The Christians Daily Monitor, Part 12
§. 12. A Direction to Chriſtians how to carry themſelves in Evil dayes, eſpecially in in times of fear and danger.
1. It highly concerns every man to examine and prove himſelf whether he be in the Faith or no, how the caſe ſtands between God and him, Lam. 3.40. Hag. 1.5. If we will not try our ſelves we ſhall be tryed; and wo unto us, if we be found too light.
2. We ſhould be every day weaning our hearts from the world. Things that hang on a pin eaſily fall off, but things that are glued, are hardly ſevered: inordinate love to any worldly thing, makes the croſs ten times heavier; and it is like a heavy burthen on a ſore back. Let not thy heart ſo cleave to theſe things, that judgements ſhould rend and tear them from thee; but let thy affections be ſo mortified, that they may fall off eaſily, as Elijahs mantle, when he went up to Heaven.
3. Be twice as much exerciſed in Religious Duties as before. When Judas was plotting, Chriſt went to the Paſsover. When Haman was revelling, Eſther with her Maids were praying. It is good to be well employed, when God is riding circuit in his judgements. Bleſſed is that Servant, who when his Lord comes is found ſo doing.
4. Labour to keep a good Conſcience; that though thou haſt trouble without thou mayeſt have peace within. No comfort like a good conſcience, it is a continual feaſt; it is like that good Woman, Prov. 31.12. It will do thee good and not evil all thy dayes: no torment like a bad one, for it is like that evil Woman, Prov. 19.13. that is a continual dropping, but drops faſteſt in a rainy day.
5. Inure thy ſelf to ſome hardineſs. Delicate perſons can hardly ſuffer. Soft fleſh if it be pinched ſoon ſwells. They that know not how to lay aſide their faſhions, how will they endure the want of the neceſſities of Nature? We ſhould therefore deny our ſelves ſomewhat in meat, drink and apparel, and pleaſures, and abaſe our ſelves, leaſt the Lord abaſe us.
6. Make ſure of the favour of God. It will be very ſad to have God and man againſt us both at once. The wrath of a King is like the roaring of a Lion: But who knows the power of Gods anger?
7. Make much of the Promiſes, and get them in thy heart, and labour to have them in a readineſs upon all occaſions. Thy word, ſaith David, hath comforted me in my affliction. God uſes more words in promiſes then in any diſpenſation of his will; when he threatens he ſpeaks ſhortly, when he promiſes he ſpeaks largely.
8. Get into thy heart the ſound and experimental knowledge of the Truth, and a fervent love to it. It is the truth that thou art like to ſuffer for, and a man can never ſuffer for that he doth not know, much leſs for that he doth not love.
9. Labour to better thy Knowledge in the Doctrine of Afflictions; to know the nature, uſefulneſs, end of them, how to judge rightly of them, how to bear them, how to improve them: fix in thy mind ſuch things as theſe; There is no Son of God without Chaſtiſement; That no Affliction comes but by the will of God; That by Afflictions we are made both ſerviceable and conformable to Chriſt; That all troubles, loſſes, ſtrokes are proportioned to our ſtrength, that they all are for our profit and good: the more we believe theſe things, the more comfortable and couragious we ſhall be in evil dayes.
10. Chriſtians ſhould by holy confe…nce edifie and comfort one another, Mal. 3.16. They ſhould improve the communion of Saints, for inſtructing, ſtrengthning; encouraging one another.
11. Meditate often of the attributes of God, the former experiences of Gods dealing with his people, and the joyes of heaven, and the reward is ſet before us: as Chriſt did, Heb. 12.1. as Moſes did, Heb. 11.27. and Paul, Rom. 8.18. 2 Cor. 4.17.
12. Spare no ſin unmortified; Entertain no Dalilah, no Herodias, for in an evil day it will work more woe and bitterneſs then we are aware of. It will fill thee with tormenting fears, and racking doubts. One fire-ball will burn thy houſe: one ſin unrepented of will burn thy ſoul. Do not hide iniquity in thy heart, when God is making inquiſition for it.
13. In an evil time the prudent ſhoul… keep ſilence. There is a time to ſpeak and a time to be ſilent. Many times ou… ſpeaking diſhonours God, gratifies enemies, diſcovers corruption, diſcredits religion, endangers our perſons: W… ſhould therefore pray to God to ſet watch before our lips, eſpecially in ev… times, and endeavour our words may be few, true, and ſpiritual.
14. But we must not be ſilent as t… God, in ceaſing to pray unto him, for i… is his Command, Call upon me in the day of trouble; and he expects whe… his chaſtning is upon us, we ſhould pou… out our prayer unto him, and that i… affliction we ſhould ſeek him early; tha… we ſhould pray oftner and better. The nearer Chriſt came to his ſuffering, the more earneſtly he prayed. Go then and enter into thy Chamber, and ſhut thy door; Get under the wings of the Almighty, and ſay with David, Thou art my hiding place, Pſal. 32.7. I fly unto thee Lord to hide me, Pſal. 143.9.
15. With other exerciſes of piety joyn …harity; exerciſe mercy, forgive thy …nemies, be reconciled to thy brethren. …iſit the ſick and impriſoned, plead the …auſe of the widow, give a portion to even, and alſo to eight, for thou know…ſt not what evil ſhall be upon the earth, …ccleſ. 11.2. Therefore, ſaith the Co…tous heart, part with nothing, hoard …p againſt a rainy day; therefore ſaith God, give freely, for the merciful ſhall …nd mercy.
Laſtly, let the preſent fears alarum …ee to prepare for ſad events; go not without thy armour, be not ſecure, ſay …ot the over-flowing ſcourge ſhall not …ome nigh me. But think with thy ſelf, …hough I have been in the rear of …ther judgements, I may be in the …ront of this. Labour to be fitted to en…ertain terrible things. When thou …eareſt the Miniſter ſound the Trumpet, and ſay judgement is at hand, the Lord is riſen out of his holy place to …udge the inhabitants of the earth. When thou heareſt what is done to others, when wickedneſs is advanced and Godlineſs ſlighted and oppoſed then get thoſe Graces that will fit the… for an evil day: ſuch as,
1. Reſignation of thy ſelf, and all tho… haſt unto God; be content that h… ſhould diſpoſe of thee as he pleaſeth, 2 Sam. 15.26.
2. Faith, which is a Grace will live i… hard times, for Faith lays claim to th… fulneſs of Chriſt as its own. Fait… hath two hands, a working hand an… a receiving hand, the receiving han… relieves the working hand.
3. Apply the promiſes of perſeverance
4. Patience in both its Acts, the bearing act, and the waiting act, and ſ… doing, thou mayeſt be able to ſtan… in the evil day; Which none of theſ… five ſorts of men will be able to do.
1. They that ſlight God and Religio… in peace and proſperity, will neve… ſuffer for God and Religion in adverſity.
…. Thoſe that will not witneſs for truth with their mouths, will never for the truths ſake lay down their lives.
3. Thoſe that ſerve God onelyonly for the praiſe of men, will leave the ſervice of God when men diſgrace them.
4. Thoſe that will not endure the ſmaller tryals, will much leſs ſtand in the greater.
5. They that will not ſuffer the power of Gods word to part them and their luſts, and vain converſation, will not ſeal the truth of Gods word with their blood.