Comfort for Believers About their Sins and Troubles, Observation 4
FOURTH OBSERVATION.Obſer- Beleevers. are prone to be m…ch troubled, … the a…ch of Affl…ctio…s.
That Beleevers hearts, are prone to be to much, & ſinnfully troubled, with the approach of Afflictions.
It was loſſes, & tentations which the Diſciples perceived comming which caſt them into this diſtemper, of which Chriſt labors to cure them: This induſtriouſnes of Chriſt, to remove & prevent their Trouble; not onelyonly argues, His Compaſſions towards them (as hath bine obſerved) but alſo, their aptnes to be oppreſt with trouble: Hence the Scriptures ſo abound with Incouragements againſt Troubles, and Exhortations not to be diſmayed with them; and our experience of our ſelves, & others, doth aboundantly ſhew, how prone we are to be diſmayed with Troubles.
FIRST REASON. Reaſons. 1Bec. T…y cro… t…e wo…ki…gs of ſelfelove
Becauſe Troubles, doe ſo exceedingly croſſe the workings & will of our ſinnfull ſelfe-Love; which is all for Eaſe, Pleaſure, Life &c. Therefore denying our Selves; is put before the taking up our Croſſe.
SECOND REASON.2. Bec. T…e… eſtrange us from this World.
Becauſe Troubles, doe ſo much cutt off, & eſtrange us from this preſent World: The delicacyes of this World; are baniſht from us, by troubles: Therefore Chriſt, diſcribes Troubles; By hateing Father; Brother; diſpiſing Houſes, Lands &c. And other Troubles by Sicknes, Paines &c. is expreſt by being dead; and ſo alſo, Perſecutions, for he meanes both; Pſal. 31. 12. Now the Love of this World, is much in our hearts; in that, the things of it are ſencible, and ſuite our appetites.
THIRD REASON.3. Bec. They are contrary to a good principle with in us.
Becauſe Troubles, are contrary to a good Principle of Nature; that is left in us (as well as to the fore mentioned bad ones) viz. That deſire to preſerve our ſelves, and ſo to avoide all evill; which was in Chriſt, and made him be afraid, & pray againſt his paſſion; profeſſing that his Will, as Man, was againſt his Sufferings, conſidered in themſelves, though He ſubjected that his Will, to Gods; and ſo ſinned not: But our Corruption getts ſtrength from this good Principle, to oppoſe Troubles ſinnfully; and ſo Chriſts troubles at Afflictions, is diſtinguiſht from ours.
FOURTH REASON.4. Bec. Selfe-flattery promiſe the contrary.
Becauſe Selfe flattery, makes us promiſe our ſelves, the contrary; Luke. 12. 19. and carnall confidence with Atheiſme; makes us build our reſt on the preſent good; as Pſal. 30. 6. by which inexpectency of Evils, when they appeare, our Spirits are the more diſmayed, & being unprepared, are the weaker, to beare.
FIRST USE. Ʋſe. 1Exhortation. To take paines, to be fitted for Troubles.
For Exhortation to Beleevers, To fore-think & take more paines about fitting your ſelves for Troubles: Even Beleevers doe to much put of the evill Day; and doe not let the Words fore ſhewing Troubles, and preparing for Troubles, doe as Luke. 9. 44. Which either reſpects troubles fore told verſ. 22. or the things which might fitt to beare Troubles, as that miracle verſ. 43. But Beleevers doe ſo dreame of proſperity, and are ſo unapt to ſuffer; that they ſhun to fore-think it ſeriouſly; as the Apoſtles did theſe Troubles, by Chriſts Paſſion, or elſe they had bine fore warned, & armed. But Job did otherwiſe Job 3. 25. 26. he feared afore; Therefore he ſo well indured Job. 1. 22. till it grew inexpreſſible: It confirmes your hearts in well doing; whilſt ye fore-think Troubles; Acts. 14. 22. and they come never the ſooner, but the eaſier, for your fore-thinking, and preparing; Nor need they bitter, but onelyonly temper from ſurfeting on your preſent ſweete: So onelyonly is that ment Job. 3. 25. 26. and implies that it is an Argument why Evill ſhould not come when it is fore-feared: And they keepe away never the longer, nor fall on, the leſſe, for your not expecting them; but haſten, and ſeaze more heavily: It is a ſhame for Beleevers to be toucht with that trouble, they before feared not; ſince the Scripture gives them ſuch warning; and it is made the Lot of the Wicked, to have Calamityes ſuddenly & unlookt for.
Secondly, To exhort Beleevers, when Troubles come, to looke out for 2. in Troubles to loke out for helpe to beare.helpe to beare, fearing & watching againſt their owne weaknes: To ſuffer; is a gift; not onelyonly carrying favour, but new ſuperadded ſtrength; and a Gift ſuperadded to Faith; Phil. 1. laſt. though in it ſelfe, not better then Faith, yet that which Faith helps not to; except aſſiſted with freſh ſupply: Sufferings, are Chriſts baptiſme Math. 20. 23. and muſt have his preſence: It is Chriſts Life, to beare them, and come out of them 2. Cor. 4. 10. 11. As it is Chriſts Death, to be under them; Wherefore, ye muſt have helpe from Him: Even the ſmal ſufferings by faſtings & mourning; was to much for the Diſciples at firſt; as new wine is for old bottles, or new cloth is for old Math. 9. 16. 17. Any denying Nature, is a ſtrong worke: The Diſciples could not beare Troubles, till the holy-Ghoſt came on them: Therefore Chriſt, preſerved them from all; & God gave them to Him, to be ſaved from Troubles (which would have loſt them) aſwell, as from Sinnes; ſo long as He was with them and the holy Ghoſt, not yet come on them; which is ment in part, by that John. 17. 12, compared with 18. 9.