies thruſt ſore at vsus that wee ſhould fall, but God is our helper; our ſinnes endanger vsus, God deliuers vsus; the Diuell tempts vsus, God vpholds vsus; death ſtrikes at vsus, but God he ſhields and ſaues vsus; our hearts, and our ſtrength, and our life they faile vsus, yea, but God is our portion for euer, he will neuer faile vsus, neither in life, nor in death: Shall the Creatures hurt vsus? No, they ſhall nor, for God hath made a couenant with them for vsus, Hoſea 2.18. Would the wicked ſwallow and deuoute vsus? They ſhall not: God will not giuegive vsus as a prey to their teeth, &c. Pſal. 124.6, 7. Is the whole world in an vproare round about vsus? Yet we are in ſafety, Pſal. 91.7, 8. Is the whole frame of Nature out of order? (as it lackes but little of it at this day) yea, but hee that calls vponupon the name of the Lord ſhall be ſaued, Ioel 2.31, 32. A neceſſary conſideration and meditation, as at all times, ſo in theſe troubleſome, cruell, deſperate, and bloudy times, when warres, and rumors of warres are ſounding in eueryevery mans eare, and Gods enemies make hauoke of Gods Church, and the Angell of the Lord is abroad in the world executing Gods iuſt iudgements in many places, and when there is a generall combuſtion in moſt parts of Chriſtendome; yet here is all our ſtay, The Lord will ſurely helpe his people, and ſaue his inheritance; vponupon all his glory ſhall be a defence; Yea, but are not many of Gods deare children at this day greatly perſecuted in many places; are they not murthered, conſumed, and deuoured? It is true, let the wicked take away their liues, yet they ſhall neuer take away their ſoules; no, God is ready when their liues are taken away by their enemies to receiue their ſoules, and to place them in eternall glory.
Vſe 2 The ſecond vſe is to ſtirre vsus vp to much thankefulneſſe to God, that he being ſo holy, and mighty, and glorious a God ſhould ſo reſpect, and take ſuch care for ſuch poore ſinnefull wretches as wee are, as that he ſhould continually watch ouer vsus, not for euill, but for our good, both in life and death, whereas we hauehave deſerued euill at his hands; the beſt Maſter that is can but protect his ſeruant, and looke to but while hee liues, at his death hee giues him ouer, and can doe him no good; but our good God, our heauenly Maſter, keepes and protects vsus his ſinnefull ſeruants, and doth vsus good both in life, and in death, and after death. This is a bleſſed Maſter, and bleſſed are thoſe ſeruants that ſerue ſuch a Maſter, Pſal. 48. the laſt verſe, This God is our God for euer and euer, hee ſhall be our guide vntounto the death.
Thirdly, This ſhould ſtrengthen our faith againſt Vſe 3 all terrours in life and death, againſt all terrours in death, againſt all terrours of life, becauſe the Lord is the ſtrength of our life, of whom then ſhall wee be afraid? Pſal. 27.1. and Pſal. 42.8. God is ſaid to be the God of our life, this is a ſweet comfort, and ſhould much ſtrengthen our faith againſt all terrours in our life, becauſe God is the God of our life, and what can ſpoile that which God preſerues? So it ſhould ſtrengthen our faith againſt all terrours of death, Though hee kill me, yet will I truſt in him, ſaith Iob 13.14.15. And the Apoſtle, 2 Cor. 5.1. We know, that if the earthly houſe of this our Tabernacle be deſtroyed, we hauehave a building giuen vsus of God, that is, an houſe not made with hands, but eternall in the heauens. If God take away our life, we hauehave an eternall ſtate in heauen.
Fourthly, This teacheth vsus patience in all our ſufferings, Vſe 4 becauſe we are in ſafety againſt them, all vnderunder Gods protection. It is our Sauiours owne argument, Luke 21.18.19. There ſhall not one haire of your heads periſh: by your patience poſſeſſe your ſoules. We hauehave great reaſon to be patient all the while wee are in ſafety, but wee are in ſafety in all our ſufferings, not onelyonly in life, but in death too, and therefore we muſt be patient in all our ſufferings, both in life and death.
Vſe 3 The laſt vſe teacheth vsus to apply our ſelues to God vnderſtandingly and feelingly in life and death,How we may apply our ſelues vntounto God vnderſtandingly both in life and death. that ſo we may be partakers of the comforts of them both: And herein conſiſts the right art of a true Chriſtian, and till we are well-skild in the knowledge and practiſe of this art, wee are but pidlers in our profeſſion. But you will ſay, how may we attaine this skil to apply vntounto our ſelues God vnderſtandingly in life and in death? I anſwer, firſt, we muſt ſtay our ſelues vponupon the promiſe of God, let vsus fixe our eye ſtedfaſtly vponupon the promiſe of God, that is it wee muſt build vponupon; God hath promiſed that hee will neuer faile vsus, nor forſake vsus; that he will lay no more vponupon vsus then hee will giuegive vsus ſtrength to beare; that he will be our ſhield and fortreſſe, defence, aſſurance & ſaluation; that we ſhall be ſafe vnderunder his wings, &c. Reſt vponupon theſe promiſes of God, and be ſure they ſhall neuer faile, Though heauen and earth faile, yet not one iot or tittle of Gods word and promiſes ſhall faile, they ſhall ſtand faſt for euer, and euer. We hauehave a conditionall promiſe for freedome from temporall dangers (ſo farre as ſhall be good for vsus) we ſhall inioy temporall ſafety; but wee hauehave an abſolute promiſe for our eternall ſafety; and this let vsus abſolutely build and reſt vponupon without exception.
Secondly, Thou muſt caſt thy ſelfe downe in an humble ſubmiſſion vnderunder Gods hand, and vntounto his will in the whole eſtate of life and death, Pſal. 55.22. Caſt thy burthen vponupon the Lord, and he will nouriſh thee, &c. Pſal. 37.4.5. Delight thy ſelfe in the Lord, and he ſhall giuegive thee thine harts deſire. Commit thy way vntounto the Lord, and truſt in him, and he ſhall bring it to paſſe. 1 Pet. 4.19. Commit your ſoules to God in well-doing, as vntounto a faithfull Creator. God hath made and giuen vsus ſoules, let vsus commit them to him in well-doing, and he will neuer caſt them away; he is a faithfull Creator, and will not ſuffer that to periſh which is ſo committed to him. If dangers offer themſelues, ſay thou, Here I am Lord, doe with thy ſeruant what thou wilt for life or death: And then thou ſhalt hauehave God at hand, to ſay to thy ſoule; Here I am, oh my ſeruant, to vphold, and to preſerue, and to comfort, and to ſaue thee.
Thirdly, We muſt grow to ſome familiar acquaintance with the life and death of Ieſus Chriſt feelingly and ſauingly, not onelyonly as hee liuing and dying in himſelfe, but as hee liuing and dying for thee, and thou liuing and dying in him. If once we can meditate ſoundly on the life of Chriſt, apply our ſelues vntounto it, it will ſweeten our life; and ſo, if we can meditate ſoundly and rightly on his death, and apply it to our ſelues, it will ſweeten our death: For this is the patterne that we muſt conforme our ſelues vntounto, both in Gods intendment, and in our owne practiſe. Looke how the Prophet Eliſha did ſpread himſelfe on the Child, 2 Kings 4.34. and laid his mouth to the childes mouth, &c. ſo doth Chriſt ſpreade himſelfe vponupon eueryevery true beleeuer that rightly apprehends him, hee ſtretcheth himſelfe vponupon vsus in eueryevery particular, hee layes his mouth vponupon our mouth, his eyes vponupon our eyes, and his hands vponupon our hands, &c. to ſanctifie vsus, and to preſerue vsus in them; he layes his particular temptations and ſufferings on ours, to ſanctifie and preſerue vsus in ours; his life on our life, to ſanctifie and preſerue vsus in the ſtate of life; and his death on our death to ſanctifie and preſerue vsus in our ſtate of death. This is a ſingular comfort to a poore ſoule, to apply Chriſts life and death to himſelfe: I ſay, it is a ſound comfort to them both in life and death; but this is a myſtery, eueryevery one is not acquainted with it.
Laſtly, Let vsus make application before-hand, of the comforts of God againſt the dangers which we are ſubiect to, not in generall onelyonly, but in particular: It is our skill to apply particular comforts to particular dangers, and troubles. Is it matter of life that doth endanger vsus? Doe the comforts of life draw vsus from God? Let vsus conſider, that they are but for the outward man, and that they are our enemies; and ſhall wee make much of an enemy, and preferre their well-fare before our owne? Secondly, conſider they are not permanent, but vnconſtant and tranſitory, they endure but for a time, and for a ſhort time: They are like to Ionas gourd, that came vp in a night, and periſhed in a night; and wilt thou ſet thy heart vponupon that which is nothing? Riches hauehave winges and flye away, they are quickely gone, and ſo are honours, and the like, and wilt thou ſet thy heart vponupon ſuch tranſitory things? Thirdly, conſider that all outward comforts are mingled with many ſorrowes, eueryevery ſweet pleaſure and worldly comfort hath his ſower paine and diſcomfort; though they be pleaſant for the time, yet they are ſowre and bitter in the end. Laſtly, let vsus conſider that the comforts of grace are incomparably greater and better and more excellent then all outward comforts, there is no ſorrow in them, they will make thee truely happy and bleſſed; and wilt thou preferre the ſhadow before the ſubſtance? Yea, but will ſome ſay, My croſſes and afflictions they perplexe and trouble me, and make mee vnfit to ſerue God. I anſwere, That is thy fault; why ſhould croſſes hinder thee, or diſable thee for the ſeruice of God? Stil apply Gods comforts to thy croſſes; firſt the croſſes are but ſhort, though they be ſharpe; and wilt thou not endure a while, for a time? ſecondly, they are light and momentary, 2 Cor. 4.17. Thirdly, they are nothing in compariſon either of the paines of hell, which wee muſt endure hereafter, if we will not endure the croſſe here; or of the glory of heauen which wee ſhall bee ſure to hauehave, if we endure afflictions patiently, Rom. 8.18. I account that the afflictions of this preſent time, are not worthy of the glory that ſhal be ſhewed to vsus. And again, wee hauehave many times of comforts mixed with the dayes of affliction, and this may keepe vsus to the ſeruice of God in our liues. Yea, but what ſhall we doe in death? that is the end of all: ſhall I deſire it to rid me out of all my troubles? I anſwere; no, thy times are in Gods hands, Pſal. 31.15. and not in thine owne; but if thou deſireſt death, that thou maiſt be with Chriſt, it is well; but if it be for worldly diſcontentments, it is deſperate and damnable. What then, ſhall I feare it? wee know that the very name of death is fearefull vntounto vsus. I anſwere, that it is onelyonly thy owne feare, there is no more feare in death, then in any other thing, we make it fearefull to our ſelues. It is but the withdrawing hand of God; if we feare it, it is becauſe wee are wicked, for, the righteous hauehave hope in their death, Prou. 14.32. But what hope hath the wicked, if God take away his ſoule, Iob 27.8. Yea, but the time of my death, that feares mee; I would bee richer, and I would be better before I die, it is yet too ſoone to die: I anſwere, this is thy peruerſe iudgement; but whatſoeuer thou thinkeſt, certainely God neuer takes away any of his children but in due time, howſoeuer it ſeeme vntimely to vsus, Iob 5.26. Thou ſhalt goe to thy graue in a full age, as a Ricke of Corne commeth in due ſeaſon into the Barne.
And ſo the kinde of death that feares me; happily it may be cruell or reproachfull by warre or the like. I anſwere, it is all one howſoeuer it be, it cannot be worſe then thy Sauiours, and why ſhould it diſmay thee? It is the ſame hand of God, and hee is there preſent with thee to receiue thy ſoule. Yea, but death is bitter: But Chriſt Ieſus hath looſed the ſorrowes of death, Act. 2.24. and that not for himſelfe only, but for vsus alſo, yea he hath ſweetned them by his victory, 1 Cor. 15.54. Laſtly, the conſequents of death they are the worſt & moſt fearefull, iudgement, and the graue, and corruption, &c. I anſwere, againſt iudgement, thou muſt get faith and repentance, and againſt corruption and the graue, thou muſt beleeue that God will raiſe thy body vp againe, Pſal. 16.10. And ſo for thy ſoule thou muſt commit it into the hand of God, it is deare and pretious vntounto him: Haſt thou ſerued the Lord with thy ſoule all thy life, and art thou afraid to truſt him with it at thy death? We are apt to ſuſpect what ſhall become of our ſoules at our death: Let vsus looke vponupon Chriſt Ieſus, conſider what became of his ſoule at his death, it went into Paradiſe into Heauen: And what for himſelfe alone? no, but for vsus, yea meerely for vsus; ſo that the children of God are as ſure of it, as Chriſt himſelf. Thus let vsus comfort our ſelues with the application of Gods particular promiſes againſt our particular troubles: and both in life and death let vsus apply our ſelues vnderſtandingly, and feelingly vntounto God, and ſo ſhall we be ſafe vnderunder his protection againſt all dangers both in life and death.
FINIS.