Comfort for Believers About their Sins and Troubles, Observation 1
FIRST OBSERVATION.1. Obſer. Chriſt hath tender bowels towards Beleevers in troubles.
That Jeſus Chriſt: hath extraordinary tender bowels towards all Beleevers in Trouble.
This is demonſtrated in Foure Perticulars.
Firſt, Chriſt could not beare that theſe Beleevers, ſhould be troubled: but forbids it, and by many Directions, and Arguments, fortifies For 1.them againſt it: So ſoone as he perceived trouble begine to ariſe in thē; He could not beare their being troubled. But is much troubled about it.He abounds & ouerflowes with care to prevent & remove it: Even as a tender Mother, who is reſtles in carefullnes to eaſe hir Child ſo ſoone as it is any way troubled: And this in Chriſt, fatther appeares in the reſt of this, & the following Chapters: In which by many words; againe & againe he diſcovers, that his bowels greatly moved whith the ſight of their trouble: He indeed ſhewing much more trouble of Compaſſion for them, then they had trouble of perplexity; as the tender Mothers troubles for the Child, are oft greater, & more, then the Childes, which cauſe them, becauſe of hir aboundance of bowels: Yet farther.
Secondly, He was thus taken up with trouble about their trouble, then 2. And this▪ whē he was entring on his owne great Trouble.when he was entring into his owne great Trouble, when it was ſo neare him, that it troubled him with its gaſtnes, & greatnes; John. 13. 21. It was his owne Perſonall trouble; which uſeth to ingroſſe all the care, that is in man, for himſelfe, though men can be troubled for others, when they are free themſelves, yet hardly when they are in trouble themſelves: Yea, and this trouble of Chriſts owne, was greater, then theirs, for theirs was much of it groundles, & immaginary, & ſuch as might be eſcaped (as ye have ſeene before) but Chriſts was all, reall, and ſuch as muſt be indured; & it was the heavieſt burden as ever was, or could be layed on a creature; alſo it was at hand, he had ſett foote on its borders, & toucht the brime of that Sea into which he was to be plunged; it was nearer then theirs, for theirs was but to follow on his: Now the preſence and approch in ſight of ſo great a trouble to ones ſelfe, how doth it uſe to ingroſſe an whole man, that he can mind no friends trouble elſe; as the Diſciples were ſo overcome with their owne loſſe by Chriſt his departure from them, as they could not mind him, and his trouble, not for an houre: Yet farther.
Thirdly, He was thus taken up with trouble about their trouble, 3. And that though he found much ſin̄e in themthough he found at preſent, much ſinne in them, and offenſivenes to his ſpirit; and foreſaw that they would play falſe with him, and forſake him; and this contrariety of diſpoſion, & unkind dealing, ſo weakens mens affections in each other, as that they can ſcearſly continue love, much leſſe ſuch love, as to be troubled for their troubles: Yet further.
Fourthly, He was thus taken up with their troubles, though he knew 4. And though he knew it ſhould not be long.it was not long to the ending, and vaniſhing of all theſe their troubles; Namely by his reſurrection; which he beleeved fully, though they did not: Yet for ſo ſmall a time could not he behold them in trouble, but every veine in his heart was moved, and he moſt induſtriouſly applies himſelfe to remove, & prevent it, for the preſent; Thus alſo, for all other Beleevers, though he knowes the rule God goes by; That if Sorrow be in the Night, yet. Joy ſhall be in the Mornning; Yet is he troubled greatly with their preſent troubles, even as one is with the leaſt, and ſhorteſt touch on the apple of his eye; Zach. 2. 8.
REASON.Reaſon, of all is: From his Nature.
The Reaſon or Ground of all which tendernes of bowells towards them; Is, from his Nature; For, he hath the fullnes of the God-head (all the divine Nature) bodily; working in an humane Nature, and ſo as a man; Now the divine Nature, is Mercy & Love 1. John. 4. 8. and all mercy, is but ſome dropps of that Nature; which being put forth in him, a Man; inlargeth after mans manner, his bowells infinitly; So that he hath more bowells, then all Angels, which yet worke in an humane way, to move & touch him as a Man: Heb. 4. 15. with feeling as a man may have, though not in an infirme way as it is with us; but as is cōpetible to a glorified nature: Now this his Nature, is drawen forth towards beleevers; partly by his Fathers love to them, He knowes how greatly his Father loves them, and loves to have them loved, and therefore in obedience & love to his Father; He gives vent to the whole ocean of Compaſſion that is in his Nature, to flow out upon them: John. 14. laſt. and that ſeemes to be the connexion John 10. 15. I knowe the Father; and lay downe my life for the ſheepe, becauſe I knowe it is his mind, I ſo ſhould doe; for the original motive of Chriſts love to Beleevers, is becavſe the Father ſo loved them; they were his John. 17. 6. yea, & continue to be his, though given to Chriſt: Verſe. 9. And partly his Office & Relation to them, drawes his bowells towards them: He is a Brother, Head, Husband, Father, (all that may indeare, he is made to them) he is their Saviour, their Guardian &c. they are given him (as the former places ſhew) he hath a propriety in them alſo; they are his owne, John. 13. 1. Yea, he is made one with them, in a ſtricter nearenes, then one flesh & bone, one ſpirit they are with him 1. Cor. 6. 17. therefore he cannot but ſo love; even ſelfe-love begetts love to them; neare relations among men, begett affections.
FIRST USE. Ʋſe. 1Instrustiō That God is moſt tender to Beleevers, in troubles.
For Inſtruction; Firſt, That God is moſt tender to Beleevers in all their Troubles: For what Chriſt is, that very ſame God is, inaſmuch as he is his expreſſe image Heb. 1. 3. The Character, and ſo carrying a full expreſſe of him: Which Chriſt is; not as the Second Perſon barely, for ſo he is as inviſible as the Father, but as the Second Perſon incarnate; & though his incarnation fit him to expreſſe after our manner; God the clearer to us; yet it adds nothing to him beyond what is in God: In God is the ſame degree of Love; which is in Chriſt; but it is made evident to us in & by Chriſt: Yea, it was in God, before it was in Chriſt: For, he raiſed up Chriſt, and filled him with it, that he might convey thoſe Compaſſions to us; and him he charged to doe it in all their afflictions: He whoſe Angel of preſence (which is Chriſt) ſaves; He is with them afflicted; and that is God the Father: Iſa. 63. 7. 9. Therefore by all the evidences of Chriſts infinite Compaſſions, aſſure your hearts, that God is ſo, every whitt ſo (though He be Great, High, Holy, Juſt, Independent) and goe to him in your miſeryes & infirmityes, with boldnes: For aſſurance of great mercifullnes, makes bold to come, though it be a deſperate venture:
Not onelyonly, Chriſts mercifullnes, & mediation, ſhould bring us boldly to God, as Heb. 4. two laſt verſes. But Chriſts mercifullnes, ſhould ſo convince us of Gods, as that upon Gods mercifullnes, we ſhould beare up, & imbolden our ſelves, though it is to flow to us, onelyonly through and for Chriſt; or elſe we doe not enough honour God: In which way, I feare many Beleevers wrong God; forgetting his mercifullnes, & looking on Chriſt, not onelyonly as meriting & moving Gods mercy, but as onelyonly having mercy.
Second Inſtructiō, That all Beleevers (but eſpecially Church members 2. Beleevers ſhould be cōpaſſionate, Eſpecially Church Members.& of them moſt eſpecially Church Officers) ſhould ſhew forth aboundant cōpaſſions in being moved with the troubles of others, even more then with their owne; For elſe they ſhew not forth Jeſus Chriſt: All Chriſtians are anointed with the ſame ſpirit: Therefore ſhould have the ſame bowells, that Chriſt hath: And Church-members are not onelyonly; one Body, in aſpeciall reſpect; But they are Chriſts in a ſpeciall relation; a new, and ſuperadded relation, by vertue of their perticular Church fellowſhipe; and therefore they ſhould more eſpecially reſemble Chriſt: Hence that Exhortation, Col. 3. 12. Therefore; Becauſe Verſ. 10. 11. ye have put on the new man, after Chriſt &c. Therefore, put on bowels of mercyes, & kindnes; Mercyes, that is the moſt mercifullnes, as can be; and take in kindnes alſo; and not ſome acts, but the very rootes, the bowels of theſe; and content not your ſelves of getting ſuch habits in your hearts; but put them on, as a garment; be ſeene in them: Thus was alſo Paule, as a Church Officer, 2. Cor. …. 2. their ſorrow, ſo tooke up his heart, that he could not be eaſed, till they were: And Chap. 11. 29. if any Beleever (and not onelyonly ſome of his choiſeſt) were weake, as being preſt with any burthen; he alſo, for their ſakes became weake alſo: And if they were hurt, by any fall into Sinne (for that is ment in Scripture phraſe, by being ſcandelized or offended) though he could not in this become like them, to be ſo alſo; yet he was tortured with trouble of it: as if he were in the fire, & burnt; which is a very ſenſible paine: For therefore Church Officers ſhould thus reſemble Chriſt, becauſe in a ſpeciall manner they repreſent Chriſt; who is the great Officer & Miniſter under God, eſpecially whē he was on earth; Rom. 15. 8. But alas! where is this conformit to Chriſt, to be found? I am, (now I compare others with it) aſhamed, and amazed; ſelfe-love, ſo prevailes in us, that we have not any compaſſions to be troubled with the troubles of others, as if our owne; as their duty is: But I ſay the mercifull ſhall find mercy; and this drought of Compaſſion to others, will reſtraine though it cannot dry up, Chriſts ſprings of pitty to you.
SECOND USE. Ʋſe. 2Exhortation. To gett aſſured of Chriſts tendernes.
For Exhortation, to all Beleevers, to tell their hearts in every trouble; that Chriſt is more troubled then ye are: As ſometimes ye ſee a Mother more toucht with the Childs illnes, then the Child is: Though ye ſee him not troubled, yet by Faith be aſſured it is ſo; and as he was at this time, in his Diſciples troubles, ſo is he, & ever will he be, in every Beleevers trouble; Nor hath he left his ſenſiblenes of our troubles, by his being glorified, for, ſince that, the Apoſtle ſaith of him He is not one that cannot be toucht with feeling: That is, He is toucht with feeling of our infirmityes; in as much as he was once tempted as we are; and thoſe impreſſions by his experience, remaine ſo that he is now toucht with feeling; though ye cannot conceive how, yet know it is ſo, for the Apo. ſaith it; he feeles more then you; and is eaſed by your eaſe, more then you (the head feeles moſt, in it is the ſeate of ſence, more then in the members that are toucht) Therefore, if it comfort you to have one ſuffer with you, though no member doe it; yet know, that Chriſt your Head doth it, and cannot but be as ready to eaſe you, as you are to be eaſed, ſo ſoone as it is fitt.
Againe from the manner of Chriſts ſpeaking we may obſerve: