Sixteen Sermons, Sermon 15
The Second SERMON ON 1 PETER IV. 19.
Wherefore, let them that ſuffer according to the will of God, commit the keeping of their Souls to him in well-doing, as unto a faithful Creator.
FROM theſe words I propoſed to Conſider theſe three Points.
Firſt, That when Men do Suffer really and truly for the Cauſe of Religion, they may with confidence commit themſelves (their Lives, and all that is dear to them) to the peculiar and more eſpecial Care of the Divine Providence.
Secondly, This we may do always, provided that we be careful of our Duty, and do what is required on our Part; and that neither to avoid Sufferings, nor to reſcue our ſelvesout of them, we do any thing contrary to our Duty and a good Conſcience; for this is the meaning of committing our ſelves to God in well-doing.
Thirdly, To ſhew what Ground of Comfort and Encouragement the Conſideration of God, under the Notion of a Faithful Creator, does afford to us, under all our Sufferings for a good Cauſe and a good Conſcience.
The Firſt of theſe Points I have treated on at large in my former Diſcourſe. I proceed now to the
Second, Namely, when in all our Sufferings for the Cauſe of Religion, we may with Confidence and good Aſſurance, commit our ſelves to the peculiar and more eſpecial Care of God's Providence… This is to be underſtood, always provided that we be careful of our Duty, and do what is required on our part; and that neither to avoid Sufferings, nor to reſcue our ſelves out of them, we do any thing contrary to our Duty and a good Conſcience. And this I told you was the meaning of committing our ſelves to God in well-doing; for if we either neglect our Duty, or ſtep out of the Way of it, by doing things contrary to it, the Providence of God will not be concern'd to bear us out in ſuch Sufferings. So that in our Sufferings for the Cauſe of God and Religion, to commit our ſelves to him in well-doing, may reaſonably comprehend in it theſe following Particulars.
1. Provided always, that we neglect no lawful Means of our Preſervation from Sufferings, or our Deliverance out of them: In this Caſe Men do not commit themſelves to the Providence of God, but caſt themſelves out of his Care and Protection; they do not truſt God, but tempt him, and do as it were try whether he will ſtand by us, when w… deſert our ſelves; and bring us out of Trouble, when we would take no Care, would uſe no Endeavours to prevent it. If we will needleſly provoke Trouble, and run our ſelves upon ſufferings; if we will neglect our ſelves, and the Lawful Means of our preſervation; if we will give up, and part with thoſe Securities of our Religion, which the Providence of God, and the Laws of our Country have given us; if we our ſelves will help to pull down the Fence which is about us; if we will diſarm our ſelves, and by our own Act expoſe our ſelves naked and open to Danger and Sufferings; why ſhould we think in this Caſe, that God will help us; when we would not help our ſelves, by thoſe lawful Ways, which the Providence of God had put into our hands?
All Truſt in God, and Dependance upon his Providence, does imply, that we joyn Prayer and Endeavour together; Faith in God, and a prudent and diligent uſe of Means: If we lazily truſt the Providence of God, and ſo caſt all our Care upon him, as to take none at all our ſelves, God will take no Care of us. In vain do we rely upon the Wiſdom, and Goodneſs, and Power of God; in vain do we importune and tire Heaven with our Prayers, to help us againſt our Enemies and Perſecutors, if we our ſelves will do nothing for our ſelves: In vain do we hope that God will maintain and defend our Religion, againſt all the ſecret Contrivances and open Aſſaults of our Enemies, if we, who are united in the Profeſſion of the ſame Religion, and in all the Eſſentials of Faith and Worſhip, will for ſome ſmall Differences in leſſer Matters, which are of no moment, in Compariſon of the things wherein we are agreed: I ſay, if for ſuch ſlight matters, we will divide and fall out among our ſelves; if when the Enemy is at the Gates, we will ſtill purſue our Heats and Animoſities, and will madly keep open thoſe Breaches, which were fooliſhly made at firſt; what can we expect, but that the common Enemy ſhould take the Advantage, and enter in at them; and whilſt we are ſo unſeaſonably and ſenſeleſly contending with one another, that they ſhould take the Opportuity which we give them, to deſtroy us all.
2. Provided likewiſe, that we do not attempt our own Preſervation or Deliverance from Suffering, by evil and unlawful Means: We muſt do nothing that is contrary to our Duty, and to a good Conſcience; nor comply with any thing, or lend our helping Hand thereto, that apparently tends to the Ruin of our Religion, neither to divert and put off Sufferings for the preſent, not to reſcue our ſelves from under them; becauſe we cannot with Confidence commit our ſelves to the Providence of God, but in well…doing.
This is an Eternal Rule, from whence we muſt in no Caſe depart, That men muſt do nothing contrary to the Rules and Precepts of Religion, no not for the ſake of Religion it ſelf: We muſt not break any Law of God, nor diſobey the lawful Commands of lawful Authority, to free our ſelves from any Sufferings whatſoever; becauſe the Goodneſs of no End can ſanctifie Evil Means, and make them lawful: We muſt not ſpeak deceitfully for God, nor lye, no not for the Truth; nor kill men, though we could thereby do God and Religion the greateſt Service. And tho' all the Caſuiſts in the World ſhould teach the contrary Doctrine, (as they generally do in the Church of Rome) yet I would not doubt to oppoſe to all thoſe the ſingle Authority of St. Paul, who expreſly condemns this Principle, and brands it for a d…mnable Doctrine, that Evil may be done by us, that Good may come. Rom. 3. 8. And not as we be ſlanderouſly reported, and as ſome affirm thas we ſay, let us do evil, that good may come, whoſe damnation is juſt. St. Paul it ſeems looked upon it as a moſt deviliſh Calumny, to inſinuate that the Chriſtian Religion gives the leaſt Countenance to ſuch damnable Doctrines and Doings as theſe; and pronounceth their Damnation to be juſt, who either teach any ſuch Principle as the Doctrine of Chriſtianity, or practiſe according to it.
Let thoſe look to it, who teach, That a right Intention, and a good End, will render things, which are otherwiſe evil and unlawful, not only lawful to be done by us, but in many Caſes meritorious; eſpecially where the good of the Church, and the Extirpation of Hereſie are more immediately concerned. Of this Nature are the Doctrines of Equivocation and Mental Reſervation, and the Lawfulneſs of ſuch Artificial ways of Lying, to avoid the Danger of the Law, when they are brought before Heretical Magiſtrates; and this is the common Doctrine of the moſt learned Caſuiſts of all Orders in the Church of Rome: And ſuch likewiſe are their Doctrines, of the Law…ulneſs of extirpating Hereticks, by the moſt barbarous and bloody Means, and of breaking Faith with them, tho' given by Emperours and Princes, in the moſt publick and ſolemn manner; both which are the avowed Doctrines of their General Councils, and have frequently been put in Practice, to the Deſtruction of many millions of Chriſtians, better and more righteous than them…elves. But we have not ſo l…arned Chriſt, who have heard him, and been taught by him, as the truth is in Jeſus. They who are rightly inſtructed in the Chriſtian Religion, are ſo far from thinking it lawful to do any thing that is evil, to bring others under ſuffering, that they do not allow it in any Caſe whatſoever, no not for the Cauſe of God and Religion, and to free themſelves from the greateſt Sufferings that can be inflicted upon them.
3. Provided alſo, that we do truſt the Providence of God, and do indeed commit our ſelves to it; relying upon his Wiſdom and Goodneſs, and entirely ſubmitting and reſigning up our ſelves to his Will and Diſpoſal, both as to the Degree and the Duration of our Sufferings; believing that he will do that for us, which upon the whole matter, and in the final iſſue and reſult of things, will be beſt for us. That Bleſſing, wherewith Moſes the Man of God bleſt the People of Iſrael before his Death, doth belong to good Men in all Ages: He loveth his People, and all his Saints are in his hand: Deut. 33. 3. Innumerable are the Pro…iſes in Scripture concerning the merciful Providence and Goodneſs of God, towards thoſe who truſt in him, and hope in his Mercy. Pſal. 32. 10. Many ſorrows ſhall be to the wicked: But he that truſteth in the Lord, mercy ſhall compaſs him about. Pſal. 33. 18… 19, 20, 21, 22. Behold, the eye of the Lord is upon them that fear him: Upon them that hope in his mercy: To deliver their ſoul from death, and to keep them alive in famine. Our ſoul waiteth for the Lord: he is our help and our ſhi…ld. For our heart ſhall rejoyce in him: Becauſe we have truſted in his holy name. Let thy mercy, O Lord, be upon us, according as we hope in thee. Pſal. 34. 22. The Lord redeemeth the ſoul of his ſervants: And none of them that truſt in him ſhall be deſolate. Pſal. 37. 39, 40. But th… ſalvation of the Righteous is of the Lor…, he is their ſtrength in the time of trouble. And the Lord ſhall help them and deliver them: He ſhall deliver them from the wicked, and ſave them becauſe they truſt in him. Pſal. 31. 19. O how great is thy goodneſs, which thou haſt laid up for them that fear thee; which thou haſt wrought for them that truſt in thee before the Sons of men! Pſal. 55. 22. Caſt thy burden upon the Lord, and he ſhall ſuſtain thee: He ſhall never ſuffer the right…ous to be moved. Pſal. 125. 1. They that truſt in th… Lord ſhall be as mount Zion, which cannot be removed, but a…id…th for ever. Eſa 26. 3, 4. Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whoſe mind is ſtayed on thee, becauſe he truſ…eth in thee. Truſt ye in the Lord for ever: For in the Lord Jehovah is everlaſting ſtrength.
4. Provided yet further, that we pray earneſtly to God for his Gracious Help and Aſſiſtance, for his merciful Comfort and Support under Sufferings; that he would be pleaſed to ſtrengthen our Faith, and to encreaſe and lengthen out our Patience, in proportion to the Degree and Duration of our Sufferings.
All the Promiſes which God hath made to us, are upon this Condition, that we earneſtly ſeek and ſue to him for the Benefit and Bleſſing of them. Pſal. 50. 15. Call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver thee, and thou ſhalt glorifie me. Ezek. 36. 37. After a great Deliverance, and many Bleſſings promiſed to them, this Condition is at laſt added, Thus ſaith the Lord God, I will yet for this be enquired of by the houſe of Iſrael, to do it for them. And this likewiſe is the tenor of the Promiſes of the New Teſtament, Mat. 7. 7. Ask, and it ſhall be given you: ſeek, and ye ſhall find: knock, and it ſhall be opened unto you. And in this very Caſe that I am ſpeaking of, God expects that we ſhould apply our ſelves to him, for Spiritual Wiſdom and Grace, to behave our ſelves under Sufferings as we ought: Jam. 1. 2, 3, 4. Where ſpeaking of the manifold Temptations that Chriſtians would be exerciſed withal; he directs them to pray to God for Wiſdom to demean themſelves under Perſecutions, with Patience, and Conſtancy, and Chearfulneſs, My Brethren account it all joy, when ye fall into divers Temptations; (meaning the Temptations and Tryals of Suffering in ſeveral kinds) Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have its perfect work. And becauſe this is a very difficult Duty, and requires a great deal of Spiritual Skill, to demean our ſelves under Sufferings as we ought, therefore he adds in the next words: If any of you lack wiſdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it ſhall be given him.
And this earneſt application we are to make to God, for his grace and ſeaſonable help in time of need; not to put him in mind of his Promiſe, but to teſtifie our dependance upon him, and expectation of all good from him. And we muſt likewiſe uſe great importunity in our Prayers to God, to aſſiſt us and ſtand by us in the day of Trial, and the hour of Temptation. And therefore our Saviour heaps up ſeveral words, to denote the great earneſtneſs and importunity which we ought to uſe in Prayer, bidding us to ask, and ſeek, and knock. And to ſhew that he lays more than ordinary weight upon this Matter, and to encourage our importunity, he ſpake two ſeveral Parables to this purpoſe; the firſt, Luke 11. 5. of the Man who by meer importunity prevailed with his Friend to riſe at midnight to do him a kindneſs, which our Saviour applies to encourage our importunity in Prayer, ver. 9. And I ſay unto you, ask, and it ſhall be given you; ſeek, and ye ſhall find; knock, and it ſhall be opened unto you. The other is the Parable of the importunate Widow, and unjuſt Judge, related by the ſame Evangeliſt, Luke 18. 1. with this Preface to it; and he ſpake a Parable unto them to this end, that Men ought always to pray, and not to faint. And to ſpeak the truth, they ſeem at firſt ſight two of the oddeſt of all our Saviour's Parables, if the deſign of them were to inſinuate to us that God is to be prevailed upon, by the meer importunity of our Prayers, to grant our Requeſts: but our Bleſſed Saviour, who beſt knew his own meaning, tells us, that all he deſign'd by it, was only to ſignifie, that we ought always to pray, and not to faint; that is, to continue inſtant in Prayer, and not to give over after once asking, as if we deſpaired of prevailing. Not that meer importunity prevails with God to give us thoſe things which he is otherwiſe unwilling to grant; but becauſe it becomes us to be fervent, and earneſt, to teſtifie our Faith and Confidence in the goodneſs of God, and the deep ſenſe we have of our own weakneſs, and wants, and unworthineſs; and likewiſe that we ſet a true value upon the Bleſſings and Favours of God, as worth all the earneſtneſs and importunity we can uſe: And in this decent and ſober ſenſe, the ſucceſs of our Prayers may truly be ſaid to depend upon our importunity; not that it is neceſſary to move God to grant our Requeſts, but that it becomes us to be thus affected, that we may be the more fitly qualified for the Grace and Mercy which God is willing to confer upon us.
I have been the longer upon this, to give us a right notion of this matter, and that we may the more diſtinctly underſtand the true Reaſon why our Saviour does require ſo much earneſtneſs and importunity of Prayer on our part; not at all to work upon God, and to diſpoſe him to ſhew mercy to us (for that he is always inclinable to, when ever we are fit for it) but only to diſpoſe and qualifie us to receive the grace and mercy of God, with greater advantage to our ſelves.
Fifthly, Provided moreover, that we be not confident of our ſelves, and of the force and ſtrength of our own Reſolution. We know not our ſelves, nor the frailty and weakneſs of our own Reſolution, 'till we are tried. 'Tis wiſe Advice which Solomon gives us, and never more ſeaſonable than in the day of trial, Prov. 3. 5, 6, 7. Truſt in the Lord with all thine heart, and lean not to thine own underſtanding; in all thy ways acknowledge him, and he ſhall direct thy paths; be not wiſe in thine own eyes; that is, be not conceited and confident of thine own wiſdom and ſtrength, or ability in any kind; there is a ſecret Providence of God, which mingles it ſelf with the actions and ſpirits of Men, and diſpoſeth of us unknown to our ſelves; and what we think to be the effect of our own ſtrength and reſolution, of our own wiſdom and contrivance, proceeds from an higher Cauſe, which unſeen to us, does ſteer and govern us. So the Wiſe Man obſerves, Prov. 20. 24. Man's goings are of the Lord, how can a Man then underſtand his own ways? And therefore we have reaſon every one to ſay with the Prophet, 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. Our feet will ſoon ſlip, if God do not uphold us by his hand. Remember how ſhamefully the chief of our Lord's Diſciples miſcarried, by too much confidence in himſelf, I mean St. Peter; in whoſe fall we may all ſee our own frailty; if God do but permit the Devil to have the winnowing of us, there will be a great deal of chaff found in the beſt of us. What St. Paul ſaid of himſelf, 2 Cor. 12. 10. When I am weak, then am I ſtrong, we ſhall all find true, when it comes to the trial; we are then ſtrongeſt, when, in a juſt ſenſe of our own weakneſs, we rely moſt upon the ſtrength and power of God.
Sixthly, Provided furthermore, that according to our ability we have been much in the exerciſe of Alms and Charity. For well-doing, or doing good, is ſometimes taken in a narrower ſenſe, not improper here to be mentioned, tho' perhaps not ſo particularly intended here in the Text, for works of Charity and Alms. As Heb. 13. 16. But to do good, and to communicate (that is, to the neceſſities of the Poor) forget not, for with ſuch Sacrifices God is well pleaſed. This kind of well-doing is a ſpecial Preſervative in times of Evil; there is no kind of Grace or Virtue to which there are in Scripture more ſpecial Promiſes made, of our Protection and Preſervation from Evil and Suffering, of Support and Comfort under them, and Deliverance out of them, than to this of a Charitable and Compaſſionate Conſideration of thoſe who labour under want or Suffering. Pſal. 37. 3. Truſt in the Lord, and do good, ſo ſhalt thou dwell in the Land, and verily thou ſhalt be fed: And ver. 19. ſpeaking of Righteous or Merciful Men, They ſhall not be aſhamed in the evil time, and in the days of Famine they ſhall be ſatisfied. Pſal. 41. 1, 2. Bleſſed is he that conſidereth the Poor, the Lord will deliver him in time of trouble; the Lord will preſerve him, and keep him alive, and he ſhall be bleſſed upon the Earth; and thou wilt not deliver him unto the will of his Enemies.
There are likewiſe in the Apocryphal Books Excellent Sayings for the encouragement of Charity, as that which will be particularly conſidered and rewarded to us in the times of Danger and Diſtreſs, in the days of Affliction and Suffering, Tob. 4. 7, 8, 9, 10. Give Alms of thy ſubſtance, and turn not thy face from any Poor Man, and the face of God ſhall not be turned away from thee; if thou haſt abundance, give Alms accordingly, if thou haſt but a little, be no… afraid to give according to that little, for thou layeſt up for thy ſelf a good treaſure againſt the day of neceſſity, becauſe that Alms do deliver from death, and ſuffereth not to come into darkneſs. Eccluſ. 3. 31. Speaking of him that gives Alms, and is ready to do Kindneſs to others, He is mindful of that which may come hereafter; and when he falleth he ſhall find a ſtay. And, Chap. 29. 11, 12, 13. Lay up thy treaſure according to the Commandment of the moſt High, and it ſhall bring thee more profit than Gold, ſhut up alms in thy ſtore-houſes, and it ſhall deliver thee from all affliction, it ſhall fight for thee againſt thine Enemies, better than a mighty ſhield, and ſtrong ſpear.
I have often ſaid it, and am verily perſwaded of it, that one of the beſt …igns of Gods Mercy and Favour to this poor Nation, is, that God hath been pleaſed of late years to ſtir up ſo general a diſpoſition in Men to works of Alms and Charity, and thereby to revive the Primitive Spirit of Chriſtianity, which ſo eminently abounded in this Grace, and taught thoſe who believed in God, to be careful to maintain and pract…ſe good works. And nothing gives me greater hopes that God hath Mercy ſtill in ſtore for us, than that Men are ſo ready to ſhew Mercy; there are great Objects to exerciſe our Charity upon in this time of the general ſuſpenſion of Trade and Buſineſs, from an apprehenſion of approaching troubles; by reaſon whereof, both the numbers and the neceſſities of the Poor are greatly and daily increaſed among us; and beſides the Poor of our own Nation, God hath ſent us great numbers from abroad; I mean thoſe who are fled hither for ſhelter, from that violent ſtorm of Perſecution which hath lately fallen upon them for the Cauſe of our common Religion. According to the compaſſion we ſhew to them, we may expect that God will either preſerve us from the like Sufferings, or graciouſly ſupport us under them. What do we know, but that God is now trying us, and hath purpoſely put this opportunity into our hands, of preventing, or mitigating, or ſhortning our own Sufferings, according as we extend our Charity and Pity to thoſe who have ſuffered ſo deeply for the Cauſe of God, and his truth.
Seventhly, Provided in the laſt place, and above all, that we be ſincere in our Religion, and endeavour to be univerſally good, and holy in all manner of Converſation, and to abound in all the fruits of righteouſneſs, which are by Jeſus Chriſt, to the praiſe and glory of God. This is the largeſt ſenſe of welldoing, and the moſt neceſſary of all the reſt, to prepare us for Sufferings, and to give us Courage and Conſtancy under them; and likewiſe to engage the Providence of God to a tender care of us, and Concernment for us, if he ſhall …ee it fit to bring us into a State of Suffering.
But if we live in open Contempt and Violation of God's Laws, if we make no Conſcience of our Ways and Actions, we cannot poſſibly have any well grounded Truſt and Confidence in God, for he hates all the workers of iniquity, and his Providence ſets it ſelf againſt them for evil. Bad Men draw many Miſchiefs and Inconveniencies upon themſelves, as the Natural Conſequence of their Actions; but beſides this, the Vengeance of God haunts and purſues Evil-doers, and his juſt Providence many times involves them in many Difficulties and Dangers, beſides and beyond the Natural Courſe of things: Upon the wicked (ſays David) he will rain ſnares: So that as ever we expect the comfortable Effects of the Divine Care and Providence, we muſt live in a dutiful Obedience to God's Holy Will and Laws.
Bad Men may make a Profeſſion of the true Religion, and may in ſome ſort believe it, tho' they do not live according to it; and yet perhaps for all this, out of meer Generoſity and Obſtinacy of Mind, they cannot bear to be threatned and terrified out of the Profeſſion of the Truth; and will endure a great deal of Trouble and Inconvenience, before they will renounce it; knowing themſelves to be ſo far in the Right, that they ſtand for the Truth, and hoping perhaps thereby to make ſome amends for their bad Practice. But when all is done, nothing gives a Man true Courage and Reſolution, like the Teſtimony of our own Hearts, concerning our own Sincerity, and the Conſcience of well-doing. And on the contrary, he that hath not the Reſolution and Patience to mortifie his Luſts, and to reſtrain his Appetites, and to ſubdue his irregular Paſſions, for the ſake of God and Religion, will not eaſily bring himſelf to ſubmit to great Sufferings upon that Account. There is conſiderable Difficulty in the Practice of Religion, and the reſolute Courſe of a Holy Life; but ſurely it is much eaſier to live as Religion requires we ſhould do, than to lay down our Lives for it; and (as I have told you upon another Occaſion) he that cannot prevail with himſelf to live like a Saint, will much more hardly be perſwaded to die a Martyr. I proceed to the
Third Point, namely, what ground of Comfort and Encouragement the Conſideration of God under the Notion of a faithful Creator, does afford to us under all our Sufferings for a good Cenſcience and a good Cauſe. Let them that ſuffer according to the will of God, commit the keeping of their Souls to him, in well-doing, as unto a faithful Creator. And in this I ſhall be very brief.
And this is a firm ground of Comfort and Encouragement to us, under all our Sufferings for God, to conſider him as the Author of our Beings, or as it is expreſt in the Text, as a faithful Creator; one that is not fickle and inconſtant in his Affection and Kindneſs to his Creatures; but is true to his own Deſign, and will not abandon and forſake the Work of his own Hands: So great a Benefit as that of our Beings, freely conferr'd upon us, is but an earneſt of God's further Kindneſs to us, and Future care of us; if by our ill Carriage towards him, we do not render our ſelves unworthy and incapable of it: That we are God's Creatures, is a Demonſtration that he hath Kindneſs for us; if he had not, he would never have made us; as it is excellently ſaid in the Wiſdom of Solomon, Cap. 11. 23. 24. Thou haſt mercy upon all, for thou loveſt all the things that are, and abhorreſt nothing which thou haſt made: For never wouldſt thou have made any thing, if thou hadſt hated it. And ver. 26. Thou ſpareſt all, for they are thine, O Lord, thou lover of Souls.
To whom then may be with ſo much Confidence commit our ſelves, as to him who freely gave us our Being? From whom may we expect ſo tender a Regard and Conſideration, of our Caſe, and all the Circumſtances of it; as from this great Founder and Benefactor? For he that made us knows our Frame, and whereof we are made, and how much we are able to bear; he conſiders our Strength, or rather our Weakneſs, and what Courage and Reſolution he hath endued us withal, and what Comfort and Support we ſtand in need of in the day of Tribulation. And as they who make Armour, are wont to try that which they think to be good and well temper'd, with a ſtronger Charge, not to break and hurt it, but to prove and praiſe it. So God exerciſeth thoſe whom he hath fitted and t…mpered for it, with manyfold Temptations, that the tryal of their faith, as St. Peter expreſſeth it, 1 Pet. 1. 7. being much more precious th…n of gold tried in the Fir…, may be found unto praiſe, and honour, and glory, at the appearing of Jeſus Chriſt.
So that this Conſideration that we are God's Creatures, does (as I may ſay) oblige him in Faithfulneſs to his own Act, and in Conſequence of his bringing us into Being at firſt, to be concern'd for us afterwards, ſo as never to abandon us, nor quite to take away his loving-kindneſs and Mercy from us; till we are good for nothing, and do in a manner ceaſe to be what he made us, that is Reaſonable Creatures. A Perſon or People muſt have proceeded to the utmoſt degree of degeneracy, when God will conſider them no longer as his Creatures, nor ſhew any Pity or Favour to them; things muſt be come to extremity, when God deals thus with us, as he threatned the People of Iſſr…el, Iſa. 27. 11. When the boughs are withered, they ſhall be broken off, and ſet on fire: for it is a People of no underſtanding: therefore he that made them, will not have mercy on them, and he that formed them, will ſhew them no favour.
And now I have done with the three Points which I propoſed to handle from this Text, and the Diſcourſe which I have made upon them, does all along apply it ſelf, by dir…cting us how we ought to commit our ſelves to the Providence of God, in all Caſes of Danger and Suffering, eſpecially for the Cauſe of God and his Truth, viz. in the faithful diſcharge of our Duty and a good Conſcience, and by a firm Truſt and Confidence in the Wiſdom and Goodneſs of the D…vine Providence, not doubting but that he who made us, and knows our frame, will have a tender Care of us, and not ſuffer us to be tempted above what we are able.
And as to our preſent Danger, and that Terrible Storm which threatens us, let us pray to God, if it be his will, to divert it; but if otherwiſe he hath determined, to fit and prepare us for it. And let us be fervent and earneſt in our Prayers to him; not that he is moved by our importunity, but that we may thereby be qualified and made fit to receive the Mercy which we beg of him.
And let us take this Occaſion to do that which we ſhould have done without it, to brea… off our Sins by Repentance, and to turn every one of us from the evil of our ways… that hereby we may render God propitious to us, and put our ſelves under the more immediate Care and Protection of his Providence; that we may prevent his Judgments, and turn away his wrath and diſpleaſure from us, as he did once from a great and ſinful City and People, upon their ſincere Humiliation and Repentance, Jonah 3. 10. where it is ſaid of the People of Niniveh, That God ſaw their works, that they turned from their evil way, and God repented of the evil that he had ſaid that he would do unto them, and he did it not. Above all, let us be ſincere in the profeſſion of our Religion, and conſcientious in the Practice of it; nothing will bear us up under great Trials and Sufferings, like the teſtimony of a good Conſcience, void of offence towards God and Men.
I will conclude this whole Diſcourſe with thoſe Apoſtolical Bleſſings and Prayers, Coloſ. 1. 10, 11. That ye may walk worthy of the Lord, unto all pleaſing, being fruitful in every good work, ſtrengthned with all might, according to his glorious Power, unto all patience, and long-ſuffering, with joyfulneſs. And 2 Theſ. 2. 16, 17. Now our Lord Jeſus Chriſt himſelf, and God even our Father, who hath loved us, and hath given us everlaſting Conſolation and good hope through Grace, comfort your hearts, and ſtabliſh you in every good word, and work. To him be Glory and Dominion, for Ever, and Ever,
Amen.