A Christian library, or, A pleasant and plentiful paradise of practical divinity in 37 treatises of sundry and select subjects ... / by R. Younge ...

Section. 10.

Ob. Bu•• when will there bee an end of this long disease? this tedious affliction? this heavie yoake of bondage? &c.

Answ. It is a signe of cold love, scarce to have begun to suffer for Christ and presently to gape for an end. It was a far better speech of one, Lord, give mee what thou w••lt, as much as thou wilt, when thou wilt. Thou ar•• Gods Patient, prescribe not thy Physi••ian. It is the Gold-Smiths skill to know how long his gold must bee in the Crusible, neither takes hee it out of that hot bath, till it bee sufficiently purified.

What if the Lord for a time forbear coming, as Samuel did to Saul; that hee may try what is in thee? and what thou wilt do, or suffer for him, that hath done and suffered so much for thee? as why did God set Noah about building the Ark an hundred and twenty years, when a small time might have finished it? It was for the triall of his patience. Thus hee led the Israelites in the desarts of Arabia forty years; whereas a man may tra∣vell from Ramesis in Egypt, to any part of Canaan in forty days: this God did to prove them, that hee might know what was in their hearts, Deu. 8.2. Hee promised Abraham a son in whom hee should bee blessed; this hee performed not, in t••irty years after. Hee gave David the Kingdom, and anointed him by Samuel, yet was hee not possessed of it in many years: 〈◊〉〈◊〉 so much that hee said, Mine eyes fail for thy Word, Psal. 119.123. Io∣seph hath a promise that the Sun and Moon should do him reverence, but first hee must bee bound in the Dungeon. This God doth to try us, for in these exigents we shew o••r selvs, and our dispositions.

What saith God to his people in their misery? Psal. 75. When I see convenient time, I will execute judgment, ver. 2. hee doth not say, when you think the time convenient. Let us tarry a little the Lords leisure, dili∣verance will come, peace will come, joy will com; in mean while to 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ••••••ient in misery, makes misery no misery.

Again secondly, hee may delay his coming for other ends of greater con∣sequence, Martha and Mary send to Christ, as desiring him to come and re∣s••••re Lazarus their sick brother to health, Ioh. 11.3. expecting him with∣out delay, now hee loved both Martha and her Sister, and Lazarus▪ 〈◊〉〈◊〉▪ 5. yet hee neglects coming for many days, lets him die, bee put in the grave untill hee stank; but what of all this? he that would not rest••re 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Lazarus to health, restored dead Lazarus to life; which was a grea••e•••• ••••••cy than they either did, or durst ask. Neither did this onely increase 〈◊〉〈◊〉 joy, and thankfulness, give them occasion ever after to believe, and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 above and against all hope: but it made many of the Iews believe in him, which before did no••, ver. 45.

Thirdly and lastly, hee delaies thee the longer, that when hee coms, he 〈10 letters〉〈10 letters〉

may bring with him the greater recompence of reward: for hee will com∣fort us according to the days wee have been afflicted, and according to the years that we have seen evill, Psal. 90.15.

Neither will hee stay over-long, for behold, saith he, I come quickly, and my reward is with me; to give every man according as his works shall bee, Rev. 22.12. and suffering is accounted none of the meanest works. So that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the conquest. Wherefore hold out yet a little, and help shall not bee wanting to the combatants; nor a crown to the conquerours. Yea, fight to the last minute, for the eye of thy Saviour is upon the; if thou faint, to cheer thee; if thou stand to it, to second thee; if thou conquer, to crown thee; whereas no combate, no conquest; no conquest, no triumph.

Object. But my sufferings are so great, that if they continue, I shall never bee able ••o hold out.

Answ. True, if thou trustest to thine own strength; for perseverance is the gift of God; yea, it is hee that worketh in us both to will and to do at his good pleasure, Phil. 2.13. For first, mans will is a fugitive O∣nesimus, and God must call home that runagate, subdue that rebell, before wee can chuse that which is good. Neither when wee have begun, can we continue: perficit qui efficat, Hee that begun a good work in us, will perform it, Phil. 1.6. Jesus is the founder and finisher of our faith, Heb. 12.2 Neither can wee of our selvs suffer for him: Datur pati, it is given to us to suffer for his sake, Phil. 1.29. Without mee yee can do nothing, Ioh. 15.5. not parum, but nihil; But in him, and through him, all things. I can do all things through him that strengthens mee, Phil. 4.13. In our selvs wee are weak Captives, in him wee are more than Conquerours, Rom. 8.37. Whence it is, many sick men undergo patiently such pressure•••• as when they were in health, they would not have beleeved they could have born.

The truth of grace (bee the measure never so small) ••s always blest with perseverance: because that little is ••ed with an everlasting spring. Yea, if grace but conquer us first, wee by 〈◊〉〈◊〉 shall conquer all things else, whether it bee corruptions within us, or temtations without us: for as the fire which came down from heaven in Elias time, licked up•• all the wa∣ter, to shew that it came from God; so will this fire spend all our corrup∣tions: No affliction without, or corruption within, shall quench it. Wherefore do but thy endeavour to hold out, I mean with patience 〈◊〉〈◊〉 that Spirit which came in the likeness of a Dove, will not com but 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Dove,) and pray for divine assistance, this sadness shall end in gladne••••▪ this sorrow, in singing.

But above all; pray unto God, for Praier is the key of heaven, as 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Austin tearms it; and the hand of a Christian, which is able to reach from Earth to Heaven, and to take forth every manner of good gift out of 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Lords Treasury. Did not Elias by turning this K••y one way, lock up the whole Heaven from raining for three years and six months; and another while by turning the same Key of prayer, as much another way, in the turn∣ing

of a hand, unlock all the doors and windows of heaven, and set them wide open, that it rained, and the earth brought forth her fruit.

Yea, as all Samsons strength lay in his hair, so all our strength lyeth in Praier: Praiers and tears are the Churches Armour, Praiers and patience her wea∣pons; and therefore when Peter was imprisoned by cruel Herod, the con∣gregation joined their forces to pray for him; and so brake his chains, blew open the Iron Gates, and fetch'd him out, Act. 12.4. to 18. Arma Christianorum in adversis, alia esse non debent quam patientia, & precat•••• saith Salmeron.

Yea, praier is so powerfull, that it commandeth all things in Heaven and Earth: It commandeth all the four Elements, Air, Iam. 5.17.18. Fire, Ecclesiasticus 48.3. Dan. 3.27. Water, Exod. 14.21. and 15.25. Earth, Num. 16.31.32.33. Nay, the Praier of one devou•• man, is able to co••quer an host of enemies in battell, Exod. 17.11. What shall I say? it hath made the Sun stand still in the Firmament one while, go back ano∣ther; fetch fire and hail-stones from heaven, thrown down the walls of Iericho, subdued Kingdoms, stopt the mouths of Lyons quencht the vio∣lence of fire, &c. Yea, Praier is so potent, that it raiseth the dead, 1 King. 17.21. overcometh Angels, Gen. 19.22. casteth our Devills, Matth. 17.21. and that which is yet more wonderfull, overcometh him that cannot be overcome; and mastereth even God himself: for doth not the Lord say to Moses, let mee alone? And Moses would not let him alone, till he had obtained his petition, Exod. 32.10.14. And again to Iacob, wrestling with him, let mee go: and Iacob would not let him go, untill he had pre∣vailed, Gen. 32.16.

Wherefore, Pray upon all occasions and that without doubting: say not to God, as the Leper said to Christ, If thou wilt, thou canst make me clean: for hee both can, and will, as that very text, Matth. 8.2, 3. proves. Yea, I would to God wee were but so willing, as hee is, for hee desires to bee desired: Neither hath hee his own will, except wee have ours. Christ doth ask no more of us, but onely that wee would vouchsafe to ask him. True, the fainting heart that hath waited some time, may with the Psal∣mist mutter out some such speech, as this, Hath God forgotten to bee graci∣ous? Psal. 77.9. But if hee forgets any of his, he hath lost his old wont▪ for who can nominate one that ever came to Christ with any lawfull suit, that received a repulse? Who ever asked any thing of him which was pro∣fitable for him to receive, and did not obtain his suit? Did not the sick ever receive their health? The lame, their limbes? the blind their fight? Did ever any sinner implore the forgiveness of his sins, which did not receiv full remission and pardon? Yea, did not this our gracious King and Re∣deemer, prevent his poor miserable subjects with his grace, in giving, be∣fore ••hey had the grace to ask; or more then they desired? The sick of the Pal•••••• asking but cure of his disease, received not onely that, but the remission of his sins also▪ Matth. ••. Zacheus desired but to see his face, he became his guest; and gave him salvation to boot, Luk. 1••. The Woman of Samaria requested but elementary and common water, hee offered unto

her the water of life, Ioh. 4. The people followed him to bee fed by miracle with corporall food, hee offered unto them the bread of life, Ioh. 7. The poor blind man desired but his bodily sight, Christ illumi∣nated the eye of his soul, Ioh. 9.

Neither hath honours changed manners with him, as is usuall amongst men; for hee is a God immutable in goodness, and without change, or shadow of turning, Iam. 1 17. so that if thou speak, hee will hear; and answer thy suit in supporting thee: so that thou shalt bee sure to perse∣vere, and hold out unto the end.