A Cordial for Christians in the Time of Affliction, Title page – To the reader
A CORDIALL FOR CHRISTIANS IN THE TIME OF AFFLICTION.
OR,
A SERMON PREACHED At Kethering Lecture by Master ROBERT BOLTON, Bachelour of Divinity, and sometimes Fellow of Brasen-nose Colledge in Oxford.
Published by I. S.
LONDON. Printed by GEORGE MILLER dwelling in the Blacke-Fryers, MDCXL.
To the Reader.
AS nothing in the world makes a man so aAct. 17. 11.truely noble as Religion: So nothing to the world makes a man more bActs 28. 22. John 15 19. Wisdom 2. 18liable to opposition and dis grace. And our mighty God that governes in wisdome, and ever hath an c1 Peter 5. 7especiall care of his people, suffers that so to be for some such ends as these. 1 That the dHosea 5. 13 1 Peter 4. 13graces of Gods Children may shine, the rust being scoured off. 2 That their incense offrings in their severall duties being broken and beaten eGenesis 8. 20may smell the more. 3 That their obedience may be discerned by the purblind world not to be mercinary, but from some in ward principle unknowne to nature, &c. Now for the poore persecuted Saints to follow this way of Godsg 1 Cor. 4. 12 providence f1 Chro. 29. 17kindly to obey with a willing yeelding page missing rather then to be angry at them. tActs 28. 26They see onelyonly with a naturall eye: If a man looke upon GODS wayes onelyonly with the eye of Reason they are foolishnesse to him; and sure if a man looke upon GODS Word and Workes through the false glasse of worldly wisedome, he cannot but imagine the thing promised in the one and in agitation in the other impossible so to be effected as promised for his childrens good. If a man had only so looked2 Kings 20 11 upon the uExodus 14. 22Sunne standing still in Hezekiahs time, or upon the xIudges 5. 20Sea when the bottome became drie, and the waters stood as walls on each side; or upon the yExodus 13. 21Starres that fought in their courses against Sisera: Or u…on the zDaniel 3 22, 23, 27.fiery Pillar which was sent to the Israelites, would they have thought these should bee a meanes to preserve GODS children and destroy the Enemies. LittleaHeb. 11. 31 did Nebuchadnezar the va…iant men of his army thinke when they bound the three children in their clothes to cast them into the hot fiery fornace that the same fire thus prepared should burne and destroy them, and burne only the bonds to set free the poore persecuted Saints not once to hurt either body or garment, but to be a means to bring them to greater honour amongst their Persecutors. O the infinite wisedome of our good GOD that can put such understanding into sencelesse creatures thus to distinguish betweene the precious and the vile, him that serveth GOD and him that serveth him not more clearely then the Divell and naturall men can discerne: Now therfore to cleare the Eye of Faith which onelyonly bActs 16. 23discernes such things and to helpe thee to get support against any such Faintings or the least grumbling at such a providence, which is unbeseeming a Paul (though in Prison with sore sides) for Religion.
1. Se… Prayer a worke, which workes wonders in Heaven and earth, because that sets GOD a worke for us that is the hearer of Prayers and that he…ps his servants out of severall Persecutions and Afflictions when they pray by working cIohn 6. 26wonders for them rather then they shall rest subject to continuail pressures of wicked men.
2. Set Faith a worke, a hard duty I confesse, it being easier to obey then beleeve aright. Faith being the dDeut. 26. 6, 7worke of GOD, Obedience without Faith being the work of man. Therefore let me intreat of thee to use the meanes that GOD affords, either to helpe thee out or comfort thee in affliction, as if thou hadst no promise: And yet so beleeve and depend u…on the promise for thy being helped out or upheld in the affliction, as if thou hadst no means at all to look after, that GOD may have all the honour from thee, and then certainly He that gives a being to his promises and a blessing to the means will prosper thee in the use of them: which of his Mercy he grant to us all for the LORD CHRISTS sake,
AMEN.