Counsel to the Afflicted, Question 2 · Section 12

Counsel to the Afflicted · Question 2 · Section 12

p. 200SECT. 12.

12. Watch and pray that ye enter not into temptation. Satan uſeth to be very buſie to tempt us, when we are in affliction. The two ſeaſons wherein the Devil did in a more eminent manner ſet upon Chriſt with his temptations, were, when he was in the Wilderneſs, Mark 1.13. He was in the Wilderneſs forty dayes, tempted of Satan; and when he was entring upon his Paſſion, Luke 22.53. This is your hour, and the power of darkneſs. The Devils at that time beſtirred themſelves to the utmoſt of their power, in tempting and afflicting the Lord Jeſus. Now God hath ſtripped you of all or the greateſt part of your enjoyments, and brought you as it were into a Wilderneſs; now that you muſt expect to ſuffer more hardſhip and difficulties then formerly, you may look to meet with more then uſual temptations. The Devil is ready to take occaſion from others afflictions to tempt us, 2 Theſſ. 3.3,4,5. How much more will he take advantage from our own afflictions to aſſault us with his temptations? If Satan be buſie to tempt, had you not need to watch and pray that ye enter not into temptation? I might here caution you againſt ſeveral temptations, I will inſtance in four or five.

1. Take heed of entertaining hard thoughts of God, as though God dealt hardly with you; or of his wayes, as if there were no profit in ſerving of God, becauſe you have ſuffered ſo deeply, notwithſtanding you have endeavoured to ſerve the Lord: Satan hath baffled very eminent perſons with this temptation. Job in his haſte uttered ſuch an expreſſion as this, Job 30.21. Thou art become cruel to me—Jeremiah in his diſtreſs lets fall ſuch words as theſe, Jer. 15.18.—Why is my pain perpetual, and my wound incurable which refuſeth to be healed: wilt thou be altogether unto me as a lyard and as waters that fail? David being exerciſed p. 201with many afflictions, ſaid lin his haſt (though upon ſecond thoughts he called in his words again) that all the pains that he had taken in ſerving God was ladour in vain, Pſal. 73.13,14. Verily, I have cleanſed my heart in vain, and waſhed my bands in innocency; for all the day long have I been plagued and chaſtened every morning. To fortifie you againſt this temptation of calling in queſtion the goodneſs of God, or thinking there is no advantage cometh by ſerving God, let me adviſe you to do theſe things.

1. Judge of God according to that repreſentation which he maketh of himſelf in his Word. Now the Scriptures repreſent God to be a good God, Pſ. 86.5. Thou Lord art good, and ready to forgive, and plenteous in mercy unto all that call upon thee. When the Lord proclaimed his Name to Moſes, he proclaimed his name after this manner, Exod. 34.5,6. The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, long ſuffering, and abundant in goodneſs—He is ſo abundant in goodneſs, that his goodneſs fills the whole earth, Pſal. 33.5.—The Earth is full of the goodneſs of the Lord. He is ſo good a God, that there are ſome expreſſions of his goodneſs towards every perſon, and every creature upon the face of the earth, Pſal. 145.9. The Lord is good to all, and his tender mercies are over all his works. His goodneſs is ſo great, that no words can expreſs it; we may admire it, but we cannot deciare the greatneſs of it, Zech. 9.17. How great is his goodneſs, and how great is his beauty? Even in his moſt terrible acts there is abundance of goodneſs, Pſal. 145,6,7. Men ſhall ſpeak of the might of thy terrible acts,—they ſhall abundantly utter the memory of thy great goodneſs.

2. Conſider what good thoughts of God the ſervants of the Lord have had in their greateſt afflictions: though in time of temptation, ſome of Gods ſervants have uttered ſome raſh expreſſions derogatory p. 202to the good roſſ of God, yet afterwards they have humbled themſelves greatly for ſuch ſpeeches, as we may ſee, Job 42.3,6. David calls himſelf fool, and heaſt, for ſpeaking diſhonourably of God in his afflictions, Pſal. 73.13,22. Take the ſervants of God when they have been freed from, or gotten the victory over temptation, and you ſhall finde them admiring and ſpeaking highly in the commendation of Gods goodneſs in their greateſt afflictions, Pſal. 119.68. Thou art good, and doſt good—and this David ſpoke when he was ſpoiled of his goods, ver. 61. The bands of the wicked have robbed me; and when his ſorrows were ſo great that his ſoul melted under them, ver. 28. My ſoul melteth for he avineſs. Neither his loſſes nor his ſorrows made him queſtion Gods goodneſs, but he ſaith under both, thou art good, and doſt good. In another Pſalm, after he had expreſſed the greatneſs of his ſorrows, Pſal. 31.9,10. I am in trouble, mine eye is conſumed with grief, yea, my ſoul and my belly; for my life is ſpent with grief, and my years with ſighing—He breaks out into admiration of Gods goodneſs, ver. 19. O how great is thy goodneſs, which thou haſt laid up for them that fear thee! And Pſal. 73.1,10. Truly God is good to Iſrael. God is good to them when they are forced to wander up and down, and are full of affliction, ver. 10. His people return hither, and waters of a full cup are wrung out to thems. When Doeg the Edomite had accompliſhed his miſchievous deſign in cauſing the Prieſts of the Lord to be ſlain for entertaining of David, which could not but be a great grief to David, yet ſtill he extols Gods goodneſs, Pſal. 52.1. Why boaſteſt thou thy ſelf in miſchief, O mighty man? the goodneſs of God endureth continually. When the Jews that were carried captive into Babylon, had loſt all their ſubſtance, and met with ſuch p. 203ſorrows, that they thought none ever met with the like; they, notwithſtanding all their afflictions, think honourably of Gods goodneſs, Lam. 3.25. The Lord is good unto them that wait for him, unto the ſoul that ſeeketh him.

3. When you are ready to have hard thoughts of God becauſe of your afflictions, turn your eyes from looking at Gods Providences, and look upon his Promiſes; they repreſent God to be full of love, when his Providences repreſent him to be terrible. There is a thouſand times more ſweetneſs in the Promiſes, than there is ſhapneſs in your afflictions. David viewing his afflictions, cryed out, Pſal. 60.3. Thou haſt ſhewed thy people hard things, thou haſt made us to drink the wine of aſtoniſhment. But when he turns his eye to the Promiſe, he forgets his ſorrow, and is filled with joy, ver. 6. God hath ſpoken in his holineſs, I will rejoyce.

4. When hard thoughts of God ariſe in your minds becauſe of your afflictions, behold God as he hath manifeſted himſelf in and through Jeſus Chriſt, and there you ſhall ſee him to be a God of unſpeakable love, God ſo loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son—John 3.16. When you look upon God in Chriſt, you ſhall finde him without fury towards ſuch as believe in his Son, when he is executing his greateſt judgments, Iſa. 26.21. Behold the Lord cometh out of his place to puniſh the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity—Fury is not in me: And to whom is it that he ſaith, Fury is not in me? it is to ſuch as take hold of his Son, who is his ſtrength, ver. 5. When you look upon God in Chriſt, you may behold him a reconciled Father, a God pardoning iniquity, tranſgreſſion, and ſin, 2 Cor. 5.19. a God that hath bleſſed you with all ſpiritual bleſſings, Eph. p. 2041.3. a God that will deny you nothing that is good, ont will give you all things freely, Rom. 8.32. Did he paſs by the fallen Angels, and look upon you, and yet will you not have good thoughts of him? Can you harbour any hard thoughts of God, whilſt you look upon him in Chriſt Jeſus? Shall ſome light and ſhort afflictions, make you overlook all the ſpiritual and eternal bleſſings which God hath treaſured up in Jeſus Chriſt for you? If you ſay this helps me but little, becauſe I cannot make it out, that God hath given Jeſus Chriſt to me; if I could ſee that God had given Chriſt to me, I think I ſhould never entertain an hard thought of God any more? I anſwer, God hath made a free offer of his Son Jeſus Chriſt, with all his benefits unto your ſoul, as well as to any other, ever ſince you have heard the Goſpel; and doth ſtill continue to offer him to you, and calls upon you by his Miniſters, and by his Holy Spirit, to come and take him freely, Mark 16.15. Go ye into all the world, and preach the Goſpel unto every creature: Rev. 22.17. The Spirit and the Bride ſay, Come; and let him that heareth, ſay, Come; and let him that is a thirſt, come; and whoſoever will, let him take the water of life freely: By the water of life, is meant, Chriſt and life through him, Chriſt and all his ſaving benefits; and the Spirit of God who ſearcheth the deep things of God, and knoweth the minde of God, and of Chriſt, aſſureth us, that whoſoever will may come and take this water of life freely.

5. When you finde hard thoughts of God ariſing in your mindes by reaſon of your affliction, call to minde what God hath been doing for you from all eternity, and what he will do for you in heaven to all eternity. God hath been ſetting his wiſdom on work from all eternity to make you happy in the enjoyment p. 205of himſelf; and he hath prepared ſuch things for you in heaven, as eye never ſaw the like, neither hath ear heard, neither can it enter into the heart of man to conceive the worth of them. When David in time of temptation was ready to think hardly of God, and of his wayes, Pſal. 73.13,14. After he had overcome the temptation, he ſaith, ver. 28. It is good for me to draw near to God; and what cauſed him to take up this concluſion? among other things this was one, he had his eye upon that bleſſedneſs he ſhould enjoy with God in heaven to all eternity, ver. 24. Thou ſhalt guide me with thy counſel, and afterwards receive me unto glory.

6. If you would keep up good thoughts of God in your afflictions, obſerve what goodneſs God manifeſts to you in your affliction, and what good he deſigns to you by your afflictions. If you did obſerve the dealings of God with your inward, and outward man, you might ſee much of the love, and meroy, and goodneſs of God in your greateſt afflictions. The people of Iſrael met with variety of afflictions when they were in the Wilderneſs, yet there was much of the love and goodneſs of God in all his dealings with them, Iſa. 63.7,9. And as for the ends and deſigns of God in out afflictions, if you conſider what they are, you ſhall finde, that in every affliction God aimeth at your good, Heb. 12.10. He chaſtneth us for our profit. Rom. 8.28. We know that all things work together for good to them that love God.

And as you ſhould keep up good thoughts of God, ſo alſo keep up good thoughts of his Service; and believe firmly in your greateſt ſufferings, that it is not a vain thing to wait upon God; and this you will eaſily do, if you keep up good thoughts of God: ſo that there is little need of adding any thing more p. 206concerning this temptation: I ſhall therefore but brieſly hint two or three things, and then proceed to the next temptation.

1. It is very unreaſonable to think that there is no profit comes by walking in the wayes of God, when as the Scripture aſſure us, that Godlineſs is profitable unto all things having promiſe of the life that now is, and of that which is to come. 1 Tim. 4.8. God never did ſtir up any man to ſeek his face in vain, Iſa. 45.19. I ſaid not unto the ſeed of Jacob, ſeek ye me in vain. But whoever they are that ſeek and ſerve the Lord, he will give them grace, and glory, and all good things, Pſal. 34.10. They that ſeek the Lord, ſhall not want any good thing, Pſal. 84.11. The Lord Godiva Sun, and a ſhield; the Lord will give grace and glary, and no good thing will to with hold from them that walk uprightly. He doth not only …, but giveth great rewards to every one that keepeth his Commandments, Pſal. 19.11. In keeping of them there is great reward.

2. When God enyes his ſervants, or takes from then temporal bleſſings, he give them ſpiritual bleſſings: When he afflicts their Bodies, the is good to their Souls, Laius. 3.25. The Lord is good unto them that wait for him, to the ſoul that ſeeketh him. The pooreſt of Gods ſervants that have leaſt of the things of this world, are bleſſed with all ſpiritual bleſſings, Eph. 1.3. and ſpiritual bleſſings are for better than temponal bleſſings.

3. The very afflictions and troubles of Gods ſervants are profitable to them, as hath been before cleared from ſeveral Scriptures, as Heb. 12.10. He chaſtneth us for our profit, Pſal. 119.71. It is good for me that I have been afflicted. It muſt needs therefore be unreaſonable to ſay, there is no profit in ſerving God, becauſe his ſervants meet with many afflictions.

p. 2074. The great day of putting a difference between them that ſerve God, and them that ſerve him not, is the day of Judgment; then it ſhall evidently appear to the whole world, even to them that can ſee no advantage now in godlineſs, how much it profiteth a man to ſerve the Lord, Mal. 3.14,17,18. Ye have ſaid, It is vain to ſerve God; and what profit is it, that we have kept his ordinance, and that we have walked mournfully before the Sord of Hoſts?—They (that is, they that ſerve me) ſhall be mine, ſaith the Lord of Hoſts, in that day when I make up my Jenels, and I will ſpare them as a man ſparrth his own ſon that ſerveth him: then ſhall ye return and diſcern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that ſerveth God, and him that ſerveth him not.

2. Take heed of being drawn by this affliction to depart from God: Satan hath prevailed with ſome upon the account of their afflictions to turn afide from God, and to give over waiting upon him, 2 Kings 6.33. This evil is of the Lord, what ſhould I wait for the Lord any longer? As ſome took diſtaſte at Chriſts words and departed from him, John 6.60,66. Many of his Diſciples, when they had heard this, ſaid, This is an hard ſaying, who can bear it? From that time many of his Diſoiples went back, and walked no more with him. So many take ſuch offence at the providences of God, that they depart from God, and will walk no more in his wayes. If you ſhould be followed with this temptation, to prevent your yielding to it, let me ſuggeſt to you theſe following conſiderations.

1. Conſider whom you forſake, when you forſake the Lord: God is your life, and will you not cleave to your life, Deut. 30.20. That thou mayeſt love the Lord thy God—and that thou mayeſt cleave unto him, p. 208for he is thy life, and the length of the dayes. Acts 17.28. In him we live, and …, and have our being. And will you forſake that God, without whom you cannot live or continue in your being one moment. A man will chuſe rather to part with his Eſtate, his Friends, his Liberty; yea, all that he hath, rather than part with his life, Joh. 2.4. Skin for skin, yea, all that a man hath will he give for his life. If life be thus dear, ſhould you not rather forſake all that you have, than forſake God who is your life? God is our glory, Pſal. 3.3. Thou, O Lard, art a ſhield for we, my glory—Now many will chuſe rather to dye, that to part with their glory, 1 Gor. 9.15.—It were better for me to dye, than that any man ſhould make any glorying void. God is your friend, and hath been your Fathers friend: Now no wiſe than will readily forſake a true and an ancient friend, Prov. 27.10. Thine own friend, and thy father's friend forſake not. God is, orought to be, your chiefeſt joy, Pſal. 43.4. I will go unto the Altar of God, unit God my exceeding jay. Moſt men are deſirous of, and follow after joy; and will you be ſo fooliſh as to forſake your chiefeſt joy? God is the chefeſt good, there is nothing in heaven or in earth comparable to God, Pſal. 73.25. Whom have I in heaven but thee, and there it none upon earth that I deſire beſides thee. There are many that pretend, at leaſt, to ſeek after that which is good, Pſal. 4.6. There be many that ſay, who will ſhew us any good? And will you be ſo unwiſe as to forſake the chiefeſt good? Whoever that was in heaven forſook heaven, excepting the Devils? The beſt thing in heaven is God, Whom have I in heaven but thee? and will you forſake the beſt thing in heaven? Did not God make you, and hath not he maintained you ever ſince you were in the world? And will you forſake the God that made p. 209you, and hath redeemed you out of all your troubles, and hath maintained you to this day, Deut. 32.6. Do you thus requite the Lord, O fooliſh people and unwiſe? Is not he thy father that hath bought thee? hath he not made thee, and eſtabliſhed thee? Whom have you to go to, if you forſake God? can any give you eternal life beſides God? John 6.67,68. Jeſus ſaid unto the twelve, Will ye alſo go away? Then Simon Peter anſwered him, Lord, To whom ſhall we go? thon haſt the words of eternal life. Can any forgive your ſins beſides God? Mark 2.7. Who can forgive ſins, but God only? and what a ſad condition will you be in, if your ſins be not forgiven? who can ſave you in time of trouble, and who can ſave you from the torments of Hell beſides God? Pſal. 3.8. Salvation belongeth unto the Lord. You muſt ſhortly dye, and unto whom will you commend your ſouls when you dye, if you for ſake the Lord? Pſal. 31.5. Into thy hand I commit my ſpirit, thou haſt redeemed me, O Lord God of truth. In forſaking God you forſake your own mercies, and involve your ſelves in unſpeakable miſery.

2. Conſider how contrary this is to the example and practice of the Saints and Servants of God in all ages, to forſake God becauſe of your afflictions; if you obſerve their practice and carriage, you ſhall finde that they have cleaved to God, and continued conſtant in their walking with God, in the midſt of their greateſt troubles, Pſal. 44.17,18,19. All this is come upon us, yet have we not forgotten thee, neither have we dealt falſly in thy covenant; our heart is not turned back, neither have our ſteps declined from thy way; though thou haſt ſore broken us in the place of dragons, and covered us with the ſhadow of death. Jobs afflictions were very great, yet they did not cauſe him to depart from God, or ceaſe from ſerving him, Job 23.2,11,12. p. 210Even to day is my complaint bitter, my ſtroke is heavier than my groaning—My foot hath held his ſteps, his way have I kept and not declined; neither have I gone back from the Commandment of his lips, I have eſteemed the words of his mouth more then my neceſſary food. Job 13.15. Though he ſlay me, yet will I truſt in him—David went through many afflictions, yet none of them cauſed him to depart from God, but he continued to ſerve and walk with God, notwithſtanding all his ſufferings, Pſal, 119.83,109,143. I am become like a bottle in the ſmoke; yet do I not forget thy Statutes—My ſoul is continually in mine hand; yet do I not forget thy law—Trouble and anguiſh have taken hold on me; yet thy Commandments are my delights. Pſal. 31.9,10,14. I am in trouble, mine eye is conſumed with grief, yea, my ſoul and my belly: for my life is ſpent with grief, and my years with ſighing—But I truſted in thee, O Lord—

3. It is a fooliſh and vain thing for any man to forſake God by reaſon of his afflictions; becauſe by forſaking God, a man brings upon himſelf more and greater evils than his preſent afflictions are, how many or great ſoever they be. For, 1. They that forſake God bring upon themſelves the guilt of an horrible ſin, ſuch a ſin as may aſtoniſh the heavens when they hear of it, Jer. 2.12,13. Be aſtoniſhed, O ye heavens, at this, and be ye horribly afraid, be ye very deſolate, ſaith the Lord. For my people have committed two evils; they have forſaken me, the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out ciſterns, broken ciſterns that can hold no water. Now the guilt of ſin is a greater evil than any affliction. 2. They that forſake God loſe his favour, Heb. 10.38. If any man draw back, my ſoul ſhall have no pleaſure in him. What loſs is comparable to the loſs of Gods favour? 3. They that forſake God, do not only loſe his favour, but incenſe p. 303and ſtir up his wrath againſt their ſouls, Ezra 8.22. The hand of our God is upon all them for good that ſeek him; but his power and his wrath is againſt all them that forſake him. And Gods wrath is far more dreadful than any affliction. 4. They that forſake God, loſe eternal life and glory, Jer. 17.13. O Lord, the hope of Iſrael, all that forſake thee ſhall be aſhamed, and they that depart from me ſhall be written in the earth, becauſe they have forſaken the Lord, the fountain of living waters. Their names ſhall not be written in heaven, all their portion that they ſhall have ſhall be here on the earth. What are worldly loſſes, compared to the loſs of the Kingdom of Heaven? 5. They that forſake God, ſhall be caſt into Hell when they dye, Pſal. 225.5. As for ſuch as turn aſide to their crooked wayes, the Lord ſhall lead them forth with the workers of iniquity. Now where doth God beſtow the workers of iniquity? he caſts them into Hell, Matth. 13.41. The Son of man ſhall ſend forth his Angels, and they ſhall gather out of his Kingdom, all things that offend, and them which do iniquity, and ſhall caſt them into a furnace of fire. What are all the afflictions and troubles of this life, compared with the torments of Hell? 6. They that forſake God, ſhall be forſaken of God, 1 Chron. 28.9. If thou ſeek him, he will be found of thee: but if thou forſake him, he will caſt thee off for ever. 2 Chron. 15.2. Hear ye me, Aſa, and all Judah, and Benjamin, The Lord is with you, while ye be with him; and if ye ſeek him, he will be found of you; but if ye forſake him, he will forſake you. Now what greater miſery can come upon a man, than to be forſaken of God?

4. Your afflictions ſhould be ſo far from cauſing you to forſake God, that they ſhould make you to return to the Lord, and to cleave faſter to the Lord, and p. 212to walk more cloſely with God. For 1. your afflictions are ſent for this very end and purpoſe, to cauſe you to return to God, Jer. 18.11. Thus ſaith the Lord, Behold, I frame evil againſt you, and deviſe a device againſt you; return ye now every one from his evil way, and make your wayes and your doings good. The Prophet Joel having mentioned ſeveral great calamities which God was ſending upon the Jews, Joel 2.1. to the 12. verſe, tells them, ver. 12. that Gods end in thoſe Jadgments was to turn them to himſelf, Therefore alſo now, ſaith the Lord, Turn ye even to me with all your heart—Now ſeeing your afflictions are ſent to turn you unto God, and to bring you nearer to God, is it not horrible perverſeneſs becauſe of your afflictions to depart from God? 2. You had need to turn to God, and not to forſake him in the day of your diſtreſs, becauſe you will not know what to do without God in a time of trouble, Iſa. 10.3. What will ye do in the day of viſitation, and in the deſolation which ſhall come from far? to whom will ye flee for help? and where will ye leave your glory? The Prophet ſpeaketh to ſuch as did not turn to God when he was ſmiting of them, chap. 9.13. David was of another ſpirit, when he ſaw trouble coming, he gets near to God, and labours to get God near to him, Pſal. 22.11. Be not far from me, for trouble is near, for there is none to help. Who ſhall ſupport and comfort you in your troubles, and who ſhall deliver you out of your troubles, if you forſake God in your afflictions? If you have any ſupport in your troubles it muſt come from God, Iſa. 25.4. Thou haſt been a ſtrength to the poor, a ſtrength to the needy in his diſtreſs. Pſal. 124.1,2,3,4. If it had not been the Lord, who was on our ſide, now may Iſrael ſay; if it had not been the Lord who was on our ſide, when men roſe up p. 213againſt us: then they had ſwallowed us up quick, when their wrath was kindled againſt us; then the waters had overwhelmed us, the ſtream had gone over our ſoul. If you have any comfort in your troubles, it muſt come from God, Micah 7.8. When I ſit in darkneſs, the Lord ſhall be a light unto me. Pſal. 137.8. Though I walk in the midſt of trouble, thou wilt revive me; and if God do not give ſome comfort by his word, your hearts will break, and you will periſh under your afflictions, Pſal. 119.92. Ʋnleſs thy law had been my delights, I ſhould then have periſhed in mine affliction. If God do not help you out of your afflictions, no man whatſeever can help you, Pſal. 60.11. Give us help from trouble, for vain is the help of man. None can do more for us than Kings; yet if God be not pleaſed to help us, they cannot deliver us from our troubles, 2 Kings 6.26,27. As the King of Iſrael was paſſing by on the wall, there eryed a woman unto him, ſaying, Help, my Lord, O King; and he ſaid, if the Lord do not help thee, whence ſhall I help thee? 3. They that forſake God in their afflictions are worſe than Idolaters, for they in their diſtreſſes do not run from, but run to their Idols to help them. The Sea-men that carried Jonah were Idolaters, for they had each man his diſtinct god; yet when there aroſe a great tempeſt, there was not a man amongſt them but went to his god for help, Jonah 1.4,5. There was a mighty tempeſt in the Sea, ſo that the Ship was like to be broken; then the Marriners were afraid, and cryed every man unto his god.

3. It may be Satan will take occaſion from your afflictions to tempt you to change your Religion; He hath not only tempted, but prevailed with many in their diſtreſs to change their Religion: ſee an inſtance or two of this, 2 Chron. 28.22,23. In the time of his diſtr…ſs did he treſpaſs yet more againſt the Lord; p. 214this is that King Ahaz, for he ſacrificed unto the Gods of Damaſcus which ſmote him: and he ſaid, becauſe the gods of the Kings of Aſſyria help them, therefore will I ſacrifice to them, that they may help me. The feeling of want, and hope of plenty, made the Jews forſake the Lord, and burn Incenſe to the Queen of Heaven, Jer. 44.17,18. We will certainly do whatſoever thing goeth forth out of our own mouth, to burn Incenſe to the Queen of Heaven, and to pour out Drink Offerings unto her, as we have done;—for then had we plenty of Victuals, and were well, and ſaw no evil; but ſince we left of to burn Incenſe to the Queen of Heaven, and to pour out Drink Offerings unto her, we have wanted all things, and have been conſumed by the Sword, and by the Famine. If Satan by his own ſuggeſtions, or any of his Inſtruments, ſhould tempt you, becauſe of your poor, low and afflicted condition, to forſake the Proteſtant Religion, (which is a Religion founded upon the Scriptures, and holdeth forth nothing but what is conſonant to, and may be clearly proved from the Word of God) and ſhould ſollicite you to embrace any other Religion, the Doctrine or Worſhip whereof cannot be proved by, but are contrary to the Word of God, promiſing you thereby a liberal maintenance; you ought not upon any tearms to yield to this temptation. I will lay before you ſome Arguments to continue ſtedfaſt in that Doctrine and way of Worſhip, which is according to the Word of God, and not forſake the ſame for any gain or advantage what ever.

1. The Prophets under the Old Teſtament, and Jeſus Chriſt and his Apoſtles under the New Teſtament, do all with one conſent direct us to build our faith, and to take our directions for worſhiping God from the Scriptures. The Prophets that lived in p. 215the times of the Old Teſtament, they ſend us to the Scriptures, and counſel us to embrace no Doctrines but what are according to the Scriptures, Iſa. 8.20. To the Law and to the Teſtimony, if they ſpeak not according to this Word, it is becauſe there is no light in them. Pſal. 119.105. Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. Malachi, who was one of the laſt Prophets under the Old Teſtament, at the concluſion of his Propheſie, ſtirs us up to cleave to the Word of God, Mal. 4.4. Remember ye the Law of Moſes my ſervant, which I commanded unto him in Horeb for all Iſrael, with the Statutes and Judgments. Jeſus Chriſt alſo would have us regulate our faith by the Scriptures, Joh. 7.38. He that believeth on me, as the Scripture that ſaid—He puts us upon the ſtudy of the Scriptures, Joh. 5.39. Search the Scriptures—he lays the cauſe of Errors in Judgment, upon ignorance of the Scriptures, Mar. 12.24. Do ye not therefore err, becauſe ye know not the Scriptures—His great care after his Reſurrection was to help his Diſciples to underſtand, and to eſtabliſh them in the belief of the Scriptures, Luk. 24.27,44,45. The Apoſtles of Chriſt believed in God, and worſhiped God, according as they were directed by the Scriptures, Joh. 2.22. His Diſciples remembred that he had ſaid this unto them; and they believed the Scripture, and the Word which Jeſus had ſaid. Acts 24.14.—So worſhip I the God of my Fathers, believing all things which are written in the Law and in the Prophets. And as they believed themſelves, ſo they taught no other Doctrine then what was according to the Scriptures, Act. 26.22. I continue unto this day, witneſſing both to ſmall and great, ſaying none other things, than thoſe which Moſes and the Prophets did ſay ſhould come,—ſee alſo 1 Cor. 15.3,4. Act. 28.23. p. 216yea, all the members of the true Church, of that Church which is the Houſe of God, an holy Temple, an habitation of God, do cleave to, and are built upon that Doctrine which is delivered by the Prophets and the Apoſtles in the Scriptures, Epheſ. 2.19,20,21,22.

2. If there ſhould ariſe a Prophet, which could work wonders; if that Prophet ſhould perſwade us to turn to an Idolatrous Religion, we muſt not hearken to him, Deut. 13.1,2,3. If there ariſe among you a Prophet, or a Dreamer of Dreams, and giveth thee a ſign, or a wonder; and the ſign, or the wonder come to paſs, whereof he ſpake unto thee; ſaying, Let us go after other gods (which thou haſt not known) and let us ſerve them: Thou ſhalt not hearken unto the words of that Prophet;—for the Lord your God proveth you, to know whether you love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your ſoul: yea farther, if one of the Apoſtles ſhould riſe from the dead; or if an Angel ſhould come from Heaven, and preach any other Doctrine than what is contained in the Scriptures, we ought not to receive it, Gal. 1.8,9. Though we, or an Angel from Heaven, preach any other Goſpel unto you, than that we have preached unto you, let him be accurſed. As we ſaid before, ſo ſay I now again; If any man preach any other Goſpel unto you, than that ye have received, let him be accurſed. Now if we muſt entertain no Doctrine contrary to the Scriptures, though delivered by a Prophet that can work wonders, and foretel things to come; or by an Apoſtle, or by an Angel from Heaven; then how great is their folly, who at the inſtigation of Satan, or any of his Inſtruments, do turn aſide from the Truth, and embrace a corrupt Religion, to get, or to prevent the loſing of the good things of this world?

p. 2173. If you abide in the true Doctrine of Chriſt as it is delivered in the Scriptures, you ſhall enjoy the favour of God, and have Communion with him both here and hereafter; but if you abide not in the Doctrine of Chriſt, you will loſe the favour of God, and ſhall have no part or portion in his Kingdom, 2 Joh. v. 9. Whoſoever tranſgreſſeth and abideth not in the Doctrine of Chriſt, hath not God; he that abideth in the Doctrine of Chriſt, he hath both the Father and the Son. 1 Joh. 2.23,24. Whoſoever denyeth the Son, the ſame hath not the Father;—Let that therefore abide in you, which ye have heard from the beginning; if that which ye have heard from the beginning, ſhall remain in you, ye alſo ſhall continue in the Son, and in the Father. Are the Father and the Son ſo low in your eſteem, and is the world ſo high, that you will forgo the Father and the Son, and deprive your ſelves for ever of any part or portion of the bleſſed God, by departing from the Truth to embrace this preſent world?

4. It is a ſin that will certainly bring damnation, to depart from the Truth, and to turn aſide to corrupt doctrine, 1 Tim. 5.12. Having damnation, becauſe they have caſt of their firſt faith. 2 Theſſ. 2.11.12. God ſhall ſend them ſtrong deluſion, that they ſhould believe a lie; that they all might be damned, who believed not the Truth, but had pleaſure in unrighteouſs. Will you damn your ſouls to get or keep a little pittance of this world? It is not much that you can hope for by changing your Religion. But ſuppoſe you could gain a Kingdom, yea, the whole world; yet this will not countervail the loſs of your ſoul, Mar. 8.36. What ſhall it profit a man, if he ſhall gain the whole world, and loſe his own ſoul?

5. Conſider how firmly our Lord Jeſus Chriſt p. 218adhered to the Scriptures. When he was offered all the Kingdoms of the world, for one act of Idolatrous worſhip, he refuſed it with diſdain, giving this reaſon, it was againſt the written Word of God, Matth. 4.8,9,10. The Devil taketh him up into an exceeding high Mountain, and ſheweth him all the Kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; and ſaid unto him, All theſe things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worſhip me. Then ſaid Jeſus unto him, Get thee hence Satan; for it is written, thou ſhalt worſhip the Lord thy God, and him only ſhalt thou ſerve. And as the Lord Jeſus would not go againſt the Scriptures, to gain the whole world; ſo neither would he do any thing againſt the Scriptures, to avoid the greateſt ſufferings that ever man met with. When Chriſts Enemies had apprehended him, in order to the putting of him to death, he could have called for twelve Legions of Angels to have reſcued him out of his Enemies hands, but he would not, becauſe it was againſt the Scriptures, Matth. 26.53,54. Thinkeſt thou that I cannot pray to my Father, and he ſhould preſently give me more than twelve Legions of Angels? But how then ſhall the Scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it muſt be. Now we ought to have as high a reſpect unto the Scriptures, as Chriſt had; for, He that ſaith he abideth in him, ought himſelf alſo to walk, even as he walked, 1 Joh. 2.6.

6. It is a very rare thing to hear of Idolaters that change their Religion, they ſhew great firmneſs to their idol gods, though they are no gods but the work of mens hands, Jer. 2.10,11. Paſs over the Iſles of Chittim, and ſee and ſend unto Kedar, and conſider diligently, and ſee if their be ſuch a thing. Hath a Nation changed their gods, which are yet no gods? but my people have changed their glory, for that which doth not p. 219profit. Is it not a ſhame for ſuch as profeſs the true God, to ſet lighter by the true God, than Idolaters do by their Idols?

7. It never went well with any perſons that forſake the true Religion, and turned to a falſe one out of worldly reſpects. Ahaz thought to be much advantaged by ſacrificing to the gods of Damaſcus; but was he helped at all thereby? No, It was his ruine and the ruine of all Iſrael, 2 Chron. 28.23. He ſacrificed unto the Geds of Damaſcus, that ſmote him; and he ſaid, Becauſe the gods of the Kings of Syria help them, therefore will I ſacrifice to them, that they may help me; but they were the ruine of him and of all Iſrael. The Jews that burnt Incenſe to the Queen of Heaven, hoping thereby to obtain both peace and plenty, were conſumed by the Sword and Famine, Jer. 44.17,18,21,22,25,27. What did Francis Spira get by denying and departing from the reformed Religion, but ſuch horrour of Conſcience, as may make all that ſhall read his Hiſtory, tremble at any thoughts of denying or departing from the Truth.

8. That mans Profeſſion of Religion is worth nothing, who will change his Religion for wordly advantages: for he is not a ſervant to the great God that made all things; but he makes the world his god, and ſhall after his death have his part among Idolaters in the lake that burneth with fire and brimſtone, Phil. 3.18,19. Rev. 21.8.

4. It may be Satan will preſs hard upon ſome perſons that have lived plentifully heretofore, and in good reſpect among their neighbours, and now are brought into apoor low condition by this fire, to make away themſelves: It is uſual with the Devil, who is ſtyled a Murderer, to tempt diſtreſſed perſons either p. 220to ſtrangle, or drown, or ſtab, or ſome other way to deſtroy themſelves: He aſſaulted Job with this temptation when he was in his troubles; and to render the temptation the more ſucceſsful, he maketh uſe of his wife to carry on his deſign, Job 2.9. Then ſaid his wife unto him, Doſt thou ſtill retain thine integrity, curſe God, and die. But Job abhors the motion, and rebukes his wife for this counſel, Verſ. 10. But he ſaid unto her, Thou ſpeakeſt as one of the fooliſh women ſpeaketh, &c. If any of you are, or ſhould be hereafter aſſaulted with this temptation, to prevent your yielding to it, I would adviſe you to do theſe things.

1. Be convinced that it is a damnable ſin for any man, upon any pretence whatſoever, to murder himſelf: If you doubt of this, whether it be a ſin for a man to take away his own life; I ſhall endeavour to convince you that it is not only a ſin, but a very hainous and damnable ſin, for a man to deſtroy himſelf. 1. It is a tranſgreſſion of that Law, Exod. 20.13. Thou ſhalt not kill; which is one of the greateſt Commandments of the Second Table. That Law, Thou ſhalt not kill, doth as much oblige us not to kill our ſelves, as it doth not to kill other men. 2. The Word of God telleth us plainly, that no murderer ſhall have eternal life, but ſhall be caſt into that lake that burns with fire and brimſtone, 1 Joh. 3.15. Ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him: Rev. 21.8. The fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and Murderers, and Whoremongers, and Sorcerers, and Idolaters, and all Lyars, ſhall have their part in the lake that burneth with fire and brimſtone. Now ſuch as kill themſelves are murderers, as well as they that kill other men. 3. It is an uſurping upon Gods Prerogative for a man to kill himſelf; for our time of life and death is only at Gods p. 221diſpoſal, Pſal. 31.15. My times are in thine hand; Deut, 32.39. I kill, and I make alive:—Now as 'tis unlawful for us to avenge our ſelves, becauſe it belongs to God to take vengeance, Rom. 12.19. Dearly Beloved, avenge not your ſelves;—for it is written, Vengeance is mine, and I will repay, ſaith the Lord: So, becauſe our times are in Gods hands, and it is his Prerogative to kill and to make alive, it is utterly unlawful for us to kill our ſelves. 4. We are not our own, 1 Cor. 6.19,20.—Ye are not your own, for you are bought with a price: and therefore we muſt not take upon us to diſpoſe of our ſelves, as we ſee good; but our lives, and all that we have are to be at Gods diſpoſal. The Lord Jeſus died for this end, that he might be Lord of our lives and perſons; and therefore he that takes upon him to live as he liſt, or to die how and when he thinketh good himſelf, ſinneth greatly againſt Jeſus Chriſt; for he goeth about to make void the death of Chriſt, Rom. 14.7,8,9. None of us liveth to himſelf, and no man dieth to himſelf; for whether we live, we live unto Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord; whether we live therefore or die, we are the Lords: for to this end Chriſt both died, and roſe, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living. 5. He that kills himſelf, breaths out his ſoul in the very act of ſin; and that not of a ſmall, but of a crying hainous ſin. Now we look upon their caſe to be very ſad, who die when they are drunk, or who are cut off in the act of Adultery; or who die curſing and blaſpheming God, and ſo it is: But is not their caſe as ſad, who die in the act of murther? 6. He that kills himſelf, tramples under foot one of the choiceſt of Gods mercies; for what mercy is of greater value (I mean, what outward mercy) than life? Life is beyond p. 222riches, or honour, &c. and therefore it muſt needs be a great ſin to caſt away life.

2. When Satan preſſeth upon you with this temptation to make away your ſelves, reſiſt him, and thereby you will overcome him, Jam. 4.7. Reſiſt the Devil, and he will flee from you; if you yield, he will trample upon you; but if you reſiſt him, he will flee from you. If you ſay, How ſhould we reſiſt the Devil when he tempts us to deſtroy our ſelves? I anſwer, 1. Reſiſt him by Prayer; pray to God to take this temptation from you, or to give you grace to overcome it; and though the temptation continue after you have prayed to have it removed, be not diſcouraged, but pray ſtill. The Apoſtle directing us how to deal with Satan, after he hath ſet down ſeveral pieces of the ſpiritual armour, that are uſeful in our combat with this Adverſary, exhorts us to pray alwayes with all prayer and ſupplication in the Spirit, and to watch thereunto with all perſeverance, Epheſ. 6.18. If we continne to pray againſt the temptations of Satan, either God will remove them, or give us ſufficient grace to hold out in the conflict, 2 Cor. 12.7,8,9. There was given to me a thorn in the fleſh, the meſſenger of Satan to buffet me, leſt I ſhould be exalted above meaſure: For this thing I beſought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me; and he ſaid unto me, My grace is ſufficient for thee. 2. Reſiſt the Devil with the Word. When he tempted Chriſt to caſt himſelf down from a Pinacle, which was in effect, to deſtroy himſelf; Chriſt reſiſted this and all his other temptations with the written Word, Matth. 4.4,7,10. Three times doth Chriſt repel Satan with the written Word; to teach us, to make uſe of the Sword of the Spirit, in reſiſting all our temptations. Doth Satan tempt thee to deſtroy thy ſelf, remember p. 223it is written, Thou ſhalt not kill. It is ſaid of Luther, that he was ſo violently aſſaulted with this temptation to deſtroy himſelf, that for ſome hours together, he was neceſſitated to preſs that Scripture upon his heart, Thou ſhalt not kill. 3. Reſiſt the Devil by Faith. There is a great efficacy in faith to reſiſt and ſubdue the temptations of Satan, Epheſ. 6.16. Above all, taking the ſhield of faith, wherewith ye ſhall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. 1 Pet. 5.8,9. Be ſober, be vigilant; becauſe your Adverſary the Devil, as a roaring Lion, walketh about ſeeking whom he may devour: whom reſiſt ſtedfaſt in the faith.

3. When Satan follows you with this temptation to deſtroy your ſelf, flie for refuge from this roaring Lion to Jeſus Chriſt; caſt your ſelves into his arms, commit the keeping of your ſouls and lives to the Lord Jeſus, & reſt upon him to preſerve you from being vanquiſhed by this temptation. Take ſome encouragements to flie to Chriſt, and to reſt upon him for relief, when you are perſued with this, or any other temptation. 1. The Lord Jeſus is able to ſuccour thee in all thy temptations, Heb. 2.18. In that be himſelf hath ſuffered, being tempted, he is able to ſuccour them that are tempted. He conquered all the powers of darkneſs at his death, Col. 2.15. Having ſpoyled Principalities and Powers, he made a ſhew of them openly, triumphing over them in it. He hath all the Devils in Hell under a lock, and he keeps the keys of this lock in his own hands, Rev. 1.18. I have the Keys of Hell and of death. How eaſily can he command down any temptation, that hath the Keys of Hell, and that hath triumphed over all the powers of darkneſs, and ſpoyled them of their ſtrength? In the dayes of his humiliatio, he had all the Devils at his command; he diſpoſſeſſed them with ſpeaking p. 224but a word, Luk. 4.36.—With authority and power, he commandeth the unclean ſpirits, and they come out. If in the dayes of his humiliation, when he was in the form of a Servant, he had ſuch power over the Devils; what power hath he in his Exaltation, now that he ſitteth at the right hand of God in the higheſt Heavens? 2. Jeſus Chriſt is very pitiful to ſuch as are under temptation. What God ſaith to the Iſraelites, Exod. 23.9. Ye know the heart of a ſtranger, ſeeing ye were ſtrangers in the Land of Egypt. The like may be ſaid of Chriſt, he knoweth the heart of ſuch as are in temptation, ſeeing he himſelf was tempted, in all points as we are, only he never ſinned under any of his temptations. That Chriſts being tempted doth encline him to be pitiful and merciful to us in our temptations, you may ſee, Heb. 4.15. We have not an High Prieſt, which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without ſin. He was tempted to this very ſin, to deſtroy himſelf by caſting himſelf down from a pinacle of the Temple; and therefore knows how to pitty thoſe that are dogged with this temptation. He is ſo tender over tempted ſouls, that he takes them in his arms, and lodgeth them in his boſom, to prevent their being devoured by the roaring Lion, Iſa. 40.11. He ſhall feed his Flock like at Shepherd; he ſhall gather the Lambs with his arm, and carry them in his boſom, and ſhall gently lead thoſe that are with young. Though we be weak like Lambs, and Satan be ſtrong and cruel like a Lion; yet as long as we lie in the boſom of Chriſt, we are ſafe enough from this roaring Lion. 3. The Lord Jeſus is very vigilant over all Satans motions; when ever there ariſeth any deſire in his heart to do us miſchief, Chriſt ſeeth what he deſigns, and prevents p. 225his temptations from ruining of us, Luk. 22.31,32. The Lord ſaid, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath deſired to have you, that he may ſift you as wheat; but I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not. Chriſt takes care of Peter, before Peter knew his danger, and ſo conſequently before he ſought to Chriſt. Now if Chriſt be ſo careful of perſons in temptation, as to prevent them with mercy, to ſuccour them before they cry; then ſurely he will ſuccour and relieve thoſe that cry to him night and day.

4. When you find your ſelves aſſaulted with this temptation, and it comes with that violence and fury, that you are afraid you ſhall one day fall by it; have recourſe to thoſe Promiſes which relate to a tempted condition, and urge them at the Throne of Grace, and hang upon God for the accompliſhment of them. I wil put you in remembrance of ſome Promiſes that may be of great uſe to you when you are in a tempted condition, Rom. 16.20. The God of Peace ſhall bruiſe Satan under your feet ſhortly. It may be you have had a long conflict with Satan, and you are afraid at the laſt he will get you under his feet; but fear not, the God of Truth hath engaged himſelf by promiſe, that he will bruiſe Satan under your feet, and he will do it ſhortly, 1 Cor. 10.13. There hath no temptation taken you, but ſuch as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not ſuffer you to be tempted above that ye are able, but will with the temptation alſo make away to eſcape, that ye may be able to bear it. Satan is very deſirous to tempt us above what we are able to bear, but God will not ſuffer him; and that we may reſt ſatisfied that he will not ſuffer Satan to tempt us above what we are able to bear, he hath engaged his faithfulneſs for the fulfilling of this promiſe; p. 226and he that hath made this promiſe, knoweth what we can, and what we cannot bear, Iſa. 59.19. When the Enemy ſhall come in like a ſtood, the Spirit of the Lord ſhall lift up a ſtandard againſt him; or (as 'tis in the margent) ſhall put him to ſlight. Doth Satan come in upon your ſouls with his temptations like a flood, in ſuch a violent impetuous manner, that you are in danger to be born down by them, yet fear not, the Spirit of the Lord will come into your aſſiſtance and put him to ſlight. The firſt Promiſe that God gave to man after his fall, may be of great uſe to us in our temptations; namely, That the ſeed of the woman ſhall break the Serpents head.

5. Keep up your hope in the mercy of God by vertue of the merits of Chriſt, and the Covenant of Grace. Satan can do little by this temptation of Selfmurther, until he hath brought the Soul into a deſpaning condition. As long as we are able to cleave to the blood of Chriſt, and the Word of God; Satan ſhall not be able to prevail againſt us, but we ſhall overcome all his temptations, Rev. 12.11. They overcame him (that is, Satan) by the blood of the Lamb, and by the Word of their Teſtimony.

6. Shun idleneſs, and alwayes employ your ſelves either in ſome religious exerciſe, or in the works of your Calling; and if Satan come upon you with his temptations, either when you are performing any religious duties, or when you are about the works of your Calling, you need not be afraid of him; for the good Angels have a charge from God to look after you, and defend you when you are in Gods way, Pſal. 91.11. He ſhall give his Angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy wayes: And by vertue of that aſſiſtance which God will give us, whilſt we keep in his wayes, we ſhall overcome the Powers of Darkneſs, p. 227as we may ſee, Ver. 13. Thou ſhalt tread upon the Lion and Adder; the young Lion and the Dragon ſhalt thou trample under foot. But by idleneſs and neglecting the works of our Calling, we give Satan great advantage againſt us.

7. Obſerve what pleas and reaſonings Satan makes uſe of to draw you to this horrid ſin of Self-murder; and upon examination you ſhall find them to be but meer deluſions, and traps, and ſnares, that he makes uſe of to deſtroy your ſouls; and that they are of no force and validity to warrant your Commiſſion of this unnatural ſin, will appear evidently by inſtancing in, and returning an anſwer to ſome of the moſt material pleas which he maketh uſe of to draw perſons under diſtreſs, to put an end to their own lives.

Plea 1. My miſery and my troubles are exceeding great, they are ſo heavy I know not how to bear them, and I ſee no way how I ſhould put an end to my miſeries, but by putting an end to my days; and I had better put an end to my life, than live in ſuch great and continual miſery as I live in.

Anſw. 1. It is utterly unlawful for a man to procure his own death, to put an end to his miſery, though his ſorrows and his troubles be exceeding great. Jobs calamities were exceeding great, both in reſpect of what he ſuffered in his inward and outward man. He felt ſuch a load upon his ſpirit, that he thought if all the ſand on the Sea-ſhore had been put into one balance, and his grief into another, his grief would have been heavier than the ſand of the Sea; Job 6.2,3. he ſaith, Ver. 4. The Arrows of the Almighty are within me, the poiſon whereof drinketh up my ſpirit; the terrors of God do ſet themſelves in aray againſt p. 228me. His ſorrows and troubles were ſo great that he was weary of his life, and longed to dye, ver. 8, 9. If he might have had his choice, he would have choſen ſtrangling, or any other kinde of death, rather than to have lived ſuch a miſerable life, Job 7.15,16. yet notwithſtanding the caſe was thus with Job he durſt not attempt any thing to take away his life one day before the time appointed by God was come, but reſolves to wait patiently all his dayes for his change, Job 14.14. All the dayes of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come.

2. By making away thy ſelf, thou wilt not put an end to thy miſeries, but wilt plunge thy ſelf irrecoverably into far greater miſeries than thoſe that thou lyeſt under, how great and many ſoever thy troubles be; for, Murderers ſhall have their part in the lake that burneth with fire and brimſtone, Rev. 21.8. Now all the troubles of this life are nothing compared with the torments of Hell; if it were poſſible for one man to have all the pains and tortures inflicted upon him, that have been endured by all the men upon the face of the earth ſince the Creation of the World, and he ſhould ſuffer them a thouſand years, this would be far ſhort of what the damned ſuffer in hell. What the Apoſtle ſaith of the glory that the Saints ſhall have in heaven, Rom. 8.18. I reckon that the ſufferings of this preſent time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which ſhall be revealed in us: the ſame is true of the torments of hell; all the ſufferings of this preſent life are not worthy to be compared with the torments that the damned in hell ſhall ſuffer to all eternity.

3. It is the Devil tempts thee to put an end to thy miſeries, by putting an end to thy dayes: God counſels thee otherwiſe, he directs thee to a better way of p. 229getting out of thy troubles, than by deſtroying thy ſelf; and that is by calling upon God, and caſting thy burdens upon him, and flying for refuge to his Son Jeſus Chriſt, Pſal. 50.15. Call upon me in the day of trouble, I will deliver thee—Pſal. 55.22. Caſt thy burden upon the Lord, and he ſhall ſuſtain thee. Matth. 11.28. Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you reſt. Satan deſires to have thee come unto him, that he may torment thee, and to that end he moves thee to deſtroy thy ſelf. Chriſt calls thee to come to him, that he may give thee reſt. Now whether is it better to obey the call of Chriſt which will bring reſt, or to follow the counſel of the Devil, who ſeeketh nothing elſe but thy eternal deſtruction?

Plea 2. I lived in good credit heretofore, but now my Eſtate is gone, I muſt look to be deſpiſed and diſrepected, and ſlighted; and I cannot tell how to bear the loſs of that eſteem and reſpect which I have had formerly; I had as good dye as ſee my ſelf ſlighted—

Anſw. 1. Though you be brought low, yet if you have lowly hearts, God will reſpect you as much as ever he did, Pſal. 138.6. Though the Lord be high, yet hath he reſpect unto the lowly. He will not only reſpect your perſons, but your prayers alſo, Pſal. 102.17. He will regard the prayer of the deſtitute, and not deſpiſe their prayer. If you live in the fear of God, all good men will honour you as much as ever they did, Pſal. 15.4. He honoureth them that fear the Lord.

2. If you ſhould meet with ſhame, and ſcorn, and reproach, this is the hand of the Lord; he is to be eyed in this as well as in other afflictions, Iſa. 43.28. I have prophaned the Princes of the Sanctuary, and have given Jacob to the curſe, and Iſrael to reproaches. Pſal. p. 23044.9,13,14. Thou haſt caſt off, and put us to ſhame—Thou makſt us a reproach to our neighbours, a ſcorn and diviſion to them that are round about us. Thou makeſt us a by-word among the heathen; a ſhaking of the head among the people: and ſeeing it is the Lords doing, you muſt bear it patiently; you muſt not in anger caſt away your lives, becauſe God hath taken away your repute and honour.

3. Suppoſe you ſhould loſe that credit and reſpect which you have had in the world, if you continue in well-doing, God will give you immortal honour and eternal glory in the Kingdom of Heaven, Rom. 2.6,7. Who will render to every man according to his deeds, to them, who by patient continuance in well-doing, ſeek for glory, and honour, and immortality, eternal life; But by deſtroying your ſelves, you deprive your ſelves of eternal glory; for all murderers ſhall be ſhut out of the Kingdom of Heaven, Rev. 22.15. Without are dogs, and ſorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers.—

Plea 3. I am afraid I ſhall be in want, or be driven to beg my bread, or muſt be forced to live upon others; and I had better dye than live in want, or live to be a burden to my ſelf and others, or beg my bread.

Anſw. 1. God hath given his Servants many encouragements to hope that they ſhall not want, or if they be brought into a neceſſitous condition, that they ſhall have their wants ſupplied.

2. We ſhould endeavour what we can to maintain our ſelves without being burdenſome to others, 2 Cor. 11.9. In all things I have kept my ſelf from being burden ſome to you, and ſo will I keep my ſelf. Acts 20.34,35. Yea, you your ſelves know, that theſe hands have miniſtred unto my neceſſities, and to them that were with me: I have ſhewed you all things, how that ſo labouring, ye ought to ſupport the weak, and to remember p. 231the words of the Lord Jeſus, how he ſaid, It is more bleſſed to give, than to receive.

3. If God ſhould bring you ſo low as to live upon alms, yet this ſhould not make you weary of your lives: there are many of Gods children that ſhall reign with Chriſt in heaven to all eternity, that received alms whilſt they were upon the earth, as is evident from Matth. 25.35,36,40. Yea Chriſt himſelf when he was upon earth received alms, Luke 8.1,2,3. Suppoſe you ſhould be put to beg for your living, yet know 1. That it is better to beg than to ſin, better to beg than deſtroy your ſelves; for the one is but an affliction, the other is a grievous ſin. 2. Lazarus who was an heir of heaven, whoſe ſoul was carried by the Angels into Abraham's boſom, was ſo poor, that he begged his bread, and would have been glad to have had the crumbs that fell from the rich mans Table, Luke 16.20.21,22. There was a certain beggar that was named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of ſores, and deſired to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich mans Table; moreover the dogs came and licked his Sores. And it came to paſs, that the beggar died, and was carried by the Angels into Abrahams boſom. 3. Our Lord Jeſus in his thirſt asks a draught of water of a woman of Samaria, John 4.7. There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water: Jeſus ſaith unto her, Give me to drink. 4. If you ſhould be brought to beg your bread, the Lord will not forſake you in this deſolate condition, but will give you his gracious preſence, Pſal. 37.25. I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not ſeen the righteous for ſaken, nor his ſeed begging bread. It is not ordinary for God to bring righteous perſons, or their ſeed, to beg their bread; but when he doth, they are not forſaken of God in that condition. 5. The great God condeſcends p. 232ſo low, as to ask and entreat ſeveral things of you; he entreats you to give him your heart, Prov. 23.26. My ſon, give me thine heart. He beſeecheth and prayeth you to be reconciled to him, 2 Cor. 5.20. We are Ambaſſadors for Chriſt, as though God did beſeech you by us; we pray you in Chriſts ſtead, be ye reconciled to God. He beſeecheth you to leave off your ſins, Jer. 44.4. Oh, do not this abominable thing which I hate. He beſeecheth you to preſent your bodies to him, Rom. 12.1. Now if the great God condeſcend to ask ſeveral things of you, why ſhould you be ſo proud and high-minded, as to chuſe rather to ſtarve, or to murder your ſelves, than to ask relief of your fellow creatures?

4. Job was a burden to himſelf, as he himſelf telleth us, Job 7.20. I have ſinned, what ſhall I do unto thee, O thou preſerver of men, why haſt thou ſet me as a mark againſt thee, ſo that I am a burden to my ſelf? He was alſo by reaſon of his ſores, and other afflictions, a burden to his friends; ſo that neither his wife, nor his ſervants, nor his friends, cared to come at him, Job 19.14,15,16,17,19. My kinsfolk have failed, and my familiar friends have forgotten me; they that dwell in mine own houſe, and my maidens count me a ſtranger; I am an alien in their ſight: I called my ſervant, and he gave me no anſwer, I entreated him with my mouth; my breath is ſtrange to my wife, though I entreated for the childrens ſake of mine own body: all my inward friends abhorred me, and they whom I loved are turned againſt me. Yet though Job was become a burden to himſelf, and to all his friends, he durſt not put an end to his life, but reſolves, Job 14.14 All the dayes of mine appointed time will I wait, till my change come.

5. If you deſtroy your ſelves, and thereby provoke p. 233God to caſt your ſouls into hell, you will be in greater want there than ever man was upon the face of the earth; for there is nothing good in hell: there is nothing to pleaſe the eye, or the ear, or any of the ſenſes; there you ſhall be tormented with hunger and thirſt for ever, and ſhall not have ſo much as a drop of water to cool your tongue: The rich man that fared deliciouſly every day, though he begged hard for but one drop of water to cool his tongue, he could not obtain it, Luke 16.19,23,24,25,26. In your wants here, you may have relief by going to God, you may have comfort from the word; but there is no relief to be had from God, neither is there any comfort to be had from the word of God in hell. Your wants here continue but a little while; if you go on to ſerve God, you ſhall ſhortly be in heaven, where you ſhall want no good thing; but if you deſtroy your ſelves, God will caſt you into hell, where you ſhall ſuffer all ſorts of wants in the utmoſt extremity to all eternity: and therefore it is great folly for any man to deſtroy himſelf for fear of being brought to want.

Plea 4. My ſins lie as a heavy burden upon me, and they are greater then can be forgiven; and I know not how to be eaſed of this heavy burden, but by making away my ſelf.

Anſw. 1. Say not, thy ſins are greater than can be forgiven; for all ſorts of ſins are pardonable by vertue of the Blood of Chriſt, 1 John 1.7. The Blood of Jeſus Chriſt his Son, cleanſeth us from all ſin. Mark 3.28. Verily, I ſay unto you, all ſins ſhall be forgive; unto the ſons of men, and blaſphemies wherewith ſoever they ſhall blaſpheme. And though it be true, that the ſin againſt the Holy Ghoſt ſhall never be forgiven, the reaſon is not, becauſe the Blood of Chriſt is not of p. 234ſufficient value to waſh away that ſin, but becauſe ſuch perſons as commit the ſin againſt the Holy Ghoſt do not repent and believe in Jeſus Chriſt, but do deſpiſe and trample under foot the Blood of the Son of God.

2. Self-murder will not leſſen, but encreaſe the number of your ſins; it will not take off the burden which is upon your conſciences, but will make your burden a thouſand times heavier: for if a man dye in his ſins, all his ſins go down to hell with him, and there will lye as ſo many mountains of lead, preſſing and loading his conſcience to all eternity: and the ſence of ſin which men ſhall have in hell, will torment them a thouſand times more than it doth in this life; for then they ſhall know more of the evil of ſin, and more of the Majeſty of that God againſt whom they have ſinned, than they do now: Then they ſhall ſee more ſins than they do now, and feel more of Gods wrath for their ſins; here they have ſome few drops, there they ſhall have full vials of wrath: then they ſhall have certain knowledge that there is no poſſibility of obtaining the pardon of any one ſin for ever. Here though they may be under great fears, yet there may be ſome hope of mercy; at leaſt, as long as they live, they are not under an impoſſibility of being pardoned.

3. Though thou art under deſpair, and ready to ſay, there is no hope that God ſhould ever pardon ſuch a great ſinner as I have been; yet ſet upon the work of repentance, and returning to God, and God will pardon all your ſins, Jer. 3.22. Return ye back-ſliding children, and I will heal your back-ſlidings. Theſe perſons to whom this promiſe is made had been exceeding great ſinners, as you may ſee, ver. 5. Behold, thou haſt ſpoken and done evil things as thou couldeſt, and p. 235were in a deſpairing condition, chap. 2. v. 25.—Thou ſaidſt there is no hope. Yet to theſe perſons that had done evil things as they could, and ſaid there was no hope of mercy for them, God promiſeth if they would return, he would not cauſe his anger to fall upon them, ch. 3. ver. 12. but would pardon and forgive their ſins, ver. 22. God alſo by the Prophet Iſaiah, promiſeth pardon to the chiefeſt of ſinners, if they will but forſake their ſins, Iſa. 1.16,17,18. Waſh ye, make ye clean, put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; ceaſe to do evil, learn to do well—Come now and let us reaſon together, though your ſins be as ſearlet, they ſhall be as white as ſnow; though they be red like crimſon, they ſhall be as wool.

Obj. It is true, if I could repent; then though my ſins were never ſo great, I know the Lord would pardon them; but alas, I cannot turn from my ſins to God, repentance is hid from mine eyes.

Anſw. Though you cannot repent of your ſelf, yet you ſhould not deſpair, for God hath exalted his his Son Jeſus Chriſt to give you repentance, Acts 5.31. Him hath God exalted with his right hand, to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Iſrael, and forgiveneſs of ſins. It may be you will reply, Chriſt is exalted to give repentance unto Iſrael, but what is that to me? I anſwer, 1. This Iſrael had embrued their hands in the Blood of Chriſt, Acts 2.36. Let all the houſe of Iſrael know affuredly, that God hath made that ſame Jeſus whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Chriſt; and in the words immediately foregoing that Scripture, where the Apoſtle tells them, God had exalted Cariſt to give them repentance, he tells them, Acts 5.30. The God of our Fathers raiſed up Jeſus, whom ye ſlew and hung upon a tree; him hath God exalted to give repentance unto Iſrael, &c. Now was p. 236Chriſt exalted to give repentance to them that crucified him, and do ye think that he will not give repentance unto you, if you go to him for a penitent heart? have you committed greater ſins than the crucifying of Chriſt? 2. If you queſtion whether Chriſt will give you repentance, you may be ſatisfied that he will from his own words, if you go to him for repentance; for he hath ſaid, John 6.37. Him that cometh to me, I will in no wiſe caſt out.

Plea 5. I have committed (may ſome ſay) a very foul ſin, and I am afraid it ſhould come to light; and if it ſhould, I ſhall be aſhamed to look any man in the face; and I had better make away my ſelf, than live to be a publick ſhame.

Anſw. 1. This will not conceal your ſins, to make away your ſelf; for there is a day of Judgment coming, wherein God will bring to light and publiſh in the hearing of the whole world: all your ſins even your fouleſt and moſt ſhameful ſins which you have committed with greateſt ſecreſie, Eccleſ. 12.14. God ſhall bring every work into judgment, with every ſecret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil. Luke 12.2,3. There is nothing covered that ſhall not be revealed; neither hid, that ſhall not be known; whatſoever ye have ſpoken in darkneſs, ſhall be heard in the light; and that which ye have ſpoken in the ear in cloſets, ſhall be proclaimed upon the houſe tops. 1 Cor. 4.5. Judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkneſs, and will make manifeſt the counſels of the hearts: And therefore if you ſhould eſcape the ſhame of your ſins here, you will at the reſurrection and the day of Judgment, when God ſhall diſcloſe your ſins to the whole world, be put to everlaſting contempt, Dan. 12.2. Many of them that ſleep in the duſt of the earth, ſhall awake, ſome to everlaſting p. 237life, and ſome to ſhame and everlaſting contempt.

2. The way to get your ſhameful ſins covered, is to confeſs them to God, and to humble your ſouls for them, and to flee to the Blood of Chriſt; for by ſo doing God will pardon them, and caſt them behind his back; and when God hath pardoned them, they ſhall not do you any hurt, 1 John 1.9. If we confeſs our ſins, he is faithful and juſt to forgive us our ſins, and to cleanſe us from all unrighteouſneſs. When God forgives ſin, he is ſaid to cover it, Pſal. 32.1. Bleſſed is he whoſe tranſgreſſion is forgiven, whoſe ſin is covered. David committed a ſhameful ſin, when he murdered Ʋriah, and committed adultery with Berſheba; yet upon his confeſſion of theſe ſins, God pardoned him, Pſal. 32.5. I acknowledged my ſin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid; I ſaid, I will confeſs my tranſgreſſions unto the Lord, and thou forgaveſt the iniquity of my ſin.

Plea 6. I am tempted in my ſtraits to ſteal, and to kill my Children, becauſe I cannot maintain them; I am tempted alſo to other ſins: Now I am afraid if I live I ſhall fall by my temptations into ſome foul ſin, and thereby be a ſcandal to Religion, and to the Goſpel, and it is better for me to dye than to ſcandalize Religion: and therefore I am of the mind, when I can get a convenient opportunity, to make away my ſelf, that I may not become aſcandal to the Goſpel.

Anſw. 1. You muſt not commit one ſin to avoid another, Rom. 3.8. Not as we be ſlanderouſly reported, and as ſome affirm that we ſay, let us do evil that good may come, whoſe damnation is juſt. It is a good thing to prevent ſin, and to prevent ſcandalizing of Religion; yet we muſt not murder our ſelves, which is a great evil, to prevent other ſins, or ſcandalizing Religion; becauſe it is in the judgment of the Apoſtle, a p. 238damnable tenent and practice to do evil that good may come.

2. What greater ſin or ſcandal to Religion than for a man that profeſſeth Religion, to murder himſelf? and therefore it is a ſtrange deluſion for a man to deſign the making away of himſelf, to avoid other ſins, or to avoid ſcandalizing of the Goſpel.

3. If you be tempted to ſteal, or deſtroy your Children, or any other ſins, and are afraid that you ſhall one day fall by theſe temptations, there are better means of avoiding theſe ſins, than by murdering your ſelves: and they are ſuch as theſe, 1. Pray to God to keep you from thoſe ſins to which you are tempted by Satan, or unto which you are enclined by your own hearts, Pſal, 19.12,13. Cleanſe thou me from ſecret faults; keep back thy ſervant alſo from preſumptuous ſins, let them not have dominion over me. Pſal. 119.133. Order my ſteps in thy word, and let not any iniquity have dominion over me. 2. Hide Gods Word in your hearts, for there is great efficacy in the Word of God when it is treaſured up in the heart, to keep a man from falling into ſin, Pſal. 119.11. Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not ſin againſt thee. 3. Reſt upon Gods Promiſes, wherein he hath promiſed you, that he will not ſuffer ſin to get the dominion over you; but when he ſeeth your ſins riſing up againſt you, and ready to prevail, he will take compaſſion upon you, and ſubdue your iniquities, Rom. 6.14. Sin ſhall not have dominion over you. Micah 7.19. He will turn again, he will have compaſſion upon us; he will ſubdue our iniquities: and thou wilt caſt all their ſins into the depths of the Sea. Go out againſt your ſins in the ſtrength of theſe promiſes, and though you be often ſoiled, yet renew your combat, hanging and cleaving to the promiſes of God, and doubt not but p. 239you ſhall in the concluſion obtain the victory.

Plea 7. I am a man caſt off by God, and I am ſure to go to Hell when I dye; yea methinks I feel the beginnings of Hell already in my Conſcience, by thoſe terrors of God that are in my ſoul, and a ſeared Conſcience; and the longer I live, the more I ſhall ſin, and the more I ſhall encreaſe my torments hereafter; and therefore 'tis better for me to put an end to my wretched life, than to live to encreaſe my ſins, and my torments; for I do nothing elſe but treaſure up wrath againſt the day of wrath.

Anſw. 1. God would not have any man to ſay, God hath caſt me off, and utterly ſeparated me from his people, Iſa. 56.3. Let not the ſon of the ſtranger, that hath joyned himſelf unto the Lord, ſpeak, ſaying, The Lord hath utterly ſeparated me from his people. We are very ſubject to miſtakes, and to think that God hath caſt us off, when as we have found grace in his ſight, Pſal. 31.22. I ſaid in my haſte, I am cut off before thine eyes; nevertheleſs thou heardeſt the voice of my ſupplications, when I cryed unto thee. Zion thought and ſaid, God had forgotten and forſaken her, when as ſhe lay near Gods heart, and was in his thoughts night and day, Iſa. 49.14,15,16.

2. Suppoſe God did caſt you off, yet you muſt not caſt him off, but acknowledge before God, that it is juſt with God to leave you, and cry to him, and follow hard after him, and hang upon him, and hope in his word, even at ſuch a time as he caſteth off your ſouls. When Heman complained, Pſal. 88.14. Lord, why caſteſt thou off my ſoul? He did not ceaſe calling upon God, Ver. 9. I have called daily upon thee, I have ſtretched out my hands unto thee. Jonah when he thought God had caſt him off, yet reſolves ſtill to wait upon him, Jonah 2.4. I ſaid I, am caſt out of thy ſight, yet I will look again towards thy Temple. When David p. 240thought himſelf caſt off by God, he encourageth his ſoul to hope in the Lord, Pſal. 43.2,5. Why doſt thou caſt me off?—why art thou caſt down, O my ſoul, and why art thou diſquieted within me? hope in God:

3. Say not, I am ſure to go to Hell when I dye, for it is yet a day of ſalvation, and the door of hope ſtands open; there is yet time and place for repentance, 2 Cor. 6.2. Behold, now is the accepted time, behold now is the day of ſalvation. Though a man be a perfect ſlave to ſin and Satan, yet there is a poſſibility that he may be brought to repentance, 2 Tim. 2.25,26. In meekneſs inſtructing thoſe that oppoſe themſelves, if God peradventure will give them repentance—that they may recover themſelves out of the ſnare of the Devil, who are taken captive by him at his will: and if God give thee repentance, though thou haſt been as wicked a man as lives upon the face of the earth, yet thou ſhalt ſurely be ſaved, Ezek. 33.15,16. Prov. 28.13. Iſa. 55.7.

4. Suppoſe thou apprehendeſt thy ſelf to have as it were the beginnings of Hell in thy ſoul, yet thy caſe is not deſperate. Others that have had pains and horrors in their ſouls, like the pains of Hell, have found relief from God. Jonah after he had fled from the preſence of the Lord, and was caſt into the Sea, and ſwallowed up by a Fiſh, felt himſelf in ſuch a diſtreſſed condition, that he compares his condition to the belly of hell; yet he crying to God in this condition, was delivered out of it, Jonah 2.2. I cryed by reaſon of mine affliction to the Lord, and he heard me; out of the belly of hell cryed I, and thou heardeſt my voice. When David was in ſuch a ſtate, that he compares his pains to the pains of Hell, by crying to the Lord he was delivered, Pſal. 116.3,4,6. The ſorrows of death compaſſed me, and the pains of hell got hold p. 241upon me; I found trouble and ſorrow: then called I upon the Name of the Lord, O Lord, I beſeech thee deliver my ſoul—I was brought low and he helped me.

5. It is true, that all the while a man liveth in an impenitent condition, he treaſureth up wrath againſt the day of wrath; and as he encreaſeth his ſins, ſo alſo he encreaſeth his torments, Rom. 2.5. Thou after thy hardneſs, and impenitent heart, treaſureſt up unto thy ſelf wrath againſt the day of wrath. Yet this ſhould not cauſe any man to deſtroy himſelf, it ſhould only make a man more earneſt in ſeeking unto God to give him repentance. As long as there is life there is hope, God may give a man repentance: God gave one of the thieves that was crucified with Chriſt, repentance but a few hours before he dyed: He calls ſome into his vineyard at the laſt hour of the day. But after death there is no place for repentance, Eccleſ. 9.10.

Plea 8. I will repent of my ſins, and confeſs them to God, and pray God to pardon them, before I make away my ſelf; and if I do ſo, I hope God will pardon my ſins and receive my ſoul into his heavenly Kingdom as ſoon as I am dead.

Anſw. As long as you have any bloody deſigns and purpoſes in your hearts, your prayers will avail nothing with God, Iſa. 1.15. When ye ſpread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you; yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear, your hands are full of Blood. Lo here, though you make many prayers, as long as you have any bloody projects, either againſt your ſelves or others, God will hear none of them, Pſal. 66.18. If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me. Now ſo long as you harbour a purpoſe and reſolution to make away your ſelves, you do regard iniquity in your hearts. It is ſaid, Prov. 28.13. He that covereth his ſins ſhall not proſper, but p. 242whoſo confeſſeth and forſaketh them ſhall finde mercy. You miſtake the meaning of the Promiſe, if you think that you ſhall finde mercy upon your confeſſing of this ſin, when as you ſtill retain a purpoſe to commit it.

I might mention other pleas, but I ſhould then enlarge too far upon this head; I ſhall therefore only adde a few propoſitions concerning this temptation of ſelf-murther, that may be uſeful to thoſe that are exerciſed with it, and ſo dismiſs this point.

1. Whenſoever any man hath any ſuggeſtions or motions put in his minde to murther himſelf, it is not God, but Satan puts thoſe motions into his minde, how ſpecious pretences ſoever do attend thoſe motions. What is ſaid of: the motion that was in the heart of Judas to betray Chriſt, John 13.2. The Devil put into the heart of Judas to betray him; the ſame may be ſaid of the motions that come into our hearts to deſtroy our ſelves; it is the Devil puts them into us. If a man be perſwaded to make away himſelf, I may ſay here as the Apoſtle in another caſe, Gal. 5.8. This perſwaſion cometh not of him that calleth you: That it is not God by his Spirit, but Satan puts theſe motions into your hearts, is evident: for 1. God tempts no man to any ſin, James. 13. Let no man ſay when he is tempted, I am tempted of God, for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man.

2. The Spirit of God moveth no man to do any thing contrary to the word: Now the word ſaith expreſly, Thou ſhalt not kill. The word forbids us doing our ſelves any harm, as well as doing harm unto others, Acts 16.27,28. The keeper of the priſon awaking out of his ſleep, and ſeeing the priſon doors open, he drew out his ſword, and would have killed himſelf—But p. 243Paul cried with a loud voice, ſaying, Do thy ſelf no harm. If any ſay, I have Scriptures brought to my minde to encourage and put me forward to make away my ſelf; therefore, ſurely it is God, and not Satan puts me upon this work. I anſwer: Though thou haſt ſome portions of Scripture caſt into thy minde to put thee forward to deſtroy thy ſelf, it is not God, but Satan transforming himſelf into an Angel of Light, and wreſting and abuſing the Scriptures, that puts thee upon this ſinful work. When Satan tempted Chriſt to caſt himſelf down from a Pinacle, he brings a Scripture to him; he quotes a precious promiſe out of the Book of Pſalms to carry on his temptation the more plauſibly, Matth. 4.5,6, If Satan made uſe of Scripture to carry on his temptations wherewith he aſſaulted Chriſt, then there is no doubt but he will try the ſame way with us alſo. Now this would be one good means of reſiſting this temptation, to be fully perſwaded, that all the motions that are put into our hearts to deſtroy our ſelves, come from the Devil.

2. The deſign of Satan in this temptation is to devour and deſtroy our ſouls; he is our deadly and implacable enemy, and is alwayes deſigning our hurt; when he pretends our good, he intends our ruine: and therefore what counſel Solomon giveth us concerning a deceitful adverſary, Prov. 26.24,25. He that hateth, diſſembleth with his lips, and layeth up deceit within him; when he ſpeaketh fair believe him not, for there are ſeven abominations in his heart, is very ſeaſonable here: when Satan ſpeaks us fair, we ſhould not believe him, for he hates us, and hath abominable deſigns againſt us in his heart. That Satan ſeeks to devour and deſtroy our ſouls by this and all his other temptations, may be cleared from ſeveral Scriptures, p. 244as 1 Pet. 5.8. Be ſober, be vigilant; becauſe your adverſary the Devil, as a roaring Lion walketh about, ſeeking whom he may devour. John 10.10. The thief cometh not, but for to ſteal, and to kill, and to deſtroy. John 8.44. He was a murtherer from the beginning. Now did they that are tempted to make away themſelves, fully believe that theſe motions came from Satan, and that Satans deſign in moving them to kill themſelves, is to devour and deſtroy their precious ſouls, that he may draw them into the ſame place of torment where he himſelf is, it would be a good help to reſiſt the temptation.

3. There is hope for a man as long as God continueth him in the land of the living, that he may obtain Salvation by Jeſus Chriſt, if he repent of his ſins, and believe in Chriſt, how deſolate, and diſtreſſed, and deſperate ſoever his condition ſeem to be. I add this propoſition, becauſe Satan can hardly draw a man to deſtroy himſelf, till he hath brought him to deſpair; and therefore if the perſon that is under this temptation could be convinced, that there was hope of mercy and ſalvation for ſuch an one as he is, it might be an effectual means of preventing the temptation from taking place. I ſhall therefore endeavour to prove, that no man whatever is to conclude his caſe deſperate, ſo long as God permits him to live upon the face of the earth; but there is a poſſibility, yea, there is hope that he may obtain ſalvation, if he will uſe the means appointed by God for the ſaving of his ſoul: and that I prove by theſe arguments.

1. It is the will of God that the Goſpel ſhould be preached to every creature under heaven, Mark 16.15. Go ye into all the world, and preach the Goſpel to every creature. Col. 1.23—The hope of the Goſpel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every p. 245creature under heaven.—As long as a man is out of Hell, as long as he lives in the world, ſo long he may have the Goſpel preached to him, and may have ſalvation tendered to him by Chriſt; and as long as the Goſpel is preached to a man, ſo long 'tis a day of ſalvation; that is, a day wherein he may obtain ſalvation if he ſeek after it, 2 Cor. 6.2. I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of ſalvation have I ſuccored thee: Behold, now is the accepted time, behold, now is the day of ſalvation. What time doth the Apoſtle mean, when he ſaith, Now is the accepted time, now is the day of ſalvation? I anſwer, He means the time when we enjoy the miniſtry of reconciliation; the time when we have the Goſpel preached to us; as you may ſee in the former Chapter, ver. 18. 20. He hath given to us the miniſtry of reconciliation—Now then we are Ambaſſadors for Chriſt, as though God did beſeech you by us; we pray you in Chriſts ſtead be ye reconciled to God: and then adds, chap. 6.2. Behold, now is the accepted time, Behold, now is the day of ſalvation. The note of attention is mentioned twice, behold, behold, to cauſe us to take the more diligent heed to this truth, that we ſhould account it a day of ſalvation as long as we have the Goſpel preached to us.

2. We are commanded to account the long-ſuffering of God to be ſalvation, 2 Pet. 3.15. Account that the long-ſuffering of our Lord is ſalvation; and therefore they that conclude all hope of ſalvation is gone, and that God ſuffers them to live only to aggravate their condemnation, wrong God and their own ſouls, by harbouring ſuch concluſions in their mindes: he therefore ſuffers us to live that we may have time and ſpace to repent, ver. 9. The Lord is long-ſuffering to us-ward, not willing that any ſhould periſh, but that all ſhould come to repentance. Rev. 2.21. I gave her ſpace to repent—

p. 2463. The Scripture holds it forth plainly, that as long as a man lives in the world, he is not to caſt away his hope, Eccleſ. 9.4. To him that is joyned to all the living there is hope. It is true, if once a man be dead, and hath not wrought out his ſalvation before he dies, the door of hope is for ever ſhut againſt that man; but while he is in the Land of the living, there is hope that he may obtain mercy.

4. Whilſt a man continues upon the face of the earth, Chriſt calls him to look to him for ſalvation, and promiſeth him ſalvation, if he doth look to him, Iſa. 45.22. Look unto me, and be ye ſaved, all the ends of the earth. Look unto me and be ye ſaved; that is, I will ſave you, if you look unto me: And whom doth Chriſt call to look to him for ſalvation? All the ends of the earth; that is, all men that live upon the face of the Earth, from one end of the Earth to another; ſo that as long as a man is not caſt into Hell, but is permitted to live upon the face of the Earth, he ſhould not conclude his caſe deſperate.

5. We find God hath rebuked thoſe that have caſt away their hope, and hath encouraged them to ſeek and hope for ſalvation, that have thought there was no hope for ſuch as they were. When ſome amongſt the Jews thought God had done with them, and given them over, and would look no more after them, God reproves them for it, Iſa. 40.27. Why ſayeſt thou, O Jacob, and ſpeakeſt O Iſrael; my way is hid from the Lord, and my judgment is paſſed over from my God? And at another time, when they thought there was no hope, but they muſt periſh in their ſins; and looked upon it as an improbable, if not as an impoſſible thing, that ſuch as they were, ſhould obtain life; God ſwears to them that he did not delight in their death, but rather did deſire that they ſhould p. 247repent, that they might live, Ezek. 33.10,11. Thus ye ſpeak, ſaying, If our tranſgreſſions, and our ſins be upon us, and we pine away in them; How ſhould we then live? ſay unto them, As I live ſaith the Lord God, I have no pleaſure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live; Turn ye, turn ye from your evil wayes; for why will ye die, O houſe of Iſrael? We find alſo God encouraging the Jews when they were in a deſpairing condition in Babylon, Lam. 3.18,19. I ſaid, my ſtrength and my hope is periſhed from the Lord; remembring mine affliction, and my miſery, the wormwood and the gall. But though they ſaid their hope was periſhed, God ſaith it was good for them to hope ſtill, Ver. 26. It is good that a man ſhould both hope, and quietly wait for the ſalvation of the Lord. God may have great mercy in ſtore for them that think there is no mercy for them. When the houſe of Iſrael ſaid, Our bones are dried, and our hope is loſt; we are cut off for our parts: God promiſeth to do great things for them, to put his Spirit in them, and give them life, &c. Ezek. 37,11,12,13,14. And though Satan may make uſe of ſome Scriptures to drive us to deſpair, yet he perverts the ſenſe and meaning of thoſe Scriptures, for no paſſage of Scripture was written to drive us to deſpair; but the deſign of the Scripture is to encourage us to hope in God, Rom. 15.4. Whatſoever things were written aforetime, were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.

4. Prop. No man ought to conclude that he is a graceleſs perſon, or caſt out of the favour of God, becauſe he is aſſaulted with this temptation to make away himſelf; or becauſe he hath often prayed to God to have his temptation removed, and it continueth p. 248ſtill in as great violence as ever. The beſt of men may be tempted to the fouleſt of ſins. What ſin is more hideous than for a man to fall down and worſhip the Devil? yet the Lord Jeſus was tempted to this ſin, Matth. 4.9. All theſe things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worſhip me. Doſt thou think God doth not love thee, becauſe he ſuffers the Devils to tempt thee to make away thy ſelf? Chriſt was the beloved Son of God, yet the Devil tempted him to caſt down himſelf from a pinacle of the Temple, which was in effect to have deſtroyed himſelf, Matth. 4.5,6. yea, God ſuffered the Devil to do more than barely to tempt Chriſt; he ſuffered him to carry him from the Wilderneſs into Jeruſalem, and to ſet him upon the pinacle of the Temple, Matth. 4.5. and from thence to carry him to an exceeding high Mountain, Ver. 8. This is more than God permits the Devil to do to you, yet Chriſt was the beloved Son of God. Did not the Devil tempt Job (who was the moſt upright man that lived in his days) by the inſtigation of his wife to deſtroy himſelf? Job 2.9. His wife ſaid unto him, Doſt thou ſtill retain thine integrity? Curſe God and die. And though you pray to have the temptation removed, and ſtill it continueth: ſo did Paul, who was a choſen Veſſel, when he was buffeted with a temptation from Satan, he prayed often to have it removed, and ſtill it continued, 2 Cor. 12.7,8,9. There was given to me a thorn in the fleſh, a meſſenger of Satan to buffet me;—For this thing I beſought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me; and he ſaid unto me, My grace is ſufficient for thee; for my ſtrength is made perfect in weakneſs. But let thus much ſuffice for the preventing of this temptation of Self-murther.

5. It is probable that Satan will tempt ſuch as are brought low by this fire, to uſe ſome unrighteous p. 249courſes to enrich themſelves; eſpecially if they be brought into great ſtraits, he will be urging of them to help themſelves by ſome ſinful means rather than to continue under their ſtraits. Agur prayes, that God would remove poverty from him, and gives this reaſon, Prov. 30.9.—Leſt I be poor, and ſteal, and take the Name of my God in vain: which implies, that Satan doth uſually tempt ſuch as are brought to poverty, to help themſelves by unlawful and ſinful means. I might ſuggeſt ſeveral things to prevent your yielding to this temptation. As

1. You will loſe more and better things than you will get by unrighteouſneſs in your dealings, though you ſhould get a vaſt eſtate by this means. For 1. Hereby you will loſe the favour of God, Deut. 25.16. All that do unrighteouſly, are an abomination unto the Lord thy God: And what is all this world compared to the favour of God? 2. All that you get by ſinful courſes, is the price of blood, it is gotten with the loſs of your ſouls, Ezek. 18.4.—The ſoul that ſinneth it ſhall die. Now the ſoul is of that value, that the gaining of the whole world will not countervail the loſs of one ſoul, Mar. 8.36.3. What you get unrighteouſly, is purchaſed with the loſs of Heaven, 1 Cor. 6.9. Know ye not that the unrighteous ſhall not inherit the Kingdom of God? 4. What is gotten unrighteouſly, is gotten with the loſs of peace of Conſcience, Iſa. 59.8.—They have made them crooked paths, whoſoever goeth therein ſhall not know peace. Prov. 20.17. Bread of deceit is ſweet to a man, but afterwards his mouth ſhall be filled with gravel.

2. You do not only deprive your ſelves of all good, but you bring upon your ſelves woful miſery by ſeeking to enrich your ſelves by unjuſt courſes: for 1. Hereby you bring down the wrath, and curſe, and vengeance of God upon your ſelves, Jer. 22.13. Wo unto p. 250him that buildeth his Houſe by unrighteouſneſs, and his Chambers by wrong. 1 Theſ. 4.6. That no man go beyond, and defraud his Brother in any matter, becauſe that the Lord is the avenger of all ſuch. Job 20.23. When he is about to fill his belly, God ſhall caſt the fury of his wrath upon him, and ſhall rain it upon him while he is eating: This is ſpoken of ſuch as get their Eſtates unrighteouſly, as you may ſee Ver. 19. 2. Such as ſeek to get wealth unrighteouſly, ſeek their own damnation, Prov. 21.6. The getting of Treaſure by a lying Tongue, is a vanity toſſed to and fro of them that ſeek death. Is eternal death ſuch a deſirable thing as that we ſhould ſeek after it? Doth it not come faſt enough of it ſelf? Conſider what dreadful judgments are denounced againſt ſuch as get their Eſtates by unjuſt and unrighteous courſes, Job. 20. from ver. the 15. to ver. 29.

3. If you wait upon God, and put your truſt in him, and keep your ſelves honeſt, God will be with you, and provide for you a ſupply of all your needs, Phil. 4.8,9,19. Whatſoever things are true, whatſoever things are honeſt, whatſoever things are juſt;—think on theſe things,—And the God of peace ſhall be with you;—My God ſhall ſupply all your need, according to his riches in glory, by Chriſt Jeſus. Pſal. 37.3,34. Truſt in the Lord, and do good,—and verily thou ſhalt be fed. Wait on the Lord, and keep his way, and he ſhall exalt thee to inherit the Land. Iſa. 33.15,16. He that walketh righteouſly, and ſpeaketh uprightly; he that deſpiſeth the gain of oppreſſions, that ſhaketh his hands from holding of bribes;—He ſhall dwell on high, his place of defence ſhall be the munition of Rocks; bread ſhall be given him, his waters ſhall be ſure. And know this alſo, that a little gotten honeſtly, and in the fear of God, is better than a great Eſtate gotten p. 251unrighteouſly, Prov. 16.8. Better is a little with righteouſneſs, than great revenues without right. Prov. 15.16. Better is little with the fear of the Lord, than great treaſure, and trouble therewith.

6. Another temptation, which is like to attend thoſe that have been ſufferers by this fire, is diſcontent and murmuring at their loſſes; but I ſhall need to add nothing more concerning this, but refer you to what is ſaid in the firſt queſtion, to prevent murmuring and diſcontent, becauſe of the loſſes you have ſuſtained by this fire.