The Son of God Walking in the Fire with the Servants of God, Sermon 2
THE Second Sermon, On DAN. III. XXV.
He anſwered and ſaid. Lo I ſee four men looſe, walking in the midſt of the fire, and they have no hurt, and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.
I Made entrance into the words the laſt Lords day, There is witneſs and teſtimony given of a glorious Miracle and Wonderful Deliverance that was wrought for three ſervants of God. God had brought them forth to exerciſe their faith: And to ſuffer; To ſuffer the wrath of the King, but yet the Lord delivered them, he delivered them from the wrath of the King; he wa a violent King; from the flames of the Furnace, and the Furnace was heated ſeven times hotter then ordinary: they were bound hand and foot, and caſt into the midſt of the fire; and yet they became Conquerors: The very enemies do witneſs as much: The King Anſwered and ſaid, lo I ſee fou… men looſe, walking in the midſt of the fire: Here are many Miracles in one; here is heat and light ſeparated one from the other: ſight remains and yet the heat is taken away, and it burned not, here is the wonder of mercy; it ſhall be a miracle of judgment in Hell, there is fire that hath heat, but no light: the hotter the flames are, it ſhall be the darker, it ſhall be dark that day; but here when God will ſhew a Miracle of mercy, he takes away the heat, and the light remains: Lo, ſays the King, I ſ…e four men, &c. Imagine, their number is increaſed, as another Miracle: Whereas they thought that the flames ſhould devour them all: and …o their number is increaſed ſince they began, to ſuffer: there were but three caſt in, and now there are four. Again, theſe four men were looſe, And there is another Miracle, they were caſt in bound, with their Cords, and Chains, and Fetters, but what ever they were, they were diſſolved: See hear, God makes the very fire to fight for them to looſe them, to ſet them at liberty from death: Again, they were walking in the midſt of the fire; there is another Miracle: The Adverſaries thought it ſhould have been a place of torment to them: but lo, it proves to them a place of pleaſure: 'tis to them a ſweet walking place: They walk together, and confer together, and praiſe the Lord together; and that's another Wonder: Again, To walk in the fire, that the fire ſhould be fire, and ſhould not burn them: it was ſtill fire, the fire was not put out, as ſome imagine, but the fire did remain fire; ſo the Text ſaith, they were in the midſt of the fire; and the fire remained fire: and the fire did conſume their bonds, they fell down in the midſt of the fire, and their bonds were burned by the fire: that the fire ſhould continue fire, and that the Lord ſhould ſuſpend the burning act of it, that it ſhould not burn them; here was another Wonder: Again, they had no hurt, the flames conſumed their Adverſaries, and there was not ſo much as the ſmell of burning upon their clothes: beſides, the Son of God was among them; there were four, and the form of the fourth was like the Son of God: It was the Son of God, Chriſt took a body, he made himſelf a body when he pleaſed: He came down to walk with them, to refreſh them, to deliver them: Here was held forth what Chriſt would be to his people, that he would deliver them; that he ſhould come to do his Fathers work, here was the promiſe fulfilled, that Chriſt would be with his people in every fiery tryal, in every affliction, and in every Tribulation: The Son of God, he came down, and he makes a fellow ſufferer in all their affliction: ſo he makes good his promiſe to his people, that if they goe through the fire and water, he will be with them: The Point inſiſted upon, is this:
That God doth oftentimes in a wonderful manner, reſcue the lives of his Servants from death and deſtruction: The obſervation inſiſted upon ¶He lays a reſtraint ſometimes upon the waves of the Sea they ſhall not take away the lives of his people: You know Iſrael went through the red Sea; and the Lord did lay a reſtraint upon the fire ſomtime: So in the Text, and ſomtime the Lord did lay a reſtraint upon the fiſhes of the Sea; ſo in the caſe of Jonah: and ſomtime the Lord did lay a reſtraint upon the devouring beaſts: the Lions, their mouths were ſhut up, they could not eat the fleſh that was ſet before them, when Daniel was caſt into their Den: He laid a reſtraint upon violent men in the world: He laid a reſtraint upon violent ſickneſſes and diſeaſes; David was delivered; and ſo was Hez…kiah, when the ſentence of death was gone out: He laid a reſtraint upon the very Div…l himſelf: Behold he is given into thy hand, only ſave his life: and God he doth this of his own accord, to be lift up, to be the praiſe of his people, and that it may unanſwerably confute the blaſphemies of enemies, he delights in the praiſes of his people: Oh thou that inhabiteſt the praiſes of Iſrael: God comes many times out of Heaven to refreſh himſelf with the praiſes of his people: He delights to dwell there; it is the Houſe that God will take up into all eternity, the Saints ſhall compaſs the Throne with Halleluj…hs, and there ſhall God be praiſed. Again, God he will give great matter of rejoycing to his people, and therefore he works great Deliverance many times, though they cannot whileſt they are here on earth; They cannot enter into their Maſters joy, yet their Maſters joy enters into them: When the Lord turned again our Captivity, then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with rejoycing. I come to the Application of the Point: Is it ſo that God doth in a wonderful manner reſcue the lives of his Servants The Application of the Point.from death and deſtruction: It let us ſee,
Firſt of all, That the lives of the Saints are precious Uſe 1 in the eyes of God, they are Jewels that God will not eaſily part with, that he might have great Incomes of glory. He will not part with them: See what is ſaid in Pſal▪ 116. v. 15. Precious in the ſight of the Lord, is the death of his Saints, not that God delights in the death of his Saints: he means their lives are precious, and therefore their life ſhall not be taken from them, but upon good ground; they are very precious in his ſight: the Lord knows that he hath the greateſt Income of glory that way; yea all the glory that God hath in this viſible world, is by the lives of his Saints: if it were not for them God ſhould have none to lift up his name in the world, he ſhould have none to make his name glorious here, he ſhould have none to pay him rent for all his great Farm: the world now, that would be a great loſs if God ſhould looſe all his Rent in the world: the men of the world, they pay God no Rent, they bring nothing to God, that God can accept; they deal with God, as thoſe Husbandmen did in the Goſpel, inſtead of paying Rent, they fall upon his Servants and beat them, when God ſends and demands his Rent and Glory from them, they ſeize upon the Inhabitants as their own, and ſeize upon all as their own: ſo that if God ſhould not have a portion from his people, that do from day to day bring in his Rent of Glory, he ſhould looſe all his glory in this viſible world; and therefore it is that the Saints they have made this as an Argument, when they have been in low conditions, when they have pleaded with God for their lives, they can tell God of the glory he ſhall have thereby: So Hezekiah, when he was ſick unto death, in Iſa. 38. v. 18, 19. For the grave cannot praiſe thee, death cannot celebrate thee, &c. as much as to ſay; Oh Lord, if thou takeſt me away, how wilt thou do for thy Rent of glory in the world? Thou haſt Thouſands of Thouſands of Saints in Heaven, to lift thee up; but there are but a few, a very few, to lift thee up in the world, this viſible world; and if thou takeſt away my life, and I go down to the duſt, that duſt cannot praiſe thee, though I ſhal praiſe thee among the Saints and Angels; yet I ſhall not praiſe thee here in the land of the living; nor ſhall I lift thee up here in the midſt of the enemies, though I ſhall bring glory to thee another way; yet I ſhall not bring glory to thee in this world: And therefore Oh Lord, do this for thy ſervant: remember me for thine own name, and for thine own glory; and ſo the Pſalmiſt, David did uſe the ſame Argument with God, in Pſal. 30. when he▪ there was ſick and ready to go down to the grave; he pleads with God in the 8. and 9. verſ. What profit is there in my blood, when I go down to the pit, as much as to ſay, Oh Lord, what wilt thou not look to thine own glory: What ſhall become of thy gain, of thy Rent, that ſhould be brought in, here in the land of the living? if I go down to the pit, I cannot lift thee up here in this world; there is a long time indeed even for eternity, when thou ſhalt be lift up by the Saints in Heaven; but it is but a ſhort time that thou ſhalt be glorified in the land of the living, and thou hadſt need ſpare the life of thy ſervant, to lift up thy name in the land of the living, What profit is there in my blood, if I go down to the pit? So that ſtill you ſee the lives of the Saints are very precious in the eye of God: Oh that you that are the people of God, that you would believe this; it is worth the preſſing it upon you, that you would fix this truth upon your heart; that your lives are very precious in Gods ſight: if you be Some particulars to make out to the Saints that their lives are precious in Gods ſight.not perſwaded of it: I beſeech you conſider theſe particulars.
Firſt of all conſider, What a charge God hath given to all his Creatures concerning the lives of his Saints: do but remember their former charge. He hath given charge to the water, and charge to the fire, and charge to the beaſts in the earth and fiſhes in the ſea; he hath given charge to the earth he hath given a charge to violent men, he hath given a charge to the Devil, to Diſeaſes and Sickneſſes; ſurely doth God take ſuch pains and give ſuch charges? ſurely the lives of his Saints muſt needs be precious to him: did a man go up and down in his family and give charge to every one from the greateſt to the leaſt: Take heed you do not meddle with ſuch a Box take heed that none of you touch it: why then certainly 'tis precious, there is ſom precious thing in it; ſuch a charge ha…h God given concerning the lives o… the Saints, he hath taken pains to go up and down in all his family: even the whole world. Heaven and Earth, is his Family; and he hath ſpoken to every one of his Creatures, to the higheſt and to the loweſt: Take heed you do nothing againſt the lives o… my ſervants; the very meaneſt of all the Creatures in the whole family ſhall not ſay, but that they were warned; he commands the very ſtones in the field, as it is in Iob, making a League with the ſtones in the field, not to hurt his ſervants; doth God take ſuch pains, and give ſuch charges, you muſt needs conclude that your lives are precious in his ſight.
Again Secondly, Conſider what a guard God hath ſet about the lives of his Servants: He hath ſet a guard of Angels about them: He ſhall give his Angels charge over th…e, that they ſhall keep thee in all thy ways; See what the Apoſtle ſaith in the firſt of the Hebrews, he ſpeaks of the great priviledge of the Saints in the laſt verſe, Are they not all Miniſtring ſpirits, ſent forth to Miniſter to them? There is not one of the Angels in Heaven, but hath a charge to guard the lives of his Saints; are they not all Miniſtring Spirits? Why brethren, the beſt of them have a charge given them: from the higheſt to the loweſt, they have all a charge given them concerning the lives of his Saints: and they are as watchful as may be: what ſays our Saviour Chriſt in Mat. 26. 53. do you think (ſays he) that man can take my life from me whether I will or no? I go according as it is written of me. I go becauſe my father …ath decreed it, no man can take my life from me, if I would reſcue my ſelf, I could pray to my father, and he ſhould ſend a Legion of Angels to reſcue me, rather then my life ſhould be taken away from me before my time be come. And ſo the like may be ſaid of all the Saints: God would ſend more then twelve Legions of Angels to reſcue the lives of his ſervants out of every danger, and out of the hand of every enemy, rather then their lives ſhould be taken from them, before it was determined of God: certainly the lives of his ſervants are precious to him, he hath ſet ſuch a guard about them: a guard of Angels, that God ſhould be pleaſed rather to want attendance in Heaven, then hi… Sain…s lives on earth, ſhould be in jeopardy: God he will ſpare them all out of Heaven, for to reſcue the lives of his Saints before they ſhall be cut off, before his time appointed …e come.
Yea further in the third place, Conſider that the Lord himſelf takes a ſpecial care of the lives of his children; he will not truſt the lives of the Saints with the Angels; though the Angels be watchful, and as faithful as can be deſired in creatures; yet God himſelf he will have to do with the lives of his Servants; his eye ſhall be upon them, and his hand under them; there is never a moment in which God doth not watch over them, and himſelf take a ſpecial care of them; what he ſays of his Vineyard in Iſa. 27. 3. may be ſaid of every particular Saint; I the Lord will k…ep it. I will water it every mom…t, leaſt any hurt it, I will k…ep it night and day: See here, is a gracious promiſe; I will keep it, and I will water it, and this ſhall be every moment this ſhall be night and day: there is not a moment in the night, nor a moment in the day, in which God hath not ſpecial care of his people, from firſt to laſt; from the womb he hath a care of them, and ſo the Pſalmiſt doth confeſs in Pſalm 22. ſpeaking of the watchful care of the Lord, of the goodneſs of the Lord, Pſ. 22. 9, 10. Thou art he that took me out of the womb, thou didſt make me hope when upon my Mothers breaſts, I was caſt upon thee from the wombe, thou art my God from my mothers belly: See here, from the very womb, from the very beginning, God begins to take the care of his people; he brings this to ſtrengthen his faith on God for the future, to uphold his ſoul now in his ſuffering: 'tis ſpoken of Chriſt, ſurely the Lord he can do it he hath not left me, he took care of me: when I was in the womb, he began then to take the care of me, he delivered me when I was in ſuch ſtraits, when I was almoſt dead, ſtrugling to get into this world, the hand of the Lord was helping of me: The hand of the Lord was more to me then all creatures, he helped me: See at the beginning, from firſt to laſt, God takes a ſpecial care of the lives of his Saints.
Fourthly, It will further appear, this great love of God; this great care of God, will further appear; if we conſider what a rate he makes men pay for the lives of his Saints, when they take their lives away by violence: He will make them know they have ſtolen precious Jewels from him: and he will make them pay dear for it; you know what it coſt Jeruſalem, there was found the blood of the Prophets ſlain, there was a great deal of blood lay upon them; the blood of Abel, and the blood of Zacharias; and they ſhed the blood of the Prophets, and Servants of God, and that blood became their overthrow; the blood of them did throw down the Walls and Temple of the City; the ſtreams of blood did ſweep away all the Inhabitants thereof: whenſoever the life of a Saint is ſtolen and taken away, God preſently ſends Hue and Cry after it, and whereſoever God hath found the blood of his people, he hath declared his wrath againſt them; he hath proſecuted the Law to the u…moſt againſt them: See what is propheſied of Babylon; how doth the Lord deal with her in the 18. of Revelation, when God came to make inquiſition after the blood of the Saints, 'tis ſaid. And in her was found the blood of the Saints, There God found his ſtolen Jewels, the blood of his Saints: See how God doth proſecute the Law againſt her in tha… 18. Chapter you read of moſt fearful judgments that came upon Babylon: God ſeizes upon all her Riches, all her Glory, and they were all brought down in a day; ſhe her ſelf was brought to execution, ſhe was caſt down, as a Milſtone, caſt down into the bottom of the Sea, never to to riſe again: what was the cauſe of all this wrath and di…pleaſure, and fearful judgements that was to come upon Babylon? Why this was given as the reaſon, In her was found the blood of the Prophets; So then ſtill you ſee, and I beſeech you beleeve it; there is nothing in all the world more precious to the Lord, then the lives of his Servants.
Well 2ly. If the lives of the Servants of God Uſe. 2 be ſo precious, how precious are the ſouls of his Servants; the life is more then rayment, ſaith Chriſt; the life is more then all creatures, and the ſoul is more then life: the life of Chriſt in the ſoul it muſt needs be a hundred times more precious, a thouſand times more precious: Oh what a high account hath God of the ſouls of his people? what will not God part with rather then he will looſe the ſouls of his people? he will part with the Jewel of Heaven, the great Jewel of Heaven, to ranſome the ſouls of his people: he was content that his Son ſhould come out of his boſome, rather then he would looſe one of the ſouls of his people; the Son was infinitely dear to the Father, more dear to him then all the world; yea ten thouſand worlds, and yet he will part with his ſon, that he may reſcue the ſouls of his people from deſtruction: Oh how precious was the ſoul in the eye of Chriſt, what did he do? what did he ſuffer to redeem the precious ſoul? how far did he come to fetch them? a mighty journey the Lord Chriſt took from Heaven to Earth, that he might bring back poor ſouls that were taken captive by the Divel, and reſcue them from death and deſtruction; what great hazard did the Lord Chriſt run when he was upon Earth? Oh what mighty Armies? what Troops did Jeſus Chriſt break through? Armies of ſins, and Armies of Divels, that was in his way; and yet he brake through them all, to reſcue the ſouls of his Servants: when he had broke through thoſe Troops, what depths did he deſcend into, that he might fetch up the ſouls of his Servants? He was content to go into the depths of the Sea, the red Sea, the Sea of blood; yea, into the depths of the Sea of his Fathers wrath and indignation, that ſo he might fetch up the ſouls of his Servants, the depth of the wrath of God, the depth of the infinite wrath of God, it is a Sea that hath no bottom, a Sea of wrath, that men and Angels ſhould never have found the bottom; they ſhall be deſcending lower and lower ſtill, and never find the bottom; and yet the Son of God was content to go to the bottome of wrath, of all the billows of his Fathers wrath and diſpleaſure▪ that ſo be might fetch up the ſouls of his ſervants that lay under wrath; they could never have lift up their heads above the billows of the diſpl…a…ure of the Almighty; if Chriſt had not fetcht them up, if he had not upon his own back carryed them over: Oh how precious were the ſouls of his Saints in the eye of God! The life of the Son of God was precious to him, and yet his life was nothing to him in compariſon that he might ſave the ſouls of his people; if he had a thouſand lives, he would have layd them all down. Now I beſeech you think of this, you that have a mean account of your ſouls: O how precious is the ſoul in the account of the Son of God? how great was the price that Chriſt paid for thy ſoul? and why doſt thou undervalue thy ſoul, and art willing to part with this moſt precious treaſure in the world: it coſt the life of the Son of God to purchaſe thy ſoul, and wouldſt thou be content to ſell thy ſoul for a trifle; and yet how many thouſands in the world do value a thouſand things in the world above their ſouls? and many they will part with their ſouls for a luſt, for vanity, for nothing, for a bag of earth, for an empty cloud of honour for a little pleaſure: Oh what undervaluing is this of thy poor ſoul: I beſeech you remember the worth of the ſoul; do but conſider how precious it was in the eye of God, you that do ſlight your precious ſouls: If … …ed your body, you care not if the ſoul ſtarve: Oh that you would remember, you wi…l make a hard bargain, though you win all t…e world and looſe your own ſoul; what ſhall a man g…e in exchange for his ſoul? I beſeech you for the Lords ſake, have more care of your ſouls, let your ſouls be precious in your eyes; 'tis more worth then all the world, if you looſe the things of the world, you may find them again, you may gain them again; if you looſe all the friends in the world, you may finde them all in the Son of God▪ he ſtands in all relations to his people; nay, if you looſe this life it ſelf, yet thou maiſt finde life in Chriſt, thou mayſt finde thy life again in the Son of God; but if thou looſeſt thy ſoul, thou art loſt for ever and thou art undone for ever; and thy ſoul once loſt, cannot be found again: Oh that men would account of their ſouls to be as precious as Chriſt accounts of them! do not prefer the body, do not prefer the things of this world before thy ſoul, and the glorious things that are concerning Eternity: thy ſoul is more precious then thy life, would'ſt thou not put off thy life for a trifle? and would'ſt thou put off thy ſoul for a trifle? life is precious but the ſoul is more precious:
Thirdly, If life be ſo precious to God, the life Uſe. 3 of his Saints; Then this ſhould teach us to prize our lives: I ſay, It ſhould teach us to prize our lives, to look upon them as precious, to look upon them as the moſt precious Jewel of nature; for 'tis the will of God that we ſhould ſo look upon them: remember there is nothing in the world that God takes more care of next to the ſoul, then he doth of the lives of his Saints; and ſo there is nothing that God is more careful to preſerve, ſo there is nothing that the Devil is more diligent to ſeek after then life: next to the ſoul he ſeeks the life, the precious life; I ſay, life 'tis the moſt precious thing in nature: See what Solomon ſays in that 9. of Eccleſ. v. 4. For to him that is joyned to all the li…ing thereis hope, for a living dog is better then dead Lyon. He knew there was nohing more excellent then life; ſpeaking of natural life, there i… nothing more excellent then life: A living dog i… better t…en a dead Ly…n; a living dog, that is, … man in a vile condition: a living dog, a man though he lives and be in a vile condition, in a bad condition in a moſt deſperate condition; looked upon from God as a dead creature, that man becauſe he lives is better then a dead Lion; better then Princes and Potentates of the earth, though they did live never ſo gloriouſly: Indeed if you look beyond nature, if you look to that condition that is after life, why then their condition is no… precious to the Saints; for their condition is better then the condition of the greateſt worldly men in the world; and one that dies in the Lord Chriſt were he a dog, yet he is better then the greateſt Lion on the earth: but in naturall things the wiſe m…n would have you to know that life is the greateſt treaſure in nature; and therefore when as the greateſt love is expreſſed, 'tis expreſſed by laying down of life: Here is love indeed, that a man lay down h… life: When Chriſt did expreſs his greateſt love that poſſibly he could, unto his Saints he expreſſed it by laying down of his life: I lay down my life for my ſhe…p, ſaith Chriſt, and Here is love i…deed, here God commendeth his love to us, that whilſt we were yet ſinners, Chriſt dyed for us; Here is the commendation of love, to lay down life; nothing better then life to be given: and therefore you ſhal find that God hath given it as the greateſt outward mercy: he reckons it as the greateſt outward mercy in times of diſtreſs; God ſometime hath promiſed to do this to his Servants, that their lives, ſhal be given for a prey: that was promiſed to Baruck, Jer. 45. verſ. 4, 5. God tells him, the whole land ſhal be layd waſte, and evil ſhal come upon all fleſh; yet this was the mercy promiſed, the greateſt outward mercy, He ſhould hav… h… life for a prey; but thy life will I give unto thee for a prey: as the greateſt mercy that God could give him for his faithfulneſs; his life ſhould be given him for a prey: God would reſcue his life from danger, when it ſhould ſeem to be taken away, God would reſcue it as a prey, out of the hand of danger, out of the hand of enemies: he would give Baruck the greateſt outward bleſſing that can be beſtowed: and therefore I beſeech you prize your lives: I wil tel you briefly how you ſhould prize your lives.
Firſt, Take heed that you ſpeak nothing againſt your lives: Oh that men and women would remember Rules how to prize our lives.what a precious thing life is: ſpeak nothing againſt thy life; how common a thing is this in the world? if a man meet with matter of diſcontentment, preſently they caſt ſad thoughts againſt their lives; and oh that God would take me away; and oh that there were an end of my life: that I were in the grave; and ſuch kind of expreſſions: Poor creatures, do you know what you ſay? is life ſo precious? and is it ſuch a precious treaſure? and does God make ſuch an account of it? and do you undervalue it? wil you throw away your lives upon every diſcontentment? wil you part with ſuch a Jewel? Oh the folly and the madneſs of mens hearts; ſuppoſe that God ſhould take you at your word; you ſay, Oh that the Lord would take away my life; ſuppoſe now, that God ſhould come and ſay, Oh thou vile creature, have I given thee ſuch a precious Jewel as life is, that thou may'ſt improve it for precious ends, for glorious ends, that thou may'ſt gain a portion in my ſelf and ſon, which ſhould make thee happy for ever? have I truſted thee with ſucha Jewel as life is? and doſt thou upon every diſcontentment, throw life at thy foot? doſt thou come and throw it into my hand, before I call for it? Well I wil t…ke thee at thy word; this night ſhall thy life be taken from thee; if God ſhould be in good earneſt, I doubt you would call your words back again. Elijah, he ſpoke in a paſſionate way, againſt his life, in the firſt of Kings and v. 19. but when God would have taken him at his word, he went back again: See how he deſires God to take away his life, at the fourth verſe, and He requeſted for himſel… that he might die, and ſ…id it is enough now Oh Lord, take away my life▪ for I am not better t…n my fathers, for a little affliction; he is perſecuted and driven into the wilderneſs; in diſcontentment he ſits down, and ſpeaks words againſt his life; take away my life, why ſhould I live? why, God he takes him at his word, and Jezebel ſhal take away his life from him; but at the tenth verſe, the Prop…et goes back again, and there 'tis his greateſt complaint that he makes: and they ſeek to take a…ay wy life; and yet before in his paſſion, he would needs dye: Lord take away my life I am …o b…tt…r t…en my Fathers: Now 'tis a moſt grievous ſin thus to ſl…ght that which God hath ſet ſuch a …igh pr…e upon: O what care hath God of life? and what charge hath God given all the Creatures in Heaven and Eearth? Oh take not away the lives of my Servants; and God hath ſet Angels over them to keep their lives? and doſt thou account ſo meanly of thy life? wilt thou put away thy life for a trifle, for every croſs and diſcontentment that thou meeteſt with in this world? what diſhonour is this to God? and what undervaluing of that which God counts ſo highly of?
But Secondly, Take heed that you act nothing againſt your lives take heed thou doſt not go about to ſhorten thine own life; take heed thou doſt not go about to cut off thine own life; this is a grievous ſin, and high provocation: there is nothing that the Devil ſeeks more then this, and this many times is a very urging temptation, a preſſing temptation: Oh take away thy life. Now I beſeech you remember how precious life is, what a precious Jewel 'tis in the ſight of God; and will you caſt it away for nothing? will you caſt it away to gratifie the Devil at his requeſt?
But Oh I live a mi…erable life, ſay ſome, my life is a burden, nothing but croſſes, nothing but troubles in the world; it were a thouſand times better for me to dye then to live.
I ſay, Should'ſt thou rid thy ſelf of thy affliction? or ſhouldſt thou not rather wait till God opon a door unto thee? what wilt thou break chains? wilt thou break Gods chains? wilt thou break priſon to be gon, before God hath ſet thee at liberty? Oh know God hath worſe chains: chains of darkneſs.
But ſuppoſe thou liveſt in the greateſt affliction; why wilt thou ſin to rid thy ſelf of affliction? is not the leaſt ſin worſe then the greateſt evil? to ſin againſt God, an infinite God? and if the leaſt ſin be worſe then the greateſt evil, ſhouldſt thou ſin to rid thy ſelf of affliction?
Object. Ay but, I live to ſin againſt God, that makes my life a burden to me; Oh I bear about me a body of death, and I drag it about with me every day ſo long as I live; it makes me weary of my life, and, I deſire to dye rather then to live:
Well, ſuppoſe it; Suppoſe thou liveſt in ſin, and ſuppoſe by taking away thy life, thou doſt free thy ſelf from ſin: yet ſhould'ſt thou have an eye to the word of God; haſt thou any ſuch rule that God hath preſcribed to free thy ſelf this way? Oh, why doſt thou not look to Chriſt, and fetch it from his righteouſneſs, from his blood, and from his death? ſhould'ſt thou not go thither to be free from ſin? is there not pardoning mercy, and healing grace, and waſhing for all kind of ſpots to the utmoſt? thou talkeſt of freeing thy ſelf from ſin, and thou ſinneſt the greateſt ſin that thou canſt ſin, if thou takeſt away thy life. I tell thee, thou had'ſt better live a thouſand years and ſin all thy time againſt God, then ſin this ſin; and go about to do any thing ag…inſt thy life; why this is the greateſt thou canſt do to God; thou giveſt God the lye: God holds forth grace and mercy in the Goſpel, and thou giveſt him the lye: he tells thee in his word, that he is able to ſave to the utmoſt, and thou giveſt him the lye: and therefore I beſeech you, remember your lives are precious Jewels, remember what account God hath of them, and do not act any thing againſt them; do nothing againſt your lives.
Thirdly, If you would improve life; then gain as much of God as poſſibly you can in the time of life, this is the way to gain by life; labour to gain the knowledge of God, and of his Son; labour to get inſight into the Myſteries of the Goſpel, the great Myſteries of Chriſt manifeſted in the fleſh: Oh there is an Infinite depth; 'tis worth the ſeeking after: Oh the p…ecious Mines of grace in the Goſpel; truly you cannot improve life better then this way; ſeek the knowledge of God and of his Son; ſeek communion with God, and acquaintance with him; get more grace from him more ſtrength; more ſpiritual good things, this is a rich improvement of a mans life; and will you not make the beſt improvement of ſuch a Jewel as life is? you will make the beſt improvements of your eſtates, put off any commodity for the beſt advantage, and will you not put off your lives for the beſt advantage? I tell you, 'tis a Stock, a precious Stock, that God hath given you to uſe: Oh why ſhould you let the Stock lye dead by you, and do nothing that may advantage your ſouls another day?
Conſider again: this kind of improvement of life, makes a mans life more glorious; if a man be not thus exerciſed, and thus lay out life, to ſeek after God, and to get more acquaintance with him, get more communion with him, more fellowſhip of the Spirit, more knowledge of Chriſt, more grace, more aſſurance of his love; why it will make him ſcarce a man without this: Oh this makes a mans life, a noble life, an Evangelical life; when as he is exerciſed in ſuch glorious things as theſe; but when a man doth ſpend his life, and doth nothing this way, and does not give more of God and Chriſt, he lives like a beaſt; more then like a man: a poor low, carnal, ſenceleſs droſſie life, though he be never ſo high and excellent in the world, though he be in the greateſt outward honour, that man lives a low life, and he will not continue in his honour, but in the concluſion, becomes as …he beaſts that periſh.
Fourthly▪ If you would prize your lives, labour to act as much as you can for God in the time of life: this is a prizing of life, an improving of life: know that life is given you for action; and when a man is dead, he doth not act for God: Oh therefore remember, that there is ſomething that God hath given every one of you to do in this tearm of life: thereis ſome ſervice, ſome work in your generation that God expects at your hand, even in this life: and I beſeech you take the wiſemans council that he gives you in the 9. of Eccl…ſ. v. 10. Whatſoever t…y hand findeth to do, do, it with all thy migh…, fo… there is no working, no device, nor knowledge, nor wiſ…dom in the grave, w…ither thou art a going; Improve your lives, ſaith he, and what ever you do, do it with all your might: conſider what is the work you have to do for God in your generation: what work you have to do for God, and what your hand findeth to do, do it with all your might; do not neglect but do what your hand finds to do, do with all your might: life is very ſhort, the work is long; and life is very ſhort, you need work while you have time, you need work while the day laſt: the night cometh upon every one of you when there is no time for to work, there is no device, no knowledge nor wiſedom in the grave, whither thou art going: Oh labour to be for God every one of you in your places: Oh lay out your ſelves with all your might, to do ſomething for God; though the ſervice you are to perform in your generation may be tedious, may be laborious and toileſome to the fleſh; yet be willing to lay out your ſelves for God, lay down ſtrength for God, and lay down life for God; Why conſider, there is a long reſt that is prepared for the people of God; this is the day time, and here you muſt work for God; there ſhall come a time of reſt, ye… they ſhall reſt in their grave; there is ſleeping time enough, and they ſhall reſt in Heaven; and there they ſhall reſt enough, they ſhall reſt for ever and for ever; and therefore be content to do for God, and lay down all your ſtrength for God: Oh there is a reſting time, a long reſting time that is prepared for you; I have glorifi…d thee on earth, ſaith Chriſt to his Father, and now Oh Father glorifie me in H…aven: labour every one of you in your places▪ in your callings, to exalt the name of God, to glorifie God on earth: I would not have you glorifie God▪ that God may glorifie you, that is not the end of your work; but glorifie God, becauſe he will glorifie you: becauſe he hath declared that there is reſt for you that are his people, and there is an eternal reſt in which he will glorifie you with himſelf: Oh glorifie him therefore with your lives, with your ſtrength, with your abilities, with your parts, with your riches, with all you have, glorifie God in your lives.
I ſhall conclude all with one word of Exhortation; doth God reſcue the lives of his ſervants in ſuch a wonderful manner? why, let his ſervants for ever truſt him: as great mercies do call for great thankfulnes, ſo they call for great faith in the Lord, expect a great deal of future confidence in him: when he hath declared his name to his people, when he hath once made his goodneſs and mercy, and power, and faithfulneſs, and truth to paſs by before them in ſome ſpecial providence, he expects then that they ſhould truſt him in the loweſt condition, in the faddeſt condition; that you ſhould take hold of him, and live upon him, he expects that you ſhould reaſon upon former experiences; and remember the years of the right hand of the moſt high: remember ſuch and ſuch yeers when the right hand of the moſt High was declared, when God wrought ſuch works of deliverance, ſuch and ſuch wonderful mercies: the Lord expects that ſuch kind of deliverances ſhould be ingagements to truſt in him; to truſt in him at all times. Many times we will not beleeve unleſs we ſee ſignes and wonders; and the Lord he is pleaſed to condeſcend to our weakneſs; and Chriſt he ſhews us a Miracle, yea he ſhews many wonderful works, mercies and deliverances that he works for his people: and now God he may wonder at the weakneſs of our faith, if after all theſe wonders we ſhall diſtruſt him: See what the Pſalmiſt ſaith, in Pſalm 96. 10. Be ſtill, and know that I am God: why, in all your afflictions, in all your temptations, in all your croſſes: in all ſad conditions God would have you to be ſtill and know that he is God; and when ever we have received any ſpecial mercy from God, we ſhould urge this upon our ow… ſouls; if at any time we are ready to diſtruſt God, and repine at any of the dealings of God: Oh my ſoul be ſtill and know that God is Jehovah; remember the years of his right hand; remember what he did for ſuch and ſuch of his ſervants: and for thee in ſuch a condition; how he made his power and mercy, and truth, and faithfulneſs to paſs before thee, and wilt thou again murmur, and repine, and diſtruſt him? Oh my ſoul be ſtill, and know that he is God▪ know that he is Jehovah, and that he gives exiſtence to his promiſes; know that he is as good as his word, know that he is better then his word: when ever any rebellious luſt doth riſe up in thy heart after we have received mercies (which is a great ingagement, yet ſtill beat it back with this, know that the Lord is Jehovah: the Lord hath a mighty Arm, and as he hath done, ſo he will do, and he will not leave his people: the power and the goodneſs of the Lord, it ſhould ſound in our ears when ever we are in any ſtrait: this is a glorifying of God for mercies received: And Brethren, upon all occaſions, Remember the years of the mercy of the moſt High: See what the Pſalmiſt ſaith (with which I will conclude all) Pſal 62. 11. God hath ſpoken once; twice have I heard this, that power belongeth unto God: God hath ſpoken, how hath he ſpoken? in ſome glorious deliverance he hath ſpoken, in ſome great mercy: for God ſpeaks in his providence as well as in his words, and when God ſpeaks in his mercy, he expects that we ſhould hear him: nay, that we ſhould not only hear him, but that we ſhould hear him often; he expects that we ſhould hear; what ſhould we hear! we ſhould hear this, That power belongeth to God, *When ever God worketh any glorious deliverance, this ſhould ſound in our ears, That power belongeth to God.and mercy belongeth to God, and loving kindneſs and free grace belong to God; and ſo loving kindneſs it belongs to God: The Attributes of God, that do found in ev…ry mercy, in every deliverance, and in ſome ſpecial mercies, we ſhould not hear it once but twice: God ſpoke once, and I heard it twice, that is, often 'tis an alluſion to an Eccho; a man ſpeaks ſometime that it raiſes an Eccho; and the words will be repeated again, he ſhall hear it round about him, the words ſound again; he ſpeaks once and it ſounds twice, often, ſo there is ſuch a voice in many mercies, many deliverances; and many ſpecial providences, they ſound lovd as the Eccho of a man doth: The Lord ſpeaks once we ſhould hear twice, that power belongs to God. Well, remember that the Lord expects that thou ſhould'ſt hear it often: and when ever thou art brought into a low condition, remember this, what thou heareſt in thy former low condition, that power belongs to God: and mercy belongs to God: And thus ſhould we truſt the Lord in ſtraites: former mercies are ingagements for the future; and this is part of the glory the Lord expects, this is part of the In-come that he deſires for mercy, for deliverance: poor creatures that have ſeen much in it▪ they ſhould never forget the loving kindneſs of God, when they are in ſtraits, in great ſtraits, ſtill to make uſe of former experiences, and to remember the years of the right hand of the moſt High. Thus you hear what improvement there ſhould be of our afflictions.