Christ Crucified, Dedication
Ʋnto all Afflicted and Croſs-bearing ſerious Chriſtians, and more particularly to the right Honourable and truly Noble Lord, WILLIAM Earl of CRAFORD.
IT is one of the greateſt Practical Debates and Conteſts betwixt God and his own People, priviledged with a ſpecial intereſt in him, which they are naturally inclined longeſt to keep up, and are loatheſt to let fall, viz. Whether he ſhall guide and govern them, and ſhape out their lot to them while they ſojourn here in the World, as he himſelf in his own infinite wiſdom ſhall think fit, having a blank Submiſſion put by them into his hand, to be filled up with what kind and quality, with what meaſure and quantity, and with what continuance and duration of troubles, trials and afflictions himſelf pleaſeth: Or whether he ſhould, as to ſomethings at leaſt, conſult their will and pleaſure, and as it were take their advice, and allow them a liberty to preſcribe to him how he ſhould guide and diſpoſe of them: And indeed to be here denyed to their own will, and abſolutely ſubmitted to the will of God, is one of the higheſt and moſt difficultly practicable points of ſelf-denial (to which notwithſtanding all the Diſciples and followers of Chriſt are expreſly called, and wherein he hath great delight and complacency, as favouring ſtrong of intire truſt and confidence in him); Yet if we conſider theſe few things, it will be found that there is all the reaſon in the World, why they ſhould come in his will and ſweetly ſubmit themſelves to it in all things, how croſs ſoever to their own inclination, without any the leaſt ſinful reluctation or contradiction; which is our priviledge and the reſtauration of our degenerated nature to its Divine and Primitive integrity.
Firſt, if it be conſidered that he hath moſt Soveraign, Abſolute, and Incontrollible Dominion over you as the Potter hath over the Clay, for ye are the Clay, and he is the Potter; Nay, he hath more abſolute Dominion over you then the Potter hath over he Clay, for the Potter maketh not the Clay, both the Clay and the Potter being made by him;Pſal. 100.3. Iſa. 64.8. But he hath made you and not you your ſelves; Ye are all the work of his hands; He hath made you living Creatures, rational Creatures, and new Creatures,2 Cor. 5.17 If any man be in Chriſt he is a new Creature (which is the very flower of the Creation) and ye are his workmanſhip created in Chriſt Jeſus unto good works: Eph. 2.10If therefore it be unſuitable and incongruous for the Clay to ſay to him that faſhioned it, Iſai. 45.9What makeſt thou? Or for a mans work to ſay to him that he hath no hands; It's ſure much more for you to ſay to your great Potter and Faſhioner, What makeſt thou of us? Why dealeſt thou ſo and ſo with us? Wo to him that ſtriveth with his Maker, Rom. 9.21let the potſheard ſtrive with the potſheards of the earth, Jer. 18.6Hath not the potter power over the clay? And are you not not in the hand of the Lord as the clay as in the hand of the Potter? He might have made you veſſels to diſhonour, veſſels of wrath fitted to deſtruction, without being juſtly chargeable with any injury done to you; And when he hath in the Soveraignty of his moſt wonderful free Grace, made you veſſels to honour, and veſſels of mercy which he hath afore prepared unto glory, will ye dare to quarrel with him for his diſpoſing in his own way of your external condition in the World, and of theſe moveables and acceſſories that are wholly extrinſick, and not at all eſſential to your Salvation and true Happineſs? (For, let all the pleaſures, riches and honours of this World, even all the delights of the ſons of men in their very Extract, Spirits, and Quinteſſence, and when in a manner Diſtilled in a Lembick, till they be made to evaporat the pureſt Perfumes of their outmoſt perfections, be heaped on the Chriſtian; As they make him no better Chriſtian, nor make any addition at all to his true happineſs; So when he is deplumed and ſtripped naked of them all, every Bird as it were of theſe earthly comforts taking back again from him its own Feather; He is made never a whit the worſe Chriſtian, nor his happineſs in the leaſt impared); It were certainly much more becoming you to ſay, It is the Lord who can do us no wrong, and who hath undeſervedly done us much good, let him do to us what ſeemeth good in his eyes.
Secondly, If it be conſidered that he is of infinite wiſdome, and knows much better what is good for you then ye do your ſelves; who often miſtake what is good for you through your corruption, ignorance, partiality, or prejudice; But he by the moſt abſolute perfection of his bleſſed Nature is infinitly removed from all poſſibility of miſtaking what is good in it ſelf, or good for you; and if you will adventure your Eſtate and livelihood in the World on able and faithful Lawyers, when ye your ſelves are much unacquainted with, and ignorant of Law, and are diſpoſed to think that the Suit that is commenced againſt you will ruine you, while they think otherwiſe; And if you will commit your health and life to skilful and painful Phyſicians or Chirurgions, and receive from the one many unpleaſant and loathſome Potions and Pills; and ſuffer from the other ſuch painful Inciſions and Injections, ſuch Searchings, Lancings, and Pancings, ſuch Scarifications, Cauterizings, and Amputations; From all which ye have ſo great an averſation, if not abhorrency, Will ye not much rather and much more confidently commit the conduct and care of your ſelves and of all that concerns you to him, of whoſe undertaking there is no ſearch as to what is good for his own People, and whoſe faithfulneſs in his dealing with them reacheth to the very clouds, Pſal. 36.5. Pſal. 89.33.and never faileth? The skilfulleſt of theſe may miſtake, none of them being infallible, and the moſt faithful of them may poſſibly at ſometimes and in ſome things be found unfaithfully neglective, none of them being perfect; But it is ſimply impoſſible for him either to miſtake or to be unfaithful, for otherwiſe he ſhould deny himſelf, and ſo ceaſe to be God, whereof once to admit the thought is the higheſt blaſphemy; Let therefore your confident truſting of men in their reſpective Profeſſions and Callings, make you bluſh at, and be aſhamed of your diſtruſtings and jealouſings of God, and of your quarrellings with him, even when ye know not for the time what he is doing with you, and when what is done would have been none of your own choiſe, but doth very much thwart and croſs your natural inclination: Is it not enough that he is infinitely wiſe in himſelf, and for you? May you not therefore ſafely truſt in him, and with unſollicitous confidence, commit the conduct of your ſelves and of all your concerns to him? As knowing that he cannot himſelf be miſled, nor miſgovern you; May you not in Faith without diſtruſtful and perplexing fear follow him,Heb. 11.18 as faithful Abraham followed him, not knowing whither he went, and caſt all your care on him who careth for you and hath made it your great care to be careful for nothing, 1 Pet. 5.7Phil. 4.6and thus even ſing care away?
Thirdly, If it be conſidered, that ye have in your own experience (as the reſt of the People of God have in theirs) found, that in all his by paſt dealings with you, even theſe that for the time were moſt afflicting, his will and your true welfare, have been unſeparably joyned together, and that but very ſeldome and rarely your own will and welfare have tryſted together; So that ye have been conſtrained when at your ſelves and in cold blood, to bleſs him that you got not your will in ſuch and ſuch things, however for the time ye were diſpleaſſed with the want of it; and have been made to think, that if ever ye had any good days or hours along your Pilgrimage, your moſt croſſed and afflicted ones, wherein God took moſt of his will, and gave you leaſt of your own, have been your beſt days and hours; Dare you ſay upon ſerious and juſt reflections that it hath been otherwayes? Or that ye have not reaſon as to all bygone croſs providences, even the moſt apparently cruſhing of them, ſince the day that ye were firſt brought under the Bond of his Covenant to this day, to ſet up as it were your Stone, and to call it Eben-ezer, 1 Sam. 7.12.The stone of help, ſaying, Hitherto the Lord hath helped us? May you not, and ſhould you not then humbly and confidently truſt him, that ye ſhall through grace have reaſon as to preſent and future ones how ſadly and ſurprizingly ſoever they are or may be circumſtantiated, to ſay,Gen. 22.14 Jehovah-Iireh, the Lord will ſee or provide? O! but it be a ſweet, pleaſant, ſpiritually wholſome and refreſhful Air that breaths in that walk betwixt Ebenezer and Jehovah-Iireh, wherein a few turns taken by the moſt afflicted Chriſtians in their ſerious, compoſed, ſpiritual and lively contemplation, would through Gods bleſſing very much contribute quickly to reconcile them to all their reſpective Croſſes, how croſs ſoever, and to the keeping of them in better, firmer, and more conſtant ſpiritual health.
Fourthly, If it be conſidered, That by your pettiſh, fretful male-contented and unſubmiſſive contendings, ſtrivings and ſtruglings with him, ye will not help your ſelves, ye may well make your own Burden the more uneaſie, and your Chain the heavier; Should it be according to your mind? Job 18.4.ſhall the earth be forſaken for you? or ſhall the rock be removed out of his place? will ye diſannul his judgment? Joh 40.8.will ye condemn him that ye may be righteous? Job 13.33.will ye ſtrive against him who giveth not account of any of his matters? will ye tax his Wiſdom as if he did not underſtand what is convenient for you? will ye teach God knowledge? Job 21.is it fit that he ſhould come down to your will rather than ye ſhould come up to his? ſhall God change and break all his wiſely laid meaſures and methods of governing his People, and take new ones to gratify your peeviſh Humours? he will not be diverted from his Purpoſe,Job. 23.13, 14. when he in is one way who can turn him, what his ſoul deſireth that he doth, for he performeth the thing that is appointed for you: He is more juſt to himſelf (to ſpeak ſo) and more merciful to you, then to degrade as it were his infinite Wiſdom ſo far, as to ſuffer himſelf to be ſwayed againſt the Dictats of it, by ſuch ſhort-ſighted and froward Tutors as you; the great Phyſician of Souls is more compaſſionate and wiſe than to permit his diſtempered, and ſometimes even in a manner diſtracted Patients, to preſcribe their own courſe of Phyſick; but he will needs do what he thought fit and reſolved to do,Job 34.33 whether ye chooſe or whether ye refuſe; only he would (to ſay ſo) have your conſent unto, and your approbation of what he doth for the greater peace and tranquility of your own minds;Job 34.31, 32. Surely therefore it is meet, meekly and ſubmiſſively to be ſaid to God, whenever and however he chaſtiſeth, I have born chaſtiſement, I will not offend any more, that which I know not teach thou me, if I have dane iniquity I will do no more: It is the ſureſt and ſhorteſt way to get our will in ſo far as may be for our well, to allow him to take his own will and way with us: for he hath a ſpecial complacency in this, and therein gives wonderful vent to the bowels of his tender compaſſion toward his chaſtiſed and humbly ſubmiſſive Children;Jer. 31.18, 19, 20. Surely (ſaith he) I have heard Ephraim bemoaning himſelf thus, Thou hast chaſtiſed me, and I was chaſtiſed, as a bullock unaccuſtomed to the yoke; turn thou me, and I ſhall be turned, for thou art the Lord my God: ſurely after that I was turned, I repented, and after that I was inſtructed, I ſmote upon my thigh; I was aſhamed, yea, even confounded, becauſe I did bear the reproach of my youth; Is Ephraim my dear ſon, is he a pleaſant child? for ſince I ſpake against him, I do earneſtly remember him ſtill, therefore my bowels are troubled for him; I will ſurely have mercy upon him, ſaith the Lord: Thus when ye come ſubmiſſively to his hand, he comes as it were ſweetly to yours; and as ye gain nothing by your ſtriving with him, ſo ye loſe nothing but gain much by your ſoft ſtooping and ſilent ſubmitting to him; If ye humble your ſelves in the ſight of the Lord, James 4.10. 1 Pet. 5.6.he ſhall left you up; humble your ſelves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time.
Fifthly, If it be conſidered, That ye ſtand in need of all the Troubles, Tryals, and Afflictions that ye meet with; whenever ye are in heavineſs through one or moe,1 Pet: 1.6. or manifold Temptations, it is always and only if need be: And if ye be well ſeen in the ſtate and poſture of your Soul-affairs; what Graces of the Spirit are to be quickned and drawen forth into more lively and vigorous Exerciſe; what of theſe precious ſpices in your Gardens are to be blowen upon, not only by the more gentle and ſoft South-winds of Conſolations, but alſo by the more ſharp and nipping North-winds of Afflictions and to be beaten as it were in the Morter thereof, that they ſend forth their pleaſant and fragrant ſmell; what religious Duties are either much neglected, or but very lifeleſly, coldly, formally, lazily, ſuperficially and heartleſly performed, and to what a higher pitch and peg of Spirituality in the manner of performing them they are to be ſcrued up; what Luſts and Corruptions are to be further mo…tified and ſubdued: How little your Hypociſie, your Self-love and Self-ſeeking, your Pride, Paſſion, Impatiency, Unplyableneſs, and Unſubmittedneſs to the will of God, your Carnalneſs, Earthly-mindedneſs, your immoderate and inordinate love to the things of the World, your murmuring and fretting at, your diſſatisfaction and diſcontent with, your preſent lot; how little theſe and many other Corruptions are crucified and brought at under; if, I ſay, ye be well ſeen and verſed in the knowledge of your ſpiritual condition, ye will upon ſerious and thorow reflections find, that ye ſtand in need of every Affliction ye meet with, as to all the circumſtances thereof; or if ye do not, in ſo far ye are unacquainted with, and ſtrangers to your ſelves and to the ſtate and poſture of your ſpiritual Affairs; nay, ye will eaſily find, that all, even your heavieſt Croſſes and Afflictions, have enough adoe to work you up to what you ſhould be at; and though ſometimes ye may be diſpoſed to think that ye could hardly bear any more, yet ye will upon due ſearch find that ye could have wanted nothing of what ye meet with, without a greater prejudice than the Croſs hath brought along with it: We are naturally froward and peeviſh, bent to fretfulneſs and diſcontent, inclining rather to reſtleſs endeavouring to have our lot brought up to our Spirits, then to be at ſuitable pains to have our Spirits brought down to our lot; and therefore have much need to be tamed and calmed by the Croſs; This rugged and uneaſie temper of Spirit, being the great hinderer, yea oppoſite of that ſtayed and ſweet contentation of Heart with and in every ſtate; which is the very life of a Chriſtians life,Luk 12.15. conſiſting (as the Lord ſaith) not in the abundance of the things which we poſſeſs, but in our ſatisfiedneſs with them whether abundant or not: To the attaining unto which bleſſed temper, the ſhorteſt cut and moſt compendious way, is, in the firſt place to be well-pleaſed and ſatisfied with God himſelf, and with a ſolidly ſecured intereſt in him; and to endeavour in the next place, to be well-pleaſing in his ſight, to be gracious in his eyes, to ſtand well in his thoughts, even to do always thoſe things that pleaſe him; John 8.29.to which deſirable frame of Soul, it we were once through Grace brought (whereto our bearing of the Yoke, and putting our ſhoulders under the Croſs, is not a little through Gods bleſſing contributive;) O! how good natur'd then and eaſie to pleaſe would we be found to be, and how ready to conſtrue well of all that he doth to us? ſeldom out of humor (to ſpeak ſo) Now, if we ſtand in need of all the Afflictions we are tryſted with in all their moſt ſad and ſorrowful circumſtances (as certainly we do, becauſe God who cannot lie or miſtake hath ſaid it,) why ſhould we not ſubmit our ſelves to his will in meaſuring them out to us? or what juſt reaſon can there be to be diſſatisfied with, or to complain of Gods giving to, and ordering that for us, whereof we ſtand in need, and which we cannot want without being conſiderably prejudged and worſted by the want?
Sixthly, If it be conſidered, That in all your Chaſtiſements and Afflictions God is graciouſly driving the bleſſed deſign of your ſpiritual good and profit, making them all to work together for that deſirable end,Rom. 8.25. Phil. 1.19. cauſing them turn to your ſalvation through the help of the Prayers of others of his People, and the ſupply of the Spirit of Jeſus Christ; giving you aſſurance by his faithful word of Promiſe, that thereby your iniquity ſhall be purged, Iſa. 27.9.and that this ſhall be all the fruit (O! ſtrange and admirable condeſcention of Grace, all the fruit) to take away ſin; and that he will not chaſtiſe you as parents according to the fleſh do their children, to wit for their own pleaſure; who however they may have a general deſign of good to their Children in their chaſtiſing of them, yet through a remainder of corruption in the beſt of them,Heb. 12.10. they are often ſubjected to ſuch hurries and tranſports of Paſſion, when it comes to the act of chaſtiſement, that they much forget to conſult the good and advantage of the chaſtiſed Child, and too much gratify their own pleaſure and humor; but that be will chaſtiſe for your profite, that ye may be made partakers of his holineſs: Now, if this be his deſign in chaſtiſing, and if this be the promiſed fruit of your Chaſtiſements and Afflictions, why ſhould ye not therein ſubmit to his pleaſure, which hath your own profite inſeparably joined within it? if ye your ſelves do not ſinfully lay obſtructions in the way thereof, as otherwiſe, ſo particularly by your being diſpleaſed with this his pleaſure? which yet his Grace in his own People ſuffers not to be invincible nor final: I do not ſay that our Chaſtiſments and Afflictions do of themſelves produce this profite and bring forth this fruit; for alace! we may from doleful experience have ere now arived at a ſad perſwaſion, that we are proof againſt all applications, excepting that of ſoveraign efficacious and all-difficulty conquering free Grace, and that nothing will do at us ſave that alone: Whatever means be made uſe of, this only muſt be the efficient producer of our profite: It is a piece of God's royal and incommunicable prerogative which he hath not given out of his own hand to any diſpenſation, whether of Ordinances never ſo lively and powerful in themſelves, or of Providences never ſo croſs, loudly allarming and clearly ſpeaking, abſtractly from his own Bleſſing, effectually to teach to profite; Iſa. 48.17.and therefore he doth (as well he may) claim it to himſelf alone as his peculiar priviledge, while he ſaith I am the Lord thy God that teacheth thee to profite: Since then this is his deſign in all the Chaſtiſements inflicted on his own People, and ſince he only by his Grace can make it infruſtrably take effect, let him have our hearty allowance and approbation to carry it on vigorouſly and ſuccesfully, and let us pray more frequently and fervently, that by his effectual teaching our profiting may be made more and more to appear under our Chaſtiſements; and withall in the multitude of our ſad thoughts about them, let his comforts delight our ſouls, and this comfort in particular, that in them all he graciouſly deſigns and projects our profite, even the making of us more and more to partake of his holineſs.
Seventhly, If it be conſidered, That all your Tryals and Troubles are but of time-continuance and will period with it; they are but for a ſeaſon, 1 Pet. 1.6. 2 Cor. 4.17.yea but for a moment; He will not contend for ever, knowing well if he ſhould do ſo,Iſa. 37.16. the ſpirit would fail before him and the ſould which he hath made; though they ſhould follow cloſs on you and accompany you to your very dying day, yet then they will leave you and take their laſt good-night and everlaſting farewel of you;Rev. 7.15. and 21.4. ſorrow and ſighing will then for ever fly away, and all tears on whatſoever accompt ſhall then be wiped from your eyes: It is a great alleviation and mitigation of the moſt grievous Affliction, and of the bittereſt and moſt extream ſorrow, to think that not only it will have a term day and date of expiration, but that it will quickly in a very ſhort time, even in a moment be over and at an end; (as a holy Martyr ſaid to his fellow-ſufferer in the Fire with him, It is but winking and our pain and ſorrow is all over) and that there ſhall be an eternal Tack of freedom from it, and that everlaſting ſolace, ſatisfaction and joy without any the leaſt mixture of ſorrow and ſadneſs, ſhall ſucceed to it and come in the room thereof: It is but for the little ſpace of threeſcore years and ten, Pſal. 90.10or fourſcore (which length moſt men never come) that his People are ſubjected to trouble, and what is that very ſhort moment and little point of time, being compared with vaſt and incomprehenſibly long Eternity? in reſpect of which a thouſand years are but as one day, Pſal. 90.4.or as a watch in the night when it is paſt. And no doubt the little whiles trouble, ſadneſs and ſorrow of ſojourning and militant Saints, is in the depth of divine Wiſdom, ordered ſo, that it may the more commend and endear that bleſſed calm and tranquility, that fulneſs of pureſt joys, and theſe moſt perfect pleaſures at his right hand that triumphant Saints ſhall for evermore enjoy.
Eighthly, If it be conſidered that all along the little moment that your trials and afflictions abide with you, they are, even the ſadeſt and moſt ſevere of them, moderat, and through his grace portable and light; Iſa. 27.8.In meaſure he debateth with you, and ſtays his rough wind in the day of his eaſt wind, And whatever difficulty ye ſometimes find underſore pr…ſſours, to get it ſolidly and practically believed,1 Cor. 10.13. yet God is faithful who hath promiſed, and will not ſuffer you to be tempted above that which ye are able, but will with the temptation make a way to eſcape, that ye may be able to bear it; Iſa. 30.18.He is a God of judgement and diſcretion, that ſuits his peoples burdens to their backs, and wiſely proportions their ſtraits to their ſtrength; He puts not new wine into old bottles: Mat. 9.17. Iſa. 42.3. Iſa. 57.17, 18.Neither doth he break the bruiſed reed; And even when he hides his face and is wroth with his children, and ſmites them for their iniquity, It is only Fatherly wrath; And however dreadful that may be and difficult to be born, yet there is nothing vindictive in it; It is a Fathers anger, but contempered with a Fathers love, where alſo love predomines in the contemperature. And indeed the moſt extream, and the very heavieſt of all our Afflictions are moderat, and even light being compared, firſt with what your ſins deſerve, exceedingly far beneath the deſert whereof ye are puniſhed, even ſo far,Ezra 9.13. that ye may without all complement moſt truly ſay,Lam 3.22. That it is becauſe his compaſſions fail not that ye are not conſumed; That ye are kept out of Hell, and free from everlaſting burnings, to which your many, various, and grievouſly aggravated provocations, have made you moſt juſtly liable: So that ye have reaſon to think any Affliction ſhort of everlaſting deſtruction from the preſence of God, to be a highly valuable piece of moderation, and to ſay, Wherefore doth a living man complain, a man for the puniſhment of his ſin? Lam. 3.39. Micah 7.9.We will bear the indignation of the Lord becauſe we have ſinned againſt him. 2dly, With what, others of the people of God have readily met with,Heb. 12 4. for we have not reſiſted to the blood, ſtriving against ſin; We have it may be all this while been but running with the footmen, Je…. 12.5.when they have been put to contend with horſes. 3dly, With what our ſelves have ſometimes dreaded and been put to deprecat, when horrid guilt hath ſtared us in the face, and when God was apprehended to be very angry, even threatning to ſmite us w…th the wound of an enemy, Jer. 30.14.and with the chaſtiſement of a cruel one, to run upon us as a Giant, Job 16.14. and 12. Job 10.16.to break all our bones; and again to ſhew himſelf marvellous upon us, by taking us by the neck, and ſhaking us in pieces. 4ly, With what our bleſſed Lord Jeſus ſuffered for his people, who all the while he ſojourned here on earth, was a man of ſorrows and acquainted with grief, Iſa. 53.4.and might moſt j…ſtly have ſaid beyond all men, I am the man that hath ſeen aff…tion by the rod of his wrath: is there any ſorrow like unto mine in the day when the L…rd hath afflicted me? And 5ly, Being compared with that far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory which they 2 Cor. 4.17.work for you. Seing then that the ſharpeſt and ſoreſt of your afflictions are in all theſe and many other reſpects very moderat, gentle, eaſie and light, is there not reaſon why ye ſhould in them, without grudging, ſweetly ſubmit your ſelves to his will? heartſomly ſaying, it might have been much worſe, this falls infinitly ſhort of what we have deſerved, bleſſed be God that it is only thus, and no worſe.
Ninthly, If it be conſidered, that often when in any more than ordinary ſpiritual and lively frame of Soul, ye have in Prayer deſired the Lord that he would take any way, and make uſe of any means he pleaſed (wherein your ſin might not be) to make you more ſerious in the exerciſe of Godlineſs, more effectually to mortifie your Corruptions, and to further your conformity to his Image in Holineſs; And ye ſhould through his Grace be content, putting, as it were, a blank in his hand, to be filled up as himſelf in his own infinite wiſdome ſhould think fit, declaring that ye were ſatisfied on the tearms propoſed by Jeſus Chriſt, to be his Diſciples, and to take up not only a Croſs, or the Croſs in general, but your Croſs in particular,Mat. 16.24 the Croſs that ſhould be ſhaped out for you however circumſtantiated: And when under ſome very ſad affliction he on the matter beſpeaks you thus, I am now about to grant you your own deſire, though it may be in ſuch a way, and by ſuch a mean, as either would have been none of your own chooſing, had it been left to your choice, or poſſibly ſuch as ye did not think of; Will ye be diſpleaſed with me, or miſtake my hearing of your Prayers, fulfilling your Petitions, and granting you according to your own hearts deſire, becauſe I do it in mine own way, and by means of my own choiſing, wherein alſo ye left and allowed to me a latitude, and not in your way and by your means, which ye then renounced as not thinking your ſelves competent Judges thereof? Alace! here we are often ſound at beſt to border upon a practical rewing, retracting, and lifting up again of the Blank-Submiſſion which we profeſſed to lay down before him; and to ſay by our freting, repining, diſſatisfaction, immoderat heavineſs, and deſpondency of Spirit, that we were ſomewhat raſh, and not ſo well adviſed when we Subſcribed and gave in ſuch a Submiſſion and Surrender of our ſelves to him; That we did not think he would have taken ſuch advantage of us, or would have put us thus ſore to it, and, that if we had thought he would have done ſo, we would have been better adviſed before we had thus ſubmitted to him, and with our own conſent put our ſelves in his reverence; and that if it had been any thing but this we could have born it (whereas he ſaith nothing but this;) Whereby we do not only not a little reflect upon him as dealing unkindly, and doing what we would not have expected at his hand; But alſo make a ſad and humbling diſcovery of much unſoundneſs in our ſelves as to our offering up of ſuch general deſires, and as to our making of ſuch abſolute Submiſſions to him: Let us therefore, in order to the juſtifying of him as both righteous and kind, and to the vindicating of our ſelves at leaſt from allowing of any unſoundneſs, diſſimulation, or unfair, and meerly complemental-dealing with God, in our ſubmitting our ſelves to him in the general, without any But's or If's, any Reſtrictions or Exceptions; Hold at the Submiſſion given; ſharply expoſtulating with, and ſeverely chiding ourſelves for, this diſcovered practical contra…ction and contravention, And we ſhall find that he hath done nothing unworthy of himſelf, nor in the leaſt prejudicial to us, but what is according to our own moſt deliberat deſires, and greatly to our advantage.
It were a very wide miſtake if from what is diſcourſed in this Conſideration, any ſhould conclude that we intend either to commend or allow Chriſtians praying directly and expreſly for Croſſes and Afflictions, let be for ſuch and ſuch Afflictions in particular: For, beſide that we neither find it commanded in the Scriptures, nor allowedly (if at all) preſidented or practized by the Saints recorded there; And that it ſeems to be a ſinful limiting of the Soveraign God to a particular mean; We may eaſily know from ſad experience, with what difficulty, repining and fainting we often bear theſe Croſſes and Afflictions that we are moſt clearly called to take on, and that are unavoidably laid upon us; And how lamentably little for moſt part we profit by them; What hope or aſſurance could we then have that we ſhould either carry Chriſtianly under, or make ſuitable improvement of, ſuch Croſſes as we ſhould unwarrantably ſeek, and pray for to our ſelves? It's true, we find ſome of the Saints, and theſe, Stars of the firſt Magnitude, as Moſes, Job, Elias, David, and Jonas, in their diſtempered mal-content or fainting fits, paſſionatly, prepoſterouſly, and precipitantly praying, or rather wiſhing for death (for which they were not for the time in ſo good caſe); But that was not for death under the notion of affliction, but rather to prevent future and further afflictions, or to have a period put to preſently incumbent ones. If it ſhould here be ſaid, why may not Saints pray for afflictions, ſince they ſeem to be promiſed in the Covenant of Grace, as Pſal. 89.30, 31, 32. Hoſ. 2.6, 7. and v. 14. And ſince God hath graciouſly promiſed to bleſs all the afflictions of his people, and to make them turn to their ſpiritual good, profit and advantage, as Rom. 8.28. and Heb. 12.10. and elſewhere? To the firſt part of the Objection, it may be briefly Anſwered, that theſe and others ſuch, are not properly and formally promiſes of the Covenant of Grace, but rather Covenant-threatnings (for the Covenant of Grace hath its own threatnings ſuited to the nature thereof as well as the Covenant of Works hath its) though dipped (to ſay ſo) in Covenant-grace and mercy: And to the other part of it as briefly, that God hath promiſed to bleſs and to cauſe to profit by ſuch afflictions and chaſtiſements as himſelf thinks fit to inflict and lay on, but not theſe which we ſeek and pray for to our ſelves: Neither doth that Scripture, Pſal. 119. v. 75. I know —that in faithfulneſs thou haſt afflicted me, ſay any thing towards ſtrengthening the Objection, or invalidating the Anſwers given to it; For the Pſalmiſt only there humbly and thankfully acknowledgeth Gods faithfulneſs in fulfilling his threatning in afflicting him when he went aſtray; and in performing his promiſe in bleſſing his affliction to him for preventing his after-ſtraying, and making him learn better to keep his Commandments; In both which he is faithful. All that is either expreſt or meant in this Conſideration, is, that the Saints often pray God, that he would take his own way, and uſe his own means to bring about theſe great ends mentioned; wherein there is indeed at leaſt a tacite inſinuation, that if he in his wiſdom ſee it meet to make uſe of the rod and affliction in order thereto, that they will not allow themſelves to decline the ſame, nor to miſtake him in it; But that rather they ſhall through grace be ſatisfied with, and bleſs him for fulfilling their Petitions, and granting them according to their own hearts deſires, though it be by ſuch means: Which is not praying for affliction, but a reſolved and declared Submiſſion to infinite Wiſdoms love-choiſe of his own midſes to effectuat & bring to paſs the prayed for ends.
Tenthly, If it be conſidered, that it now neither grieveth nor troubleth any of all the glorified, triumphing, and Palm-bearing Company before the Throne of God and of the Lamb, that they were exerciſed with ſo many, and ſo great trials and tribulations while they were here below; It troubleth not John the Baptist that he was impriſoned, baſely murthered and beheaded there in a hole, without having acceſs to give any publick teſtimony before his death; And at the deſire of a wanton dancing Damſel, through the inſtigation of her Adulterous and Inceſtuous Mother; Nor Stephen (commonly called the Proto-Martyr) that he was ſtoned to death as a Blaſphemer for giving teſtimony to the moſt precious and comfortable truth of Chriſts being the Meſſiah; Nor Paul that he was thrice beaten with Rods, and received five times fourty ſtripes ſave one, that he was in ſo many perils by Sea and Land, in the City, in the Countrey, and in the Wilderneſs, by the Heathen, by his own Countrey-men, and by falſe Brethren; That he was ſtoned, and ſuffered all theſe other things whereof he gives us an Hiſtorical Abridgment in his 2d. Epiſtle to the Corinthians, chap. 11. Nor doth it trouble any of all theſe Worthies, of whom the world was not worthy, that they were cruelly Mocked, Impriſoned, Scourged, Tortured, or Tympanized and Racked, Stoned, Tormented, Sawen aſſunder, Killed with the Sword, Tempted, driven to Dens and Caves of the Earth, and put to wander up and down in Sheep Skins and Goat Skins, Whoſe Martyrology the Apoſtle briefly compendeth, Heb. 11. Nor doth it trouble any other of all the Martyres, Saints and Servants of Jeſus, who have in the ſeveral Ages of the Church ſuffered ſo many and ſo great things while they were here in the World; Nay, all theſe their ſufferings go to make up a conſiderable part of their Song of Praiſe in Heaven, (where the Hiſtory of theſe Wars of and for the Lord, will be very pleaſant to them to read, however ſore and bloody they were on earth;) And not only ſo, but theſe of them who have ſuffered moſt, wonder much that they have ſuffered ſo little, and that they are come to ſo excellently glorious a Kingdome thorow ſo little tribulation in the way to it: Believe it, there will be as much matter of thankſgiving and praiſe to God found treaſured up under the plyes and foldings (to ſay ſo) of the moſt croſs and afflicting providences that ever the People of God met with here in the World, as under theſe that for the time were more ſmiling and ſatisfying: Let us then, valuing all things we meet with, according to the Aſpect they have on our ſpiritual and eternal ſtate, (which is ſure the juſteſt and ſafeſt valuation of them) heartily allow him to take his own will and way in afflicting us.
Eleventhly, If it be conſidered, that as this Submiſſion to the will of God in croſs and afflicting providences is Chronicled in the Sacred Records to the perpetual commendation of ſeveral of the Saints; Namely of Aaron of whom it is ſaid, when God had ſlain his two Sons in a ſtrange and ſtupendious manner, even by Fire from Heaven for their preſumptuous offering of ſtrange fire before him, that he held his peace: Levit. 10.3Of old Eli when he received a ſad meſſage, concerning himſelf and his houſe by the hand of young Samuel, who ſaid, It is the Lord, 1 Sam 3 18let him do what ſeemeth him good: Of Job, after by four ſeveral Meſſengers (each of them coming immediatly on the back of the other, ſo that he ſcarcely got leave to breath betwixt, or the former to finiſh his lamentable narration) the terribly allarming tidings were brought him concerning the plundering of his Oxen and Aſſes by the Sabeans, and the killing of the Servants with the Sword; Concerning the conſuming of his Sheep and Servants by the Fire of God falling from Heaven upon them; Concerning the carrying away of his Camels, and the killing of his Servants by the Caldeans, and concerning the ſmothering to death of all his Sons and Daughters while Feaſting together, by the falling of the Houſe upon them;Job 1.21, 22. who ſaid, The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away, bleſſed be the Name of the Lord; In all this not ſinning, nor charging God fooliſhly: Of David, who in a croud of croſſes ſaith to God,Pſal. 39.9. 2 Sam. 15.25, 26. I was dumb, I opened not my mouth, becauſe thou didst it: And who, when forced to flee from Jeruſalem by his unnatural and rebellious Son Abſolom, and ſending back the Ark thither, with admirable compoſure and ſweet ſtooping of Soul, ſaid, If I ſhall find favour in the eyes of the Lord, he will bring me again, and ſhew me both it and his habitation, but if he ſay thus, I have no delight in thee, behold, here am I, let him do to me as ſeemeth good to him: Of Hezekiah, when that heavy Meſſage was brought to him by the Prophet Iſaiah concerning the Babyloniſh Captivity, wherein his Royal Poſterity were to have their deep ſhare,2 King. 20.19. who ſaid, Good is the Word of the Lord which thou haſt ſpoken, who ſaid moreover, Is it not good if peace and truth be in my dayes? If the threatned doom and ſentence ſhall be for a while ſuſpended and not preſently execute: And of theſe Chriſtians, who, after they had with much weeping earneſtly intreated the Apoſtle Paul deſervedly very dear to them, not to go up to Jeruſalem, where the Prophet Agabus had foretold he ſhould be apprehended, and put in Bonds, and perceived that he was inflexibly reſolved at any rate of hazard to go thither,Act. 21, 14 ceaſed, and ſubmiſſively ſaid, The will of the Lord be done: As, I ſay, it is thus Chronicled to their commendation, ſo it is a piece of moſt beautiful and amiable conformity to the practice of our bleſſed Lord Jeſus, of whom we ought to be followers as dear children in all theſe things wherein he is propoſed as a pattern for our imitation,Epheſ. 5.1. who in a great and grievous agony of trouble, and when moſt terribly aſſaulted by a ſtrong combination of croſs and afflicting providences, and after condition at deprecating of that bittereſt Cup and blackeſt hour, pleaſantly, ſweetly, and ſubmiſſively ſubjoyned, and ſaid to his Father,Luk. 22.42. Mat. 26.32 Nevertheleſs not my will but thine be done: Not as I will, but as thou wilt.
Twelfthly and finally, If it be conſidered, That when the whole contexture and web of Providences and more eſpecially about the Catholick viſible, militant Church, and every individual Member thereof ſhall be wrought out, and in its full length and breadth (as it were) ſpread forth in the midſt of all the redeemed, perfected, glorified and triumphant company of Saints, ſtanding round about and with admiration beholding it; there will not be found (to ſay ſo) one miſplaced threed, nor one wrong ſet colour in it all, but every thing will be found to have fallen in, in the fitteſt place, and in the moſt beautiful ſeaſon and order thereof; O! ſo rare, ſo remarkable, ſo renowned, and ſo raviſhing a piece as it will by them all unanimouſly and with one voice be judged and declared to be? even worthy of the moſt exquiſite Art and infinite Skill of the great Worker thereof; the ſevereſt Criticks and moſt difficultly ſatiſfiable of them all while here below about more publick and more particular Croſs-providences, will then fully and to the height be ſatisfied, and will all, without any the leaſt heſitation or jarring, readily and chearfully bear him this concordant teſtimony,Mark 7.37 that he hath done all things well, every thing in particular, and all things in the general; though when he was a doing of them, they often preſumptuouſly took on them raſhly to cenſure, and to offer their impertinent and crabbed Animadverſions on, and their Amendations and Alterations of ſeveral of them; and will moſt cordially bleſs him that he wrought on in his own way about his Church and each of themſelves, without conſulting them or following their way, which would have quite marred the beauty and darkned the luſtre and ſplendour of that moſt cloſe and curious divine contexture.
Every one of theſe Conſiderations hath much reaſon in it to perſwade to this intire and abſolute ſubmiſſion to God's will and pleaſure, in what is croſs to you, afflicted and ſorrowful Chriſtians; but O! how much weight and ſtrength of ſound ſpiritual reaſon is there in them all united together (beſide the many other excellent Conſiderations diſperſed up and down theſe choice Sermons, ſtuffed full with ſtrong Cordials, fitted both to recover and to preſerve you from fainting under your many ſeveral Afflictions) powerfully to perſwade and prevail with you, even the moſt averſe, untoward, way ward, and croſs-gained (to ſay ſo) of you all; without further debate, demur, or delay, in theſe things that are moſt afflicting to you, and do moſt thwart your inclination, to come in his will, and pleaſantly, without any the leaſt allowed reluctancy or gainſaying to ſubmit to him? how might ye thus poſſeſs your Souls in patience, and how quiet, calm, ſedate, and compoſed might ye be, more eſpecially in troubleſome Times, amidſt theſe things wherewith others are keeped in a continual hurry, almoſt to the hazard of being diſtracted by them?
Let them all, my Noble Lord, prevail with your Lordſhip in particular, reverently to adore, ſilently to ſtoop unto, and ſweetly to acquieſce in, the Lord's ſoveraign, holy, and wiſe ordering your many and various complicated Trials, and more eſpecially his late removing your excellent Lady, the deſire of your Eyes, the Chriſtian and comfortable Companion of your Youth, by his ſtroak: As indeed all the tyes of neareſt and deareſt Relations, betwixt Huſbands and Wives, Parents and Children, Brothers and Siſters, &c. are capable of diſſolution, and will all ere long by Death, be actually diſſolved; there being but one tye and knot of Marriage-union betwixt precious Jeſus Chriſt and the Believer, that by divine ordination is eternally incapable of any diſſolution even by Death it ſelf; which, though it diſſolve the ſtrait-union that is betwixt the Soul and the Body, yet doth not at all looſe the ſtraiter bond of Union that is betwixt him and both of them, but it remains ſtill inviolable; and by vertue thereof, the Believers vile dead Body, ſhall be raiſed again at the laſt Day, conform to his own glorious Body, and be reunited to the perfected-ſoul; which two old Intimats will then meet in far better caſe then when they were parted and pulled aſunder; for he is an Huſband that cannot grow old, ſick or weak, neither can he die; he is an Huſband whoſe Bride and Spouſe is never a Widow, neither hath he any Relicts: The drawing on of which matchleſs Match and marvellous Marriage, is one great deſign of theſe ſweet Sermons, wherein pregnant reaſons are adduced by this friend of the Bridegroom, to perſwade Sinners to embrace the offer thereof made to them in the Goſpel; and to make them, who, by his own gracious and powerful inſinuations on their Hearts, have entertained his Propoſal, towards making up, and final, cloſing of the Match, to bleſs themſelves in their choice, and to bleſs him, that ever he vvas pleaſed to ſtoop ſo very lovv as to become a Suiter to them, vvith a peremptory reſolution to admit of no refuſal, but infruſtrably to carry their Hearts conſent to take him for their Lord, Head and Husband, to be to them a Saviour, a Phyſician, and Treaſure, even their All in all, their All above all; which day of Eſpouſals, as it was the day of the gladneſs of his heart, ſo, it will never be any grief of heart to them. Let all mutinous thoughts about his dealings with you, be ſilenced with, It's the Lord; let not too much dwelling on the thoughts of your Affliction, to the filling of your heart ſtill with Sorrow, incapacitate you for, nor divert you from, humble asking the Lord, what he aims at by all theſe Diſpenſations, what he would have you to learn out of them, what he reproveth and contends for, what he would have you amending your hand in, and what he would have you more weaned, ſelf-denied, and mortified in, and what he would have you a further length and a greater proficient in; He hath told you the truth, that theſe things are expedient for you; ſtudy to find them to be ſo in your own experience. Sure he hath by them, written in great, legible, and capital Characters, yea, even as with a Sun-beam, Vanity, Emptineſs, Uncertainty, Mutability, Unſatiſfactorineſs, and Diſappointment upon the forehead of all Creature-Comforts, and with a loud voice called your Lordſhip yet more ſeriouſly then ever, to ſeek after ſolid Soul-ſatisfaction in his own bleſſed and all-ſufficient Self, where it is moſt certainly to be found without all peradventure or poſſibility of miſgiving; make haſte, my Lord, yet to come by a more cloſs confining of all your deſires and expectations of Happineſs and Satisfaction to your Soul, to God only, contracting and gathering them in from the vaſt and weariſome circumference of earthly Comforts, and concentering them all in himſelf as their point; ſtudy through Grace, in a ſweet Soliloque, to beſpeak your ſoul, thus, My ſoul wait thou only upon God, Pſal. 62.5.for my expectation is from him: O bleſſed confinement of deſires and expectations of happineſs and ſatisfaction to the Soul! where it is as impoſſible to meet with diſappointment as it is impoſſible not to meet with it from every other Airth whence it is looked for; alace! it is the ſcattering of our expectations and deſires of happineſs among other objects beſide him, that breeds us all the diſquiet, anxiety, and vexation, whereas if we kept our ſelves through Grace under a more cloſs and conſtant confinement to him, when this and that, and the other Creature-comfort, whether Perſon or Thing were taken from us, there would be no deduction made from, nor any diminution made of our true Happineſs; none of theſe, how dear and deſirable ſoever being eſſentially conſtitutive of it, nor ſo much as trenching thereupon; and he in whom only all our Happineſs lyes, being the ſame yesterday, to day, and for ever, without any variableneſs or ſhadow of turning: There are ſome whom he loveth ſo well, that he cannot (to ſpeak ſo) find in his heart to ſee them thus to parcel out their Affections, and to dote upon any painted imaginary Happineſs in Creature-comforts; and therefore on deſign, he doth either very much blaſt them as to the expected ſatisfaction from them, or quite remove them, that by making ſuch a vacuity he may make way for himſelf to fill it, and happily to neceſſitate the perſon, humbly, prayerfully, and believingly, to put him to the filling of it; and it is a great vacuity, that he who fills heaven and earth cannot fill, a little of whoſe gracious preſence and manifeſted ſpecial love, can go very far to fill up the room that is made void by the removal of the choiſeſt and moſt deſireable of all Earthly-comforts and Enjoyments: Happy they, who, when they loſe a near and dear Relation or Friend, or any Idol, they are found of, are helped of God to make Jeſus Chriſt, as it were, ſucceed to the ſame as its heir, by taking that loſs as a ſummonds to transfer and ſettle their whole love on him; the object incomparably moſt worthy of it, as being altogether lovely, Cant. 5.16.or all deſires; there is no Earthly-comfort, Perſon or Thing, but hath ſomewhat in it that is not deſirable, and that it would be the better to want, but there is nothing in him that is not truly deſirable, nor any thing out of him that is worthy to be deſired.
I am, my Noble Lord, the more eaſily prevailed with and encouraged, to addreſs the Dedication of theſe Sermons to your Lordſhip more particularly, when I remember the unfeigned faith that firſt dwelt in your Grand mother, as an other Lois; and in your Mother, as an other Eunice; and more lately, in your own choice Lady, who, as an other beloved Perſ…, laboured much in the Lord; and though ſhe had but a very ſhort Chriſtian race, (in which ſhe was much encouraged by coming into your Noble Fathers Family, and her beholding how hard your bleſt Mother did run and preſs toward the Mark, even when in the laſt ſtage and turning in a manner the laſt ſtoop of her Chriſtian courſe); yet it was a very ſwift one, wherein ſhe did quite out-run many that were in Chriſt long before her; (all three Ladies of Honour, almoſt (if I need to ſay almoſt) without paralels in their times, in the ſerious and diligent exerciſe of Godlineſs, and Paterns worthy to be imitated by others); and I truſt in your Lordſhips ſelf alſo; yea, and in ſeveral others of your elder and younger Noble Relations (for Grace hath had ſuch a draught of Souls amongſt you, as it uſeth not often to have in Societies of ſo Noble Extract (for not many noble are called;) which, as it deſervedly draweth reſpect to ſuch of you as are thus priviledged, from the obſervers of it; ſo it layeth a mighty ſtrong obligation upon you, to be much for God, and in ſervice to your Generation according to his will. Further, when I obſerve your Lordſhips Chriſtian and Examplary Carriage, under ſuch a conjunction and combination of ſo very croſs, and almoſt cruſhing calamitous Providences; chooſing rather contentedly and ſatisfiedly to be (if it ſo pleaſe the Lord, and O! that it may not) the laſt of that Ancient and Honourable Family, then to be found endeavouring to keep it from ſinking by any ſinful and unwarrantable courſe, particularly by defrauding juſt Creditors (though the Debt was not of your Lordſhips own contracting) under whatever ſpecious pretexts and advantages of Law; whereof many make no bones, who, if they may keep up their ſuperfluities, care not to ruine their Friends ingaged in Suretyſhip for their Debt, and to live on the Subſtance of others. Moreover, when with great ſatisfaction I notice how much your Lordſhip makes it your buſineſs to follow your Noble Anceſtors in ſo far as they were followers of Chriſt; Which many great Men even in the Chriſtian World, alace, do not much mind; Not conſidering that it is true Nobility where God is the Chief and Top of the Kin, and where Religion is at the Bottom; And what renowned Rauleigh ſaith, Hinc dictus Nobilis quaeſi prae aliis virtute notabilis; And what another ſaith, Qui ab illuſtrium majorum ſplendida virtute degenerarunt Nobilia pertenta ſunt. And finally, when I conſider, that in your Lordſhips retirement and abſtraction from wonted converſe and dealing in buſineſs, you will have acceſs at leaſure to read them, whereby you may through God's bleſſing be ſweetly diverted from penſive and not ſo profitable poring on your affliction, and be much inſtructed, convinced, reproved, directed, edified, ſtrengthened, and comforted. Read them then, my Lord, carefully (as I take it for granted you will) ponder and digeſt them well, and I am hopeful, that they ſhall through Grace prove contributive to the bringing upon you a conſiderable growth of holineſs, and to the making of your wayes and doings more then ever ſuch, that others of his people obſerving the ſame, ſhall be comforted, and made to think, and ſay, verily God hath not done in vain all that he hath done to yonder Noble-man.
That theſe Subſtantial and Marrowy Goſpel-Sermons may come along to you all, nay to all the Readers of them, and to your Lordſhip more particularly, with ſhowers of Goſpel-bleſſings, is the earneſt deſire of,
Dearly beloved and afflicted Chriſtians, And my very Noble Lord in particular, Your Companion in Tribulation, deſirous alſo to be, in the Kingdome and Patience of Jeſus Chriſt, And your Servant in the Goſpel for his ſake, J. C. November 15th. 1682.