Counsel to the Afflicted, Question 1 · Objections

Counsel to the Afflicted · Question 1 · Objections

p. 69Objections that hinder the contentment of thoſe that have ſuffered loſs in their Eſtates, removed.

SECT. 1.

Object. 1. My loſs is exceeding great, I have loſt thouſands of pounds, if I had loſt but a ſmall matter I could have born it, but in regard my loſs is ſo great, it troubleth my minde exceedingly, and I know not how to bear it with patience.

Anſw. 1. Your loſs is not greater than Jobs, who p. 70was the richeſt man in the Eaſtern part of the world, and loſt all his Subſtance, and his Children too in one day, yet he did not repine at the greatneſs of his loſs, but quietly ſubmitteth himſelf to God, Job 1.21. The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away, bleſſed be the name of the Lord.

2. How much ſoever it be that you have loſt, God is able to give it you again, and much more alſo, 2 Chron. 25.9. But what ſhall we do for the hundred talents? God is able to give thee much more than this. Though God took a great Eſtate from Job, yet it is ſaid, Job 42.10,12. The Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before.—The Lord bleſſed the latter end of Job more than his beginning. Though you ſhould be brought to poverty, yet God oft-times raiſeth poor men to ſuch an high degree, that he maketh them equal to Princes, Pſal. 113.7,8. He raiſeth up the poor out of the duſt, and lifteth the needy out of the dunghil, that he may ſet them with Princes, even with the Princes of his people.

3. It may be God ſaw that you had too much, and therefore out of his infinite Wiſdom, and Love, he hath brought you low. There is danger in having too much, as well as too little. Agur prayeth againſt too great riches, as well as againſt poverty, Prov. 30.7,8. Give me not riches leſt I be full, and deny thee, and ſay, who is the Lord. God brought Gideons Army of two and thirty thouſand to three hundred, and gave this reaſon, they were too many for him to give the Midianites into their hands, leſt Iſrael ſhould vaunt himſelf, ſaying, Mine hand hath ſaved me, Judges 7.2,3,4,7. Poſſibly for ſome ſuch reaſon God hath leſſened your Eſtates, leſt you ſhould vaunt your ſelves, or think that you were maintained by your Eſtates, and not by the Providence of God. It may be God p. 71ſaw that your Eſtates were ſo great, that they would have hindred you entrance in at the ſtrait gate, Mat. 19.23,24. and therefore he leſſened them that you might have a ſafer and more eaſie paſſage into the Kingdom of Heaven. Would you be angry with that Phyſician that ſhould draw away a great quantity of blood when as it did endanger your lives? you have far leſs cauſe of being angry with God for taking away a great part of your Eſtates when they did endanger the ſalvation of your ſouls.

4. Though your loſſes have been very great, yet take heed of murmuring and repining againſt God, leſt he take away greater things from you. By murmuring you will provoke God to take away your lives, 1 Cor. 10.10. Neither murmure you, as ſome of them murmured, and were deſtroyed of the deſtroyer. Now to loſe life, is a far greater loſs, than to loſe an Eſtate. By murmuring you are in danger to loſe the favour of God, Numb. 11.1. When the people complained, it diſpleaſed the Lord, and the Lord heard it, and his anger was kindled. To loſe Gods favour is more than to loſe our lives, for Pſal. 63.3. Thy loving kindeneſs is better than life.

SECT. 2.

Obj. 2. I have loſt all that ever I had, and am quite undone; though my loſſes had been great, if I had any thing left I ſhould have been contented; but will you blame me for being diſcontented when I have loſt all that I was worth in the world, and am quite undone.

Anſw. 1. God ſaw it was needful and expedient for the accompliſhing of his deſigns in order to the promoting of your good, to take away all that you had; for God ſends no more of any affliction than we need, 1 Pet. 1.6.—for a ſeaſon (if need be) ye are p. 72in heavineſs through manifold temptations. It may be God ſaw nothing leſs than the taking all that you had would take off your affections from the world, or lead you to repentance, or put you upon living by Faith; you may be aſſured, that upon ſome account or other God ſaw it needful to take away your whole Eſtates from you, elſe he would not have dealt thus with you.

2. By undoing you, God aims at ſaving of you. He hath undone you in your outward Eſtates, that he may ſave your Souls, 2 Cor. 1.6. Whether we be afflicted, it is for your conſolation and ſalvation, which is effectual (or as it is in the Margin, is wrought) in the enduring of the ſame ſufferings which we alſo ſuffer. The Apoſtle telleth us here, that the Corinthians enduring the ſame ſufferings which he ſuffered, was an effectual means of working out their ſalvation. Now a great part of the Apoſtles ſufferings lay in the ſuffering the loſs of all things, Phil. 3.8. It is Gods deſign to prevent our being undone to all eternity, when he chaſtneth us in this world, 1 Cor. 11.32. When we are judged, we are chaſtned of the Lord, that we ſhould not be condemned with the world. Hath that man any cauſe to complain whom God undoeth here, to prevent his being undone to all eternity?

3. If ever you forſook any of your enjoyments for Chriſt, or gave any thing to the poor Members of Chriſt, or any other poor people for Chriſts ſake, then you have not loſt all; for whatever you have given to the poor, or forſaken upon the account of Chriſt or the Goſpel, all that is yours ſtill; it is money laid up in a ſafe hand, which ſhall be returned to you with an hundred fold encreaſe, Prov. 19.17. He that hath pity upon the poor, lendeth unto the Lord, and that which he hath given will he pay him again. That p. 73which is given to the poor is not loſt, it is but lent, and it is lent to one that will pay what is lent, with intereſt. You that could not ſee the poor lack when you had wherewithal to relieve them, God will not ſuffer you to lack any thing that is good for you, Prov. 28.27. He that giveth to the poor ſhall not lack. And what is ſaid of that which is given to the poor, the ſame may be ſaid of that which hath been forſaken upon the account of Chriſt and the Goſpel, it is not loſt, but put out to intereſt, and ſhall be rendered to us again with an hundred fold encreaſe; if not in the ſame kinde, in ſome other thing as good, or better, Matth. 19.29. Every one that hath for ſaken houſes, or Brethren, or Siſters, or Father, or Mother, or Wife, or Children, or Lands for my Names ſake, ſhall receive an hundred fold, and ſhall inherit everlaſting life. And that this hundred fold is not meant of the recompence that we ſhall have in heaven, but of that reward that we ſhall have in this preſent life; beſides eternal life in the other world, is evident from Mark 10.29,30. Luke 18.29,30.

4. Though you have loſt all that you had, yet you have not loſt any of the Promiſes or the Providence of God. You are as rich in promiſes as ever. You have God in many Bonds, which are of more value than the whole world. Though the Fire had conſumed all your Goods, yet it hath conſumed none of your Bonds, I mean none of the Promiſes wherein God hath bound himſelf by promiſe, that you ſhall want no good thing, but that he will ſtand by you all your dayes, and ſupply all your needs. I will put you in minde of two or three of thoſe many promiſes that the Lord hath made to this purpoſe, which are more worth than all the Gold and Silver of the world, Phil. 4.19. My God ſhall ſupply all your need, p. 74according to his riches in glory by Jeſus Chriſt. Heb. 13.5. Let your converſation be without covetouſneſs, and be content with ſuch things as ye have; for he bath ſaid, I will never leave thee nor forſake thee. Mat. 6.33. Seek ye firſt the Kingdom of God, and his righteouſneſs, and all theſe things ſhall be added unto you. All theſe things—that is, food and raiment, and all things that are neceſſary for this life, of which Chriſt was ſpeaking in the foregoing verſes. And as you have not loſt the promiſes of God, ſo neither have you loſt his providence; he will take as much care of you now your Eſtates are gone, as he did when you enjoyed them, 1 Pet. 5,7. Caſting all your care upon him, for he careth for you. It is not ſaid, who did care for you, but he careth for you; implying, that God doth, and ever will continue his care for his people.

5. Though you have loſt all, yet it is poſſible for you to be as contented as if you had all the world. The Apoſtle Paul ſuffered the loſs of all things for Chriſt, Phil. 3.8. yet he was as full of contentment in his greateſt wants, as in his greateſt abundance, Phil. 4.11,12,13. When he had nothing, he was as well content as if he had enjoyed the whole world, 2 Cor. 6.10. As having nothing, and yet poſſeſſing all things.

6. Have you not forfeited all that ever you did enjoy, either by your unthankfulneſs, or by not ſerving God cheerfully for the abundance of all things, Deut. 28.47,48. or by ſome other means? if ſo, you have no occaſion to complain of God for taking away all that you had from you.

7. Though you have loſt all your Eſtates, ſay not, we are undone; for if ye be ſuch as have Faith in Chriſt, and live godly lives, God is yours, and Chriſt is yours, and Heaven is yours, and this world is yours, p. 75and things preſent, and things to come, are yours, yea, all things are yours, 1 Cor. 3.21,22,23. All things are yours, whether Paul, or Apollo, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things preſent, or things to come, all are yours, and ye are Chriſts, and Chriſt is Gods.

SECT. 3.

Obj. 3: I do not know how I ſhall do to live, now I have loſt my Eſtate; if I could but tell how to live, I could be content, though my loſſes had been very great; but becauſe I cannot tell how I ſhall live, now my livelihood is taken from me, this perplexeth and troubleth my minde very ſorely.

Anſw. 1. You have as much left you as you brought into this world, for 1 Tim. 6.7. We brought nothing into this world—we brought not ſo much as a rag to cover our nakedneſs withal, Job 1.21. Naked came I out of my Mothers womb.—And though you came into the world in this poor condition, yet you have lived comfortably and plentifully, many dayes, yea many years together; and cannot God provide comfortably and plentifully many years more, though all that ever you had be taken from you. If you ſay, when I was born into the world I had a Father, and a Mother, and other Friends, that took care of me, to provide food, and raiment, and all things for me; but now I have no Friends that will take care for me. I anſwer, It was not your Parents, or your Friends, that fed you, and clothed you, but God, by them. Jacob lived many years in his Fathers houſe, and afterwards with his Uncle Laban, about 20. years; yet he doth not ſay his Father fed him for ſo many years; and then his Uncle Laban nouriſhed him; but he ſaith, it was God that fed him all the dayes of his life, p. 76Gen. 48.15. The God which fed me all my life long unto this day.

2. How did you live before, by your Eſtates, or by the Providence of God? not by your Eſtates, but by the Providence of God; if you think otherwiſe, conſider ſuch Scriptures as theſe, Acts 17.28. In him we live, and move, and have our being, Deut. 8.3. Man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord, doth man live. Pſal. 66.8,9. O bleſs our God, ye people—which holdeth our ſoul in life. Pſal. 36.6.—O Lord thou preſerveſt man and beaſt. Now if it be God, and not your Eſtates that have maintained you hitherto, why ſhould you diſtruſt him for the time to come? Is the Lords hand ſhortned? Is he not as able to provide for you as ever he was?

3. Remember the counſel of our Lord and Saviour Jeſus Chriſt, Math. 6.25. Take no thought for your life, what ye ſhall eat, and what ye ſhall drink, nor yet for your body what ye ſhall put on: is not the life more than meat, and the body than rayment? If the life be more than meat, then doubt not but that God who hath given you your lives, will give you meat to maintain your lives, and he who gave you your bodies will give you raiment to cloath your bodies withal.

4. If all that you have be conſumed, and you have nothing to live upon, live by Faith upon the promiſe and providence of God, Hab. 2.4. The juſt ſhall live by his Faith. We are not to live by Faith for ſpiritual bleſſings only, but alſo for temporal. And we ought to truſt God as firmly by virtue of his promiſes, when we have nothing left, as well as when we enjoy greateſt plenty.

p. 77SECT. 4.

Obj. 4. I do make a ſhift to live for the preſent, but now I have loſt my Eſtate, I am afraid I ſhall come to want before I dye, and the fear of want lyeth heavy upon me; were it not that I feared I ſhould want, my loſſes would not much trouble me.

Anſw. 1. If you fear want now your Eſtates are gone, and did not fear any ſuch thing while you enjoyed your Eſtates, this is a ſign that you made your riches your confidence, and not God, and that is a fearful ſin, Job 31.24,28. If I have made gold my hope, or have ſaid unto the fine gold, Thou art my confidence—This were an iniquity to be puniſhed by the judge, for I ſhould have denied the God that is above.

2. Have you not food and raiment ſufficient for the day? if ſo, do the work of the preſent day cheerfully, and bear the croſſes of the day patiently, and caſt the care of to morrow upon God: By to morrow you may be in heaven, where you ſhall need none of theſe things, Mat. 6.34. Take no thought for the morrow, for the morrow ſhall take thought for the things of it ſelf, ſufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

3. Conſider your relation to God. 1. God is your Shepherd, and thereupon you may be aſſured that you ſhall not want, Pſal. 23.1. The Lord is my Shepherd, I ſhall not want. David doth not ſay I am King of Iſrael, I ſhall not want, or I have a great Eſtate, or I have rich Friends, I ſhall not want; but he grounds his confidence that he ſhould not want upon this, that God was his Shepherd. Now every godly man in his loweſt eſtate hath God for his Shepherd, and thereupon may be confident that he ſhall never want. 2. God is your Father, and Fathers p. 78will not ſee their children want when it is in the power of their hands to relieve their wants, Luke 11.11. If a Son ſhall ask bread of any of you that is a Father, will he give him a ſtone? or if he ask a fiſh, will he for a fiſh give him a ſerpent. When the prodigal Son began to be in want, and goes to his Father for relief, though he had been an ungracious Son, that had ſpent all his ſubſtance in riotous courſes; yet when he came to his Father, he calls for the beſt Robe, and fatted Calf, and entertains him in a very bountiful manner, Luke 15.15,18,19,20,22,23. 3. You are members of Gods houſhold, Eph. 2.19. Ye are of the houſhold of God. Now amongſt men it is an infamous thing for a man not to provide for thoſe that are of his own houſe, 1 Tim. 5.8. If any provide not for his own, and eſpecially for thoſe of his own houſe, he hath denyed the Faith, and is worſe than an infidel. Therefore fear not but God will provide for you, ſeeing you are of his houſhold.

4. God hath given you many precious promiſes to aſſure you that you ſhall not want, Pſal. 34.9,10. O fear the Lord, ye his Saints, for there is no want to them that fear him. The young Lions do lack and ſuffer hunger, but they that ſeek the Lord ſhall not want any good thing. Pſal. 37.3. Truſt in the Lord, and do good, and verily thou ſhalt be fed. If your money to but in proviſion ſhould fail, then God will take care that your bread ſhall be given you. Iſa. 33.16. He ſhall dwell on high, his place of defence ſhall be the munitions of rocks, bread ſhall be given him, and his waters ſhall be ſure. More promiſes to this purpoſe you may ſee, Mat. 6.33. Phil. 4 19. Heb. 13.5.

5. Conſider Gods providence towards his creatures, that is a great means to quiet the heart againſt the fear of want, as 1. Conſider Gods providence p. 79towards the birds, and beaſts, and other inferiour creatures. There is not one living creature that flieth in the air, or creepeth on the face of the earth, but God taketh care of it, and provideth it food, Pſal. 145.15,16. The eyes of all wait upon thee, and thou giveſt them their meat in due ſeaſon, thou openeſt thine hand, and ſatisfieſt the deſire of every living thing. Pſal. 104.27,28. Theſe all (that is, all ſorts of creatures ſpoken of in the foregoing Verſes) wait upon thee, that thou mayeſt give them their meat in due ſeaſon, that thou giveſt them they gather, thou openeſt thine hand, they are filled with good. There is an innumerable company of theſe creatures, Pſal. 104.25. yet God feedeth them all, and giveth every one its proper food, and that in due ſeaſon, and as much in due ſeaſon as ſatisfieth them; as is implyed in the fore-quoted Scriptures. The birds have no barns, nothing laid up before hand, they have no body to look after them, they have young ones to provide for; yet God feeds them in the hardeſt Winters as well as in the warm Summer, Matth. 6.26: Behold the fowls of the air, for they ſow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them, are ye not much better than they? God values a man much more than any other creatures, Luke 12.7. Ye are of more value than many ſparrows. Mat. 12.12. How much better is a man than a ſheep? The care that God taketh for man is far greater than the care that he taketh for his other creatures, 1 Cor. 9.9,10. Doth God take care for Oxen? or faith he it altogether for our ſakes? for our ſakes no doubt this is written. Now if God provideth bountifully for thoſe creatures that are far inferiour to man, and for whom he doth not care ſo much as he doth for man, why ſhould we fear he will not provide for us? 2. Conſider Gods providence towards p. 80wicked men, he makes their cup to run over, they are oft-times full of Wealth, Pſal. 17.13,14. Deliver my ſoul from the wicked, which is thy Sword—whoſe belly thou filleſt with hid treaſure, they are full of children, and leave the reſt of their ſubſtance to their babes. Wicked men are Gods enemies, godly men are his friends: If God fill the bellies of his enemies with his hid treaſure, ſhall we think that he will let his friends ſtarve? 3. Conſider Gods providence towards the poor, he taketh a ſpecial charge of ſuch as are poor, and in diſtreſs, Pſal. 146.9. The Lord preſerveth the ſtrangers, he relieveth the fatherleſs, and widow. Pſal. 132.15. I will abundantly bleſs her proviſion, I will ſatisfie her poor with bread. The widow that had but an handful of meal, and a little cruſe of oyl, was maintained therewith, both her ſelf, and her houſhold, as comfortably as thoſe that were owners of Olive-yards, and had great Eſtates, 1 Kings 18.12,14,15. 4. Conſider Gods providence towards your ſelves in particular, when you hung upon your Mothers breaſts, before you knew God, or had an heart to ſeek him, he took the care of you, and provided for you, and do you think that he will forſake you, and caſt you off, now that he hath made known himſelf unto you, and poured out a ſpirit of grace and ſupplications upon you.

SECT. 5.

Obj. 5. I have not only loſt all that I had, but I have loſt much of other mens goods, I am greatly in debt, and by my late loſſes, I am diſenabled from paying my debts, and this troubleth me exceedingly when I think how much I am in debt, and that I ſee no way how I ſhould be able to pay my debts before I die.

Anſw. 1. We ſhould avoid running into debt what p. 81we can, and when we have contracted any Debts, we ſhould labour to pay them ſo ſoon as we can: for this is according to the Apoſtles rule, Rom. 13.8. Owe no man any thing, but to love one another; and therefore in regard of the great uncertainty of all humane affairs, we ſhould take heed of graſping after too great things beyond what we can reach with our own ſtock, and which will neceſſitate us to borrow great ſums of money, left we ſhould be cut off before we can accompliſh the payment of our debts.

2. A man man may be a juſt man, and live and die with a good conſcience, though he ſhould not have wherewithal to pay his Debts, provided that he bear this minde to pay every man his own as far as he is able, and purpoſeth in himſelf, that if ever God make him able, he will pay all his debts, and to the intent that he may be able, he liveth frugally, and followeth his calling diligently, and ſeeketh Gods bleſſing upon his labours, Heb. 13.18. We truſt we have a good conſcience in all things, willing to live honeſtly. That man that hath a good conſcience, who is willing in all things to live honeſtly. Juſtice is deſired to be Conſtans & perpetuavoluntas jus ſuum cuique tribuendi. So that he is to be eſteemed a juſt and righteous man, that hath a conſtant and perpetual will and deſire to give unto every man his own, though ſome invincible impediments may lie in his way, whereby he may not be able to perform that which he would do. It is true that the Pſalmiſt giveth it for a character of a wicked man to borrow, and not to pay what is borrowed, Pſal. 37.21. The wicked borroweth and payeth not again. But this is to be underſtood of ſuch as fraudulently detain what was borrowed, or diſable themſelves from paying their debts by idleneſs, luxury, prodigality, &c. and not of ſuch as would pay all that they p. 82owe, but are diſabled by Gods providence.

3. Cry to God that … would finde out ſome way for you, and rai… up ſome ſupplies whereby you may be able to pay you Debts. When one of the Sons of the Prophets was felling a beam, and the axe head fell into the water, he cries out to the Prophet, 2 Kings 6.5. Alas Maſter, for it was borrowed. And the widow that was in debt, crie… …o Eliſha to help her, and he did help both the one and the other. The God of Eliſha is more merciful, and can do greater things than Eliſha; therefore do you that are in debt cry unto the Lord, and ſee what he will do for you. The willingneſs of God to help poor Debters to get out of Debt, may be ſeen ſeveral waves. I will mention two, 1. God wrought two Moracles for this end, to enable thoſe that were in debt to pay their debts. The one was the multiplying the Widows oyl, 1 Kings 4.1. to the 8. verſe. The other was the making iron to ſwim, that the axe that was borrowed might be reſtored to the owner, 1 Kings 6.5,6,7. Now Gods working Miracles to help poor people pay their debts, may encourage thoſe that are in debt to cry to God to help them. 2. God commandeth us to own no man any thing, Rom. 13.8. And we need not doubt but God is willing to help us to keep his Commandments.

And as you ſhould cry to God to help you out of debt, ſo alſo humble your ſouls for your ſins; for ſometimes contracting of debts is inflicted as a judgement for ſin, Deut 28.15,43,44. If thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God to obſerve to do all his Commandments—The ſtranger that is within thee ſhall get above thee very high, and thou ſhalt be very low, he ſhall lend to thee, and thou ſhalt not lend to him, he ſhall be the head, and thou ſhalt be the tail. The Lord p. 83hath promiſed concerning ſuch as are careful to keep his Commandments, that he will not only help them to pay their debts, but he will ſo bleſs them that they ſhall have no need of borrowing, but ſhall be in a capacity to lend to others, Deut. 15.4,5,6. The Lord thy God ſhall greatly bleſs thee—Only if thou carefully hearken to the voice of the Lord thy God—and thou ſhalt lend unto many Nations, and ſhalt not borrow. The like is promiſed, Deut. 28.12,13. The Lord ſhall open unto thee his good treaſure, the heaven, to give the rain unto thy land in his ſeaſon, and to bleſs all the work of thine hand, and thou ſhalt lend unto many Nations, and ſhalt not borrow, And the Lord ſhall make thee the head, and not the tail, and thou ſhalt be above only, and thou ſhalt not be beneath, if that thou hearken unto the Commandments of the Lord thy God, which I command thee this day to obſerve, and to do them. Plead theſe promiſes with God, and encourage your ſelves to hope in God to finde out ſome way whereby you may pay your debts. And if God do anſwer your Prayers, and raiſe up means for you whereby to get out of debt, pay off your debts as faſt as you can. When God had multiplyed the oyl of the widow that was in debt, the Prophet giveth her this advice, 1 Kings 4.7. Go, ſell the oyl, and pay thy debt, and live thou and thy Children of the reſt.

4. It hath been the lot of men, fearing God, to die in debt, and not to leave wherewithal to pay their debts. We read of one of the Sons of the Prophets who did fear God, that died in debt, and left no goods behinde him, not any thing in the houſe but a pot of oyl; ſo that the Creditors came to ſeize upon his Children for bond-men, 2 Kings 4.1,2. There cried a certain woman of the Wives of the Sons of the Prophets unto Eliſha, ſaying, Thy ſervant my husband p. 84is dead, and thou knoweſt that thy Servant did fear the Lord, and the Creditor is come to take unto him my two Sons, for Bond-men; and Eliſha ſaid unto her, What haſt thou in the houſe? and ſhe ſaid, thine handmaid hath not any thing in the houſe, ſave a pot of oyl. So that if after all your endeavours you ſhould not be able to pay your debts, but ſhould die in debt, and leave nothing behinde you, this may be ſome comfort, that this hath been the condition of ſome eminent Servants of God; for ſuch was this widows husband, he was one of the Sons of the Prophets, he was known to be a man fearing God, Thou knoweſt that thy ſervant did fear the Lord. Yet he died in debt, and left not any thing to pay his debts withal.

5. If you ſhould be unable to pay your debts that you owe to men, yet make ſure you get your debts, that you owe to God, blotted out of Gods Book of Remembrance. Our ſins are our debts, Mat. 6.12. Forgive us our debts, compared with Luke 11.4. Forgive us our ſins. We ſhould be more ſolicitous about getting theſe debts paid than any whatever; and becauſe we have nothing of our own to pay, we ſhould go to the Lord Jeſus, who is our ſurety, and deſire him to undertake for us. What is ſaid of the men of Iſraels reſorting to David, 1 Sam. 22.2. Every one that was in diſtreſs, and every one that was in debt, and every one that was diſcontented, gathered themſelves unto him, and he became a captain over them. The like ſhould we do, when we have any thing burdens, and diſcontents, and troubles our mindes, whether it be debt, or any other diſtreſs, we ſhould reſort unto Jeſus Chriſt, and he will give us eaſe, Mat. 11.28, Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you reſt.

p. 85SECT. 6.

Obj. 6. I am brought into much miſery and great ſtraits already by my loſſes, and may in a little time go through a great deal more, and this doth much diſquiet my minde.

Anſw. 1. Murmuring will not leſſen your miſery, but encreaſe it; for there is more evil in the leaſt ſin, than in the greateſt affliction: murmuring will not procure you enlargement out of your ſtraits, but rather cauſe God to lay more burden upon you, until he hath humbled and ſubdued your ſpirit, and cauſed you to accept of the puniſhment of your iniquity.

2. Call not your afflictions, wherewith God correcteth you for to promote your ſpiritual and eternal welfare, your miſery; rather account them a part of your happineſs, James 5.11. Behold we count them happy which endure, Job 5.17. Behold, happy is the man whom God correcteth, therefore deſpiſe not thou the chaſtning of the Almighty. Pſal. 94.12. Bleſſed is the man whom thou chaſteneſt, O Lord, and teacheſt out of thy law. We ſhould be ſo far from diſquieting our ſelves, becauſe of our afflictions, that we ſhould account it a matter of great joy when God is pleaſed to exerciſe us with divers temptations, James 1.2. My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations.

3. Obſerve in this time of your affliction, what ſins God ſets before you, as the ground and cauſe of your preſent ſtraits, and be excited by the ſmart of the rod to humble your ſouls, and ſet upon the work of repentance, and God will ſoon turn your adverſity into proſperity, and your ſtraits into enlargement, Job 36.8,9,10,11,16. If they be bound in fetters, and be holden in cords of affliction, then he ſheweth them their work, and their tranſgreſſion, that they have exceeded, p. 86he openeth alſo their ear to Diſcipline, and commandeth that they return from iniquity. If they obey and ſerve him, they ſhall ſpend their dayes in proſperity, and their years in pleaſure—Even ſo would he have removed thee out of the ſtrait into a broad place, where there is no ſtraitneſs, and that which ſhould be ſet on thy table, ſhould be full of fatneſs.

SECT. 7.

Obj. 7. My Family is undone by this loſs: if I were a ſingle perſon, and none but my ſelf were concerned in it, I could bear it cheer fully; but I have Wife and Children, and if God ſhould take me away, I can leave them nothing, and this troubles me.

Anſw. 1. It is the duty of Parents to provide for their Children, 2 Cor. 12.14. Children ought not to lay up for their Parents, but Parents for their Children; and ſuch perſons as ſpend their Eſtates in Gaming, Drinking, or other riotous courſes, whereby they begger their Children, are worſe than Inſiders, 1 Tim. 5.8. If any provide not for his own, and eſpecially for thoſe of his own houſe, he hath denied the Faith, and is worſe than an Infidel. But if a man out of conſcience towards God hath endeavoured to make proviſion for his Children, and God doth fruſtrate his endeavours, this is his affliction, but not his ſin.

2. Though you can leave your Children little or nothing, yet God may raiſe them up to great Eſtates, and to …igh Preferments after you are dead and gone, Job 14.21. His ſont come to honour, and he knoweth it not. Pſal. 113.7,8. He raiſeth up the poor out of the duſt, and lifteth the needy out of the dunghil, that he may ſet him with Princes, even with the Princes of his people, Pſal. 112.1,2,3. Bleſſed is the man that feareth the Lord, that delighteth greatly in his Commandments, p. 87his ſeed ſhall be mighty upon earth; the generation of the upright ſhall be bleſſed, health and riches ſhall be in his houſe.

3. Though you can leave your Children little or nothing, poſſibly it may be as well, or better for them, than if you had left them great Eſtates; for their Eſtates might have been temptations to others to have made a prey of them, and temptations to themſelves to have lived in Idleneſs, Luxury, &c. Children that are left with great Eſtates, do as frequently miſcarry, as thoſe that are left with leſs.

4. If your Family ſhould be undone by this loſs, yet ſeeing it is the Lords doing, you muſt ſubmit your ſelves to God. You muſt leave all your Family concernments as well as perſonal, to Gods diſpoſal. God threatned Eli with the ruine of his Family, and tells him that his off-ſpring ſhould crouch for a morſel of bread, 1 Sam. 2.36. There were ſuch heavy things denounced againſt his Family, as were enough to make both the ears of every one that heard thereof to tingle, 1 Sam. 3.11,12,13,14. Yet Eli bears all patiently, becauſe it was the Lords doing, 1 Sam. 3.18. It is the Lord, let him do what ſeemeth him good. As David comforted himſelf under his Family afflictions, by virtue of Gods Covenant, made with his own ſoul, 2 Sam. 23.5. Although my houſe be not ſo with God, yet he hath made with me an everlaſting covenant, ordered in all things and ſure; for this is all my ſalvation, and all my deſire, although he make it not to grow. The like conſolation may every godly man draw from Gods Covenant, when his Family is, or he foreſeeth it is like to be in an afflicted condition.

5. Say not, your Family is undone, though you have loſt all your Eſtate, ſo that you can leave your Wives and Children nothing; for though a godly p. 88man can leave his Children no viſible Eſtate, yet he leaveth them that which is far better than hundreds, yea, than thouſands by the year: For,

1. He leaveth his Children in Covenant with God, Gen. 17.7. I will eſtabliſh my Covenant between me and thee, and thy ſeed after thee in their generations, for an everlaſting Covenant, to be a God to thee and thy ſeed after thee. He leaveth them heirs of the Promiſes, Acts 2.39. The promiſe is unto you, and to your Children, Now to be left an heir of the Promiſes, to be left in Covenant with God, is far better than to be leftworth millions of money; for the bleſſings of the Covenant are better than all riches, and they are alſo more certain and durable bleſſings.

2. He leaveth them a ſtock of alms. God will recompence upon the children the alms, that have been given by their Parents, Oneſiphorus his houſe fared the better for his refreſhing of Paul, 1 Tim. 1.16. The Lord give mercy unto the houſe of Oneſiphorus, for he oft refreſhed me. And the Pſalmiſt telleth us, that the ſeed of a godly man fare the better for his acts of mercy, Pſal. 37.26. He is ever merciful, and lendeth, and his ſeed is bleſſed.

3. He leaveth his Children a ſtock of Prayers. All the Prayers that he hath put up for his Childrens welfare, either civil or ſpiritual, are kept in Gods remembrance, and ſhall fall down upon their heads and hearts in due time.

4. He leaveth them Gods bleſſing, which is more worth than the whole world, Prov. 20.7. The juſt man walketh in his integrity, his Children are bleſſed after him. The fruit of his holy walking ſhall fall upon his Children, and Childrens Children, even to a thouſand generations, Exod. 20.6. Shewing mercy unto thouſands of them that love me, and keep my Commandments. p. 89A godly man leaves his Children better than if he left them as great Eſtates as any men have in the world, better than if he left them a Temporal Crown, or an earthly Kingdom.

SECT. 8.

Obj. 8. I have formerly lived high, and in good credit, and eſteem, and have kept a plentiful and bountiful Table, and now I am brought low, and muſt fare hard, and expect to be ſlighted and diſ-regarded, and I know not how to bear this; had I alwayes lived in a poor mean way, I could have born it better than to go from a high to a low condition.

Anſw. 1. It is God that hath brough you low, 1 Sam. 2.7. The Lord maketh poor, and maketh rich, he bringeth low, and lifteth up. Pſal. 75.7. God is the judge, he putteth down one, and ſetteth up another. Now no man muſt finde fault with any of Gods works, Rom. 9.20. O man, who art thou that replyeſt againſt God? ſhall the thing formed ſay to him that formed it, why haſt thou made me thus?

2. It is for our good to paſs through variety of conditions, for thereby God awakens the fear of his Name in our hearts, and ſhakes off our ſecurity, and promoteth the holineſs of our hearts and lives. A continued courſe of proſperity, without ſome changes, oft-times breeds a great deal of ſecurity and forgetfulneſs of God, Pſal. 55.19. Becauſe they have no changes, therefore they fear not God. Jer. 48.11. Moab hath been at eaſe from his youth, and he hath ſettled on his lees, and hath not been emptied from veſſel to veſſel, neither hath he gone into captivity; therefore his taſte remained in him, and his ſcent is not changed. If God by this change beger, or promote the fear of his Name in your ſouls, that will be better treaſure than p. 90any that you loſt by the late Fire, Iſa. 33.6. The fear of the Lord is his treaſure.

3. The Lord would have us be ſo far from being dejected at our croſſes, that he would have us eſteem them a ground of joy, Jam. 1.2. My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations. He would have men of high degree rejoyce when they are brought low, as well as men of low degree to rejoyce when they are exalted, James 1.9,10. Let the brother of low degree rejoyce in that he is exalted, but the rich in that he is made low.

3. Remember how contentedly our Lord Jeſus Chriſt bore his ſtate of humiliation. Though he was Lord of all things, yet for our ſakes he became poor, and took upon himſelf the form of a Servant, and made himſelf of no reputation to bring us unto eternal glory, 2 Cor. 8.9. Ye know the Grace of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, that though he was rich, yet for your ſakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich, Phil. 2.5,6,7. Let this minde be in you which was in Chriſt Jeſus, who being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God, but made himſelf of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a Servant. Yet there never came one diſcontented word out of Chriſts month, neither did there ariſe one repining thought in his minde, throughout all the dayes of his humiliation. Obſerve alſo how contentedly the ſervants of God have born their changes, when God hath brought them from an high, to a low condition. When David was driven from his Kingdom, and neceſſitated to flee to ſave his life, he quietly ſubmits himſelf to God, 2 Sam. 15.26. When he that was honoured by all the Princes and Elders of Iſrael, had a man of Belial came and curſed him to his face, David puts up all his railing language with a meek p. 91and quiet ſpirit, 2 Sam. 16.5,6,7,8,9,10,11.

5. Though you be brought very low, and thoſe that were your friends in the day of your proſperity, ſhould now ſlight and diſ-regard you, yet if you continue to ſerve the Lord, he will reſpect and regard you as much as ever he did, Pſal. 136.26. Who remembred us in our low eſtate, for his mercy endureth for ever, Pſal. 106.43,44,45. They provoked him with their counſel, and were brought low for their iniquity, nevertheleſs he regarded their efftiction, when he heard their cry, and he remembred for them his Covenant, and repented, according to the multitude of his mercies. If your hearts be lowly, as well as your conditions low, the moſt high God will reſpect you more than all the great men upon the face of the earth that are of a proud ſpirit, Pſal. 138.6. Though the Lord be high, yet hath he reſpect unto the lowly, but the proud he knoweth afar off. Whatever account men may have of the Servants of God, the Lord eſteemeth very highly of them. He counts them his Jewels, Mal. 3.17. It is ſaid of them, Iſa. 62.3. Thou ſhalt be a Crown of Glory in the hand of the Lord, and a royal Diadem in the hand of thy God. This high eſteem that God hath of you, may abundantly ſatisfie you under all the ſlights and diſ-reſpect that you meet with from men.

6. If you be brought to fare hard and meanly by this providence, whereas before you had a very plentiful table, this ſhould not trouble you: for 1. God can make a courſe and mean diet conduce as much to your health and nouriſhment, as the richeſt fare in the world. Daniel and his three companions, who eat nothing but pulſe, and drank water, were of a fairer countenance, and fatter in fleſh, than all the children which did eat the portion of the Kings meat, Dan. 1.12,13,14,15. 2. Though you p. 92ſhould be brought to fare very hard, yet as good, and better men than you are, have fared harder than you, and yet did not murmur againſt God. We read of an hundred men that were the Lords Prophets, that lived in a cave with bread and water, 1 Kings 18.13. John the Baptiſt was a great perſon: Our Saviour telleth us, that among them that were born of women, there was not a greater than John the Baptiſt, Matth. 11.11. Yet both his habit and diet were very mean. John had his raiment of Camels hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins, and his meat was locuſts and wilde honey, Mat. 3.4. and he drank neither wine nor ſtrong drink, Luke 1.15. Our Saviour himſelf eat very courſe diet, and yet was thankful for it. When many of his friends were about him, that came to hear his word, he had nothing better to refreſh himſelf after his labours, and to give to his Diſciples and thoſe that followed him, but Barley Bread and Fiſh, and they had no ſeats to ſit upon at their meat, but the graſs; yet Jeſus Chriſt lift up his eyes and gave thanks, John 6.9,10,11. Another time being weary and thirſty, he had nothing better than water to quench his thirſt, and he could not with once asking obtain a draught of water to quench his thirſt, John 4.6,7,9. Jeſus being wearied with his journey, ſate on the well. There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water; Jeſus ſaith unto her, give me to drink: then ſaith the woman, How is it that thou being a Jew, askeſt drink of me which am a woman of Samaria? 3. The meaner your diet is, the leſs will be your temptation to exceſs. Such as fare deliciouſly every day, are under a great temptation to make their belly their God, which is a fin that will bring unavoidable deſtruction, Phil. 3.19. whoſe end is deſtruction, whoſe belly is their God. 4. God hath given ſuch of you as are his ſervants, p. 93his Son who is the bread of life, the bread that came down from heaven, John 6.48,51. and the water of life, John 4.10. and why ſhould you be diſcontented, becauſe your dyet is mean, who have meat to eat that the world knows not of, hidden Manna? yea, who have the bread of life, and the water of life?

SECT. 9.

Obj. 9. I had a very ſweet and commodious dwelling, where I lived very comfortably, and now I am greatly unſettled; I know not well where to beſtow my ſelf, I can't light of an houſe that pleaſeth me, but am put to great ſtraits, and am much troubled for the loſs of my former habitation, and the inconvenience of my preſent abode.

Anſw. 1. You have as good dwellings ſtill as many ſervants had, who were too good to dwell in the world, Heb. 11.38. Of whom the world was not worthy, they wandered in deſerts, and in mountains, and in dens, and caves of the earth. You are as well provided for as the Apoſtles of Chriſt. Paul ſpeaking of himſelf and the other Apoſtles, ſaith, 1 Cor. 4.9,11. Even unto this preſent hour we both hunger and thirſt, and are naked, and are buffeted, and have no certain dwelling place. You are as well, and better provided for in this reſpect, than Chriſt himſelf was when he was in the world, Mat. 8.20. The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have neſts, but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.

2. Every godly man hath God for his habitation, and they that have God for their habitation, may well be contented, how inconvenient ſoever their habitation be in this world. When the Iſraelites wandered in a deſolate Wilderneſs, by the ſpace of forty years, where they had no houſes to dwell in, they were abundantly ſatisfied in this, that God was their dwelling p. 94place, Pſal. 90.1. Lord, thou haſt been our dwelling place in all generations. That this Pſalm was penned when the Iſraelites were in a wandering unſettled condition in the Wilderneſs, appeareth both from the Title, and ſeveral paſſages in the Pſalm.

3. When you are troubled at the loſs, or for the want of a convenient habitation here on earth, comfort your ſelves with the thoughts and hope of that glorious houſe which God hath prepared for you in heaven, 2 Cor. 5.1. We know if our earthly houſe of this Tabernacle were diſſolved, we have building of God, an houſe not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. The Diſciples had left their houſes, and all that they had for Chriſt, and Chriſt to comfort them, tells them of the manſions that were prepared for them in heaven, John 14.1,2. Let not your hearts be troubled—In my Fathers houſe are many manſions, if it were not ſo, I would have told you, I go to prepare a place for you. The like may I ſay to you, let not your hearts be troubled at the loſs of your houſes, though never ſo convenient, but comfort your ſelves with the expectation of thoſe glorious manſions that are prepared for you in heaven.

4. Had not God unſettled you by this Providence, it may be you would have ſettled upon your Lees, Jer. 48.11. It may be you would have ſaid in your heart, it is good being here, and would have neglected ſeeking the Kingdom of God; and therefore God out of mercy to your ſouls might unſettle you, to cauſe you to ſhake off a worldly ſpirit, and to ſtir you up to make ſure of an eternal habitation in heaven.

5. If you ſeek unto God, though your houſes be laid waſte, and your ſelves much unſettled, and know not where to fix your habitations, God will provide p. 95you as good habitations as ever you had, Pſal. 107.4,6,7. They wandered in the Wilderneſs in a ſolitary way, they found no city to dwell in, then they cried unto the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them out of their diſtreſſes, and he led them forth by the right way, that they might go to a city of habitation. Ezek. 36.9.10. Behold, I am for you, and I will turn unto you—and the Cities ſhall be inhabited, and the waſts ſhall be builded. But he adds withal that he expected they ſhould enquire of him to beſtow this, and what other mercies are promiſed in this Chapter, ver. 37. Thus ſaith the Lord God, I will yet for this be enquired of by the houſe of Iſrael to do this for them.

SECT. 10.

Obj. 10. I am by this providence diſabled from following my Calling, and thereby rendered uſeleſs and unſerviceable in my Generation, and this is that which moſt of all troubles and diſquiets my mind.

Anſw. 1. We ſhould covet earneſtly to do God and our Generation much ſervice thoſe few dayes we have to live in the world, 1 Cor. 15.58. Be ye ſtedfaſt, unmoveable, alwayes abounding in the work of the Lord— It is a ſore judgement when our dayes are ſpent unprofitably, and inflicted as a puniſhment of other ſins, Pſal. 78.32,33. They ſinned ſtill, and believed not for his wondrous works; therefore their dayes did he conſume in vanity. It argues great diſpleaſure in God, when he ſuffers us to ſpend our dayes in an unprofitable manner, Pſal. 90.9. Our dayes are paſſed away in thy wrath, we ſpend our years as a tale that is told. This Scripture implyeth that it is a great token of Gods wrath, when we ſpend our years as a tale—Now then we may be ſaid to ſpend our years as a tale, when we ſpend them idly and unprofitably; for there comes p. 96no profit in telling of Tales, 1 Tim. 4.7,8. Tales have this Epithite given them in the Scripture, Idle Tales, Luke 24.11. what our Tranſlation renders, At a tale that is told: ſome Tranſlations, as the Greek, Arabick, Syriack, and Aethiopick render, As a ſpider, or, As a ſpiders web. The ſenſe is the ſame, namely when our years are ſpent in fruitleſs labours, whereby neither we our ſelves, or others are the better for them; this is from the wrath of the Lord.

2. If we do earneſtly deſire and endeavour to ſerve the Lord and our Generation, and do long for abilities and opportunities of doing ſervice, and the Lord grant them not; or after he hath made uſe of us awhile, ſhall lay us aſide, we muſt in this caſe ſubmit our ſelves to God, and ſay as David did, 2 Sam. 15.26. If he ſay thus, I have no delight in thee, behold here am I, let him do to me as ſeemeth good unto him. There is good reaſon that we ſhould ſubmit our ſelves unto God, if he ſhould refuſe to employ us in doing him any farther ſervice, though we have never ſuch ſtrong deſires to be ſerviceable in our Generation: for 1. We are altogether unworthy to be employed in any ſervice for God and Chriſt, though the meaneſt that can be thought of. What meaner ſervice could any one have, than to ſtoop down and unty Chriſts ſhooes, or to carry his ſhooes after him. Yet John the Baptiſt who was a great perſon, none that was born of women was greater than he, according as our Saviour teſtifieth of him, Mat. 11.11. He was filled with the Holy Ghoſt from his Mothers Womb, Luke 1.15. He was ſuch an holy man, that Herod the King of the Jews ſtood in awe of him, Mark 6.20. Yet this great, this holy man thought himſelf unworthy to do the leaſt or meaneſt ſervice for Chriſt, he thought himſelf unworthy to unty, or p. 97carry his ſhooes after him, Luke 3.16. One mightier than I cometh, the latchet of whoſe ſhoes I am not worthy to unlooſe, Mat. 3.11. Whoſe ſhooes I am not worthy to bear. 2. When it is in our hearts to do any ſervice for God or our Generation, God approves of what is in our hearts, though we are not able, or want opportunity to effect and bring to paſs what we deſired to do, for the advancing of the Glory of God, and promoting our own or others good, 2 Cor. 8.12. If there be a willing minde, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not. Though God did not permit David to build him an houſe, yet God was pleaſed that there was a deſire and purpoſe in his heart to have done this thing, and commends him for it, 1 Kings 8.18,19. The Lord ſaid unto David, whereas it was in thine heart to build an houſe to my name, thou didſt well that it was in thine heart, nevertheleſs thou ſhalt not build the houſe— 3. God is the Lord and maſter of the whole world, and it belongs to the maſter of the houſe to take what ſervants he pleaſeth, and to ſet them about what work he pleaſeth, and put them out of his ſervice when he pleaſeth. We that are maſters of Families take this liberty to our ſelves, and ſhall not we grant that to God which we take to our ſelves?

3. If you are troubled becauſe you are diſabled from ſerving God and your Generation, uſe what means you can to prevail with God to call you again into a way of ſervice, and to render you uſeful in your Generation, I will commend to you ſome means whereby you may prevail with God to make uſe of you to do him ſervice in your Generation. 1. Purge out your ſins, and labour for ſanctified hearts and lives: Sanctified perſons are meet for Gods uſe, and he delighteth to employ them in his Service, 2 Tim. p. 982.21. If a man purge himſelf from theſe, he ſhall be a veſſel unto honour, ſanctified and meet for his maſters uſe, and prepared unto every good work. 2. Act your faith upon the promiſes of God, wherein God hath promiſed to make his people uſeful in their places, and ſerviceable to him in their Generation. I ſhall name one or two to this purpoſe, Deut. 30.9. The Lord thy God will make thee plenteous in every work of thine hand—for good. Here are two bleſſings promiſed, the one is, that we ſhall be full of employment; the other is, that good ſhall come of what we take in hand. Something of this nature is implied in that promiſe, Mine Elect ſhall long enjoy the work of their hands, Iſa. 65.22. God hath promiſed to make us ſerviceable all the dayes of our life, Luke 1.72,74,75. To perform the mercy promiſed—that he would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hands of our enemies, might ſerve him without fear, in holineſs and righteouſneſs before him all the dayes of our life. 3. Mourn over your unſerviceableneſs, and cry unto God to admit you into his ſervice, and offer your ſelves to undertake any employment that he ſhall cut out for you, and promiſe the Lord, that if he will put you into his ſervice, that you will ſerve him with an upright heart, as David did, Pſal. 75.2. When I ſhall receive the congregation, I will judge uprightly. When the Lord ſeeth ſuch a ſpirit as this in us, he will ſoon employ us in ſome way of ſervice, as Deborah ſaid, Judg. 5.9. Mine heart is toward the Governourrs of Iſrael, that offered themſelves willingly among the people. So is Gods heart towards ſuch perſons as freely offer themſelves unto his Service; the Lord ordained it for a Law, that if a Levite came to miniſter with all the deſire of his minde, he ſhould be admitted to miniſter in the name of the Lord, Deut. 18.6,7, p. 99God will aſſuredly provide work for thoſe that do ſo highly prize his ſervice as to cry and mourn after it.

4. If you are by this providence diſabled from following your former Calling, then follow ſome other Calling; for God would have no man live without a Calling. When Adam was in Innocency, God would not permit him to be out of employment, but gave him a Calling to employ himſelf in, Gen. 2.15. And the Lord took the man, and put him into the Garden of Eden to dreſs it, and to keep it. Chuſe rather the meaneſt Calling, than to live without a calling. And if God ſo order it, that you muſt of neceſſity take a meaner, leſs honourable, and more laborious calling than you had before, be not diſcontented at it, but comply thereto with a ready and quiet minde. Moſes that was delicately brought up in a Kings Court, by the ſpace of forty years, and was ſo tenderly nurſed up by Pharaohs Daughter, as if he had been her own Son, did not diſdain to ſerve his Generation for ſeveral years in a very mean Calling, viz. the Calling of a Shepherd, Exod. 3.1. Now Moſes kept the Flock of Jethro his Father-in-law. It is ſaid of David, that he ſerved his Generation according to the will of God, Acts 13.36. When it was the will of God that he ſhould ſerve his Generation as a Shepherd, he was content to be a Shepherd, and when it was the will of God that he ſhould ſerve his Generation as a King, he was content to be a King, when afterward God drove him from his Kingdom, and put him into the condition of an Exile, he was content with that condition alſo, 2 Sam. 15.25,26. It is probable that our Saviour himſelf wrought in the Calling of a Carpenter ſome time before he entered into the Calling of the Miniſtry (and that is both a mean and laborious Calling) and this may be gathered from his Countreymens p. 100upbraiding him with this Calling, Mark. 6.2,3. From whence hath this man theſe things▪ and what wiſdom is this which is given to him, that even ſuch mighty work are wrought by his hands? Is not this the Carpenter; the Son of Mary?

If you ſay we would willingly follow ſome other Calling, now we are diſabled from following our former Callings, but we do not know, what Callings to fix upon. How ſhall we come to underſtand our way, and to know what Callings God would have us make choice of, now he hath diſabled us from following our former Callings?

Anſw. 1. Ask counſel of God what Callings he would have you make choice of, that ſo you may ſerve your Generation arcording to the will of God, and not according to your own will. The Lord hath promiſed to direct you in your choice, if you ſeek to him for counſel, Prov. 3.6. In all thy wayes acknowledge him, and he ſhall direct thy paths. Pſal. 25.12. What man is he that feareth the Lord? him ſhall he teach in the way that he ſhall chooſe.

2. Conſider your own abilities, both in reſpect of parts and skill, and alſo in reſpect of your ſtock that you have left to trade withal; and what Calling you finde your ſelf beſt able to manage, that you may make choice of, and look upon it as Gods minde that you ſhould embrace it; for Gods diſtributing of abilities for an employment is one principal ingredient in thoſe things which concur to the making out of our call to that employment, 1 Cor. 7.17. As God hath diſtributed to every man, as God hath called every one.

3. Conſider how God enclines your heart after you have ſought him, for Gods call to an employment may be gathered by his inclining of the heart unto it, as in the caſe of the Levite, Deut. 18.7,8. The ardent p. 101deſire of his minde was one way of evidencing his call to Miniſters in the Name of the Lord his God.

4. Obſerve Gods providence, which way that guides and leads you, whileſt you are waiting upon God for counſel, for that is one way by which God guides and directs us, namely by his providence, Pſ. 32.8. I will inſtruct, and teach thee in the way which thou ſhalt go, I will guide thee with mine eye. By the eye of God, with which he will guide us, we may underſtand his providence, for ſo the eye of God is oft-times uſed to ſignifie his providence, as Pſal. 34.15. Pſal. 33.18,19. It is true, many men run into great miſtakes, by pretending to follow providence; but this doth dot hinder, but that ſuch as regulate their lives by the word of God, may in many caſes receive light and direction from his Providence.

5. Conſider what Calling hath leaſt temptations and ſnares in it, and chuſe that rather than a calling where you are like to be expoſed to many temptations. We ought as much as in us lieth to avoid temptations, elſe why do we pray, Lead us not into temptation: Mat. 6.13.

SECT. 11.

Obj. 11. I am afraid this Judgment came in wrath, and that God is angry with me, becauſe he hath conſumed and burnt all my Eſtate, and that is it which moſt of all diſquiets and troubles my minde; namely, that I look upon this Judgment as coming in wrath, and do apprehend God is angry with me.

Anſw. 1. When God ſends ſuch great and dreadful Judgments upon any place as the late Fire was, it is a token of his fierce anger, and of his hot diſpleaſure, Pſal. 78.21. The Lord heard this and was wrath, ſo a fire was kindled againſt Jacob, and anger alſo came p. 102up againſt Iſrael: Iſa. 66.15. Behold the Lord will come with fire to render his anger with fury, and his rebuke with flames of fire.

2. If this Judgement did come upon you in wrath, yet you muſt bear it with a patient ſubmiſſive ſpirit, Micha 7.9. I will bear the indignation of the Lord, becauſe I have ſinned againſt him. To free or murmur at the taken of Gods wrath, is not the way to appeaſe, but to increaſe the indignation of the Lord.

3. If you conceive that God is angry with you, do what you can to pacifie his anger. Solomon obſerves, Prov. 16.14. The wrath of a King is as meſſengers of death, but a wiſe man will pacifie it. The wrath of God is more dreadful th…n the wrath of all the Kings in the world; and therefore if you do apprehend God to be angry with you, endeavour to get the Lords anger pacified and turned away from you. If you ask, How ſhall we get Gods anger pacified and turned away from us. I anſwer, 1. Turn from your ſins, and God will turn away his anger from you; Jonah, 8.9. Let them turn every one from his evil way, and from the violence that is in their hands, who can tell if God will turn and repent, and turn away from his fierce anger, that we periſh not? Jer. 3.12. Return thou back-ſliding Iſrael, ſaith the Lord, and I will not cauſe mine anger to fall upon you. When the people of Iſrael did at the call of God, turn from their ſins, God ſaith of Iſrael, Mine anger is turned away from him, Hoſea 14.1,2,4.

2. Turn to the Lord Jeſus, embrace and lay hold on Chriſt by a lively Faith, and then Gods anger ſhall be turned away from you, and the Lord will be at peace with you, Iſa. 27.5. Let him take hold of my ſtrength, that he may make peace with me, and he ſhall make peace with me. By Gods ſtrength here underſtand p. 103Chriſt, who is called, 1 Cor. 1.24. Chriſt, the Power of God, and the wiſdom of God. By taking hold of Gods ſtrength, underſtand believing in Chriſt, if then you deſire to make your peace with God, follow the counſel which God himſelf giveth you to this purpoſe, namely, take hold of his ſtrength, for upon ſo doing, you ſhall make peace with him. God teſtifieth concerning Chriſt, Mat. 3.27. This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleaſed. If you flee for refuge from the wrath of God, unto Jeſus Chriſt, and caſt your ſelves into his armes, the Lord will be well pleaſed with you. 3. Yield your ſelves to God to do and ſuffer his will, what Solomon ſaith, Eccleſ. 10.4. Yielding pacifieth great offences. 'tis true in this caſe, though you have greatly offended God, if you yield your ſelves unto the Lord, he will be pacified towards you, and turn away his wrath from you, 2 Chr. 30.8. Be ye not ſtiff-necked as your fathers were, but yield your ſelves unto the Lord—and ſerve the Lord your God, that the fierceneſs of his wrath may turn away from you.

4. Though this Judgment be the effect of Gods wrath, yet there may be much love in it to many perſons that have been great ſufferers by this Fire. The Lord ſheweth love when he takes away our outward comforts and enjoyments, and chaſtneth us with his rod, as well as when he loadeth us with his benefits, Heb. 12.6. Whom the Lord loveth, he chaſteneth. Pſal. 107.39,43. They are miniſhed and brought low through oppreſſion, affliction, and ſorrow; who ſo is wiſe and will obſerve theſe things, even they ſhall underſtand the loving kindeneſs of the Lord. Now if you would know whether this affliction whereby you have been deprived of ſo great a part of your Eſtates, came in love, I will mention two or three things whereby you may p. 104know this, and they will be of uſe to you in other afflictions alſo. 1. Such afflictions as draw your ſouls nearer to God, come from love; for it is Gods love which cauſeth him to draw our ſouls to himſelf, Jer. 31.3. With loving kindeneſs have I drawn thee—Hoſea 11.4. I drew them with cords of a man, with bands of love. Now how do you finde it with your ſelves in this reſpect? do your loſſes put you upon ſeeking reconciliation with God? do they ſtir you up to ſeek communion with God? do they cauſe you to live and depend more upon his providence and promiſes? if in any reſpect you finde them drawing your ſouls nearer to God, you may conclude, that God hath taken away your Eſtates out of love to your ſouls. 2. Such afflictions as make us zealous in renewing our repentance, come from love, Rev. 3.19. As many as I love I rebuke and chaſten, be zealous therefore and repent. 3. Such afflictions as make us more humble, more heavenly minded, or any other way promote the holineſs of our hearts and lives come from love, Heb. 12.10. He chaſtneth us for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holineſs. The Apoſtle ſpeaketh of ſuch as are chaſtned out of love, as we may ſee, ver. 6. Whom the Lord loveth he chaſteneth; whence it appears that ſuch chaſtenings as make us partakers of Gods Holineſs come from his Love.

SECT. 12.

Obj. 12. My loſs hath been ſo great, that I am thereby diſabled from giving any thing to the poor, and this troubleth me very much, that I am by this providence cut off from exerciſing Charity, and that I cannot relieve the poor as I was wont to do heretofore.

Anſw. 1. Though you have loſt much, yet if you have any thing left, you muſt will be doing good, according p. 105to your ability, Heb. 13.16. To do good, and to communicate forget not, for with ſuch ſacrifices God is well pleaſed. This is ſpoken to ſuch as had ſuffered the ſpoiling of their goods, Heb. 10.34. and notwithſtanding their ſufferings, the Apoſtle tells them, they muſt not forget to do good, and communicate to ſuch as were in greater diſtreſs than themſelves. Such as have nothing to live upon but their labor, ſhould give ſomething out of their earnings, Eph. 4.28. Let him labour, working with his hands the thing that is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth. Acts 20.35.Acts 20:35If any ſay, but if I that have but little, ſhould give any thing to the poor, I may come to want my ſelf. I anſwer, Never fear being brought to want by doing acts of Charity, Prov. 28.27. He that giveth to the poor ſhall not lack. If any reply the times are like to prove bad and hard, and therefore I that have but little, had not need give away any thing, but rather ought to lay up all that I can againſt an hard time. Anſw. The uncertainty of the times and the evils that are like to come upon the earth, ſhould not hinder our Charity, but make us more abundant in works of Mercy, Eccleſ. 11.2. Give a portion to ſeven, and alſo to eight, for thou knoweſt not what evil ſhall be upon the earth. Lo… here the Holy Ghoſt would have us give frequently, and give bountifully, a portion, and that not to one or two, but to ſeven, and alſo to eight, when any evils are like to come upon the earth.

2. Though you have loſt much, and have but little left, you may give as much as you did before, I mean that which God will count as much. The widow that gave but two mites, caſt more into the Treaſury in Chriſts account, than thoſe rich men that caſt in abundance, Mark 12.41,42,43. Jeſus ſate over p. 106againſt the treaſury, and behold how the people caſt money into the Treaſury, and many that were rich caſt in much, and there came a certain poor widow, and ſhe threw in two mites which make a farthing; and he called unto him his Diſciples, and ſaith unto them, Verily I ſay unto you, that this poor widow hath caſt more in, then all they which have caſt into the treaſury. God looks at the heart more than the gift, and the more freedom of heart and willingneſs of minde there is in our gifts, the better they are accepted with God. A man of a mean eſtate may give with as free an heart as a Prince, 2 Sam. 24.23. All theſe things did Araunah, as a King, give unto the King. Yet he was but a mean man compared with David, he called David his Lord, and ſtiles himſelf Davids ſervant, ver. 21. both he and his Sons were at hard labour when David came to them, they were threſhing wheat, 1 Chron. 21.20. The Churches of Macedonia were very poor, and under many afflictions, and yet in the depth of their poverty and their greateſt afflictions they abounded in liberality, 2 Cor. 8.1,2. We do you, to wit of the grace of God beſtowed on the Churches of Macedonia, how that in a great trial of affliction, the abundance of their joy, and their deep poverty, abounded unto the riches of their liberality.

3. Be not diſcouraged from acts of Charity, becauſe you can give but very little in compariſon of what you did before; for the leaſt and ſmalleſt acts of Charity done in a right ſpirit, ſhall have a great and glorious reward. What a ſmall matter is it to give a cup of cold water, yet ſuch as give a cup of cold water only, having nothing more or better to beſtow, ſhall in no wiſe loſe their reward, Mat. 10.42. Whoſoever ſhall give to drink unto one of theſe little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a Diſciple, verily I ſay unto you, he ſhall in no wiſe loſe his p. 107reward. Our Saviours rule is, Give alms of ſuch things as you have, and behold all things are clean unto you, Luke 11.41. They that have much muſt give much, and they that have but mean things muſt not be diſcouraged, becauſe it is but little and inconſiderable that they can do, but muſt give alms of ſuch things as they have. If there be a willing minde to give much, God accepts of a mans willing minde, though he be able to give but very little, 2 Cor. 8.12.

4. If your loſſes be ſo great that you are able to give nothing to the poor, yet you are not diſabled from exerciſing of your Charity. You may pitty them as much as ever you did: and it is ſaid, Prov. 19.17. He that hath pity upon the poor, lendeth unto the Lord. You may draw out your ſouls to them, which ſhall not go unrewarded, Iſa. 58.11. If thou draw out thy ſoul to the hungry, and ſatisfie the afflicted ſoul, then ſhall thy light riſe in obſcurity, and thy darkneſs be as the noon day. You may pray for them, you may ſtir up others to relieve them. You may give much ſpiritual almes when you are ſo low in the world that you have not one penny of money to give, as Peter ſaid, Acts 3.6. Silver and gold have I none, but ſuch as I have give I thee. So though you have no ſilver nor gold to give, yet you may give that which is far better. Though you be poor you may enrich your Families, and your Relations, and your Neighbours with ſpiritual riches, 2 Cor. 6.10. As poor, yet making many rich. By your godly diſcourſe you may miniſter grace to thoſe that hear your diſcourſe, Eph. 4.29. Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the uſe of edifying, that it may miniſter grace to the hearers. To miniſter grace to any man is a thouſand times better than to miniſter the good things of this world to him. It is ſaid, Prov. p. 10810.21. The lips of the righteous feed many, and ver. 20. The tongue of the juſt is as choice ſilver. When you have not bread to feed the hungry withal, feed as many as you can with the fruit of your lips. When you communicate inſtruction and knowledge to any perſons, you communicate that which is more worth than all the ſilver and gold in the world, Pro…. 3.13,14,15. Prov. 8.10,11.

SECT. 13.

Obj. 13. If it had been purely the hand of God that had taken away my Eſtate, I could have born it, but it was my folly and indiſcretion to betruſt my Goods in ſuch hazardous places; if I had had my wits about me, and not have left my Goods where I did, I might have ſaved all, or moſt of them; and in regard that I loſt them by my indiſcretion in the ordering of my affairs, this is that which doth chiefly trouble me.

Anſw. 1. Who is it hideth wiſdom and counſel from men in time of ſtraits? Is it not the Lord? Job 12.17,20. He leadeth counſellers away ſpoiled, and maketh the Judges fools. He removeth away the ſpeech of the truſty, and taketh away the underſtanding of the aged. When a wiſe mans underſtanding faileth him, it is becauſe God taketh it away, 1 Cor. 1.19. I will deſtroy the wiſdom of the wiſe, and will bring to nothing the underſtanding of the prudent. What is ſaid of the Oſtrich, ſhe leaveth her eggs in the earth, and forgetteth that the foot may cruſh them, or that the wild beaſt may break them, becauſe God hath deprived her of wiſdom, neither hath he imparted to her underſtanding, Job 39.14,15,17. The like may be ſaid in your caſe, if you left your Goods in any place for ſecurity, and did forget, or not conſider the hazard and danger that was in that place, or ſuffered damage by any other indiſcreet action, it was p. 109becauſe God deprived you of wiſdom, and did not impart underſtanding to you to order your affairs for your outward advantage. The hand of God is not only in all our afflictions, but in every circumſtance of every affliction, Rom. 11.36. Of him, and through him, and to him, are all things, to whom be glory for ever. If you take not heed, while you fret at your own indiſcreet carriage, you will be found guilty of fretting againſt the Lord, who with-held wiſdom and counſel from you.

2. Though you managed your affairs indiſcreetly, yet God managed every thing that befel you, and every other perſon in this dreadful Fire with infinite wiſdom, Eph. 1.11.—Who worketh all things according to the counſel of his own will. There is not only the will, but the eternal counſel of God, in all the acts of his providence. That of the Pſalmiſt, O Lord how manifold are thy works, in wiſdom haſt thou made them all, Pſal. 104.24. may be applyed to the works of Gods providence, as well as of creation. Therefore let this ſatisfie and quiet your mindes, though you carried your ſelves indiſcreetly, God managed every thing that befel you with infinite and eternal wiſdom.

3. If there were any thing of folly and indiſcretion in the loſs of your eſtates, make a ſpiritual improvement of the hand of God that went out againſt you, by reaſon of your imprudent management of your affairs, and then your loſs will turn to your great gain. I will hint two or three things to you for this purpoſe. 1. Do not think your ſelves ſufficient to manage your affairs without asking counſel of God, Jer. 10.23. O Lord I know that the way of man is not in himſelf, it is not in man that walketh to direct his ſteps. Had you asked guidance of God how to diſpoſe of your Goods, and not gone upon your p. 110own heads, it may be he would have directed you to ſome other courſe, whereby your ſubſtance might have been preſerved. 2. Dread walking in your own counſels for the time to come, and be afraid of undertaking any buſineſs of moment, how wiſe and prudent ſoever you apprehend your ſelves to be, until you have asked and received counſel from God. To walk after our own counſels, is well nigh as bad as to walk after the luſts of our own hearts, they both ſpeak an evil ſtate, Pſal. 81.12. I gave them up unto their own hearts luſt, and they walked in their own counſels. It may be you thought ſuch and ſuch places very ſecure, and thereupon you beſtowed your Goods there, without asking of God to guide you, and they were all burnt; if ſo having ſmarted for leaning to your own underſtanding, learn with the burnt childe to dread the fire. Never venter more upon your own wiſdom in any buſineſs of moment till you have ſought God, and are directed by him what to do. 3. Learn hence to live by faith for guidance and direction under all ſudden and unexpected emergencies of Gods providence. We have a promiſe of being guided continually by God, Iſa. 58.11. The Lord ſhall guide thee continually. We had need be daily eying this and ſuch like promiſes, becauſe we know not what difficulties and unexpected tryals every day may bring forth.

SECT. 14.

Obj. 14. I have been a man very induſtrious in my Calling, and by Gods bleſſing on my labours, I had gotten a very fair Eſtate, wherewith I and mine lived comfortably, and it troubleth me much that I ſhould lofe in one day what I have been labouring for many years.

Anſw. 1. When God bloweth upon our labours, p. 111and all our earnings are like that which is put into a bag with holes, he calleth upon us to conſider our wayes, Hag. 1.6,7. Ye have ſowen much, and bring in little, he that earneth wages, earneth wages to put it into a bag with holes, Thus ſaith the Lord of hoſts, conſider your wayes. If the loſs of all that ever you earned do ſtir you up to the practice and exerciſe of repentance, ye will ſay one day, It is good for me that I was afflicted.

2. Though you have loſt all that ever you earned in your Callings, you have not loſt the reward of your diligence, induſtry, and faithfulneſs which you uſed in following your Callings, for that ſhall have an eternal reward in heaven. As it is with ſervants, beſides, that wages, and temporal reward which they have from their Maſters for their work, they ſhall have an eternal reward from Chriſt in heaven, Col. 3.24. Knowing that of the Lord, ye ſhall receive the reward of the inheritance, for ye ſerve the Lord Chriſt. So it is in other Callings, they that ſerve Chriſt faithfully and diligently in any Calling, though never ſo mean ſhall be rewarded for ever in heaven for their ſervice, beſides thoſe temporal bleſſings which are caſt in upon them in this life, Matth. 25.23. Well done good and faithful Servant, thou haſt been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things, enter thou into the joy of thy Lord. Therefore I may ſay to you that are mourning, becauſe you have loſt all that you have laboured for, as the Prophet Jeremiah did in another caſe. Jer. 31.16. Thus ſaith the Lord, refrain thy voice from weeping, and thine eyes from tears, for thy work ſhall be rewarded, ſaith the Lord.

p. 112SECT. 15.

Obj. 15. I am conſci…s to my ſelf of much unrighteouſneſs in the getting of my Eſtate, and now my Eſtate that I get unrighteouſly is gone, my guilt remains, and I am full of horror in my conſcience, becauſe of my ſins, and eſpecially for this ſin of unrighteouſneſs.

Anſw. 1. Such as have been guilty of unrighteouſneſs in their dealings, have great cauſe of being troubled, for they have committed an hainous fin, which without repentance will moſt certainly ſhut them out of the Kingdom of Heaven, 1 Cor. 6.9. Know ye not that the unrighteous ſhall not inherit the Kingdom of God. It is a ſin which brings down great wrath from God, 1 Theſſ. 4.6. That no man go beyond and defraud his brother in any matter, becauſe the Lord is the avenger of all ſuch, as we alſo have forewarned you and teſtified. It makes a man an abomination to God, Deut. 25.16. All that do unrighteouſly, are an abomination to the Lord thy God.

2. If you be troubled in conſcience for your unrighteouſneſs in your dealings with any man, your way to get the trouble of your Conſcience removed, and to get true and ſolid peace, is to do theſe things.

1. Confeſs your ſin to God. You have wronged God as well as your neighbour by your unrighteouſneſs in your dealings, and therefore 'tis meet that you ſhould confeſs your ſin to God, and humble your ſouls in his ſight, and if you do confeſs your ſin to God, he will pardon this ſin of unrighteouſneſs as well as other ſins, 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.

1. Leave off, and ceaſe from all unrighteous courſes for the time to come, and then the Lord will pardon p. 113all your former unrighteouſneſs, although your ſin in that kinde hath been exceeding great, Iſa. 55.7. Let the wicked forſake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts, and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon, Iſa. 1.16,18. Waſh ye, make you clean, put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes, ceaſe to do evil—Come now and let us reaſon together, ſaith the Lord, though your ſins be as ſcarlet, they ſhall be as white as ſnow, though they be red like crimſon, they ſhall be as wool.

3. Flee to the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, and lay hold on him by a true and lively Faith. Jeſus Chriſt hath ſatisfied his Father for all our unjuſt dealings, and all our other ſins, 1 Pet. 3.18. Chriſt hath once ſuffered for ſins, the juſt for the unjuſt, that he might bring us unto God. And ſuch is the efficacy of his death and ſufferings, that whatever guilt troubleth the Conſcience, the Blood of Chriſt is able to remove it, 1 John 1.7. The blood of Jeſus Chriſt his Son cleanſeth us from all Sin. And every one that believeth in Chriſt, ſhall partake of the vertue and efficacy of his Blood, for they ſhall be juſtified from all things whatſoever they have done, either againſt God or men, Acts 13.39. By him all that believe are juſtified from all things, from which ye could not be juſtified by the Law of Moſes. The Corinthians were guilty of unrighteouſneſs in their dealings, 1 Cor. 6.8. You do wrong, and defraud, and that your brethren. And ver. 11. Such were ſome of you, that is, unrighteous, thieves, covetous, extortioners, &c. as is expreſſed, ver. 9, 10, Yet he adds, ver. 11. But ye are waſhed, but ye are ſanctified, but ye are juſtified in the name of the Lord Jeſus, and by the Spirit of our God. Whence you may ſee, that the Blood of Chriſt cleanſeth from all kindes of unrighteouſneſs, as fraud, theft, extortion, &c.

p. 1144. Labour to get into Covenant with God. It is one branch of Gods Covenant to pardon his peoples unrighteouſneſs, Heb. 8.10,12. This is the covenant that I will make with the houſe of Iſrael—I will be merciful to their unrighteouſneſs, and their ſins, and their iniquities will I remember no more.

5. Make reſtitution to thoſe whom you have wronged, whatever you have taken from any man, by fraud, or extortion, or any other unjuſt way, reſtore it to him again, Ezek. 33.15,16. If the wicked reſtore the pledge, give again that he had robbed, walk in the ſtatutes of life without committing iniquity, he ſhall ſurely live, he ſhall not dye, none of his ſins that he hath committed ſhall be mentioned unto him, he hath done that which is lawful and right, he ſhall live thereby. Without reſtitution where God gives ability, and opportunity, there can be no true peace of Conſcience, Job 20.18,19,20. According to his ſubſtance ſhall the reſtitution be, and he ſhall not rejoyce therein, becauſe he hath oppreſſed and forſaken the poor, becauſe he hath violently taken away an houſe which he builded not, ſurely he ſhall not feel quietneſs in his belly, he ſhall not ſave of that which he deſired. Other Scriptures concerning reſtitution you may ſee in Levit. 6.2,3,4,5,6,7. Luke 19.8. If any ſay, we are not able to make reſtitution, the wrongs we have done are ſo great, and we have ſo little left us by the Fire. I anſwer, 1. The Scripture even now mentioned may give ſome direction in this caſe, According to his ſubſtance ſhall the reſtitution be. If you are not able to reſtore the whole, reſtore as far as you are able. 2. If you be not able for the preſent, reſolve as ſoon as God makes you able, that you will reſtore whatever you have gotten unjuſtly, and perform your reſolution, and God will accept of your willing minde, although you want p. 115ability to perform what your minde ſtands to, 2 Cor. 8.12.

SECT. 16.

Obj. 16. I am one that ſerve God, and make conſcience of keeping his Commandments, and both I my ſelf, and many others that walk cloſe with God, have loſt all our Eſtates, and are undone by this Fire, when as many that have no fear of God before their eyes, but live prophane and diſſolute lives, have ſuffered nothing at all by this Fire, and this troubleth me very much, when I conſider how God hath dealt with many of his ſervants, and let others that ſerve him not, go free: I am ready to fret at the proſperity of the wicked, and to repine at my own afflictions.

Anſw. 1. Such a temptation as this did ſorely aſſault David, when he looked upon his own afflictions, how he was plagued all the day long, and chaſtened every morning, and looked alſo upon the proſperity of the wicked, and ſaw that they were not in trouble, or plagued like other men, he was envious at the fooliſh, and ready to ſtumble at this providence, and was almoſt brought to ſay, that all the pains he had taken in Religion was to no purpoſe, Pſal. 73.2,3,4,5,12,13,14. And if ſuch an eminent ſervant of God as David was aſſaulted with this temptation, we need not wonder if ſome of Gods ſervants in theſe dayes meet with the like.

2. When we are puzzled, and ready to ſtumble at the myſteriouſneſs and unaccountableneſs of any of Gods providences, either towards the wicked or the godly, it is good for us to have recourſe to the word of God, which is the beſt commentary in the world to explain the nature of Gods Providence. When David was under the forementioned temptation, he got relief by going into the ſanctuary, Pſal. 73.16,17. The word fully ſets forth the miſerable eſtate of the p. 116wicked in the heighth of their proſperity, and the happy condition of godly men in their greateſt adverſity, which may take off the Servants of God from repining at their own afflictions, or fretting at the proſperity of wicked men.

3. It is not meet that we ſhould take upon us to finde any fault with God in his governing the world. It is enough for us to minde our own duty, we muſt let God alone to do what ſeemeth him good. Chriſt rebuked Peter when he having heard what ſhould befal him, was curious to know what ſuffering John ſhould meet with, John 21.21,22. Peter ſeeing him, ſaith to Jeſus, Lord, and what ſhall this man do? Jeſus ſaith unto him, if I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? follow thou me. You may ſee enough in your ſelves to juſtifie God in all that he hath brought upon you, and which if God ſaw meet to ſpare ſome remarkable ſinners, to try if his long-ſuffering and goodneſs, and the riches of his Grace will lead them to repentance? ſhall your eye be evil becauſe od is good? It is expreſly againſt the minde of God that you ſhould fret at the proſperity of wicked men, Pſal. 37.1,7. Fret not thy ſelf becauſe of evil doers, neither be thou envious againſt the workers of iniquity—fret not thy ſelf becauſe of him who proſpereth in his way, becauſe of the man who bringeth wicked devices to paſs.

4. They that are the ſervants of God have no cauſe to repine at their own afflictions, or the proſperity of wicked men, as may appear on divers accounts, as 1. When the ſervants of God are chaſtened here, it is that they may not be condemned hereafter, 1 Cor. 11.32. When we are judged we are chaſtened of the Lord, that we ſhould not be condemned with the world. But when wicked men enjoy a conſtant courſe of proſperity, and the goodneſs of God doth not p. 117lead them to repentance, it is a token that God intends to deſtroy them for ever, Pſal. 92.7. When the wicked ſpring as the graſs, and when all the workers of iniquity do flouriſh, it is that they ſhall be deſtroyed for ever. 2. The Servants of God get more good by their afflictions than wicked men do by their proſperity, for Prov. 1.32. The proſperity of Fools ſhall deſtroy them; but the Servants of God can ſay with David, Pſal. 119.71. It is good for me that I have been afflicted. 3. The bleſſings of this life are all the portion that God intends to give unto wicked men, Pſal. 17.13.14. Deliver my ſoul from the wicked, from the men of this world, that have their portion in this life; but as for godly men, God hath laid up wonderful great things for them in heaven, Pſal. 31.19. O how great is thy goodneſs which thou haſt laid up for them that fear thee. He hath laid up for them ſuch things as we never ſaw with our eyes, nor ever heard with our ears, 1 Cor. 2.9. Eye hath not ſeen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. He hath made godly men heirs of himſelf and of all that he hath, Rom. 8.17. If Children, then Heirs, Heirs of God, and joynt Heirs with Chriſt. Now Chriſt is Heir of all things: Heb. 1.2. and if Chriſtians be joynt heirs with Chriſt then are they alſo heirs of all things: As the Father of the Prodigal Child quieted his eldeſt Son, when he repined and was diſcontented with the bountiful Proviſion that was made for his Brother, the fatted Calf, and the beſt Robe, a Ring, &c. when himſelf had not a Kid to make merry with his friends, Son thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine, Luke 15.31. The like may be ſaid to ſuch of the ſervants of God as are under a temptation to repine and be diſcontented, p. 118becauſe they have but little, and many that follow the ſame courſe that the Prodigal Son did, enjoy abundance, and have ſuſtained no loſſes, ye ſhall ever be with the Lord, and all the bleſſings of Heaven are yours, and ſhall be your portion for ever. And is not this enough to ſatisfie you.

SECT. 17.

Object. 17. It is not my own private loſs that troubleth me, I could have born that contentedly, if only I and my family had ſuffered and been undone by this fire, but I am much afflicted to ſee London the glory of England, the chief and principal City of this Nation laid in aſhes, and to ſee ſo many magnificent Buildings, ſo many goodly Churches, ſtately Halls, fair Houſes, uſeful Hoſpitals, &c. demoliſhed, It grieves me to think of the many thouſand families that are ruined by this fire, and of the great difficulties and hardſhip that many good people are like to meet with, who lived very comfortably whilſt this City ſtood in its glory. It troubleth me to think of the decay of Trade, and poverty, and miſery, that is like to follow this dreadful fire. If it had not been ſuch a general, ſore, & dreadful judgment I ſhould not have been ſo much troubled at it as now I am.

Anſw. 1. It is the duty of all the Inhabitants of this Land to lay to heart, and to be much affected with this ſolemn hand of God. When the Amalekites had burnt Ziglag with fire it is ſaid, 1 Sam. 30.1,4. David and the people that were with him lift up their voyce and wept, until they had no more power to weep. Ziglag was not comparable to London, and if David and his men wept till they could weep no more for the burning of ſuch a ſmall place as Ziglag, How ought we to be affected at the burning of this famous City? When but two perſons Nadad and Abihu had ſuffered by fire that came out from the Lord and devoured them, God calls to all Iſrael to lament the p. 119burning, Lev. 10.1,2,6. Let your Brethren the whole houſe of Iſrael, bewail the burning which the Lord hath kindled. How much more are we concerned to bewail this burning wherein ſo many thouſand families have been ſufferers? When Nehemiah heard of the affliction of the Jews, and that the wall of Jeruſalem was broken down, and the Gates thereof burnt with fire, he ſat down and wept, and mourned certain days, and faſted, and prayed, Neh. 1.2,3,4. yet then Nehemiah was in a very good condition in reſpect of his own concernments, he was in great favour at the Court, he had a great place, he was the Kings Cupbearer, and when the King demanded of him, why his countenance was ſo ſad, ſeeing he was not ſick, he replyed, Neh. 2.3. Why ſhould not my countenance be ſad, when the City the place of my Fathers Sepulchres lieth waſte, and the Gates thereof are conſumed with fire? We have many inſtances of Servants of God, lamenting Gods judgments on others though they themſelves have eſcaped, Iſa. 22.4,5. Look away from me, I will weep bitterly, labour not to comfort me, becauſe of the ſpoiling of the Daughter of my People, for it is a day of trouble and of treading down, and of perplexity, by the Lord God of Hoſts in the Valley of Viſion. It was not his own loſs or damage that the Prophet thus lamented, but the ſpoiling of the Daughter of his people; ſo Jeremiah bemoans the ſufferings of the Jews as if they been had his own, Jer. 8.21. For the hurt of the Daughter of my People am I hurt, I am black, aſtoniſhment hath taken hold on me. He did not only weep for the miſeries of the Jews his Country-men, but even for the Moabites, when God was ſending great judgments upon them, Jer. 48.31,32. Therefore will I howl for Moab, and I will cry out for all Moab, mine heart ſhall mourn for the p. 120men of Kirheres. O Vine of Sibmah, I will weep for thee with the weeping of Jazer.—

2. Though we may and ought to mourn, yet we muſt not repine at the deſolations that are come upon this famous City, or at the ſufferings that any Perſons or Families, or the Nation in general hath ſuſtained, or may ſuſtain by this fire, but we muſt all acquieſs in the will of God, and to promote our ſubmiſſion to God under this dreadful judgment. I will ſuggeſt ſome few conſiderations, and ſo conclude my Anſwer to the firſt Queſtion.

1. It is God that hath done this great work, the hearing whereof maketh our ears to tingle, and therefore though it cauſe never ſo much ſorrow to our ſelves or others, we muſt not ſay one word by way of murmuring and complaint againſt God, Iſa. 38.15 What ſhall I ſay? he hath both ſpoken unto me, and himſelf hath done it, I ſhall go ſoftly all my years in the bitterneſs of my ſoul. Pſal. 46.8,10. Come, behold the works of the Lord, what deſolations he hath made in the Earth,—Be ſtill and know that I am God. The reaſon that made Eli ſubmit, when God did to his particular family ſuch things as made both the ears of every one that heard thereof to tingle, It is the Lord, let him do what ſeemeth him good, 1 Sam. 3.11,18. The ſame ſhould make us ſubmit, when ſuch things befall a City or Nation, as maketh the ears of all that hear thereof to tingle. It is the Lord, let him do what ſeemeth him good.

2. God will bring glory to his Name by this ſore judgment which he hath brought upon this great City, Iſa. 25.2,3. Thou haſt made of a City an heap, and of a defenced City a ruine—Therefore ſhall the ſtrong people glorifie thee, the City of the terrible Nations ſhall fear thee. So alſo Iſa. 5.16. in ſome of the former p. 121verſes the Prophet had been ſpeaking of Gods judgments, as Verſ. 9. Many houſes ſhall be deſolate, even great and fair without Inhabitant. And Verſ. 13, 15. Their honourable men are famiſhed, and their multitude dried up with thirſt; the mean man ſhall be brought down, and the mighty man ſhall be humbled,—then he tells us, that all theſe judgments ſhould make for the exalting of Gods glory, Verſ. 16. But the Lord of Hoſts ſhall be exalted in judgment, and God that is holy ſhall be ſanctified in righteouſneſs. Now the exalting of Gods glory is of more concernment, than all the Cities, or Kingdoms of the whole world. All things are and were created for Gods pleaſure, and therefore it is meet that he ſhould glorifie himſelf by, and with all perſons and things, as ſeemeth good in his ſight, Revel. 4.11. Thou art worthy O Lord to receive glory and honour, and power, for thou haſt created all things, and for thy pleaſure they are and were created. We ſhould yield up all that we have, and are, unto God to be diſpoſed of by him as he pleaſeth, ſo he will but glorifie his own Name, Joh. 12.27,28. Now is my ſoul troubled, and what ſhall I ſay? Father ſave me from this hour; but for this cauſe came I unto this hour; Father glorifie thy Name.

3. Though this be a very ſore and dreadful judgment, and many perſons fearing God have ſuffered deeply by it, yet truly God is and ſtill will be good to Iſrael, even to ſuch as are of a clean heart. When Jeruſalem the chief City of Judah was ruined, and Judah's fall followed upon Jeruſalems ruine, yet God commandeth his Prophet to tell the righteous in the midſt of theſe deſolations, it ſhould go well with them, Iſa. 3.8,10. Jeruſalem is ruined, and Judah is fallen, becauſe their tongue and their doings are againſt p. 122the Lord, to provoke the eyes of his glory. Say ye to the righteous, it ſhall be well with him, for they ſhall eat the fruit of their doings. When God viſited Ariel with flaming fire, and other dreadful judgments, he promiſeth to comfort and ſupport his own people in the midſt of thoſe troubles, Iſa. 29.6,19. Thou ſhalt be viſited of the Lord of Hoſts with Thunder and Earthquake, and great Noiſe, with Storm and Tempeſts, and the Flame of devouring Fire. The meek alſo ſhall increaſe their joy in the Lord, and the poor men among ſhall rejoyce in the Holy One of Iſrael. God will make this dreadful judgment ſo far from hurting any of his ſervants, that it ſhall conduce to the good of all that love his Name throughout the whole Land, Rom. 8.28. We know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpoſe.

5. Whatever this great City was before its deſolation to its own Inhabitants, or to any of Gods ſervants in any parts of the Nation, all that God will be to his own people now that it is laid waſt. I ſhall inſtance in ſome particulars.

Was this City the glory of England, the Crown of the Nation, and are we ready to ſay with Phinehas his wife, when we behold the ruines of this City, The glory is departed from England, or with the Jews when Jeruſalem was burnt with fire. The Crown is fallen from our head, Lam. 5.16. yet let us remember what God promiſed when he deſtroyed the glory of Ephraim, Iſa. 28.4,5. The glorious beauty which is on the fat Valley ſhall be a fading flower,—In that day ſhall the Lord of Hoſts be for a Crown of glory, and for a Diadem of beauty unto the reſidue of his people; and what is promiſed, Iſa. 60.19.—The Lord ſhall be unto thee an everlaſting light, and thy God thy glory, and p. 123Iſa. 62.3. Thou ſhalt be a Crown of glory in the hand of the Lord, and a Royal Diadem in the hand of thy God.

Was this City a place of great ſtrength and ſecurity, and do we look upon the ſtrength of the Nation to be much weakened by this dreadful fire? yet remember God is the ſtrength of his people, Pſal. 28.8. The Lord is their ſtrength, and he is the ſaving ſtrength of his anointed, Iſa. 25.4. Thou haſt been a ſtrength to the poor, a ſtrength to the needy in his diſtreſs, a refuge from the ſtorm, a ſhadow from the heat, when the blaſt of the terrible ones is as a ſtorm againſt the wall. When the ſervants of God have no walled Cities to dwell in, God will be a wall of defence to them, Zech. 2.5. I, ſaith the Lord, will be unto her a wall of fire round about, and will be the glory in the midſt of her. When they have no Bulwarks to ſecure them, God will be their ſtrong City, and his Salvation ſhall be their Bulwarks, Iſa. 26.1. In that day ſhall this Song be ſung in the land of Judah, we have a ſtrong City, Salvation will God appoint for Walls and Bulwarks: This Song was compoſed for a Song of praiſe after the Jews were delivered from the Babyloniſh captivity, and at their return they found Jeruſalem in a broken, ruinous condition; and ſome might be afraid to inhabit a City that had no Walls nor Bulwarks, whereupon the Prophet tells them, their City ſhould be ſtrong, though it wanted outward Fortifications; for God would appoint Salvation for Walls and Bulwarks.

Was this City a Sanctuary, and a place of refuge to any of the Servants of God? Though this place of refuge be gone, the Lord continueth ſtill to be a refuge to his people, Pſal. 62.8. Truſt in him at all times, ye people, pour out your hearts before p. 124him, God is a refuge for us. Pſal. 9.9. The Lord alſo will be a refuge for the oppreſſed, a refuge in times of trouble. Iſa. 8.13,14. Sanctifie the Lord of Hoſts himſelf, and let him be your fear, and let him be your dread, And he ſhall be for a Sanctuary, Pſal. 46.1. God is our refuge and ſtrength, a very preſent help in trouble. Iſa. 32.2. A man ſhall be as an hiding place from the wind, and a covert from the tempeſt, as Rivers of water in a dry place, as the ſhadow of a great Rock in a weary Land. This Man is the Man Chriſt Jeſus, as he is ſtyled, 1 Tim. 2.5. And at this time when the Prophet Iſaiah tells the Jews that Chriſt ſhould be their hiding place from the winde, and a covert from the ſtorm, he tells them of the deſtruction of their Forts and Strong-holds, ver. 14.

Was this City a place of great Traffick, where was vended all kind of merchandize, and ſo was a means of enriching many, and is trading now like to fail, and poverty coming upon multitudes like an armed man? There is a merchandize which is better than the merchandize of Silver and Gold, of which we may read, Prov. 3.13,14. Happy is the man that findeth Wiſdom, and the man that getteth Ʋnderſtanding, for the merchandize of it is better than the merchandize of Silver, and the gain thereof than the gain of fine Gold. They that are by this fire diſabled from trading, may Trade as freely for the merchandize of Wiſdom as ever. When mony fails God will be inſtead of mony to us, Job 22.25. The Almighty ſhall be thy Gold. So the words may be rendered, as is intimated in the margent of our Bibles, and according to this Tranſlation the ſenſe is, When God doth not give his people ſilver and gold, he will be in the ſtead of ſilver and gold unto them, and they ſhall be as well by vertue of p. 125what they enjoy in him, as any man that hath the greateſt plenty of Silver and Gold in the whole world. When your Treaſure that was wont to come in by trade faileth, he will give you better Treaſure, Iſa. 33.6. The fear of the Lord is his treaſure.

Are many thouſand Families undone by this burning? God can as eaſily provide for many thouſand Families that have nothing to live upon, as for one man. What had all Iſrael to live upon when they were in the Wilderneſs beſides the promiſe and providence of God? there grew no corn in the Wilderneſs, neither were there any Markets to buy proviſion, yet God fed them forty years together in that deſolate Wilderneſs in a bountiful manner, although there was a very great multitude of them. There went about ſix hundred thouſand out of Egypt, beſides children, Exod. 12.37.

Are divers Hoſpitals and Alms-Houſes wherein many poor people lived comfortably, conſumed by this Fire, and thereby the poor in danger to periſh? The God of theſe poor people continues ſtill as mindful of their neceſſities, and as able to help them as ever he was. God by his providence taketh a ſpecial care of poor diſtreſſed perſons, eſpecially of ſuch poor people as pray to him. He hath laid up good things in ſtore for them, Pſal. 68.10. O God, thou haſt prepared of thy goodneſs for the poor. When they cry to God, he will hear them, Pſal. 69.33. The Lord heareth the poor. When they are in want, he will provide bread for them, Pſal. 132.15. I will abundantly bleſs her proviſion, I will ſatisfie her poor with bread. When they are in affliction, he will deliver them, Job 36.15. He delivereth the poor in their affliction. When any would deprive them of their p. 126right, the Lord will maintain their right, Pſal. 140.12. I know that the Lord will maintain the cauſe of the afflicted, and the right of the poor. When they are oppreſſed, if they do but ſigh to him, he will help them, Pſal. 12.5. For the oppreſſion of the poor, for the ſighing of the needy, now will I ariſe, ſaith the Lord, I will ſet him in ſafety, from him that puffeth at him. When they have no body that looketh after them to relieve them, God will relieve their neceſſities, Pſal. 146.9. The Lord preſerveth the ſtrangers, he relieveth the fatherleſs and the widow. When they are in ſtraits and dangers, if they commit themſelves to the Lord, he will be their helper, Pſal. 10.14. The poor committeth himſelf unto thee, thou art the helper of the fatherleſs.

5. This great and dreadful Judgment ſhall promote the ſpiritual and eternal welfare of all the Servants of God that have been ſufferers by it. It ſhall promote their ſpiritual welfare by making them more holy. Heb. 12.10. He chaſteneth us for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holineſs. None of Gods chaſtenings are for the hurt, but for the profit of his Servants, Pſal. 119.71. It is good for me that I have been afflicted, that I might learn thy Statutes. Though their afflictions may cauſe ſorrow and grief, yet they tend to the bettering of their hearts, Eccleſ. 7.3. By the ſadneſs of the countenance, the heart is made better. And as this judgment ſhall promote the ſpiritual, ſo alſo the eternal welfare of the Servants of God, 2 Cor. 4.17. Our light affliction which is but for a moment, worketh for us, a far more exceeding, and eternal weight of Glory. James 1.12. Bleſſed is the man that endureth temptation, for when he is tryed, he ſhall receive the Crown of Life which the Lord hath promiſed to them that love him.

p. 127Thus having laid down ſome conſiderations, for the quieting and ſatisfying their mindes that have been great ſufferers by this Fire, and propoſed ſome things to be practiſed in order to the obtaining of contentment, and having anſwered the moſt material pleas, that without being removed, might hinder thoſe that have been great ſufferers from ſitting down ſatisfied under this hand of God. I ſhall adde no more about the firſt queſtion, but proceed to the reſolution of the ſecond.

p. 128QUEST. 2. What uſe ſhould they make of their Affliction, who have loſt their whole, or any part of their Eſtates by the late Dreadful Fire?