Helps for Faith and Patience in Times of Affliction, Part 2

Helps for Faith and Patience in Times of Affliction · Part 2

p. 50PART II.

Orthodox Paradox: OR, THE Greateſt Temporal Evil working the greateſt Eternal Good.

2 COR. iv. 17.

For our light Affliction which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of Glory.

THIS the Apostle brings in as a Reaſon of that holy Courage that he and the Primitive Christians had under all their Troubles, that they did not faint, but rather, they got ſtrength; and as their outward man periſhed, their p. 51Souls, their better part, flouriſhed and proſpered; as in the foregoing Verſe: For (ſaith he) our light affliction, &c.

In which Reaſon or Argument we may obſerve,

1. The Nature of the Saints Troubles; they are Afflictions.

2. The Qualities of them; they are light, and but for a moment.

3. The Tendency of them, or their ſubſerviency to their eternal good, through God's bleſſing on them; they work for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of Glory.

1. For the Nature of the Saints Troubles, they are Afflictions, and our Afflictions: All the Saints Troubles in this Life are Afflictions, and but Afflictions; they are not properly Puniſhments, inflicted on them, to make Satisfaction for Sin. They are not Deſtructions, no, they are but Afflictions. The original word is foreign, which ſignifieth a preſſing, from the effect of them on the Saints; for they are ſent to preſs out their hidden Corruptions, that were in the Heart undiſcovered; to make manifeſt that which lay hid before. Affliction is as God's Wine-preſs alſo, to preſs out the ſweet Wine of Grace, that it may appear in Act and Exerciſe. It is alſo God's Fullers-preſs, to preſs out the inward ſpots and defilements of their Souls. Afflictions are not to the Saints Executions of Vengeance, not Deſtructions, as they are to others, Deſtruction upon Deſtruction; that is, one Trouble and Diſtreſs upon another; ſo they are to the Wicked.

2. They are our Affliction too: this may note, firſt, the commonneſs of them to all men, 1 Cor. 10. 13. No Temptation befals us, but what is common to Men, to all Men, and moſtly, to all Saints; it is their Lot, their Portion; yea, it is p. 52God's Gift to them, Phil. 1. 29. Secondly, It may note the Propriety the Saints have in their Afflictions, and Benefit they have by them. Theſe Afflictions are ours, 1 Cor. 3. 22. All things are yours, things preſent: the preſent Afflictions are ours; that is, they are ſanctified, and made profitable to us; they are our Friends, Friends to our Souls, not our Foes; they are our Helps, not our Harms; they are ours in common alſo; they are the Churches Troubles; others ſympathize with us, and they count our Afflictions theirs.

And if this be ſo, what reaſon have we to faint and ſink under our Troubles, ſeeing they are but Afflictions, not Deſtructions, and ſeeing they are ours alſo, for our good and advantage, appointed and ordered to us by the loving Hand of our only-wiſe God and gracious Father: and ſeeing all the People of God have a ſhare in them, by way of ſympathy, and we have a ſhare in their Prayers for us, therefore we faint not.

2. The ſecond Branch of this Argument is the Quality of thoſe Afflictions, expreſſed here by two words, 1. They are light, foreign, leve; the ſame word in Mat. 11. 30. My burden is light; that is, it is tolerable, ſufferable, ſuch as may be endured and ſuffered: Chriſt's Government is not intolerable, neither are the Afflictions of his People.

Object. But how can that be, that the Troubles of God's People are light? Were David's Troubles light, from whom we often hear ſuch ſad and bitter Complaints? And were Job's Troubles light, Job 6. 3, 4. And were the Primitive Chriſtians Troubles light? See the 7th and 8th Verſes of this Chapter; and elſewhere the Apoſtle p. 53complains, that they were preſſed above meaſure, and deſpaired even of Life?

Anſw. The meaning plainly is comparative; Afflictions are light, not ſimply conſidered in themſelves, but by way of compariſon; as thus.

1. They are light, in compariſon of what our Sins have deſerved. Sin deſerves Eternal Death, everlaſting Flames in Hell, everlaſting Deſtruction, eaſeleſs, endleſs, remedileſs Torments. The Wages of Sin is Death, eternal Damnation, 2 Theſſ. 1. 8, 9. Now, in compariſon of Hell and Damnation, all our Afflictions are but light, but as Fleabitings to thoſe eternal Torments: Oh, what is the Wrath of Man to the Wrath of a GOD? What is the Diſpleaſure of a Father to the Revenge of an Enemy? Oh, what is Sickneſs, Poverty, a Priſon, Loſſes, &c. to Hell-fire?

2. They are light, in compariſon of the cruel, bitter, dreadful Sufferings of Jeſus Chriſt the Son of God. He, upon whom the Spirit of Might did reſt, was even ſunk by them; if we do but duly conſider Chriſt's Sufferings, his bloody, bitter Agony in the Garden, when his Soul was exceeding ſorrowful even to death, he was ſore amazed; when all the Sins of the Elect were laid on him, made to meet on him, Iſa. 53. 6. all the Wrath of Men and Devils on him, yea, and which was heavieſt of all, his Father's Wrath was on him; it pleaſed the Father to bruiſe him, and to put him to grief, Iſa. 53. 10. All this would have ſunk Ten thouſand Worlds; this made our deareſt Lord ſweat great drops of Blood, &c. Oh, the inconceivable love of our Bleſſed Jeſus! O, the curſed nature of Sin! But what are all our Afflictions, all our Sufferings, in compariſon of Chriſt's? He was p. 54afflicted, he was oppreſſed, infinitely more than ever any man was, or can be.

3. Light too, in compariſon of what the Wicked ſhall ſuffer hereafter: ſee Pſal. 11. 6. 2 Theſſ. 1. 9. Revel. 21. 8. Our Afflictions are light, ſurely very light in compariſon of theſe.

4. Light alſo in compariſon of the Glory that God's Suffering Saints ſhall afterwards enjoy. This our Apoſtle affirms, Rom. 8. 18. I reckon that the ſufferings of this preſent life are not worthy to be compared with the glory that ſhall be revealed in vsus. Not worthy to be compared with that far more exceeding and eternal weight of Glory. Thus are our Afflictions ſaid to be light.

2. Another Quality of our Afflictions noted here, is, That our Afflictions are ſhort alſo: as they are light, ſo they are ſhort too, foreign, momentany, for a moment.

Object. But how can this be? Did not David complain, that he was afflicted from his Youth, and the Church in Affliction four hundred years at once? How then are their Afflictions ſhort?

Anſw. This for a moment, or ſhort time, muſt be underſtood comparatively alſo; Our Afflictions are ſhort, and for a moment, in compariſon of what the Damned muſt ſuffer; for their Death is eternal, their Deſtruction is everlaſting, everlaſting Damnation in Hell, the Fire never goeth out, the Worm never dyeth. But eſpecially, our Afflictions here are ſhort, as well as light in compariſon of that far more exceeding and eternal weight of Glory, that the Saints ſhall poſſeſs hereafter.

Obſerve the Antitheſis, or oppoſition here in the Text, which duly conſidered, and Faith acted on it, p. 55is enough to ſupport a Chriſtian under all his Troubles. Mark it well.

For Afflictions here, he ſhall have Glory hereafter; for light Afflictions he ſhall have a weight of Glory; for ſhort Afflictions an eternal weight of Glory; yea, a far m…e exceeding and eternal weight of Glory: in compariſon of which Afflictions, all our Afflictions may well be termed light and ſhort.

Let us ſeriouſly conſider how ſtrangely and wonderfully the Happineſs of Suffering Saints is here ſet out by the Apoſtle.

1. It is Glory, it is Glory that they ſhall receive hereafter, a Crown of Glory, that fadeth not away. It is Glory that they ſeek for, Rom. 2. 6, 7. and it is Glory they ſhall have. Here in this World the poor Chriſtian meets with ſhame and diſhonour, laden with Reproaches, made the off-ſcouring of all things, trodden down as Mire in the Streets, the Song of Drunkards; but hereafter they ſhall be advanced to Glory: what this Glory imports, I ſhall enquire hereafter. It is ſurely a Soul-ſupporting, a Soul-ſatisfying thing.

2. It is a weight of Glory: Not a grain or ſcruple, (though a little of this Glory will abundantly recompenſe all our Sufferings in the way to it) but it is a weight of Glory, enough to fill all the Faculties of the whole Soul, enough to ſatisfie the vaſt Deſires of the Mind, which the whole Creation cannot do; yea, enough to ſink the Soul under the weight of it, did not the Almighty Power of God uphold it.

3. It is eternal alſo: The glorified Saints ſhall never be unglorified again: it is everlaſting Glory.

4. It is an exceeding weight of Glory: ſurmounting, ſurpaſſing, and tranſcending, not only our Merits, but our Deſires, our Thoughts and Imaginations, p. 56Epheſ. 3. 20. and of which it may be ſaid, as the Apoſtle ſpeaks of the Myſteries of the Goſpel, that it never entred into the heart of man to conceive, 1 Cor. 2. 9.

5. It is a more exceeding: it is a marvellous Glory; what a Climax, what a Gradation is here!

6. A far more exceeding: it exceeds all our Deſires, all our Thoughts, it is more than we can ask or think; it exceeds all our Doings, all our Sufferings, more than Heaven exceeds Earth, or Light Darkneſs, or any thing we can imagine: foreign. This Glory is excellent, uper-excellent, beyond all meaſure excellent. Now, in compariſon of this excellent Glory, all our preſent Sufferings are but light and ſhort; and if ſo, is there any reaſon the Saints ſhould faint under them, but rather to bear up, and be of good courage?

3. The third Branch of this Argument is, the Influence that theſe ſhort and light Afflictions have upon this Glory, or the Reference they have unto it, or Tendency towards it; and that is very conſiderable, and it is this: Thoſe Afflictions work for us this tranſcendent Glory. It is no where ſaid, that Honours, or Pleaſures, or Riches work for us this Glory, but Afflications work it; that is, the only-wiſe God, who can bring Light out of Darkneſs, Sweet out of Bitter, Good out of Evil; even He ſo ordereth and bleſſeth all the Afflictions of his People to them, that they become ſingularly uſeful, and influential, to work out for them this Glory: but not as the Papiſts hold, who abuſe this as they do other Scriptures, concluding hence, that the Saints Sufferings, as well as their Doings, do merit Glory; for this was not St. Paul's meaning, becauſe he ſpeaks to the contrary, Rom. 8. 18, I p. 57reckon that the ſufferings of this preſent life are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed. Glory is Chriſt's Purchace, not Man's Merit.

But Afflictions work for us this Glory, by way of Preparation for it, as a way and means (though not the only and principal) which our gracious God appoints, ordereth, and ſanctifieth, to fit and prepare his People, for that far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. It was by the way of Suffering that our Lord, the Lord of Glory, went to his Glory, Luk. 24. 26. Heb. 2. 10. And therefore, ſeeing Afflictions have ſuch a reference, ſubſerviency, and tendency to Glory, that they are made uſeful to fit and prepare us for this moſt bleſſed, moſt excellent ſtate of Happineſs and Glory, we faint not under them, but rather we are encouraged and ſtrengthned by the conſideration of their tendency to prepare us for our eternal Happineſs.

Now let us put all theſe pieces together, and they will yield us this comfortable Doctrinal Concluſion, viz.

Doct. That the light and ſhort Afflictions of the People of God here in this World, are ſingularly uſeful to work them for, and to work for them, a far more exceeding and eternal weight of Glory in the World to come.

This is ſo plainly aſſerted here by the Apoſtle, I need not ſtand to prove it; all I have to do, is to demonſtrate, and ſhew, how thoſe light and ſhort Afflictions of God's People, are thus ſingularly uſeful and influential to work them for, and to work for them, this far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; which, by the aſſiſtance of God, I ſhall endeavour to do.

p. 58But before I begin this, it may not be amiſs to ſay a little (and I can ſay but a little, a very little, for I know very little) of this far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory: And ſhall I ſpeak before I know? Lord, open my Underſtanding, and pardon any Ignorance.

By this far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, I underſtand, all that wonderful Happineſs and Bleſſedneſs, which the great and glorious God hath prepared for, and promiſed unto his Children, and which the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, by his precious Blood and Paſſion, hath purchaſed for them, which chiefly conſiſts in their advancement and admiſſion into the neareſt enjoyment of the great and glorious God, the Chiefeſt Good, to be ever with the Lord, to ſee his Face, to know him as we are known of him, to live for ever with him, partaking of his Glory to their everlaſting Conſolation. But, alas! how ſhort and ſhallow are my Apprehenſions of what I am writing? If it did not appear to the beloved 1 Joh. 3. 2.1 John 3:2Diſciple, what Happineſs the Saints ſhould be advanced to, at the laſt, but only in general, that when Chriſt appears, we ſhall be like him: No marvel if ſuch a poor blind Worm as I know ſo little; yet ſome glimpſes we have in the Glaſs of the Goſpel, whereby we may come to a little dark Knowledge, and a ſlight taſte of this Glory.

It is the Souls enjoyment of God, the chief Good, and that is the ſum and ſubſtance of all Happineſs and Bleſſedneſs; this is called, Seeing God, Matth. 5. 8. Pſal. 17. 15. Revel. 22. 4. Beholding the glory of Chriſt, John 17. 24. Seeing God face to face; that is, as far as Creatures are capable. See the Prayer of Chriſt, which doth notably expreſs this weight of Glory, Joh. 17. 21, 22, 23. p. 59That they all may be one, as thou father art in me, and I in thee, that they alſo may be one in us; and the glory which thou gaveſt me, I have given them, that they may be one, even as we are one: I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; that the world may know that thou haſt loved them as thou haſt loved me. What can be more deſired? Here is a far more exceeding and eternal weight of Glory indeed; a real Union of the Saints with the Bleſſed God, and the Bleſſed Jeſus, ſuch a Union as is between the Head and the Members, and between Huſband and Wife; yea, ſuch as is between God and Chriſt, and a participation of the ſame Glory that Chriſt himſelf doth poſſeſs, and an enjoyment of the ſame Love that Chriſt himſelf doth enjoy; yea, the Saints ſhall then be made like unto Chriſt, both in Soul and Body. Lord, help me to believe all this, and to be fully perſwaded of it, that my Heart may be kindly affected, and filled with enflamed affections towards my Bleſſed Jeſus, who hath purchaſed all this Glory for us with his moſt precious Blood: Oh, let me attain the full aſſurance of my true Title thereto, that I may praiſe thee, and may long for the full poſſeſſion of it: O my baſe unbelieving Heart! Lord, ſubdue my unbelief: Oh, what pains ſhould we take to be aſſured of this Glory? and, how patiently and cheerfully ſhould we bear our Afflictions, that are deſigned to prepare us for it?

But I cannot break off here. This weight of Glory is, by the Holy Ghoſt, in the Scripture repreſented to us, by all the moſt excellent and delightful things among Men, ſpeaking to our Capacities, and after the manner of Men. Hence it is called a Kingdom; It is your Father's good pleaſure (ſaith our Lord) to give you a Kingdom: I appoint p. 60unto you a kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto me a kingdom. The Kingdom of Heaven, a Kingdom that cannot be moved; a Kingdom of Glory; a Crown of Glory, that fadeth not away; a Crown of Righteouſneſs; a Crown of Life: Chriſt hath made us Kings and Prieſts to God. Here in this World the Saints have the Croſs, Fire, Faggot, Halters, Gibbets, &c. let them wait but a while, and they ſhall hear the Judge of the whole World ſay unto them, Come ye bleſſed of my Father, enter into the kingdom prepared for you from the beginning of the world. Now you are abuſed, reproached, impriſoned, impoveriſhed, deſpiſed; ſhortly you ſhall all be crowned.

This Glory is called the Inheritance of the Saints in light, an Inheritance incorruptible and undefiled, that fadeth not away, reſerved in Heaven for you: You that now may have no Houſe nor Home of your own, no certain Dwelling-place; and you that now dwell in Houſes of Clay, tottering every moment, being the Children of God, you ſhall ſhortly enter into everlaſting Habitations, and poſſeſs thoſe glorious Manſions in the Father's Houſe; you ſhall ſhortly inhabit that Houſe not made with hands, eternal in the Heavens: God hath prepared for you a City that hath Foundations of his own building and making: Hold out Faith and Patience, you ſhall ſhortly be tranſlated into the Paradiſe of GOD, above the reach of Men and Devils.

Moreover, (for methinks it is good to be here) when Chriſt, who is our Life, ſhall appear, we ſhall alſo appear with him in Glory; with Palms in our Hands, and Crowns on our Heads, and with everlaſting Joy and Songs of Praiſes in our Hearts and Mouths. This Glory is called Life, Everlaſting Life, Eternal Salvation, Everlaſting p. 61Peace, and Everlaſting Reſt, the purchaſed Poſſeſſion, that which coſt the moſt precious Blood of the only Son of God to procure, ſurely it muſt be a far more exceeding weight of Glory, that coſt ſuch a price; this Glory is the Fruit of Chriſt's Blood, and of all his cruel Sufferings: Oh, that ſome Beams of it might be darted in upon my dark Heart by the Spirit, while I am writing this, to quicken and enlarge it.

It is Everlaſting Reſt,—Reſt from all Sin, the greateſt burden to a gracious Soul; and from all Sufferings; from all doubts of God's love; from all ſenſe of God's Diſpleaſure; from all Temptations of Satan, of the World and Fleſh; Reſt from all Perſecutions: Now they that have ſuffered with Chriſt, ſhall be glorified with him; no Priſons, Baniſhments, Burnings, Hangings, Quarterings, then; Reſt from all our ſad and ſinful Diviſions, and from all our perſonal Sufferings, Pains, Diſeaſes, Loſſes of dear Relations, ill Tydings; Reſt from all Vain Thoughts, from all the pain of Duty, from all our Labours.

Let us a little further conſider, I. The Preparatives to this Glory; and, II. The Properties of it, that ſo our Hearts may be the more affected with it, and the more carried out with all Love and Deſires after him that purchaſed it for us, and with all labour and diligence to ſecure our title to it; and may alſo the better bear all our Afflictions, which prepare us for it, and lead us to it.

I. Of the Preparations to this Glory; and theſe are,

1. The glorious appearing of the great God, and our Saviour Jeſus Chriſt, Tit. 2. 13. Our bleſſed Lord will moſt certainly come again from Heaven, p. 62with Power and great Glory, attended by his mighty Angels, to receive his People to himſelf, that where he is, there they may be alſo, Joh. 14. 3. to be glorified in his Saints, and to be admired in all thoſe that believe, 2 Theſſ. 1. 10. Alas, what Comfort ſhould we have in this life, if it were not for the Hope of Chriſt's ſecond coming? He will not leave us here ſtill, ſinning, ſuffering, groaning, dying; no, no, the day of our full Redemption will come; our Lord will come again, and ſet all his poor Captives free; but a little while, and he that ſhall come will come, and will not tarry; He will come for our Salvation, Heb. 9. 28.

And for our great Comfort, let us know and believe, that however we now live as Lambs amongſt Wolves, when our glorious Lord Jeſus, the Lord of Glory, and the Prince of the Kings of the Earth, the chief Shepherd ſhall appear, we ſhall receive a crown of glory, that fedeth not away, 1 Pet. 5. 4. It ſhould be then the Character of a Chriſtian, as it is his Duty to love, to long, and look and wait for the Son of God from …eaven, even Jeſus, whom he raiſed from the dead, which by bearing the moſt dreadful Wrath of his Father, hath delivered us from the Wrath to come, 1 Theſſ. 1. 10. Act. 1. 12. And while we are on Earth, we ſhould have our converſations in Heaven, and from thence look for the Saviour, the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, who ſhall change our vile bodies, and make them like his glorious body, Phil. 3. 20, 21. being aſſured, that then we ſhall receive that Crown of Righteouſneſs, which the righteous Judge ſhall give at that day, to all thoſe that love his appearing, 2 Tin. 4. 8. Oh then, ſeeing we look for ſuch things, what manner of perſons ought we to be, in all manner of holy Converſation and Godlineſs, giving all diligence, that we p. 63may be found of him in Peace, without ſpot, and blameleſs? O, what unſpeakable Comfort will the Coming of Chriſt bring to all his poor ſuffering Saints, the fore-thoughts of which ſhould ſupport us under all our preſent Troubles? Although, it may be, now we are deſtitute of all Creaturecomforts, our Fleſh and Fleſhly Relations fail us, our Outward-man periſheth daily, our Bodily ſtrength decays, our Friends fail us, our own Hearts fail us, this ſhould comfort us, that our Lord is gone to Heaven, to prepare a place for us, and he is now preparing us for that place, by his Spirit, by his Word and Rod; and when he hath prepared us, he will come again, and take us to himſelf, that where he is, we may be alſo; And where is that, but at his Father's right hand, in Glory? Col. 3. 3, 4.

2. The ſecond Preparative to this far more exceeding and eternal weight of Glory, is, that great and glorious Work of Chriſt, in raiſing our Bodies from the Duſt, and uniting them again to our Souls; the wonderful Effect of Almighty Power and Love. Read 1 Cor. 15. 1 Theſſ. 4. 15. Death ſhall not diſſolve the Union between Chriſt and us; not turn away his Affections from us; but in the morning of Eternity he will ſend his Angels, yea, come himſelf, and roll away the Stone, and unſeal our Graves, and awake us out of our long ſleep, and call us forth, to receive our own Souls again; and, oh what a joyful Meeting will that be? and, what unſpeakable comfort will that produce?

The Devil had the power of Death till he was overcome by Death, Heb. 2. 14, 15. but he that liveth, and was dead, and is alive for evermore, hath now the Keys of Death and Hell, Rev. 1. 18. The Saints Reſurrection to Glory is only the fruit p. 64of Chriſt's Death, and this fruit they ſhall certainly partake of. The Promiſe is ſure, Joh. 5. 28. All that are in the graves ſhall hear his voice and come forth. Joh. 6. 39. And this is the Father's will which hath ſent Chriſt, that of all which he hath given him, he ſhould loſe nothing, but ſhould raiſe it up at the laſt day. So Ver. 40. Joh. 14. 19. As ſure as Chriſt is riſen, we ſhall riſe alſo; becauſe he lives, we ſhall live alſo: Beſides this mortal life we now live, we have a life that's hid with Chriſt in God, And when Chriſt, who is our life, ſhall appear, then ſhall we alſo appear with him in glory, Col. 3. 3, 4. Oh then, beloved Fellow-chriſtians, Let us be ſtedfaſt, unmovable, alwaies abounding in the work of the Lord, foraſmuch as we know our labour ſhall not be in vain in the Lord. Let us never look at the Grave, but let us look to the Reſurrection beyond it. Let us contentedly commit theſe Carcaſſes to the Duſt, that dark Priſon ſhall not long contain them: Let us lye down in Peace, and take our Reſt, it will not be an everlaſting Night, nor endleſs Sleep; no, no, there will come a moſt joyful and glorious Morning. What if we go out of the Stirs and Troubles of this World, and enter into thoſe Chambers of Duſt, and the Doors be ſhut upon us, and we hide our ſelves, as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be overpaſt; as ſure as we awake in the morning, after we have ſlept out the night, ſo ſure ſhall we then awake. And what if in the Grave we become loathſome Duſt, caſt out of the ſight of Men, as not fit to be endured among the Living? What if our Bones be digged up, and ſcattered about the Pits brink, and Worms conſume our Fleſh yet we know our Redeemer liveth, and we ſhall ſee him with theſe Eyes: And why ſhould we be loth to lay down theſe Bodies of Fleſh, how comely or fair ſoever p. 65they are, they have been but the Priſons of our Souls, Clogs and Hinderances to our Souls in the Work of God, and Way to Heaven. What care, labour, grief and ſorrow have they coſt us? How many a weary, painful, tedious Day and Night? Grudge not, O my Soul, that God ſhould diſburthen thee of all this, and free thee from thy Fetters, and break open thy Priſon door; remember that when this Earthly Houſe of thy Tabernacle is diſſolved, thou haſt a Building of God, an Houſe not made with hands, eternal in the Heavens.

O my Soul! labour now to have thy part in the firſt Reſurrection; now labour to get into Chriſt, and to live in him by Faith and Love; now labour to know, O my Soul! the Power of his Death and Reſurrection, in thy dying to Sin, and living to Righteouſneſs; now act thy Faith on Jeſus, and thy Love to him, and let Jeſus live in thee, and manifeſt his Life in thy mortal Fleſh, and let thy Thoughts and Affections be ſet on things above; let thy Converſation be in Heaven, and let thy Heart be where thy Treaſure is; now live to him that dyed for thee, and roſe again, and then fear not Death, but be confident, that as ſure as Jeſus dyed, and roſe again, ſo ſure ſhall all they that ſleep in Jeſus riſe alſo; and that, altho' thy Body be ſown in Diſhonour, it ſhall be raiſed in Glory, 1 Cor. 15. 43. This is the Second Preparative.

3. The Third Preparative to this far more exceeding and eternal weight of Glory, is that great Aſſize, and general Judgment, when the Lord Jeſus ſhall ſit upon the Throne of his Glory, with all the innumerable Hoſt of glorious Angels about him, and all the Sons and Daughters of Men that ever lived upon Earth ſhall ſtand before him, Rom. 2. 16. & 14. 10. to be judged by him, and to receive p. 66their final Doom, Rev. 20. 12, 13. Matth. 25. 31. at which time there will be made an exact ſeparation between the Sheep and the Goats, between the precious and the vile, and then the Saints ſhall be firſt acquitted and juſtified, and then with Chriſt ſhall judge the World. Thoſe that have truly repented, and ſincerely believed in the Lord Jeſus; they that have choſen the Lord for their God, and Chief Good, and Portion, placing all their Happineſs in him, and have unfeignedly accepted of the Lord Jeſus for their only Lord and Saviour, and have unfeignedly given themſelves wholy up to his Government by his Word and Spirit, and entred cordiaſly into Covenant with him, and became entirely his, theſe ſhall ſit on his Right hand; theſe have often judged themſelves i… Heart-breaking Confeſſions, and therefore ſhall not be then judged to Condemnation by the Lord, for there is no condemnation to them that are in Chriſt Jeſus, who walk not after the fleſh, hut after the spirit; Rom. 8. 1. Who ſhall lay any thing to the charge of God's Elect? Shall the Law? Theſe are not under the Law, but under Grace, their Surely hath fulfilled and ſatisfied the Law for them; the Law of the Spirit of Life, which is in Chriſt Jeſus, hath made us free from the Law of Sin and Death; it is God that juſtifieth, who ſhall condemn? The Judge himſelf hath ſaid, That he that believeth is him ſhall not periſh, but ſhall have everlaſting life; he ſhall not come into condemnation, Joh. 3. 16, 17, 36. but will ſay to all ſuch, You have confeſſed me before men, and I will confeſs you before my Father and the holy Angels. This will be the joyful day indeed, the day of our full Redemption, the time of refreſhing indeed, the fore-thoughts of this day ſhould ſupport us under all our preſent Troubles.

p. 674. The Fourth Preparative is; the Saints ſolemn Coronation, and receiving into the Kingdom of their Father: Now the Crown of Righteouſneſs, of Life, of Glory, which was promiſed them from the beginning of the World, and purchaſed for them, by the moſt precious Blood of Jeſus, and laid up in Heaven for them, ſhall by the Lord, the righteous Judge, he given them at that day; they have been faithful unto Death, and therefore ſhall receive the Crown of Life. The Lord Jeſus will then ſay to all his Saints, Come ye bleſſed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.

Every word is full of joy and comfort. [COME] will Chriſt ſay, Approach this exceeding Glory; come is near as you will, for the way to it is open for you; I have made your paſſage plain by my blood. Chriſt will not ſay then, Come, take up your Croſs, and follow …; but, Come now, and receive your Crown. [COME, YE BLESSED.] In the world ye were accurſed, but now ye are bleſſed, and ſhall be bleſſed for ever. [OF MY FATHER.] You are the objects of my Father's love, he loveth you as he loveth me. [INHERIT.] You are the heirs of the promiſes, the heirs of the kingdom, the heirs of ſalvation. No leſs than the Kingdom of Heaven. You ſhall reign with me for ever and ever. [PREPARED] Eternal Love hath laid the Foundation: He prepares the Kingdom for us, and then prepares us for the Kingdom. [FOR YOU] for you all poor penitent Believers, called Regenerate Souls; for all you that received me by Faith, and perſevered therein to your death.

Thus much for the Preparatives to this far more excceeding and eternal weight of Glory.

p. 68II. Secondly, I ſhall ſpeak a little alſo of the Properties of this Glory; but, oh how ſhort and ſhallow are my Apprehenſions of this alſo Lord, enlighten my Underſtanding, and affect, enlarge, and quicken my Heart.

1. This glorious ſtate of Happineſs is called The Purchaſed Poſſeſſion, Eph. 1. 14. It is the Fri… of the Love and Blood of our dear Redeemer, whom we ſhall in Heaven behold and enjoy. We ſhall have our Redeemer alwaies before our Eyes, and the livelieſt ſenſe and freſheſt Remembrance of that bleeding-dying-love, ſtill upon our Souls. Oh, how will it fill our Souls with perpetual Raviſhments, to think that in the Streams of this Blood we have ſwam through the violence of the World, the ſnares of the Devil, the ſeducements of the Fleſh, the curſe of the Law, the wrath of a… offended God, the Accuſations of a guilty Conſcience, and the vexing doubts and fears of an unbelieving Heart, and are paſſed through all, and are ſafely arrived at the Boſom of God.

O think, and think again, what weight of Wo… and Wrath, of Sin and Sorrow, lay upon the Soul and Body of our moſt dear Lord, to purchaſe fo… us this exceeding weight of glory. His Soul was oppreſſed, exceedingly oppreſſed, his Body broken his Blood ſhed, to purchaſe this Glory. We value things by the Price they coſt: If any thing we enjoy were purchaſed by the Life of our deare… Friend, how would we eſteem it? Certainly th… bitter Death and Blood of our Lord will everlaſtingly ſweeten our Heavenly Glory: (Oh, that the Joy!) we ſhall then leave thoſe Hearts of Stone and Rock behind us; the Sin that here ſo cloſe h… ſets us, and the ſottiſh Unkindneſs that followe… p. 69us ſo long, ſhall not be able to follow us into that Glory; but we ſhall behold, as it were, the wounds of Love, with Eyes and Hearts of Love for ever. Now his Heart is open to us, and ours ſhut to him; but when his Heart is open, and our hearts open too, oh what a weight of Joy will there then be! What a paſſionate meeting was there between our new-riſen Lord and the firſt-ſinful ſilly Woman that he appears unto? How did Love ſtruggle for expreſſion? Mary! ſaith Chriſt: Maſter! ſaith Mary; and preſently ſhe claſps about his Feet, having her Heart as near his Heart, as her Hands were to his Feet. What a meeting of Love then will there be, between the new-glorified Saint, and the glorious Redeemer? But I am here at a loſs, my Apprehenſions fail me, and fall ſhort; only this I believe, that it will be the ſingular Praiſe of our Glory, that it was bought with the price of that Blood; and the ſingular Joy of the Saints to behold the Purchaſer and the Price, together with the Poſſeſſion.

2. Secondly, This Glory alſo is moſt free; it was dear to Chriſt, but free to us: Silver and Gold could not purchaſe this Glory, nothing but the precious Blood of the Son of God; but we have it freely, for nothing, without Mony, and without Price. It's true, this Glory is promiſed on Conditions, but the Condition is but hearty Acceptance, and to take him for our Lord, who hath redeemed us, eſpecially when the Condition is alſo given, as it is by God to all his Choſen. Faith, which is the main Condition, is the gift of God. O the everlaſting admiration which muſt needs ſurprize the Saints, to think of the freeneſs of their Glory! O what did the Lord ſee in me, to count me meet for ſuch a ſtate? That I, a poor, diſeaſed, deſpiſed Wretch, ſhould be cloathed in the brightneſs of p. 70this Glory! That I, a ſilly worthleſs Worm, ſhould be advanced to this high Dignity! That I, who was but lately groaning, weeping, dying, ſhould now be ſo full of Joy, as my Heart can hold! Yea, ſhould be taken from the Grave, where I was rotting and ſtinking; and from the Duſt and Darkneſs, where I ſeemed forgotten, and here ſit before the Throne of God in Glory! when the poor ſelf-denying, ſelf-accuſing, humble Soul, that thought himſelf unworthy the ground he trod on, unworthy the air he breathed in, unworthy to eat, drink, or live; that this Soul ſhall find himſelf wrapt up into Heaven, cloſed in the Arms of Chriſt, crowned with Glory, in a moment! D… but think with your ſelves what a tranſporting aſtoniſhing thing this will be: ſurely our Unworthineſs ſhall not hinder our Glory. God hath choſen the Poor of this World, rich in Faith, to be Heirs of that Kingdom.

Grace is moſt free, ſo is Glory: As we pay nothing for our Pardon, ſo nothing for our Glory. What an aſtoniſhing thought will it be, to think of the unmeaſurable difference between our Deſervings and our Receivings, between the ſtate we ſhould have been in, and the ſtate we are in? to look down upon Hell, and ſee the vaſt difference between us and them? to ſee the Inheritance, which we were born to, ſo different from that we are adopted to! O, what pangs of Love will it cauſe within us, to think, yonder in that dreadful place, in thoſe Lakes of Fire and Brimſtone, was my native place, my deſerved Portion, thoſe unquenchable Flames ſhould have lain on me, that never-dying Worm ſhould have fed on me! But that unſearchable rich Grace, and infinite Love in God, through the moſt precious Blood of my Redeemer, I am delivered from that place of p. 71Torment. Eternal Life is the Gift of God, through Jeſus Chriſt my Lord: Did not I neglect Grace, and make light of the Offers of Life, and ſlight my Redeemer's Blood a long time, as well as thoſe poor damned Souls? Did not I waſte my time, forget my God and my Soul, and walk after the Fleſh, as well as they? Was not I born in Sin …nd Wrath, as well as they? Or, who made me to …iffer? Should I ever have loved God, if he had not firſt loved me? Or ever been willing, if he had not made me willing? Had not I been in thoſe …ames, if I had my own way, and if he had let me …lone to my own will? Oh, how free was all this …nfinite Love, and how free is this Crown of Glory, that ſo glorious a Crown ſhould be ſet on the Head of ſo vile a Creature?

3. The third Property of this Glory is, that it ſhall be fully ſatisfying and contenting, for it is a weight of Glory, an exceeding weight of Glory: It ſhall be a perfect freedom from all Evil, and a perfect fruiti…ns of all Good: This Glory ſhall be perfectly ſui…ed to our Natures; for, as here in this Life every gracious Soul is made partaker of the Divine Nature, of the Life of God in ſome meaſure, and made like Chriſt in ſome degree; ſo in the Life to come he ſhall have a Nature more fully like God, his holy Image more fully printed on him, and made more fully like Chriſt: When he ſhall appear, we ſhall ſee him as he is, and we ſhall be like him, … Job. 3. 2. When we awake, at the glorious morning of the Reſurrection, we ſhall be ſatisfied with his likeneſs, Pſal. 17. 15. This Glory ſhall be perfectly ſuited alſo to the Deſires of the Saints; then the So ſhall have all that Heart can wiſh, all that ever thou (O poor believing Soul) didſt ever pray or labor for, there thou ſhalt find: thou wouldſt rather have God in Chriſt, than all the World; why, p. 72there thou ſhalt have him. O, what wouldſt thou give for the Aſſurance of his Love? Why, there thou ſhalt have Aſſurance beyond all ſuſpicion; yea, thou ſhalt have infinitely more than thou canſt deſire.

This Glory is ſuited alſo to all the Neceſſities of the Saints; it will make a full ſupply to all our wants, for it is an exceeding weight of Glory. My God ſhall ſupply all your need with the riches of his glory in Jeſus Chriſt, Phil. 4. 19. Here in this World we are always complaining of Wants; for Soulor Body, or both, we want Grace, want Peace and Comfort; we want Health and Friends; nothing but Wants: But when once we come to poſſeſs this exceeding weight of Glory, we ſhall have no more cauſe to complain of Wants; we ſhall never want any thing for ever, for we ſhall be filled with all the Fulneſs of God; we ſhall ever be with the Lord, and dwell in his preſence for ever, in whoſe preſence is fulneſs of Joy, and at whoſe right hand are Pleaſures for evermore. Solomon ſaid, That Mary anſwereth all things; I am ſure that Glory will anſwer all things.

4. Fourthly, This Glory is incorruptible, 1 Cor. 9. 25. This is an Inheritance incorruptible and undefiled, 1 Pet. 1. 4. We ſhall then have Joy without any mixture of Sorrow, Reſt without Wearineſs As there is no mixture of Corruption with our Graces then, ſo no mixture of Sufferings with our Solace. Our beſt Comforts here are mixed with Croſſes; we have no Flower without Prickles Our beſt Wine is mixed with Water, and ſome times with Vinegar and Gall. We are now ſometimes even at the gates of Heaven, and preſently almoſt as low as Hell. Today we are well, to morrow ſick; to day in credit, to morrow in diſgrace; to day have Friends, to morrow none.

p. 73The only thing that corrupts and imbitters our ſweeteſt Comforts here, is our Sins, and God's hiding his Face from us, for our Sins. It is Sin that puts Gall and Wormwood into all our pleaſant Cups; but when we ſhall receive that exceeding weight of Glory; we ſhall ſin no more for ever. Hark, O my Soul, the beſt News that ever thou heardſt, ſince that greateſt good news of a Saviour; the time is coming, when thou ſhalt ſin no more, Rev. 21. 27. then Saints are Saints indeed, Eph. 5. 27. O poor Believer, if it were put to thy choice, wouldſt thou not rather chuſe to be freed from Sin, than to be made Heir of all the World? Wait till then, and thou ſhalt have thy deſire. That hard, earthly, carnal Heart, that thou haſt ſo often complain'd of to the Lord; thoſe vain and vile Thoughts, which did lye down and riſe with thee, ſhall trouble thee no more: Oh, bleſſed ſtate, bleſſed time!

5. And Laſtly, It is an eternal weight of glory; a Crown of Glory that fadeth not away; that Life is everlaſting; there is no more Death, it is everlaſting Peace, everlaſting Joy, Pleaſures for evermore, Eternal Glory: O bleſſed Eternity! The Saints ſhall be Pillars in the Temple of God, and go no more out for ever: What! to be eternally bleſſed, to be ever with the Lord? What can my ſhallow Thoughts conceive of this? O happy Souls in Hell, if they could eſcape after millions of years! But how infinitely happy are thoſe in Heaven, that ſhall live there eternally! O this amazing, this aſtoniſhing word Eternity!

O my Soul, ſtudy this word [Everlaſting;] methinks it ſhould revive thee in thy deepeſt Agony: Thy Heavineſs ſhall endure but for a night; God will hide his Face but for a moment; thy p. 74Afflictions are but light and ſhort, thy Temptation ſhall be but an hour, thy Tribulation but ten days, but thou ſhalt receive a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. Believe this, O my Soul, and let thy Heart break and melt, that thou art no more affected with that eternal Love that purchaſed this eternal Glory for thee: For ever adore and admire eternal Love and Grace, and double thy Diligence, to ſecure thy title to this eternal weight of glory; and live in the Love, and in the high Praiſes of thy dear Redeemer; and patiently bear all thy Afflictions, becauſe they are preparing thee for this Glory.

Thus we have ſeen a little of the Preparatives to, and Properties of this far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; and, alas! how little do I know of it! Now, before I proceed, let us alſo enquire who ſhall be the Poſſeſſors of this Glory, or what thoſe happy perſons are, that ſhall be made partakers of this Bleſſedneſs, that we may know whether we our ſelves have any title to it, and have any good hope, through Grace, that we ſhall one day enjoy it: It will be but ſmall Comfort to hear of all this Bleſſedneſs and Happineſs, if we our ſelves have no right to it. And of this briefly.

Certainly this moſt bleſſed ſtate is not for all, not for moſt, but only for a few: Few, ſaith our Lord, ſhall be ſaved; and thoſe are the Children of God, only they are Heirs to this Glory, Rom. 8. 17. If Children, then Heirs, not elſe; and ſuch we are not by Nature, Joh. 8. 44. Eph. 2. 2, 3, 12. But all that are the Children of God, are made ſo by Grace; they are made ſo by Faith in Chriſt. Gal. 3. 26. We are all the children of God by faith in Jeſus Chriſt: And if we are Chriſt's by Faith, then are p. 75we the Heirs of the Promiſe, ver. 29. That is, we are Heirs of this promiſed Glory. So Heb. 6. 17, 18. Alſo we are made the Children of God by Regeneration, by the blew-birth. Full is that Text, John 1. 12, 13. As many as received him, that is Chriſt, to them gave he power to become the ſons of God, even to as many as believe in his name: which were born not of blood, nor of the will of the fleſh, nor of the will of man, but of God. So 1 Pet. 1. 3, 4. we are ſaid to be begotten to this Inheritance. Jam. 1. 17, 18. Of his own will begat he us, by the word of truth. So 1 Pet. 1. 23. And our Lord, who is Truth it ſelf, hath aſſured us, that except a man be born again, he can never ſee the kingdom of God; that is, he ſhall never inherit this Glory. It is prepared for none but God's Children, and none are his Children but true Believers in Chriſt; none but ſuch as are truly regenerate, and born again by the Word and Spirit; now all ſuch as are in Chriſt have his Spirit living and ruling in them: Rom. 8. 9. If any man have not the ſpirit of Chriſt, the ſame is none of his. And, 2 Cor. 5. 17. If any man be in Chriſt, he is a new creature; all old things are paſt away, and all things are become new. And ſuch as are born again, they have the Image of God repaired in them, the Divine Nature communicated to them, the Life of God planted in them, and are thereby enabled to live unto God, and to walk as his Children, in ſincere Obedience to all his Commandments, in reſemblance of their Heavenly Father, in moſt hearty and ſuperiative love to him, and in an holy confidence in him, and entire dependance on him, as their moſt gracious Father Almighty, in and through their moſt dear Lord Jeſus Chriſt: Theſe are the Perſons, and p. 76theſe only, that ſhall be advanced to this exceeding weight of glory.

Moreover, we are made the Children of God by Covenant; God, the All-ſufficient Good, of his infinite Love and Grace, condeſcends to poor Sinners, and freely beſtows himſelf upon them, becomes their God in Chriſt, and takes them into Covenant with himſelf, and makes them his Sons and Daughters, 2 Cor. 6. 17, 18. communicating to them his Spirit, working in them all ſanctifying Graces, pardoning their Iniquities, giving them new Hearts, new Spirits, ſoft and tender Hearts, Hearts to tremble at his Word, to mourn for Sin, their own and others, tender of God's Honour, Hearts to love him, Hearts to fear him, &c. and enabling them to give up their whole ſelves unfeignedly and unreſervedly unto the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, taking him for their only Lord and Saviour, and as the only way and means to bring them unto God, and to his glory, ſubmitting themſelves to his gracious government in all things, and truſting in him for Life and Salvation. Theſe are the Children of God, which ſhall certainly inherit this far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.

They are the People of God, that ſhall poſſeſs this glory, who are deſcribed by a famous Divine, thus:—They are a part of the Externally called, who being by the Spirit of Chriſt throughly though imperfectly regenerate, are hereupon convinced, and ſenſible of that evil i… Sin, that miſery in themſelves, that vanity in the Creature, and that neceſſity, ſufficiency, and excellency of Jeſus Chriſt, that they abhor that evil, bewail that miſery, and turn their Hearts from that vanity, and moſt affectionately accepting p. 77of Chriſt for their Saviour and Lord, to bring them unto God the Chief Good, and preſent them perfectly juſt before him, do accordingly enter into a cordial Covenant with him, and ſo deliver up themſelves unto him, and herein perſevere unto their lives end.

Now all th… Children of God, all the People of God, may be aſſured of this glory; for, Firſt, God hath ordained and prepared this glory for his People: This Kingdom is prepared before the foundation of the World, Mat. 25. God hath predeſtinated his Children to this glorious Inheritance, Eph. 1. 5, 11. Rom. 8. 29, 30. 2 Theſſ. 2. 13. God hath prepared for them a City, Heb. 11. 16. 1 Cor. 2. 9. Matt. 20. 23. The Saints are Veſſels of Mercy, before prepared unto glory, Rom. 9. 23. And thoſe, in time, he tranſlates out of Satan's Kingdom, into the Kingdom of his dear Son, and by his Spirit of Grace, by his Word of Grace, by his Fatherly Chaſtiſements, by his Mercies, he doth by degrees make meet and fit for this glorious Inheritance with his Saints in light, Col. 1. 12, 13. And ſurely, God's Counſel ſhall ſtand, and his Decrees be fulfilled: Therefore bleſſed are they whoſe God is the Lord, and the people whom he hath choſen for his Inheritance, Pſal. 33. 11, 12.

Secondly, This Glory is purchaſed alſo, as was ſaid before: It is alone by the Blood of Jeſus, that we have entrance into Heaven; therefore do the Saints ſing forth his Praiſes, for that he hath redeemed them out of every Nation by his Blood, and made them Kings and Prieſts to God, Rev. 5. 9, 10. So that either Chriſt muſt loſe the price of his Blood and Sufferings, and never ſee the Travel of his Soul, but all his pain and expectations be loſt; or elſe, for certain, there remains for the p. 78Saints this far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.

Thirdly, This Glory is promiſed alſo: God, that cannot lye, hath promiſed Eternal Life, Tit. 1. 2. Luk. 12. 32. & 22. 19. I appoint unto you a kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto me a kingdom. 2 Theſſ. 1. 7. Matth. 25. 34. Jam. 2. 5. Rev. 2. 7, 10, 11, 17. Heb. 10. 34. with many other places. So that if the Purpoſe and Decree of God be certain, if the Purchaſe of Chriſt be certain, if the Promiſes of the faithful God be certain, all which are moſt ſure and certain, then alſo it is moſt ſure and certain, that the Children of God ſhall moſt aſſuredly one day receive this far more exceeding and eternal weigh of glory.

And now, O my Soul! how long ſhall thy fooliſh Heart deceive thee? how long wilt thou ſet thy Affections on things below, upon lying dying Vanities? When wilt thou draw off, and mind thy Everlaſting Reſt in good-earneſt, and lay out thy ſelf to the utmoſt, to ſecure thy Title to it? Lord, be merciful to me, according to thy loving kindneſs: and according to the multitude of thy tender mercies, blot out all my Tranſgreſſions.

Thus have I ſaid a little concerning this far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, of the Preparatives to it, of the Properties of it, and of the People that ſhall certainly poſſeſs it, to their everlaſting conſolation. And what ſhall I ſay now, but that Shame ſhould cover my Face, and Sorrow fill my Heart, for that I am ſo little, oh! ſo little affected with theſe great things: Oh, what a hard earthly Heart have I! Oh, that all thoſe that ſhall read or hear what I have written, may have their Hearts more affected with theſe things, and that p. 79they may be perſwaded and enabled in the ſtrength of God, to put forth all their Power, in the uſe of all means, while they have time, to be aſſured on good grounds, that they are the perſons deſigned for this Glory: And, oh that you and I would now examine our Hearts and States about this.

Let us in the preſence of God ask our ſelves theſe few ſerious Queſtions: Are we the Children of God, they only are Heirs to this Glory? Have we, out of a true ſenſe of our Sin and Miſery, heartily accepted of the Lord Jeſus Chriſt for our only Lord and Saviour, really yielded up our whole ſelves to his government? Are we truly regenerated, our Natures changed, God's Image repaired on us, and his Spirit living and ruling in us? Do we hold out the Life of Chriſt in our Life, and are we like God? Have we actually entred into Covenant with God in Chriſt, and choſen him for our only Happineſs and Portion, giving up our ſelves unfeignedly to be the Lord's? Let us deal uprightly with our ſelves, and if our Conſciences can witneſs for us, that it is thus with us, then may we be confident that all our Afflictions ſhall work and prepare us for that Glory.

I proceed now to ſhew how thoſe light and ſhort Afflictions of the People of God in this World, are ſingularly uſeful and influential to work them for, and to work for them this far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. And that theſe waies.

Firſt, By diſcovering, imbittering, curing, and removing thoſe things, which undiſcovered, uncured, and uncleanſed, would utterly deprive us of that far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. What thoſe things are, you may eaſily judge; they are our Sins, our Corruptions, our Iniquities, p. 80the Evils of our Hearts and Lives, the filthineſs of Fleſh and Spirit; theſe not purged away, will moſt certainly exclude from Glory; as, 1 Cor. 6. 9, 10. Col. 3. 5, 6. Rev. 21. 27. No unclean thing ſhall ever enter into the New Jeruſalem.

Now Afflictions are uſeful to diſcover Sin, to aggravate and imbitter Sin, to cleanſe and cure the Soul, and ſo to prepare it for Glory.

(1.) To diſcover Sin: Afflictions enlighten mens Eyes; One calls Afflictions the Christian's Eye-bright. Man is full of Self-love, and this Love is blind and blinding; and Man's Heart is deceitful and ignorant, his Mind is dark; Man is born blind, ſpiritually blind; Men ſee not their Sin and Miſery, Rev. 3. 17. until God diſcover their Sins to them, which He doth, as by his Word and Spirit, ſo by Afflictions, Deut. 8. 2. Gen. 42. 22. 1 Kin. 17. 18. God doth by his Rod ſhew Men their Iniquities. A very Pharoah ſees, and acknowledgeth his Sin in his Affliction: So did the Jews, Iſa. 59. 11. And it's uſual for men to cry out on their Sins in their Trouble, Oh then, my Pride, my Covetouſneſs, my Prophaneneſs, my Frowardneſs, &c. of which they would not hear before.

(2ly.) Afflictions are very uſeful to aggravate and imbitter Sin: Thoſe Sins that were ſweet in time of Proſperity, and ſeemed ſmall, or nothing but Mole-hills, as it were, light and little, prove bitter and grievous, even as heavy as Mountains. Were not David's Sins ſo to him? See Pſal. 38. 3, 4, 5.

Our Lord Jeſus, in Matth. 11. 28, 29. maketh this ſenſe of the bitterneſs of Sin, a fit qualification of Souls to come to him, that in him they may find Reſt, which Reſt is the beginning at leaſt of p. 81that far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. When and where Sin is aggravated, and becomes bitter and burdenſome to a Soul, then and there Chriſt, Grace, and Glory becomes ſweet and amiable. Uſually in Proſperity Sin is ſweet, or at leaſt accounted ſmall: Is it not a little one? Oh, the Excuſes, Shifts, Evaſions, and Pleas that in Proſperity men ſtudy to extenuate and leſſen Sin! They feel but little weight in great Sins; the Sins of Youth, Vain-talking, Jeſting, officious Lying, neglect of Duty, worldly Talk on the Lord's day, &c. who feels the ponderous weight of ſuch Sins in time of Proſperity? Now Afflictions ſerve to imbitter ſweet Sins, and to aggravate ſmall ſins. Job 13. 26, 27. then he remembers the Sins of his Youth, and looks on them otherwiſe than he did before. In Youth great Sins ſeem ſmall; as Diſobedience to Parents, waſting time, prophaning the Lord's day, Lying, &c. but in Afflictions they lyo heavy; as we ſee in Joſeph's Brethren, Gen. 42. 22.

(3ly.) To cure and cleanſe Sin, Pſal. 119. 67. Jerem. 31. 18. Eminent is the Example of Manaſſes, on whom Afflictions wrought a wonderful change, 2 Chron. 33. And this comes to paſs, in that Afflictions, when God bleſſeth them, they work Repentance: This is one of God's ends in ſending Afflictions upon his People, his Children, whom he loves dearly, Dan. 11. 33, 34, 35. It is to make them white and clean, to purge away their Iniquity, Iſa, 27. 9.

And thus Afflictions are influential on God's People, to work them for, and to work for the… a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; for none are fit for this glory until ſin be imbittered to them, and they purged and cleanſed from their p. 82Sins in the Fornace of Affliction, but all through the vertue of the Blood of Chriſt, 1 Joh. 1. 7, 9.

Secondly, Afflictions are uſeful to prepare for Glory, by being means of God's Appointment and Bleſſing, to work gracious and happy Changes on men, without which they can never come to glory. All men muſt have mighty, great, and wonderful Changes made upon them, before they can be glorified: Now, to effect theſe gracious Changes, God uſeth various means, as principally his Spirit, his Word, his Rod; and many times he makes his Rod to do that, and to work that great Change on Men, which his Spirit and Word, without the Rod, could not do, becauſe of Mens reſiſtance of the Spirit and Word; but when the Rod comes, they cannot reſiſt that. By the Rod he makes the Proud to ſtoop and become humble, as in Nebuchadnezzar's Caſe, &c. The Rod and the Word work Wonders, when God by his Spirit works in them and with them. Afflictions change, even ſuch as were Beaſts, into Men, yea, into Saints: Jer. 31. 18. I was (ſaith Ephraim) as a Bullock, a Beaſt, before I was chaſtized; but being chaſtized, I ſpake like a man, yea, like a child of God. Afflictions working effectually, work this Change. Pſal. 119. 67. ſo on Manaſſes; many a Child of God can witneſs this Truth.

Thirdly, Afflictions both drive and draw God's People nearer to him; they wandered before, they went a whoring from God after other Lovers; but Afflictions bring them home, Pſal. 142. 4, 5. As the natural Spirits in the Body retire inward, and get cloſe to the Heart in cold weather, and in any danger outward; ſo the Souls of God's People draw p. 83neareſt to God in times of Storms and Tempeſts in the World: Pſal. 31. from ver. 9, to 16. his Troubles made him take Sanctuary in God, and to truſt in him: I truſted in the Lord; I ſaid, Thou art my God.

Fourthly, Afflictions deſtroy that great Impediment that unfits for Glory, and that is Earthly-mindedneſs, inordinate Love of the Creature, Phil. 3. 19. Earthly-mindedneſs fits for Deſtruction, and not for Salvation: Afflictions are intended to wean our Hearts from the World, to crucifie our Affections to Earthly things: And this effect they had on our Apoſtle here, and upon the Primitive Chriſtians, as Verſe the laſt; We look not (ſay they) on thoſe things which are ſeen, for they are temporal: All Creature-enjoyments, which Worldlings ſet their Hearts upon, and labour ſo eagerly after, we value them not, we care not much for them, our Hearts are weaned from them, we are crucified to the World, and the World is crucified to us; but we look to thoſe things which are not ſeen; we mind, and think on, and hope, and believe, and joy in thoſe things which are not ſeen; our Hearts are in Heaven, ſet upon the unſeen God, the unſeen Glory there, the unſeen Jeſus. And whence came they to be wrought into this bleſſed heavenly frame, but much by the Bleſſing of God on their Afflictions, God's Spirit working in and with their Afflictions this deadneſs of Affection to the World, and raiſing up their Hearts towards Heaven? So their Afflictions were uſeful to them, to prepare them for Glory.

Fifthly, By working in us; and exerciſing in us thoſe Graces to which Glory is promiſed: Rom. 5. 3, 5. Tribulation worketh Patience, and Patience Experience, p. 84and Experience Hope: Yea, God's Spirit makes Afflictions uſeful to work Holineſs, Heb. 12. 10. to make God's Children partakers of his Holineſs, without which no man ſhall ſee God. So Jam. 1. 12. Happy is the man that endureth temptation, for when he is tryed, he ſhall receive a crown of glory, which God hath promiſed to them that love him. And in hope of this glory God's People rejoyce in their Tribulations.

Sixthly, Afflictions quicken God's People to all diligence and ſeriouſneſs in the uſe of all God's means to obtain Glory; they quicken to Selfexamination: I conſidered my ways, ſaith David: They make them ſearch their Hearts, and try their ways: Afflictions make them put away their Idols, helping on the work of Reformation, quicken them to Prayer; then they cry unto the Lord, and pour out their Hearts before him, and God loves to hear their Cries; then they wreſtle with God in Prayer, and then they are ſerious in their Reproofs, Admonitions, and Inſtructions of others; then alſo they labour to act their Faith and their Love to God and Chriſt, and to ſet their Affection upon things above, and to look to their Sincerity and Uprightneſs. Unto all thoſe things we are too backward in time of Proſperity, but in trouble we are awakened and quickened.

Laſtly, Afflictions prepare God's People for glory, by working in them ſtrong Deſires, fervent Pantings and Breathings after that far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. When holy David was in a barren Wilderneſs, where no Waters of Earthly Comforts were to be had, oh! then his Soul, and Fleſh, and all, did thirſt after God. p. 85Pſal. 63. 1, 2, 3, 8. then his Soul followed hard after God. So Pſal. 42. 1, 2, 3, 4. in Proſperity our Souls follow too hard after the Creature, after the lying, dying vanities of this World: Oh, how are we enamoured with theſe fading Beauties and Braveries! How eagerly do we purſue the Profits and Pleaſures of the World! we may with Shame and Sorrow confeſs it; but when our Heavenly Father ſtrips us of all our pleaſant things, plucks our faireſt Flowers out of our Hands, and ſnatches our deareſt Comforts out of our Boſoms, oh, then what Breathings and Pantings after God, the light of his Countenance, and the manifeſtations of his Love! When Earth is gone, then Heaven is welcome; when the Creature is gone, then Chriſt is ſweet.

Before I come to the Application, three Queſtions ſhall be reſolved.

Q. 1. How muſt Afflictions be ſo born, as that they may thus work?

2. How muſt they be improved to attain this end?

3. Who are the People intereſted in this Priviledge?

Q. 1. How must Afflictions be born, that they may work thus, to prepare us for that far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory? Of all theſe Queſtions I have treated on other Texts, which may be ſeen in my Notes. Yet briefly,

Anſw. That our Afflictions may thus work, we muſt be ſure to bear them as Chriſtians; our Carriage and Deportment in them, and under them, muſt be as becometh Chriſtians, that is, in ſuch a Chriſtian manner as Chriſt did bear his Sufferings. We muſt ſet Chriſt before us for our Example, to p. 86imitate him; and we muſt ſet the Saints of God before us for our Example alſo, and bear our Afflictions as they bore theirs: And alſo, we muſt bear them according to the Rules of Chriſtianity ſet down in the Goſpel; and that is, we muſt bear our Afflictions quietly, ſilently, patiently, ſubmiſſively, contentedly, willingly, cheerfully, and conſtantly: So did our Lord Jeſus, and ſo did the Saints; and ſo muſt we, if we will have this great benefit by them, that they may prepare us for Glory?

Q. 2. How muſt we improve them?

Anſ. By the conſcientious practice of theſe Duties.

Firſt, Serious Conſideration. In the day of Adverſity conſider; Eccleſ. 7. 14. Do we ſuffer? Let us conſider for whom, for what, from whom we ſuffer? Conſider, what our Lord hath ſuffered for us, what our Sins have deſerved, and what our ſpecial Duties are in time of Afflictions: Let us fill up our Thoughts with theſe ſerious conſiderations, and dwell ſome time in the Meditations of them, and let them ſink into our Minds, and it will much help us in the ſpiritual improvement of our Afflictions for our great advantage.

The want of this due conſideration God chargeth on the Jews as a very great Sin, Jer. 5. 3. I have ſmitten them, but they have not grieved, &c. God expects, that when he ſmites us, we ſhould lay it to Heart, ponder upon it, and conſider it, or elſe know this, that there is a more dreadful ſtroke of hardneſs upon thy Heart, than there is upon thy out-comforts; for then, without this due Conſideration, no Duty is performed, nor p. 87Benefit received by all our Afflictions.

(1.) In time of Affliction conſider the vanity of the Creature. When God deprives us of our outward Comforts, takes away our deareſt Relations, now conſider what vain things they are, that we promiſe our ſelves ſo much Comfort and Contentment in; how ſoon they wither, one ſtroke from God ſeparates us and them, they are gone. We can talk of the Vanity of the Creature, but it is never ſo well learned, as when God teacheth by our own Experience; other mens Experience is not ſo much to us. Iſa. 40. 6, 7. All fleſh is graſs; all Creature-enjoyments are withering graſs.

(2.) Conſider the Evil of Sin: Are we in any Affliction, are we in Pain, under any Trouble? Let us now conſider what Sin is, which is the cauſe of all thoſe Miſeries. Theſe are the bitter Fruits of Sin.

(3.) Conſider alſo the End and Deſign of God in our Afflictions. Shew me wherefore thou contendeſt with me. What Provocation have we given God? What have we done?

(4.) What Errand and Meſſage is this Affliction come upon? Surely God hath ſent it upon ſome Errand; what is his meaning?

(5.) Conſider alſo the merciful and gracious Diſpoſition of God towards his People in Affliction, Deut. 8. 5. Heb. 12. 6. Rev. 3. 19. He is grieved for them, Iſa. 63. 9. In all their Afflictions he is afflicted, he doth not afflict willingly, he loves them when he corrects them.

(6.) Conſider God's fatherly Affection to his Children in Affliction; Lam. 3. 33. Judg. 10. 16. Jer. 31. 20. My bowels are turned for him. Heb. 4. 15. Zech. 2. 8. they that touch them, touch the apple of his Eye. Pſal. 103. 13. God pittieth them p. 88as a Father doth his Children: Therefore let us pray as the Church. Iſa. 26. 8. In the way of thy judgments have we waited for thee. So Iſa. 63. 15.

(7.) Conſider God's gracious moderation of his Peoples Afflictions. Iſa. 27. 7, 8. He afflicts in meaſure, He ſtayeth his rough wind in the day of the eaſt wind: He doth not puniſh as we deſerve, Job 34. 23. Pſal. 103. 10. Job 11. 6. (2.) He will keep us from ſinking, Lam. 3. 22. 2Cor. 4. 8, 9, 10. Though▪ troubled on every ſide, yet not diſtreſſed; perplexed, yet not in deſpair; perſecuted, but not forſaken; caſt down, but not deſtroyed.2Cor. 6. 9. ſee his gracious Promiſe. 1 Cor. 10. 13. God is faithful, who will not ſuffer you to be tempted above that ye are able, but will with the temptation alſo make a way to eſcape, that ye may be able to bear it. Job 23. 6. Will he plead againſt me with his great power? No: but he would put ſtrength in me. Pſal. 37. 24. The Lord upholdeth with his hand. (3.) He will not be always wrath: Iſa. 57. 16. It ſhall be for a moment, and no more. Lam. 3. 31. He will not caſt off for ever. 2 Cor. 1. 10. He hath delivered, he doth deliver, and will deliver. Pſal. 126. 5. They that ſow in tears, ſhall reap in joy. (4.) He orders all the Circumſtances of our Troubles; the Time how long; the Place where; the Quality, what kind; the Meaſure, how much. All the Powers of Men and Devils are not able to add a dram to the weight, nor a drop to the meaſure, of what our gracious Father hath appointed for us.

All theſe ſeven Conſiderations will exceedingly help us to make a profitable improvement of our Afflictions, for the preparing of us for that far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. And alſo theſe Conſiderations will very much help us to carry and behave our ſelves aright, and as Chriſtians p. 89under afflictive Providences, which is the right way to attain the benefit of them.

It is an hard thing for a man to carry himſelf well under a ſmiling Providence: but an harder thing for a man to carry himſelf well under a ſmiting Providence; which was hinted before.

Secondly, But a little more to ſhew how we ought to carry our ſelves under Afflictions, that ſo we may receive the Bleſſings and Benefits of them, which we may loſe by our Miſcarriages.

1. When any Affliction befals you, Be ſilent before the Lord, for he hath put you to ſilence. Do not murmur, quarrel, fret, or be diſcontented: I believe, a better ſign of an honeſt and upright Heart can ſcarcely be found, than for a man to love God the more for his afflicting of him, and to cleave the faſter to God, when God cuts off his earthly Comforts from him: Oh, be ſilent before the Lord; Zech. 2. 13. Lam. 3. 28.

2. Be humble under God's hand, for that is his end in afflicting, lye down at his Feet, Jam. 4. God is humbling of you, now then humble your own Souls; labour to break your own Hearts in the ſenſe of your Sins, and to lye low before the Lord.

3. Acknowledge God's Righteouſneſs, and juſtifie him, even when he ſtriketh the heavieſt ſtroke; let the blow be never ſo great upon your moſt deſirable Mercies, yet acquit God, do not charge him fooliſhly, and ſay he dealeth hardly. Pſal. 51. 4. God muſt be acquitted and juſtified, tho' he ſhould condemn us unto everlaſting wrath. lev. 26. 41. This is to accept of the puniſhment of our Iniquities.

p. 904. Search your hearts, and try your ways. La…. 3. 40. find out the Achans, the Jonabs, the Dalilah. Jer. 8. 6. when the Lord ſends any Affliction upon his People, he hearkens to hear what they ſpeak: The Lord hearkened and heard, and there was none that ſmote upon his thigh, ſaying, What have I done? Our Work now in Affliction is to enquire, What Sins have I committed? what Duties have I omitted? Now make a diligent ſearch.

5. Pour out your Hearts to God in Prayer; this is our great relief and eaſe in time of Affliction: Jam. 5. 13. Is any afflicted? let him pray: Now pray earneſtly, fervently, cry to God: Let us never think to heal the wound that the ſtroke of God hath made any other way: go not to mer…y Company, and the Affairs and Delights of the World for a Cure: Pray for a Bleſſing on the Rod: Pray that God will ſhew you his End in afflicting you, and that he will make up what he hath removed from you by the enjoyment of himſelf: Pray for Suffering Graces, for Faith and Patience: It is a ſad thing when Afflictions are on Men, if they know not how to eaſe themſelves by Prayer.

6. If by Affliction the Lord diſcover any particular Evil to thy Soul, then break off that Wickedneſs by ſpeedy Repentance and Reformation, or elſe you fruſtrate the very End of God in afflicting you, and you provoke the Lord to go on with ſtroke upon ſtroke, until you are conſumed. I… the Lord ſmite any of you for any particular S… you live in, and he convince your Conſcience of it do not continue in the practice of that Sin for a World; for when once the Lord taketh up his Rod, he will never lay it down; if he have Love to thy Soul, he will ſmite thee deeper and deeper, p. 91until he have ſtript thee of all thy deareſt Enjoyments, and leave thee ſtark naked, that he may ſeparate thee and thy Sin. But when the Lord intends to puniſh a Soul eternally in Hell, he will not do ſo; but whom he loves, and intends to ſave eternally, he will ſmite and ſmite, and never leave ſmiting, until he ſeparate them and their Luſts.

7. Laſtly, give up your whole Hearts entirely to God in Chriſt; for this end God cuts off our choiceſt earthly Mercies, that we may entirely give up our ſelves to Chriſt. Theſe things ſtood in the way of Jeſus Chriſt, therefore God removes them, and ſo makes room in the Heart for himſelf, and for Chriſt.

O, now ſay, O my Soul! thou haſt waſted too much of thine Affections on thoſe poor periſhing things; this Mercy, and that Enjoyment, hath taken off thy Heart from Jeſus Chriſt; this Relation hath lain between thy Heart and Chriſt: Well, now the Lord hath taken theſe away, oh! now my Soul, let Jeſus Chriſt ſtand in the Breach that is made, and let him fill it up: Let him come in the room of that Mercy that is gone. If we labour thus to make up the Breach, the ſtroke will be a ſtroke of Love, and by this we may know that Affliction comes in love to our Souls, when it makes us love God better, and ſtick faſter to God than before, and cleave more to Duty than before: That which endeth in our Love to God, did come from. God's Love to us. Theſe are the ſtrokes from a Father's Hand, and he will heal them in his due time, which is the beſt time. So much of the Second.

Thirdly, If we would improve our Afflictions ſo, as that they may be means of preparing us for p. 92that far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, we muſt carefully avoid the uſual Extreams that men are liable to in times of Affliction, that is neither to ſlight them, nor to ſink under them: Prov. 3. 11. Deſpiſe not thou the chaſtnings of the Lord, neither faint when thou art corrected of him.

(1.) Slight not Afflictions, but value them, for Afflictions are of God's ſending, they ariſe not o… of the Duſt, they are God's Meſſengers; yea, ſufferings for Chriſt are God's gifts. Phil. 1. 29.

(2.) They are Love-tokens ſent us from a loving Father: Heb. 12. 6. Whom he loveth he corrected.

(3.) They are wholſom Phyſick, needful for us, to cure the mortal Diſeaſes of our Souls, ſent us from a moſt wiſe and faithful Phyſician, who preſcribes and orders every Ingredient in our Potio….

(4.) They are Marks of the true way to Heaven Act. 14. 22. (5.) Preſervatives againſt the Veno… of Sin, to prevent the infection of it. (6.) They are Covenant-Mercies. Pſal. 89. 32. (7.) Means t… prepare us for glory, and to prevent our eternal condemnation. 1 Cor. 11. 32. Oh, could we b… thus receive our Afflictions, and ſo take and b… them, and ſo improve them after this manner, what ſingular good would they do us, and what Comfort might we have in them?

And as we muſt not deſpiſe them, ſo we muſt not faint under them neither, but patiently and quietly ſubmit to the holy will of God, and reſign up our ſelves to his Good-will and Pleaſure; … was ſhewed before.

Fourthly, We improve Afflictions when we are exerciſed by them. Heb. 12. 10. then we ſhall reap the Fruit of them. Now this Exerciſe conſiſts (as a worthy Divine obſerves) in theſe things. p. 93Jer. 9. 24. Ezek. 22. 29. Iſa. 64. 5. to wit, 1st, About the Affliction that ſmarts; 2dly, About our Hearts that feel; 3dly, About the Hand that ſmites.

1ſt, About the Affliction itſelf, the Rod that is upon us; we muſt be exerciſed in hearing Work, in bearing Work, and in doing work: 1. In hearing Work; Mic. 6. 9. Hear ye the rod, and him that hath appointed it: The voice of the Rod is the whole Word of God: Three words (ſaith he) eſpecially the Rod ſpeaks; 1. Thou haſt ſinned; 2. God is diſpleaſed; 3. Return and Repent: We muſt hear and obey theſe Voices.

2dly, In bearing Work; Mic. 7. 9. I will bear the indignation of the Lord. Jam. 1. 4. Lam. 3. 27. Bear thy affliction feelingly, freely, willingly: Jerem. 10. 24. waitingly, not growing weary.

3dly, In doing Work, three things are to be done, 1. Kiſs the Rod in your Father's Hand, honour it as your Father's Scepter, fear it as his Sword, love it as his Phyſick. 2. Caſt away the Sin that hath provoked it. Iſa. 30. 22. Hoſ. 14. 8. Job 34. 31. 3. Embrace the Covenant of God, for which he pleads. Thus muſt we be exerciſed about our Affliction.

Secondly, We muſt be exerciſed about our Hearts thus:

1. Heart-Conſideration of the Rod: Eccleſ. 7. 14. Weigh well what it is we ſuffer, whence it comes, by what provoked, and to what intended; of which before.

2. Heart-breaking under it: Jer. 4. 3. Hoſ. 10. 12.

3. Heart-bending: Our Spirits muſt ſtoop to the Will of God.

p. 94Thirdly, We muſt be exerciſed about the Hand that ſmites. Iſa. 24. 15. to glorifie God in the Fires; 1ſt, By abaſing our ſelves: Job 42. 5, 6. I abhor my ſelf in duſt and aſhes, ſaid holy Job.2ly, By juſtifying God in all his Dealings: Jer. 12. 1. Lam. 3. 39. Righteous art thou, O Lord.3ly, By yielding Reverence, Fear, Obedience, Faith. 4ly, Going to God for the Bleſſing of the Rod: And thus exerciſing our ſelves theſe ways, we ſhall improve our Afflictions for our ſpiritual Advantage.

Q. 3. But who are the People intereſted in this great Priviledge, that thoſe ſhort and light Afflictions ſhall work for them, and work them for, this far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory?

Anſw. Surely not all that are afflicted; all ſhall not receive this Bleſſing, for ſome grow worſe by Affliction; but only the Saints and true Believers, ſuch only as are the Children of God, and ſuch as hold forth the Life of Chriſt in their mortal Fleſh; as Verſ. 10, 11. of this 2 Cor. 4. ſuch as walk as Chriſt walked, that follow his Steps; ſuch as look, aim at, and follow after inviſible eternal things principally and chiefly, as Verſe 18; even ſuch, and ſuch only as are exerciſed by Affliction, as was ſhewed before; they, and they only, ſhall reap the quiet and peaceable Fruits of Righteouſneſs here, and receive that far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory hereafter. They that bear Afflictions as Chriſtians, and improve them as Chriſtians, and partake of the Bleſſings of them, they ſhall partake of this Priviledge of being prepared by them for this weight of glory.

p. 95The Application.

Firſt, for Information, 1 Inf. I. Then God's Children muſt take heed that they do neither deſpiſe the Chaſtnings of the Lord, nor faint when they are rebuked of him: Prov. 3. 11. Seeing they are deſigned for ſuch good …ds, as to fit us for glory, we ſhould not ſlight the …aſt Affliction, the leaſt Croſs or Diſappointment that doth befal us; for how little ſoever it be, it is … Father's Rod, his Meſſenger, his Hand. Nor …ould we faint under any Affliction, how great and …eavy ſoever it be, becauſe he that lays it on, doth … in love to our Souls, and will lay on no more than he will enable us to bear, for he will uphold t… with his Hand.

1. We muſt not deſpiſe them, as noted before, … which I ſhall add this. We are ſaid to deſpiſe Meſſenger ſent us, when we do not bid him welcome, nor comply with his Meſſage, but turn him … without his Errands end. We muſt not deal … with any Affliction, any of God's Meſſengers; …e muſt not be unwilling of Affliction, nor be diſcontented at them, but thankfully receive them … Tokens of our Father's Love to us, and as his wholeſome Phyſick, which our Souls stand in need …; as was alſo before noted, and to which I ſhall …dd a little more, becauſe it is an hard thing to bid affliction welcome, and to bleſs God for taking, as well as for giving, as Job did.

And though we have no warrant to pray for Affliction (although we may pray that God would uſe all means to do our Souls good, and to prepare us for glory) yet they muſt be thankfully received, then God ſends them, and God is to be praiſed for p. 96them. This is a hard Leſſon to Fleſh and Blood, who can bear it? Yet it is our expreſs Duty, Jam, 1. 2. Count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; which I think mainly reſpects the Sufferings of the Saints for Chriſt, in which we are bound to rejoice and be glad. Matth. 5. 12. yet not excluding other Afflictions: So 2 Cor. 6. 10. Rom. 6. 2, 3. glory in Tribulations. Job 1. laſt.

Obj. But is it poſſible, that when Afflictions come on us, as loſs of our dear Relations, loſs of our Eſtate and Liberty, loſs of Health, when grievous Pains are on our Bodies, is it poſſible we can bid theſe welcome, and rejoice in them? Or, if it be poſſible, is it neceſſary?

Anſ. 1. God himſelf grants, that the Afflictions of his People are not for the preſent joyous, but grievous, Heb. 12. 11. not to be delighted in: God allows his poor People to complain, and grieve under them; which notes his Tenderneſs towards them: He himſelf takes notice of their Afflictions, Exod. 2. 25. Jer. 31. 18. Pſal. 56. 8. he telleth their Wandrings, and puts their Tears into his Bottle. He himſelf is grieved for their Afflictions, Judg. 10. 16. his bowels work towards them, and in all their afflictions he is afflicted, Iſa. 63. 9. Now, if our Afflictions be grievous to God, it will not diſpleaſe him if they be grievous to us. Nay, God expects that we ſhould grieve for grieving him by our Sins. We never find in Scripture God's People to be blamed for their grieving and complaining of their Afflictions, unleſs they were immoderate: God doth not forbid the workings of Nature; nay, God loves to ſee Nature work orderly and regularly. Aaron's Caſe, and Ezekiel's was extraordinary, and not to be drawn into Example. p. 97Chaſtening is a diſpleaſed Father's Rod, therefore there muſt be a Child-like grief, ſhame, and ſorrow. Numb. 12. 14. it is the Rod of Love: There muſt be Grief and Love in us his Children; He rebukes and loves, we muſt grieve and love. So that

It muſt be granted, that in the pain, and ſmart, and trouble that is on us, ſimply conſidered, we cannot rejoice, nor bid the Burthen welcome: A Man ſhould have an Heart worſe than of a Beaſt to do ſo: Nor is it required, but the contrary is required, namely, to humble our ſelves under the mighty Hand of God; and to be ſenſible of his ſtrokes, to be afflicted, and weep and mourn, Jam. 4. 8.

2. But the ſweet Fruit, the Bleſſing of Affliction, that God intends Affliction ſhall bring forth in us, which we muſt pray for, hope for, believe for, and to which we muſt have an Eye as ſoon as the Affliction comes; this is that we muſt rejoyce in, and bleſs God for, and ſo, in proſpect of this good Fruit, of this Bleſſing, and in hope of it, we muſt entertain our Afflictions thankfully, as thus: I am afflicted in my Relations, in my Eſtate, in my Body; here are grievous, painful, ſad ſtrokes; but, Lord, I hope all this is in love to my Soul, I hope the Fruit will be good, and therefore in hope of the good Fruit, I … and bleſs thy Name, and moſt earneſtly but th… … of all thy Chaſtiſements. So that, if we … conſider, and firmly believe, that our Afflictions we Teſtimonies of God's Fatherly Love to u…, and care for us; as Heb. 11. Rev. 3. 19. Whom I …, I rebuke and chaſten, ſaith our Lord; it being … taken of God's Wrath not to be afflicted …. Let them alone, ſaith God, I will not …: Luk. 6. 22. And if we could … p. 98Afflictions are the ſigns of our Sonſhip, and the ſigns of the true way to Heaven, that they are for our profit, to make us conformable to Chriſt, and to prevent our eternal condemnation, and that we have need of them, and that they ſhall prepare us for eternal glory: I ſay, theſe things firmly believed, and duly conſidered, we ſhall be able thankfully to receive our Afflictions, and to bleſs the Lord, in hope to receive thoſe ſingular Bleſſings from them, Rejoycing in Hope, patient in Tribulation, Rom. 12. 12. It is our want of Faith in God's Promiſes, concerning thoſe ſweet Fruits of Affliction, that we do not cheerfully bear them: Lord, encreaſe our Faith, our Hope, our Patience.

There is Joy and Peace in believing; Rom. 15. 13. Had we more Faith, we ſhould have more joy and leſs grief in our Afflictions. We are glad when our Phyſick works, though it put us to pain, in hope of Relief and Benefit by it; let us do ſo when God's Phyſick works, and we ſhall be ſure to have Benefit by all.

Obj. But are not Afflictions Tokens of God's Diſpleaſure? and, can we, or ought we to rejoice in them then?

Anſ. They are ſo indeed againſt the Wicked, and ſo are all the Mercies they enjoy: And they are Tokens of God's Diſpleaſure againſt the Sins of his People, but Tokens of Love to their Souls. Pſl. 99. 8. Thou anſweredſt them, O Lord our God: that waſt a God that forgaveſt them, though thou tookeſt vengeance on their inventions. Iſa. 57. 17, 18. and ſo are Mercies too, Iſa. 38. 17.

Q. Can we rejoyce when God takes away our choiceſt Earthly Comforts, our deareſt Enjoyments from us?

p. 99Anſ. Yes, after we have been ſenſible of God's Hand, and have been humbled under it; and if it make way for better Mercies, and God be pleaſed to beſtow more of himſelf, more of his Spirit, more of his Grace and Love upon us, then we ſhall have cauſe to rejoyce, and to be thankful. So much of the firſt part of our Duty in our Afflictions, That we muſt not deſpiſe them.

II. The ſecond is, That we muſt not faint under them, nor grow weary of them.

This is the other Extream that we muſt carefully avoid. Seeing Afflictions, which are but light and ſhort, work for us, and work us for that far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, therefore we muſt not grow weary under them.

By this wearineſs, in general, I mean, a ſinking of Spirit, a deſpondency of Heart under the Rod, when a man is, as we ſay, Creſt-faln, and without Spirit, ſo that he cannot bear up, his Spirit fails in the day of Adverſity; when a man is willing to throw off the burthen, before God takes it off; is Job 4. 5. Pſal. 88. 14, 15. I am afflicted, and ready to dye, from my youth up: while I ſuffer thy terrors, I am diſtracted. Thy fierce wrath goeth over me, by terrors have cut me off. Thus ſpake Heman, a choice Saint.

Here I ſhall briefly ſhew, 1. the Cauſe; 2. the Cure of this Wearineſs, that we may the better avoid it.

1. Firſt, the Cauſe, and that is manifold, as firſt, from Man himſelf; we our ſelves are the Cauſes of this Wearineſs, in a threefold reſpect, as, 1. Our not expecting Troubles: In Health we look not p. 100for Sickneſs, and when Troubles come unexpectedly, they make us weary. 2ly, Our over-valuing of our earthly Comforts. 3ly, Becauſe, in truth, we are more ſenſible of our Loſſes, than of our Enjoyments.

2. In regard of the Affliction it ſelf: 1ſt, When it ſwells to any great height: 2ly, When Afflictions are multiplied one upon the back of another. 3ly, When they be of long continuance: 4ly, When inflicted on the nobler parts, and upon the Spirit: 5ly, When but little ſupport, but few Comforters, or miſerable Comforters, few to help to bear the burthen: 6ly, When they are heavy, and ordinarily they are heavy, becauſe Sin is light, and Glory is light; for when Sin lies heavy on the Soul, and Heaven much in the Heart, Afflictions are much lighter on the Body; Nil ſentit in nervo, cum ani… ſit in Coelo.

3. In regard of God; He puts Lead into ſon… mens Burthens ſometimes; he ſets home Sin and Wrath upon the Conſcience, and then men grow weary.

4. In regard of the Devil, he doth his utmoſt to imbitter every Trouble, and adds his Tempations to make it more intolerable. So much … the Cauſe of Wearineſs.

2. Secondly, for the Cure. We muſt labour to avoid this Wearineſs under Affliction; and tha… we may, take theſe Directions:

1 Direct.1ſt, Let us urge our Heavenly Father Command upon our own hearts, and the Command of our Lord Jeſus upon our ſelves: See the expreſs Command of God, Prov. 3. 11. Heb. 12. 5. Be not weary of his chaſtiſements: faint not when th… art corrected: Thus ſpeaks our Heavenly Father to p. 101his Children: And the Command of our Lord Chriſt is expreſs alſo, John 14. 1. Let not your hearts be troubled: Whatever affliction befals you, let not your Hearts be troubled. Let us urge theſe Commands upon our ſelves: Conſider we, 1. Is there any cauſe of Heart-trouble, when our Heavenly Father, the great Lord of Heaven and Earth, hath his will, which we daily pray for? All our Troubles are by the Will of God. 2. When the great Proprietor and Owner of all things doth moſt wiſely and moſt righteouſly diſpoſe of his own? 3. When we are called to render back but what we had borrowed? Our Health, Eſtates, Liberty, Relations, Life it ſelf, all were but lent us. 4. When leſſer Mercies are removed, that greater and better may be beſtowed? 5. When we have our Iniquities purged, which is the ſure Evidence that they are pardoned; and that we are made more conformable to Chriſt, and ſo ſitted for nearer and fuller Communion with God? 6. When our Graces are tryed and acted, and ſo made more apparent and illuſtrious? 7. When by all our Afflictions we are prepared for that far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory? Let us weigh all theſe things well, and they will help us againſt Wearineſs: And for our further help againſt Heart-trouble, ſee my Diſcourſe on John 14. 1, 2, 3.

2. That we may not grow weary of God's Chaſtiſements, let us urge Reaſon alſo upon our ſelves, as thus: If I grow weary, I break the expreſs Command of my Heavenly Father, and diſobey the Counſel of my Dear Lord: 2. If I grow weary, it argues my Unbelief; for, who would grow weary of long and grievous Afflictions, that did fully believe the gracious ends and p. 102deſigns of God in them; and his ſweet Promiſes to his afflicted People; and that Afflictions are in the Covenant; that they are the Fruits of God's Fatherly Love, and ſhall ſurely work for our good; that the Croſs is the way to the Crown: Who believes theſe things, and yet is weary?

Again: By Wearineſs we make our Burthens heavier than God intends them to be; Cheerfulneſs and Patience makes them lighter: The like Affliction to a patient, humble, contented Chriſtian is much lighter than to another fretful, weary, and diſcontented perſon.

Now, it is poſſible we may make our Burthens heavier than God intends them, thus: 1ſt, When we think no Trouble like ours: Conſider Job's Caſe; Trouble was upon all his Relations, all his Eſtate, upon his Body, Soul, and All. 2ly, When we let looſe our Paſſions, to run whither they will, without any reſtraint: 3ly, When we refuſe the Comforts that God ſends us: So did good Jacob, Gen. 37. 35. 4ly, When we continually fix our Thoughts on our Afflictions, and are always poring on them, ſo that all the Mercies that we enjoy are quite ſwallowed up: And have we any reaſon to greaten our own Burthens? And again, by our Wearineſs we diſhonour God, and diſcomfort our ſelves, and diſcourage others.

3. Thirdly, Serious Conſideration, laying to heart and pondering upon ſeveral things that may prevent this wearineſs; as,

1. Conſider what this Wearineſs ſignifieth and implies: it hath very ill ſignifications; for, to be weary, ſignifieth a want, or at leaſt, a great weakneſs of Faith, for he that believeth maketh not haſte; want of Hope, for we muſt hope to the p. 103end; want of Patience, for Patience muſt have her perfect work, which is to laſt as long as Trouble laſts; want of Love, for Love endeareth all things; or, at leaſt, a great weakneſs of thoſe Graces.

2. Conſider, God is long-ſuffering, He hath waited long on us.

3. It hath been the Practice of all the Saints, in all Ages, to wait on God.

4. That by our wearineſs we limit the Holy One of Iſrael, and do indeed call in queſtion all the glorious Attributes of God, his Power, Wiſdom, Faithfulneſs: Let us conſider theſe things.

5. Conſider, that they that ſuffer without wearineſs, they are bleſſed and happy; Job 5. 17. Pſal. 94. 12. Jam. 1. 12. Bleſſed are they that endure; that is, that ſuffer without wearineſs.

6. Conſider, that Afflictions are ſigns of our Sonſhip; Heb. 12. and ſigns of God's Fatherly love.

7. Conſider God's good and gracious Ends; Iſa. 27. 9.

8. Conſider Chriſt's dreadful Sufferings for us.

9. Conſider the many exceeding great and precious Promiſes that God hath made to patient Sufferers, that he will be with them, will ſuſtain them, and in due time will deliver them: Now, if we will think and meditate on thoſe things, and let our Thoughts dwell on them, and ſuffer them to ſink down into our Hearts, and roul and revolve them in our Minds, they will much ſupport us, and help us againſt wearineſs.

4. A Fourth thing we muſt do, to prevent, or cure this Wearineſs under Affliction, is ſerious examination of our ſelves, whether we belong to God or no; whether reconciled, regenerated and p. 104born of God, or no; whether united to Chriſt, juſtified and pardoned, or no: If you are, why then ſhould we be weary of Affliction? For, if God have done ſo many great things for us, ſurely he loves us, and will afflict us no more, nor no longer than need: Such a Soul will ſay, If the Lord pleaſe to become my God in Covenant, to give me to Chriſt, and Chriſt to me; to pardon my Sins, and take me into his favour, and ſave me at laſt, let him do with my Health, and Eſtate, and Liberty, and Relations, and all, as he pleaſeth. But if on the contrary, upon examination, we find our ſelves not regenerated and pardoned, it is high time for us to ſet about theſe great works in earneſt, leſt we ſhould be cut off before they be wrought in us, and to ſet in with God in his Afflictions on us, for his Rods are one way he takes to bring about theſe gracious works upon us: therefore we ſhould not be weary of them. O labour for the ſenſe of God's Pardoning, Regenerating, Redeeming Love; and labour to clear up to your ſelves, your Intereſt in God by Chriſt, and this will bear you up.

5. Fifthly, Labour to get and keep your Conſciences pure and clean, that when there be Troubles without, you may have Peace within: But if God ſtrike you without, and lay on blows on your outward Comforts, your Conſciences may not laſh you within, and charge you with heavier Burthens. If a man have a ſound and whole Back, he can bear an heavy Burthen; but if his back be ſore, a ſmall Burthen will pinch him: Let us therefore make even reckoning with God and our own Conſciences, by renewing our Repentance, our Faith, in the Blood of Jeſus, and by New Obedience; and let us take heed we wrong not, nor wound our Conſciences.

p. 1056. Sixthly, Spend many Thoughts on Zion, be grieved for the Afflictions of Joſeph, think upon the Miſeries and Diſtreſſes of many of the Lord's dear Servants, and lay them to Heart: Divert and turn aſide from muſing on your own Troubles only, and let Sion's Sorrows have ſome impreſſion on your Minds.

7. Seventhly, Labour to act Faith ſtrongly upon the Inviſible God, and upon that far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, prepared in Heaven for you. Moſes endured, and was not weary, as ſeeing him that is inviſible, Heb. 11. 25, 26. having an eye to the recompence of reward.

Act Faith on God's Almighty Power; he can bring light out of darkneſs, and can make dry Bones live: And upon his infinite wiſdom, He, who is only-wiſe and moſt merciful, orders all the circumſtances of your Afflictions, for time, place, quality, and quantity: Act Faith on his Faithfulneſs, Righteouſneſs, Love, Pity and Compaſſion; and labour by Faith to realize the promiſed purchaſed Glory, which Afflictions prepare you for.

Dilate, ſpread, and enlarge your Thoughts and Meditations on thoſe Crowns and Kingdoms, that Inheritance incorruptible and undefiled, that fadeth not away, reſerved in Heaven for you; thoſe many Manſions in your Father's Houſe, thoſe everlaſting Habitations above; and ſweeten your Spirits with thoſe Thoughts.

8. Laſtly, To prevent or cure Wearineſs, let us be much in Prayer: Seek the Lord, ſeek his Face continually, ſeek his Strength: He give … power to the faint, and to them that have no might he encreaſeth p. 106strength, Iſa. 40. 29, 30, 31. Jam. 5. 13. Pſal. 50, 15. Is any afflicted, let him pray; call upon God in the day of Trouble.

Q. But is this all we muſt do in Affliction? Muſt we do nothing but pray?

A. Yes; 1. We muſt ſeek the Lord, and ſearch our hearts, and try our ways, Lam. 3. 40. ſeeking God, and ſearching our Hearts, to find out our Sins, muſt go together.

2. Seek the Lord, and hear the Voice of his Rod; Mic. 6. 9. God ſpeaks many things by Afflictions; all his Rods have Voices; there is an awakening, a diſcovering, an humbling Voice, a purging trying Voice, an inſtructing, teaching, comforting Voice: Let us own God's Hand in all our Afflictions, whoever be the Inſtruments. It is the Lord hath taken away my Health, my Eſtate, my Friends: So ſaid holy Job; not a word of Inſtrument.

3. Seek the Lord, and turn to him with all your Hearts: Turn to him that ſmiteth: It is in vain to ſeek God, if we do not turn from our Sins, by true Repentance and thorow Reformation.

4. Seek the Lord, and act Faith on Jeſus Chriſt. Hoſ. 6. 1, 2. After two days he will revive us. Luther ſays, This is the Scripture Paul ſpeaks of, 1 Cor. 15. 4. Chriſt …oſe the third day, according to the Scripture: What Scripture? This, ſaith he: And then the ſence is this. As if the Church ſhould ſay, Our Afflictions and M…cies may be great, and we may lye in them for a time. So did Chriſt; he was dead, and buried, and lay in the Grave two days, but he was raiſed up the third day. And thus ſhould a Child of God exerciſe his Faith: I am p. 107thus and thus afflicted, and brought very low, ſo was Chriſt, and much more; he was a Man of Sorrows, though he were the beloved Son of God. He was delivered up into the Hands of Enemies, he was ſcorned, ſcourged, crucified, killed, but my Condition was never ſo bad; no Sorrows were like Chriſt's: Never was the Church of God, the Cauſe of God, in ſo low a condition as Chriſt was, who is the Head of his Church: never was Man or Woman in ſo low a condition as Chriſt was; he lay not only under the wrath and malice of Men and Devils, but under his Father's wrath alſo: He was not only brought to Death's Door, but to Death it ſelf; yea, he was ſealed up in his Grave, and yet God raiſed him up. Here is Fo…d for Faith: In what depths and dangers ſoever the Church of God and People of God may be, let us act Faith on the Reſurrection of Chriſt, he was raiſed up, and ſo ſhall we, if we be his ▪ and therefore let us truſt in the living God, which raiſeth the dead, 2 Cor. 1. 9.

Thus we ſee what means to uſe, that we may not grow weary of God's Chaſtiſements, nor faint under them.

Q. O, but if I knew God did afflict me in Love, I ſhould not grow weary, but patiently and cheerfully bear my Trouble?

A. 1. If thy Heart be drawn out more after God, to love God more, to fear, to pleaſe, to follow after God more, it is in love: If thou are more fearful of Sinning againſt God, and more careful to glorifie him, it is in love; Pſal. 116. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.

p. 1082. If you enjoy the gracions Preſence of God with you in your Affliction, his teaching, ſtrengthning, ſanctifying, quieting, ſatisfying, humbling, comforting Preſence with you, then you may conclude, it is in love; Iſa. 43. 2. Pſal. 94. 19. 2 Cor. 4. 16. when your inward man is renewed, as your outward periſheth.

3. If your Afflictions make you more conformable to Chriſt, in Meekneſs, Humility, Heavenlyneſs, Patience, Self-denyal, &c.

4. If you be taught by the Spirit and Word, when afflicted by the Rod, how to hate Sin more, to dye to Self and the Vanities of the World more; how to dye to all Relations, and Creature-Comforts m…re: and how to liſt up Chriſt more, and love him more; to prepare for Death more, and mind Heaven more; then you are afflicted in Love: Bleſſed are they that are thus taught by Affliction; Pſal. 94. 12.

5. If God lay no more on you than he enables you to bear; Iſa. 27. 8. Jer. 30. 11. & 46. 28. 1 Cor. 10. 13.

6. If you can be willing to lye in the Furnace, until your droſs be conſumed; Job 23. 10. Mic. 7. 9. Can you cry out, Lord, remove the Cauſe rather than the Effect: take away my Corruption rather than my Affliction: A Cure, Lord, a Cure of the Diſtempers of my vile Heart; good Lord, a Cure?

7. If you can live by Faith on the Promiſes in your Affliction; Iſa. 41. 10. & 43. 1, 2, 3. & 57. 15. 1 Tim. 1. 15. Pſal. 50. 15. Joh. 10. 17, 27, 28. Iſa. 26. 3. Matth. 11. 28, 29. Heb. 12. 10. Hoſ. 2. 14. Heb. 13. 5. Rom. 8. 28. Zech. 13. 9. Pſal. 34. 8. & 84. 11. Let us labour to find theſe ſweet Fruits of God's Fatherly Love to us in our Afflictions, and then we ſhall not grow weary.

p. 1092 Obj. But my Afflictions have been long upon me.

Anſ. 1. Not ſo long as thy Mercies have been: Canſt thou number the days of thy Health? Have not thy good days been many more than thy evil days?

2. Nor ſo long as thy Sins have been: Thou haſt been a Tranſgreſſor from the Womb, a Sinner from thy Conception; Pſal. 51. 5.

3. Nor ſo long as the Afflictions of others it may be far better than you. See the 77th and 88th Pſalms, Gen. 15. 12, 13. Four hundred years: Exod. 12. 40, 41. Job 21. 25. Some have not had a day of health or pleaſure many years; no, not in their Lives: Oh, how ſhould this quiet us under our Troubles, that we may not complain that they are long?

4. The longer thy Afflictions have been on thee, the ſweeter will Heaven at laſt be to thee; Pſal. 126. 1, 2, 5, 6. compared. The longer the Storm the ſweeter the Calm; the longer in the Tempeſt, the more welcome the Harbour.

5. Thy Afflictions are not long, but ſhort, if compared with that Eternity of Glory reſerved in Heaven for you; as in the Text; Everlaſting Habitations, Eternal Life, a Crown of Glory that fadeth not away: Have an Eye fixed on the Crown, while thou beareſt the Croſs: One moments being in the Boſom of Chriſt, will make thee forget all thy Miſery; oh, long for that good hour.

6. The longer you are in Afflictions, the more ſpiritual Experiences you have of the Love and Care of Chriſt towards you; 2 Cor. 1. 5. 2 Cor. 12. 5. O, the Love-tokens that Chriſt ſends his Spouſe in the Furnace of Affliction! then he p. 110ſpeaks moſt kindly to her: The bleſſed Martyn found it ſo.

7. Long Afflictions are but Preparatives, ſometimes to long-liv'd Mercies; as in Joſeph and David, Iſa. 54. 11, 12, 13, 14. If by my long Affliction God make more room in my Heart for himſelf, Son, and Spirit, his Word; if he crucifie my Affections more to the World, and make me more conformable to Chriſt, I ſhall for ever bleſs his Name for them.

8. The more Afflictions here, the more Glory hereafter; 2 Cor. 4. 16. Matth. 5. 10. For, 1ſt, the more Affliction, the more Grace is exerciſed; and the more Grace here, the more Glory hereafter: 2dly, The more Afflictions, the more religious Duties will be performed; Pſal. 109. 4. Iſa. 26. 16. Pſal. 42. 1, 2, 3. Now God will reward every into according to his works, though not for them; 1 Cor. 15. laſt, 2 Cor. 9. 6.

9. Impatience will but lengthen our Affliction; God's time is the beſt for deliverance; Affliction ſhall laſt no longer than need: Act. 27. 13, 15. Pſal. 23. 1, 2. & 94. 9. Rom. 8. 28.

Moreover, that we may bear up as Chriſtians, and not grow weary, and ſo may find that all our Afflictions are bleſſed to us, to prepare us for that far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, let us dwell on a few more Conſiderations.

(1.) That theſe our Troubles are all the Hell we ſhall have.

(2.) Think much on the real ſpiritual Advantages we ſhall have by Affliction: Have we not had ſome? bleſs God for them.

(3.) Your choiceſt and chiefeſt Treaſure is ſafe; your God, your Chriſt, your Portion, your Crown, p. 111your Inheritance is ſafe; your Graces, your Souls are ſafe.

(4.) Conſider it is our unmortified Luſt that is the ſting of all our Afflictions; its Sin adds gall to our wormwood: Let us ſet our ſelves in earneſt to the mortifying of our Sins, apply the Blood of Chriſt, beg his Spirit, Rom. 8. 13.

(5.) That all our Afflictions come to us through the Covenant of Grace, Pſal. 89. 30, &c.

(6.) That they do but reach our worſer; our baſer part, our Bodies; 2 Cor. 4. 6. our Souls may grow better.

(7.) Labour to live by Faith, and keep it as much in exerciſe as poſſible; for Faith in exerciſe 1ſt, ſhews the extreme vanity of all earthly things, for the Soul by Faith ſeeth them as God ſeeth them, to be all vanity and vexation, and ſo it overcometh the World; 1 Joh. 5. 4. 2dly, Faith preſents to the Soul greater, ſweeter, better things in God and Chriſt, than can poſſibly be found in the Creature: Faith looks and feeds on Inviſibles. 3dly, By enabling the Soul to center it ſelf on God, and to be ſatisfied with the naked enjoyment of him; God is All to the Soul that truſteth in him; Joh. 14. 8. Pſal. 17. 15. Phil. 3. 8, 9.

(8.) Labor every day to be more humble, low and little in your own Eyes. Who am I? I am not worthy of the leaſt of God's Mercies; I have forfeited all; I have improved none; it is Pride only that brings Diſcontent.

(9.) Conſider, the worſt that God doth to his People here, is but to do them good in the latter end; Hoſ. 2. 14. Heb. 12. 10.

(10.) What God wills is beſt; God is Wiſdom it ſelf, and he is Goodneſs it ſelf; when he ſends Sickneſs, Sickneſs is beſt.

p. 112(11.) That God will be with us in all our Afflictions; that his Ends in afflicting us are all good and gracious; that the beſt way to have our wills, is entirely to ſubmit them to God's Will.

(12.) Think much on the ſhortneſs and uncertainty of Life; Life is not vita, but via ad vitam: Hold out Faith and Patience, thy Troubles and thy Life will ſhortly end together.

Let us moſt ſeriouſly and often ſpeak thus to our ſelves; I have great Works to do, great Matters to diſpatch, a God to be reconciled to, a Chriſt to cloſe with, a Soul to ſave, a Race to run, a Crown to win, a Pardon to get, an Hell to eſcape, a Body of Sin to deſtroy, a World to conquer, a Heaven to ſecure, and I have but a little ſhort uncertain time for all this; I have one Foot in the Grave, I am juſt going aſhore on Eternity, what time have I to ſtand poring on my Troubles? Oh! let my whole Soul be taken up with my moſt neceſſary Work; oh, let me engage all the powers of my Soul, and Members of my Body, in ſtudying and labouring to ſecure my eternal Happineſs, how to improve all my Afflictions to the good of my Soul, how to glorifie God in thoſe Fires, how to enjoy Communion with God in every condition, how to live ſo this little ſhort time, that I may dye in Peace, and enter into my Maſter's Joy, to be with my deareſt Lord in glory, for ever and ever. Oh! theſe things ſhould take up our Thoughts, and poſſeſs our Minds.

And thus, if we endeavour in the Strength of Chriſt, ſo to manage our Afflictions, ſo to carry our ſelves under them, and ſo to improve them as we have been directed, we ſhall find, by the Bleſſing of our good God and gracious Father in Chriſt, p. 113that all our light Afflictions, which are but for a moment, ſhall work for us that far more exceeding and eternal weight of Glory; to which purpoſe, that Chriſtians may be able to hear up under all their Troubles, the Apoſtle ſubjoins a notable and ſingular help, which himſelf and the Primitive Chriſtians had found very uſeful by their own experience, which is expreſſed in the following Verſe.

And ſo much for this 17th Verſe.