The Mischiefs of Self-Ignorance, Postscript
Poſtſcript.
Madam,
SInce the writing of this Epiſtle, finding you under the afflicting hand of God, thought meet to remember you of what …ou know, that God thus traineth up his …hildren for their Reſt: whom he Loveth, …e chaſteneth, and ſcourgeth every ſon …hom he receiveth: If we endure chaſten…g, God dealeth with us as with children: …nd if we be without chaſtiſement whereof … are partakers, then we are baſtards and …ot ſons, Heb. 12.6, 7, 8. The ſame fleſh …at would be pleaſed, will grudge when it … diſpleaſed: and that which is our entice…g enemy in proſperity, will be our …ſturbing enemy in adverſity: As fleſhly …inds misjudge of the law and ſervice of …od, and cannot be ſubject becauſe of the …mity againſt him, Rom. 8.7. ſo do they …ſjudge of his chaſtiſements: And ſo far … they participate of this diſeaſe, the beſt …ll be repining, and tempted to unworthy …oughts of God. Even innocent nature …oth to ſuffer; Chriſt himſelf ſaith, If it be thy will, let this cup paſs from me: An… nature ſo far as it is corrupted, is yet muc… more averſe, becauſe the Fleſh is more in…ordinately deſirous of its eaſe, and paſſio… more turbulent when it is denyed, and th… ſoul hath leſs apprehenſion and reliſh … that Love of God, which is the cauſe an… End, and ſhould ſweeten all to a Recon…ciled well-compoſed mind: and it is alſ… leſs ſatisfied in the will of God, and it is le… ſubject to it: and patience is defective b…cauſe of the weakneſs of the Graces th… ſhould ſupport us. Beſides which alſo, tenderneſs of ſpirit, and overmuch ſenſib…lity, fears and trouble, are ordinary effec… of the weak and tender nature of ma… eſpecially of the more weak and tend… ſex: And when all theſe concur (t… averſeneſs of the moſt innocent nature, t… remnants of ſin, and the ſpecial tenderne… of your nature and ſex,) your burde… and tryal is much the greater, and yo… grief muſt needs be much the mo… But, I beſeech you, remember, that yo… have not to do with an Enemy, but a F…ther that knoweth what he doth, a… meaneth you no hurt, but that which is t… fitteſt means to your good, and to yo… ſcaping greater hurt; that loveth you … leſs in the greateſt of your pain and danger, than in the greateſt of your proſperity and peace: that you have a Head in Heaven that was partaker with us of fleſh and blood, that he might deliver us from our bondage which we are in through the fear of death, who was made perfect by ſuffering; and is not aſhamed to call us Bre…hren; being in all things made like unto us, that he might be a merciful and faithful High Prieſt in things pertaining to God, …o make reconciliation for our ſins: who …n that he himſelf hath ſuffered being tempted, is able to ſuccour them that are …empted, Heb. 2.10, 11, 14, 15, 17, 18. We have not an High Prieſt that cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, but was in all points tempted or tryed …s we are, but without ſin: He that himſelf in the days of his fleſh, did offer up prayers and ſupplications, with ſtrong cry…ng and tears to him that was able to ſave him from death, (Heb. 5.7.) will not be angry if his ſervants complain and cry …o him in their ſuffering: He that cryed …ut, My God, My God, why haſt thou for…aken me! will pitty his poor diſtreſſed …embers, and not forſake them, when they …hink themſelves forſaken; And if they go beyond their bounds in their complainings, he will not therefore diſregard their moans; But he that honoured the patience of Job, though he ſo paſſionately curſe… the day of his birth, will love the faith an… patience of his people, notwithſtanding the mixtures of unbelief and impatience▪ He is ready with his gracious excuſe▪ Matth. 26.41. The ſpirit is willing, bu… the fleſh is weak; And he conſidereth that our ſtrength and fleſh is not of ſtone or braſs, Job 6.12. He will therefore revive the ſpirit of the contrite, and wi… not contend for ever, nor be alwaies wroth leſt the ſpirit ſhould faile before him, and the ſouls which he hath made, Iſai. 57.15, 16. And though no chaſtening for the preſent ſeemeth to be joyous, but grievous: yet the end is that he may make u… partakers of his Holineſs; and afterwar… it yieldeth the peaceable fruits of righteouſneſs to them that are exerciſed thereby, Heb. 12.10, 11. Bleſſed is the man that endureth temptation; for when he is tryed he ſhall receive the Crown of Life, which God hath promiſed to them that love him, Jam. 1.12. Bleſſed is the man whom thou chaſteneſt O Lord, and teacheſt him out of thy Law, that thou mayeſt give him reſt from the days of adverſity un…ill the pit be digged for the wicked; For the …ord will not Caſt off his people, neither will he forſake his inheritance, Pſal. 94.12, 13, 14.
Madam, if nothing in all the world be more certain, that that there is a God, who …s true and juſt, and delighteth in his people when they are loweſt in the world: If no…hing be more ſure than that there is a Heaven for perſevering penitent believers: …hen are our Arguments for the comfort of Gods afflicted ones, no fancies, but …etcht as from the higheſt excellencies, ſo …rom the ſureſt realities that ever were preſented to the underſtanding of a man: And though the beſt of Saints have been …ut to wreſtle with the temptations that …riſe from the adverſity of Believers, and …he proſperity of the wicked; yet this is ſtill …he reſult of all their perplexing thoughts; Truly God is good to Iſrael, even to ſuch as are of a clean heart: Though ſometime their feet are almoſt gone, and their paths do well nigh ſlip, and they are ready to ſay, We have cleanſed our hearts in vain, and waſhed our hands in innocency; for all the day are we plagued, and chaſtened every morning; yet they ſoon learn in the ſanctuary of God, that the wicked are ſet in ſlippery places, and caſt down into deſtruction, and brought to deſolation as in a moment, and utterly conſumed with terrors; as a dream when one awaketh, ſo the Lord when he awaketh, will deſpiſe their image, Pſal. 73. But marke the perfect man, and behold the upright: for the End of that man is peace, Pſal. 37.37. Becauſe ſentence againſt an evil work is not executed ſpeedily, therefore the heart of the ſons of men is fully ſet in them to do evil: But though a ſinner do evil an hundred times, and his days be prolonged: yet ſurely I know that it ſhall be well with them that fear God, which fear before him, Eccleſ. 8.11, 12. If not here, yet certainly at laſt all ſhall ſay, Verily there is a Reward for the righteous, Pſal. 58.11. Reſt therefore in the Lord, and wait patiently for him: Commit your way to him: Truſt in him, and he ſhall bring it to paſs: For the needy ſhall not alway be forgotten: the expectation of the poor ſhall not periſh for ever, Pſal. 9.18. How happy are you that God doth thus ſave you from the temptations of proſperity, which you ſee befool and undo ſo many before your eyes! and that you are not left in the number of …hoſe, that are men of the world, which …ave their portion in this life! Pſal. 17.14. …nd are given up to their own hearts luſts, …o walk in their own counſels, Pſal. 81.12. …nd muſt hear at laſt, Remember that thou …n thy life time receivedſt thy good things] …ut that here you have your evils, and …hall be comforted when the now-proſpe…ous wicked are tormented, Luke 16.25. …f heaven be enough to make you a felicity, …nd Eternity be long enough for your frui…on of it, then never think hardly of God …or any of his chaſtiſements: Lazarus re…enteth not there that he was poor: nor Job …hat he was covered with ſores, nor David …hat he waſhed his couch with tears, and …hat his ſore ran and ceaſed not: The long…ſt of our ſorrows will there be reviewed …s ſhort in reſpect of our endleſs joys; …nd the ſharpeſt of our pains as nothing …o thoſe pleaſures: Madam, experience …s well as faith aſſureth me, that it is good …r us that we are afflicted; And though …r the ſake of others, I ſhall earneſtly …eſeech the Lord, that he will not unſeaſo…ably remove ſuch as you from this un…orthy generation; yet I doubt not but …our removal, and ſufferings in the way, …ill advantage you for your Everlaſting Reſt. And for my ſelf, I deſire, that my lo… may ſtill fall with thoſe that follow Chriſt through tribulation, bearing the croſs, and crucified to the world, and waiting for his appearance, deſiring to be abſent from the body, and preſent with the Lord; & not with thoſe that are fed as beaſts for the ſlaughter, and proſper a while in their iniquity, till ſudden deſtruction come upon them, and at laſt their ſins do find them out; when the wicked ſhall be turned into Hell, and all the nations that forget God, Pſal. 9.17. Numb. 32.23. 1 Theſ. 5.3. Phil. 3.19. And that theſe words of life may be engraven upon my heart, [Pſal. 63.3. Thy loving kindneſs is better than life] Pſal. 73.26. [My fleſh and my heart faileth; but God is the ſtrength of my heart, and my portion for ever,] Rom. 8.28. [All things work together for good to them that love God] Joh. 14.19. Becauſe I live, ye ſhall live alſo.] Col. 3.3, 4. Our life is hid with Chriſt in God: When Chriſt who is our Life, ſhall appear, then ſhall we alſo appear with him in Glory:] and that I may be fit for the Title of the Beloved Apoſtle, Rev. 1.9. (though as a ſervant to you and the Church of God,)
Your Brother and Companion in tribulation, and in the Kingdom and Patience of Jeſus Chriſt. Rich. Baxter. Nov. 1. 1661.