Two Treatises, Treatise 1 · Chapter 8
CHAP. VIII.
Containing a Second Reaſon, drawn from the excellency of a quiet, and ſubmiſſive Frame of Spirit.
I now Proceed to a Second Reaſon,2. Reaſon drawn from the excellency of this ſubmiſſive Spirit. drawn from the excellency of this ſubmiſſive Frame of Spirit, which yields to God, and Reſignes all to his Diſpoſal. Solomon tells us, Prov. 12. 26. The Righteous is more excellent than his Neighbour, and Prov. 17. 27. A Man of Underſtanding is of an excellent Spirit. Now wherein doth the excellency of this Wiſe Man Shine, but by the luſtre of his Graces? Grace is the Beauty of the Soul, and no Ornament like thoſe of Divine Graces, to Adorn a Chriſtian.
Now a Man of a Wiſe compoſed Spirit, who depends on God for his Portion, and ſtays upon his All-Sufficiency, and makes it his Study to reſign himſelf, and to ſubmit to God's Will, in all Eſtates and Conditions whatſoever; ſuch a Man doth in a Conſpicuous and Eminent manner, exert, and exerciſe ſix choice Graces, viz, Wiſdom, Faith, Hope, Patience, Self-Denial, and Holy Courage; Every one of theſe is an expedient, and help for the right Management of a Chriſtian, excellent Spirit, amidſt varieties of Hardſhips, and Sufferings incumbent on us.
Firſt For Wiſdom. As it is a ſign of1. Wiſdom. Prov. 22. 3. Mich. 6. 9. Prudence to Foreſee Evil; ſo it is a Character of a Man of Wiſdom, To hear the Rod, and who hath appointed it. He is a Wiſe Man, that deliberately obſerves the handy Works of God, and acknowledgeth his Wiſdom, Power, and Soveraignty in ordering all Affairs. It's a doggiſh Quality to ſnarl at the Stone, and not to take notice of the Hand that Threw it. To make a ſtrict enquiry into Second Cauſes, to find out ſuch and ſuch an Evil Inſtrument, and to quarrel wlth them by reviling words, and revengeful deeds: Oh! How unſutable is this to a Chriſtian Spirit! That eminent Servant of Jeſus Chriſt; Mr. Dod, was a ſignal example of Meekneſs, and Compaſſion towards his Enemies. In the beginning of the late, ſad, and lamentable Wars, a Souldier who had Plundred his Houſe, and gave him reproachful and threatning Language, a few days after, that Souldier being Sript in the Battle at Edge-Hill, Fled for his Life, and came again to Mr. Dods Houſe in a forlorn Condition, ready to be Starved for want of Cloathing; which when that good Man Mr. Dod heard of, h… ▪ ſent Cloaths unto him, to cover his Nakedneſs. Here's the Wiſdom of a Chriſtian Spirit, to underſtand the great Duty mentioned by the Apoſtle; Not to Rom. 12. 21.be overcome of Evil, but to overcome Evil with Good.
When the Pſalmiſt tells of the Afflictions of God's Children, Pſal. 107. 39. and of their Deliverance, ver. 40, 41, 42. he Concludes, ver. 43. Who ſo is Wiſe, and will obſerve thoſe things, even they ſhall underſtand the Kindneſs of the Lord.Quid de paenarum acerbita te qnecimur? unus quiſque noſtrum ſe punit. Slav. lib. 3.
A Wiſe Man under Afflictions will inquire into the Cauſe, and reflect upon himſelf, as the Church did, Lam. 1. 18. The Lord is Righteous, for I Rebelled againſt his Commandement.
A Wiſe Man will inquire into the end of all God's Chaſtiſements, and Labour to anſwer God's End, and that isA Deo putimur, ſed ipſi facimus ut puniamur. Id. lib. 8. Iſa. 9. 12. 13. to Repent, and Turn unto God. For this very Reaſon, The Anger of God, is not turned away, but his Hand is Stretched out ſtill; For the People turneth not to him that Smiteth them, neither do they ſeek the Lord of Hoſts. Here then lieth the great Wiſdom to underſtand God's Meaning, and end in Chaſtiſing, and that is to reform, purify, and new mold us, and to bring us forth out of the Furnace, purified Seven times. Every Good and Wiſe Man, ſhould ponder in his Heart, and practiſe accordingly, that excellent Speech of Elihu, Job. 34. 31, 32. Surely it is meet to be ſaid unto God, I have born Chaſtiſement, I will not offend any more. That which I ſee not, Teach thou me, If I have done Iniquity, I will do no more. This is the right uſe of Wiſdom under the Rod of Correction.
Second, The excellency of this Spirit,…. Faith. Shines in a ſtrong, vigorouſly acting Faith. The Apoſtle tells us, 2 Cor. 5. 7. We Walk by Faith, not by Sight. Senſe fail'd in the time of a dark Viſion, but Faith failed not, Heb. 2. 4. The juſt ſhall Live by his Faith. Eſtates, Contrivances, Friendſhip, and Favour of Men, Projects, and Expectations, all theſe may Fail: A Believer cannot Live by any o… theſe; but the Life of Faith is ſuch an excellent Life, as we may compare it to Goliahs Sword, and ſay of the Life of Faith, as David ſaid of that Sword,1 Sam. 21. 9. Give me that, there is none like it.
What Wonders Faith did, the 11. Chap. to the Hebrews gives an ample Catalogue. Senſe fail'd Job on the Dunghill, he ſaw no viſible means of Reſtauration to his former Enjoyments; yet▪ how ſtrenuouſly did his Faith act, Job 13. 15. Though he Slay me, yet will I Truſt in him. And on his Dunghill, he ſawJob 19. 25. his Redeemer. Reaſon was non-pluſt, concerning Sarahs bringing forth a Son againſt the Courſe of Nature: But Abraham againſt Hope, believed in Hope, that he might become the Father of many Nations, &c. See Rom. 4. 18, 19, 20, 21. Stephen, when the Stones were clattering about his Ears, ſaw Chriſt ſtanding Acts 7. 56.on the Right Hand of God. We often Read in Scripture of Chriſt ſitting in Majeſty and Glory; but when Stephen was a Stoning, Chriſt was ſaid to be a Standing, a ready poſture to vindicate theCredere impoſſibilia rationi, Sperare dilata, amare deum, cum ſe praebeat inimicum. Luther. Quarrel of his Suffering Servant. Luther gives Three grand Properties of Faith, viz. (1.) To believe things impoſſible to Reaſon. (2.) To hope for things defer'd. (3.) To love God when he ſhews himſelf an Enemy.
There are alſo two great Properties of Faith; One is Prophetick, to foreſee Deliverance, Anſwers of Prayers, Removal of Judgments, and ſuch like: Another is Magnetick, to have an attractive Vertue to draw things near, that may ſeem to be afar off. Faith will Approximate a Promiſe, and by a patient waiting Spirit, acquieſce in the ſame, not doubting the performance thereof, in the appointed Seaſon. Faith will truſt God upon his Word.
Third, Hope acts vigorouſly in a diſconſolate3. Hope. Condition. Ezra Comforts the People thus: Yet now there is Hope Ezra 10. 2.in Iſrael concerning this thing. Hope is like a Prop or Pillar, to ſupport, and ſtay a Building from falling; It's an Anchor caſt out in a Storm to ſtay the Ship. The Church quietly bore thoſe ſad Calamities incumbent on them, Lam. 3. 26. It is good that a Man ſhould both hope, and quietly wait for the Salvation of the Lord. ver. 29. He putteth his Mouth in the Duſt, if ſo be, there may be Hope. But what's the Ground of Hope? Read ver. 21. The Lord will not caſt off for Ever. There's Hope, that the Rod will not alwaies be on our Backs: And there's Two ſtrong Grounds for our Faith. (1.) There are Multitude of Mercies in God, ver. 32. (2.) He doth not Afflict willingly. We may add further, that God poureth not out his whole Wrath;Heb. 3. 2. but in Wrath he remembers Mercy. God hath not forgoten to be Gracious, nor ſhut up his loving Kindneſs in diſpleaſure. Were it not for Hope, we ſhould not receive ſuch Comforts, from the Scriptures as we do. But amidſt all the Troubles of God's People, they draw ſingular Grounds of Hope, and Conſolation from the Scriptures. And to this purpoſe are the Scriptures Wrote, Rom. 15. 4. The Saints rejoyce in Hope, Rom. 5. 2. Rom. 12. 12. Although they are caſt into Priſon, they learn their Duty there, Rev. 2. 10. And though they are cloſe Priſoners, they are Priſoners of Hope, Zach. 9. 12. Hope is the Saints Helmet, 1 Theſ. 5. 8. In great Troubles and Perplexities, there's a Door of Hope to get out of them. For after Achan was Stoned, it was promiſed, that the Valley of Achor ſhould be a Door of Hoſ. 2. 14.Hope. Times of Jacobs Troubles, ſhould be ſpecial times of Jacobs Truſt. It was a diſmal day mentioned, Jer. 30. 5, 6, 7. But there's Comfort near approaching. It is even the time of Jacobs Trouble, but he ſhall be Saved out of it. In the Grave, though the Body moulder into Duſt, there's a certain Hope of a Reſurrection, Pſal. 61. 9. comp. with Acts 2. 9. Now the ſame God that can raiſe the Body out of the Duſt, can raiſe up thoſe that lye in the Duſt, though deſpiſed and trampled upon, by malitious and inveterate Enemies. Anti-chriſt ſhall fall, and never riſe more: A Mill-Stone ſhall be put about his Neck, and he thrown into the Sea: But Gods People, though they may fall, they ſhall riſe again; though their Sufferings be Sharp, yet they ſhall be ſhort; as Athanaſius ſaid of Julians Perſecution, Nubecula eſt cito tranſitura. And the greater the Sufferings of God's People are for Righteouſneſs ſake, their Reſurrection ſhall be more Glorious. There's Matter of Comfort and Duty, by them to be put in Practice, mentioned, Micah. 7. 8, 9. Rejoyce not against me, O mine Enemy; when I fall, I ſhall ariſe; when I ſit in Darkneſs, the Lord ſhall be a Light unto me. I will bear the Indignation of the Lord, becauſe I have Sinned againſt him.Levius fit patientia, quicquid corrigere eſt nefas. Horat. Eccleſ. 7. 8.
Fourthly, There followeth the Exerciſe of Patience. And this will make an hard Yoak eaſy, and an heavy Burthen light. The Patient in Spirit (as Solomon tells us) is better than the Proud in Spirit. The Reaſon a Learned Author gives, is, becauſe Anger is Raſh and Precipitate, Quia ira praec…ps eſt, finem nunquam expectabit, quod faciet patiens, & ira lentus iram moderabitur, exitum ſpectans. Merc.and will never expect an End; but a Man Patient, and ſlow to Anger, will moderate his Anger, expecting an End. By Faith, we poſſeſs the Head, by Love, we poſſeſs one another; by Patience, every one poſſeſſeth himſelf: wherefore Chriſts Charge is, to be again and again inculcated,Luke 21. 19. In your Patience, poſſeſs ye your Souls. The Saints are Recorded for PatternsNon poteſt accipi dolorum & paſſionum corona, niſi praecedat in dolore & paſſione patientia. Cyp. de Bono patient…ae. of Patience, Heb. 6. 12. We are here Commanded to be followers of them, Who through Faith, and Patience inherit the Promiſes. The Patience of Saints is Commended, Rev. 2. 19. Rev. 3. 10. There's a neceſſity of Patience, Heb. 10. 36. Cyprian that Holy Martyr tells us, That we cannot receive the Crown of our Sufferings, unleſs Patience go before. And he ſaith likewiſe in the ſame Book, which is De Bono patientiae, That we are Hoc ipſum quod Chriſtiani ſumus fidei & Spei res eſt; ut autem ſpes & fides ad fructum ſui poſſint pervenire, patienti …opus eſt. Cyp. de Bono patientiaeChriſtians, this is the Matter of our Faith and Hope; but that our Faith and Hope may come to any Fruit, we have need of Patience. This Grace of Patience ſhines in the Dark, and in the Night of Sufferings, puts forth it ſelf more Conſpicuouſly; For Sufferings are the Tryals of Patience. Hence it comes to paſs, that even in times of a dark Viſion, when God clouds his Countenance, a Spirit endowed with Patience, Waits, Believes, Hopes, Prayes, and thus is prepared for the reception of Mercy, when it comes, and for the bearing of Sufferings whilſt they continue. Lay then aſide all querulous, murmuring, revengeful Thoughts, and let it be a Chriſtians Strength to ſit ſtill, and wait quietly, and patiently for the Salvation of God.5. Self-Denial.
Fifthly, Amidſt Loſſes and Sufferings, Self-Denial Eminently appears, and ſhews it ſelf. When the World Frowns, Enemies Rage, all Cyſtern, and Creature-Helps, are dried up quite, or Run very low; when Intereſts fail, then to keep a Compoſed quiet Frame of Spirit, and to get the Heart above Envy, Hatred, and Malice, is a rare Frame of Spirit. But it's much more an excellent Frame of Spirit, to deny a Man's ſelf in time of Proſperity, when one enjoys the World (as we ſay) at Will, and to be in the Float of Proſperity, then to ſtrike Sail, and to deny Pleaſures, Luxury, and Exceſs, this is a property of an excellent Spirit. Of this Spirit was Moſes, Heb. 11. 24. foreign. 2 Sam. 11. 11.when he liv'd at Court, When he came to Years (more properly rendred, when he became Great) refuſed to be called the Son of Pharaohs Daughter. Thus did Uriah in a time of War, deny himſelf. Godfry of Bulloyne would not wear a Crown of Gold, where Christ was CrucifiedAbdicare a teipſo, ne abdiceris a Chriſto; …epudia te, ut recipiaris … Chriſto Salv. lib. 5. with a Crown of Thorns. This Duty of Self-Denial is frequently Commanded in the Goſpel, as an Inſtrumental means to receive Christ. And it's worth our Obſervation, that as we are Commanded to beg our Dayly Bread, Day by Day; ſo we are Commanded to Deny our ſelves, and to take up our Croſs Day by Day. The ſame Expreſſionforeign. Ʋt dies diem ſequitur, ſic crux crucem excipit Beza. we have in Luke 9. 23. and Luke 11. 3. For an Ambitious Man to Deny his Honours; a Rich Man, to Deny his Riches; a Voluptuous Man to Deny his Pleaſures; theſe are great Acts of Self-Denial.
Sixthly, and Laſtly, there follows holy6. Holy Courage. Courage, a well temper'd, and regular Zeal, which (as Luther uſed to ſay) When it's well Temper'd, it's the beſt gift Ira in ſuo loco eſt optimum dei donum. Luther.of God. Here's a Critical Diſtinction of Zeal (which is of the right Stamp) from a private Grudg, or diſtemper'd Paſſion, viz. By being Zealous in the Cauſe of God, and by being meek in a Mans own private Cauſe. Of this Heroick Spirit was Moſes; when a Calf was made, and there was Dancing about it, Moſes Tranſported with ſingular Zeal, threw the Tables out of his Hand, and Broke them, and Stampt the Calfe to Powder, and caus'd Exemplary Juſtice to be Executed upon the Idolaters. Thus ZealousCauſa redditur cur Deus injuriam Moſis ul ciſcendam crediderit, quia ipſe in ſuis injuriis ferendis erat leniſſimus. Grotius. was he for the Cauſe of God: But in his own Cauſe, none more Meek; for when Aaron, and Miriam chode with him concerning the Aethiopian Woman; the Text gives an ample Teſtimony of his Meekneſs, leaving it upon Record, Numb. 12. 13. Now this Man Moſes was very Meek, above all the Men which were upon the Face of the Earth. Luther uſed to ſay, in the Cauſe of God, Hic gero In aliis manſuetus ero, in Blaſphemiis in Chriſtum non item. Zuinglius.titulum, cedo nulli. Though Zuinglius was of a comparative Moderation; yet in caſe of Blaſphemies, he was a Man of Courage. The Courage of Martyrs, is renowned in Eccleſiaſtical Hiſtories. Amongſt variety that might be named, I'le relate only this following, viz. TheSi Patibulum crucis (inquit Martyr) Expaveſcerem, gloriam crucis non predicarem Bern. in vigilias Andreae. Coutzen. Aulae ſpeculum. p. 47. Hiſtory of Surgius and Bacchus, two great Courtiers, who being accuſed for Chriſtians, and commanded to Offer unto Idols, refuſed to go to the Temple, and gave this anſwer to the Emperour. Nos Imperator ſola terrrena militiâ tibi obſtricti ſumus. In animas nullum tibi jus eſt; Illarum Dominus eſt ſolus Deus. There are two Apoſtolical Characters of Zeal, which if obſerved, we may go on Couragiouſly, and Proſper. One is, Zeal muſt be in a good Matter, Gal. 4. 18. Saul's Zeal before his Converſion, wasPredicare Evangelium eſt derivare in ſe furoremtoti…us Inferni & Satanae. Luth. Loc. Com. ſtark naught. And the other is, it muſt be according to Knowledg, Rom. 10. 2. Luther uſed to ſay, That to Preach the Goſpel, was to bring all the Devils in Hell about his Ears; yet he was reſolved, That if every Tile on the Houſes was a Devil, he would go to Worms, and Preach the Goſpel.