Preparation for Suffering in an Evil Day, Chapter 1
CHAP. I.
Perſecution will come on good men. This World is mixt of Comforts and Sorrows. The old enmity will perſecute. Corruption in Saints will ſhew it ſelf inwardly and outwardly. The Church is heir to the Croſs. God orders Sufferings for good. Things abroad and at home admoniſh us.
ONe Apoſtle tells us. That all that will live Godly in Chriſt Jeſus, ſhall ſuffer Perſecution. Another acquaints us, That this is no ſtrange thing; A third wiſhes us, not to marvel at the Worlds hatred. Its true, the Sufferings of good men have been an old Stumbling-block. Pompey complained, that Providence was very dark: The Poet was ready to think that there were no Gods: Nay, the holy Pſalmiſt cried out, I have cleanſed my heart in vain; as if Religion were to no purpoſe: Yet, if we conſider all, thoſe Sufferings are not to be wondred at.
This World ſtanding between Heaven and Hell, muſt partake of both: Heaven is all comfort; Hell is all miſery: The middle World muſt have a mixture; here evil men may meet with Comforts, and good men may meet with Afflictions.
The old Enmity between the Seed of the Serpent, and the Seed of the Woman will ſtir up Perſecution to the Worlds end. He that is born after the fleſh, will perſecute him that is born after the Spirit: Tis his nature and property to do ſo; a thing no more to be wondred at than the ſtinging of a Serpent, or the tearing of a Briar. Many pretences were made to palliate the Perſecution of the primitive Chriſtians. Under Trajan it was ſaid, That the Chriſtians were too numerous; under Antoninus Pius it was given out, That all kinds of Penal Evils came for their ſakes; under Severus it was alleaged, That they were guilty of all kind of Villanies; under Diocleſian it was fairly pretended, That there muſt be but one Religion in the Empire; But in truth all theſe were but ſo many colours, the venome of the Serpent was at the root; the devilliſh Enmity, which is in carnal men againſt the Saints, was the very proper cauſe of all thoſe Perſecutions. Wickedneſs will proceed from the wicked; the old Enmity will breake out, and that not only in men groſly wicked, but in fair Moraliſts too. A Trajan or Antoninus can perſecute, as well as a Nero: The ſame root of bitterneſs is in all carnal men.
The inherent Corruption in the Saints will ſhew it ſelf inwardly and outwardly: Inwardly it will raiſe up a Proſecution in their own Boſome; the Fleſh luſteth againſt the Spirit. No ſooner is the New-Creature born, but the indwelling Sin doth hunt it as a Partridge upon the Mountains, and ſeeks the life of its Infant-graces, as Herod did the life of Chriſt in the Cradle. And how can the Saints wonder at a Perſecution without, when they have one within in their Souls? Or how can they expect leſs than Briars in the world, when they feel a Thorn in their own fleſh? Outwardly it will, even in Saints, when let out, be injurious to others. A David, when his Corruption breaks forth, can be inhumane towards the Ammonites; an Aſa can impriſon the Seer, and oppreſs the People. And if Corruption may do ſo in a Saint, in whom it is in part mortified, what may it not doe in a Son of Belial, in whom it is the total ruling Principle? In the one, the regenerate part holds back; but in the other, the whole Soul is carried out to wickedneſs. It is no wonder that ſuch an one ſhould perſecute; his Principles are entirely for it.
The Church is Heir to the Croſs. It's ſuffering began from the blood of Abel, and hath continued everſince. Iſrael, Gods peculiar People was firſt oppreſſed in Egypt, under cruel Bondage; then vexed in Canaan by the neighbour Nations round about them; after wards carried captive into Babylon, and at laſt trod under foot by Antiochus Epiphanes. The Chriſtian Church was firſt perſecuted by the Pagan Emperors; then torn in pieces by Arians and other Hereticks; afterwards over-run with Gothes and Vandals, and at laſt trod down by Mahomet and Antichriſt: All along it hath been in a ſuffering condition, and it is no wonder, if it ſuffer on till it come to reſt in Heaven.
God orders the ſufferings of the Church for his own glory, and his Peoples good. He orders them for his own glory; Providence is admirable in preſerving a ſuffering Church. The Ark ſloats upon the waters, and drowns not; the Buſh burns, and is not conſumed; the Lilly is among Thornes, and withers not; the Saints are perplexed but not in deſpair; perſecuted but not forſaken; caſt down but not deſtroyed. Strength comes forth out of weakneſs; Light ariſes out of darkneſs; the Bones, though ſometimes dry and hopeleſs, live; the Witneſſes are ſlain and revive again; Preſſures multiply the Church, and Sufferings propagate it; And what a ſight is this? Who may think much at thoſe Sufferings, in which ſo much of God appears? Again he orders them for his Peoples good; the Fann will purge away their Vanity; the Furnace will melt out their Droſs; every Name of Perſecution will lift them up neerer to Heaven; their Sufferings will make them white; their Graces will come forth as Gold out of the fire in their pure Luſtre; the Rod will bloſſom, and bring forth peacable fruit of Righteouſneſs; the holy Spirit will come down upon them in larger effuſions of Grace and Comfort: And what things are theſe? Who can imagine thoſe Sufferings needleſs, which have ſo excellent an iſſue?
To conclude; Things abroad and at home admoniſh us: Abroad, the Proteſtant Religion runs very low; Idolatry growes in the world, and where that goes before, Cruelty follow's after: The fiery Furnace waits upon the Idol; the Scarlet Whore, full of Fornications, will drink the blood of Saints; the falſe Worſhippers will perſecute the true; the Sighs and Groans of the poor Souls in France do alarm all that have any ſenſe of Piety or Humanity: Who can but mourn at ſuch mourning Providences? At home our ſins are grown up to Heaven; Oaths, Blaſphemies, Perjuries, Helliſh Plots, Uncleanneſſes Exceſſes, A theiſm, Contempt of Ordinances, Deadneſs and Formality in Religion, Unthankfulneſs and Unſaithfulneſs to God, are found among us. The Cloud of Guilt which hangs over our heads, is very black & ready to come down in Storms of wrath upon us: Sword and Plague and Fire have already conſumed us; and, becauſe we Sin on with a ſtiff neck, heard heart, and impudent face, more Judgments may be expected: Eliphas ſeeing the wicked taking root, Suddenly curſed his Habitation, Job 5.3. He that ſees our aggravated Sins, may eaſily foretel our ſudden deſtruction.