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

CHAP. 40. Application of the former grounds.

ANd so you have the residue of the grounds of comfort, it remains that I should apply them: For this Doctrine, though it be better under∣stood then practised, as Cassandra was better known than trusted: yet be∣ing both known, applied, and duly trusted to, will (like the Sun) not onely delight our understandings with its contemplation, but also warm and quicken our affections. Wherefore, is there any weak Christian so white-liver'd with Nicodemus, that the reproaches and Persecutions which at∣tend his profession, make him ashamed of Christ, or cause him to think that it is in vain to serve the Lord: whereby he is frighted out of the narrow way that leadeth to life? Let him draw near, for I chiefly direct my speech unto him: Are afflictions and persecutions so necessary and profitable, as hath been shewed? Doth not God onely gain glory by our suffe••ings? but do they also bring us to repentance, and amendment of life? stir us up to praier, wean us from the love of the world, keep us alwaies prepared for our enemies assaults, discover whether we are sincere or no, make us humble, im∣prove all Christian graces in us? Is God more specially present with us in afflictions? Cannot our enemies diminish one hair of our heads, without God's special leave and appointment? Hath he promised that we shall not be tempted above our strength? Are these stripes the chiefest tokens and pledges of God's love and adoption? Were none of his children ever exempted from the like? And lastly, shall our momentany sufferings be rewarded with everlasting glory? Yea, shall our glory be increased, as our sufferings have been more? Then let them serve as so many restoratives to thy fainting spirit; yea, Lift up thy hands which hang down, and strengthen thy weak knees, Heb. 12.12. For, I suppose thy fainting and drooping is from fear, and thy fear from doubting, and thy doubting from unbelief, and thine unbe∣lief chiefly from ignorance of these things: and whence is thine ignorance of these, but this? Thou hast never been conversant in the book of God; or if thou hast, thou didst never seriously ponder these Scriptures which have formerly been rehearsed: for hadst thou seriously considered them, thou wouldst not have dared to make that an occasion of grief and prejudic••,

which the Spirit of God maketh the greatest cause of joy and confirmation that can be. For, what can be spoken more expresse, direct, and significant? What demonstrations can be given more sollid? What Fortifications or Bulwarks so strong and safe against the affronts of Satan, and the World? Thou saiest thou art persecuted for well-doing, and therefore thinkest it a strange thing. God saith it is, and ever hath been common to all his chil∣dren▪ not Christ himself excepted.

Take notice of these things, (for it is the God of all truth and blessednesse that speaks them) and apply them to thy self, as if they were particularly spoken to thee by name; even as when twenty be in a room, where is a fair well-drawn picture; every one thinks the picture looks upon him▪ and have not more modestie or manners (in leaving those dishes for thy letters) than will do thee good. Be not like a Monkey which looking in a glasse, thinks he sees another Monkeys face▪ and not his own: And know withall, that it is no small sin even to doubt, when we have God's com∣mand and warrant to secure us.

Thou thinkest thy self miserable; God saith, thou art blessed: Thou saiest, thou art hated of the world; God saith, thou art beloved of Christ; who hath chosen thee out of the world: Thou thinkest it a shame to be re∣proached; God saith, It is thy glory: Thou grievest at it; God saith, thou hast great cause to rejoice; for it sheweth thee to be born of God, thine ene∣mies to be the seed of the Serpent. Thou saiest, that all things go crosse with thee; God saith, That all things shall work together for the best; it may be the increase of thy temporal happinesse: however, that it shall bee for the improvement of thy graces here, for the advancement of thy glory hereafter. Thou thinkest it a sign of displeasure; God saith, it is to thy Enemies, a token of perdition, but to thee, of salvation: Thou thinkest thy self near forsaken; God saith, The spirit of glory, and of God, resteth upon thee: Thou saiest, thou shalt one day perish; God saith, that neither things present, nor things to come, shall ever be able to separate thee from the love of God, which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. Thou thinkest the Lord doth not hear thee, because he doth not presently answer thee in the things that thou requirest: I tell thee, it were ill for the best of us, if we were permit∣ted to be our own choosers: Let Peter have his desire, and his Master shall not die; so Peter himself, and the whole world had been lost. In unfit sup∣plications we are most heard, when we are repelled: our God often times doth answer our praiers with merciful denials, and most blesseth us in cros∣sing our desires. We may ask either bad things to a good purpose; or, good things to a bad purpose; or, good things to a good purpose, but in an ill season. Now, if we ask what is either unfit to receive, or unlawful to beg, it is a great favour of our God to be denied: granting is not alwaies the effect of love; if so, then had Paul been lesse loved then Satan: Satan begg'd but once, and had his paier granted, concerning Iob: S. Paul begg'd thrice that he might not be buffeted, yet was denied: Satan beg'd his shame; who envied his successe? Saint Paul that freedom from tem∣ptation, which would have been worse bad then wanted: yea, if granting

were alwaies an effect of love; then was our blessed Saviour lesse loved than Satan; for the Lord would not let the Cup of his Passion passe from him upon his earnest praier, which he made as he was Man. But you must know, that denials in some cases are better than grants: the Lord will not take away the body of sin from us upon our earnest praiers, yet he granteth us that which is equivalent; viz. Grace to subdue our corruptions; and withall takes away the occasion of pride, which is better: for certainly he is more supported of God, that hath grace given him to conquer a tempta∣tion; as had the Martyrs, in being able to suffer those tortures; than a∣nother who is excused to fight.

Again, we must not measure God's hearing of our suit, by his present answer; or his present answer by our own sense: touching the first, Zacha∣ry a long time failed of a Son for all his Praier; but when he had even for∣got that Praier, he had a Son; the Angel brings him good news, Luk. 1.13. Thy Praier is beard: When did he make this Praier? Nor lately; for then he was grown old, and had given over all hope of a child: so that his re∣quest was past over many years, and no answer given.

The like example we have in Hannah, who powring out her soul before the Lord, in the trouble of her spirit; God did not immediately tell her by revelation that she should conceive a Son, but he gave her for the present, faith; which did work in her joy, and peace of conscience: for (saith the text) she looked no more sad; and when shee had waited his leisure a certain time, The Lord remembred her with a Son, 1 Sam. 1. There is no∣thing between God and thee, but time; prescribe not his wisdom, hasten not his mercie, now his grace is enough for you, his glory shall be more than enough hereafter. Tarry a little the Lords leisure, deliverance will come, peace will come, joy will come; thy tears are reserved, thine hun∣ger shall be satisfied, thy sorrow shall be comforted: In the mean while to be patient in misery, makes misery no misery: while we consider that when a little brunt is once past, troubles will cease, but joies shall never cease.

Wherefore, let us never give over, but in our thoughts knit the begin∣ning, progresse, and end together; and then shall we see our selves in Hea∣ven, out of the reach of all our enemies.

2. To prove that wee are not to judge of Gods answering our praiers, by our own sence; I need but to instance the woman of Canaan, (as what can speed well, if the praier of faith from the knees of humility succeed not?) and yet behold, the further she goes, the worse she fares; her dis∣couragement is doubled with her suit: It is not good (saith our Saviour) to take the childrens bread, and cast it to dogs; here was cold comfort: yet stay but a while, he clears up his brows, and speaks to her so comfortably, that 'twere able to secure any heart, to dispel any fears. O Saviour! how different are thy waies from ours, when even thy severity argues favour! The trial had not been so sharp, if thou hadst not found the faith so strong, if thou hadst not meant the issue so happie: It is no unusual thing for kind∣nesse

to look sternly for the time, that it may indear it self more, when it lists to be discovered.

It was cold comfort that the Cripple heard from Peter and Iohn, when he begg'd of them an alms; Silver and gold have I none: but the next clause, rise up and walk, made amends for all. O God! we may not al∣waies measure thy meaning by thy semblance; sometimes what thou most intendest, thou shewest least: In our afflictions thou turn'st thy back up∣on us, and hidest thy face from us, when thou most mindest our distresses. So Ionathan shot the arrows beyond David, when he meant them to him: So, Ioseph calls for Benjamin into bands, when his heart was bound to him in the strongest affection; so, the tender mother makes as if she would give away her crying child, whom she huges so much closer in her bosom. If thou passe by us whiles we are strugling with the tempest, we know it is not for want of mercie, thou can••st not neglect us: Oh let not us distrust thee! if thou comest, it is to relieve us; if thou staiest, it is to trie us; howsoever, thy purpose is to save us. Surely God will work alone, and man must not be of his counsel. Wherefore many times he deals with wicked men, as Eutrapilus sometimes did with his subjects; who when he was minded to do a poor man a mischief, would give him abundance of wealth; whereas contrarily his children find themselvs crost with a bles∣sing. Possidonius tells us of Austin, that when there was wait laid for his life; through God's providence he mist his way; whereby his life was preserved, and his adversaries disappointed. As when Isabel Queen of England was to repasse from Zealand into her owne Kingdom, with an Ar∣my, in favor of her Son against her Husband, she had utterly been cast away, had she come unto the Port intended, being there expected by her enemies: but Providence, against her will, brought her to another place, where shee safely landed. Yea, this I have seen, two men striving for the way, one re∣ceiving a switch over the face, draws his Rapyer to kill the other; but by a providence, in making the offer, his saddle swaied to the horse-belly; whereby in all likelihood, the one was saved from killing, the other from hanging: for before he could make after him, he was rid a mile. And have not some been detained (by a violent storme) from coming home, whereby they have been exempt from feeling the down-full of their house? Sure I am the letting fall of my Glove in the dark, once proved a means of saving me from drowning; while another stepping before me, found the danger to his cost. And indeed, how infinitely should we intangle our selve••, if we could sit down and obtain our wishes! Do we not-often wish that, which we after see would be our confusion; because we ignorantly follow the flesh, and blinded appetite, which looks on nothing but the shell and outside; whereas God respecteth the soul, and distributeth his sa∣vour for the good of that, and his glory? It is an argument of love in the Father, when he takes away the Childs knife, and gives him a book. Wee crie for riches, or liberty, or peace; they are knives to cut our fingers: ••herefore God gives us his Word, the riches of verity, not of vanity: Hee gives us that glorious liberty to be the Sons of God, he gives us that peace

which the world cannot give, nor take away, wherefore let the Christian understand, God his Physitian, Tribulation his physick; being afflicted under the medicine, thou criest, the Physitian hears thee, not according to thy will, but thy weal; thou canst not endure thy malady; and wilt thou not be patient of the remedy? No man would be more miserable, than he that should cull out his own waies: What a specious shew carried Midas his wish with it, and how did it pay him with ruine at last? Surely I have seen matters fall out so unexpectedly, that they have tutored me in all affairs, neither to despair, nor to presume; not to despair, for God can help mee; not to presume, for God can crosse me: One day made Marius Emperour, the next saw him rule, and the third he was slain of his Souldiers. Well then, if with Paul thou hast besought the Lord often, that thy present af∣fliction might depart from thee, and canst not be heard in the thing which thou desirest; know that thou art heard in that which is more conducible to thy profit: and consequently rejoice more in that thy petition is deni∣ed, than if it had been granted. This was the use which Saint Paul made of Gods denial, and he knew what he did, though he had as much to boast, and rejoice of, as any one living: yet, saith he, of myself I will not rejoice, except it bee, of mine infirmities: that is, afflictions, reproaches, per∣secutions, inward temptations, fears, distrust, &c. But in these I will very gladly rejoice. Why? That the power of Christ may dwell in me: Note his reason, he had heard God say, that his power was made perfect through weaknesse, 2 Cor. 12.8, 9. Neither had he onely cause to rejoice in his infirmities, but all God's people have the same cause to rejoice; for, what the spirit of comfort speaks in this, and in all the former places reci••ed, do equally belong to thee for thy consolation, with all the regenerate; for whatsoever was written afore-time, was written for thy learning and mine, that wee through patience, and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope, Rom. 15.4. And accordingly, will a good hearer apply to himself whatso∣ever is written in the Word; for as the stomach sends the strength of the meat into every member of the body: so we should send to the eie, that which is spoken to the eie; and to the ear, that which is spoken to the ear; and to the tongue, that which is spoken to the tongue; and to the hand, that which is spoken to the hand; and so to the heart, and every faculty and member of soul and body: if we hear comfort, we should apply it to fear; if wee hear a promise, we should apply that to our distrust; if wee hear a threatning, we should apply that to our presumption; and so fill up the gap still where the Devil would enter. And indeed, had it not been for this Aqua coelestis, David had surely fainted in his affliction, Psal. 27. ver. 13. & 119.72. but this good Word from heaven fetch him again, when he was ready to sink▪ and indeed, if Moses and the Prophets, the E∣vangelists and Apostles will not comfort us in this case, then as Abra∣ham told Dives in another case, nothing will perswade, nor prevail. Be∣lievest thou the former Seriptures spoken by Christ, and his Apostles? I know that thou believest, with some mixture of unbelief; and art almost perswa∣ded, not onely to do, but to suffer chearfully for well-doing. But why

dost thou not altogether believe, that it is a blessed and happie thing thus to suffer? Mat. 5.10, 11, 12. That thou hast great cause to rejoice and be glad that thou art counted worthy to suffer shame for Christs name? Acts 5.41. Thou seest it is not for nothing that David acknowledgeth, It was good for him that he was afflicted, Psal. 119.71. that Iob blesseth the time that ever he was corrected, Iob 42. That Ieremy praied for correction as a good thing, Ier. 10.24. That a whole Church voted the same, Lam. 3.27. It is not for nothing that Christ saith, Blessed and happy are yee when men revile you, and persecute you: That Saint Iames saith, Count it exceeding joy, when yee fall into divers temptations, Iames 1.2. It is not for nothing that Saint Paul saith, I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in anguish, for Christ's sake, &c. 2 Cor. 12.10. That Peter and Iohn, when they were beaten and imprisoned, departed from the Council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer rebuke for Christs name, Act. 5.41. For, even bearing the Crosse with Christ, is as great a preserment in the Court of Heaven, as it is in an earthly Court for the Prince to take off his own Roab, and put it on the back of one of his servants; as you may perceive by the Lord's speech to Paul, Act. 9.15, 16. & 23. ver. 11. and our Saviour Christs words to his Apostles, Ast. 1.8. yea, to suffer for Christ (saith Father Latimer) is the greatest privilege that God gives in this world: and the story of Iob is a book-case to prove it: for did not God by him, as sometimes a Schoolmaster with his Pupill, who when he hath polished and perfected a good Scholar, brings him sorth, provokes ad∣versaries to set upon him with hard questions, and takes a pride to see the fruit of his own labours. And in the warrs, to have the hottect and most dangerous services imposed upon them by their General, is accounted the greatest honour: neither will he confer the same upon any, but the stoutest and most valiant. This Rod of the Lord (like Ahasuerus his Scepter) is never stretcht forth toward any of his, but in great love and favour. It is like the kisse, which Cyrus, in Xenophon, gave to Chrysanthas, which was accounted a greater and more special savour, than the Cup of gold which he gave to Artabazus: Which being so, let us in this particular, imita••e the Muscovitish women, who will not think their husbands love them, un∣lesse they chastise them; and the Indians, who are ambitious to be burnt with them; and the Thracians, who are proud to wear their scarrs. Moses esteemed the reproach of Christ greater riches than all the treasures of Ae∣gypt, Heb. 11.25, 26. And the Apostles esteemed it a grace, to be disgra∣ced for him: and shall we grumble, or think much at it? No: in the greatest extremity of straights, let us acknowledge it a favour, and give him thanks: and so much the rather, for that it is more acceptable to God, to give him thanks once in adversity, then six hundred times in prosperity, as a grave Divine well observs: and indeed, it is the summe of all Religion to be thankfull to God in the midst of miseries.

True, it is hard for Iob, when the terrours of God fight against him, and the arrows of the Almighty stick so ••ast in him, that the venome thereof hath drunk up his spirit, Iob 6.2, 3, 4. to think it a special favour and dignity,

but so it was, being rightly considered. It was hard for Iosephs brethren to hear him speak roughly unto them, take them for spies, accuse them of theft, and commit them to prison, Gen. 42.30. and think, it is all out of love; much more hard for Simeon to bee cull'd out from the rest, and com∣mitted to ward, while his brethren are set at libertie, Vers. 24. and yet it was so; yea he loved him best, whom he seemed to favour least: yet, such is the infirmitie of our nature, that as weak eies are dazled with the light which should comfort them, so there is nothing more common with God's Children, than to be afflicted with the causes of their joy, and astonied with that which is intended for their confirmation. Even Manoah conceivs death in that vision of God, wherein alone his life and happinesse did consist: Iudg. 13.22. And the Shepherds, Luk. 2. who were sore afraid, when the An∣gel of the Lord came to bring them good tidings of great joy to all people▪ viz. their Saviours Birth, which was Christ the Lord, Vers. 9.10. But what hath been the answer of GOD alwaies to his children, in such their extasies, but his? Fear not, Gideon, Judg. 6.23. Fear not, Ioseph, Mat. 1.20. Fear not Zachary, Luk. 1.12, 13. Fear not Abraham, for I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward, Gen. 15.1. Fear not, Paul, for I am with thee, and no man shall lay hands on thee to do thee hurt, &c. Acts. 18.9, 10. the words are often repeated (as Pharaohs dreams were dou∣bled) for the surenesse. Yea, to the end, that we should be fearlesse in all our sufferings, so long as we suffer not as evil doers, 1 Pet. 4.15. Fear not, as one well notes, is the first word in the Annunciation of Christs Conception; and the first word in the first Annunciation of his Birth: and the first word in the first Annuuntiation of his Resurrection, and almost the last words in his last exhortation, a little before his death, are, Let not your hearts be troubled, and be of good comfort, strengthening his followers, and sweet∣ning his Crosse by diverse forcible reasons, Luke 21. Mark. 13. And the words of dying men have ever been most emphatical, most effectual. Nay, more than all this, if yet thou wilt not be comforted, look but Ioh. 16.20. and thou shalt have thy Saviour assure thee by a double bond:

• His Word I say, Verily, verily, I say unto you.
• His Oath I say, Verily, verily, I say unto you.

that though for the present you do fear, and sorrow, and weep, yet all shall be turned into joy, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 that joy shal no man be able to take from you, v. 22.

And so much of the

• Patience of the Womans seed.
• Innocency of the Womans seed.
• Felicity of the Womans seed.

If you will see the

• Malice of the Serpents seed:
• Subtilty of the Serpents seed:
• Misery of the Serpents seed:

Read the three fore∣going parts; viz.

• ...The canse and cure of Ignorance Error. &c.
• ...The cure of Misprision.
• ...Characters of the kinds of preaching.

The last whereof, sold only by Iames Crump, in Little Bartholome•• Well-yard.