Sect. 2. Comfort against inward terrours, reproaches of men, and outward afflictions.

2. AGainst inward fears and terrours of conscience, arising from sense of guilt and liableness to Gods displeasure. Even the Lords redeemed may have shrewd re∣mainders of the spirit of bondage upon them; their spirits are sometimes startled and terrified with the fear or feeling of Di∣vine wrath. God lets Satan loose against them, to bring their old sins to remem∣brance, or to roar upon them as a Lion, for new miscarriages. And when he meets with a timorous unbeleeving heart, he plies it so long with his fiery darts, till at length he be∣reaves the sinner of all comfort. Sometimes he is dejected, and laid low in the sight of his own vileness: Sometimes he is tossed and disquieted as the Sea with storms and tem∣pests: Sometimes he is even swallowed up with waves of soul-trouble, as a ship ready to sink, so that Satan seems to have his will of him,* and he saith, My strength, and my hope is perished from the Lord. A sad and un∣welcome business, I confess, yet many of Gods dear servants have been thus put to it, as both Scripture and experience do testifie. Job complains that God held him for his enemy, and made him to possess the iniqui∣ties of his youth, Job 13.24, 26. and there∣fore Page  207 the poyson of his arrows did drink up his spirit, and the terrours of God did set themselves in array against him,* Chap. 6.4. yet elsewhere he professeth his faith in the Redeemer. David cries out, that Gods ar∣rows stuck so fast in him, and his hand pressed him so sore, that there was no soundness in his flesh, nor rest in his bones, Psal. 38.3, 4. The like we may see in Heman the Ezrahite, Psal. 88.3, 6, 7, 14, 15, &c. But let the afflicted soul now have recourse to this harbour of Re∣demption, and there he shall finde good shelter against all these storms. What hast thou to fear, save the curse of the Law? why? but that is removed and gone. Thy Surety hath freed thee from it, by making an end of thy sins. No sin, no curse. If the Lord hide his face, and frown upon thee, it will bee for a moment, for a small moment, but he will return, and with everlasting kindness have mercy on thee: And for this thy Redeemer hath ingaged his word, Isa. 54.7, 8. As for Satan, that Lion of hell, when he can nei∣ther hold; nor recover his prisoners, it is his next policy to disquiet them, and to make their lives uncomfortable. But tell him, that thou art Christs devoted servant, by vertue of a dear ransome, and he hath no∣thing in thee, neither shall hee rule in thy conscience; he may go, lash, and torment his own marked slaves, but thou art out of his reach. And if the Lord and Satan do still pursue thy soul with terrours, remember that thy Master Christ hath drunk of this Page  208 bitter cup before thee, and be assured, that he will plead thy cause with his Father, and at length he will take that roaring Lion un∣der-hand, and rend him, as he would rend a Kid, as it is said of Sampson, Judg. 14.6. Know it, dear Christian, for thy comfort, there are no storms in heaven.

3 Against the cursings, evill speakings, re∣proaches, contradictions of the men of the world. Their tongues are set on fire of hell, and they are very eloqu•nt in the hel∣lish art of cursed language, especially against the Lords Redeemed ones, smiting them with bitter words, and heaping upon them the basest indignities, which either the De∣vil can suggest, or their malicious hearts in∣vent. Hast thou been acquainted with such unwelcome salutations? Do thy prophane neighbours open their mouthes against thee? And dost thou hear the words of cursing and bitterness, yet be not troubled at it. These arrows, though they be very sharp, and sent from a strong arm, yet they shall not reach to pierce thy heart; these coals of Juniper, though they keep in the fire, a whole year, yet thou needest not fear scorching by them; the malignity of them is taken away by the grace of Redemption. If the curse of Gods righteous Law be voided to thee, much more is the curse of mans unrighteous law. If the Lord hath reversed, and disanulled his just sentence, passed against thee in heaven, will he suffer the unjust sentence of sinful man on earth to stand in force against thee? If the curse Page  209 which is deserved shall not come, much less shall that which is causeless, Prov. 26.2. Say thou to God, as David, Let them curse, but bless thou, Psal. 109.28. thou mayest hope, that the Lord will requite thee good for their cursing, as 2 Sam. 16.12. when the chil∣dren of Israel were brought out of Egypt, and upon their way to the promised Land, Balaam was hired to curse them; but the Lord turned the curse into a blessing, Deut. 23.3, 4. So if thou be redeemed out of thy cursed condi∣tion, and art travelling heaven-ward, thou shalt meet with curses by the way, but thy Redeemer will turn them into a blessing; yea he hath blessed thee already, so that all their imprecations, censures, slanders, are but the flashings of powder without shot, or like squibs, which breath out fire, but sud∣denly vanish and dye. Thou mayest pitty their folly, in speaking evill of the things which they know not. The day is comming, wherein they shall hang down their heads for shame, and say, We counted their life mad∣ness, but indeed we are the mad-men, they are the Lords Redeemed, and numbred a∣mong the Saints, we are the Devils bond∣men, and must go in the black band. How have we raved against them by cursing and railing, and all malicious language: But now we finde that they are the blessed of the Lord, and we (Wo, wo unto us) are the children of the curse.

4 Against outward temporal afflictions which they meet with in this life. These are Page  210 the lot of the Lords people, whereunto they are appointed, 1 Thess. 3.3. Every one must have his several cup of one kinde, or other. None of us can be wholly discharged from this war, while we are in the body, yet here is safety in the hand of our great Reedeemer. The Ch•ldren of Israel, being brought out of the house of bondage, had a troublesome journey through the wilderness to the Land of Canaan, by reason of many difficulties they must encounter withall in the way; but the Angel of the Covenant went before them, and carried them forward, as on E•gles wings, and at length gave them rest. You that are happily rescued from the Curse and bondage of hell, may expect to meet with much tribulation in the way to the Kingdome of God, Act. 14.22. But this may be your comfort, Jesus Christ your strong Deliverer looks after you, and will not suffer you to be trodden under foot, Hee is the Captain of your salvation, and he knows by experience, what it is to be afflicted; for the Father thought it most convenient, to make him perfect by sufferings, Heb. 2.10. and he hath drunk the bitterest cup even to the bot∣tome, and will so sweeten yours, as you shall have no cause to shrink at it.

I shall inlarge this further in some parti∣culars. Not to insist on such grievances as the godly suffer in common with the men of the world: The grace of Redemption affords some reliefe against these. There be three sorts of Afflictions very remarkable, which Page  211 do oftentimes deject and weaken the spirits of Gods people, so that they need to bee comforted with the savoury, and restorative Apples which grow upon this Tree.

1. Persecutions for righteousness. By this excellent benefit we are made capable of high enjoyments, but it is with the proviso of suffering persecutions, so hath Christ him∣self determined, Mark. 10.29, 30. and his chosen witness Paul tells us positively, All that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution, 2 Tim. 3.13. which hath been a∣bundantly verified in all ages. See Davids complaint, Psal. 38.20, & 119.86. Act. 8.1. 1 Cor. 4.12. Gal. 4.29. But now the Saints which suffer for the truth, or for well-doing, may chear up their hearts, when they con∣sider that the Redeemer himself hath led them the way in this fiery trial. Did ever any undergo so much? his whole life was a continued persecution. Herod sought his life while he was a childe, and when hee was grown up, the Jews persecuted him to the death; and he hath given us warning be∣fore hand, that we may not think it strange, if we be baptised with the same baptisme, Joh. 15.20. Let the poor suffering Christian then resolve thus,* If my Redeemer was per∣secuted for righteousness sake, in defence of his heavenly doctrine, the avouching of his eternal God-head, the Fathers sending him to be the Saviour of the lost world, and the doing of good works, and all this for me, and on my account; then it is but equal, th•t I Page  212 should undergo any kinde of persecution for him, and not stick at it. This is but to help to fill up the remainder of Christs sufferings, Col. 1.24. and for thine encouragement take notice that he hath pronounced those bles∣sed that are thus persecuted, Matth. 5.10, &c. Look up unto him, who for the joy that was set before him, indured the Cross, Heb. 12.2. and do thou likewise.

2 Sufferings in their innocency. The godly are exposed to hardships in the world, not onely for bearing witness to the truth, and for well-doing, but also when there is no cause at all, save the unreasonable will and malice of men. Thus it was with David, Psal. 13, 4. & 35.7. & 59.3. Prov. 1.11. They lurk privily for the innocent without cause. So Jo∣seph, Gen. 39.8, 12, 20. and Daniel 16.4, 16, 22. Some men are so malignantly affected a∣gainst sincerity, that rather then fail, they will forge, and invent matter of mischiefe against the godly. If this be thy case, thine integrity, and innocency may bear up thy spirit; thou needest not fret against the Agents, but consider that the Lord hath an hand in it for thy good, at least for the trial of thy faith, self-denial, patience. Above all, remember, that this also was the lot of thy Redeemer. He had no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth, yet he suffered; he was brought as a Lamb to the slaughter, yet ope∣ned he not his mouth, Isa. 53.7. 1 Pet. 2.21, 22. Say then, Although I suffer without cause, yet I will not be cast down, but I will com∣mit Page  213 my way unto the Lord, and he shall bring forth my righteousness as the light, Psal. 37.5, 6. The Redeemer which pleads my cause with God, will plead it also with men. Rejoyce not against me, O mine enemy, when I fall, I shall arise, Mic. 7.8. He will awake to judge my cause in due time.

3. Punishments for sin. The Redeemed of the Lord, by giving way to the temptati∣ons of the wicked one, and the prevailing of lust, do so far forget themselves, that they even waxe wanton against him, and provoke him to take them underhand, and to inflict some judgement upon them. Thus he pu∣nished David for his sin in the matter of Bathsheba, 2 Sam. 12.10, 11, 14. and Moses for not sanctifying him before the people, Num. 20.12. & Deut. 32.50, 51. and the Saints of Corinth for unworthy communicating, 1 Cor. 11.30. which is called judging, vers. 31. The godly sometimes by their miscarriages bring upon themselves, sickness, poverty, losses, crosses in children, or good name, yea bo∣dily death. By complying with the sins of the times, they become partners in the judgements, Ezek. 21.3. Wise Solomon ob∣serves it, as very remarkable, prefixing a [Behold] to it, that the righteous shall be re∣compenced in the earth, Prov. 11.21. even he is not spared, but paid home for his folly; there is a time, that judgement begins at the house of God, 1 Pet. 4.17. Say then, Is this thy case? Thou hast sinned, and now thou sufferest. I advise thee to be humbled for Page  214 it, yet not to be discomforted. The Redeemer hath born the heat and burthen of Gods wrath for thy sin, and these punishments are not the effects of indignation steeled with hatred, but anger meekned with love.

Minde it, good Christian, the Lord hath annexed this proviso to the Covenant of grace, If you transgress, you must expect to be visited with the rod, yet the Covenant shall stand fast, Psa. 89.30. &c. As poyson duely mixed and ordered by the art of the skil∣ful P•ysi•ian, doth not kill, but help to bring health; So the wise God will temper the punishments which he layes on thee for sin, that they should not hinder, but further the fruit of thy Redemption. Thy Saviour learned obedience by the things which he had suffer∣ed for thy sin, Heb. 5.8. Take thou out the same lesson.

I might here take occasion to start and dis∣pute this question, Whether those which are actually made partakers of the grace of Re∣demption, be so fully freed from the curse of the Law in this life, that the evills which they suffer for sin, have nothing of the curse in them, nor can be truly so called: But I look upon it, as a strife about words; the controversie may be thus decided.* The curse may be considered, either materially, as it is a thing contrary to the good and welfare of the creature, and so unwelcome; or formally as it the sinners liableness to the avenging wrath of God for sin: Or, it may be taken, either largely, for any evill whatsoever, Page  215 which is the reward of sin, or strictly for that great evil of evils, which stands in the separation of the sinner from God, and his eternal perdition. Take it materially, or in the largest sense, and both Scripture and expe∣rience speak it aloud that beleevers are not fully delivered from the whole curse in this life: But take it formally and str•ctly, and thus the elect sinner is wholly set free from it at the instant of his conversion. The terrible tempest, that would overwhelme him, and render him utterly and everlastingly miser∣able is pass•d by, and sh•ll not fall upon his head; onely some drops and sprinklings may dash him, but they shall not hurt him; yea the nature of them is so altered,* that they do him good, as the Lords Warning-peeces, to bring him to repentance after his falls, and a Physical receits, which though they be not toothsome, yet are wholesome to the soul, Heb. 12.10, 11. Jer. 24.5. If thou be well ad∣vised, thou wilt not look upon them, as eff•cts of revenging justice, but as fatherly chastise∣ments, and medicines to cure thy folly, and helps to promote vertue, as hammering or squarings, and knockings, or washings, and whitenings, Dan. 11.35. And this may mini∣ster sweet refreshing to thee under the ro••, even when thou hast the greatest cause of humiliation for thy sin.