The Saints Sufferings and Sinners Sorrows, Part 14
God having a fit time, doth but begin with his houſe.
In theſe words is expreſſed the meaſure and method of afflictions; the beleeving Iewes have the firſt hanſell. Their ſhare is the firſt and leaſt, but not the laſt of the cup, Pſal. 75.6. The beſt of good, and the worſt of ill, doth alwayes ſettle to the duplicate page duplicate page bottome. Hence it is that wicked men ſip of the cup of pleaſure before the godly: but the godly taſt of the cup of ſorrow before the wicked: Iſa. 49.12.34.5. Rom. 2.9. Heaven firſt endures the ſword, then the earth, Ier. 25.17, 18, 19. All Nations, Egypt, and the mingled people, muſt pledge in that cup, wherein Ieruſalem begins. Every ſoule muſt ſmart for ſinne, but the Iew firſt, and then the Gentile, Rom. 2.9.
Ʋſe 1. Learne Gods ſeverity that will not ſpare ſinne in his owne, no not when he ſpares it in a wicked man. A maiſter of a family will often winke at the misbehaviour of ſtangers, but will not ſuffer his children to looke awry.
Vſe 2. See Gods mercy; that having tempered the bitter cup of his wrath, appoynts his owne to taſt the top, reſerving all the dregs for the wicked; who muſt wring them out; whiles his owne ſervants do but waſh their lips, and let downe ſome drops, to know how bitter ſin is in the bad fruites of it.
Vſe 3. This helps to plead the cauſe of Gods houſe againſt the enemies thereof; Papiſts vpbraide Proteſtants with their calamities, as a curſe upon their cauſe; affirming that our Churches (if true) would flouriſh, and appeare by thoſe viſible ſignes which accompany the glorious monarchy of the Catholick Church. But ſtay there; Romaniſts reckon without their hoſt, and take an intruder for the maiſter of the houſe. Their holy father hath played the falſe Prophet, and healed the wound of the Romane Monarchy with a plaiſter of new Idolatry, ſo that all the world wondereth after him, Rev. 13.3. No marvaile then, if their Church flouriſh, having ſuch a wicked throng to defend it; whoſe portion is the botome of the cup in Gods hand: and therefore in order of time the laſt Bohemia, the Palatinate, Churches of Germany and France, have drunke and begun to others; yet never the leſſe pretious in Gods eye, becauſe the firſt in trouble. Let others expect that time when the Lord Ieſus ſhall arme himſelfe with that power, which as yet ſtirs not, and reigne not onelyonly in his owne, but over his enemies, by making them angry; when the time of his wrath commeth, to recompence his ſervants for their ſufferings, and ſinners for their wickedneſſe; That the one may glory in the perfection of their bleſſedneſſe, and the other pine under the preſſure of their miſeries. They that now deſtroy the earth, muſt themſelves be deſtroyed, Rev. 11.17.18. The times for perſecution, ratified by an oath, Dan. 12.7. are by the oath of the ſame Angel proclaymed to continue no longer, Rev. 10.6. The continuance of Antichriſts ſuccesfull tyranny is the leſſe to be admired, ſeeing Chriſt hath ſworne, that the Romane monarchy in the ten hornes, ſhall enjoy ſo long a terme to doe miſcheife both to the naturall few, and to the ſurrogate Iſrael of God, Luk. 22.24. Rev. 11.2. But when the time, times and halfe a time ſhall be no longer, and the oath of the 42. moneths ſhall expire: then the latter end of Antichriſt ſhall be worſe than his beginning. Pleade therefore the cauſe of Gods people, and let the world take notice, that theſe judgements begun in the Church, will end in her enemies.
Vſe 4. Let every Chriſtian learne hence to plead his owne cauſe, and not to caſt away his confidence in the evill houre of tentation; for the Devill will put hard to perſwade him, that hee is in worſe caſe than other men, and more hated of God becauſe his hand is heavier upon him. But know, that in chaſtiſements, God begins with his beſt ſervants; who therefore muſt take it as an argument of his love.