England Faithfully Watched, Lecture 62
COLOS. 1.24.
Now I rejoyce in my ſufferings for you.
DUtie with its iſſue lieth here together, it brings forth twinnes, but not like each other; miſery in the diſcharge of it, joy in the end. The better the inſtrument workes, the worſe lik't of the world, and the worſe uſed, this is ſorrowfull; but the more bleſſed of God to a gracious ſucceſſe, this is joyfull. The childe that comes laſt out of the wombe of dutie, is a pleaſant childe, [Now] I rejoyce in my ſufferings for you. The inſtrument that faithfully wrought, beaten; with theſe ſtripes many were healed: Paul lived to ſee this, this made him forget miſery, whilſt in it, for he was in bonds, when he ſpake theſe words. Dutie at laſt is ſweet, it comes off with Heaven, though Hell dog it for a time. Now I rejoyce.
Eſther ſighes, mournes, groanes, and then feaſteth and rejoyceth at laſt: 'tis a true emblem of Chriſtianitie, 'tis clothed with ſackcloth a great time, but changes garments at laſt. Bleſſed are all that die in the Lord; Perſons when they end, actions when they end, though they end in bloud and death, yet if in the Lord, in the diſcharge of dutie, they are bleſſed with ſweet ſucceſſe, they eate the fruit of their travaile; 'twas ſo to Chriſt, 'tis ſo to us. Succeſſe is the crown of action, a crown from God here; Can a ſoule weare a crown from God here, or any where, and not joy, though a great while a putting on?
This point muſt be underſtood. When I ſay dutie ends well, it muſt be underſtood, dutie faithfully diſcharged. Hypocrites are very doing, but action never comes off well; what ever joy they have in the beginning, they have none in the end; how much ſoever they ſit up and worke, yet they lie down in ſorrow; what fires and ſparkles ſoever they kindle, goe all out ere they goe out, and blaſt and not bleſſe the ſoule at laſt: this is a univerſall truth, made ſo by the hand of juſtice. Behold all yee that kindle a fire, and compaſſe your ſelves about with the ſparkes, this yee ſhall have of my hand, yee ſhall lie downe in ſorrow, Eſa. 50. ult. Chriſt crownes no hypocrite neither here nor hereafter, neither action nor perſon; all that is unſound, rots. They ſhall not eate of the travaile of their ſoule, how painfull ſoever their travaile be, but die in travaile, their hope is cut off: an hypocrites livery, yea his legacy, is nothing but a deaths-head; obedience faithfully diſcharged, ends well; where ever this ends, if it be in a priſon, or any where elſe, it is with joy.
Obedience is rejected, becauſe of its iſſue, 'tis a damnable fault: they die in travaile that are married to Chriſt, therefore I will never be married to him; he clothes his Spouſe with mourning garments, and her coate is edged at end ſtill with deaths-heads; I will never be married to him! then thou canſt never come to Heaven, he brings none but his Spouſe thither. Though Chriſt doe not uſe his Spouſe ill himſelfe, yet he ſuffereth others to doe it; there is nothing but bloud and death in the way of God, I dare not ſet ſtep in it. Many ſpeake this in their heart, their not obeying, is a demonſtration of it. A ſad temptation is ſtrongly ſeized upon you, if it hold you, you are loſt; the fearfull of this ſort are ſhut out. There be troubles in every courſe under the Sunne; doſt thou find none in diſobedience? Then the more is to come. Bloud, and death, and hell, are at the end of thy way, Sinner; and yet dareſt thou to keepe on in it? Surely thou art not ſo much fearfull as wilfull. Inſtruction cures diſtemper, when 'tis but of meere weakneſſe; when the ſoule waits to turne in with Chriſt, and yet cannot; but where it is otherwiſe, lay open as much danger in one way pleaded for, as in another way pleaded againſt, yet the man will hold on his courſe, which ſpeakes the ſoule ingaged by will, and not ſo much overborne by weakneſſe, and then there is no entrance for right principles. I would let theſe alone which have ſhut themſelves up, till Chriſt breake open doores upon them, and ſpeake to a generation more ingenuous.
Men that are candid, love to doe things that will end well: then ſet upon the workes of Chriſt. If thou be a Miniſter, preach Chriſt faithfully, who ever oppoſe; if thou be otherwiſe of any other ranke, practiſe the will of Chriſt ſincerely, what ever thou ſuffer. Things may goe harſh a time, but Chriſt will bring about a ſeaſon, foreign, now I rejoyce, that ever I did this, and that ever I did that for Chriſt. If Chriſt doe not bring about ſuch a time here, he will above. O how joyfull are they above, that ever they had hearts to ſuffer for Chriſt here below! Now I bleſſe God that I lay in ſuch a priſon, what a manſion have I to make me amends? Now I bleſſe God that ever I was hungry, that ever I was naked for Chriſt, what precious meate, and what glorious apparell have I, to make me amends? 'Twere enough, if the now of a Chriſtians joy, did not come till after this life: but ſhall a Chriſtian have one here? Let truth and conſcience keepe company in ſtormes, and I think I may aſſure any man, a ſweet calme here, let men and devils doe all what they can; but let theſe two be parted, there will never be a ſeaſon of joy, reall joy; the ſoule is betrayed, that hath any other opinion or practice. The righteouſneſſe of action ſhould onelyonly be eyed by us, as for other things, skin and bones, and goods, and ſuch like lumber, ſhould be all ventured in this bottome. I am for Chriſt, if I mourne all the dayes of my life, and have not one teare wiped off till I come to Heaven, all is one: ſo one ſhould ſet out, ſetting Heaven at the furtheſt diſtance that can be thought of, and then a man meets with it often, long before he accounted; in this priſon, or in that dungeon, where one would look for hell rather then heaven; ſo did Paul. Now I rejoyce, &c.