The Light of Faith, Part 2 · Section 29
§. XXIX. The order of our liues in the ſeuerall changes of our fading condition.
NOw for the ſeuerall changesTo abide with God. of thy mortall condition, the Apoſtles rule in generall is, Therein abide with God: as,
1 In thy wealth.
1 Remember, that thou neither1 In wealth aſcribe to thy ſelfe the power to get riches, but acknowledge them to come from God: nor forget God in thy abundance, that therewith thou ſhouldeſt make prouiſion to fulfill the luſts of the fleſh; but that thou ſerue the Lord with more gladneſſe and cheerefulneſſe of heart for the abundance of things thou poſſeſſeſt: nor yet trust in thy riches, but in the liuing God, who giueth richly all things to enioy; and ſeeing the vanity and danger of riches, and the vncertainty of thy life, be humbled in thy ſelfe, and carry low thoughts, and diuorced affections in the midſt of thy welfare. It is vſuall with rich men to be ſwolne with pride, to thinke themſelues the happieſt vnderunder Sunne, to reckon they are in Gods fauour, becauſe they proſper in the world, and to award all reproofes in the miniſtery, and checkes of their conſciences, and thoughts of examination of their eſtate with God, with the view of their large poſſeſſions, and full bags: but that proſperity is a curſe which thus affecteth vsus, Let the brother of high degree, reioyce in that hee is made low, Deut. 8. 11. 12. 18. & 28. 47. Hoſ. 2. 8. Iam. 1. 10. Take h…ed of pride and carnall confidence.
2 See that thy heart be not ſet on them; thou maiſt not louelove them, for the louelove of money is the roote of all euill: but poſſeſſe the things of this world, as if thou poſſeſſedſt them not, Pſal. 62. 10. 1 Cor. 7. 29. 30. Thou maieſt both buy and poſſeſſe, but not forget that thy abiding city is aboue, nor ſet vp thy reſt in theſe momentany things, Pſal. 49. 11 So to doe, were couetouſneſſe, and doth proue vsus vnderunder the power of folly: as was that foole in the Goſpell, that ſaid to his ſoule, Soule, thou haſt goods laid vp for many a yeere, eate, drinke, and bee merry, Luk. 12. 19. 20.
3 Make you friends of the mammon of iniquity, that when ye faile, they may receiue you into euerlaſting habitations, Luk. 16. 9. How is this done? Be rich in good workes, ready to diſtribute, willing to communicate: this is to lay vp in ſtore for our ſelues, a good foundation againſt the time to come, that wee may lay hold on eternall life, 1 Tim. 6. 18, 19. Againe, buy the truth, and ſell it not, Pro 23. 23. Aduantage thy ſpirituall eſtate hereby. That dwelling is not well ſituated, that wants the water-courſes and riuers of diuine Scripture flowing by it; this is the riuer that maketh glad the city of God, Pſal. 1. 3. & 46. 4.
2 In afflictions of any ſort.
1 Pray and caſt out perplexed2 … afflictions. cares, role them on God, who careth for thee. The name of the Lord, called vponupon, is a ſtrong tower, the righteous flee to it, and are ſafe, Pſal. 50. 15, & 55, 22. 1 Pet. 5. 7. Pro. 18. 10. And inThere is a voice in eueryevery worke of God, whereby God ſpeaketh to man. thy prayer, 1. deſire to know the meaning of the rod, and to heare Gods voice ſp…aking in it, Iob 34. 31. 32. Surely it is meet to bee ſaid vntounto God; I hauehave borne chaſtifement, I will not offend any more, that which I ſee not, …each thou me; if I hauehave done iniquity, I will doe no more, Mic. 6. 9. The Prophet teacheth, that in eueryevery affliction, the Lords voyce cryeth to vsus, ſo that our wiſedome is to ſee his name, and to heare the rod, and who hath appointed it. 2. Aske wiſedome how to behaue thy ſelfe vnderunder it, Iam. 1. 5.
2 Beare it with patience and ſubm…ſſion, taking in good part the Lords chaſtiſement, Leu. 26. 41. 1 Pet. 5, 6. Humble thy ſelfe vnderunder the mighty hand of God, that hee may ex…lt thee in due time: and that patience may hauehave her perfect worke in thee, watch againſt …re…ting at God or man, Pſal. 37, 1, 7, 8, & 39, 9. …ea…ineſſe vnderunder the chaſtiſing hand, Pro. 3, 11. the lifting vp of thy ſoule to ill meanes, Eſa. 28, 16. The reſting on ſecond cauſes as Aſa did on the Phyſitian, diſmayedneſſe, and deiected thoughts, to ſay thou ſhalt not ſee God and his ſaluation promiſed, he will not be ſo good to thee: or to ſay, my way is hid from the Lord, my iudgement is paſſed ouer of my God, Eſa. 40, 27, 31. Iob 35. 14, 15. queſtioning whether he can doe for vsus as hee hath done for his people formerly, Pſal. 78, 19. 20. and deſperate reſolutions; to ſay with the ſtubbor…e Iewes, in Ezok 33, 10. If our tranſgreſſions and our ſinnes be vponupon vsus, and wee pine away in them, how ſhould we then liue? Hearken what God ſaith, as I liue, ſaith the Lord God, I hauehave no pleaſure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turne from his way and liue: turne yee, turne yee from your euill wayes, for why will yee dye, O houſe of Iſrael? verſe 11.
3 Learne righteouſneſſe; this is all the fruit God looketh aft…r to take away thy ſinne, Eſa. 26. 11. & 27. His corrections are a winde to fanne and to cl…an…e, Ier. 4 11. which is done
1 If thou ſearch and try thy waies, and auoide careleſneſſe, Pro. 14. 16. Iob 36. 8. 9. If hee ſmite, feare and depart from euill: cry, when he bindeth thee, l…ſt like an hypocrite thou heape vp wrath, verſe 13. Lam. 3. 40.
2 Walke in thy integrity, Pro. 19. 1.
3 Watch againſt diſcouragements, Pro. 24. 10. nor queſtioning Gods louelove for the outward diſtreſſe, nor fainting in thy good way; the way is not to be iudged by the afflictions, but the afflictions by the way.
Truſt in carnall Friends, and arme of fleſh, Pro. 27. 10
Sudden Feares, Prou. 3. 25. Pſal. 1 12. The righteous is not afraid of any euill tydings, his heart is fixed, truſting in the Lord.
3 In Po…erty.
1 D…ſſ…mble not, make not… In po…. thy ſelfe poorer then thou art. Salomon had obſerued ſuch a diſeaſe as this amongſt men: there is, ſaith hee, that maketh himſelfe rich, and yet hath nothing; and there is that maketh himſelfe poore, yet hath great riches.
2 But be it ſo thou art poore indeed, ſeeke to be… rich in faith, that Chriſt may liue in thee, who is our riches; and reioyce herein, that thou art exalted to bee hei…e of the kingdome, Iam. 1. 9. & 2. 5.
3 Walke in thy integrity, Pro. 19. 1.
4 Liue by faith, Pſal. 34. 5. 6. 10. Mat. 4 4. Feede on the promiſe, and depend on Gods allowance.
5 Dwell in the land, and bee doing good, Pſal. 37. 3. Abide in thy place, and remoue not without thou canſt in a lawfull way; ſee the Lord himſelfe thy guide and leader.
6 By contentation liue without couetings, and deſire to ſee therein the gaine of godlineſſe, that thou maieſt learne to hauehave want, and to be hungry, as well as to abound, and to be full, Phil. 4. 12. Heb. 13. 5. 1 Tim. 6. 6. 7. 8.
4 In Sickneſſe.
1 Seeke firſt to God, and4 In ſickneſſe. then to the Phyſitian, as the ordinance of God; and in thy ſeeking to God, confeſſe againſt thy ſelfe, thy ſinne… to the Lord, imitate Hezekiah, Eſa. 38. 1. and doe not as did Aſa, 2 Chro. 16. leſt a diſeaſe in the feet ſooner cut off thy dayes, then a griefe at the heart, Pſal. 32. 5:
2 Send for the Elders of the Church, that they may pray for thee, Iam. 5. 14.
3 Set thy ſoule in order, for faith in the Lord Ieſus, repentance towards God, louelove to men, hope of heauen: and ſet thy houſe in order, that thy laſt will may teſtifie all this.
4. Let thy ſoule ſ…lace her ſelfe in that Pſalme of Dauid, the 41. to the increaſe of the care of duty, and of the power of comfort, and ſupport of heart.
5 In Perſecutions.
1 Let all thy ſufferings from5 In pe…ſecutions. hand or tongue of the wicked, be for the name of Chriſt, and for wel-doing, that thou maieſt ſuffer as a Christian, not as a malefactor: that if any euill bee ſpoken of thee, or obiected againſt thee, it may be falſely ſpoken and obiected, Mat. 5. 11. 1 Pet. 4. 15. And here ſee thou conſcionably for the Lords ſake, reuerence dignities, and obey authority in whatſoeuer is not repugnant to the word of God, 1 Pet. 2. 13. 14. 15. 16. that it may bee ſaid of thee, as once of Daniel; wee ſhall not finde any occaſion againſt this Daniel, except we finde it againſt him concerning the law of his God, Dan. 6. 5.
2 Remember what it will coſt thee to be a Chriſtian; thou muſt deny thy ſelfe, and thine own life, Lu…. 14. 26. 2 Tim. 3. 12 and therefore thinke it not ſtrange, if a fiery try all ſhould happen, as if ſome ſtrange thing had happened, 1 Pet. 4. 12.
3 Commit the keeping of thy ſoule to God in wel-doing, as vntounto a faithfull Creator, 1 Pet. 4. 19.
4 Be not afraid of the terror of the wicked, neither be troubled, but ſanctifie the Lord God in your hearts, and be ready al waies to giuegive an anſwere to eueryevery man that asketh a reaſon of the hope that is in you, with meekeneſſe and feare, 1 Pet. 3. 14 15. So ſhall you witneſſe a good confeſſion, and ſhall bee acknowledged by our Sauiour, at the laſt and dreadfull day, Mat. 10. 32. 33. Thou ſhaltHeb. 11. 27 not feare the face of a Pharaoh, if thou hauehave ſeene him that is inuiſible.
5 Receiue the ſentence of death in thy ſelfe, that thou maieſt not truſt in thy ſelfe, but God that raiſeth the dead, 2 Cor. 1. 8. 9.
6 Let thine eyes bee ſet on things that are not ſeene, which are eternall. Looke out to the better refurrection, that thou maieſt not paſſe for deliuerance: thy dyings for the Lord Ieſus, will bee but ſuch light afflictions, as the heart may runne away with 2 Cor. 4. 17. 18. This will alſo keepe thee from the ſnares of the world… enticements, as it did Moſes, Heb. 11. 24. 25. 35.
7 Leaue not till thou canſt be in ſufferings, as a ſheepe dumbe before the ſhearers; yea, let thy heart be filled with ſuch louelove to God and man, that thou canſt pray for thy perſecutors, and bleſſe them that curſe thee, Mat. 5. 44. Eſa. 5. & 53. 7. and in all, committhy cauſe to him that iudgeth righteouſly, 1 Pet. 2. 21. 23.
8 To helpe thee herein, behold the examples of all the heires of promiſe, the whole clowde of witneſſes, which compaſſe thee in this way; the worthies of the Old Teſtament, Heb. 11. the Confeſſors and Martyrs of the New Teſtament, Reu. …2. 11. and chiefely the matchleſſe patterne of our Sauiour, Heb. 12. 2. who for the glory ſet before him, deſpiſed the ſhame, and indured the gaine-ſayings of ſinners.
9 Adde withall, the conſolations which are not ſmall; for conſider,
We are made conformable to Chriſt in ſufferings and death, and therefore we ſhall in glory, 2 Tim. 2. 11. 12.
Chriſt accounts them the reſidue of his ſufferings, and i… all our troubles is troubled with vsus, Act. 9 4. Col. …. 24. Eſa. 63. 9.
We are ſure of the ſupply of the ſpirit of Ieſus, Phil▪ …. 19. 20. who wi…l alſo reſt vponupon vsus, as the ſpirit of glory and of God, 1 Pet. 4. 14.
He that created, formed, and redeemed thee will be with thee, Eſa. 43. 1. 2. 2 Cor. 4. 8. 9. 10. 11. and as the dying of the Lord Ieſus is borne in thy body, ſo the life alſo of the Lord Ieſus ſhall be manifeſt in thee.
Right deare in the eyes of the Lord is the death of his Saints. Pſal. 116. 15. The firſt man that came to heauen was Abel the iuſt, Crowned with the crowne of Martyrdome.
Digeſt theſe and eueryevery of theſe rules, that thou maieſt walk with God in all changes of thy condition in life.