The Cry of a Stone, Section 17
The time of ſuffering is now come.
ANd ſuch is the carnality of our times, even of the profeſſors of Religion, that they are never weary of eaſe, pleaſure and SECT. 17.plentie, nor feare the taking of too much thought for the fleſh, neither will they ever have the time come for judgement to begin Rom. 13. 14.at Gods Houſe, much leſſe with the Apoſtle Paul will they take pleaſure in afflictions and perſecutions; belike we are borne in the time when men muſt die in their neſts, and goe to heaven in feather-beds; and the 2 Cor. 12. 10. Iob 29. 18.gate to heaven is growne ſo wide, that men may runne in at it with all invented formality and fleſhly libertie that can be invented or deſired.
Some there are, who will pray earneſtly, that the abuſes in the Church may be removed, and the cleare light of the Goſpell really diſcovered, and that the Saints may rejoyce together in the ſweet fellowſhip of the Church, and it is well they doe ſo; but in their prayers they looke the wrong way for it ever to come in, they looke it ſhould be done with ſound of Trumpet, by decrees of Parliaments, Iohn 18. 36.by Edicts of Princes; alas, the Kingdome of Chriſt is not of this world, he gaines his glory here, by abaſement, and they that will doe any good in his cauſe, muſt caſt away all carnall helps▪ and henceforth know Chriſt according to the fleſh no more, but walke cloſe with 2 Cor. 5. 16.him in his temptation.
And what doctrine is there in the Scriptures more cleare than this? Did not Chriſt himſelfe by death vanquiſh ſinne and Satan, 3. Luke 24. 26.and ſo enter into glory? and was his whole life here any other then a continuall ſuffering? and were not theſe his ſufferings as well imitable as meritorious? Are not we to looke unto him who is the Authour and finiſher of our Faith, and follow him in his temptations? Heb. 12. 2. ….and are not all his promiſes made with the condition of the croſſe? Did not Paul deſire to have fellowſhip with Chriſt in his Marke 10. 30. Phil. 3. 10.afflictions, and to be made conformable to his death? Well, how commeth it to paſſe, that wee never examine our ſelves by theſe things? nor thinke of ſuffering afflictions, but imagine that the common pace and prevailing courſe of the times and multitude will ſerve the turne to bring us to glory? What priviledge have we above Chriſt, above Paul, and the Chriſtians in the Primitive time? Belike no Prophet nor good man can periſh, or be wronged in our Luke 13. 33.Nation; but we are borne in the day, in which he that is moſt godly is the moſt ſecure.
Well, if it be not ſo, I would it were ſo, but it is rather to be feared we joyne too much carnall libertie with our Profeſſion, and Gal. 6. 1….too eagerly deſire to make a faire ſhew in the fleſh, and meaſure Gods favour too much by temporall bleſſings; and we thinke, becauſe we build us faire houſes, and make us coſtly apparell, and eate our A vaine conceit.meate merrily, and lie and turne upon our feather-beds, with our braines full of roving thoughts, and traine up our children according to the faſhion, if withall we lend our eares ſometimes to a Sermon, and conferre ſometimes curſarily of the Scripture, and ſometimes uſe a forme of Prayer in our Families; we thinke God is wonderfully beholden to us, and we are ſome rare inſtruments of his glory, and notable pillars in his Church; for we ſit faſt and Acts 26. 24.quiet, and are not moved with errors, nor ſchiſmes; but when other buſie and giddie headed men that can never be quiet, rove and range about, troubled in minde, and diſtempered in affections, and fooliſhly pulling trouble upon themſelves, and beggery upon their wives and children; we live at wealth and peace and die quietly in our beds, and are honourably buried amongſt our friends, and leave behinde us a paterne and patrimony to our children.