Crosses Comforts Counsels Needful to be Considered, Sermon 2

Crosses Comforts Counsels Needful to be Considered · Sermon 2

p. 45COMFORTS, AND COVNSELL. The ſecond Sermon, preached the 19. day of March, 1643.

LUKE XXI. 18.

But there ſhall not a hair of your head periſh.

Verſ. 19.

In your patience therefore poſſeſſe your ſouls

MY wayes, ſaid God, are not your wayes, Iſa. 55.8Isa 55:8and my thoughts are not your thoughts: For as the Heavens are higher then the earth, 9.ſo are my wayes higher then your wayes, and my thoughts then your thoughts: The wayes of men for the moſt part, have faire beginnings but end not ſo; many like Joab firſt kiſſe, and after kill, firſt ſmile; 2 Sam 20.92 Sam 20:9but after p. 48ſmite; the wayes of Satan with men at the beginning, is to hide all dangers untill the laſt come; when he would have allured Chriſt unto his ſervice, he ſpake to him of great gifts, Mat. 4.8Matt 4:8even all the kingdomes of the world, if he would but fall downe and worſhip him; he ſpake not a word of hell unto him, but only of preferments unto worldly honour. The wayes of God are not ſuch; Hee at the firſt meeting ſpeaketh to men of croſſes, but after that, as in this text, hee cheriſheth them with comforts, and directeth them with counſels: According to this he ſpeaketh heer to his diſciples; he had terrified them in the words preceeding with betraying, putting to death, and with the hatred of all men; Now in theſe words he maketh his candie to ſhine upon their heads, Iob. 29.3Job 29:3hee manifeſteth his love in a great meaſure of comfort, But, ſaith he, there ſhall not a p. 49hair of your head periſh; In your patience poſſeſſe yee your ſoules: here is a ſtaffe of ſteele to leane on in great troubles; I, ſaid David, Pſal. 27.13Ps 27:13had fainted, unleſſe I had believed to ſee the goodneſſe of the Lord, &c.

The diviſion of the Text. IN theſe Words there bee two parts, In the firſt part there bee comforts, But there ſhall not a hair of your head periſh; In the ſecond part there be counſels, In your patience poſſeſſe your ſoules.

I. PART. Comforts.

IT was a very terrible ſpeach, which the Lord uttered unto his Diſciples, in the preceeding verſes, that they ſhould be betrayed, and that ſome of them ſhould be put to death, and that they ſhould be hated of all men: Behold heere how he giveth unto them a ſingular p. 50comforts, Jer. 8.22Jer 8:22as Balme of Gilead, for healing of their hearts that were wounded; But, ſaid he, there ſhall not a haire of your head periſh.

Obſerve heere firſt what method the Lord keepeth in dealing with his ſervants, The doctrine.their worſe things goe firſt and comforts come laſt; their eſtate is like that wine in Cana, John. 2.10John 2:10the beſt came laſt. Gods walking towards his owne is like his comming to Elijah at the cave of Horeb, before God came in the calme, a great and ſtrong winde went before him, which rent the mountaines, and brake the rocks, and after the winde, came an earthquake, 1 King 19.121 Kgs 19:12& after the earthquake, came a fire; after theſe three were paſt, the Lord came in a ſtill ſmall voice. At the firſt, Mary Chriſts mother got a hard anſwere from him, John 2.4John 2:4woman, what have I to doe with thee? But a little after, he did more then ſhe required; at the firſt he called p. 51the woman of Canaan a dog, Mat. 15.27Matt 15:27but a little after he ſhew himſelf all love; the childe of God beareth Gods yoke in his youth, Lam. 3.27Lam 3:27his firſt dayes are hardeſt; God caſteth downe before he raiſeth up; 1 Sam. 1.71 Sam 1:7many a ſore heart had Hannah, before her Samuel came; Job ſuffered much before he could ſay, God maketh my heart ſoft. Job 23.16Job 23:16**Note. Zech. 1.19Zech 1:19The Prophet Zechariah ſaw firſt foure hornes ſcattering Judah, but after anone came the comforts of the Carpenters that came to fray them.

The uſe, **The uſe. Note.When troubles ly heavy upon us, let us comfort our ſelves in this, better is coming; a foule Februar is a comfort to the labourer, becauſe he looketh for a dry March: Sanctified afflictions in youth, ſhould be a comfort, telling us, that God is comming in the calme: The way to the wealthy place is to paſſe through fire and water; Pſal. 66.12Ps 66:12the Lord ſaid to his two diſſciples, p. 52O fooles! Luke 24.26.Luke 24:26Behoved it not Chriſt to ſuffer all theſe things, and ſo to enter into his glory? Gaping of wounded men, Iſa. 9.5Isa 9:5and tumbling of garments into blood, goe before the ſongs of victory: Chriſt himſelfe was hanged on a croſſe on earth, before he was honoured on a throne in Heaven; He was firſt caſt down on his face upon the earth, yea deſeended into hell, before hee was ſet at the right Hand of GOD in Heaven. **Note.The Gardener when hee ſetteth a tree, at the firſt ſetting downe hee ſhaketh it to and fro, and treadeth downe its roots with great force, for to faſten it the more ſurely; ſo doth GOD with his deareſt ſervants, that Hee may cauſe thoſe that come of Jaakob to take root.Jſa. 27.6Isa 27:6

It is for thoſe that goe to hell to receive all their good things on earth: Luk. 16.25Luke 16:25Job ſpeaking of the Wicked, ſaid They have no changes; wicked p. 53mens eyes stand out with fatneſſe: Pſal. 73.7Ps 73:7the portion of Kings meate is a defiling thing, Dan. 1.8Dan 1:8beaſts that goe in fatteſt paſtures are neereſt the ſlaughter: The portion of Gods children is not heere, their reſt is in another place, their laſt ſhall be beſt; Pſal. 34.19Ps 34:19If many be the troubles of the righteous, within a ſhort ſpace the Lord ſhall deliver him out of them all; yea in the midſt of the fierie tryall wee ſhall ſtill bee in ſafetie, though in ſome hours of temptation wee may bee as David like a bottell in the ſmoak, Pſal. 119.83 Pſal. 23.4 Pſal. 119.109. Pſal. 68.1 Pſal. 37.37Ps 119:83Ps 23:4Ps 119:109Ps 68:1Ps 37:37or in deaths valley, having our ſoule in our hand; but O tarry a little, and God will ariſe, and help his ſervants, The end of that man is peace: troubled David ſaid to God with great boldneſſe, Pſal. 73.24Ps 73:24Afterward thou ſhalt receive mee to glory; let this be like a ſtaffe of ſteele for our faith to lean upon in a ſtormie day; Gods children muſt be bold, Job 18.14Job 18:14not ſubjects to the King of terrours.

p. 54Let us now come to the particular comfort mentioned in my text: the Lord here ſaith, that there ſhall not a haire of your head periſh. **Note.The wicked are mighty and cruell, they as on horſe back ride over the heads of the godly, Pſal. 66.12Ps 66:12yet are they not able to carry a hair with them, but by Gods permiſſion; not a hair of your head, ſaid Chriſt, ſhall periſh.

Obſerve heere that the LORD hath a ſingular regard to all thoſe that love him; The doctrine.they are to him as the apple of his eye, Zech. 2.8Zech 2:8hee moſt carefully keepeth them: **Note.Hee is not like idoles, that care not for their worſhippers, Hoſ. 8.5Hos 8:5Thy Calfe, O Samaria hath caſt thee off, but God will never caſt off his ſervants; Baal did not regard the cryes of his prieſts, though they cryed from morning unto noone, 1 King 18.26.1 Kgs 18:26and cut themſelves with knives, but the Lord alwayes regardeth his ſervants, his eyes are ſtill upon all the haires of their p. 55head. The tender hearted mother and nurſe are very carefull, to keep their young ſuckling, yet their care faints, when they are overcome with ſleepe: but hee who is above, and keepeth his ſervants, doth neither ſlumber nor ſleep; many hairs may fall from the childe, and the mother never know what becometh of them, but a haire of our head falleth not to the ground but he hath an eye on it: **Note.This is no hyperbolick ſpeach, for the Lord as he is omnipotent to do all things, ſo is hee omniſcient to know all things, even to the number of all the haires of all the heads in the world; he knoweth the full number of the ſand, and of the drops of the ſea, as perfectly as we know how many eyes wee have in our head; he preſerveth us ſo, that the leaſt things that concerne us ſhall not periſh.

The Angel Gabriel ſaid well to p. 56Mary, Luk. 1.37Luke 1:37nothing ſhall bee unpoſſible with God; no not, were it to make a virgine to conceive a Son, or a Camel to go thorow a needle eye; Markio. 25 Job 37.18Job 37:18He who hath ſpread cut the skie, which is ſtrong, and as a molten looking glaſſe, Hee with whom is terrible Majestie; 22.He who is almightie and excellent in power, 23.can moſt eaſily preſerve his ſervants, ſo that not a haire of their head ſhall periſh, no not in a moſt bloody time, even when it is ſaid of the ſword, Eze. 21.15Ezek 21:15Ah it is made bright, it is wrapt up for the ſlaughter.

When God had ſaid, Ier. 30.7Jer 30:7It is even the time of Jacobs trouble, he in the ſame verſe ſubjoineth, but hee ſhall be ſaved out of it; Mans extremitie is Gods opportunitie: Jer. 30.6Jer 30:6Aske yee now, ſaid the Lord, whether a man doth travaile with childe? Wherefore doe I ſee every man, with his hands on his loines, as a woman in travaile, and all faces are turned into paleneſſe? p. 57Behold terrible things, and very ſtrange, every man in trouble as a woman in travaile, but in the eight verſe followeth a faire deliverance, I, ſaid the Lord, 8.will breake the yoke from off thy neck: See how the Lord was ready to ſave his ſervants in greateſt danger, ſo that not a haire of their head did periſh: When Jeremiah was in priſon among mire, the Lord ſent unto him an Ebedmelech, with old caſt clouts, Ier. 38.12Jer 38:12and rotten ragges, to put under his arme holes, to draw him out of the dungeon; the Lord would not ſuffer his ſervant to periſh.

The uſe: **The uſe. Note. Pſal. 119.122.Ps 119:122Let this ſerve for comfort unto you; If yee ſerve God well, Hee will bee ſuretie for you for good, and likewiſe will ſafely keepe you, and all that ye have in theſe dayes of warre, he will preſerve your husbands and ſons, that they be not killed, your wives that they be not abuſed, your virgins p. 58that they be not deflored, you… houſes that they bee not ſpoiled, your cattell, and coffers that the… be not carried away; yea, more… yee faithfully ſerve him, their ſha… not a haire of your head periſh; no… a haire of Shadrach was burnt in the fiery furnace; Dan. 3.27Dan 3:27no King can do the like to any at his ſervice: God only is a ſhelter and ſtrong tower o… defence; Pſal. 61.3Ps 61:3none but God can keep a man that he periſh not, his preſervation reacheth to the ſmalleſt hai… our head: **Note.And to ſpeake in th… words of a Kings oath, Ier. 38.16Jer 38:16As the Lord liveth that made us this ſoule, there ſhall not a haire of your head periſh; This is moſt eaſie to him that by his hand of power overturneth the mountains by the roots.Ier. 28.9Jer 28:9

An Objection.

HEere it may be objected and ſaid by a carnall man, that more then the haires of the heads of Gods ſervants periſh; for many p. 59good men are ſlaine and murdered: In the words preceeding the Lord himſelf ſaid, ſome of you ſhall they cauſe to be put to death, many good mens houſes are ſpoiled, their cattell like Jobs oxen and aſſes are carried away, Job 1.13Job 1:13how then is it heere ſaid, that there ſhall not a haire of their head periſh: **Note.Concerning the comfort of this text, I may ſay as Ezekiel ſaid to God Ah Lord God, they ſay of me, Eze. 20.49Ezek 20:49doeth he not ſpeake parables or riddles? Wee know not what hee meanes, while he ſaith, that God ſo keepeth mens haires, that not one of them ſhall periſh, 1 Cor. 9.91 Cor 9:9Doth the LORD care for oxen? ſaith the Apoſtle, ſo doe many ſay, Doth the Lord care for a haire of a mans head?

The Anſwere.

THE Prophet Zechariah teaching men to bee awfully affected to the great Majeſtie of God, cryed out, Bee ſilent, Zech. 2.13Zech 2:13O all fleſh before p. 60the Lord, yet notwithſtanding many with Job in his fit of miſcontentment, muſt needes fill their mouths with arguments and diſpute with the Lord, as though hee were bound to give them a compt of all his doings.

The Lord in Hoſea ſaid a fearefull word, Hoſ. 4.6Hos 4:6My people are deſtroyed for lack of knowledge; Ignorance is the deſtruction of many; ignorance maketh men to thinke when they ſee others ſlaine, robbed, and ſpoiled for the Goſpel, that they and all their eſtate are periſhed: Micah 2.7Mic 2:7O thou, ſaid Micah, that art named the houſe of Jacob, is the Spirit of the LORD ſtraitened? O thou that art named a Chriſtian, is the arme of the Lord ſhortned, that he can not work and ſave us, ſo that the leaſt haire of our head periſh not?

To come to the objection, I ſay that it is but a blinde objection, theſe that have the eye of faith do p. 61clearely ſee that God preſerveth his owne, that not a haire of their head doth periſh:: Thy husband is he ſlaine? thy children are they killed for Chriſts names ſake? thou muſt not therefore eſteeme that they are periſhed; faith will not ſpeake ſo: **Note.If the King ſhould come, and take a beggars childe in in this Province of Cliddiſdaile, and make him a Barron in Barrenthorow, the nixt adjacent Province, would the beggar ſay that his ſon were periſhed? would he not rather ſay with Jacob, hearing of Joſephs honour in Egypt; It is enough, I will goe and ſee my ſon? Gen. 45.28Gen 45:28So David ſaid of his dead ſon, I will go to him: 2 Sam. 12.23.2 Sam 12:23what I pray you is the diſtance of the heaven from the earth to a lively faith? It is but as it were to goe from one Province to another; yea, but from one ſide of the ſtreete to another: **Note.When ye marry your daughters they goe from you; if p. 62yee heare that they are well with their good Husbands, yee are glad, yee will not thinke them periſhed, becauſe they are gone a little from the houſe: Now all the godly that are ſlaine for Gods name, are but gone as it were to the other ſide of the ſtreet, to their moſt worthie husband Chriſt who hath given to them in the heavens right to the tree of life, Rev. 22.14Rev 22:14where continually they ſee God face to face, that face wherein is fulneſſe of joy; Pſal. 16.11Ps 16:11open a little the eyes of your faith, and ye ſhall find all this to be ſo as I ſpeak: none properly periſh but theſe who after death, are damned to be burnt in hell fire: to him that goeth to heaven may well be ſaid of life eternall, that which God ſaid to Ieremiah of his naturall life Thy life ſhall be for a prey to thee.Ier. 39.18Jer 39:18

As for your worldly goods and riches; yee will ſay, the bloodie and barbarous man of war, hath p. 63ſpoiled me, and taken all away, and ſo where is now the promiſe, that not a haire of our head ſhall periſh?

To this I anſwere, let your ſleeping faith waken, what ſay yee? is all your riches periſhed, becauſe all hath beene taken away for Chriſts name ſake? I ſay it is not periſhed: **Note.Tell me if when yee have lent a thouſand pounds to a worthie wealthie faithfull man, bound faſt by his obligation, think ye that all your money is periſhed, becauſe it is out of your hand? I thinke not; But ſo it is, all that is taken from you for Chriſts names ſake is in a better hand, it is lent unto Chriſt, who hath given an obligation ſealed with his blood, that yee ſhall be ſurely payed with ſuch an increaſe, that the greateſt uſurer in the land never required the like; even a hundreth for one: yea, more then all, everlaſting life. If thou would ſee the obligation, p. 64behold it is heere in readineſſe, regiſtrate in the Bookes of Counſell of heaven,

Chriſts Obligation registrate.

Matth. XIX. Verſe 29. BEhold, ſaid one to Chriſt, wee have forſaken all, and followed thee, what ſhall wee have therefore?

Now follow the words of the obligation.

Jeſus ſaid, Every one that hath forſaken houſes, or brethren, or ſiſters, or father, or wife, or children, or lands, for my Names ſake, ſhall receive an hundred fold, and ſhall inherite everlasting life.

**Note.Let theſe who eſteeme this to bee but a Banquerupts Bond, keepe well their houſes and lands for themſelves; it may bee that ſhortly they loſſe ſuch things for p. 65the ſake of ſome other, who will never repare their loſſes, ſo that both they and all that they have, ſhall periſh. **Note.Gods wrath ſhall not ſpare their very haire; his raſor of wrath like that hired raſor in Iſaiah, Iſa. 7 20.Isa 7:20ſhall ſhave the head and haire of the feet, and ſhall alſo conſume the beard, even to the verie ſtumps, hair and all ſhall periſh.

As for you who have faith to believe, yee may heere clearly know that GODS children, and all that they have, are well kept, yea …o that a haire of their head ſhall not periſh: Joh. 20.27John 20:27To all the godly let it be heere ſaid as Chriſt ſaid to Thomas Bee not faithleſſe, but believing. **Note.I may well lay of Chriſt when he promiſeth any thing, that which Naomi ſaid to Ruth of Booz, Sit ſtill, Ruth. 3.18Ruth 3:18untill thou know how the matter will fall, for the man will not be in reſt, untill he have finiſhed the thing: nay, he will doe much more p. 66then hee promiſeth heere; to ſave us that wee periſh not, to preſerve us from evill, is a very great bleſſing, but more, the Lord will give us gifts, even grace heere, and glory heereafter. **Note.After that King David had ended his feſtivall ſacrifice, 1 Chro. 16.3.1 Chr 16:3Hee dealt to every one of Iſrael, both man and woman, to every one a loaf of bread, and a good piece of fleſh, and a flagon of wine; What was all that? But O the gifts that God will deale to every one that ſerve Him faithfully! After this life all ſuch ſhall ſit upon Thrones: Crownes and Kingdomes in Heaven are Gods gifts prepared for every man, and every woman, that willingly ſuffer on earth tribulation for his Names ſake: ſuch ſhall not only not periſh, but ſhall for ever enjoy pleaſures, which eye never ſaw, nor ear heard, nor ever could enter into the heart of man.

**Note.King Ahaſuerus queſtion to Haman p. 67was, Eſther 6.6Esth 6:6What ſhall be done to the man whom the king delighteth to honour? All the greateſt things that Haman could invent, and ſay, were theſe, Let the royall apparell bee brought, 8.which the King uſeth to weare, and the horſe that the King rideth upon, and the Crown royall which is ſet upon his head, and by one of the Princes bring him on horſebacke through the ſtreets of the citie, and proclame before him Thus ſhall it be done to the man whom the King delighteth to honour: What were all theſe things, I pray you? an apparell, and a horſe, and a crown, and a proclamation? that was all; all theſe things were like that meate that Chriſt ſpake off, when he ſaid Labour not for the meat that periſheth: John 6.27John 6:27all theſe things are long ſince paſſed away, the horſe, and the crowne, and the royall apparell, and all that faire ſhew, is paſt and periſhed, like a glauncing ſpark of p. 68fire, which flying from a Smiths ſtithie dieth in the flight.

But O, that which Chriſt ſhall give to theſe that ſuffer affliction for his names ſake, ſhall never periſh; hee ſhall give unto them not a loafe, 1 Chron. 16.3. 1 Pet. 5.41 Chr 16:31 Pet 5:4as David gave to his ſubjects, but a life that is eternall. A crowne that fadeth not away. John ſayeth, Rev. 22.4Rev 22:4that they ſhall ſee his face, and his name ſhall bee in their foreheads, as a mark crying, This ſhall it be done to the man whom Chriſt delighteth to honour. **Note.But woe to the wicked, Obad. 1.4Obad 1:4for though they ſet their neſt among the starres, both they and all that they have ſhall periſh; their ſoule ſhall periſh, their body ſhall periſh, and their eſtate alſo ſhall periſh. * Gods wrath, as I ſaid before, ſhall not ſpare their very haire; his raſor of wrath, like that raſor in Iſaiah, ſhall ſhave the head, and the hair of the feet, and ſhall alſo conſume the beard, even p. 69to the very ſtumps, haire and all ſhall periſh: they have not a Jeſus for to ſave; they will looſe nothing for his Names ſake, and for their ſake he will ſave nothing of theirs, and ſo at laſt they ſhall looſe all; though they were Kings and Princes, the Lord in furie ſhall cry, Ezek. 21.27Ezek 21:27I will overturn, overturn, overturn all their wealth, their honour, Zepha. 3.8and their majeſtie: All the earth, ſaid the Lord, ſhall be devoured with the fire of my jealouſie; then all the worm-eaten glory of the wicked, with all their good things, Luk. 16.25Luke 16:25and great deſignes, ſhall anone wither away, Jon. 4.7.Jonah 4:7like Jonahs gourd. **Note.As they ſew the winde, Hoſ. 8.7Hos 8:7ſo ſhall they reape the whirlewinde, which hath neither ſtalk, nor bud that can yeeld any meal; Hoſ. 9.11Hos 9:11as it was ſaid of Ephraim, All their glory ſhall flee away like a bird.

But as for all the godly, albeit by the wicked they be ſtoned, and ſowne aſunder, Heb. 11.37Heb 11:37and ſlaine with p. 70the ſword; Dan. 3.20Dan 3:20or with Shadrah, be caſt into a fierie furnace, or with Daniel into a Lions den, Dan. 6.16Dan 6:16the words of my text ſhall ſtill remaine true, not a haire of their head ſhall periſh: The Lord hath a great reſpect unto his ſervants; Hoſ. 14.5Hos 14:5I, ſaid he, will be as the dew unto Iſrael, he ſhall grow as the lillie, and caſt foorth his roots as Lebanon: Who is wiſe, and he ſhall underſtand theſe things? My people ſaith the Lord, Ioel. 2.26Joel 2:26ſhall never be aſhamed, not a hair of their head ſhall periſh. **Note.Away with that doubting If of Eſther, Eſth. 4.16Esth 4:16If I periſh, I periſh; The Heavens and the Earth ſhall paſſe away, Plal 102.26They, ſaith the Pſalmiſt, ſhall periſh, but not a haire of our head ſhall periſh.

THE SECOND PART. Chriſts Counſell and Direction.

IN the ſecond and laſt part of this text, the Lord after he hath both let his ſervants ſee their troubles, and alſo their preſervation, p. 71he giveth them a counſell and direction what they have to doe in their greateſt ſtraite; In your patience, ſaith he, poſseſſe yee your ſouls.

There be here two things required, firſt, that we have patience; ſecondly, that in our patience wee poſseſse our ſoules; David ſaid well, Pſal. 119.165.Ps 119:165great peace have they which love thy law. Hupomone Suſtentatio qua impetus & incurſus alicujus rei ſuſtinetur.As for patience, the word in the originall ſignifieth a remaining ſtill under any thing, a willing undergoing of any difficulty; this is done when a man flings not like a beaſt to ſhake off the burden, but with all ſubmiſſion tarrieth under the burden, untill God give a deliverance, like a worthy watch who goeth not from his place untill his hour come, and that another come to fill his roome: In a word, patience is a grace of God, whereby a man in trouble, humby meekly, and ſubmiſſely taketh in good part wrongs and injuries, and withall, p. 72waiteth untill the good hand of God come to his help **Note.It is ſuch a glorious grace, and ſo pleaſant unto God, that he writeth himſelf the God of patience.Rom. 15.5Rom 15:5

Wee have heard what patience is; Now it followeth that we conſider what we have to do with our patience. Chriſts counſell and direction heer is, that in our patience we poſſeſſe our ſoules. To poſſeſſe properly ſignifieth to have a thing in our power; Poſſideo, qui poteſt ſedere, id eſt, ſedem vel habitationem in loco aliquo collocare.The Latine word from which this Engliſh word is driven, ſignifieth a power to ſit ſtill for to enjoy that which we have: ſo to poſſeſſe our ſouls in patience, declareth that a firme and ſtable patience is heere commanded, which a man ſhould as ſtrongly and carefully keepe as his deareſt earthly poſſeſſion; This the Lord heer required of his ſervants, when he ſaid unto them, In your patience poſſeſſe yee your ſoules, as if he had p. 73ſaid, Strive to be maſter over your ſelves, that yee may take in good part all ſorts of croſſes and calamities.

This is a very powerfull forme of ſpeach; I read in Scripture divers ſpeaches concerning patience; the pſalmiſt ſaith, Pſal. 37.7Ps 37:7Rest in the Lord and waite patiently for him, this is a very ſweet ſaying, The poor ſervant that was not able to pay his maſters rent cryed pitifully, Mat. 18.26Matt 18:26Lord have patience with me: **Note.But in all the ſcriptures, yee will not finde a more powerfull ſpeach then this, In your patience poſſeſſe your ſouls; that is, let your ſouls be poſſeſſed with patience, or have patience in your hearts as a poſſeſſion, that is, keep patience as faſt as a man maintaineth his poſſeſſion, Obad. 1.17Obad 1:17or as it was ſaid of Jacob, that hee poſſeſsed his poſſeſſions; what Chriſt heere commands he gives unto his ſervants.The doctrine.

Obſerve heer the great mercy p. 74of GOD towards his ſervants, whereas the wicked in affliction pine away in their ſins, and fret out their hearts with comfortles grief. Gods ſervants by his grace in greateſt calamities, poſseſse their ſouls in patience; in whatſoever eſtate they be in, they are content, in poverty in nakedneſſe, in priſon, in perſecution and baniſhment, they beare all patiently; in all theſe things they are more then conquerours; it is the deſire of a couragious Captain to bee in ſuch a war, wherein his valour may moſt appear: ſo patience delighteth in hardneſſe; Dan. 1.12Dan 1:12Pulſe by Gods bleſſing is more pleaſant to a godly Daniel, then the Kings portion; royall dainties are of a defiling power: Dan. 3.20Dan 3:20Shadrah at the mouth of the fierie furnace got worke for his patience, Job 2.8Job 2:8and ſo did Job upon the dung hill **Note.It is the honour of patience not to lie upon beds of yvorie, Amos 6.4Amos 6:4and drink wine in bowls, but rather p. 57to endure hardneſſe, to paſſe through difficulties, to climb up the hill with Jonathan, and paſſe betweene the two ſharp rocks, 1 Sam. 14 41 Sam 14:4Bozez and Seneh, hurt and hatred.

The uſe; The uſe.let us all ſtrive for this grace, that in dayes of great diſtreſſe wee may poſseſſe our ſoules in patience; when Genazi at Dothan ſaw the city compaſſed with enemies, he ſaid to his maſter Eliſhah, Alas my maſter, how ſhall wee do? 2 King 6.152 Kgs 6:15Our maſter Chriſt heere directs us all how to do in ſuch a caſe, In your patience, ſaith he, poſſeſse yee your ſoules; **Note.A patient ſoule is a faire poſſeſſion; he that hath it, will not ſell it to a king, for his kingdome: 1 King 21.31 Kgs 21:3A good man like Naboth will not ſell his poſſeſſion; a man that hath a poſſeſſion, eſteemeth much of it; he dreſſeth it, he adorneth it, he pulleth out the weeds, hedgeth it about; ſeeing man is ſo carefull for a earthly triffle, O what care p. 76ſhould we have for this moſt excellent poſſeſſion? that we may poſſeſse our ſoules in patience; let us not ſell this poſſeſſion, though we might have a Kingdome in exchange for it.

Obſerve heere alſo that great is the difference betweene the ſufferings of the godly and the wicked; The doctrine.the wicked having once loſt their earthly poſseſsion have no other poſſeſſion when they are ſpoiled; ſuch ſay as Micah ſaid to the Danites, Judg. 18. 24Judg 18:24yee have taken away my gods and what have I more? but when the wicked have robbed and ſpoiled the godly man of all earthly poſſeſſions, hee hath ſtill the beſt behind, he poſſeſſeth his ſoul in patience: Truely hee hath better reaſon for him then the wicked man: **Note.For the wicked man having loſt his earthly poſſeſſion hath no promiſe of any recompenſe of reward, for all that he had, whether corne, p. 77wine, oyle, ſilver, or gold, were all prepared for Baal, Hoſ. 2.8Hos 2:8or rather for his belly, which having no ears, can no more heare, or help him in the dayes of his trouble, then Baal could hear the praiers of his prieſts, Ioel 1.8Joel 1:8this having loſt his gods like Micah he mourneth and lamenteth like a virgine girded with ſackcloth for the husband of her youth, and will not be comforted like Rachal in Ramach weeping for her ſlaine ſucklings; Mat. 2.18Matt 2:18A worme hath ſmitten his gourd, Iohn 4.7John 4:7and it is withered and he is out of patience, becauſe he never underſtood this counſel, and direction of Chriſt given to his ſervants, In your patience poſſeſſe your ſoules.

The uſe, The uſe.Let the conſideration of all theſe things effectually move us to poſseſse our ſouls in patience, when tribulations and calamities ſhall come upon the land; let us reſolve to ſuffer loſſe of earthly things, that we may gaine the heavenly: **Note.If p. 78men had hearts to believe, everie one wuld be readier then another, to ſuffer for the name of Chriſt: as men that have moneys ſtrive to get a good hand, or as Maſters that have land, ſtrive to get good tennents, that will pay well, ſo ſhould we all be glad, when Chriſt calleth us to loſſe any thing for his names ſake, for by ſo loſſing we ſhall profite much: There is nothing that cauſeth our feares in troubles, but either want or elſe weakneſſe of faith; fleſh and blood underſtands not in worldlie loſſes, to poſſeſſe their ſoules in patience.

I confeſſe, that we are compaſſed about with many infirmities, a little blaſt of winde terrified Peter in a miracle; yea, in a miracle of love in the very preſence of Chriſt, who like a loving maſter had commanded him to come unto him upon the ſea; there was no remedie for his fear, Mat. 14.31Matt 14:31untill Chriſt tooke him p. 79by the hand, and reproving him for his weak faith put him up into the ſhip; we have all great need to pray that he would take us by the heart, and pity our infirmities which are great and many: O how hard a thing it is in time of wrongs to practiſe this precept, In your patience poſseſse ye your ſouls; It is to a carnal man like Shibboleth to an Ephramite, Judg. 12.6Judg 12:6a word which he could not pronounce, ſo is it a precept which he can not practiſe: what ſhall we do then? As long as we are heere, troubles are fearfull to fleſh; but as ſoone as wee beginne to tremble, let us cry to Chriſt for faith, that in our patience wee may poſseſse our ſoules; wee had never more need then in theſe moſt terrible dayes of moſt bloody wars, wherein all men are exhorted to faſting and prayer, from Dan even to Beerſhebah.2 Sam. 24.2 Sam 24

* And now to end this whole ſermon in a word; know ye all this p. 80day that the ſervants of the Lord upon their watch tower, as like Elijahs ſervants, upon the top of Carmel, have at laſt ſpied a cloud, not of comforts but of wrath, ariſing like a mans hand; 1 King 18.44.1 Kgs 18:44except the Lord avert it, it is like that cloud ready to cover the whole heavens, and to fall down upon his Majeſties three dominions in ſhowres of blood: except that with all diligence wee returne unto the Lord, all this evill ſhall ſurely come to paſſe: Dearly beloved, what I ſay unto you, I ſay unto all, Heb. 10 36Heb 10:36yee hav… need of patience, yea, and in your patience to poſseſse your ſouls. The Lord teach and enable us all to doe ſo, for Chriſt his ſons ſake, Amen.

To whom with our hearts this day, Pſal. 119.54 Hoſ. 14.2Ps 119:54Hos 14:2in the houſe of our pilgrimage, we humbly render the calves of our lips, To him be glory for ever.

FINIS.

End of the text · Zacharie Boyd, Crosses Comforts Counsels Needful to be Considered (1643)