Counsel to the afflicted, or, Instruction and consolation for such as have suffered loss by fire with advice to such as have escaped that sore judgement contained in the resolution of three questions occasioned by the dreadful fire in the city of London in the year 1666 ... : in the discussing of which questions are handled several profitable cases of conscience concerning self-murder, preparing for afflictions, taking up our rest in God &c. which are inserted in the contents / by O.S.

Inſtruction and Conſolation FOR Such as have ſuffered Loſs by FIRE, WITH Advice to ſuch as have Eſcaped that ſore Judgment, Held forth in the Reſolution of three Queſtions.

QUEST. 1. How may ſuch Perſons as have ſuſtained great Loſſes by the late Fire, bear their Affliction with a contented and a cheerful ſpirit?

BEfore I give an Anſwer to this Queſtion, I ſhall premiſe theſe following Propoſitions.

1. It is the will of God that we ſhould bear all our loſſes and all other afflictions with a patient, contented mind: He would not have us murmur or repine at any of his dealings, but in every thing, and under every ſtate and condition ſubmit our wills unto his. That this is the will of God may appear evidently from ſuch Scriptures as theſe; Heb. 13.5. Be content with ſuch things as ye have; Lam. 3.39. Wherefore doth a living man complain, a man for the puniſhment of his ſins? 1 Cor. 10.10. Neither murmur ye, as ſome of them alſo murmured, and were deſtroyed of the deſtroyer; Jam. 4.7. Submit your ſelves to God; Luk. 22.42. Not my will, but thine be done; Jam. 5.8. Be ye alſo patient, ſtabliſh your hearts, for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh; yea, the Lord would not only have us patient, but cheerful under all our ſufferings, Jam. 1.2. My brethren count it all joy, when ye fall into divers temptations.

2. It is not only our duty, but our intereſt, it conduceth much to our good and welfare, to bear our afflictions with a peaceable, contented, cheerful ſpirit. Eliphaz perſwades Job to bear his afflictions quietly, with this argument, that it was for his good ſo to do, Job 22.21. Acquaint now thy ſelf with him, and be at peace, thereby good ſhall come unto thee. Whatever God hath commanded us, tends to our good as well as his glory, Deut. 10.13. Keep the Commandements of the Lord, and his Statutes, which I command thee this day for thy good. If all the Commandements of God be for our good, then this command of being contented in every eſtate muſt needs be for our good. When we are contented in our ſufferings, the ſoul is at reſt, though the outward man be full of trouble, Matth. 11.29. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and ye ſhall find reſt unto your ſouls. Whatever the Father laid upon Chriſt he bore it with a meek and quiet ſpirit, and ſubmitted his will to the will of his Father; if we follow this example of his, we ſhall doubtleſs find reſt to our ſouls. The man that hath learnt how to be content in every eſtate, liveth a kind of Heaven upon Earth, Phil. 3.20. Our Converſation is in Heaven. If you would know how the Apoſtle came to enjoy as it were a heaven while he was in this world, you may ſee that, Chap. 4.11. I have learned in whatſoever ſtate I am, therewith to be content.

3. A man under the power of a froward diſcontented ſpirit bereaveth himſelf of all good: he hath no enjoyment of God, no enjoyment of himſelf, no enjoyment of any good in any of the creatures. He hath no enjoyment of God; for, They that are of a froward heart are abomination to the Lord, Prov. 11.20. Pſal. 18.26. With the froward thou wilt ſhew thy ſelf froward. He hath no enjoyment of himſelf, but is like a man diſpoſſeſſed of his ſoul, Luk. 21.19. In your patience poſſeſs ye your ſouls. He hath no enjoyment of any good in any of the creatures, though he be one that hath great poſſeſſions, Prov. 17.20. He that hath a froward heart, findeth no good. He is in continual pain and anguiſh, like a man that walks among thorns, Prov. 22.5. Thorns and ſnares are in the way of the froward, he that doth keep his ſoul ſhall be far from them.

4. It is a very hard matter to bear afflictions with a cheerful contented ſpirit. When a man is croſſed of his will, his heart is ready to fret againſt the Lord, even at ſuch times as he brings afflictions upon himſelf by his own folly, Prov. 19.3. The fooliſhneſs of man perverteth his way, and his heart fretteth againſt the Lord. When God rebukes us, and binds us in the cords of affliction, we are apt to fret and fume like a wild Bull in a net, Iſa. 51.20. Thy ſons have fainted, they lie at the head of all the ſtreets, as a wild Bull in a net, they are full of the fury of the Lord, the rebuke of thy God. Nothing leſs than the mighty power of God will quell and keep down all the riſings, frettings and murmurings of the heart, and make a man patient and cheerful in his afflictions, Col. 1.11. Strengthned with all might according to his glorious power, unto all patience and long ſuffering with joyfulneſs. There is the power the glorious power of God, the power of God put forth in a mighty manner to enable a Chriſtian to ſuffer afflictions with patience and joy.

5. No man that is deſtitute of the grace of God, can bear afflictions with a contented ſpirit. There may be ſtupidity and inſenſibleneſs of Gods hand, and there may be a reſtraining of murmurings in ſome natural men, but true contentment is found only in godly perſons, 1 Tim. 6.8. Godlineſs with contentment is great gain. As for unregenerate men, when God doth not lay a reſtraint upon them, they do not only fret inwardly againſt God, but break out into open blaſphemy, when they meet with great and painful afflictions, Iſa. 8.21. They ſhall paſs through it, hardly beſtead and hungry, and it ſhall come to paſs, that when they ſhall be hungry, they ſhall fret themſelves, and curſe their King and their God, and look upward; Rev. 16.10,11. They gnawed their tongues for pain, and blaſphemed the God of Heaven, becauſe of their pains and their ſores, and repented not of their deeds.

6. The Saints and Servants of God, have found it an hard matter to bear their loſſes with a quiet contented ſpirit, when God hath taken away from them thoſe things which have been near and dear to them. When Jacob did but ſuppoſe that he had loſt his ſon Joſeph, he was over-whelmed with grief, Gen. 37.34,35. Jacob rent his cloaths, and put ſackloth upon his loins, and mourned for his ſon many days, and all his ſons, and all his daughters roſe up to comfort him, but he refuſed to be comforted, and he ſaid, for I will go down into the grave unto my ſon, mourning, thus his father wept for him. When God took away Abſolom, how was David caſt down at his death? 2 Sam. 18.33. The King was much moved, and went up to the chamber over the gate, and wept; and as he went, thus he ſaid, O my ſon Abſolom, my ſon, my ſon Abſolom, would God I had died for thee, O Abſolom, my ſon, my ſon. Jonah was a man that feared God, a Type of Chriſt, no ordinary man but a Prophet, yet what abundance of diſcontent, did he manifeſt for the loſs of a gourd, becauſe it was a refreſhment to him by keeping him from the heat of the Sun? He fell into a great paſſion, fainted, was weary of his life, wiſhed that he might die; and when God reaſoned with him about his froward carriage, he ſtands upon his juſtification, Jonah 4.8,9.—He fainted and wiſhed in himſelf to die, and ſaid, It is better for me to die than to live. And God ſaid to Jonah, Doſt thou well to be angry for the gourd? And he ſaid, I do well to be angry, even unto death. Yet this gourd came up in a night, and periſhed in a night, and Jonah had not laboured at all for it, neither did Jonah, but God made it to grow, Verſ. 10. When we find ſuch a man as Jonah, in ſuch a great paſſion for ſuch a ſmall loſs as a gourd, which grew up and periſhed in a night and a day, we may cry out, Lord what is man that thou art mindful of him! And if we are kept from fretting and diſcontent at our loſſes, we muſt give glory to God, and ſay, as the Apoſtle in another caſe, Not I, but the grace of God which is with me, keeps me from being diſcontented at my loſſes.

7. Though it be hard to attain a cheerful, contented ſpirit in all eſtates and conditions, yet it is poſſible to be attained: The Apoſtle Paul went through variety of afflictions, as hunger, thirſt, nakedneſs, ſhipwrack, impriſonment, beating with rods, ſtripes above meaſure, cold, watchings, &c. 2 Corinth. 11.23,24,25,26,27. yet he had learned to be content in every eſtate, Phil. 4.11,13. I have learned in whatſoever eſtate I am, therewith to be content: I can do all things through Chriſt which ſtrengthneth me. And as he was contented, ſo alſo cheerful and joyful in all his troubles, 2 Cor. 7.4. I am exceeding joyful in all our tribulation. Now what the Apoſtle Paul attained to in this kind, that through the help of Chriſt we may attain alſo.

8. A word of counſel and advice ſuitably and ſeaſonably adminiſtred to ſuch as are in a ſuffering condition, availeth much for the quieting, comforting, and ſupporting of their ſpirits under their greateſt afflictions and deepeſt ſorrows, Prov. 12.25. Heavineſs in the heart of man maketh it ſtoop, but a good word maketh it glad; Prov. 27.9. Oyntment and perfume rejoyce the heart, ſo doth the ſweetneſs of a mans friend by hearty counſel; Job 4.3,4. Behold, thou haſt inſtructed many, and thou haſt ſtrengthned the weak hands, thy words have upholden him that was falling, and thou haſt ſtrengthned the feeble knees; Prov. 15.23. A word ſpoken in due ſeaſon, how good is it?

9. No arguments or other means that are made uſe of, either in preaching, writing, or private conference, have ſuch force and power to quiet, ſupport and comfort the hearts of thoſe that faint, and are diſquieted, and caſt down under their afflictions, as thoſe that are drawn from, and bottomed upon the Word of God, Lev. 10.3. Moſes ſaid unto Aaron, this is it that the Lord ſpake—And Aaron held his peace. Aaron's tryal was exceeding great, His two eldeſt ſons were conſumed by fire from the Lord, when they were in the act of ſin; this judgment was ſo great that all Iſrael are commanded to bewail the burning, ver. 6. yet Aaron who was moſt nearly concerned in the affliction, held his peace, and what cauſed him to do ſo? Moſes put him in remembrance of the Word of God, This is that the Lord ſpake, ſee alſo Job 6.25. How forcible are right words? Now all Gods words are right, Pſal. 33.4. The Word of the Lord is right—Prov. 8.8,9. All the words of my mouth are in righteouſneſs—They are all right to them that find knowledg. And therefore they are of great force to quiet and comfort ſuch as are in affliction, Pſal. 107.20. He ſent his Word and healed them. Though a man be ready to die with ſorrow and grief under his troubles, the Word of God will revive him; for they of whom the Pſalmiſt ſpeaks, when he ſaith, He ſent his Word and healed them, were ſuch as were ready to die with their troubles, as you may ſee, Verſ. 18. Gods Word will make the ſtouteſt heart yield & bow to Gods will, Jer. 23.28,29,—He that hath my Word, let him ſpeak my Word faithfully, What is the chaffe to the wheat ſaith the Lord? Is not my Word like as a fire, ſaith the Lord, and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces? 1 Theſſ. 4.18. Comfort one another with theſe words. No words have ſuch force to comfort the afflicted, as what are drawn out of the Scriptures. Wherefore I have endeavoured to confirm what I have propoſed in anſwer to theſe queſtions, with ſuitable and pertinent Texts of Scripture.

Theſe Propoſitions being premiſed, I ſhall now anſwer the firſt queſtion, and ſhall divide my Anſwer into three branches. 1. I ſhall propoſe ſome conſiderations that may tend to the quieting of their minds, who have ſuſtained great loſs by this fire. 2. I ſhall propoſe ſome things by way of practice to help the afflicted to bear their afflictions contentedly. 3. I ſhall endeavour to remove thoſe pleas and reaſonings that hinder thoſe that have been ſufferers by this fire from ſetting down contented under their affliction.

Conſiderations to quiet the minds of thoſe that have been great ſufferers by the late fire.

SECT. 1.

1. Conſider who it is that hath conſumed your Houſes and taken away your Eſtates. It is God hath done this thing. Whoever were the inſtruments of beginning or promoting and carrying on this dreadful fire, that hath deſtroyed ſo many goodly buildings, and ſo much treaſure; you muſt look beyond all inſtruments at the hand of the Lord. There is no evil befalleth any City, or any family, or any particular perſon, but it is the Lord which ſends that judgment of what nature ſoever it be, Amos 3.6. Shall there be evil in a City, and the Lord hath not done it? There is nothing comes to paſs at any time in any part of the world, but it is brought about by the Providence of God, Rom. 11.36. Of him, and through him, and to him are all things. A Sparrow is a bird of ſmall value, yet not one Sparrow falls to the ground without the concurrence of Gods Providence, Matth. 10.29. Are not two Sparrows ſold for a farthing, and one of them ſhall not fall on the ground without your Father; If not one Sparrow ſuffereth any thing but by the Providence of God, then ſurely there is a Providence that ordereth all the ſufferings of every man, who is of more value than many Sparrows. There is no loſs more inconſiderable than to loſe an hair of our heads, hundreds of our hairs may be taken away and we regard it not; but God is ſo careful of our perſons, and of all our concernments, that he numbreth every hair of our heads, and there doth not fall off one hairat any time but by his appointment, Matth. 10.30. The very hairs of your head are all numbred. And as to this judgment of Fire, we finde it oft aſſerted in the Scriptures, that when Cities or other places are ſet on fire, it is the Lord which kindleth thoſe fires, and ordereth all circumſtances belonging to them. It is the Lord that appointeth the place where the fire ſhall begin, and how far it ſhall proceed, and what houſes ſhall be burnt down by it, Amos 2.5. I will ſend a fire upon Judah, and it ſhall devour the Palaces of Jeruſalem; Jer. 50.32. I will kindle a fire in his Cities, and it ſhall devour all round about him. When a fire rageth with that vehemence that none can quench it, it is God which rendereth it unquenchable, Jer. 17.27. If ye will not hearken unto me, to hallow the Sabbath-Day, and not to bear a burden, even entring in at the gates of Jeruſalem on the Sabbath-Day, then will I kindle a fire in the gates thereof, and it ſhall devour the Palaces of Jeruſalem, and it ſhall not be quenched. When any men do ſet a City on fire, it is God giveth up that City into their hands, and cauſeth their enterprizes to take effect, Jer. 32.28,29. I will give this City into the hands of the Caldeans—And the Caldeans ſhall come and ſet fire on this City.—Now the conſidering and believing that it is God which hath taken away your Houſes and Eſtates by this Fire, will ſilence all murmurings and repinings, and cauſe you to bear your loſſes and croſſes with a contented minde. Pſal. 39.9. I was dumb, I opened not my mouth, becauſe thou didſt it. VVhen Job had loſt all that he had in one day, by looking at Gods hand in his loſſes, he bore them very cheerfully, Job 1.21.—The Lord hath taken away, bleſſed be the Name of the Lord; And yet Job loſt a very great Eſtate, for he was the richeſt man in the Eaſt, Job 1.3. He did not only loſe his Eſtate, but all his Children were cut off alſo, ver. 19. and that whilſt they were eating, and drinking wine in their Elder Brothers houſe, ver. 18. at which meetings Job was afraid leſt his Sons ſhould ſin, and curſe God in their hearts, v. 5. which made the affliction the more heavy. Now to make this Argument the more effectual towards the producing of contentment, conſider who this God is, that hath taken away your Eſtates from you by this Fire.

1. It is that God that gave you all the good things that ever you did enjoy, 1 Chron. 29.12,14. Both riches and honor come of thee:—All things come of thee; James 1.17. Every good gift, and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights; Deut. 8.17,18. Moſes biddeth Iſrael beware of ſaying in their hearts, My power, and the might of my hand hath gotten me this wealth, but thou ſhalt remember the Lord thy God, for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth. This quieted Jobs minde, when he conſidered that the ſame God who took away his Eſtate and his Children, did formerly give them to him, Job 1.21. The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away, bleſſed be the name of the Lord.

2. It is God that is Holy. There is nothing of wrong, no injuſtice, no iniquity in this diſpenſation, as it proceedeth out of the hands of God, Pſalm 145.17. The Lord is righteous in all his wayes, and holy in all his works. When God cometh forth in fiery diſpenſations, we ſhould be ſo far from murmuring, that we ſhould give thanks at the remembrance of his Holineſs, becauſe we know him to be Holy in all his Works, Pſal. 97.3,12. A fire geeth before him, and burneth up his enemies round about. Rejoyce in the Lord, ye righteous, and give thanks at the remembrance of his Holineſs. The with-drawing of Gods Bleſſed Preſence from our ſouls, is a far greater loſs, than the loſing of our Eſtates, or any thing that we enjoy in this world; for there is nothing in the whole world, yea, there is nothing in heaven it ſelf, which a godly man eſteemeth ſo much as he doth the enjoyment of God, Pſal. 73.25. Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I deſire beſides thee. Yet we finde David quieting himſelf upon the account of Gods Holineſs, when he apprehended himſelf forſaken of God, and the Lord came not to him, though he cryed and roared after the Lord, Pſal. 22.1,2,3. My God, my God, why haſt thou forſaken me? why art thou ſo far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring? O my God, I cry in the day time, but thou heareſt not, and in the night ſeaſon, and am not ſilent: But thou art holy. If David was ſtayed from repining againſt God, when he apprehended himſelf forſaken of God, and thought God rejected his Prayers, by conſidering, that God that dealt thus with him, was an holy God; then ſurely the conſideration of Gods Holineſs may quiet your mindes under the loſs of any worldly things, what ever they be. When the labourers that had born the heat of the day, murmured, becauſe others that had wrought but one hour were made equal to them, the houſholder ſtilled their murmurings, by ſaying to one of them, Friend I do thee no wrong, Mat. 20.11,12,13. If you finde any murmurings in your mindes, at Gods taking away your Eſtates, when others enjoy theirs ſtill, endeavour to ſilence your murmurings, by ſaying unto your ſouls, O my ſoul, God is a juſt, and holy, and righteous God; he hath done thee no wrong, why then doſt thou murmur againſt him?

3. It is God that hath a Sovereign Power over you, to do with you, and all that belongeth unto you, whatſoever ſeemeth good in his ſight, Job 9.12. Behold, he taketh away, who can hinder him? who will ſay unto him, what doſt thou? Jer. 18.6. O houſe of Iſrael, cannot I do with you as this potter, ſaith the Lord? behold as the clay is in the potters hand, ſo are ye in mine hand, O houſe of Iſrael. Such is the Sovereign Power of God, that he diſpoſeth of all his Creatures, both thoſe that are in heaven, and all that are in all places of the world, Pſal. 135.6. Whatſoever the Lord pleaſed, that did he in heaven, and in earth, and the ſeas, and all deep places. If the Lord diſpoſeth of all things in heaven and earth as he pleaſeth, ſhall any particular perſon fret, and think much to have all his concernments diſpoſed of at the pleaſure, and by the order of the great God? When the Lord maketh ſuch deſolations in any Nation, as that the report of them goeth throughout all the world, this muſt ſtill and quiet our minds, that it is the great and Sovereign God that doth theſe things, Pſal. 46.8,10. Come, behold the works of the Lord, what deſolations he hath made in the earth. Be ſtill, and know that I am God. To murmur at Gods fulfilling his own will, is a practical denying his Sovereignty; and to deny the Sovereignty of God, is to deny his Deity. He ſhould not be God, if he were not our Sovereign Lord; his Sovereignty is eſſential to his Deity.

4. It is God that loveth you, and is the beſt friend that you have in all the world, that laid theſe rebukes upon you, and hath taken away your Eſtates by this Fire. Every godly man hath God for his Friend, Cant. 5.16. This is my beloved, and this is my friend. And when God rebukes any of his Servants in their Names, Eſtates, Bodies, or Souls, it is out of love, Rev. 3.19. As many as I love, I rebuke and chaſten; Prov. 3.12. Whom the Lord loveth he correcteth, even as a Father the Son, in whom he delighteth. Will you take any thing amiſs that cometh from ſo good a friend as the Lord is? eſpecially that which cometh from this friend in love? We are wont to take rebukes that come from friends in good part, though they be ſuch as wound and pierce us to the ſoul, Prov. 27.6. Faithful are the wounds of a friend; Pſal. 141.5. Let the righteous ſmite me, and it ſhall be a kindeneſs, and let him reprove me, and it ſhall be an excellent oyl which ſhall not break my head.—Shall we eſteem it a kindeneſs to be ſmitten and reproved by righteous men, and fret, and be angry when we are ſmitten and reproved by the righteous God?

5. It is God who is your Father that hath done theſe things. Never any man drank ſuch a bitter cup as was mingled for our Lord and Saviour Jeſus Chriſt, if we conſider all the ingredients that were put into it: yet becauſe it was his Father that gave him this cup he took it cheerfully, John 18.11. The cup which my Father hath given me, ſhall I not drink it? We ſubmit our ſelves to our earthly Parents when they correct us, how much more ought we to be ſubject to our heavenly Father when he chaſtneth us; ſeeing he hath more power over us than they have, and aimeth more purely at our good than they do? Heb. 12.9,10. We have had fathers of our fleſh, which corrected us, and we gave them reverence; ſhall we not much rather be in ſubjection to the Father of Spirits, and live? for they verily for a few dayes chaſtned us after their own pleaſure, but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his Holineſs.

6. It is God who is pleaſed with all his own works, Pſal. 135.6. Whatſoever the Lord pleaſed, that did he in Heaven, and in Earth, and in the Seas, and all deep places. God calleth the judgements that he executes upon his enemies his pleaſure, Iſa. 48.14. He will do his pleaſure on Babylon. Yea even thoſe afflictions which God ſendeth upon his own children, are the good pleaſure of his will. The Prophet, ſpeaking of the ſufferings of Chriſt, ſaith, Iſa. 53.10. It pleaſed the Lord to bruiſe him.—Our ſufferings are in ſome reſpects ſaid to grieve the Lord, Judges 10.16. His ſoul was grieved for the miſery of Iſrael. But on another account, as they are a fulfilling of his eternal Councils, as they illuſtrate his Glory, as they promote our good, &c. they may be ſaid to pleaſe him. Now that which pleaſeth God ſhould not diſpleaſe us. It is ſaid of David, who was a wiſe and a gracious Prince, Whatſoever the King did, pleaſed all the people, 2 Sam. 3.36. The Lord our God infinitely tranſcendeth David in Wiſdom and Goodneſs; and therefore whatſoever the Lord doth, ſhould pleaſe all his people.

7. It is God that made you, who hath taken away your Eſtates from you, and it is not meet that the Creature ſhould quarrel, murmur at, or finde fault with any thing that his Maker doth, Iſa. 45.9. Wo unto him that ſtriveth with his Maker; let the potſheard ſtrive with the potſheards of the earth: ſhall the clay ſay to him that faſhioneth it, what makeſt thou?

SECT. 2.

2. Conſider what it is which God hath taken away from you; and this Conſideration will miniſter ſeveral Arguments for the quieting of your mindes under all your loſſes, though they have been very great. For,

1. God hath taken away nothing but that which was his own. Your Houſes, your Goods, your Silver and Gold, and all that you have, or ever had, is the Lords, 1 Chron. 29.11. All that is in the heaven, and in the earth, is thine; Pſal. 24 1. The earth is the Lords, and the fulneſs thereof, the world, and they that dwell therein; Hoſ. 2.7. Therefore will I return and take away my corn—and my wine—and my wool—and my flax. What Benhadad ſaid to Ahab, and Ahab replyed to Benhadad, 1 King 20.3,4. Thy Silver and thy Gold is mine, thy Wives alſo, and thy Children, even the goodlieſt are mine: and the King of Iſrael anſwered and ſaid, My Lord, O King, according to thy ſaying, I am thine, and all that I have. The like may God ſay to us, Thy Silver and thy Gold is mine, &c. And we may ſay to the Lord, O my Lord, according to thy ſaying, I am thine, and all that I have. Now we take upon us to diſpoſe of thoſe things which are our own, as we ſee good, Mat. 20.15. Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? And ſhall not we allow unto God that liberty which we take unto our ſelves? ſhall we murmur againſt him when he taketh away nothing from us but that which is his own?

2. God hath taken away nothing from you, but what you were unworthy to enjoy. Jacob was a great man; the Angel that wraſtled with him, ſaith of him, As a Prince haſt thou power with God and Men, and haſt prevailed, Gen. 32.28. Yet he looked upon himſelf as unworthy of the leaſt of all the mercies that ever God beſtowed upon him, Gen. 32.10. I am not worthy of the leaſt of all the mercies, and of all the truth which thou haſt ſhewed unto thy ſervant. As the Woman of Samaria ſaid to Chriſt, John 4.12. Art thou greater than our Father Jacob? So may I ſay unto you, Are you greater, and better than Jacob? if not, then you muſt confeſs your ſelves unworthy of the leaſt of all Gods mercies as he did; and if you are unworthy of the leaſt of all Gods mercies, then you have no cauſe to repine at your loſſes, ſeeing God hath taken nothing from you but what you were unworthy to enjoy.

3. God hath taken nothing from you, but that which you muſt of neceſſity have ſhortly parted with, though this fire had not conſumed any thing of your Eſtates. It is but a very little while, and you muſt leave this world; and though you have never ſo much of this worlds goods, you cannot carry one penny with you out of the world, 1 Tim. 6.7. We brought nothing into this world, and it is certain, we can carry nothing out: and upon this account the Apoſtle urgeth Chriſtians to be content, though they have never ſo little, nothing beſides food and raiment, ver. 8. Having food and raiment, let us be therewith content. And as we can carry nothing with us out of the world, ſo it is altogether uncertain, who ſhall poſſeſs what we leave behinde us, Luke 12.20. This night ſhall thy ſoul be required of thee; then whoſe ſhall thoſe things be that thou haſt provided? If we have children to inherit the ſubſtance that we leave behinde us, yet who can tell but the Extortioner may catch all that they have, and Strangers devour their wealth, Pſal. 109.11. Or if they ſhould enjoy what we leave them, yet who can tell whether they will ſpend it well or ill? who can tell whether they will be wiſe men or fools? Such thoughts as theſe weaned Solomon from the world, and made him repent of all the pains he had taken in erecting ſtately Buildings, and gathering together much Treaſure, Eccleſ. 2.18,19. I hated all my labour which I had taken under the Sun, becauſe I ſhould leave it unto the man that ſhall be after me, and who knoweth whether he ſhall be a wiſe man or a fool? yet ſhall he have rule over all my labour wherein I have laboured, and wherein I have ſhewed my ſelf wiſe under the Sun.

4. That which God hath taken from you is but vanity, yea more, that which often proveth a vexation to the Soul and Spirit, which is the better part of a man. Solomon ſpeaking of all worldly things, ſaith of them, Vanity of Vanities, all is vanity, Eccleſ. 1.2. and afterwards reckoning up his outward enjoyments, he doth tell us that his ſtately Buildings and his great Treaſures were vanity as well as other things. Eccleſ. 2.4,5,8,17. I made me great works, I builded me houſes—I made me Gardens and Orchards—I gathered me alſo Silver and Gold, and the peculiar treaſures of Kings—All is vanity and vexation of Spirit. Should a wiſe man diſquiet himſelf for the loſs of a vanity? or vex himſelf becauſe he is deprived of that which is but vexation of Spirit?

5. Riches are not that which moſt men think them to be. They have leſs of good, and more of evil in them than we are aware of. I do not mean that riches are evil of themſelves, they are good bleſſings of God; yet our corrupt natures are apt to turn them to an evil uſe. VVherefore view your riches which you have loſt, not according to that eſtimation which men of the world have of riches, but according to the judgement which the Holy Ghoſt giveth of them in the Scriptures, where they are ſtiled, Deceitful Riches, Mark 4.19. Uncertain riches, 1 Tim. 6.17. The Mammon of unrighteouſneſs, Luke 16.9. Vanity and vexation of Spirit, as was hinted before. Thorns, Mat. 13.22. That which is not. That which ſhould be ſo far from diſquieting our hearts, that they are not worthy that ſuch a noble creature as man ſhould ſet his eyes upon them. Prov. 23.5. Wilt thou ſet thine eyes upon that which is not? for riches certainly make themſelves wings, they flye away as an Eagle towards Heaven. The Scriptures inform us, that all that diſquiet themſelves about riches, diſquiet themſelves in vain, Pſal. 39.6. Surely every man walketh in a vain ſhew, ſurely they are diſquieted in vain, he heapeth up riches, and knoweth not who ſhall gather them. If this be the nature of riches, if they be like thorns, deceitful things, not worthy the fixing of the eye upon them, &c. Why ſhould you be perplexed in your minds for the breach which God hath made upon your Eſtates.

SECT. 3.

3. Conſider that God hath wiſe, and gracious, and merciful ends in this diſpenſation, and intendeth you much good by taking away your eſtates from you. When David was robbed of all that he had, and his City of refuge was burnt with fire by the Amalekites, he found that this as well as his other afflictions wrought for his good, Pſal. 119.61,71. The bands of the wicked have robbed me—It is good for me that I was afflicted, that I might learn thy Statutes. There is much mercy to the people of God in thoſe paths that carry the greateſt appearance of ſeverity, Pſal. 25.10. All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth to ſuch as keep his Covenant and his Teſtimonies. It is an unqueſtionable truth that God deſigns the doing his people good in every affliction which he layeth upon them, Rom. 8.28. We know that all things work together for good unto them that love God—And if all work together for your good, then alſo your late loſſes though very great ſhall work for your good. And is it not an unreaſonable thing that you ſhould be diſcontented when God dealeth mercifully with you? that you ſhould be diſcontented when God is doing you good? What though you cannot ſee for the preſent how your loſſes ſhould work for your good? you may ſee it hereafter, Joh. 13.7. What I do, thou knoweſt not now, but thou ſhalt know hereafter. God may have ſeveral merciful ends, and deſign your good ſeveral wayes in taking away your eſtates; I will hint three or four gracious ends of God in cutting of his people ſhort in outward things, in order to their ſpiritual good, and leave it to you, to judge which of theſe God deſigns in your loſſes.

1. God ſometimes diminiſheth his peoples wealth, becauſe he ſeeth that if he ſhould have continued them in the enjoyment of their eſtates it would have been for their hurt, Eccleſ. 5.13. There is a ſore evil which I have ſeen under the Sun, namely, riches kept for the owners thereof to their hurt. Riches may be hurtful ſeveral ways. As 1. when they make us high-minded and rough in our ſpeeches and carriages towards the poor. This ſin is very incident to rich men, Prov. 18.23. The rich anſwereth roughly. 1 Tim. 6.17. Charge them that are rich in this world that they be not high-minded.—2. When they draw off our hearts from God, and cauſe us to ſet them upon our riches, then they prove hurtful. Now the more we have of the world, the more apt we are to ſet our hearts upon the world, Pſal. 62.10.—If riches increaſe ſet not your heart upon them. 3. When they hinder our truſting in God, and living by faith, and we by reaſon of the multitude of our riches truſt in them. Now the more riches we have, the more apt we are to truſt in them, Pſal. 52.7.—But truſted in the abundance of his riches. 1 Tim. 6.17. Charge them that are rich in this world that they truſt not in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy. 4. When they fill our minds with cares, and diſturb our peace; and this is uſual with many rich men, to have their minds diſturbed about their eſtates both day and night, Eccleſ. 5.12. The abundance of the rich will not ſuffer him to ſleep. 5. When they draw a man to, or drown him in any ſinful luſts as idleneſs, ſenſuality, pride, ſecurity, &c. they become hurtful, 1 Tim. 6.9. They that will be rich fall into a temptation and a ſnare, and into many fooliſh and hurtful luſts which drown men in deſtruction and perdition. Now if God foreſaw that your eſtates would have been hurtful to you any of theſe wayes, or any other way, and thereupon took them away, that they might not do you hurt, you have no cauſe to complain, but rather to be thankful. If you ſay, there is no fear that a good man ſhould be hurt by his riches. I anſwer, Agur was a good man, yet he was afraid leſt riches ſhould cauſe him to deny the Lord, Prov. 30.8,9. Give me neither poverty nor riches,—leſt I be full and deny thee, and ſay, who is the Lord.—Is it not better that God ſhould deny us the enjoyment of riches, than leave us in proceſs of time to deny him.

2. God ſometimes diminiſheth our eſtates, and brings us low, becauſe he intendeth to call us to great ſufferings, even to forſake all that we have. The more a man hath of the world, the harder it will be to part with all that he poſſeſſeth for Chriſt, Mar. 10.21,22.—Go thy way, ſell whatſoever thou haſt, and give to the poor—And he was ſad at that ſaying, and went away grieved, for he had great poſſeſſions. The Apoſtles who were poor, and had but little to leave at the call of Chriſt, immediately left all and followed him, Matth. 4.20. Luke 5.28. This forſaking of all for Chriſt is ſo neceſſary when we are called to it, that without it we cannot be Chriſts Diſciples, Luke 14.33. Whoſoever he be of you that forſaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my Diſciple. Suppoſe God foreſaw that if he had not brought you into a low condition, you would rather have forſaken Chriſt than your Eſtates; Hath he not dealt mercifully with you in taking away your Eſtates, which would have hindred you from becoming Diſciples of Chriſt?

3. Riches oft times prove great hinderances to our ſalvation, and God takes them away that he may make our paſſage to Heaven more eaſie, Matth. 19.23,24. Jeſus ſaid unto his Diſciples, Verily I ſay unto you, that a rich man ſhall hardly enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. And again, I ſay unto you, It is eaſier for a Camel to go through the eye of a Needle than for a rich man to enter into the Kingdom of God. Suppoſe God ſaw your riches to be clogs to you, and that they would have hindered your ſalvation, Was it not good for you that God ſhould take them away? Is it not better that you ſhould loſe your Eſtates than loſe the Kingdom of Heaven?

4. God diminiſheth our Eſtates that he may encreaſe our Graces, Heb. 12.10. He chaſtneth us for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holineſs. Ordinarily poor men are richer in grace than great men, Jam. 2.5. Hath not God choſen the poor of this world, rich in faith? Grace is better than riches, and have they then any cauſe to complain, whom God maketh poor, that he may make them rich in grace and holineſs?

5. God diminiſheth our outward worldly comforts that he may encreaſe our inward & ſpiritual comforts, Hoſ. 2.7,14. I will take away my corn,—and my wine,—and my wooll,—and my flax,—I will allure her and bring her into the Wilderneſs, and ſpeak comfortably unto her. I might mention others of a like nature, but I forbear; by theſe you may ſee that God may intend his people much good, when he depriveth them of their eſtates.

SECT. 4.

4. Conſider that though God hath taken much from you, he might with equity and juſtice have taken away a great deal more from you, and therefore you have no cauſe to repine that God hath taken away ſo much, but rather to be thankful that God hath taken away no more from you. For

1. God might have taken away your lives as well as your eſtates. When Sodom was burnt, Lot loſt his houſe and his goods, as may be gathered from Gen. 19. It was evening before the Angels came to him, Verſ. 1. and in the morning about the time that the Sun roſe God rained fire and brimſtone upon the City, Verſ. 23. Some time was ſpent in entertaining the Angels, in going to his ſons in law to acquaint them with the purpoſe of God to deſtroy Sodom, in fleeing to Zoar, ſo that he ſaved very little, if any of his goods; for, what could a man, that had ſuch ſhort warning of Sodom's deſtruction, and was forced to flee for his life, carry along with him? Beſides the loſs of his goods and his houſe, he loſt his wife, V. 26. and his ſons in law, and his daughters that were married to them, V. 14. only Lot and his two Daughters that were unmarried got to Zoar: yet he doth not murmur at his loſſes, but looketh upon it as a great mercy, that God had ſpared his life, Gen. 19.19. Behold now thy ſervant hath found grace in thy ſight, and thou haſt magnified thy mercy, which thou haſt ſhewed unto me in that thou haſt ſpared my life.—When the Jews were carried captive into Babylon, and Jeruſalem was burnt with fire, though they had loſt their liberties, and their dwellings were conſumed, they did not murmur becauſe of their loſſes, but looked upon it as a great mercy that themſelves were not conſumed alſo, Lam. 3.22. It is of the Lords mercies that we are not conſumed, becauſe his compaſſions fail not. And notwithſtanding their ſufferings were very great, ſuch as could ſcarce be paralled by any that lived in former ages, as we may ſee, Lam. 1.12. yet they acknowledge that they had no cauſe of complaining, ſeeing God had ſpared their lives, Lam. 3.39. Wherefore doth a living man complain? When the Ship in which the Apoſtle ſailed was caſt away, and all the goods were loſt, he makes a light matter of their loſſes ſeeing their lives were preſerved, Acts 27.22,25. I exhort you to be of good cheer, for there ſhall be no loſs of any mans life among you, but of the Ship,—Wherefore Sirs be of good cheer. He calls upon them twice, notwithſtanding their loſſes, to be of good cheer, becauſe their lives were preſerved.

2. God might have taken away your ſouls and caſt them into everlaſting burnings, for you have ſinned, and The wages of ſin is death, Rom. 6.23. The Angels are more glorious creatures than man, yet aſſoon as they had ſinned, God caſt them into Hell, 2 Pet. 2.4. God ſpared not the Angels that ſinned, but caſt them down to Hell, and delivered them into chains of darkneſs to be reſerved unto judgment. Now if God had dealt thus with you, if inſtead of burning your houſes, he had taken away your ſouls and caſt them into everlaſting burnings, your loſs would have been incomparably greater than now it is, though you had been owners of the whole world; For what ſhall it profit a man to gain the whole world and loſe his own ſoul? Mark 8.36.

5. God might have taken away his loving kindneſs from you, as he did from the Jews, Jer. 16.5. I have taken away my peace from this people, ſaith the Lord, even loving kindneſs and mercies. Now that would have been a far greater loſs, than the loſs of your eſtates, yea than the loſs of your lives; for Gods loving kindneſs is better than life, Pſ. 63.3. Becauſe thy loving kindneſs is better than life, my lips ſhall praiſe thee. David ſpoke this when he was in the Wilderneſs of Judah, as appears from the title of the Pſalm, and in this Wilderneſs he was deſtitute of all wordly comforts, as appears by calling this place, a drie and thirſty land where no water is; yet enjoying Gods love in this deſolate Wilderneſs, he doth not murmur for want of what he enjoyed, whileſt he lived at home with his father, or in Saul's Court, but praiſeth God for the ſweetneſs and ſatisfaction which he enjoyed in the ſenſe of Gods love. And as David did, ſo may we bleſs God if he hath not taken away his loving kindneſs from us, whatever it be which God hath taken from us, becauſe his love is better than all other things.

SECT. V.

5. Conſider how you have ſinned againſt the Lord, and what you have deſerved for your ſins. The reflecting upon your ſins, will make you patient under this and all other ſufferings, Micah 7.9. I will bear he indignation of the Lord, becauſe I have ſinned againſt him,—Lam. 3.39. Wherefore doth a living man complain, a man for the puniſhment of his ſins? The calling to remembrance our ſins may cauſe us to take patiently and contentedly the greateſt afflictions on ſeveral accounts, I will mention two.

1. How great ſoever our ſufferings are, they are far leſs than our ſins have deſerved. God never puniſheth any man in this world, either the godly or the wicked, according to the deſert of their ſins, Pſal. 103.10. He hath not dealt with us after our ſins, nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. Job's ſufferings were very great, he was the greateſt man that lived in the Eaſtern part of the world, and had all his eſtate taken from him in one day, he did not only loſe his eſtate, but his children alſo; his body was ſmitten with painful and noyſome boyls and ſores, his ſoul alſo was full of trouble, as he himſelf expreſſeth it, Job 6.4. The Arrows of the Almighty are within me, the poyſon whereof drinketh up my ſpirit, the terrors of God do ſet themſelves in aray againſt me: yet Job's ſins had deſerved greater things from God, than what God was pleaſed to lay upon him, Job 11.6.—Know that God exacteth of thee leſs than thine iniquity deſerveth. The afflictions which the Jews endured at the deſtruction of Jeruſalem, and during the time of their captivity in Babylon (which laſted 70. years) were exceeding great, ſo great as ſcarce any people in the world endured the like, as we may ſee by theſe two Texts of Scripture, Lam. 1.12. Is it nothing to you, all ye that paſs by, behold and ſee if there be any ſorrow like unto my ſorrow, which is done unto me, wherewith the Lord hath afflicted me, in the day of his fierce anger. Dan. 9.12. Under the whole Heaven hath not been done, as hath been done upon Jeruſalem; yet Ezra confeſſeth that all that they had ſuffered was far leſs than they deſerved, Ezra 9.13. After all that is come upon us, for our evil deeds and for our great treſpaſs, ſeeing that thou our God haſt paniſhed us, leſs than our iniquities deſerve.—Our ſins deſerve eternal damnation, Ezek. 18.4. The ſoul that ſinneth ſhall die. They deſerve to be puniſhed with the loſs of God, and the loſs of the Kingdom of Heaven to all eternity, 1 Theſſ. 1.9. Who ſhall be puniſhed with everlaſting deſtruction from the preſence of the Lord,—Matth. 7.23. Depart from me ye that work iniquity. Now what are the loſſes and croſſes that we meet with in this world compared with the eternal loſs of God and the Kingdom of Heaven, and with the torments of Hell, that muſt be endured to all eternity?

2. What ever we ſuffer for our ſins, we our ſelves are the cauſes of thoſe ſufferings, and therefore have no reaſon to blame the Lord, but our ſelves for provoking the Lord to lay ſuch afflictions upon us, Jer. 2.17. Haſt thou not procured this unto thy ſelf, in that thou haſt forſaken the Lord that led thee by the way? Hoſ. 13.9. O Iſrael thou haſt deſtroyed thy ſelf,—Jer. 30.15. Why cryeſt thou for thine affliction?—becauſe thy ſins were encreaſed have I done theſe things unto thee.

SECT. 6.

6. Conſider what abundance of mercy you have enjoyed in former times, as well as what afflictions you under go at preſent; this was one argument wherewith Job quieted himſelf, and wherewith he laboured to quiet his wife when ſhe adviſed him to curſe God and die, Job 2.10. What? ſhall we receive good at the hand of God and not evil? As God in the way of his Providence intermingleth proſperity with our adverſity, and ſets the one againſt the other, that no man may find out any cauſe of complaining againſt the Lord, Eccleſ. 7.14. In the day of proſperity be joyful, but in the day of adverſity conſider, God alſo hath ſet the one againſt the other, to the end that man ſhould find nothing after him. So ſhould we for the taking away of all occaſions of murmuring under our afflictions, ſet our mercies againſt our croſſes; our former and preſent mercies againſt our preſent afflictions, and that will convince us that we have much cauſe of thankfulneſs, but no cauſe to murmur under our greateſt afflictions. For

1. We may wonder more that God beſtoweth one mercy upon us, than at his ſending of a thouſand afflictions, for we are altogether unworthy of the leaſt of all Gods mercies, Gen. 32.10. and have deſerved all ſorts of judgments, Dan. 9.7. To us belongeth confuſion of faces,—

2. Though we deſerve all kinds of miſery, and no mercy, yet they that have met with moſt and greateſt afflictions, if they take a view of Gods dealings with them from the day that they were born to this preſent time, ſhall find that their mercies have been far more and greater than their afflictions. Do we meet with ſome croſs or other every day? if we do, yet the mercies of the day are greater than the croſſes, for God ſends new mercies every day, Lam. 3.23. They are new every morning. We enjoy ſo many mercies every day, that we are ſaid to be loaded with them, Pſal. 68.19. Bleſſed be the Lord who dayly loadeth us with his benefits. Have our afflictions lyen long upon us? Gods mercies have been of a longer date than our afflictions, Pſal. 103.17. The mercy of the Lord is from everlaſting to everlaſting upon them that fear him. There are intermiſſions in our afflictions, He doth not alwayes chide, Pſal. 103.9. but there is no intermiſſion in Gods mercies, there is not one moment all our life long but he is conveying ſome good things to us, Iſa. 27.3. I will water it every moment. Lam. 3.22. His compaſſions fail not.

3. Every affliction that we meet with in this life, is allayed and tempered with mercy, yea the bittereſt cup that ever Gods people drink of, hath more of mercy than it hath of judgment, Pſal. 145.9: His tender mercies are over all his works. Pſal. 25.10. All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth unto ſuch as keep his Covenant and his Teſtimonies. If we conſider the ſharpeſt affliction that God lays upon his ſervants, in their procuring cauſe, which is ſin, if with the good intended by them, if in the principle from which they flow, which is Gods love to their ſouls, we ſhall be eaſily convinced that there is more of mery than ſeverity in them, and ſo conſequently that we have much cauſe in every thing, even in every affliction to give thanks, but no cauſe at all to murmur at the hand of the Lord.

SECT. 7.

7. Conſider that it is the will and command of God, that we ſhould be content with ſuch things as we have; Heb. 13.5. Let your Converſation be without Covetouſneſs, and be content with ſuch things as ye have, for he hath ſaid, I will never leave thee nor forſake thee. It was but little which thoſe perſons poſſeſſed, to whom the Apoſtle wrote this Epiſtle, for they had ſuffered much for Chriſt, their goods were ſpoiled and taken from them, as we may ſee Heb. 10.34. yet he telleth them it was the will of God that they ſhould be content with ſuch things as they had. If we have nothing more than food and rayment, we ought to be content, 1 Tim. 6.8. Having food and rayment let us be therewith content. It is not ſaid, having dainty meat and rich attire, let us be therewith content; but having food and rayment, though never ſo plain and mean, we ought to be therewith content. Though you have loſt much, and have very little left, yet there are weighty reaſons that may perſwade you to be content with ſuch things as you have. As

1. Though you have very little left, you have more left than you brought with you into the world, and more than you can carry with you out of the world, 1 Tim. 6.7. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. Job 1.21. Naked came I out of my mothers womb, and naked ſhall I return thither.

2. Though you have very little, you have as much, it may be, more than Chriſt, or the Apoſtles of Chriſt had when they were in the world. Our Lord Jeſus Chriſt lived in a very poor condition when he was in the world, 2 Cor. 8.9. Ye know the grace of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, that though he was rich, yet for your ſakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might become rich. He was ſo poor that he had not an houſe to dwell in, Mat. 8.20. The Foxes have holes, and the Birds of the air have neſts, but the Son of Man hath not where to lay his head. His diet was mean, when he had nothing but barly bread and two ſmall fiſhes for himſelf and his Diſciples, and them that came to hear him; he was not diſcontented becauſe he had no better proviſion, but gave God thanks for what he had, though it was but barly bread, Joh. 6.9,11. He was ſo poor, that he received contribution from well diſpoſed perſons, Luk. 8.2,3. when the Tax-gatherers came to him for tribute, he had not wherewith all to pay them without working of a miracle, Mat. 17.24,27. yet this 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , this Tribute money which was demanded of him, was no great ſum, not above fifteen pence of our mony. Now ſhall we murmur, or be diſcontented, when we are as well or better provided for, as to worldly things, than Jeſus Chriſt our Lord and Maſter was? The Diſciple is not above his Maſter, nor the Servant above his Lord; It is enough for the Diſciple, that he be as his Maſter, and the Servant as his Lord. And as you have as much as Chriſt had, ſo you have as much or more of this worlds goods than the Apoſtles had, 1 Cor. 4.11. Even to this preſent hour, we both hunger and thirſt, and are naked, and are buffeted, and have no certain dwelling place, and labour, working with our own hands. Paul ſpeaketh here of himſelf, and the other Apoſtles, as you may ſee, v. 9. And though they were ſo poor, that they had ſcarce any thing that they could call their own; yet they were as well contented as if they had poſſeſſed all the world. 2 Cor. 6.10. As poor, as having nothing, and yet poſſeſſing all things. Phil. 4.11,12. I have learned in whatſoever ſtate I am, therewith to be content. I know both how to be abaſed, and I know how to abound; every where, and in all things I am inſtructed both to be full, and to be hungry, both to abound, and to ſuffer need.

3. Though you have very little left, yet you have more than you are worthy of, as hath been hinted already, from Gen. 32.10. I am not worthy of the leaſt of all the mercies, and of all the truth that thou haſt ſhewed unto thy ſervant.

4. Though you have but little, you may live as long, and may live as bleſſed and comfortable a life, as you might do, if you had all the world. You may live as long, Luke 12.15. Take heed and beware of covetouſneſs; for a mans life conſiſteth not in the abundance of thoſe things that he doth poſſeſs. You may live as bleſſed and comfortable lives, though you be poor, as they that have great Eſtates, Luke 6.20. Bleſſed be ye poor—The Apoſtle Paul, who was ſo poor, that he had nothing, was alwayes in a joyful condition, 2 Cor. 6.10. David had not more ſatisfaction when he ſate upon the Throne, enjoying all the delights that his Kingdom could afford, than he found when he was in the Wilderneſs of Judah; for when he was in this Wilderneſs, he tells us that his Soul was ſatisfied as with marrow and fatneſs, whilſt his thoughts and meditations were taken up about God, Pſal. 63.5,6. Yet in this Wilderneſs he was deſtitute of all worldly comforts. He calls it a dry and thirſty Land, where no water was, ver. 1. Many labouring men that work hard all the day to get their living, enjoy more comfortable dayes and nights than they that have great riches. Eccleſ. 5.12. The ſleep of a labouring man is ſweet, whether he eat little or much; but the abundance of the rich will not ſuffer him to ſleep.

5. Though you have but little, yet it is far better with you, than with thoſe that want the Grace of God, and enjoy great Eſtates, Pſal. 37.16. A little that a righteous man hath is better than the riches of many wicked: For what a righteous man hath, he enjoyeth it with the love and favour of God; but a wicked man is hated and abhorred of God, Pſal. 5.5. Thou hateſt all workers of iniquity. Now it is ſaid, Prov. 15.17. Better is a dinner of herbs where love is, than a ſtalled Oxe, and hatred therewith. A righteous man when he hath but little, hath that which ſufficeth him, Phil. 4.11,12. But a wicked man is diſſatisfied and ſtraitned in his minde, under his greateſt abundance, Job 20.22. In the midſt of his ſufficiency he ſhall be in ſtraits.

6. Though you have but little, God can bleſs your little, that it ſhall become a great deal before you die. Jacob had but little when he went to Laban, but God ſent him away with a great Eſtate, Gen. 32.10. With my ſtaff I paſſed over this Jordan, and now I am become two bands. It is the bleſſing of the Lord maketh rich, Prov. 10.22. And it is all one with God to bleſs a man that hath little, as him that hath much. Bildad telleth Job after he had ſuffered great loſſes, that if he would ſeek unto God, Though thy beginning was ſmall, yet thy latter and ſhould greatly encreaſe, Job 8.5,7. But if God ſhould continue you in a low Eſtate, yet he can ſo bleſs that little that he hath left you, that you ſhall have enough to maintain you as long as you live. As it was with the Manna that fell in the Wilderneſs, 2 Cor. 8.15. He that gathered much had nothing over, and he that gathered little had no lack, So it falls out by the providence of God towards his people, that though they have but little, yet they have no lack of what is good for them, Pſal. 34.10. They that ſeek the Lord ſhall not want any good thing. It may be ſome will ſay, we have ſo little, that we have much ado to live, though proviſion be plentiful and cheap; but ſuppoſe times ſhould grow hard, ſuppoſe God ſhould ſend a Famine, how ſhould we do then that have ſo little, that have much ado to live now?

Anſw. If God ſend a Famine, he promiſeth to take care of all ſuch as fear him, and hope in his mercy, Pſal. 33.18,19. Behold the eye of the Lord is upon them that fear him, upon them that hope in his mercy to deliver their ſoul from death, and to keep them alive in Famine. Pſal. 37.16. and 19. verſes compared. In the 16. verſe the Pſamiſt ſpeaketh of the happy condition of the righteous, though they have but little: and whereas ſome might think, but what ſhall become of us that have but little, if a Famine ſhould come? he adds, ver. 19. They ſhall not be aſhamed in the evil time, and in the dayes of Famine they ſhall be ſatisfied. Job 5.20. In famine he ſhall redeem thee from death. and ver. 22. At deſtruction and famine thou ſhalt laugh. When there was a famine in Iſrael, God did ſo bleſs and multiply the widows handful of meal, and her little oyl in a cruſe, that ſhe, and the Prophet, and all her houſe were nouriſhed therewith many dayes, even till God ſent plenty in Iſrael, 1 Kings 17. from ver. 9. to 17.

SECT. 8.

8. Conſider that God hath left you more and better things then he hath taken from you; and therefore how great ſoever your loſſes have been, you may well be content. I will put you in minde of ſome things which God hath left you, which are far better than thoſe things which he hath taken from you.

1. God hath left you his Holy Word, in the reading and meditation whereof, you may delight your ſelf night and day, Pſ. 1.1,2. Now Gods word is more worth than all the Gold and Silver in the world, Pſal. 119.22. The law of thy mouth is better unto me than thouſands of Gold and Silver. And with this David comforted himſelf when he was robbed and ſpoiled of his goods, by the means of wicked and ungodly men, ver. 61. You may ſee alſo Pſal. 19.10. and Pſal. 119.14.

2. God hath left you himſelf for your portion, and though a man hath loſt all that he had in the world, as long as he hath God for his portion, he is well enough. When the Jews who were carried captive into Babylon, were ſpoiled of all their goods, and had ſeen their dwellings burnt with fire, they comforted themſelves with this, that they had God ſtill for their portion, Lam. 3.24. The Lord is my portion, ſaith my ſoul, therefore will I hope in him. All things in all Nations compared with God are leſs than nothing and vanity, Iſa. 40.17. All Nations before him are as nothing, and they are counted to him leſs than nothing and vanity. And why then ſhould a man that enjoyeth this great God for his portion not reſt ſatisfied in God, but diſquiet himſelf for that which is leſs than nothing and vanity?

3. God hath left you his Spirit which is in you, and ſhall abide with you, to teach, ſanctifie, and comfort, you as long as you live. John 14.16,17. I will pray the Father, and he ſhall give you another comforter, that he may abide with you for ever, even the Spirit of truth—he dwelleth with you, and ſhall be in you. When David had offended the Lord in the matter of Uriah, he wat more afraid of having the Spirit of God takenaway, than of loſing his Kingdom; and therefore he doth not pray, take not my Kingdom, but take not thy Holy Spirit from me, Pſal. 51.11. And though he was told by Nathan, that the Sword ſhould never depart from his houſe, and that God would raiſe up evil againſt him from his own houſe, 2 Sam. 12.10,11. Yet he reſolveth if God would but pardon his ſin, and continue his Holy Spirit with him, his tongue ſhould ſing aloud of his Righteouſneſs, Pſal. 51.12,14.

4. God hath left you the true riches which are far better than all the riches of this world. To be rich in Grace, is better than to be rich in Money, or Houſes, or Lands, or any other worldly thing. He that is rich in worldly Poſſeſſions, but is not rich towards God, is a miſerable man, Luke 12.19,20,21. but he that is rich in Grace, though he be a very poor man as to worldly things, is an happy man, for he is an heir of the Kingdom of Heaven, James 2.5. There is not any one Grace of the Holy Spirit, but it is much better than all the Riches of the world. I will inſtance in three or four Graces by which a man may give judgement of the reſt. 1. Wiſdom and Underſtanding by which we know God and the things of God, is of ſuch a precious Nature, that there is nothing in the world worthy to be compared with it. Prov. 3.13,14,15. Happy is the man that findeth wiſdom, and the man that getteth underſtanding; for the merchandize of it is better than the merchandize of Silver, and the gain thereof than fine Gold. She is more precious than rubies, and all the things that thou canſt deſire are not to be compared unto her. 2. Faith is more precious than all the gold in the world, 1 Pet. 1.7. That the tryal of your faith being much more precious than gold that periſheth. Faith is not only as precious, but more, much more precious than Gold. 3. The fear of the Lord that is precious treaſure, Iſa. 23.6. The fear of the Lord is his treaſure. 4. A meek and a quiet ſpirit is a rich ornament far above gold or ſilver; for theſe only commend us to men, but a meek and a quiet ſpirit is an ornament of great price in the ſight of God, 1 Pet. 3.3,4.

5. God hath left you all the promiſes, he hath not taken away one promiſe from you. The covenant which comprehends under it all the promiſes, is in all things ordered and ſure, 2 Sam. 23.5. When God makes the greateſt alterations in our conditions, there is no alteration in his covenant. Pſal. 89.34. My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips. Iſa. 54.10. The mountains ſhall depart, and the hills be removed, but my kindeneſs ſhall not depart from thee, neither ſhall the covenant of my peace be removed, ſaith the Lord, that hath mercy on thee. Though you ſhould have loſt all that you have, you are as rich in promiſes as ever, and the promiſes are more worth than the whole world; and may you not then quiet your mindes with what promiſes God hath left you, ſeeing you have promiſes not only for the life to come, but alſo for the ſupply of all your wants in this preſent life? 1 Tim. 4.8. Phil. 4.19.

6. God hath bleſſed you with all ſpiritual bleſſings in Chriſt, where they ſhall not, where they cannot be taken from you. You have loſt only earthly bleſſings, you have not loſt any one ſpiritual bleſſing. Now this may be a great comfort to you, that notwithſtanding what you have loſt, yet you are ſtill bleſſed with all ſpiritual bleſſings. The Apoſtle Paul who had ſuffered the loſs of all things for Chriſt, Phil. 3.8. was not troubled for his loſſes, when he conſidered what God had laid up for him in Chriſt, but breaks out into bleſſing and praiſe, Epheſ. 1.3. Bleſſed be the God and Father of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt who hath bleſſed us with all ſpiritual bleſſings in heavenly places in Chriſt.

SECT. 9.

9. Conſider what God hath laid up for you in Heaven, and that will quiet and comfort your hearts, though your goods be ſpoiled, and your houſes burnt, and you have loſt all the eſtate that you have in the world, Heb. 10.34. Ye took joyfully the ſpoiling of your goods, knowing in your ſelves, that ye have in Heaven a better and a more enduring ſubſtance. There are ſuch excellent things treaſured up for you in Heaven, that the tongues of men are not able to expreſs the goodneſs or the greatneſs of them, Pſal. 31.19. O how great is thy goodneſs which thou haſt laid up for them that fear thee? We have ſeen many deſirable and excellent things with our eyes, and poſſibly we may have heard of better things than ever we ſaw, and we can conceive of better things in our minds than ever we ſaw or heard of, but thoſe things which the Lord hath prepared for us in Heaven are far better and more excellent than ever we ſaw or heard of, or can conceive in our minds, 1 Cor. 2.9. Eye hath not ſeen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. Such is the excellency of thoſe things which God hath laid up in Heaven for us, that the thoughts and hope of enjoying the glory and joys of heaven, may fill our hearts with joy and comfort under all the loſſes and croſſes that we meet with in the world, Rom. 5.2,3. We rejoyce in hope of the glory of God, and not only ſo, but we glory in tribulations alſo. 1 Pet. 1.3,4,6. Bleſſed be the God and Father of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, which according to his abundant mercy, hath begotten us unto a lively hope, by the Reſurrection of Jeſus Chriſt from the dead, to an Inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reſerved in Heaven for you, wherein ye greatly rejoyce, though now for a ſeaſon (if need be) ye are in heavineſs through manifold temptations. Though a ſervant of God hath loſt never ſuch a fair Inheritance on Earth, yet he hath more cauſe of rejoycing in that incorruptible Inheritance that fadeth not away, which is reſerved for him in Heaven, than of being troubled for the loſs of his earthly Inheritance,

SECT. 10.

10. Conſider what a great evil it is to murmur, and to be diſcontented at your loſſes, and how pleaſing and acceptable it is unto the Lord that you ſhould be content and patient under this affliction, which it hath ſeemed good unto the Lord to lay upon you. The Iſraelites went through many difficulties whilſt they wandered up and down by the ſpace of forty years in the Wilderneſs, and becauſe they murmured, multitudes of them were deſtroyed, neither the greatneſs, nor the long continuance of the affliction did excuſe them from puniſhment; and this example of Gods juſtice on them is ſet down for an example to us, that we might for ever be deterred from murmuring under any of our afflictions, 1 Cor. 10.10. Neither murmur ye as ſome of them murmured, and were deſtroyed of the deſtroyer. To murmur becauſe God hath taken away our Eſtates, is the ready way to provoke God to take away our lives, Pſal. 106.25,26. They murmured in their Tents,—Therefore he lifted up his hand againſt them, to overthrow them in the Wilderneſs. There is more evil in one repining diſcontented thought, than there is in all your loſſes though they be very great; for the one hath only the evil of puniſhment, the other hath in it the evil of ſin. And there is more of evil in the leaſt ſin than in the greateſt puniſhment. All Gods dealings towards his people are managed with infinite wiſdom and infinite love, in order to the promoting of their good and his own glory; and what an hainous ſin, and how offenſive to God is it for a man to murmur when God is doing of him good, and bringing glory to his Name? ſeeing alſo that whatever way God takes to bring about our good, is contrived with infinite wiſdom, and is accompanied with infinite love.

And as it is is a great evil to be diſcontented at any of Gods dealings, ſo it is an excellent, heavenly frame of ſpirit, and that which is highly pleaſing to God, for a man in all things to ſubmit himſelf to God, and to lie at his foot and to be content with his will, and to ſay in his heart, It is the Lord, let him do what ſeemeth him good. That is of great excellency which is an ornament to a man in the judgment of a wiſe, holy, judicious man, that may be deemed more excellent, which is accounted an ornament by the Angels of Heaven; but that is moſt excellent which is an ornament in the ſight of God, and of this nature is a meek and quiet ſpirit, 1 Pet. 3.4. The ornament of a meek and quiet ſpirit, which is in the ſight of God of great price. When the Lord hath brought us to lie at his foot, he is ſo pleaſed with this ſubmiſſive frame of ſpirit, that he is wont to beſtow very great bleſſings on ſuch as are brought to his foot, and are content that he ſhould do what he pleaſeth with them, Iſa. 41.2. Who raiſed up the righteous man from the Eaſt, called him to his foot, gave the Nations before him, and made him Ruler over Kings? Contentment under the croſs makes great afflictions to ſeem but ſmall ones, and ſmall afflictions none at all. The Apoſtle went through very great ſufferings, as we may ſee, 1 Cor. 4.9,10,11,12,13. 2 Cor. 11.23,24,25,26,27. yet having learnt in every eſtate to be content, Phil. 4.11. he maketh a light matter of all his afflictions, 2 Cor. 4.17. Our light affliction, &c. Rom. 8.18. I reckon that the ſufferings of this preſent time, are not worthy to be compared with the glory that ſhall be revealed in us. But a diſcontented mind thinketh ſmall afflictions great and intolerable burdens. The loſs of a gourd which ſprang up in a day, and withered in a day, was but a ſmall loſs, yet Jonah being under a diſcontented mind, is ſo troubled at this loſs, that he faints under it, and wiſheth that he might die, and is angry with God, and juſtifieth himſelf in his frowardneſs, and ſaith, I do well to be angry even to the death, Jonah 4.7,8,9. Diſcontent is like a nail in a yoke which frets and galls, and pains the neck far more than the yoke it ſelf doth. When God layeth the yoke of affliction upon us, diſcontent troubles and perplexeth the ſoul far more than any affliction can do.

SECT. 11.

11. Conſider how patiently and contentedly others of Gods ſervants have endured, and gone through far greater loſſes and ſorer troubles than you have met withal. Job loſt a very great Eſtate, and ſeven Sons and three Daughters, even all that he had in one day, yet all theſe loſſes did not provoke Job to repine, or ſpeak one fooliſh word againſt God, or do any other iniquity, but he bore all with ſuch a quiet ſpirit, that in ſtead of fretting and repining, he bleſſeth God, Job 1.21,22. The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away, bleſſed be the Name of the Lord, in all this Job ſinned not, nor charged God fooliſhly: When David was driven from Jeruſalem by his ſon Abſolom, who conſpired againſt him, to take away not only his Crown and Kingdom, but his life alſo; this was a very great affliction, and it was the more heavy, becauſe it was his own ſon that came ſorth of his bowels that ſought to take away his life, 2 Sam. 16.11. and this affliction came upon him for his ſin in killing Ʋriah, which he knew very well, being foretold of it by Nathan the Prophet, 2 Sam. 12.9,10,11. yet he ſubmits himſelf to God under all that was come upon him, and is willing that the Lord ſhould lay whatever elſe he ſaw meet, though he ſhould ſay of David, I have no delight in him, 2 Sam. 15.26. If he thus ſay, I have no delight in thee, Behold here am I, let him do to me as ſeemeth good unto him. It was a ſad meſſage which God ſent to Eli by Samuel, it is uſhered in with this Preface, 1 Sam. 3.11. Behold! I do a thing in Iſrael, at which both the ears of every one that heareth it ſhall tingle; yet Eli upon the hearing of the whole meſſage lyeth down at Gods foot, and ſpeaketh not one repining word againſt the Lord; Verſ. 18. Samuel told him every whit, and hid nothing from him. And he ſaid it is the Lord, let him do what ſeemeth him good. The ſufferings of Jeſus Chriſt were exceeding great, yet how patiently did he bear them, Iſa. 53.7. He was oppreſſed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth, he is brought as a lamb to the ſlaughter, and as a ſheep before her ſhearers is dumb, ſo he openeth not his mouth. We are exhorted to take notice of the patience of Gods ſervants in their afflictions, in order to the helping us to bear our afflictions with patience, Jam. 5.8,10,11. Be ye alſo patient—Take my Brethren the Prophets, who have ſpoken in the Name of the Lord, for an example of ſuffering affliction, and of patience. Behold we count them happy that endure, ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have ſeen the end of the Lord, that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.

Thus much may ſuffice by way of conſideration, I ſhall now adviſe you ſome things by way of practice for the obtaining and promoting a quiet, cheerful contented frame of ſpirit under this affliction, of the loſs of your Eſtates, which may be uſeful under other afflictions which the Lord doth at preſent, or may hereafter trie you withal.

SECT. 1.

1. Lay hold on Gods Covenant, wherein he hath promiſed to give his people contented and ſatisfied minds under all his dealings with them, even when he afflicts them moſt ſorely, and taketh away their moſt endeared comforts and enjoyments from them. I will mention ſome promiſes to this purpoſe, Pſal. 37.19. They ſhall not be aſhamed in the evil time, and in the dayes of famine they ſhall be ſatisfied: Famine is one of the ſoreſt of Gods Judgements, it is worſe than War, which is alſo a very heavy judgment. David choſe the Peſtilence rather than War, as being the leſſer evil, but famine is worſe than War, Lam. 4.9. They that be ſlain with the ſword, are better than they that are ſlain with hunger. Yet in the evil time, in Famine, though the Famine laſt many dayes, God promiſeth that his righteous ſervants ſhall be ſatisfied. Iſa. 58.11. The Lord ſhall guide thee continually, and ſatisfie thy ſoul in drought—or as 'tis in the Margin, in droughts. The Prophet uſeth the plural number to ſignifie that God will ſatisfie his peoples ſouls in all droughts, or in the greateſt drought that ever did, or ever ſhall come upon any place. When God promiſeth to ſatisfie our ſouls in drought, it implies, 1. That he will give us ſatisfied mindes under the penury and want of all outward comforts; for drought brings a conſumption upon all earthly enjoyments, Hag. 1.10,11. 2. That he will ſtay, and ſupport, and ſatisfie our mindes under our greateſt ſorrows. No afflictions bring greater ſorrows than Famine which is the companion of drought, Jer. 14.2,3,4,17,18. Lam. 2.11,12,18,19. 3. It implieth that God will give us ſatisfied mindes when we walk in the view of death, when we ſee our children and relations dying, and our ſelves are ready every hour to faint, and give up the Ghoſt for want of bread. The Prophet deſcribing the Famine that was in Jeruſalem, ſaith, Lam. 2.11,12. The children and the ſucklings ſwoon in the ſtreets of the City, they ſay to their Mothers, where is corn and wine? when they ſwooned as the wounded in the ſtreets of the City, when their ſoul was poured out into their Mothers boſom. The wilderneſs which was a land of drought is called a land of the ſhadow of death, Jer. 2.6. In times of drought God takes away that which is the ſtay and ſtaff of a mans life; Iſa. 3.1. The Lord doth take away from Jeruſalem and from Judah, the ſtay and the ſtaff, the whole ſtay of bread, and the whole ſtay of water. Drought conſumes our corn, and wine, and oyl, as was hinted before from Hag. 1.11. And of theſe the Pſalmiſt ſaith, Pſal. 104.15. Wine maketh glad the heart of man, and oyl makes his face to ſhine, and bread ſtrengtheneth mans heart. So that when the Lord promiſeth to ſatisfie our ſouls in drought, there is implyed in this promiſe, that when the joy of our hearts, when our glory and ſtrength is taken away, when all means of ſupporting life fail, when we are in the moſt deſolate places, or deſolate conditions imaginable, he will under all our troubles give us ſatisfied mindes. The Lord hath not only promiſed to give us contented ſatisfied mindes under all our troubles, but he hath promiſed to continue us under a contented frame of ſpirit, that whatever changes or alterations we paſs through, we ſhall abide ſatisfied and contented in all eſtates and conditions. Prov. 19.23. The fear of the Lord tendeth to life, and he that hath it ſhall abide ſatisfied, he ſhall not be viſited with evil. The latter clauſe of this promiſe is not to be underſtood, as though they that fear God ſhould not meet with any afflictions, but when God doth viſit them with afflictions, they ſhall have ſuch abundant ſatisfaction in God, and from God, that they ſhall not feel any evil in their afflictions. Another promiſe of the like nature made to ſuch as fear God, we have Pſal. 25.13. His ſoul ſhall dwell at eaſe—dwelling implyeth the continuance of the eaſe and quiet that their ſouls ſhall enjoy that fear the Lord, though their outward condition may be full of trouble, yet their ſouls ſhall dwell at eaſe, Pſal. 119.165. Great peace have they which love thy law, and nothing ſhall offend them. Which promiſe Junius interprets to this effect. They that love the Law of God ſhall enjoy ſuch great peace and tranquility of minde, that nothing that doth befal them ſhall take away their peace. They may, and do fall into troubles and afflictions as well as other men, but their troubles ſhall not take away their peace from them. To be content in all eſtates and conditions is one way whereby we partake of the divine nature, and do reſemble God; now it is by and through the promiſes that we become partakers of the Divine Nature, 2 Pet. 1.4. Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promiſes, that by theſe you might be partakers of the divine nature—wherefore in order to the obtaining of a contented ſpirit under this and all other afflictions, be much in meditation upon the promiſes of God, and apply them to your own ſouls, and plead them daily with God, until you have obtained all that fulneſs of grace and peace which is contained in them.

SECT. 2.

2. When you feel any diſcontented thoughts ariſing in your mindes, any fretting or repining againſt God, labour to ſubdue all ſuch riſings of heart, and all diſcontented, troubled thoughts.

1. By calling to minde ſuch Scriptures as theſe, James 4.7. Submit your ſelves unto God—Lam. 3.39. Wherefore doth a living man complain, a man for the puniſhment of his ſins? James 1.2. My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations. Heb. 13.5. Let your converſation be without covetouſneſs, and be content with ſuch things as ye have; for he hath ſaid, I will never leave thee, nor forſake thee. Pſal. 46.10. Be ſtill and know that I am God. John 14.1. Let not your heart be troubled, Zech. 2.13. Be ſilent, O all fleſh before the Lord—Rom. 9.20. Nay, but O man, who art thou that replyeſt againſt God? ſhall the thing formed ſay unto him that formed it, why haſt thou formed me thus? 1 Sam. 3.18. It is the Lord, let him do what ſeemeth him good.

2. Call off your eyes and your thoughts from your temporal loſſes, and look within the veil to thoſe eternal bleſſings which are prepared and reſerved in heaven for you. Overmuch pondering upon our loſſes, will ſtir up grief and ſorrow, and cauſe dejection. Lam. 1.2. She weepeth ſore in the night, and her tears are on her cheeks; and that which among other things cauſed her ſorrow, is mentioned, ver. 7. Jeruſalem remembred in the dayes of her affliction, and of her miſeries, all her pleaſant things that ſhe had in the dayes of old—David alſo found that the remembrance of his loſſes ſtirred his ſorrows. Pſal. 42.4. When I remember theſe things, I pour out my ſoul in me. But the diverting of our mindes and thoughts from thoſe good things which we have loſt, and thoſe evils which we ſuffer, and looking to thoſe great things that are reſerved in heaven for us, is an excellent means to keep us from fainting and ſinking under our ſufferings. 2 Cor. 4.8,9,10,11,16,18. We are troubled on every ſide—we are perplexed—perſecuted—caſt down—alwayes bearing about the dying of the Lord Jeſus—are alwayes delivered unto death—yet in all theſe ſufferings he adds, ver. 16. We faint not—He telleth us alſo whence it came to paſs that he did not faint, ver. 18. While we look not at the things which are ſeen, but at the things which are not ſeen; for the things which are ſeen are temporal, but the things which are not ſeen are eternal.

3. Chide and rebuke your ſouls for being caſt down and diſquieted about worldly things, and call upon them to hope in God, who is your portion, and is able to revive you under your greateſt troubles and ſorrows, Pſal. 42.11. Why art thou caſt down, O my ſoul, and why art thou diſquieted within me? hope thou in God, for I ſhall yet praiſe him, who is the health of my countenanee, and my God.

4. Look unto Jeſus Chriſt to quiet your ſpirits, he can take down all the riſings of the heart, and bring every thought into ſubjection unto his Holy Will. 2 Cor. 10.4,5. The weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of ſtrong holds, caſting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth it ſelf againſt the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Chriſt. Our ſtrength to reſiſt and overcome ſinfull motions, doth not lie in our ſelves, but in Jeſus Chriſt. As we are not ſufficient of our ſelves to think one good thought, 2 Cor. 3.5. So neither can we of our ſelves caſt out one evil thought; but through Chriſt Jeſus we ſhall be able to do all things. The Apoſtle Paul paſſed through variety of conditions, he ſuffered the loſs of all things, he was frequently in priſons, in deaths oft, &c. yet he had learned in whatſoever eſtate he was, therewith to be content; and how did he attain to this? it was by Chriſt, Phil. 4.13. I can do all things through Chriſt which ſtrengtheneth me.

SECT. 3.

3. Truſt in the Lord at all times, and for all things; live by faith upon the promiſes, and ſtay your ſelves continually upon God: this will be an excellent means to keep your ſouls in a quiet, peaceable, contented, ſatisfied frame, under all the loſſes and croſſes that have befallen you, or may befal you for the time to come. Iſa 26.3. Thou will keep him in perfect peace whoſe minde is ſtayed on thee, becauſe he truſteth in thee. Pſal. 36.7,8. How excellent is thy loving kindneſs; O God, therefore the children of men put their truſt under the ſhadow of thy wings, they (that is, they that truſt in thee) ſhall be alundantly ſatisfied with the fatneſs of thy houſe, and thou ſhalt make them drink of the rivers of thy pleaſures. Though they that truſt in God meet with many bitter and ſharp afflictions, yet thoſe draughts which God giveth them of the rivers of his pleaſures do ſo ſweeten all their afflictions, that they remain abundantly ſatisfied under all Gods dealings with them: See alſo to this purpoſe, Jer. 17.7,8. Bleſſed is the man that truſteth in the Lord, and whoſe hope the Lord is, for he ſhall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that ſpreadeth out her roots by the river, and ſhall not ſee when heat cometh; but her leaf ſhall be green, and ſhall not be careful in the year of drought, neither ſhall ceaſe from yielding fruit. Here the Lord promiſeth thoſe that truſt in him, ſuch a ſtayed ſatisfied mind, that they ſhall be no more diſturbed or diſquieted by their afflictions than if they met with none at all—And ſhall not ſee when heat cometh—though it ſhould be a time of drought, and the drought ſhould continue not only dayes, or months; but years, yet God will keep their minds from being perplexed and diſquieted with cares,—And ſhall not be careful in the year of drought.

SECT. 4.

4. Labour daily to mortifie all inordinate affections to worldly things. Moſt of that diſturbance which ariſeth in our mindes when we meet with loſſes or other afflictions, proceedeth from inordinate affection. If neither our deſire, nor fear, nor hope, nor love, nor delight, nor any other affection were carried out immediately after worldly things, croſſes and diſappointments would not create any great trouble to us. The Apoſtle Paul who was crucified to the world, was as well content in his wants as in his greateſt abundance, and in his abaſements as when moſt highly honoured. Gal. 6.14. compared with Phil. 4.11,12. It was Jacobs immoderate love to his Son Joſeph, that did ſo much deject him, and cauſe him to mourn ſo exceſſively for his ſuppoſed death, that though all his Sons, and all his Daughters roſe up to comfort him, he refuſed to be comforted, Gen. 37.3,34,35. It was Baruchs inordinate deſire after great things, that cauſed him to be ſo reſtleſs in his afflictions, and to faint under his trials, Jer. 45.3,5. David went through many troubles, yet kept his heart in a quiet frame; and one great means whereby he quieted himſelf, was by getting and keeping his affections weaned from worldly things, Pſal. 131.2. Surely I have behaved and quieted my ſelf as a childe that is weaned of his Mother, my ſoul is even as a weaned child.

SECT. 5.

5. Give up your ſelves to the doing of works of righteouſneſs. Do all the ſervice that you are able for God, and for your generation. Abound alwayes in the work of the Lord, and be ready as far as you have opportunity and ability to do all the good you can for all men; hereby you ſhall obtain a quiet peaceable frame of ſpirit under all your troubles and afflictions. Iſa. 32.17. The work of righteouſneſs ſhall be peace, and the effect of righteouſneſs, quietneſs and aſſurance for ever. The Prophet had threatned great troubles, and of many years continuance, ver. 9, 10, 11. and then tells them, how they might retain quietneſs under all their troubles, namely by working righteouſneſs, v. 17. and then tells them farther of the bleſſedneſs of ſuch as did ſow beſides all waters, (that is, who took hold of all opportunities to be doing good) they ſhould enjoy peace and quietneſs when Gods judgements came down as thick as hail round about them, ver. 18, 19, 20. Working of righteouſneſs promotes contentment in all eſtates ſeveral wayes. I will mention one or two. 1. As it produceth the joy of the Lord in our ſouls. God is wont to put joy and gladneſs into the hearts of thoſe that work righteouſneſs, Pſal. 45.7. Thou loveſt righteouſneſs, and hateſt wickedneſs; therefore God, thy God hath anointed thee with the oyl of gladneſs above thy fellows. Pſal. 97.11. Light is ſown for the righteous, and gladneſs for the upright in heart. Now when God puts joy and gladneſs into our hearts, we do not much feel the ſorrows and troubles that we meet with in this world, Eccleſ. 5.20. He ſhall not much remember the dayes of his life, becauſe God anſwereth him in the joy of his heart. What Solomon ſaith of wine and ſtrong drink, Prov. 30.6,7. Give ſtrong drink unto him that is ready to periſh, and wine to thoſe that be of heavy hearts; let him drink and forget his poverty, and remember his miſery no more. The like I may ſay of the joyes of the Holy Ghoſt, when God hath made us to drink of the rivers of his pleaſures, though we be poor, and heavy of heart, and ready to periſh, they will make us forget our poverty, and remember our ſorrow no more. 2. Working righteouſneſs promotes contentment on this account, becauſe they that work righteouſneſs have many ſweet viſits from God, and enjoy much of Gods preſence, and the ſoul is never better at eaſe, or enjoyes more contentment, than when it enjoyes God, Iſa. 64.5. Thou meeteſt him that rejoyceth, and worketh righteouſneſs, thoſe that remember thee in thy wayes. John 14.23. If a man love me, he will keep my words, and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.

SECT. 6.

6. Take up your reſt and contentment in God, and and that will keep you from fretting, and vexing, and being diſcontented under your loſſes, and all other afflictions, Pſal. 37.7. Reſt in the Lord—fret not thy ſelf—There is no better way to prevent fretting and vexing at croſs providences, than for a man to take up his reſt in God, for he ſhall finde ſuch ſweetneſs in God, that he ſhall not feel any great bitterneſs in affliction. When the Spouſe was a Lilly among Thorns, encompaſſed with ſharp and piercing troubles, when ſhe was ſcorched with heat of Perſecution, ſhe found ſuch ſweetneſs in ſolacing her Soul with Chriſt, that ſhe makes no complaints of her Sufferings, but maketh her boaſt of what ſhe found in him, Cant. 2.3. I ſate down under his ſhadow with great delight, and his fruit was ſweet to my taſte. She ſpoke this, when Chriſt reſembled her to a Lilly among Thorns, ver. 2. Now in regard it conduceth much to the helping of us to be contented under all the troubles of this life for a man to take up his reſt, and ſatisfaction, and contentment in God. I ſhall enlarge a little upon this Head, and ſhew firſt, That there is enough in God to give the ſoul of a man full ſatisfaction and contentment in every ſtate and condition. 2. I ſhall ſhew how a man may take up his reſt and contentment in God.

1. There is enough in God to give the ſoul of a man full and compleat ſatisfaction; how poor, how afflicted, how deſolate ſoever his condition be in this world: and this may be demonſtrated ſeveral wayes.

1. God is a ſuitable good; he anſwers all the wants, all the deſires, all the workings and breathings, and motions of the ſoul of man. All that the ſoul wants, is to be found in God, Phil. 4.19. My God ſhall ſupply all your need according to his riches in glory by Jeſus Chriſt. All that the ſoul deſires is in God, Iſa. 26.8,9. The deſire of our ſoul is to thy name—with my ſoul have I deſired thee in the night. Pſal. 73.25. There is none upon earth that I deſire beſides thee. Now where there is a ſupply of all wants, and an accompliſhment of all the deſires of the ſoul, there is full ſatisfaction. That which the ſoul travelleth after, that which it laboureth for, that which it mainly purſueth and followeth after, is, that it may enjoy God, Pſal. 63.8. My ſoul followeth hard after thee—which ſhews, that ſatisfaction is to be had in God: for when a man hath obtained that which his ſoul travelleth after, he is ſatisfied, Iſa. 53.10. He ſhall ſee of the travel of his ſoul and be ſatisfied. God is the center to which all the motions of a ſanctified ſoul do tend. The enquiries of the ſoul are after God, Cant. 3.3. Saw ye him whom my ſoul loveth? John 12.21. Sir we would ſee Jeſus. The pantings, and thirſtings, and breathings of the ſoul are after God, Pſal. 42.1,2.—My ſoul panteth after thee, O God, my ſoul is athirſt for God, for the living God, when ſhall I come and appear before God? The mournings of the ſouls are after the Lord, Zech. 12.10. They ſhall mourn for him, 1 Sam. 7.2.—All the houſe of Iſrael lamented after the Lord. The ſeekings and cryes of the ſoul are after God, Pſal. 63.1. O God, thou art my God, early will I ſeek thee. Pſal. 84.2. My heart and my fleſh crieth out for the living God. The main thing the ſoul hopeth and waiteth for, is God, Pſal. 71.5. Thou art my hope—Pſal. 39.7. Now Lord what wait I for? my hope is in thee. Pſal. 130,5 6. I wait for the Lord, my ſoul doth wait, in his word do I hope; my ſoul waiteth for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning; I ſay more than they that watch for the morning. The expectations of the ſoul are from him, Pſal. 62.5. My ſoul, wait thou only upon God, for my expectation is from him. The boaſtings and triumphings of the ſoul are in God, Pſal. 34.2. My ſoul ſhall make her boaſt in the Lord. Iſa. 25.9. Lo this is our God, we have waited for him, and he will ſave us; this is the Lord, we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoyce in his ſalvation. The like may be proved of all other motions of the ſoul, they tend to God as their center; whence it followeth, that the ſouls reſt is in God, for all things are at reſt when they come to their proper center.

2. God is an eternal good. If a man be poſſeſſed of never ſuch an excellent portion, if there be fear or danger of loſing what he enjoyeth, this is a diſturbance to his minde, and hindereth in ſome meaſure, the fulneſs of his contentment; but as for God, there is no cauſe to fear our loſing of him when once we have gotten God for our portion; for when he beſtows himſelf upon a perſon, he gives himſelf for a portion to that perſon for ever, Pſal. 48.14. This God is our God for ever and ever, he will be our guide even unto death. Pſal. 73.26. My fleſh and my heart faileth; but God is the ſtrength of my heart and my portion for ever. The ſoul of man being of an immortal eternal nature, no leſs good than that which is eternal can give it ſatisfaction.

3. God is an all-ſufficient Good. Such is Gods all-ſufficiency to ſatisfie all the deſires of the ſoul, that a man that enjoyeth God for his portion, need not deſire any thing either in heaven or earth, to adde to his happineſs beſides God, Pſal. 73.25. Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I deſire leſides thee. Such is Gods all-ſufficiency to ſatisfie the ſoul, that if a man may be deprived of all worldly comforts and enjoyments, there is enough in God to fill his ſoul with joy, though all his outward comforts be taken from him, he may ſtill rejoyce in God, Hab. 3.17,18. Although the fig-tree ſhall not bloſſom, neither ſhall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive ſhall fail, and the fields ſhall yield no meat; the flock ſhall be cut off from the fold, and there ſhall be no herd in the ſtalls; yet I will rejoyce in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my ſalvation. Such is the all-ſufficiency of God to ſatisfie the ſoul, that the ſoul may rejoyce and delight it ſelf in God, not only when it wants the good things of this world, but alſo when it is ſurrounded with many evils, Rom. 5.3,11. We glory in tribulations—we joy in God, through our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, by whom we have now received the atonement. Pſal. 44.8. In God we boaſt all the day long—and this was ſpoken under a time of great affliction, as may be ſeen from the following verſes, eſpecially ver. 22. For thy ſake we are killed all the day long, we are counted as ſheep for the ſlaughter. We may boaſt in God all the day long, though it be in ſuch a day, wherein we go in danger of our life all the day long, or wherein we meet with afflictions as hard to be born, and as bitter as death it ſelf.

4. The Lord is able to ſatisfie the deſire of every creature, Pſal. 145.16. Thou openeſt thy hand, and ſatisfieſt the deſire of every living thing. There is that in God which doth or may ſatisfie all the Saints and Servants of God upon the face of the earth, 2 Cor. 12.9. My grace is ſufficient for thee.—This was ſpoken to Paul, when he was in great perplexity, being buffeted with the meſſenger of Satan, which was as irkſome to his ſoul, as any thorn can be to the fleſh, and Gods grace that was ſufficient for Paul is ſufficient for all that truſt in him, not only to give them ſatisfaction, but ſuch abundant ſatisfaction that they need not ask any more, Pſal. 37.8. They ſhall be abundantly ſatisfied with the fatneſs of thy houſe—David was ſo overjoyed with what he met with in, and from God, that he could not ask more than God had given him, 2 Sam. 7.20. And what can David ſay more unto thee.

5. There is that in God which ſatisfieth all the Saints and Angels in heaven, Pſal. 17.15. As for me I will behold thy face in righteouſneſs, I ſhall be ſatisfied when I awake with thy likeneſs. The Saints and Angels in heaven are of larger capacity than we are, their faculties are more raiſed than ours, they can take in far more joy than we are capable of whilſt we dwell here below, yet they are as full of joy as they can hold; and this their joy ariſeth only from the fruition of God, Pſal. 16.11. In thy preſence is fulneſs of joy—for after they come to heaven, they have no enjoyment of any worldly things, Eccleſ. 9.6. Luke 20.35,36. neither do they finde any need of any thing that is under the Sun, to augment their happineſs, Rev. 21.23.

6. God is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ſelf-ſufficient, and therefore he muſt needs be 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 all-ſufficient for all his creatures. There is no creature on the earth, nor no Saint or Angel in heaven partaketh of ſuch bleſſedneſs, ſuch joy and delight, as the bleſſed God; and whence ariſeth that bleſſedneſs and contentment which God enjoyeth? only from himſelf, as may be proved by ſeveral arguments; I will mention three. 1. Before ever there were any creatures in being, either Men, or Angels, or other creatures, he was God bleſſed in himſelf, and lived as happy and bleſſed a life as he doth now, he hath an innumerable company of Angels to wait upon him. He was God, the ſame God that now he is, before ever the creatures were produced into being, Pſal. 90.2. He ever was, and ever will be infinitely and eternally bleſſed; and therefore being infinitely bleſſed in himſelf, before the world was created, the creatures added nothing to his bleſſedneſs. 2. It is evident that God is ſelf-ſufficient, and that his happineſs and bleſſedneſs proceedeth from himſelf, and that he needeth nothing that any of his creatures can do, to adde to his happineſs, becauſe the creatures have nothing, and can do nothing but what they have from him, and do by thoſe influences they receive from him. Acts 17.24,25. God that made the world and all things therein, ſeeing he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in Temples made with hands, neither is worſhipped with mens hands, as though he needed any thing, ſeeing he giveth to all, life and breath, and all things. 3 If all creatures ſhould be annihilated and reduced to their firſt nothing, God would ſtill continue the ſame that ever he was, and be as bleſſed as he is at this day, Pſal. 102.25,26,27. Now ſeeing there is enough in God to ſatisfie every living thing, to ſatisfie all his ſervants on earth, and all his Saints and Angels in Heaven; yea, ſeeing he is ſelf-ſufficient, and hath in himſelf that which ſufficeth for his own happineſs; is it not unreaſonable for any man to doubt, whether there be that in God which may give him full and compleat ſatisfaction in all eſtates and conditions whatever?

7. As there is full ſatisfaction to be had in God, ſo true reſt and contentment is to be had no where but in God. Take every creature upon the face of the Earth a-part, or take them all together adorned with all their excellencies, and if you conſider them abſtracted from God and Chriſt, they are all vanity and vexation of ſpirit, Eccleſ. 1.2. Vanity of vanities, ſaith the Preacher, vanity of vanities, all is vanity. Eccleſ. 2.17. All is vanity and vexation of ſpirit. This judgment and determination concerning what is in all creatures, was given by Solomon, one of the wiſeſt of men that ever lived; it was given by Solomon that had as much as his heart could wiſh, of the things of this world, and made it his work & buſineſs to ſearch into, and ſtudy what was in the Creatures that might delight and content the heart of man, Eccl. 2.3. and in this his ſcrutiny, he tells us, V. 10. Whatſoever mine eyes deſired, I kept not from them, I withheld not my heart from any joy—Yet after all his diligence and all his experiments to try what was in the creatures, he gives this account, All is vanity and vexation of ſpirit: yea which is more than what hath been ſaid, He was a Pen-man of holy Scripture, he was inſpired by the Holy Ghoſt when he gave this judgment of the creatures, that all is vanity and vexation of ſpirit. Now what wiſe man would ſeek for his reſt in that which is vanity and vexation of ſpirit? As it was with Noah's Dove when gone out of the Ark, Gen. 8.9. The Dove found no reſt for the ſole of her foot, and ſhe returned unto him, into the Ark. So it will be with us, though we ſeek for reſt every where, we ſhall find it no where but by returning to God in Chriſt. It is ſaid of the Jews, Jer. 50.6. They have gone from Mountain to Hill, they have forgotten their reſting place. If we think to find reſt in any place, or any condition, and do not ſeek it in God, we do but delude our ſelves, with vain hopes, for it is to be found only in him, Mat. 11.28,29. Come unto me, and ye ſhall finde reſt for your ſouls. Seeing then that ſatisfaction is to be had in God, and no where elſe 〈◊〉 in God, it is impoſſible that any man ſhould have •… nd laſting contentment that doth not take up his 〈◊〉 in God; and therefore whoſoever would learn to be content in all eſtates, muſt learn how to ſatisfie himſelf in and with the Lord, and that is the next thing I am to enquire into, namely,

How we may come to take up our reſt and ſatisfaction in God, in all Eſtates and Conditions.

1. We muſt get acquaintance with God. We muſt acquaint our ſelves with his greatneſs, his tranſcendent goodneſs, his infinite mercy and loving kindeneſs, and the reſt of his glorious attributes. Raiſed and right apprehenſions of God lay a good foundation for our taking up our reſt in God, Job 22.21. Acquaint thy ſelf with him and be at peace, and thereby good ſhall come unto thee. John 14.8. Shew us the Father and it ſufficeth us. We can deſire no more in order to our ſatisfaction, than to be filled with all the fulneſs of God: Now the knowledge of Gods loving kindeneſs conduceth much towards the obtaining of this fulneſs, Eph. 3.19. And to know the love of Chriſt, which paſſeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulneſs of God.

2. We muſt oft-times ſet our ſelves in a ſolemn and ſerious manner to meditate upon the glorious attributes of God; the more we think and contemplate upon God, the more ſweetneſs and ſatisfaction we ſhall finde in him, Pſal. 63.5,6. My ſoul ſhall be ſatisfied as with marrow and fatneſs—when I remember thee upon my bed, and meditate on thee in the night watches. Pſal. 17.15. I will behold thy face—I ſhall be ſatisfied—Pſal. 104.34. My meditation of him ſhall be ſweet—Our contemplating on God will change us into the image of God, and make us like God, 2 Cor. 3.18. We all with open face, beholding as in a glaſs, the glory of the Lord are changed into the ſame image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord. Now the more of Gods image is found upon us, the more like we are to God, the more ſatisfaction we ſhall finde in him, Pſal. 17.15. I ſhall be ſatisfied with thy likeneſs. But here it will not be amiſs to mention two or three cautions to be obſerved when we ſet our ſelves to contemplate on God, as 1. We muſt not be curious to pry into Gods Eſſence, but muſt content our ſelves to contemplate on his Attributes. When Moſes deſired to ſee the Glory of God, he tells him, Exod. 33.20. Thou canſt not ſee my face—which many expound, thou canſt not ſee or know my Eſſence; and in way of anſwer to Moſes his requeſt, he proclaims his name, and thereby diſcovers his Attributes, Exod. 33.19. Exod. 34.5,6,7. which teacheth us, that if we deſire a ſight of God, the beſt courſe that we can take to behold him, is to take a view of his glorious Attributes, whereby he hath diſcovered and made known his name to us. 2. We muſt regulate all our conceptions of the Attributes of God by the Scriptures. This caution is neceſſary, becauſe Satan can transform himſelf into an Angel of Light, and preſent falſe Idea's or Repreſentations of God to our mindes, inſtead of true ones; he dealt thus with our Parents in innocency, he miſ-repreſented God to them, as though he had envied their happineſs, and were not a God of his Word, Gen. 3.1,4,5. and he will much leſs fear to try us with the like temptation in our fallen eſtate. It is neceſſary alſo, becauſe of the vanity and corruption of our mindes, which are apt to form ſtrange, idolatrous notions concerning God: divers inſtances might be given of this. Some have thought God to be altogether ſuch an one as themſelves are, Pſal. 50.21. Others have fancied God to be like the Birds or Beaſts, Rom. 1.22,23. But when we conceive of God according to that revelation which he hath made of himſelf in his word, then we may be ſure we conceive of him aright. 3. We muſt contemplate on God according to that diſcovery which he hath made of himſelf in Chriſt Jeſus, of which the Apoſtle ſpeaks, 2 Cor. 4.6. God who commanded the light to ſhine out of darkneſs, hath ſhined in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God, in the face of Jeſus Chriſt; for we cannot finde ſweetneſs in God out of Chriſt; it will fare with us when we conſider God out of Chriſt, as it did with the Pſalmiſt, Pſal. 77.3. I remembred God and was troubled. A man that hath been a finner can take no comfort in God without reflecting upon Chriſt, for he is in himſelf a conſuming fire. But when we look upon God, in and through Jeſus Chriſt, then we may ſee him to be a reconciled Father, 2 Cor. 5.19. and to be the Father of Mercies, and the God of all comfort, 2 Cor. 1.3.

3. If we would take up our reſt in God, we muſt labour to get and to keep Gods Preſence with our Souls. When we enjoy Gods gracious and bleſſed preſence, we finde that in God that giveth us reſt and ſatisfaction under our greateſt troubles, Exod. 33.14. My preſence ſhall go with thee, and I will give thee reſt. Moſes had been brought up by the ſpace of forty years in Pharaohs Court, where he had fared deliciouſly every day, and he was now in a dry, barren, ſolitary Wilderneſs, which afforded nothing that was good, but was attended with many evils, as Serpents and Scorpions, &c. What manner of place this Wilderneſs was, we may ſee, Jer. 2.6. Deut. 8.15. Here he was to continue and wander up and down by the ſpace of forty years, and that in the midſt of a perverſe and froward people, that in all their ſtraits did murmur againſt him for bringing of them out of the Land of Egypt, his troubles ſometimes were ſo great, that we finde him praying to God to kill him out of hand, and to make a ſudden diſpatch of him that he might not ſee his wretchedneſs, Numb. 11.15. Yet though the troubles he met with in the Wilderneſs were exceeding great, and many, and of long continuance, viz. forty years his ſoul had reſt in God by vertue of the Divine Preſence that went along with him. We may ſee alſo the virtue and power that is in Gods Preſence to quiet and ſatisfie the Soul in the times of greateſt trouble, in Jer. 46.27,28. Jacob ſhall return and be in reſt, and at eaſe, and none ſhall make him afraid: fear thou not, O Jacob, my ſervant, ſaith the Lord, for I am with thee—In the former part of the Chapter the Lord had threatned very ſore calamities, that they ſhould be compaſſed about with fear on every ſide, ver. 5. that the Sword ſhould devour round about, and be ſatiate, and made drunk with blood, ver. 10, 14, &c. and though theſe calamities ſhould fall moſt upon other Nations, Jacob was not to go wholly unpuniſhed, but was to have a ſhare therein; yet Jacob having a promiſe of Gods preſence, ſhould thereby have reſt and eaſe in all his troubles.

4. We muſt maintain and keep our communion with God. The oftner we draw near unto God, the oftner we ſhall finde him drawing near to our ſouls, according to what we finde, James 4.8. Draw nigh to God, and God will draw nigh to you—and the oftner God draws nigh to our ſouls, the more delight and contentment we ſhall finde in him. The Pſalmiſt ſpeaking of ſuch as approach unto God, ſaith, they ſhall be ſatisfied with the goodneſs of Gods Houſe, Pſal. 65.4. Bleſſed is the man whom thou chooſeſt, and canſeſt to approach unto thee, that he may dwell in thy courts, we ſhall be ſatisfied with the goodneſs of thy houſe, even of thy Holy Temple. There is much in converſing with good men, for the filling and ſatisfying the ſpirit of one that is truly gracious, he hath his greateſt delight in the company of the Saints and Servants of God, Rons. 15.24.—If firſt I be ſomewhat filled with your company. Pſal. 16.2,3.—My goodneſs extendeth not unto thee, but to the Saints that are in the earth, and to the excellent in whom is all my delight. If there be ſuch delight and ſatisfaction in converſing with good men, there muſt needs be much more in converſing with the great God. One main cauſe of the diſturbance of our mindes when we meet with croſſes, is immoderate thirſting after the things of this world: communion with God will take off this kinde of thirſt from the ſouls, John 4.14. Whoſoever drinketh of the water that I ſhall give him, ſhall never thirſt, but the water that I ſhall give him, ſhall be in him a well of water ſpringing up into everlaſting life. The oftner we go to God, the more we ſhall ask and crave of him; and the more we ask of God, the more and better things we ſhall receive from him in order to the ſatisfying of our ſouls, Pſal. 105.40. The people asked—and he ſatisfied them with the bread of heaven. Were but our deſires after God greater, we ſhould finde more abundant ſatisfaction in him; for, He ſatisfieth the deſire of every living thing, Pſal. 145.16.

5. If we would take up our reſt and ſatisfaction in God, we muſt ſet our love upon him. As it is between a man and his Wife, if a man have an entire love to his Wife, he will be ſo ſatisfied in her, that he will have no hankerings after any other women: ſo much is implyed, Prov. 5.18,19. Rejoyce with the wife of thy youth, let her be as the loving hinde, and pleaſant roe, let her breaſts ſatisfie thee at all times, and be thou raviſht alwayes with her love. So it is between a man and God, when a man hath an entire love to God, he will be ſo abundantly ſatisfied in God, that he will have no great deſire after any other thing beſides God: compare Pſal. 18.1. with Pſal. 73.25. I will love thee O Lord my ſtrength. Whom have I in heaven but thee, and there is none upon earth that I deſire beſides thee? When God hath ſet his love upon his people, he reſteth ſatisfied in them, Pſal. 87.2. The Lord loveth the gates of Zion—The Lord hath choſen Zion—This is my reſt for ever—Pſal. 132.13,14. Zeph. 3.17. He will rejoyce over thee with joy, he will reſt in his love, he will joy over thee with ſinging. So alſo it will be with us, when we have ſet our love upon God, we ſhall then take up our reſt in God.

6. We muſt labour to get good evidences of Gods love to our ſouls, and get our intereſt in God made clear. Clear and well-grounded apprehenſions of our intereſt in God, and of Gods love to our ſouls, do tend much to the bringing of our ſouls to take up their reſt and ſatisfaction in God, Deut. 33.23. O Naphthali ſatisfied with favour—Pſal. 90.13. O ſatisfie us early with thy mercy, that we may be glad and rejoyce all our dayes. John 14.8. Shew us the Father and it ſufficeth us. When we know the Father, and know him to be our God and Father in Chriſt, we have enough, we have that which ſufficeth us.

7. If we would take up our reſt in God, and abide ſatisfied in him, when ever any thing diſquiets our mindes, and we have any load and burden upon our Spirits, we muſt repair to Jeſus Chriſt, and caſt our ſelves and our burdens upon the Lord Jeſus, in ſo doing we ſhall finde grace and vertue coming out of the Lord Jeſus to preſerve and ſuſtain our ſouls in a quiet, peaceable, ſatisfied frame, in all our troubles, Pſal. 55.23. Caſt thy burden upon the Lord, and he ſhall ſuſtain thee. Mat. 11.28. Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you reſt.

8. We muſt take up our dwelling in God. He muſt needs dwell at eaſe who dwells in God, Cant. 2.3. I ſate down under his ſhadow with great delight.—Setting implieth continuance. When we do not only come to Chriſts ſhadow, but ſit down under it, that will bring great delight to our ſouls. What is ſaid of Gods dwelling in Zion, Pſal. 132.13,14. The Lord hath choſen Zion, he hath deſired it for his habitation; This is my reſt for ever, here will I dwell. The like may be ſaid of the people of God, when they have choſen God for their habitation, and taken up their dwelling in God, he will be their reſt for ever. If any ſay, when may we be ſaid to take up our dwelling in God? I anſwer, 1. When we live, and walk, and dwell in love, then we dwell in God, 1 John 4.16. God is love, and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and he in him. 2. When we believe in Jeſus Chriſt, and confeſs Chriſt before men, then God dwelleth in us, and we in him, Eph. 3.17. That Chriſt may dwell in your hearts by faith. 1 John 4.15. Whoſoever ſhall confeſs that Jeſus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God. Underſtand this of ſuch a confeſſion of Chriſt as is accompanied with a hearty belief in him, Rom. 10.9,10. And of ſuch as are not afraid to confeſs Chriſt in the face of dangers; for it did expoſe a man to great dangers, and ſufferings, to confeſs the Lord Jeſus to be the Chriſt, in the firſt breaking forth of the Goſpel, as we may ſee, John 9.22. 3. We take up our dwelling in God, when we maintain an obediential frame of heart, and have reſpect to his Commandments, 1 John 3.24. He that keepeth his Commandments, dwelleth in him, and he in him. The Commandments which the Apoſtle doth chiefly hi •… at in this place, are faith and love, as appears from ver. 23.

9. When we feel our ſouls wandering from the Lord, and ſeeking their reſt in other things beſides God, we ſhould ſay to them as the Prophet ſaid to the Jews, Micha 2.10. Ariſe ye and depart, for this is not your reſt. And we ſhould call upon them to return unto God; and ſeek their reſt in him only, Pſal. 116.7. Return unto thy reſt, O my ſoul—Pſal. 37.7. Reſt in the Lord and wait patiently for him.

10. We muſt labour after Gods Image and likeneſs, to be holy as God is holy, and merciful as God is mercifull and pure as God is pure; for the more like we are to God, the more ſatisfaction we ſhall finde in God, Pſal. 17.15. I ſhall be ſatisfied when I awake with thy likeneſs.

11. Let us urge God with his promiſes, where he hath promiſed to cauſe us to take up our ſatisfaction in himſelf. Jer. 31.14. My people ſhall be ſatisfied with my goodneſs, ſaith the Lord; which promiſe implyeth, that when we have the good things of this world we ſhall not take up our reſt in them; and when we want them, we ſhall not be diſquieted for the want of them, but our ſouls ſhall reſt ſatisfied with the goodneſs of the Lord, whether we want or enjoy the good things of this world, Iſa. 65.16. He who bleſſeth himſelf in the earth, ſhall bleſs himſelf in the God of truth; which implyeth, that God will give his people ſuch a ſpirit, that they ſhall not count themſelves happy and bleſſed, becauſe of their proſperity, or any outward enjoyments, but in their enjoying the true God for their portion; and if they ſhall account themſelves bleſſed in the enjoyment of God, then they may bleſs themſelves in all eſtates and conditions, for God is their portion for ever, Pſal. 73.26. I might quote more promiſes to this purpoſe, that God will cauſe his people to take up their ſatisfaction not in any creature comforts or enjoyments, but in himſelf, as Pſal. 36.8. They ſhall be abundantly ſatisfied, with what? with corn, and wine, and oyl? with riches, and preferments? no, but with the fatneſs of thy houſe; thou ſhalt make them drink of the rivers of thy pleaſures. Iſa. 58.14. Thou ſhalt delight thy ſelf in the Lord—But theſe may ſuffice.

SECT. 7.

7. Give your ſelves unto Prayer. When ever you feel any troubles or burdens upon your mindes, repair to the Throne of Grace, and lay open your hearts, and all your maladies and grievances before the Lord, and crave his aſſiſtance, that will bring ſpeedy relief to your ſouls, and keep them in a quiet, peaceable, contented frame in all conditions, Phil. 4.6,7. Be careful for nothing, but in every thing, by prayer, and ſupplication, with thanksgiving, let your requeſt be made known unto God. And what ſhall we get by ſo doing? A ſettled abiding peace; as the following words hold forth, And the peace of God which paſſeth all underſtanding, ſhall keep your hearts and mindes through Chriſt Jeſus. When we are compaſſed about with many ſorrows, by Prayer we ſhall have all our ſorrows diſpelled, and our hearts ſhall be filled with joy, John 16.24. Ask and ye ſhall receive, that your joy may be full. In the 21. verſe, Chriſt faith to his Diſciples, Ye ſhall weep and lament, ye ſhall be ſorrowful—and then tells them, ver. 24. how they ſhould get their ſorrows turned into joy, Ask and ye ſhall receive, that your joy may be full. Much of the diſquietment of our mi •… ariſeth from troubled thoughts. Dan. 5.6. His thoughts troubled him—Now committing of our ſelves and our affairs to God by Prayer, is a great means of eſtabliſhing our mindes, and quieting all troubled thoughts, Prov. 16.3. Commit thy works unto the Lord, and thy thoughts ſhall be eſtabliſhed.

SECT. 8.

8. When we finde any diſcontent or diſquietneſs ariſing in our mindes, we muſt ſearch into the grounds and reaſons thereof, and endeavour the removal of thoſe things which are the cauſes of our diſcontent. David took this courſe to quiet his ſpirit when it was in a diſturbed condition, he enquireth into the cauſe and reaſon of that dejection which was upon his ſoul, Pſal. 42.11. Why art thou caſt down, O my ſoul, and why art thou diſquieted within me? hope thou in God. I might here inſtance in ſeveral things which do cauſe murmurings under affliction, I will mention two or three.

1. Pride of Spirit. Our contendings with God, and quarrelling at his Providences, as well as our contention with our fellow creatures come from the pride of our hearts, Prov. 13.10. Only by pride cometh contention. If our diſcontent, when God taketh away any mercy, or layeth any affliction upon us, do ariſe from the pride of our hearts; the way to remove it, is to look upon our ſelves to be unworthy of the leaſt of all Gods Mercies, and to judge our ſelves to have deſerved the greateſt and ſevereſt of all Gods Judgements. We are not greater than our Father Jacob, yet he ſaith of himſelf, Gen. 32.10. I am not worthy of the leaſt of all the mercies, and of all the truth that thou haſt ſhewed unto thy ſervant. We are not better than thoſe Jews that were captives in Babylon, for there were many of Gods precious Servants, as Ezekiel, Daniel, Hanniah, Miſhael, and Azariah (who choſe rather to be caſt into a fiery Furnace, than to fall down before an Image) Nehemiah, Ezra, &c. yet they acknowledged that they had deſerved all the evils that they ſuffered, and a great deal more; and that it was meerly from the mercy of God, that they were not conſumed. Daniel acknowledged the ſufferings they met with to be ſo great, as that they could not be parallel'd, Dan. 9.12. yet he ſaith, ver. 14. The Lord our God is righteous in all his works. The Prophet Jeremiah lamenting the great evils that were come upon the Jews, acknowledgeth, that though their ſorrows were ſuch as ſcarce any met with the like, Lam. 1.12. Behold and ſee if there be any ſorrow like unto my ſorrow; Yet he ſaith, Lam. 3.22. It is of the Lords mercies, that we are not conſumed. If we were fully convinced that we are leſs than the leaſt of all Gods Mercies, we ſhould not repine when God taketh away our Eſtates, our Health, our Friends, or any other mercies from us. And if we were fully convinced that we have deſerved to be deſtroyed, and caſt into everlaſting burnings, we ſhould not repine when God ſends poverty, ſickneſs, or any other evils upon us.

2. Miſ-judging of the nature and quality of Gods Providences, and of the ends and deſigns of God in afflicting, cauſeth ſome to murmur and rep ne at thoſe Providences; for which if they underſtood them aright, they would bleſs and praiſe God. Gods bringing Iſrael out of Egypt by the hand of Moſes, was a great mercy, his leading them through the Wilderneſs, was to bring them into the Land of Canaan, and the ſtraits they met with in the Wilderneſs, were to humble them, and prove them, and do them good in their latter end, Deut. 8.15,16. Yet becauſe they judged amiſs of this Providence of God, and thought they were brought into the Wilderneſs to be ſlain; when they were in ſtraits they murmured againſt the Lord, Numb. 14.2,3. Exod. 16.2,3. If our diſcontent ſpring from this root, the way to remove it, is, 1. To judge nothing before the time, but to wait with patience till we have ſeen the end as well as the beginning of our afflictions. Gods diſpenſations towards Job were very terrible at the firſt coming of his troubles, but the end of them was very comfortable and full of mercy, Jam. 5.11. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have ſeen the end of the Lord, that the Lord is very pittiful, and of tender mercy. 2. We muſt judge of our afflictions by Faith, and not by ſenſe; we muſt judge of them according to that ſentence which is given of them in the Word of God, and not according to the opinion of the world, or of our own corrupt mindes. Senſe ſaith it is a miſerable thing to be in affliction, but the word ſaith, Job 5,17. Behold, happy is the man whom God correcteth, James 1.12. Bleſſed is the man that endureth temptation, for when he is tried he ſhall receive the Crown of life which the Lord hath promiſed to them that love him. Senſe looketh upon afflictions as hurtful things, but faith judging according to the word, ſaith, Pſal. 119.71. It is good for me that I have been afflicted, that I might learn thy Statutes. 3. We muſt look at the wholeſome fruit of afflictions as well as their preſent ſmart, Heb. 12.11. No chaſtening for the preſent ſeemeth to be joyous, but grievous; nevertheleſs afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteouſneſs unto them that are exerciſed thereby. As the cloud that parted the Iſraelites from the Egyptians, had a dark ſide, and a bright ſide, Exod. 14.20. ſo have our afflictions: now if we would not ſink under our tryals, we muſt look at the bright ſide as well as the dark ſide of them, at the ſpiritual and eternal advantages that we reap by our troubles, as well as the ſmart and inconveniences that our outward man ſuſtaineth by them.

3. Unbelief and diſtruſt of God is another cauſe of murmuring when we are brought into ſtraits, Pſ. 106.24,25. They believed not his word, but murmured in their tents. If our diſcontent ariſe from unbelief, the way to remove it, is to do what we can to ſtrengthen our Faith in the Attributes, Providence, and Promiſes of God; for if we can but ſtay our mindes, and reſt our ſouls upon God, he will keep them in perfect peace, Iſa. 26.3.

I might inſtance in other grounds and cauſes of diſcontent, but becauſe they will fall more properly under the next head, I ſhall now proceed to the third and laſt branch of my anſwer to this queſtion, which is, The anſwering of thoſe Reaſonings and Objections that ariſe in the mindes of thoſe that have ſuffered loſs in their Eſtates by the late Fire, which hinder them from ſitting down contented under this hand of God.

Objections that hinder the contentment of thoſe that have ſuffered loſs in their Eſtates, removed.

SECT. 1.

Object. 1. My loſs is exceeding great, I have loſt thouſands of pounds, if I had loſt but a ſmall matter I could have born it, but in regard my loſs is ſo great, it troubleth my minde exceedingly, and I know not how to bear it with patience.

Anſw. 1. Your loſs is not greater than Jobs, who was the richeſt man in the Eaſtern part of the world, and loſt all his Subſtance, and his Children too in one day, yet he did not repine at the greatneſs of his loſs, but quietly ſubmitteth himſelf to God, Job 1.21. The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away, bleſſed be the name of the Lord.

2. How much ſoever it be that you have loſt, God is able to give it you again, and much more alſo, 2 Chron. 25.9. But what ſhall we do for the hundred talents? God is able to give thee much more than this. Though God took a great Eſtate from Job, yet it is ſaid, Job 42.10,12. The Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before.—The Lord bleſſed the latter end of Job more than his beginning. Though you ſhould be brought to poverty, yet God oft-times raiſeth poor men to ſuch an high degree, that he maketh them equal to Princes, Pſal. 113.7,8. He raiſeth up the poor out of the duſt, and lifteth the needy out of the dunghil, that he may ſet them with Princes, even with the Princes of his people.

3. It may be God ſaw that you had too much, and therefore out of his infinite Wiſdom, and Love, he hath brought you low. There is danger in having too much, as well as too little. Agur prayeth againſt too great riches, as well as againſt poverty, Prov. 30.7,8. Give me not riches leſt I be full, and deny thee, and ſay, who is the Lord. God brought Gideons Army of two and thirty thouſand to three hundred, and gave this reaſon, they were too many for him to give the Midianites into their hands, leſt Iſrael ſhould vaunt himſelf, ſaying, Mine hand hath ſaved me, Judges 7.2,3,4,7. Poſſibly for ſome ſuch reaſon God hath leſſened your Eſtates, leſt you ſhould vaunt your ſelves, or think that you were maintained by your Eſtates, and not by the Providence of God. It may be God ſaw that your Eſtates were ſo great, that they would have hindred you entrance in at the ſtrait gate, Mat. 19.23,24. and therefore he leſſened them that you might have a ſafer and more eaſie paſſage into the Kingdom of Heaven. Would you be angry with that Phyſician that ſhould draw away a great quantity of blood when as it did endanger your lives? you have far leſs cauſe of being angry with God for taking away a great part of your Eſtates when they did endanger the ſalvation of your ſouls.

4. Though your loſſes have been very great, yet take heed of murmuring and repining againſt God, leſt he take away greater things from you. By murmuring you will provoke God to take away your lives, 1 Cor. 10.10. Neither murmure you, as ſome of them murmured, and were deſtroyed of the deſtroyer. Now to loſe life, is a far greater loſs, than to loſe an Eſtate. By murmuring you are in danger to loſe the favour of God, Numb. 11.1. When the people complained, it diſpleaſed the Lord, and the Lord heard it, and his anger was kindled. To loſe Gods favour is more than to loſe our lives, for Pſal. 63.3. Thy loving kindeneſs is better than life.

SECT. 2.

Obj. 2. I have loſt all that ever I had, and am quite undone; though my loſſes had been great, if I had any thing left I ſhould have been contented; but will you blame me for being diſcontented when I have loſt all that I was worth in the world, and am quite undone.

Anſw. 1. God ſaw it was needful and expedient for the accompliſhing of his deſigns in order to the promoting of your good, to take away all that you had; for God ſends no more of any affliction than we need, 1 Pet. 1.6.—for a ſeaſon (if need be) ye are in heavineſs through manifold temptations. It may be God ſaw nothing leſs than the taking all that you had would take off your affections from the world, or lead you to repentance, or put you upon living by Faith; you may be aſſured, that upon ſome account or other God ſaw it needful to take away your whole Eſtates from you, elſe he would not have dealt thus with you.

2. By undoing you, God aims at ſaving of you. He hath undone you in your outward Eſtates, that he may ſave your Souls, 2 Cor. 1.6. Whether we be afflicted, it is for your conſolation and ſalvation, which is effectual (or as it is in the Margin, is wrought) in the enduring of the ſame ſufferings which we alſo ſuffer. The Apoſtle telleth us here, that the Corinthians enduring the ſame ſufferings which he ſuffered, was an effectual means of working out their ſalvation. Now a great part of the Apoſtles ſufferings lay in the ſuffering the loſs of all things, Phil. 3.8. It is Gods deſign to prevent our being undone to all eternity, when he chaſtneth us in this world, 1 Cor. 11.32. When we are judged, we are chaſtned of the Lord, that we ſhould not be condemned with the world. Hath that man any cauſe to complain whom God undoeth here, to prevent his being undone to all eternity?

3. If ever you forſook any of your enjoyments for Chriſt, or gave any thing to the poor Members of Chriſt, or any other poor people for Chriſts ſake, then you have not loſt all; for whatever you have given to the poor, or forſaken upon the account of Chriſt or the Goſpel, all that is yours ſtill; it is money laid up in a ſafe hand, which ſhall be returned to you with an hundred fold encreaſe, Prov. 19.17. He that hath pity upon the poor, lendeth unto the Lord, and that which he hath given will he pay him again. That which is given to the poor is not loſt, it is but lent, and it is lent to one that will pay what is lent, with intereſt. You that could not ſee the poor lack when you had wherewithal to relieve them, God will not ſuffer you to lack any thing that is good for you, Prov. 28.27. He that giveth to the poor ſhall not lack. And what is ſaid of that which is given to the poor, the ſame may be ſaid of that which hath been forſaken upon the account of Chriſt and the Goſpel, it is not loſt, but put out to intereſt, and ſhall be rendered to us again with an hundred fold encreaſe; if not in the ſame kinde, in ſome other thing as good, or better, Matth. 19.29. Every one that hath for ſaken houſes, or Brethren, or Siſters, or Father, or Mother, or Wife, or Children, or Lands for my Names ſake, ſhall receive an hundred fold, and ſhall inherit everlaſting life. And that this hundred fold is not meant of the recompence that we ſhall have in heaven, but of that reward that we ſhall have in this preſent life; beſides eternal life in the other world, is evident from Mark 10.29,30. Luke 18.29,30.

4. Though you have loſt all that you had, yet you have not loſt any of the Promiſes or the Providence of God. You are as rich in promiſes as ever. You have God in many Bonds, which are of more value than the whole world. Though the Fire had conſumed all your Goods, yet it hath conſumed none of your Bonds, I mean none of the Promiſes wherein God hath bound himſelf by promiſe, that you ſhall want no good thing, but that he will ſtand by you all your dayes, and ſupply all your needs. I will put you in minde of two or three of thoſe many promiſes that the Lord hath made to this purpoſe, which are more worth than all the Gold and Silver of the world, Phil. 4.19. My God ſhall ſupply all your need, according to his riches in glory by Jeſus Chriſt. Heb. 13.5. Let your converſation be without covetouſneſs, and be content with ſuch things as ye have; for he bath ſaid, I will never leave thee nor forſake thee. Mat. 6.33. Seek ye firſt the Kingdom of God, and his righteouſneſs, and all theſe things ſhall be added unto you. All theſe things—that is, food and raiment, and all things that are neceſſary for this life, of which Chriſt was ſpeaking in the foregoing verſes. And as you have not loſt the promiſes of God, ſo neither have you loſt his providence; he will take as much care of you now your Eſtates are gone, as he did when you enjoyed them, 1 Pet. 5,7. Caſting all your care upon him, for he careth for you. It is not ſaid, who did care for you, but he careth for you; implying, that God doth, and ever will continue his care for his people.

5. Though you have loſt all, yet it is poſſible for you to be as contented as if you had all the world. The Apoſtle Paul ſuffered the loſs of all things for Chriſt, Phil. 3.8. yet he was as full of contentment in his greateſt wants, as in his greateſt abundance, Phil. 4.11,12,13. When he had nothing, he was as well content as if he had enjoyed the whole world, 2 Cor. 6.10. As having nothing, and yet poſſeſſing all things.

6. Have you not forfeited all that ever you did enjoy, either by your unthankfulneſs, or by not ſerving God cheerfully for the abundance of all things, Deut. 28.47,48. or by ſome other means? if ſo, you have no occaſion to complain of God for taking away all that you had from you.

7. Though you have loſt all your Eſtates, ſay not, we are undone; for if ye be ſuch as have Faith in Chriſt, and live godly lives, God is yours, and Chriſt is yours, and Heaven is yours, and this world is yours, and things preſent, and things to come, are yours, yea, all things are yours, 1 Cor. 3.21,22,23. All things are yours, whether Paul, or Apollo, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things preſent, or things to come, all are yours, and ye are Chriſts, and Chriſt is Gods.

SECT. 3.

Obj. 3: I do not know how I ſhall do to live, now I have loſt my Eſtate; if I could but tell how to live, I could be content, though my loſſes had been very great; but becauſe I cannot tell how I ſhall live, now my livelihood is taken from me, this perplexeth and troubleth my minde very ſorely.

Anſw. 1. You have as much left you as you brought into this world, for 1 Tim. 6.7. We brought nothing into this world—we brought not ſo much as a rag to cover our nakedneſs withal, Job 1.21. Naked came I out of my Mothers womb.—And though you came into the world in this poor condition, yet you have lived comfortably and plentifully, many dayes, yea many years together; and cannot God provide comfortably and plentifully many years more, though all that ever you had be taken from you. If you ſay, when I was born into the world I had a Father, and a Mother, and other Friends, that took care of me, to provide food, and raiment, and all things for me; but now I have no Friends that will take care for me. I anſwer, It was not your Parents, or your Friends, that fed you, and clothed you, but God, by them. Jacob lived many years in his Fathers houſe, and afterwards with his Uncle Laban, about 20. years; yet he doth not ſay his Father fed him for ſo many years; and then his Uncle Laban nouriſhed him; but he ſaith, it was God that fed him all the dayes of his life, Gen. 48.15. The God which fed me all my life long unto this day.

2. How did you live before, by your Eſtates, or by the Providence of God? not by your Eſtates, but by the Providence of God; if you think otherwiſe, conſider ſuch Scriptures as theſe, Acts 17.28. In him we live, and move, and have our being, Deut. 8.3. Man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord, doth man live. Pſal. 66.8,9. O bleſs our God, ye people—which holdeth our ſoul in life. Pſal. 36.6.—O Lord thou preſerveſt man and beaſt. Now if it be God, and not your Eſtates that have maintained you hitherto, why ſhould you diſtruſt him for the time to come? Is the Lords hand ſhortned? Is he not as able to provide for you as ever he was?

3. Remember the counſel of our Lord and Saviour Jeſus Chriſt, Math. 6.25. Take no thought for your life, what ye ſhall eat, and what ye ſhall drink, nor yet for your body what ye ſhall put on: is not the life more than meat, and the body than rayment? If the life be more than meat, then doubt not but that God who hath given you your lives, will give you meat to maintain your lives, and he who gave you your bodies will give you raiment to cloath your bodies withal.

4. If all that you have be conſumed, and you have nothing to live upon, live by Faith upon the promiſe and providence of God, Hab. 2.4. The juſt ſhall live by his Faith. We are not to live by Faith for ſpiritual bleſſings only, but alſo for temporal. And we ought to truſt God as firmly by virtue of his promiſes, when we have nothing left, as well as when we enjoy greateſt plenty.

SECT. 4.

Obj. 4. I do make a ſhift to live for the preſent, but now I have loſt my Eſtate, I am afraid I ſhall come to want before I dye, and the fear of want lyeth heavy upon me; were it not that I feared I ſhould want, my loſſes would not much trouble me.

Anſw. 1. If you fear want now your Eſtates are gone, and did not fear any ſuch thing while you enjoyed your Eſtates, this is a ſign that you made your riches your confidence, and not God, and that is a fearful ſin, Job 31.24,28. If I have made gold my hope, or have ſaid unto the fine gold, Thou art my confidence—This were an iniquity to be puniſhed by the judge, for I ſhould have denied the God that is above.

2. Have you not food and raiment ſufficient for the day? if ſo, do the work of the preſent day cheerfully, and bear the croſſes of the day patiently, and caſt the care of to morrow upon God: By to morrow you may be in heaven, where you ſhall need none of theſe things, Mat. 6.34. Take no thought for the morrow, for the morrow ſhall take thought for the things of it ſelf, ſufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

3. Conſider your relation to God. 1. God is your Shepherd, and thereupon you may be aſſured that you ſhall not want, Pſal. 23.1. The Lord is my Shepherd, I ſhall not want. David doth not ſay I am King of Iſrael, I ſhall not want, or I have a great Eſtate, or I have rich Friends, I ſhall not want; but he grounds his confidence that he ſhould not want upon this, that God was his Shepherd. Now every godly man in his loweſt eſtate hath God for his Shepherd, and thereupon may be confident that he ſhall never want. 2. God is your Father, and Fathers will not ſee their children want when it is in the power of their hands to relieve their wants, Luke 11.11. If a Son ſhall ask bread of any of you that is a Father, will he give him a ſtone? or if he ask a fiſh, will he for a fiſh give him a ſerpent. When the prodigal Son began to be in want, and goes to his Father for relief, though he had been an ungracious Son, that had ſpent all his ſubſtance in riotous courſes; yet when he came to his Father, he calls for the beſt Robe, and fatted Calf, and entertains him in a very bountiful manner, Luke 15.15,18,19,20,22,23. 3. You are members of Gods houſhold, Eph. 2.19. Ye are of the houſhold of God. Now amongſt men it is an infamous thing for a man not to provide for thoſe that are of his own houſe, 1 Tim. 5.8. If any provide not for his own, and eſpecially for thoſe of his own houſe, he hath denyed the Faith, and is worſe than an infidel. Therefore fear not but God will provide for you, ſeeing you are of his houſhold.

4. God hath given you many precious promiſes to aſſure you that you ſhall not want, Pſal. 34.9,10. O fear the Lord, ye his Saints, for there is no want to them that fear him. The young Lions do lack and ſuffer hunger, but they that ſeek the Lord ſhall not want any good thing. Pſal. 37.3. Truſt in the Lord, and do good, and verily thou ſhalt be fed. If your money to but in proviſion ſhould fail, then God will take care that your bread ſhall be given you. Iſa. 33.16. He ſhall dwell on high, his place of defence ſhall be the munitions of rocks, bread ſhall be given him, and his waters ſhall be ſure. More promiſes to this purpoſe you may ſee, Mat. 6.33. Phil. 4 19. Heb. 13.5.

5. Conſider Gods providence towards his creatures, that is a great means to quiet the heart againſt the fear of want, as 1. Conſider Gods providence towards the birds, and beaſts, and other inferiour creatures. There is not one living creature that flieth in the air, or creepeth on the face of the earth, but God taketh care of it, and provideth it food, Pſal. 145.15,16. The eyes of all wait upon thee, and thou giveſt them their meat in due ſeaſon, thou openeſt thine hand, and ſatisfieſt the deſire of every living thing. Pſal. 104.27,28. Theſe all (that is, all ſorts of creatures ſpoken of in the foregoing Verſes) wait upon thee, that thou mayeſt give them their meat in due ſeaſon, that thou giveſt them they gather, thou openeſt thine hand, they are filled with good. There is an innumerable company of theſe creatures, Pſal. 104.25. yet God feedeth them all, and giveth every one its proper food, and that in due ſeaſon, and as much in due ſeaſon as ſatisfieth them; as is implyed in the fore-quoted Scriptures. The birds have no barns, nothing laid up before hand, they have no body to look after them, they have young ones to provide for; yet God feeds them in the hardeſt Winters as well as in the warm Summer, Matth. 6.26: Behold the fowls of the air, for they ſow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them, are ye not much better than they? God values a man much more than any other creatures, Luke 12.7. Ye are of more value than many ſparrows. Mat. 12.12. How much better is a man than a ſheep? The care that God taketh for man is far greater than the care that he taketh for his other creatures, 1 Cor. 9.9,10. Doth God take care for Oxen? or faith he it altogether for our ſakes? for our ſakes no doubt this is written. Now if God provideth bountifully for thoſe creatures that are far inferiour to man, and for whom he doth not care ſo much as he doth for man, why ſhould we fear he will not provide for us? 2. Conſider Gods providence towards wicked men, he makes their cup to run over, they are oft-times full of Wealth, Pſal. 17.13,14. Deliver my ſoul from the wicked, which is thy Sword—whoſe belly thou filleſt with hid treaſure, they are full of children, and leave the reſt of their ſubſtance to their babes. Wicked men are Gods enemies, godly men are his friends: If God fill the bellies of his enemies with his hid treaſure, ſhall we think that he will let his friends ſtarve? 3. Conſider Gods providence towards the poor, he taketh a ſpecial charge of ſuch as are poor, and in diſtreſs, Pſal. 146.9. The Lord preſerveth the ſtrangers, he relieveth the fatherleſs, and widow. Pſal. 132.15. I will abundantly bleſs her proviſion, I will ſatisfie her poor with bread. The widow that had but an handful of meal, and a little cruſe of oyl, was maintained therewith, both her ſelf, and her houſhold, as comfortably as thoſe that were owners of Olive-yards, and had great Eſtates, 1 Kings 18.12,14,15. 4. Conſider Gods providence towards your ſelves in particular, when you hung upon your Mothers breaſts, before you knew God, or had an heart to ſeek him, he took the care of you, and provided for you, and do you think that he will forſake you, and caſt you off, now that he hath made known himſelf unto you, and poured out a ſpirit of grace and ſupplications upon you.

SECT. 5.

Obj. 5. I have not only loſt all that I had, but I have loſt much of other mens goods, I am greatly in debt, and by my late loſſes, I am diſenabled from paying my debts, and this troubleth me exceedingly when I think how much I am in debt, and that I ſee no way how I ſhould be able to pay my debts before I die.

Anſw. 1. We ſhould avoid running into debt what we can, and when we have contracted any Debts, we ſhould labour to pay them ſo ſoon as we can: for this is according to the Apoſtles rule, Rom. 13.8. Owe no man any thing, but to love one another; and therefore in regard of the great uncertainty of all humane affairs, we ſhould take heed of graſping after too great things beyond what we can reach with our own ſtock, and which will neceſſitate us to borrow great ſums of money, left we ſhould be cut off before we can accompliſh the payment of our debts.

2. A man man may be a juſt man, and live and die with a good conſcience, though he ſhould not have wherewithal to pay his Debts, provided that he bear this minde to pay every man his own as far as he is able, and purpoſeth in himſelf, that if ever God make him able, he will pay all his debts, and to the intent that he may be able, he liveth frugally, and followeth his calling diligently, and ſeeketh Gods bleſſing upon his labours, Heb. 13.18. We truſt we have a good conſcience in all things, willing to live honeſtly. That man that hath a good conſcience, who is willing in all things to live honeſtly. Juſtice is deſired to be Conſtans & perpetuavoluntas jus ſuum cuique tribuendi. So that he is to be eſteemed a juſt and righteous man, that hath a conſtant and perpetual will and deſire to give unto every man his own, though ſome invincible impediments may lie in his way, whereby he may not be able to perform that which he would do. It is true that the Pſalmiſt giveth it for a character of a wicked man to borrow, and not to pay what is borrowed, Pſal. 37.21. The wicked borroweth and payeth not again. But this is to be underſtood of ſuch as fraudulently detain what was borrowed, or diſable themſelves from paying their debts by idleneſs, luxury, prodigality, &c. and not of ſuch as would pay all that they owe, but are diſabled by Gods providence.

3. Cry to God that 〈◊〉 would finde out ſome way for you, and rai •… up ſome ſupplies whereby you may be able to pay you Debts. When one of the Sons of the Prophets was felling a beam, and the axe head fell into the water, he cries out to the Prophet, 2 Kings 6.5. Alas Maſter, for it was borrowed. And the widow that was in debt, crie • • o Eliſha to help her, and he did help both the one and the other. The God of Eliſha is more merciful, and can do greater things than Eliſha; therefore do you that are in debt cry unto the Lord, and ſee what he will do for you. The willingneſs of God to help poor Debters to get out of Debt, may be ſeen ſeveral waves. I will mention two, 1. God wrought two Moracles for this end, to enable thoſe that were in debt to pay their debts. The one was the multiplying the Widows oyl, 1 Kings 4.1. to the 8. verſe. The other was the making iron to ſwim, that the axe that was borrowed might be reſtored to the owner, 1 Kings 6.5,6,7. Now Gods working Miracles to help poor people pay their debts, may encourage thoſe that are in debt to cry to God to help them. 2. God commandeth us to own no man any thing, Rom. 13.8. And we need not doubt but God is willing to help us to keep his Commandments.

And as you ſhould cry to God to help you out of debt, ſo alſo humble your ſouls for your ſins; for ſometimes contracting of debts is inflicted as a judgement for ſin, Deut 28.15,43,44. If thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God to obſerve to do all his Commandments—The ſtranger that is within thee ſhall get above thee very high, and thou ſhalt be very low, he ſhall lend to thee, and thou ſhalt not lend to him, he ſhall be the head, and thou ſhalt be the tail. The Lord hath promiſed concerning ſuch as are careful to keep his Commandments, that he will not only help them to pay their debts, but he will ſo bleſs them that they ſhall have no need of borrowing, but ſhall be in a capacity to lend to others, Deut. 15.4,5,6. The Lord thy God ſhall greatly bleſs thee—Only if thou carefully hearken to the voice of the Lord thy God—and thou ſhalt lend unto many Nations, and ſhalt not borrow. The like is promiſed, Deut. 28.12,13. The Lord ſhall open unto thee his good treaſure, the heaven, to give the rain unto thy land in his ſeaſon, and to bleſs all the work of thine hand, and thou ſhalt lend unto many Nations, and ſhalt not borrow, And the Lord ſhall make thee the head, and not the tail, and thou ſhalt be above only, and thou ſhalt not be beneath, if that thou hearken unto the Commandments of the Lord thy God, which I command thee this day to obſerve, and to do them. Plead theſe promiſes with God, and encourage your ſelves to hope in God to finde out ſome way whereby you may pay your debts. And if God do anſwer your Prayers, and raiſe up means for you whereby to get out of debt, pay off your debts as faſt as you can. When God had multiplyed the oyl of the widow that was in debt, the Prophet giveth her this advice, 1 Kings 4.7. Go, ſell the oyl, and pay thy debt, and live thou and thy Children of the reſt.

4. It hath been the lot of men, fearing God, to die in debt, and not to leave wherewithal to pay their debts. We read of one of the Sons of the Prophets who did fear God, that died in debt, and left no goods behinde him, not any thing in the houſe but a pot of oyl; ſo that the Creditors came to ſeize upon his Children for bond-men, 2 Kings 4.1,2. There cried a certain woman of the Wives of the Sons of the Prophets unto Eliſha, ſaying, Thy ſervant my husband is dead, and thou knoweſt that thy Servant did fear the Lord, and the Creditor is come to take unto him my two Sons, for Bond-men; and Eliſha ſaid unto her, What haſt thou in the houſe? and ſhe ſaid, thine handmaid hath not any thing in the houſe, ſave a pot of oyl. So that if after all your endeavours you ſhould not be able to pay your debts, but ſhould die in debt, and leave nothing behinde you, this may be ſome comfort, that this hath been the condition of ſome eminent Servants of God; for ſuch was this widows husband, he was one of the Sons of the Prophets, he was known to be a man fearing God, Thou knoweſt that thy ſervant did fear the Lord. Yet he died in debt, and left not any thing to pay his debts withal.

5. If you ſhould be unable to pay your debts that you owe to men, yet make ſure you get your debts, that you owe to God, blotted out of Gods Book of Remembrance. Our ſins are our debts, Mat. 6.12. Forgive us our debts, compared with Luke 11.4. Forgive us our ſins. We ſhould be more ſolicitous about getting theſe debts paid than any whatever; and becauſe we have nothing of our own to pay, we ſhould go to the Lord Jeſus, who is our ſurety, and deſire him to undertake for us. What is ſaid of the men of Iſraels reſorting to David, 1 Sam. 22.2. Every one that was in diſtreſs, and every one that was in debt, and every one that was diſcontented, gathered themſelves unto him, and he became a captain over them. The like ſhould we do, when we have any thing burdens, and diſcontents, and troubles our mindes, whether it be debt, or any other diſtreſs, we ſhould reſort unto Jeſus Chriſt, and he will give us eaſe, Mat. 11.28, Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you reſt.

SECT. 6.

Obj. 6. I am brought into much miſery and great ſtraits already by my loſſes, and may in a little time go through a great deal more, and this doth much diſquiet my minde.

Anſw. 1. Murmuring will not leſſen your miſery, but encreaſe it; for there is more evil in the leaſt ſin, than in the greateſt affliction: murmuring will not procure you enlargement out of your ſtraits, but rather cauſe God to lay more burden upon you, until he hath humbled and ſubdued your ſpirit, and cauſed you to accept of the puniſhment of your iniquity.

2. Call not your afflictions, wherewith God correcteth you for to promote your ſpiritual and eternal welfare, your miſery; rather account them a part of your happineſs, James 5.11. Behold we count them happy which endure, Job 5.17. Behold, happy is the man whom God correcteth, therefore deſpiſe not thou the chaſtning of the Almighty. Pſal. 94.12. Bleſſed is the man whom thou chaſteneſt, O Lord, and teacheſt out of thy law. We ſhould be ſo far from diſquieting our ſelves, becauſe of our afflictions, that we ſhould account it a matter of great joy when God is pleaſed to exerciſe us with divers temptations, James 1.2. My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations.

3. Obſerve in this time of your affliction, what ſins God ſets before you, as the ground and cauſe of your preſent ſtraits, and be excited by the ſmart of the rod to humble your ſouls, and ſet upon the work of repentance, and God will ſoon turn your adverſity into proſperity, and your ſtraits into enlargement, Job 36.8,9,10,11,16. If they be bound in fetters, and be holden in cords of affliction, then he ſheweth them their work, and their tranſgreſſion, that they have exceeded, he openeth alſo their ear to Diſcipline, and commandeth that they return from iniquity. If they obey and ſerve him, they ſhall ſpend their dayes in proſperity, and their years in pleaſure—Even ſo would he have removed thee out of the ſtrait into a broad place, where there is no ſtraitneſs, and that which ſhould be ſet on thy table, ſhould be full of fatneſs.

SECT. 7.

Obj. 7. My Family is undone by this loſs: if I were a ſingle perſon, and none but my ſelf were concerned in it, I could bear it cheer fully; but I have Wife and Children, and if God ſhould take me away, I can leave them nothing, and this troubles me.

Anſw. 1. It is the duty of Parents to provide for their Children, 2 Cor. 12.14. Children ought not to lay up for their Parents, but Parents for their Children; and ſuch perſons as ſpend their Eſtates in Gaming, Drinking, or other riotous courſes, whereby they begger their Children, are worſe than Inſiders, 1 Tim. 5.8. If any provide not for his own, and eſpecially for thoſe of his own houſe, he hath denied the Faith, and is worſe than an Infidel. But if a man out of conſcience towards God hath endeavoured to make proviſion for his Children, and God doth fruſtrate his endeavours, this is his affliction, but not his ſin.

2. Though you can leave your Children little or nothing, yet God may raiſe them up to great Eſtates, and to •… igh Preferments after you are dead and gone, Job 14.21. His ſont come to honour, and he knoweth it not. Pſal. 113.7,8. He raiſeth up the poor out of the duſt, and lifteth the needy out of the dunghil, that he may ſet him with Princes, even with the Princes of his people, Pſal. 112.1,2,3. Bleſſed is the man that feareth the Lord, that delighteth greatly in his Commandments, his ſeed ſhall be mighty upon earth; the generation of the upright ſhall be bleſſed, health and riches ſhall be in his houſe.

3. Though you can leave your Children little or nothing, poſſibly it may be as well, or better for them, than if you had left them great Eſtates; for their Eſtates might have been temptations to others to have made a prey of them, and temptations to themſelves to have lived in Idleneſs, Luxury, &c. Children that are left with great Eſtates, do as frequently miſcarry, as thoſe that are left with leſs.

4. If your Family ſhould be undone by this loſs, yet ſeeing it is the Lords doing, you muſt ſubmit your ſelves to God. You muſt leave all your Family concernments as well as perſonal, to Gods diſpoſal. God threatned Eli with the ruine of his Family, and tells him that his off-ſpring ſhould crouch for a morſel of bread, 1 Sam. 2.36. There were ſuch heavy things denounced againſt his Family, as were enough to make both the ears of every one that heard thereof to tingle, 1 Sam. 3.11,12,13,14. Yet Eli bears all patiently, becauſe it was the Lords doing, 1 Sam. 3.18. It is the Lord, let him do what ſeemeth him good. As David comforted himſelf under his Family afflictions, by virtue of Gods Covenant, made with his own ſoul, 2 Sam. 23.5. Although my houſe be not ſo with God, yet he hath made with me an everlaſting covenant, ordered in all things and ſure; for this is all my ſalvation, and all my deſire, although he make it not to grow. The like conſolation may every godly man draw from Gods Covenant, when his Family is, or he foreſeeth it is like to be in an afflicted condition.

5. Say not, your Family is undone, though you have loſt all your Eſtate, ſo that you can leave your Wives and Children nothing; for though a godly man can leave his Children no viſible Eſtate, yet he leaveth them that which is far better than hundreds, yea, than thouſands by the year: For,

1. He leaveth his Children in Covenant with God, Gen. 17.7. I will eſtabliſh my Covenant between me and thee, and thy ſeed after thee in their generations, for an everlaſting Covenant, to be a God to thee and thy ſeed after thee. He leaveth them heirs of the Promiſes, Acts 2.39. The promiſe is unto you, and to your Children, Now to be left an heir of the Promiſes, to be left in Covenant with God, is far better than to be leftworth millions of money; for the bleſſings of the Covenant are better than all riches, and they are alſo more certain and durable bleſſings.

2. He leaveth them a ſtock of alms. God will recompence upon the children the alms, that have been given by their Parents, Oneſiphorus his houſe fared the better for his refreſhing of Paul, 1 Tim. 1.16. The Lord give mercy unto the houſe of Oneſiphorus, for he oft refreſhed me. And the Pſalmiſt telleth us, that the ſeed of a godly man fare the better for his acts of mercy, Pſal. 37.26. He is ever merciful, and lendeth, and his ſeed is bleſſed.

3. He leaveth his Children a ſtock of Prayers. All the Prayers that he hath put up for his Childrens welfare, either civil or ſpiritual, are kept in Gods remembrance, and ſhall fall down upon their heads and hearts in due time.

4. He leaveth them Gods bleſſing, which is more worth than the whole world, Prov. 20.7. The juſt man walketh in his integrity, his Children are bleſſed after him. The fruit of his holy walking ſhall fall upon his Children, and Childrens Children, even to a thouſand generations, Exod. 20.6. Shewing mercy unto thouſands of them that love me, and keep my Commandments. A godly man leaves his Children better than if he left them as great Eſtates as any men have in the world, better than if he left them a Temporal Crown, or an earthly Kingdom.

SECT. 8.

Obj. 8. I have formerly lived high, and in good credit, and eſteem, and have kept a plentiful and bountiful Table, and now I am brought low, and muſt fare hard, and expect to be ſlighted and diſ-regarded, and I know not how to bear this; had I alwayes lived in a poor mean way, I could have born it better than to go from a high to a low condition.

Anſw. 1. It is God that hath brough you low, 1 Sam. 2.7. The Lord maketh poor, and maketh rich, he bringeth low, and lifteth up. Pſal. 75.7. God is the judge, he putteth down one, and ſetteth up another. Now no man muſt finde fault with any of Gods works, Rom. 9.20. O man, who art thou that replyeſt againſt God? ſhall the thing formed ſay to him that formed it, why haſt thou made me thus?

2. It is for our good to paſs through variety of conditions, for thereby God awakens the fear of his Name in our hearts, and ſhakes off our ſecurity, and promoteth the holineſs of our hearts and lives. A continued courſe of proſperity, without ſome changes, oft-times breeds a great deal of ſecurity and forgetfulneſs of God, Pſal. 55.19. Becauſe they have no changes, therefore they fear not God. Jer. 48.11. Moab hath been at eaſe from his youth, and he hath ſettled on his lees, and hath not been emptied from veſſel to veſſel, neither hath he gone into captivity; therefore his taſte remained in him, and his ſcent is not changed. If God by this change beger, or promote the fear of his Name in your ſouls, that will be better treaſure than any that you loſt by the late Fire, Iſa. 33.6. The fear of the Lord is his treaſure.

3. The Lord would have us be ſo far from being dejected at our croſſes, that he would have us eſteem them a ground of joy, Jam. 1.2. My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations. He would have men of high degree rejoyce when they are brought low, as well as men of low degree to rejoyce when they are exalted, James 1.9,10. Let the brother of low degree rejoyce in that he is exalted, but the rich in that he is made low.

3. Remember how contentedly our Lord Jeſus Chriſt bore his ſtate of humiliation. Though he was Lord of all things, yet for our ſakes he became poor, and took upon himſelf the form of a Servant, and made himſelf of no reputation to bring us unto eternal glory, 2 Cor. 8.9. Ye know the Grace of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, that though he was rich, yet for your ſakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich, Phil. 2.5,6,7. Let this minde be in you which was in Chriſt Jeſus, who being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God, but made himſelf of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a Servant. Yet there never came one diſcontented word out of Chriſts month, neither did there ariſe one repining thought in his minde, throughout all the dayes of his humiliation. Obſerve alſo how contentedly the ſervants of God have born their changes, when God hath brought them from an high, to a low condition. When David was driven from his Kingdom, and neceſſitated to flee to ſave his life, he quietly ſubmits himſelf to God, 2 Sam. 15.26. When he that was honoured by all the Princes and Elders of Iſrael, had a man of Belial came and curſed him to his face, David puts up all his railing language with a meek and quiet ſpirit, 2 Sam. 16.5,6,7,8,9,10,11.

5. Though you be brought very low, and thoſe that were your friends in the day of your proſperity, ſhould now ſlight and diſ-regard you, yet if you continue to ſerve the Lord, he will reſpect and regard you as much as ever he did, Pſal. 136.26. Who remembred us in our low eſtate, for his mercy endureth for ever, Pſal. 106.43,44,45. They provoked him with their counſel, and were brought low for their iniquity, nevertheleſs he regarded their efftiction, when he heard their cry, and he remembred for them his Covenant, and repented, according to the multitude of his mercies. If your hearts be lowly, as well as your conditions low, the moſt high God will reſpect you more than all the great men upon the face of the earth that are of a proud ſpirit, Pſal. 138.6. Though the Lord be high, yet hath he reſpect unto the lowly, but the proud he knoweth afar off. Whatever account men may have of the Servants of God, the Lord eſteemeth very highly of them. He counts them his Jewels, Mal. 3.17. It is ſaid of them, Iſa. 62.3. Thou ſhalt be a Crown of Glory in the hand of the Lord, and a royal Diadem in the hand of thy God. This high eſteem that God hath of you, may abundantly ſatisfie you under all the ſlights and diſ-reſpect that you meet with from men.

6. If you be brought to fare hard and meanly by this providence, whereas before you had a very plentiful table, this ſhould not trouble you: for 1. God can make a courſe and mean diet conduce as much to your health and nouriſhment, as the richeſt fare in the world. Daniel and his three companions, who eat nothing but pulſe, and drank water, were of a fairer countenance, and fatter in fleſh, than all the children which did eat the portion of the Kings meat, Dan. 1.12,13,14,15. 2. Though you ſhould be brought to fare very hard, yet as good, and better men than you are, have fared harder than you, and yet did not murmur againſt God. We read of an hundred men that were the Lords Prophets, that lived in a cave with bread and water, 1 Kings 18.13. John the Baptiſt was a great perſon: Our Saviour telleth us, that among them that were born of women, there was not a greater than John the Baptiſt, Matth. 11.11. Yet both his habit and diet were very mean. John had his raiment of Camels hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins, and his meat was locuſts and wilde honey, Mat. 3.4. and he drank neither wine nor ſtrong drink, Luke 1.15. Our Saviour himſelf eat very courſe diet, and yet was thankful for it. When many of his friends were about him, that came to hear his word, he had nothing better to refreſh himſelf after his labours, and to give to his Diſciples and thoſe that followed him, but Barley Bread and Fiſh, and they had no ſeats to ſit upon at their meat, but the graſs; yet Jeſus Chriſt lift up his eyes and gave thanks, John 6.9,10,11. Another time being weary and thirſty, he had nothing better than water to quench his thirſt, and he could not with once asking obtain a draught of water to quench his thirſt, John 4.6,7,9. Jeſus being wearied with his journey, ſate on the well. There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water; Jeſus ſaith unto her, give me to drink: then ſaith the woman, How is it that thou being a Jew, askeſt drink of me which am a woman of Samaria? 3. The meaner your diet is, the leſs will be your temptation to exceſs. Such as fare deliciouſly every day, are under a great temptation to make their belly their God, which is a fin that will bring unavoidable deſtruction, Phil. 3.19. whoſe end is deſtruction, whoſe belly is their God. 4. God hath given ſuch of you as are his ſervants, his Son who is the bread of life, the bread that came down from heaven, John 6.48,51. and the water of life, John 4.10. and why ſhould you be diſcontented, becauſe your dyet is mean, who have meat to eat that the world knows not of, hidden Manna? yea, who have the bread of life, and the water of life?

SECT. 9.

Obj. 9. I had a very ſweet and commodious dwelling, where I lived very comfortably, and now I am greatly unſettled; I know not well where to beſtow my ſelf, I can't light of an houſe that pleaſeth me, but am put to great ſtraits, and am much troubled for the loſs of my former habitation, and the inconvenience of my preſent abode.

Anſw. 1. You have as good dwellings ſtill as many ſervants had, who were too good to dwell in the world, Heb. 11.38. Of whom the world was not worthy, they wandered in deſerts, and in mountains, and in dens, and caves of the earth. You are as well provided for as the Apoſtles of Chriſt. Paul ſpeaking of himſelf and the other Apoſtles, ſaith, 1 Cor. 4.9,11. Even unto this preſent hour we both hunger and thirſt, and are naked, and are buffeted, and have no certain dwelling place. You are as well, and better provided for in this reſpect, than Chriſt himſelf was when he was in the world, Mat. 8.20. The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have neſts, but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.

2. Every godly man hath God for his habitation, and they that have God for their habitation, may well be contented, how inconvenient ſoever their habitation be in this world. When the Iſraelites wandered in a deſolate Wilderneſs, by the ſpace of forty years, where they had no houſes to dwell in, they were abundantly ſatisfied in this, that God was their dwelling place, Pſal. 90.1. Lord, thou haſt been our dwelling place in all generations. That this Pſalm was penned when the Iſraelites were in a wandering unſettled condition in the Wilderneſs, appeareth both from the Title, and ſeveral paſſages in the Pſalm.

3. When you are troubled at the loſs, or for the want of a convenient habitation here on earth, comfort your ſelves with the thoughts and hope of that glorious houſe which God hath prepared for you in heaven, 2 Cor. 5.1. We know if our earthly houſe of this Tabernacle were diſſolved, we have building of God, an houſe not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. The Diſciples had left their houſes, and all that they had for Chriſt, and Chriſt to comfort them, tells them of the manſions that were prepared for them in heaven, John 14.1,2. Let not your hearts be troubled—In my Fathers houſe are many manſions, if it were not ſo, I would have told you, I go to prepare a place for you. The like may I ſay to you, let not your hearts be troubled at the loſs of your houſes, though never ſo convenient, but comfort your ſelves with the expectation of thoſe glorious manſions that are prepared for you in heaven.

4. Had not God unſettled you by this Providence, it may be you would have ſettled upon your Lees, Jer. 48.11. It may be you would have ſaid in your heart, it is good being here, and would have neglected ſeeking the Kingdom of God; and therefore God out of mercy to your ſouls might unſettle you, to cauſe you to ſhake off a worldly ſpirit, and to ſtir you up to make ſure of an eternal habitation in heaven.

5. If you ſeek unto God, though your houſes be laid waſte, and your ſelves much unſettled, and know not where to fix your habitations, God will provide you as good habitations as ever you had, Pſal. 107.4,6,7. They wandered in the Wilderneſs in a ſolitary way, they found no city to dwell in, then they cried unto the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them out of their diſtreſſes, and he led them forth by the right way, that they might go to a city of habitation. Ezek. 36.9.10. Behold, I am for you, and I will turn unto you—and the Cities ſhall be inhabited, and the waſts ſhall be builded. But he adds withal that he expected they ſhould enquire of him to beſtow this, and what other mercies are promiſed in this Chapter, ver. 37. Thus ſaith the Lord God, I will yet for this be enquired of by the houſe of Iſrael to do this for them.

SECT. 10.

Obj. 10. I am by this providence diſabled from following my Calling, and thereby rendered uſeleſs and unſerviceable in my Generation, and this is that which moſt of all troubles and diſquiets my mind.

Anſw. 1. We ſhould covet earneſtly to do God and our Generation much ſervice thoſe few dayes we have to live in the world, 1 Cor. 15.58. Be ye ſtedfaſt, unmoveable, alwayes abounding in the work of the Lord— It is a ſore judgement when our dayes are ſpent unprofitably, and inflicted as a puniſhment of other ſins, Pſal. 78.32,33. They ſinned ſtill, and believed not for his wondrous works; therefore their dayes did he conſume in vanity. It argues great diſpleaſure in God, when he ſuffers us to ſpend our dayes in an unprofitable manner, Pſal. 90.9. Our dayes are paſſed away in thy wrath, we ſpend our years as a tale that is told. This Scripture implyeth that it is a great token of Gods wrath, when we ſpend our years as a tale—Now then we may be ſaid to ſpend our years as a tale, when we ſpend them idly and unprofitably; for there comes no profit in telling of Tales, 1 Tim. 4.7,8. Tales have this Epithite given them in the Scripture, Idle Tales, Luke 24.11. what our Tranſlation renders, At a tale that is told: ſome Tranſlations, as the Greek, Arabick, Syriack, and Aethiopick render, As a ſpider, or, As a ſpiders web. The ſenſe is the ſame, namely when our years are ſpent in fruitleſs labours, whereby neither we our ſelves, or others are the better for them; this is from the wrath of the Lord.

2. If we do earneſtly deſire and endeavour to ſerve the Lord and our Generation, and do long for abilities and opportunities of doing ſervice, and the Lord grant them not; or after he hath made uſe of us awhile, ſhall lay us aſide, we muſt in this caſe ſubmit our ſelves to God, and ſay as David did, 2 Sam. 15.26. If he ſay thus, I have no delight in thee, behold here am I, let him do to me as ſeemeth good unto him. There is good reaſon that we ſhould ſubmit our ſelves unto God, if he ſhould refuſe to employ us in doing him any farther ſervice, though we have never ſuch ſtrong deſires to be ſerviceable in our Generation: for 1. We are altogether unworthy to be employed in any ſervice for God and Chriſt, though the meaneſt that can be thought of. What meaner ſervice could any one have, than to ſtoop down and unty Chriſts ſhooes, or to carry his ſhooes after him. Yet John the Baptiſt who was a great perſon, none that was born of women was greater than he, according as our Saviour teſtifieth of him, Mat. 11.11. He was filled with the Holy Ghoſt from his Mothers Womb, Luke 1.15. He was ſuch an holy man, that Herod the King of the Jews ſtood in awe of him, Mark 6.20. Yet this great, this holy man thought himſelf unworthy to do the leaſt or meaneſt ſervice for Chriſt, he thought himſelf unworthy to unty, or carry his ſhooes after him, Luke 3.16. One mightier than I cometh, the latchet of whoſe ſhoes I am not worthy to unlooſe, Mat. 3.11. Whoſe ſhooes I am not worthy to bear. 2. When it is in our hearts to do any ſervice for God or our Generation, God approves of what is in our hearts, though we are not able, or want opportunity to effect and bring to paſs what we deſired to do, for the advancing of the Glory of God, and promoting our own or others good, 2 Cor. 8.12. If there be a willing minde, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not. Though God did not permit David to build him an houſe, yet God was pleaſed that there was a deſire and purpoſe in his heart to have done this thing, and commends him for it, 1 Kings 8.18,19. The Lord ſaid unto David, whereas it was in thine heart to build an houſe to my name, thou didſt well that it was in thine heart, nevertheleſs thou ſhalt not build the houſe— 3. God is the Lord and maſter of the whole world, and it belongs to the maſter of the houſe to take what ſervants he pleaſeth, and to ſet them about what work he pleaſeth, and put them out of his ſervice when he pleaſeth. We that are maſters of Families take this liberty to our ſelves, and ſhall not we grant that to God which we take to our ſelves?

3. If you are troubled becauſe you are diſabled from ſerving God and your Generation, uſe what means you can to prevail with God to call you again into a way of ſervice, and to render you uſeful in your Generation, I will commend to you ſome means whereby you may prevail with God to make uſe of you to do him ſervice in your Generation. 1. Purge out your ſins, and labour for ſanctified hearts and lives: Sanctified perſons are meet for Gods uſe, and he delighteth to employ them in his Service, 2 Tim. 2.21. If a man purge himſelf from theſe, he ſhall be a veſſel unto honour, ſanctified and meet for his maſters uſe, and prepared unto every good work. 2. Act your faith upon the promiſes of God, wherein God hath promiſed to make his people uſeful in their places, and ſerviceable to him in their Generation. I ſhall name one or two to this purpoſe, Deut. 30.9. The Lord thy God will make thee plenteous in every work of thine hand—for good. Here are two bleſſings promiſed, the one is, that we ſhall be full of employment; the other is, that good ſhall come of what we take in hand. Something of this nature is implied in that promiſe, Mine Elect ſhall long enjoy the work of their hands, Iſa. 65.22. God hath promiſed to make us ſerviceable all the dayes of our life, Luke 1.72,74,75. To perform the mercy promiſed—that he would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hands of our enemies, might ſerve him without fear, in holineſs and righteouſneſs before him all the dayes of our life. 3. Mourn over your unſerviceableneſs, and cry unto God to admit you into his ſervice, and offer your ſelves to undertake any employment that he ſhall cut out for you, and promiſe the Lord, that if he will put you into his ſervice, that you will ſerve him with an upright heart, as David did, Pſal. 75.2. When I ſhall receive the congregation, I will judge uprightly. When the Lord ſeeth ſuch a ſpirit as this in us, he will ſoon employ us in ſome way of ſervice, as Deborah ſaid, Judg. 5.9. Mine heart is toward the Governourrs of Iſrael, that offered themſelves willingly among the people. So is Gods heart towards ſuch perſons as freely offer themſelves unto his Service; the Lord ordained it for a Law, that if a Levite came to miniſter with all the deſire of his minde, he ſhould be admitted to miniſter in the name of the Lord, Deut. 18.6,7, God will aſſuredly provide work for thoſe that do ſo highly prize his ſervice as to cry and mourn after it.

4. If you are by this providence diſabled from following your former Calling, then follow ſome other Calling; for God would have no man live without a Calling. When Adam was in Innocency, God would not permit him to be out of employment, but gave him a Calling to employ himſelf in, Gen. 2.15. And the Lord took the man, and put him into the Garden of Eden to dreſs it, and to keep it. Chuſe rather the meaneſt Calling, than to live without a calling. And if God ſo order it, that you muſt of neceſſity take a meaner, leſs honourable, and more laborious calling than you had before, be not diſcontented at it, but comply thereto with a ready and quiet minde. Moſes that was delicately brought up in a Kings Court, by the ſpace of forty years, and was ſo tenderly nurſed up by Pharaohs Daughter, as if he had been her own Son, did not diſdain to ſerve his Generation for ſeveral years in a very mean Calling, viz. the Calling of a Shepherd, Exod. 3.1. Now Moſes kept the Flock of Jethro his Father-in-law. It is ſaid of David, that he ſerved his Generation according to the will of God, Acts 13.36. When it was the will of God that he ſhould ſerve his Generation as a Shepherd, he was content to be a Shepherd, and when it was the will of God that he ſhould ſerve his Generation as a King, he was content to be a King, when afterward God drove him from his Kingdom, and put him into the condition of an Exile, he was content with that condition alſo, 2 Sam. 15.25,26. It is probable that our Saviour himſelf wrought in the Calling of a Carpenter ſome time before he entered into the Calling of the Miniſtry (and that is both a mean and laborious Calling) and this may be gathered from his Countreymens upbraiding him with this Calling, Mark. 6.2,3. From whence hath this man theſe things▪ and what wiſdom is this which is given to him, that even ſuch mighty work are wrought by his hands? Is not this the Carpenter; the Son of Mary?

If you ſay we would willingly follow ſome other Calling, now we are diſabled from following our former Callings, but we do not know, what Callings to fix upon. How ſhall we come to underſtand our way, and to know what Callings God would have us make choice of, now he hath diſabled us from following our former Callings?

Anſw. 1. Ask counſel of God what Callings he would have you make choice of, that ſo you may ſerve your Generation arcording to the will of God, and not according to your own will. The Lord hath promiſed to direct you in your choice, if you ſeek to him for counſel, Prov. 3.6. In all thy wayes acknowledge him, and he ſhall direct thy paths. Pſal. 25.12. What man is he that feareth the Lord? him ſhall he teach in the way that he ſhall chooſe.

2. Conſider your own abilities, both in reſpect of parts and skill, and alſo in reſpect of your ſtock that you have left to trade withal; and what Calling you finde your ſelf beſt able to manage, that you may make choice of, and look upon it as Gods minde that you ſhould embrace it; for Gods diſtributing of abilities for an employment is one principal ingredient in thoſe things which concur to the making out of our call to that employment, 1 Cor. 7.17. As God hath diſtributed to every man, as God hath called every one.

3. Conſider how God enclines your heart after you have ſought him, for Gods call to an employment may be gathered by his inclining of the heart unto it, as in the caſe of the Levite, Deut. 18.7,8. The ardent deſire of his minde was one way of evidencing his call to Miniſters in the Name of the Lord his God.

4. Obſerve Gods providence, which way that guides and leads you, whileſt you are waiting upon God for counſel, for that is one way by which God guides and directs us, namely by his providence, Pſ. 32.8. I will inſtruct, and teach thee in the way which thou ſhalt go, I will guide thee with mine eye. By the eye of God, with which he will guide us, we may underſtand his providence, for ſo the eye of God is oft-times uſed to ſignifie his providence, as Pſal. 34.15. Pſal. 33.18,19. It is true, many men run into great miſtakes, by pretending to follow providence; but this doth dot hinder, but that ſuch as regulate their lives by the word of God, may in many caſes receive light and direction from his Providence.

5. Conſider what Calling hath leaſt temptations and ſnares in it, and chuſe that rather than a calling where you are like to be expoſed to many temptations. We ought as much as in us lieth to avoid temptations, elſe why do we pray, Lead us not into temptation: Mat. 6.13.

SECT. 11.

Obj. 11. I am afraid this Judgment came in wrath, and that God is angry with me, becauſe he hath conſumed and burnt all my Eſtate, and that is it which moſt of all diſquiets and troubles my minde; namely, that I look upon this Judgment as coming in wrath, and do apprehend God is angry with me.

Anſw. 1. When God ſends ſuch great and dreadful Judgments upon any place as the late Fire was, it is a token of his fierce anger, and of his hot diſpleaſure, Pſal. 78.21. The Lord heard this and was wrath, ſo a fire was kindled againſt Jacob, and anger alſo came up againſt Iſrael: Iſa. 66.15. Behold the Lord will come with fire to render his anger with fury, and his rebuke with flames of fire.

2. If this Judgement did come upon you in wrath, yet you muſt bear it with a patient ſubmiſſive ſpirit, Micha 7.9. I will bear the indignation of the Lord, becauſe I have ſinned againſt him. To free or murmur at the taken of Gods wrath, is not the way to appeaſe, but to increaſe the indignation of the Lord.

3. If you conceive that God is angry with you, do what you can to pacifie his anger. Solomon obſerves, Prov. 16.14. The wrath of a King is as meſſengers of death, but a wiſe man will pacifie it. The wrath of God is more dreadful th • n the wrath of all the Kings in the world; and therefore if you do apprehend God to be angry with you, endeavour to get the Lords anger pacified and turned away from you. If you ask, How ſhall we get Gods anger pacified and turned away from us. I anſwer, 1. Turn from your ſins, and God will turn away his anger from you; Jonah, 8.9. Let them turn every one from his evil way, and from the violence that is in their hands, who can tell if God will turn and repent, and turn away from his fierce anger, that we periſh not? Jer. 3.12. Return thou back-ſliding Iſrael, ſaith the Lord, and I will not cauſe mine anger to fall upon you. When the people of Iſrael did at the call of God, turn from their ſins, God ſaith of Iſrael, Mine anger is turned away from him, Hoſea 14.1,2,4.

2. Turn to the Lord Jeſus, embrace and lay hold on Chriſt by a lively Faith, and then Gods anger ſhall be turned away from you, and the Lord will be at peace with you, Iſa. 27.5. Let him take hold of my ſtrength, that he may make peace with me, and he ſhall make peace with me. By Gods ſtrength here underſtand Chriſt, who is called, 1 Cor. 1.24. Chriſt, the Power of God, and the wiſdom of God. By taking hold of Gods ſtrength, underſtand believing in Chriſt, if then you deſire to make your peace with God, follow the counſel which God himſelf giveth you to this purpoſe, namely, take hold of his ſtrength, for upon ſo doing, you ſhall make peace with him. God teſtifieth concerning Chriſt, Mat. 3.27. This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleaſed. If you flee for refuge from the wrath of God, unto Jeſus Chriſt, and caſt your ſelves into his armes, the Lord will be well pleaſed with you. 3. Yield your ſelves to God to do and ſuffer his will, what Solomon ſaith, Eccleſ. 10.4. Yielding pacifieth great offences. 'tis true in this caſe, though you have greatly offended God, if you yield your ſelves unto the Lord, he will be pacified towards you, and turn away his wrath from you, 2 Chr. 30.8. Be ye not ſtiff-necked as your fathers were, but yield your ſelves unto the Lord—and ſerve the Lord your God, that the fierceneſs of his wrath may turn away from you.

4. Though this Judgment be the effect of Gods wrath, yet there may be much love in it to many perſons that have been great ſufferers by this Fire. The Lord ſheweth love when he takes away our outward comforts and enjoyments, and chaſtneth us with his rod, as well as when he loadeth us with his benefits, Heb. 12.6. Whom the Lord loveth, he chaſteneth. Pſal. 107.39,43. They are miniſhed and brought low through oppreſſion, affliction, and ſorrow; who ſo is wiſe and will obſerve theſe things, even they ſhall underſtand the loving kindeneſs of the Lord. Now if you would know whether this affliction whereby you have been deprived of ſo great a part of your Eſtates, came in love, I will mention two or three things whereby you may know this, and they will be of uſe to you in other afflictions alſo. 1. Such afflictions as draw your ſouls nearer to God, come from love; for it is Gods love which cauſeth him to draw our ſouls to himſelf, Jer. 31.3. With loving kindeneſs have I drawn thee—Hoſea 11.4. I drew them with cords of a man, with bands of love. Now how do you finde it with your ſelves in this reſpect? do your loſſes put you upon ſeeking reconciliation with God? do they ſtir you up to ſeek communion with God? do they cauſe you to live and depend more upon his providence and promiſes? if in any reſpect you finde them drawing your ſouls nearer to God, you may conclude, that God hath taken away your Eſtates out of love to your ſouls. 2. Such afflictions as make us zealous in renewing our repentance, come from love, Rev. 3.19. As many as I love I rebuke and chaſten, be zealous therefore and repent. 3. Such afflictions as make us more humble, more heavenly minded, or any other way promote the holineſs of our hearts and lives come from love, Heb. 12.10. He chaſtneth us for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holineſs. The Apoſtle ſpeaketh of ſuch as are chaſtned out of love, as we may ſee, ver. 6. Whom the Lord loveth he chaſteneth; whence it appears that ſuch chaſtenings as make us partakers of Gods Holineſs come from his Love.

SECT. 12.

Obj. 12. My loſs hath been ſo great, that I am thereby diſabled from giving any thing to the poor, and this troubleth me very much, that I am by this providence cut off from exerciſing Charity, and that I cannot relieve the poor as I was wont to do heretofore.

Anſw. 1. Though you have loſt much, yet if you have any thing left, you muſt will be doing good, according to your ability, Heb. 13.16. To do good, and to communicate forget not, for with ſuch ſacrifices God is well pleaſed. This is ſpoken to ſuch as had ſuffered the ſpoiling of their goods, Heb. 10.34. and notwithſtanding their ſufferings, the Apoſtle tells them, they muſt not forget to do good, and communicate to ſuch as were in greater diſtreſs than themſelves. Such as have nothing to live upon but their labor, ſhould give ſomething out of their earnings, Eph. 4.28. Let him labour, working with his hands the thing that is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth. Acts 20.35. If any ſay, but if I that have but little, ſhould give any thing to the poor, I may come to want my ſelf. I anſwer, Never fear being brought to want by doing acts of Charity, Prov. 28.27. He that giveth to the poor ſhall not lack. If any reply the times are like to prove bad and hard, and therefore I that have but little, had not need give away any thing, but rather ought to lay up all that I can againſt an hard time. Anſw. The uncertainty of the times and the evils that are like to come upon the earth, ſhould not hinder our Charity, but make us more abundant in works of Mercy, Eccleſ. 11.2. Give a portion to ſeven, and alſo to eight, for thou knoweſt not what evil ſhall be upon the earth. Lo • here the Holy Ghoſt would have us give frequently, and give bountifully, a portion, and that not to one or two, but to ſeven, and alſo to eight, when any evils are like to come upon the earth.

2. Though you have loſt much, and have but little left, you may give as much as you did before, I mean that which God will count as much. The widow that gave but two mites, caſt more into the Treaſury in Chriſts account, than thoſe rich men that caſt in abundance, Mark 12.41,42,43. Jeſus ſate over againſt the treaſury, and behold how the people caſt money into the Treaſury, and many that were rich caſt in much, and there came a certain poor widow, and ſhe threw in two mites which make a farthing; and he called unto him his Diſciples, and ſaith unto them, Verily I ſay unto you, that this poor widow hath caſt more in, then all they which have caſt into the treaſury. God looks at the heart more than the gift, and the more freedom of heart and willingneſs of minde there is in our gifts, the better they are accepted with God. A man of a mean eſtate may give with as free an heart as a Prince, 2 Sam. 24.23. All theſe things did Araunah, as a King, give unto the King. Yet he was but a mean man compared with David, he called David his Lord, and ſtiles himſelf Davids ſervant, ver. 21. both he and his Sons were at hard labour when David came to them, they were threſhing wheat, 1 Chron. 21.20. The Churches of Macedonia were very poor, and under many afflictions, and yet in the depth of their poverty and their greateſt afflictions they abounded in liberality, 2 Cor. 8.1,2. We do you, to wit of the grace of God beſtowed on the Churches of Macedonia, how that in a great trial of affliction, the abundance of their joy, and their deep poverty, abounded unto the riches of their liberality.

3. Be not diſcouraged from acts of Charity, becauſe you can give but very little in compariſon of what you did before; for the leaſt and ſmalleſt acts of Charity done in a right ſpirit, ſhall have a great and glorious reward. What a ſmall matter is it to give a cup of cold water, yet ſuch as give a cup of cold water only, having nothing more or better to beſtow, ſhall in no wiſe loſe their reward, Mat. 10.42. Whoſoever ſhall give to drink unto one of theſe little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a Diſciple, verily I ſay unto you, he ſhall in no wiſe loſe his reward. Our Saviours rule is, Give alms of ſuch things as you have, and behold all things are clean unto you, Luke 11.41. They that have much muſt give much, and they that have but mean things muſt not be diſcouraged, becauſe it is but little and inconſiderable that they can do, but muſt give alms of ſuch things as they have. If there be a willing minde to give much, God accepts of a mans willing minde, though he be able to give but very little, 2 Cor. 8.12.

4. If your loſſes be ſo great that you are able to give nothing to the poor, yet you are not diſabled from exerciſing of your Charity. You may pitty them as much as ever you did: and it is ſaid, Prov. 19.17. He that hath pity upon the poor, lendeth unto the Lord. You may draw out your ſouls to them, which ſhall not go unrewarded, Iſa. 58.11. If thou draw out thy ſoul to the hungry, and ſatisfie the afflicted ſoul, then ſhall thy light riſe in obſcurity, and thy darkneſs be as the noon day. You may pray for them, you may ſtir up others to relieve them. You may give much ſpiritual almes when you are ſo low in the world that you have not one penny of money to give, as Peter ſaid, Acts 3.6. Silver and gold have I none, but ſuch as I have give I thee. So though you have no ſilver nor gold to give, yet you may give that which is far better. Though you be poor you may enrich your Families, and your Relations, and your Neighbours with ſpiritual riches, 2 Cor. 6.10. As poor, yet making many rich. By your godly diſcourſe you may miniſter grace to thoſe that hear your diſcourſe, Eph. 4.29. Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the uſe of edifying, that it may miniſter grace to the hearers. To miniſter grace to any man is a thouſand times better than to miniſter the good things of this world to him. It is ſaid, Prov. 10.21. The lips of the righteous feed many, and ver. 20. The tongue of the juſt is as choice ſilver. When you have not bread to feed the hungry withal, feed as many as you can with the fruit of your lips. When you communicate inſtruction and knowledge to any perſons, you communicate that which is more worth than all the ſilver and gold in the world, Pro • . 3.13,14,15. Prov. 8.10,11.

SECT. 13.

Obj. 13. If it had been purely the hand of God that had taken away my Eſtate, I could have born it, but it was my folly and indiſcretion to betruſt my Goods in ſuch hazardous places; if I had had my wits about me, and not have left my Goods where I did, I might have ſaved all, or moſt of them; and in regard that I loſt them by my indiſcretion in the ordering of my affairs, this is that which doth chiefly trouble me.

Anſw. 1. Who is it hideth wiſdom and counſel from men in time of ſtraits? Is it not the Lord? Job 12.17,20. He leadeth counſellers away ſpoiled, and maketh the Judges fools. He removeth away the ſpeech of the truſty, and taketh away the underſtanding of the aged. When a wiſe mans underſtanding faileth him, it is becauſe God taketh it away, 1 Cor. 1.19. I will deſtroy the wiſdom of the wiſe, and will bring to nothing the underſtanding of the prudent. What is ſaid of the Oſtrich, ſhe leaveth her eggs in the earth, and forgetteth that the foot may cruſh them, or that the wild beaſt may break them, becauſe God hath deprived her of wiſdom, neither hath he imparted to her underſtanding, Job 39.14,15,17. The like may be ſaid in your caſe, if you left your Goods in any place for ſecurity, and did forget, or not conſider the hazard and danger that was in that place, or ſuffered damage by any other indiſcreet action, it was becauſe God deprived you of wiſdom, and did not impart underſtanding to you to order your affairs for your outward advantage. The hand of God is not only in all our afflictions, but in every circumſtance of every affliction, Rom. 11.36. Of him, and through him, and to him, are all things, to whom be glory for ever. If you take not heed, while you fret at your own indiſcreet carriage, you will be found guilty of fretting againſt the Lord, who with-held wiſdom and counſel from you.

2. Though you managed your affairs indiſcreetly, yet God managed every thing that befel you, and every other perſon in this dreadful Fire with infinite wiſdom, Eph. 1.11.—Who worketh all things according to the counſel of his own will. There is not only the will, but the eternal counſel of God, in all the acts of his providence. That of the Pſalmiſt, O Lord how manifold are thy works, in wiſdom haſt thou made them all, Pſal. 104.24. may be applyed to the works of Gods providence, as well as of creation. Therefore let this ſatisfie and quiet your mindes, though you carried your ſelves indiſcreetly, God managed every thing that befel you with infinite and eternal wiſdom.

3. If there were any thing of folly and indiſcretion in the loſs of your eſtates, make a ſpiritual improvement of the hand of God that went out againſt you, by reaſon of your imprudent management of your affairs, and then your loſs will turn to your great gain. I will hint two or three things to you for this purpoſe. 1. Do not think your ſelves ſufficient to manage your affairs without asking counſel of God, Jer. 10.23. O Lord I know that the way of man is not in himſelf, it is not in man that walketh to direct his ſteps. Had you asked guidance of God how to diſpoſe of your Goods, and not gone upon your own heads, it may be he would have directed you to ſome other courſe, whereby your ſubſtance might have been preſerved. 2. Dread walking in your own counſels for the time to come, and be afraid of undertaking any buſineſs of moment, how wiſe and prudent ſoever you apprehend your ſelves to be, until you have asked and received counſel from God. To walk after our own counſels, is well nigh as bad as to walk after the luſts of our own hearts, they both ſpeak an evil ſtate, Pſal. 81.12. I gave them up unto their own hearts luſt, and they walked in their own counſels. It may be you thought ſuch and ſuch places very ſecure, and thereupon you beſtowed your Goods there, without asking of God to guide you, and they were all burnt; if ſo having ſmarted for leaning to your own underſtanding, learn with the burnt childe to dread the fire. Never venter more upon your own wiſdom in any buſineſs of moment till you have ſought God, and are directed by him what to do. 3. Learn hence to live by faith for guidance and direction under all ſudden and unexpected emergencies of Gods providence. We have a promiſe of being guided continually by God, Iſa. 58.11. The Lord ſhall guide thee continually. We had need be daily eying this and ſuch like promiſes, becauſe we know not what difficulties and unexpected tryals every day may bring forth.

SECT. 14.

Obj. 14. I have been a man very induſtrious in my Calling, and by Gods bleſſing on my labours, I had gotten a very fair Eſtate, wherewith I and mine lived comfortably, and it troubleth me much that I ſhould lofe in one day what I have been labouring for many years.

Anſw. 1. When God bloweth upon our labours, and all our earnings are like that which is put into a bag with holes, he calleth upon us to conſider our wayes, Hag. 1.6,7. Ye have ſowen much, and bring in little, he that earneth wages, earneth wages to put it into a bag with holes, Thus ſaith the Lord of hoſts, conſider your wayes. If the loſs of all that ever you earned do ſtir you up to the practice and exerciſe of repentance, ye will ſay one day, It is good for me that I was afflicted.

2. Though you have loſt all that ever you earned in your Callings, you have not loſt the reward of your diligence, induſtry, and faithfulneſs which you uſed in following your Callings, for that ſhall have an eternal reward in heaven. As it is with ſervants, beſides, that wages, and temporal reward which they have from their Maſters for their work, they ſhall have an eternal reward from Chriſt in heaven, Col. 3.24. Knowing that of the Lord, ye ſhall receive the reward of the inheritance, for ye ſerve the Lord Chriſt. So it is in other Callings, they that ſerve Chriſt faithfully and diligently in any Calling, though never ſo mean ſhall be rewarded for ever in heaven for their ſervice, beſides thoſe temporal bleſſings which are caſt in upon them in this life, Matth. 25.23. Well done good and faithful Servant, thou haſt been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things, enter thou into the joy of thy Lord. Therefore I may ſay to you that are mourning, becauſe you have loſt all that you have laboured for, as the Prophet Jeremiah did in another caſe. Jer. 31.16. Thus ſaith the Lord, refrain thy voice from weeping, and thine eyes from tears, for thy work ſhall be rewarded, ſaith the Lord.

SECT. 15.

Obj. 15. I am conſci •… s to my ſelf of much unrighteouſneſs in the getting of my Eſtate, and now my Eſtate that I get unrighteouſly is gone, my guilt remains, and I am full of horror in my conſcience, becauſe of my ſins, and eſpecially for this ſin of unrighteouſneſs.

Anſw. 1. Such as have been guilty of unrighteouſneſs in their dealings, have great cauſe of being troubled, for they have committed an hainous fin, which without repentance will moſt certainly ſhut them out of the Kingdom of Heaven, 1 Cor. 6.9. Know ye not that the unrighteous ſhall not inherit the Kingdom of God. It is a ſin which brings down great wrath from God, 1 Theſſ. 4.6. That no man go beyond and defraud his brother in any matter, becauſe the Lord is the avenger of all ſuch, as we alſo have forewarned you and teſtified. It makes a man an abomination to God, Deut. 25.16. All that do unrighteouſly, are an abomination to the Lord thy God.

2. If you be troubled in conſcience for your unrighteouſneſs in your dealings with any man, your way to get the trouble of your Conſcience removed, and to get true and ſolid peace, is to do theſe things.

1. Confeſs your ſin to God. You have wronged God as well as your neighbour by your unrighteouſneſs in your dealings, and therefore 'tis meet that you ſhould confeſs your ſin to God, and humble your ſouls in his ſight, and if you do confeſs your ſin to God, he will pardon this ſin of unrighteouſneſs as well as other ſins, 1 John 1.9. If we confeſs our ſins, he is faithful and juſt to forgive us our ſins, and to cleanſe us from all unrighteouſneſs.

1. Leave off, and ceaſe from all unrighteous courſes for the time to come, and then the Lord will pardon all your former unrighteouſneſs, although your ſin in that kinde hath been exceeding great, Iſa. 55.7. Let the wicked forſake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts, and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon, Iſa. 1.16,18. Waſh ye, make you clean, put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes, ceaſe to do evil—Come now and let us reaſon together, ſaith the Lord, though your ſins be as ſcarlet, they ſhall be as white as ſnow, though they be red like crimſon, they ſhall be as wool.

3. Flee to the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, and lay hold on him by a true and lively Faith. Jeſus Chriſt hath ſatisfied his Father for all our unjuſt dealings, and all our other ſins, 1 Pet. 3.18. Chriſt hath once ſuffered for ſins, the juſt for the unjuſt, that he might bring us unto God. And ſuch is the efficacy of his death and ſufferings, that whatever guilt troubleth the Conſcience, the Blood of Chriſt is able to remove it, 1 John 1.7. The blood of Jeſus Chriſt his Son cleanſeth us from all Sin. And every one that believeth in Chriſt, ſhall partake of the vertue and efficacy of his Blood, for they ſhall be juſtified from all things whatſoever they have done, either againſt God or men, Acts 13.39. By him all that believe are juſtified from all things, from which ye could not be juſtified by the Law of Moſes. The Corinthians were guilty of unrighteouſneſs in their dealings, 1 Cor. 6.8. You do wrong, and defraud, and that your brethren. And ver. 11. Such were ſome of you, that is, unrighteous, thieves, covetous, extortioners, &c. as is expreſſed, ver. 9, 10, Yet he adds, ver. 11. But ye are waſhed, but ye are ſanctified, but ye are juſtified in the name of the Lord Jeſus, and by the Spirit of our God. Whence you may ſee, that the Blood of Chriſt cleanſeth from all kindes of unrighteouſneſs, as fraud, theft, extortion, &c.

4. Labour to get into Covenant with God. It is one branch of Gods Covenant to pardon his peoples unrighteouſneſs, Heb. 8.10,12. This is the covenant that I will make with the houſe of Iſrael—I will be merciful to their unrighteouſneſs, and their ſins, and their iniquities will I remember no more.

5. Make reſtitution to thoſe whom you have wronged, whatever you have taken from any man, by fraud, or extortion, or any other unjuſt way, reſtore it to him again, Ezek. 33.15,16. If the wicked reſtore the pledge, give again that he had robbed, walk in the ſtatutes of life without committing iniquity, he ſhall ſurely live, he ſhall not dye, none of his ſins that he hath committed ſhall be mentioned unto him, he hath done that which is lawful and right, he ſhall live thereby. Without reſtitution where God gives ability, and opportunity, there can be no true peace of Conſcience, Job 20.18,19,20. According to his ſubſtance ſhall the reſtitution be, and he ſhall not rejoyce therein, becauſe he hath oppreſſed and forſaken the poor, becauſe he hath violently taken away an houſe which he builded not, ſurely he ſhall not feel quietneſs in his belly, he ſhall not ſave of that which he deſired. Other Scriptures concerning reſtitution you may ſee in Levit. 6.2,3,4,5,6,7. Luke 19.8. If any ſay, we are not able to make reſtitution, the wrongs we have done are ſo great, and we have ſo little left us by the Fire. I anſwer, 1. The Scripture even now mentioned may give ſome direction in this caſe, According to his ſubſtance ſhall the reſtitution be. If you are not able to reſtore the whole, reſtore as far as you are able. 2. If you be not able for the preſent, reſolve as ſoon as God makes you able, that you will reſtore whatever you have gotten unjuſtly, and perform your reſolution, and God will accept of your willing minde, although you want ability to perform what your minde ſtands to, 2 Cor. 8.12.

SECT. 16.

Obj. 16. I am one that ſerve God, and make conſcience of keeping his Commandments, and both I my ſelf, and many others that walk cloſe with God, have loſt all our Eſtates, and are undone by this Fire, when as many that have no fear of God before their eyes, but live prophane and diſſolute lives, have ſuffered nothing at all by this Fire, and this troubleth me very much, when I conſider how God hath dealt with many of his ſervants, and let others that ſerve him not, go free: I am ready to fret at the proſperity of the wicked, and to repine at my own afflictions.

Anſw. 1. Such a temptation as this did ſorely aſſault David, when he looked upon his own afflictions, how he was plagued all the day long, and chaſtened every morning, and looked alſo upon the proſperity of the wicked, and ſaw that they were not in trouble, or plagued like other men, he was envious at the fooliſh, and ready to ſtumble at this providence, and was almoſt brought to ſay, that all the pains he had taken in Religion was to no purpoſe, Pſal. 73.2,3,4,5,12,13,14. And if ſuch an eminent ſervant of God as David was aſſaulted with this temptation, we need not wonder if ſome of Gods ſervants in theſe dayes meet with the like.

2. When we are puzzled, and ready to ſtumble at the myſteriouſneſs and unaccountableneſs of any of Gods providences, either towards the wicked or the godly, it is good for us to have recourſe to the word of God, which is the beſt commentary in the world to explain the nature of Gods Providence. When David was under the forementioned temptation, he got relief by going into the ſanctuary, Pſal. 73.16,17. The word fully ſets forth the miſerable eſtate of the wicked in the heighth of their proſperity, and the happy condition of godly men in their greateſt adverſity, which may take off the Servants of God from repining at their own afflictions, or fretting at the proſperity of wicked men.

3. It is not meet that we ſhould take upon us to finde any fault with God in his governing the world. It is enough for us to minde our own duty, we muſt let God alone to do what ſeemeth him good. Chriſt rebuked Peter when he having heard what ſhould befal him, was curious to know what ſuffering John ſhould meet with, John 21.21,22. Peter ſeeing him, ſaith to Jeſus, Lord, and what ſhall this man do? Jeſus ſaith unto him, if I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? follow thou me. You may ſee enough in your ſelves to juſtifie God in all that he hath brought upon you, and which if God ſaw meet to ſpare ſome remarkable ſinners, to try if his long-ſuffering and goodneſs, and the riches of his Grace will lead them to repentance? ſhall your eye be evil becauſe od is good? It is expreſly againſt the minde of God that you ſhould fret at the proſperity of wicked men, Pſal. 37.1,7. Fret not thy ſelf becauſe of evil doers, neither be thou envious againſt the workers of iniquity—fret not thy ſelf becauſe of him who proſpereth in his way, becauſe of the man who bringeth wicked devices to paſs.

4. They that are the ſervants of God have no cauſe to repine at their own afflictions, or the proſperity of wicked men, as may appear on divers accounts, as 1. When the ſervants of God are chaſtened here, it is that they may not be condemned hereafter, 1 Cor. 11.32. When we are judged we are chaſtened of the Lord, that we ſhould not be condemned with the world. But when wicked men enjoy a conſtant courſe of proſperity, and the goodneſs of God doth not lead them to repentance, it is a token that God intends to deſtroy them for ever, Pſal. 92.7. When the wicked ſpring as the graſs, and when all the workers of iniquity do flouriſh, it is that they ſhall be deſtroyed for ever. 2. The Servants of God get more good by their afflictions than wicked men do by their proſperity, for Prov. 1.32. The proſperity of Fools ſhall deſtroy them; but the Servants of God can ſay with David, Pſal. 119.71. It is good for me that I have been afflicted. 3. The bleſſings of this life are all the portion that God intends to give unto wicked men, Pſal. 17.13.14. Deliver my ſoul from the wicked, from the men of this world, that have their portion in this life; but as for godly men, God hath laid up wonderful great things for them in heaven, Pſal. 31.19. O how great is thy goodneſs which thou haſt laid up for them that fear thee. He hath laid up for them ſuch things as we never ſaw with our eyes, nor ever heard with our ears, 1 Cor. 2.9. Eye hath not ſeen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. He hath made godly men heirs of himſelf and of all that he hath, Rom. 8.17. If Children, then Heirs, Heirs of God, and joynt Heirs with Chriſt. Now Chriſt is Heir of all things: Heb. 1.2. and if Chriſtians be joynt heirs with Chriſt then are they alſo heirs of all things: As the Father of the Prodigal Child quieted his eldeſt Son, when he repined and was diſcontented with the bountiful Proviſion that was made for his Brother, the fatted Calf, and the beſt Robe, a Ring, &c. when himſelf had not a Kid to make merry with his friends, Son thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine, Luke 15.31. The like may be ſaid to ſuch of the ſervants of God as are under a temptation to repine and be diſcontented, becauſe they have but little, and many that follow the ſame courſe that the Prodigal Son did, enjoy abundance, and have ſuſtained no loſſes, ye ſhall ever be with the Lord, and all the bleſſings of Heaven are yours, and ſhall be your portion for ever. And is not this enough to ſatisfie you.

SECT. 17.

Object. 17. It is not my own private loſs that troubleth me, I could have born that contentedly, if only I and my family had ſuffered and been undone by this fire, but I am much afflicted to ſee London the glory of England, the chief and principal City of this Nation laid in aſhes, and to ſee ſo many magnificent Buildings, ſo many goodly Churches, ſtately Halls, fair Houſes, uſeful Hoſpitals, &c. demoliſhed, It grieves me to think of the many thouſand families that are ruined by this fire, and of the great difficulties and hardſhip that many good people are like to meet with, who lived very comfortably whilſt this City ſtood in its glory. It troubleth me to think of the decay of Trade, and poverty, and miſery, that is like to follow this dreadful fire. If it had not been ſuch a general, ſore, & dreadful judgment I ſhould not have been ſo much troubled at it as now I am.

Anſw. 1. It is the duty of all the Inhabitants of this Land to lay to heart, and to be much affected with this ſolemn hand of God. When the Amalekites had burnt Ziglag with fire it is ſaid, 1 Sam. 30.1,4. David and the people that were with him lift up their voyce and wept, until they had no more power to weep. Ziglag was not comparable to London, and if David and his men wept till they could weep no more for the burning of ſuch a ſmall place as Ziglag, How ought we to be affected at the burning of this famous City? When but two perſons Nadad and Abihu had ſuffered by fire that came out from the Lord and devoured them, God calls to all Iſrael to lament the burning, Lev. 10.1,2,6. Let your Brethren the whole houſe of Iſrael, bewail the burning which the Lord hath kindled. How much more are we concerned to bewail this burning wherein ſo many thouſand families have been ſufferers? When Nehemiah heard of the affliction of the Jews, and that the wall of Jeruſalem was broken down, and the Gates thereof burnt with fire, he ſat down and wept, and mourned certain days, and faſted, and prayed, Neh. 1.2,3,4. yet then Nehemiah was in a very good condition in reſpect of his own concernments, he was in great favour at the Court, he had a great place, he was the Kings Cupbearer, and when the King demanded of him, why his countenance was ſo ſad, ſeeing he was not ſick, he replyed, Neh. 2.3. Why ſhould not my countenance be ſad, when the City the place of my Fathers Sepulchres lieth waſte, and the Gates thereof are conſumed with fire? We have many inſtances of Servants of God, lamenting Gods judgments on others though they themſelves have eſcaped, Iſa. 22.4,5. Look away from me, I will weep bitterly, labour not to comfort me, becauſe of the ſpoiling of the Daughter of my People, for it is a day of trouble and of treading down, and of perplexity, by the Lord God of Hoſts in the Valley of Viſion. It was not his own loſs or damage that the Prophet thus lamented, but the ſpoiling of the Daughter of his people; ſo Jeremiah bemoans the ſufferings of the Jews as if they been had his own, Jer. 8.21. For the hurt of the Daughter of my People am I hurt, I am black, aſtoniſhment hath taken hold on me. He did not only weep for the miſeries of the Jews his Country-men, but even for the Moabites, when God was ſending great judgments upon them, Jer. 48.31,32. Therefore will I howl for Moab, and I will cry out for all Moab, mine heart ſhall mourn for the men of Kirheres. O Vine of Sibmah, I will weep for thee with the weeping of Jazer.—

2. Though we may and ought to mourn, yet we muſt not repine at the deſolations that are come upon this famous City, or at the ſufferings that any Perſons or Families, or the Nation in general hath ſuſtained, or may ſuſtain by this fire, but we muſt all acquieſs in the will of God, and to promote our ſubmiſſion to God under this dreadful judgment. I will ſuggeſt ſome few conſiderations, and ſo conclude my Anſwer to the firſt Queſtion.

1. It is God that hath done this great work, the hearing whereof maketh our ears to tingle, and therefore though it cauſe never ſo much ſorrow to our ſelves or others, we muſt not ſay one word by way of murmuring and complaint againſt God, Iſa. 38.15 What ſhall I ſay? he hath both ſpoken unto me, and himſelf hath done it, I ſhall go ſoftly all my years in the bitterneſs of my ſoul. Pſal. 46.8,10. Come, behold the works of the Lord, what deſolations he hath made in the Earth,—Be ſtill and know that I am God. The reaſon that made Eli ſubmit, when God did to his particular family ſuch things as made both the ears of every one that heard thereof to tingle, It is the Lord, let him do what ſeemeth him good, 1 Sam. 3.11,18. The ſame ſhould make us ſubmit, when ſuch things befall a City or Nation, as maketh the ears of all that hear thereof to tingle. It is the Lord, let him do what ſeemeth him good.

2. God will bring glory to his Name by this ſore judgment which he hath brought upon this great City, Iſa. 25.2,3. Thou haſt made of a City an heap, and of a defenced City a ruine—Therefore ſhall the ſtrong people glorifie thee, the City of the terrible Nations ſhall fear thee. So alſo Iſa. 5.16. in ſome of the former verſes the Prophet had been ſpeaking of Gods judgments, as Verſ. 9. Many houſes ſhall be deſolate, even great and fair without Inhabitant. And Verſ. 13, 15. Their honourable men are famiſhed, and their multitude dried up with thirſt; the mean man ſhall be brought down, and the mighty man ſhall be humbled,—then he tells us, that all theſe judgments ſhould make for the exalting of Gods glory, Verſ. 16. But the Lord of Hoſts ſhall be exalted in judgment, and God that is holy ſhall be ſanctified in righteouſneſs. Now the exalting of Gods glory is of more concernment, than all the Cities, or Kingdoms of the whole world. All things are and were created for Gods pleaſure, and therefore it is meet that he ſhould glorifie himſelf by, and with all perſons and things, as ſeemeth good in his ſight, Revel. 4.11. Thou art worthy O Lord to receive glory and honour, and power, for thou haſt created all things, and for thy pleaſure they are and were created. We ſhould yield up all that we have, and are, unto God to be diſpoſed of by him as he pleaſeth, ſo he will but glorifie his own Name, Joh. 12.27,28. Now is my ſoul troubled, and what ſhall I ſay? Father ſave me from this hour; but for this cauſe came I unto this hour; Father glorifie thy Name.

3. Though this be a very ſore and dreadful judgment, and many perſons fearing God have ſuffered deeply by it, yet truly God is and ſtill will be good to Iſrael, even to ſuch as are of a clean heart. When Jeruſalem the chief City of Judah was ruined, and Judah's fall followed upon Jeruſalems ruine, yet God commandeth his Prophet to tell the righteous in the midſt of theſe deſolations, it ſhould go well with them, Iſa. 3.8,10. Jeruſalem is ruined, and Judah is fallen, becauſe their tongue and their doings are againſt the Lord, to provoke the eyes of his glory. Say ye to the righteous, it ſhall be well with him, for they ſhall eat the fruit of their doings. When God viſited Ariel with flaming fire, and other dreadful judgments, he promiſeth to comfort and ſupport his own people in the midſt of thoſe troubles, Iſa. 29.6,19. Thou ſhalt be viſited of the Lord of Hoſts with Thunder and Earthquake, and great Noiſe, with Storm and Tempeſts, and the Flame of devouring Fire. The meek alſo ſhall increaſe their joy in the Lord, and the poor men among ſhall rejoyce in the Holy One of Iſrael. God will make this dreadful judgment ſo far from hurting any of his ſervants, that it ſhall conduce to the good of all that love his Name throughout the whole Land, Rom. 8.28. We know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpoſe.

5. Whatever this great City was before its deſolation to its own Inhabitants, or to any of Gods ſervants in any parts of the Nation, all that God will be to his own people now that it is laid waſt. I ſhall inſtance in ſome particulars.

Was this City the glory of England, the Crown of the Nation, and are we ready to ſay with Phinehas his wife, when we behold the ruines of this City, The glory is departed from England, or with the Jews when Jeruſalem was burnt with fire. The Crown is fallen from our head, Lam. 5.16. yet let us remember what God promiſed when he deſtroyed the glory of Ephraim, Iſa. 28.4,5. The glorious beauty which is on the fat Valley ſhall be a fading flower,—In that day ſhall the Lord of Hoſts be for a Crown of glory, and for a Diadem of beauty unto the reſidue of his people; and what is promiſed, Iſa. 60.19.—The Lord ſhall be unto thee an everlaſting light, and thy God thy glory, and Iſa. 62.3. Thou ſhalt be a Crown of glory in the hand of the Lord, and a Royal Diadem in the hand of thy God.

Was this City a place of great ſtrength and ſecurity, and do we look upon the ſtrength of the Nation to be much weakened by this dreadful fire? yet remember God is the ſtrength of his people, Pſal. 28.8. The Lord is their ſtrength, and he is the ſaving ſtrength of his anointed, Iſa. 25.4. Thou haſt been a ſtrength to the poor, a ſtrength to the needy in his diſtreſs, a refuge from the ſtorm, a ſhadow from the heat, when the blaſt of the terrible ones is as a ſtorm againſt the wall. When the ſervants of God have no walled Cities to dwell in, God will be a wall of defence to them, Zech. 2.5. I, ſaith the Lord, will be unto her a wall of fire round about, and will be the glory in the midſt of her. When they have no Bulwarks to ſecure them, God will be their ſtrong City, and his Salvation ſhall be their Bulwarks, Iſa. 26.1. In that day ſhall this Song be ſung in the land of Judah, we have a ſtrong City, Salvation will God appoint for Walls and Bulwarks: This Song was compoſed for a Song of praiſe after the Jews were delivered from the Babyloniſh captivity, and at their return they found Jeruſalem in a broken, ruinous condition; and ſome might be afraid to inhabit a City that had no Walls nor Bulwarks, whereupon the Prophet tells them, their City ſhould be ſtrong, though it wanted outward Fortifications; for God would appoint Salvation for Walls and Bulwarks.

Was this City a Sanctuary, and a place of refuge to any of the Servants of God? Though this place of refuge be gone, the Lord continueth ſtill to be a refuge to his people, Pſal. 62.8. Truſt in him at all times, ye people, pour out your hearts before him, God is a refuge for us. Pſal. 9.9. The Lord alſo will be a refuge for the oppreſſed, a refuge in times of trouble. Iſa. 8.13,14. Sanctifie the Lord of Hoſts himſelf, and let him be your fear, and let him be your dread, And he ſhall be for a Sanctuary, Pſal. 46.1. God is our refuge and ſtrength, a very preſent help in trouble. Iſa. 32.2. A man ſhall be as an hiding place from the wind, and a covert from the tempeſt, as Rivers of water in a dry place, as the ſhadow of a great Rock in a weary Land. This Man is the Man Chriſt Jeſus, as he is ſtyled, 1 Tim. 2.5. And at this time when the Prophet Iſaiah tells the Jews that Chriſt ſhould be their hiding place from the winde, and a covert from the ſtorm, he tells them of the deſtruction of their Forts and Strong-holds, ver. 14.

Was this City a place of great Traffick, where was vended all kind of merchandize, and ſo was a means of enriching many, and is trading now like to fail, and poverty coming upon multitudes like an armed man? There is a merchandize which is better than the merchandize of Silver and Gold, of which we may read, Prov. 3.13,14. Happy is the man that findeth Wiſdom, and the man that getteth Ʋnderſtanding, for the merchandize of it is better than the merchandize of Silver, and the gain thereof than the gain of fine Gold. They that are by this fire diſabled from trading, may Trade as freely for the merchandize of Wiſdom as ever. When mony fails God will be inſtead of mony to us, Job 22.25. The Almighty ſhall be thy Gold. So the words may be rendered, as is intimated in the margent of our Bibles, and according to this Tranſlation the ſenſe is, When God doth not give his people ſilver and gold, he will be in the ſtead of ſilver and gold unto them, and they ſhall be as well by vertue of what they enjoy in him, as any man that hath the greateſt plenty of Silver and Gold in the whole world. When your Treaſure that was wont to come in by trade faileth, he will give you better Treaſure, Iſa. 33.6. The fear of the Lord is his treaſure.

Are many thouſand Families undone by this burning? God can as eaſily provide for many thouſand Families that have nothing to live upon, as for one man. What had all Iſrael to live upon when they were in the Wilderneſs beſides the promiſe and providence of God? there grew no corn in the Wilderneſs, neither were there any Markets to buy proviſion, yet God fed them forty years together in that deſolate Wilderneſs in a bountiful manner, although there was a very great multitude of them. There went about ſix hundred thouſand out of Egypt, beſides children, Exod. 12.37.

Are divers Hoſpitals and Alms-Houſes wherein many poor people lived comfortably, conſumed by this Fire, and thereby the poor in danger to periſh? The God of theſe poor people continues ſtill as mindful of their neceſſities, and as able to help them as ever he was. God by his providence taketh a ſpecial care of poor diſtreſſed perſons, eſpecially of ſuch poor people as pray to him. He hath laid up good things in ſtore for them, Pſal. 68.10. O God, thou haſt prepared of thy goodneſs for the poor. When they cry to God, he will hear them, Pſal. 69.33. The Lord heareth the poor. When they are in want, he will provide bread for them, Pſal. 132.15. I will abundantly bleſs her proviſion, I will ſatisfie her poor with bread. When they are in affliction, he will deliver them, Job 36.15. He delivereth the poor in their affliction. When any would deprive them of their right, the Lord will maintain their right, Pſal. 140.12. I know that the Lord will maintain the cauſe of the afflicted, and the right of the poor. When they are oppreſſed, if they do but ſigh to him, he will help them, Pſal. 12.5. For the oppreſſion of the poor, for the ſighing of the needy, now will I ariſe, ſaith the Lord, I will ſet him in ſafety, from him that puffeth at him. When they have no body that looketh after them to relieve them, God will relieve their neceſſities, Pſal. 146.9. The Lord preſerveth the ſtrangers, he relieveth the fatherleſs and the widow. When they are in ſtraits and dangers, if they commit themſelves to the Lord, he will be their helper, Pſal. 10.14. The poor committeth himſelf unto thee, thou art the helper of the fatherleſs.

5. This great and dreadful Judgment ſhall promote the ſpiritual and eternal welfare of all the Servants of God that have been ſufferers by it. It ſhall promote their ſpiritual welfare by making them more holy. Heb. 12.10. He chaſteneth us for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holineſs. None of Gods chaſtenings are for the hurt, but for the profit of his Servants, Pſal. 119.71. It is good for me that I have been afflicted, that I might learn thy Statutes. Though their afflictions may cauſe ſorrow and grief, yet they tend to the bettering of their hearts, Eccleſ. 7.3. By the ſadneſs of the countenance, the heart is made better. And as this judgment ſhall promote the ſpiritual, ſo alſo the eternal welfare of the Servants of God, 2 Cor. 4.17. Our light affliction which is but for a moment, worketh for us, a far more exceeding, and eternal weight of Glory. James 1.12. Bleſſed is the man that endureth temptation, for when he is tryed, he ſhall receive the Crown of Life which the Lord hath promiſed to them that love him.

Thus having laid down ſome conſiderations, for the quieting and ſatisfying their mindes that have been great ſufferers by this Fire, and propoſed ſome things to be practiſed in order to the obtaining of contentment, and having anſwered the moſt material pleas, that without being removed, might hinder thoſe that have been great ſufferers from ſitting down ſatisfied under this hand of God. I ſhall adde no more about the firſt queſtion, but proceed to the reſolution of the ſecond.

QUEST. 2. What uſe ſhould they make of their Affliction, who have loſt their whole, or any part of their Eſtates by the late Dreadful Fire?

SECT. 1.

Anſw. 1. LOok upon this rod, as the rod of God. It is both our duty and our wiſdom to eye God in all our afflictions, and to look upon them as coming by his appointment, Micah 6.9. The Lords voice crieth unto the City, and the man of wiſdom ſhall ſee thy name, hear ye the rod, and who hath appointed it. There is no trouble whatever comes of it ſelf or by chance, Job 5.6. Affliction cometh not forth of the duſt, neither doth trouble ſpring out of the ground. But all afflictions that come either upon Nations or particular Perſons are ſent and ordered in all their circumſtances by the wiſdom and Providence of God, Amos 3.6. Shall there be evil in a City, and the Lord hath not done it. Iſa. 45.7. I form the light, and create darkneſs, I make peace, and create evil, I the Lord do all theſe things. Eph. 1.11. Who worketh all things after the counſel of his own will. When any man is made poor, it is the Lord maketh him poor, 1 Sam. 2.7. The Lord maketh poor, and maketh rich, he bringeth low and lifteth up. When a Fire is kindled in any City, it is God ſends it, and gives it a commiſſion what houſes it ſhall devour after it is kindled, Hoſea 8.14. I will ſend a Fire upon his Cities, and it ſhall devour the palaces thereof. Though men or other creatures may be the inſtruments of conveying our afflictions to us, yet we muſt look beyond them to the hand of God; for as Chriſt ſaid to Pilate, John 19.11. Thou couldeſt have no power at all againſt me, except it were given thee from above: the ſame is true of every Chriſtian, no man or other creature hath any power to do him hurt, except it be given them from God. There is ſuch an hedge about the perſons and ſubſtance of every godly man, that the Devils themſelves cannot touch any thing that belongeth to him, without leave from God, Job 1.10. When the Sabeans had taken away Jobs Oxen and Aſſes, and the Caldeans his Camels, and Satan had cauſed Fire to conſume his Sheep, and a great Tempeſt had blown down the houſe where his Children were eating and drinking, and had ſlain them, he looks beyond all theſe inſtruments to the hand of God, and cryes, Job 1.21. The Lord hath taken away. We wrong and be-lye the Lord when we do not own him either in his word, or in his works, Jer. 5.12. They have be-lied the Lord, and ſaid it is not he.—

SECT. 2.

2. Lay to heart this hand of God that hath been lifted up againſt you. To be ſtupid and ſenſleſs under the hand of God, is a great ſin, yet many perſons offend in this kinde, Iſa. 42.25. He hath poured upon him the fury of his anger, and the ſtrength of Battle, and it hath ſet him on fire round about, yet he knew it not; and it burned him, yet he laid it not to heart. Jer. 5.3. O Lord, are not thine eyes upon the truth? thou haſt ſtricken them, but they have not grieved, thou haſt conſumed them, but they have refuſed to receive correction. It is mentioned as an aggravation of Pharaohs ſin, that he did not ſet his heart to the Judgments of God, but made a light matter of them, Exod. 7.23. And Pharaoh turned and went into his houſe, neither did he ſet his heart to this alſo. When we do not lay to heart Gods Judgments, either threatned or executed, this provoketh God to curſe our very bleſſings, Mal. 2.2. If ye will not hear, if ye will not lay it to heart, to give glory unto my Name, ſaith the Lord of Hoſts, I will even ſend a curſe upon you, and I will curſe your bleſſings; yea, I have curſed them already, becauſe ye do not lay it to heart. When we do not lay to heart the Judgments of God, we deſpiſe the chaſtening of the Lord, and we muſt be as careful to avoid that ſin, as we are, not to faint under Gods Correction, Heb. 12.5. My ſon, deſpiſe not thou the chaſtening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him. Such as are careleſs and regardleſs under the rebukes of God, do thereby provoke God to deſtroy them, Pſal. 28.5. Becauſe they regard not the works of the Lord, nor the operations of his hands, he ſhall deſtroy them and not build them up.

If any ask, how ſhould we lay this affliction to heart?

I anſwer, 1. Conſider in your hearts, that by this Judgment God teſtifieth againſt you, that there is or hath been ſomething in your hearts or lives that is diſpleaſing to him, Ruth 1.21. I went out full, and the Lord hath brought me home again empty—The Lord hath teſtified againſt me, and the Almighty hath afflicted me: and therefore commune with your hearts, and ſay, what have I done to provoke the Lord to deal thus with me?

2. So lay to heart this affliction, as to humble your ſelves under the mighty hand of God. The Lord threatned Iſrael with dreadful Judgements when they continued ſtout and proud under former Judgments, Iſa. 9.9,10,11,12. All the people ſhall know, even Ephraim and the Inhabitants of Samaria, that ſay in the pride and ſtoutneſs of heart, the bricks are fallen down, but we will build with hewen ſtones; the Sycamores are cut down, but we will change them into Cedars; therefore the Lord will ſet up the adverſaries of Rezin againſt him, and joyn his enemies together; the Syrians before, and the Philiſtines be hinde, and they ſhall devour Iſrael with open mouth, for all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is ſtretched out ſtill. God expects that we ſhould humble our ſelves when his hand is lifted up againſt us, 1 Pet. 5.6. Humble your ſelves under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time. Lam. 3.19,20. Remembring mine afflictions, and my miſery, the wormwood and the gall, my ſoul hath them ſtill in remembrance, and is humbled in me.

3. So lay to heart this affliction, as to mourn more for the ſin that provoked God to ſend this affliction, than for the affliction it ſelf, Lam. 5.16. The crown is fallen from our head, wo unto us that we have ſinned. They bewail their ſin more than the loſs of their dignity. They do not ſay, wo unto us, the Crown is fallen; but wo unto us that we have ſinned, Jer. 3.21. A voice was heard upon the high places, weeping and ſupplications of the Children of Iſrael, for they have perverted their way, and forgotten the Lord their God. Their Cities were burnt, as we may ſee, Chap. 2.15. Yet they bewail the perverting of their way, more than the burning of their houſes.

4. So lay to heart this affliction, as to be reſtleſs until you have gotten the ſins pardoned that brought down this Judgment upon you, Pſal. 25.18. Look upon mine affliction and my pain, and forgive all my ſins. Pſal, 79.7,8,9. They have devoured Jacob, and laid waſte his dwelling-place. O remember not againſt us former iniquities, let thy tender mercies ſpeedily prevent us, for we are brought very low; help us, O God of our ſalvation, for the glory of thy Name, and deliver us, and purge away our ſins for thy Names ſake. When they were brought low, and their dwellings were laid waſte, they beg twice with great earneſtneſs for the pardon of their ſins. O remember not againſt us former iniquities—purge away our ſins for thy Names ſake.

5. Lay to heart this affliction, till you finde your hearts willing, and reſolved by Gods Grace to part with all your ſins. This is Gods end and deſign in all afflictions to purge out our ſins, Iſa. 27.9. By this ſhall the iniquity of Jacob be purged, and this is all the fruit to take away his ſin. And this is our duty when we are corrected by God, to abandon and forſake all our ſins, Job 34.31,32. Surely it is meet to be ſaid unto God, I have born chaſtizement, I will not offend any more, that which I ſee not, teach thou me; if I have done iniquity, I will do no more.

6. So lay to heart this affliction, as to give glory to God, Mal. 2.2. If ye will not hear, and if ye will not lay it to heart, to give glory unto my Name—But of this more afterward.

SECT. 3.

3. Minde the teachings of God under your preſent afflictions, conſider and ſee what it is which God would have you to learn from this dreadful Fire, which hath conſumed ſo much of your, and other mens Eſtates. As God inſtructed the Jews out of the midſt of the Fire, Deut. 4.12. The Lord ſpake unto you out of the midſt of the Fire. So if your ears were open, you might hear God ſpeaking to your ſouls, and inſtructing you by this Fire. God is wont to teach his people ſomething or other by every affliction, if ſo be they liſten diligently to the voice of his rod, Pſal. 94.12. Bleſſed is the man whom thou chaſteneſt, O Lord, and teacheſt him out of thy Law. It is true, that ſome perſons learn nothing by their afflictions, but the reaſon is, not becauſe God communicates no inſtruction to them, but becauſe they either regard not, or do not underſtand the voice of God, Job 33.14. God ſpeaketh once, yea, twice, yet man perceiveth it not. Prov. 1.24. I have called, and ye refuſed, I have ſtretched out my hand, and no man regarded. We wrong our own ſouls when we ſlight the inſtruction of the Lord, whether he inſtruct us by his word, or his rod, Prov. 15.32. He that refuſeth inſtruction, deſpiſeth his own ſoul; and do provoke God to depart from us, Jer. 6.8. Be thou inſtructed, O Jeruſalem, leſt my ſoul depart from thee, leſt I make thee deſolate—If any ſay, what is it that God would have us learn by our great loſſes that we have ſuſtained in the late Fire? I anſwer, The way to underſtand the voice of the rod, is to make uſe of the word; by ſearching into the word, we may come to know the meaning of the rod, and to underſtand what it is which God would have us to learn by our afflictions, as may be gathered from Pſal. 94.12. I ſhall hint a few things to you from the word, that God would teach you by this ſore affliction.

1. God would have you learn that it is an evil and a bitter thing to ſin againſt the Lord, Jer. 2.15,19. His Cities are burnt without inhabitants—Know therefore, and ſee that it is an evil thing and bitter, that thou haſt forſaken the Lord thy God, and that my fear is not in thee, ſaith the Lord God of Hoſts.

2. God would have you learn to fear and ſtand in awe of his great and glorious Majeſty, and to be afraid of thinking, ſpeaking, or doing any thing that may diſpleaſe him, Zeph. 3.6,7. Their towers are deſolate, I made their ſtreets waſte, that none paſſeth by, their Cities are deſtroyed, ſo that there is no man, that there is none inhabitant, I ſaid ſurely thou wilt fear me, thou wilt receive inſtruction—

3. God would have you learn righteouſneſs by this judgment, Iſa. 26.9. When thy judgements are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteouſneſs.

4. God would have you learn obedience by what, you have ſuffered: It is ſaid of Chriſt, Heb. 5.8. Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he ſuffered. This was the leſſon that God learn't David by his afflictions, Pſal. 119.71. It is good for me, that I have been afflicted, that I might learn thy ſtatutes. Wherefore endeavour to obey God more readily and cheerfully, more exactly, and more ſincerely than you have done heretofore.

5. God would have you learn contentation in every condition, both how to want as well as how to abound, Phil. 4.11.12. I have learned in whatſoever ſtate I am therewith to be content; I know both how to be abaſed, and I know how to abound, every where and in all things I am inſtructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to ſuffer need. When the Apoſtle wrote this Epiſtle, he was in bonds, Phil. 1.13. and had ſuffered the loſs of all things, chap. 3.8. and under his ſufferings God taught him this excellent leſſon of being content in every ſtate.

6. God would teach you by this affliction to pray ofther, and to pray better, to pray more ſpiritually, more fervently, more humbly, and more believingly, James 5.13. Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. When Gods judgments are abroad, God ſtirs up his people to pray early in the morning, and late at night, and to pour out their ſouls and ſpirits in prayer, Iſa. 26.8,9. Yea in the way of thy judgments, O Lord, have we waited for thee? the deſire of our ſoul is to thy name, and to the remembrance of thee: with my ſoul have I deſired thee in the night; yea, with my ſpirit within me will I ſeek thee early; for when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteouſneſs. Our Lord Jeſus alwayes prayed fervently, as we may ſee, Heb. 5.7. Who in the dayes of his fleſh, when he had offered up prayers and ſupplications, with ſtrong crying and tears unto him that was able to ſave him from death, was heard in that he feared. But when he was entered upon his ſufferings, he prayed more earneſtly than ever, Luke 22.44. Being in an agony he prayed more earneſtly.

7. Learn hence the vanity and uncertainty of riches, and all worldly enjoyments. This ſudden and unexpected deſolation which is come upon this great City by this dreadful Fire, wherein ſuch a multitude of Houſes, and ſuch a great quantity of Goods have been conſumed, and many thouſand Families have been impoveriſhed, doth plainly teach us the great uncertainty of worldly things; and the great uncertainty that is in riches, and all other worldly things, may teach us ſeverall leſſons; as,

1. Seeing we have no aſſurance of worldly things, we ſhould not ſet our eyes, or our hearts upon them, we ſhould not deſire them inordinately when we want them, nor delight in them inordinately when we have them, or mourn beyond meaſure when we loſe them, Prov. 23.5. Wilt thou ſet thine eyes upon that which is not, for riches certainly make themſelves wings, they flee away as an Eagle towards heaven. They ſhould be ſo far from drawing our hearts, that they ſhould not draw our eyes after them, 1 Cor. 7.29,30,31. The time is ſhort, it remaineth, that both they that have Wives be as though they had none, and they that weep, as though they wept not, and they that rejoyce as though they rejoyced not, and they that buy as though they poſſeſſed not, and they that uſe this world as not abuſing it, for the faſhion of this world paſſeth away.

2. Seeing riches are uncertain things, we ſhould not truſt in them, but in the ever-living unchangeable God, 1 Tim. 6.17. Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not high minded, nor truſt in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy.

3. Seeing we have no certainty that we ſhall enjoy our Eſtates one day, we ſhould not defer doing all the good we can with what God hath given us, Eccleſ. 11.2. Give a portion to ſeven, and alſo to eight, for thou knoweſt not what evil ſhall be upon the earth. Luke 16.9. Make to your ſelves friends of the mammon of unrighteouſneſs, that when ye fail, they may receive you into everlaſting habitations. We ſhould not ſlip any opportunity of doing good, Gal. 6.10. As we have opportunity, let us do good unto all men, eſpecially unto them who are of the houſhold of faith. We ſhould not defer doing good with our Eſtates, ſo much as one day, when God gives us ability and an opportunity to do good, Prov. 3.27,28. With-hold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of thine hand to do it; ſay not unto thy neighbour, go and come again, and to morrow I will give, when thou haſt it by thee.

4. Seeing there is ſuch an uncertainty in the things of this world, this ſhould teach us the vanity and folly of ſeeking to get the things of this world by unjuſt juſt and unrighteous courſes, Prov. 21.6. The getting of treaſure by a lying tongue, is a vanity toſſed to and fro of them that ſeek death. They that ſeek to get riches by lying, or any other ſinful means, do ſeek their own death and deſtruction. And what folly is it to caſt away an immortal ſoul, and to loſe an eternal Kingdom (for, Know ye not that the unrighteous ſhall not inherit the Kingdom of God, 1 Cor. 6.9.) for gaining of that which a man is not ſure to enjoy one day? There is a greater uncertainty in riches that are gotten unrighteouſly, than in thoſe that are gained by honeſt means; for God threatens ſuch perſons with this Judgment, that they ſhall enjoy what they get diſhoneſtly but a very little while, Jer. 17.11. As the Partridge ſitteth on eggs, and hatcheth them not, ſo he that getteth riches, and not by right, ſhall leave them in the midſt of his dayes, and at his end ſhall be a fool. Prov. 13.11. Wealth gotten by vanity ſhall be diminiſhed, but he that gathereth by labour ſhall encreaſe. And as ſuch riches continue but a very little while, ſo the Owners have little or no comfort in them while they do enjoy them. The accuſations of a guilty conſcience, and the curſe of God that goes along with their Eſtates, troubles them more then their Eſtates do them good. Zophar ſpeaking of a man that is unjuſt in his dealings, ſaith, he ſhall have no joy in his riches, nor quietneſs in his Conſcience, Job 20.17,18,19,20,22. He ſhall not ſee the rivers, the floods, the brooks of honey and butter, that which he laboured for, he ſhall reſtore, and ſhall not ſwallow it down; according to his ſubſtance ſhall the reſtitution be, and he ſhall not rejoyce therein, becauſe he hath oppreſſed, and hath forſaken the poor, becauſe he hath violently taken away an houſe that he builded not, ſurely he ſhall not feel quietneſs in his belly—In the fulneſs of his ſufficiency he ſhall be in ſtraits, every hand of the wicked ſhall come upon him. Divers other paſſages there are in that Chapter, very dreadful to ſuch as get their Eſtates in a diſhoneſt way, which I forbear to tranſcribe. And this is farther to be conſidered concerning thoſe riches that are gotten unjuſtly, that although ſuch riches are of very ſhort and uncertain continuance, the ſin and guilt which is contracted in the getting of them will remain upon the conſcience a long time; and if there be not a timely, and ſincere repentance, a mans ſin will accompany him to the Grave, Job 20.11. His bones are full of the ſin of his youth, which ſhall lie down with him in the duſt, and fromt hence his ſins ſhall go along with him to the Judgment-ſeat of Chriſt, Eccleſ. 12.14. God ſhall bring every work into judgment with every ſecret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil. And from thence a mans ſins ſhall go along with him to Hell, and there vex and torment him like fire to all eternity, Jame: 5.3. Your gold and your ſilver is cankered, and the ruſt of them ſhall be a witneſs againſt you, and ſhall eat your fleſh as it were fire; ye have heaped up treaſure together for the laſt dayes.

SECT. 4.

4. Conſider your wayes that you may finde out for what ſin or ſins God hath laid this affliction upon you. When God blaſted the Jews in their Eſtates, he called them with great earneſtneſs to conſider their wayes, Hag. 1.5,6,7. Now therefore thus ſaith the Lord of Hoſts, conſider your wayes, ye have ſowen much, and bring in little—He that earneth wages, earneth wages to put it into a bag with holes, Thus ſaith the Lord of Hoſts, conſider your wayes. When Job had loſt his Eſtate, and was under other afflictions alſo, he was very deſirous to finde out for what ſin it was that God contended with him, Job 13.23. How many are mine iniquities and ſins; make me to know my tranſgreſſion and my ſin. Job 10.2. Shew me wherefore thou contendeſt with me. If any ask, How ſhall we come to finde out for what ſins God is contending with us;

I anſwer, 1. Go to God and pray to him as Job did, to ſhew you why he contendeth with you, Job 10.2. Job 13.23. and after you have ſought to God to diſcover the cauſe of his controverſie, obſerve what ſins he brings to your remembrance, and ſets before you, and gives you ſecret intimations from his Spirit, that for ſuch and ſuch a ſin he is now correcting you. In times of affliction, God is wont by his Spirit to preſent to the view of our ſouls the ſins for which he corrects us, Job 36.8,9,10. If they be bound in fetters, and be holden in cords of affliction, then be ſheweth them their work, and their tranſgreſſions, that they have exceeded, he openeth alſo their ear to diſcipline, and commandeth that they return from iniquity.

2. Conſider what ſin your conſciences ſuggeſted to you when God firſt ſent your affliction upon you, for oft-times God repreſents to us by our conſciences, what the ſin is for which he contendeth with us, as we may ſee in Joſephs Brethren, Gen. 42.21, They ſaid one to another, we are verily guilty concerning our brother, in that we ſaw the anguiſh of his ſoul, when he beſought us, we would not hear; therefore is this diſtreſs come upon us.

3. Search into Gods word, and ſee for what ſins God hath been wont to impoveriſh men, and bring them low in their Eſtates; and alſo for what ſins God hath either threatned or inflicted this dreadful judgment of Fire; and if you finde that you have been guilty of the ſame ſins, you may then know for what ſins you have ſuffered the loſs of your Eſtates by the late Fire. I will give ſome inſtances in both kindes. 1. For what ſins God hath either threatned or inflicted this dreadful judgment of Fire, and they are ſuch as theſe.

1. Unbelief and diſtruſt of the promiſes and providence of God, Pſal. 78.21,22. A fire was kindled againſt Jacob, and anger alſo came up againſt Iſrael, becauſe they believed not in God, and truſted not in his ſalvation.

2. Neglect of prayer and ſeeking after God, Amos 5.6. Seek ye the Lord, and ye ſhall live, leſt he break out like Fire in the houſe of Joſeph and devour it, and there be none to quench it in Bethel.

3. Forſaking of God after we have had much experience of Gods goodneſs in guiding us, and delivering us from many dangers, and beſtowing many other mercies upon us, Jer. 2.15,17. His cities are burnt without inhabitant. Haſt thou not procured this unto thy ſelf, in that thou haſt for ſaken the Lord thy God, when he led thee by the way?

4. Neglecting to ſanctifie the Sabbath in a ſpiritual manner, or prophaning it by doing ſervice or ſinful works, Jer. 17.28. If ye will not hearken to me to hallow the Sabbath day, and not to bear a burden, even entring in at the gates of Jeruſalem, on the Sabbath day, then will I kindle a fire in the gates thereof, and it ſhall devour the palaces of Jeruſalem, and it ſhall not be quenched.

5. Taking of bribes to pervert juſtice, Job 15.24. The congregation of hypocrites ſhall be deſolate, and fire ſhall conſume the Tabernacles of Bribery.

6. Oppreſſion, and unjuſt and unrighteous dealings, Job 20.19,26. Becauſe he hath oppreſſed and forſaken the poor, becauſe he hath violently taken away an houſe that he builded not, all darkneſs ſhall be hid in his ſecret places, a fire not blown ſhall conſume him, it ſhall go ill with him that is left in his Tabernacle.

7. Pride, Idleneſs, fulneſs of Bread, and neglect of the poor, Ezek. 16.49,50. Behold, this was the iniquity of thy ſiſter Sodom, Pride, fulneſs of Bread, and abundance of idleneſs was in her and in her Daughters; neither did ſhe ſtrengthen the hand of the poor and needy, and they were haughty, and committed abomination before me, therefore I took them away as I ſaw good. Now the way by which God took away Sodom for theſe ſins was by fire, Gen. 19.24.

8. Reſting in outward Reformation without ſeeking after a renewed heart, Jer. 4.4. Circumciſe your ſelves to the Lord, and take away the fore-skins of your heart, ye men of Judah and Inhabitants of Jeruſalem, leſt my fury come forth like fire, and burn that none can quench it, becauſe of the evil of your doings.

9. Murmuring at any of Gods Providences, though they be ſuch as bring us into ſtraits, Numb. 11.1. When the people complained, it diſpleaſed the Lord, and the Lord heard it, and his anger was kindled, and the fire of the Lord burnt among them, and conſumed them that were in the uttermoſt parts of the Camp.

10. Mocking and miſuſing of Gods Miniſters, 2 Chron. 36.16,17,19. They mocked the meſſengers of God, and deſpiſed his words, and miſuſed his Prophets, until the wrath of the Lord aroſe againſt his people, till there was no remedy, therefore he brought upon them the King of the Chaldees, who ſlew their young men with the Sword,—And they burnt the Houſe of God, and brake down the Wall of Jeruſalem, and burnt all the Palaces thereof with fire.

11. Changing Gods Ordinances, and breaking his Covenant, Iſa. 24.5,6. Becauſe they have tranſgreſſed the Laws, and changed the Ordinances, broken the everlaſting Covenant; Therefore hath the Curſe devoured the Earth, and they that dwell therein are deſolate, therefore the Inhabitants of the Earth are burned, and few men left.

12. Sins of uncleanneſs, as Fornication, Adultery, &c. for theſe God conſumed Sodom and Gomorrah with Fire and Brimſtone from Heaven, as we may ſee, Jude 7. Even as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the Cities about them in like manner, giving themſelves over to Fornication, and going after ſtrange fleſh, are ſet forth for an example, ſuffering the vengeance of eternal fire.

13. Idolatry. Deut. 32.16,21,22,24. They provoked him to jealouſie with ſtrange gods,—They have moved me to jealouſie with that which is not God, they have provoked me to anger with their vanities,—A fire is kindled in mine anger, and ſhall burn to the loweſt Hell, and ſhall conſume the Earth with her increaſe, and ſet on fire the foundations of the Mountains; They ſhall be burnt with hunger, and devoured with burning heat, and with bitter deſtruction.

Several other ſins for which God hath threatned this judgment of fire, you may ſee in the firſt and ſecond chapters of Amos, and alſo in other Scriptures which I ſhall not mention.

Conſider alſo for what ſins God hath taken away or diminiſhed others eſtates, and brought them low and afflicted them with poverty, and that may help you to find out your ſins for which God hath impoveriſhed you. It is true, that ſometimes God takes away his Peoples eſtates to exerciſe and try their graces, as we ſee in the caſe of Job; but uſually when he brings us low and bereaves us of our Eſtates, it is for our ſins, Pſal. 106.43. They provoked him with their counſels, and were brought low for their iniquities. Iſa. 42.24. Who gave Jacob for a ſpoil, and Iſrael to the robbers? Did not the Lord, he againſt whom we have ſinned? Jer. 15.13. Thy Subſtance and thy Treaſure will I give to the ſpoil, without price, and that for all thy ſins, even in all thy borders. Now the ſins for which God is wont to take away our Eſtates and bring us low, and to ſend poverty, are ſuch as theſe;

1. Unthankfulneſs for what God hath given us, and inſtead of honouring God with our Subſtance, abuſing it to the diſhonour of God, Hoſ. 2.8,9. She did not know that I gave her Corn and Wine, and Oyl, and multiplyed her Silver and Gold which they prepared for Baal; Therefore will I return and take away my Corn in the time thereof, and my Wine in the ſeaſon thereof, and will recover my Wool and my Flax given to cover her nakedneſs. Two ſins are here mentioned as the ground why God would take away not only what was for delight and ornament, as Wine, Oyl, Gold, Silver, &c. but what was neceſſary to their ſubſtance, as Corn, and Wool, and Flax to cover their nakedneſs; the one was, they did not know, that is, take notice of, and acknowledge that it was God gave them their food and rayment, and riches, and ſo conſequently did not give God thanks for them; the other was, they ſerved their luſts, they prepared that for their Idols which God gave them for his own ſervice.

2. Pride, When men grow proud of their riches God oft-times takes them away, Prov. 29.23. A mans pride ſhall bring him low.

3. Neglect of works of mercy; Prov. 11.24. There is that ſcattereth and yet increaſeth, and there is that with-holdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty.

4. Making over-much haſt to be rich, Prov. 28.22.—He that haſteth to be rich hath an evil Eye, and conſidereth not that poverty ſhall come upon him.

5. Not heeding the Commandments of God, Deut. 28.15,33,43,44. If thou wilt not hearken to the voyce of the Lord thy God, to obſerve to do all his Commandements, all theſe Curſes ſhall come upon thee and overtake thee,—Thou ſhalt be only oppreſſed and cruſhed away,—The ſtranger that is within thee, ſhall get up above thee very high, and thou ſhalt come down very low; He ſhall lend to thee, and thou ſhalt not lend to him, he ſhall be the head, and thou ſhalt be the tail.

6. Not ſerving God cheerfully for the abundance of all thoſe good things which the Lord hath given us, cauſeth him to take them away, and to bring us into ſtraits, Deut. 28.47,48. Becauſe thou ſervedſt not the Lord thy God with joyfulneſs and gladneſs of heart for the abundance of all things, therefore ſhalt thou ſerve thine Enemies, which the Lord ſhall ſend againſt thee, in hunger and in thirſt, and in nakedneſs, and in want of all things.

7. Rejoycing at the ruine and ſufferings of others; He that is glad at calamities ſhall not be unpuniſhed, Prov. 17.5. and the puniſhment which God ſometimes ſends on ſuch perſons, is the ſpoiling of their Goods and loſs of their Eſtates, Ezek. 26.2,12. Becauſe that Tyrus hath ſaid againſt Jeruſalem, Aha, She is broken that was the Gates of the People,—They ſhall make a ſpoil of thy Riches and make a ſpoil of thy Merchandiſe, and they ſhall break down thy Walls, and deſtroy thy pleaſant Houſes.

Following of vain perſons; Prov. 28.19. He that followeth after vain perſons ſhall have poverty enough.

9. Gluttony and Drunkenneſs, Prov. 23.21. The Drunkard and Glutton ſhall come to poverty, and drowſineſs ſhall cloath a man with rags.

10. Refuſing inſtruction; Prov. 13.18. Poverty and ſhame ſhall be to him that refuſeth Inſtruction.

11. Oppreſſing the Poor, and giving of bribes to the Rich; Prov. 22.16. He that oppreſſeth the Poor to increaſe his Riches, and he that giveth to the Rich, ſhall ſurely come to want.

Thus by obſerving out of the Word of God, for what ſins God hath either threatned or inflicted this judgment of Fire; and for what ſins God hath impoveriſhed others; and then conſidering how far you have been guilty of any of thoſe ſins, you may find out for what ſins you have ſuffered loſs in your Eſtates by the late Fire.

4. Conſider for what ſins God did ofteneſt rebuke you either by his Word or Spirit, or Providences, before this affliction came upon you; and if thoſe ſins were not reformed for which you have been often rebuked, then it is probable, that they are the ſins for which God ſent this affliction, Deut. 8.5. Thou ſhalt conſider in thine heart, that as a man chaſteneth his ſon, ſo the Lord thy God chaſteneth thee. Now Parents firſt admoniſh and reprove their Children, and if reproofs will not make their Children reform, then they take the rod and correct them. When you have found out the ſin for which God is correcting you, you muſt confeſs it to God, and humble your ſouls for it, and apply your ſelves to Chriſt for the pardon of it, and beg grace from God to help you to leave and forſake it; and this leadeth me to the next head.

SECT. 5.

5. Look upon this affliction as a loud call from God to repent of and turn from all your tranſgreſſions; and therefore let this judgment awaken you to ſet upon a ſpeedy, zealous, and unfeigned exerciſe and practiſe of the duty of Repentance; for this is one main thing that God aims at when he ſends his judgments upon us, the ſtirring of us up to a preſent, and zealous, and incere repentance, Ezek. 18.30. I will judge you, O Houſe of Iſrael, every one according to his wayes, ſaith the Lord God, repent and turn your ſelves from all your tranſgreſſions, ſo iniquity ſhall not be your ruine. Rev. 3.19. As many as I love, I rebuke and chaſten, be zealous therefore, and repent. When the Lord contended with the Jews by the Sword and by Fire, his deſign in theſe judgments was to bring them to a ſpeedy and ſincere repentance, Joel 2.3,12. A Fire devoureth before them, and behind them a Flame burneth; the Land is as the Garden of Eden before them, and behind them a deſolate Wilderneſs; yea and nothing ſhall eſcape them,—Therefore alſo now ſaith the Lord, turn ye, even to me, with all your heart, and with faſting, and with weeping, and with mourning, and rend your heart and not your garments, and turn unto the Lord your God. When the Cities of Judah were burnt with fire, Iſa. 1.7. the deſign of God was to waſh away the filth of the Daughters of Zion, by the Spirit of Judgment, and the Spirit of burning, Iſa. 4.4. If therefore you would anſwer Gods deſign in this Fire, let this burning put you upon cleanling of your ſelves from all filthineſs both of the fleſh and of the ſpirit. God ſets a brand upon ſuch perſons for notorious ſinners, who are not led to repentance by ſuch an awakening judgment as fire, Amos 4.11. I have overthrown ſome of you as God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah, and ye were us a Fire brand pucked but of the burning, yet have ye not roturned unto me, faith the Lord. I might give you ſeveral reaſons why this judgment ſhould put you upon repentance and reforming your lives; ponder upon theſe two or three:

1. If you will not be reformed by this judgment, though this was a great and ſore puniſhment, God will lay far greater and heavier afflictions upon you, Lev. 26.23,24. If ye will not be reformed by theſe things, but will walk contrary unto me, then will I alſo walk contrary unto you, and will puniſh you yet ſeven times for your ſin.

2. If this judgment will not lead you to repentance, nor any other means that God ſhall uſe with you to turn you from your iniquities, you will periſh eternally, and be caſt both body and ſoul into Hell fire, and that is a far more dreadful fire, than that which conſumed your houſes and goods, Luk. 13.3. Except ye repent ye ſhall all likewiſe periſh.

3. God lays his command upon ſuch as are under affliction to depart from iniquity, Job 36.8,9,10. If they be bound in fetters, and be holden in cords of affliction, then he ſheweth them their work, and their tranſgreſſion, that they have exceeded; he openeth alſo their ear to diſcipline, and commandeth that they return from Iniquity. Now 'tis a contemning of God, to rebel againſt his Commandment; and it muſt needs be a great provocation for a man to go on in his ſins, when God commandeth him to return from iniquity. Wherefore let this affliction prevail with you to ſet upon the work of Repentance and Reformation, and that you may do it the more effectually take theſe few directions.

1. See that you turn from, and caſt away, not only ſome, or moſt of, but all your tranſgreſſions, Ezek. 18.30,31. Repent and turn your ſelves from all your tranſgreſſions, ſo iniquity ſhall not be your ruine; Caſt away from you all your tranſgreſſions whereby ye have tranſgreſſed,—for why will ye die, O Houſe of Iſrael?

2. Your affliction ſhould cauſe you to caſt away your ſins for ever. Some deal with their ſins as Felix did with Paul, Act. 24.25. Go thy way for this time, when I have a convenient ſeaſon, I will call for thee. They put away their ſins for a little time, but afterwards when their afflictions are removed, and they have a convenient ſeaſon for the commiſſion of their ſins, they call for them and imbrace them again. When Pharaoh ſaw the Lightnings, and heard the mighty Thunderings, he was willing to let Iſrael go out of Egypt, and humbled himſelf for his ſin; but when he ſaw that the Hail, and the Lightnings, and Thunders were ceaſed, he hardened his heart and ſinned as much or more as ever, Exod. 9.27,28,34,35. But this is not ſuch a repentance as God expects in a time of affliction, he would have us abandon our ſins for ever, 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. Hoſ. 8.14. I will ſend a Fire upon his Cities, and it ſhall devour the Palaces thereof; and what fruit did God expect that this fire ſhould produce? Such a forſaking of their ſins as to return to them no more, Hoſ. 14.8. Ephraim ſhall ſay, What have I to do any more with Idols?

3. Let this affliction cauſe you to reform your hearts as well as your lives, Jer. 4.14,15. O Jeruſalem, waſh thine heart from wickedneſs, that thou mayeſt be ſaved. How long ſhall thy vain thoughts lodge within thee? for a voyce declareth from Dan, and publiſheth affliction from Mount Ephraim. Ezek. 18.31.—Make you a new heart, and a new ſpirit, for why will ye die, O Houſe of Iſrael?

4. Reform your Families as well as your own Souls: If you diſcern any thing amiſs in your Wives, or in your Children, or in your Servants, or in any that ſojourn with you, endeavour as much as lieth in you to reform it; for this God expects of all thoſe that return to him by true repentance, that they ſhould put away all iniquity far from their Tabernacles, if they be ſuch as have Families committed to their charge, Job 22.23. If thou return to the Almighty,—thou ſhalt put away iniquity far from thy Tabernacles, Job 11.13,14. If thou prepare thine heart, and ſtretch out thine hands toward him, if iniquity be in thine hand put it far away, and let not wickedneſs dwell in thy Tabernacles, Gen. 35.2. Jacob ſaid unto his houſhold, and to all that were with him, put away the ſtrange gods that are among you, and be clean. Joſhua did not think it ſufficient to ſerve God himſelf, but reſolveth to engage all his family to ſerve the Lord, Joſh. 24.15. As for me and my Houſe, we will ſerve the Lord.

5. Set upon the work of Reformation ſpeedily, make no delay, not ſo much as one day, Pſal. 119.60. I made haſt, and delayed not to keep thy Commandements. Heb. 3.7. Wherefore as the Holy Ghoſt ſaith, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts,—Sin is of that ſubtil inſinuating nature, that though a man be under convictions of an abſolute neceſſity of reforming his life, and take up (as he thinks firm and ſtrong) reſolutions to repent of his ſins, if he do not preſently ſet upon the work of repentance, if he put it off but a day, he is in danger of having his heart hardned, and of continuing in an impenitent condition, Heb. 3.13. Exhort one another daily, while it is called to day, leſt any of you be hardned through the deceitfulneſs of ſin.

6. You had need look to your ſelves that your hearts be ſincere and real with God in the exerciſe of repentance; for ſome that ſeem to be very forward and zealous in humbling of their ſouls, and reforming their lives in times of affliction, do but flatter and diſſemble with God, and do not turn to God with their whole hearts, but only in a feigned manner, Pſal. 78.34,35,36,37. When he ſlew them, then they ſought him, and they returned, and enquired early after God, and they remembered that God was their Rock, and the high God their Redeemer: Nevertheleſs they did flatter him with their mouth, and they lyed unto him with their tongues, for their heart was not right with him, neither were they ſtedfaſt in his Covenant. Jer. 3.10. And yet for all this her treacherous ſiſter Judah hath not turned unto me with her whole heart, but feignedly, ſaith the Lord.

Now you had need take good heed to your ſelves, that you do not let this judgment paſs away without being brought to a true and unfeigned repentance by it; for repentance is a very hard work, and few perſons are wrought upon by their afflictions, to forſake their ſins and reform their lives, though God follow them with one affliction after another till he hath even conſumed and deſtroyed them, Rev. 16.10,11.—They gnawed their tongues for pain, and blaſphemed the God of Heaven becauſe of their pains, and their ſores, and repented not of their deeds, Rev. 9.20,21. The reſt of the men which were not killed by theſe plagues, yet repented not of the works of their hands, that they ſhould not worſhip Devils, and Idols of Gold and Silver,—neither repented they of their Murders, and of their Sorceries, nor of their Fornication, nor of their Thefts. Prov. 27.22. Though thou ſhouldeſt bray a Fool in a Morter with a Peſtel, yet will not his fooliſhneſs depart from him. And this is not only the caſe of profane men, but of moſt that profeſs themſelves to be the people of God, many of them when they are corrected for their ſins, do yet go on ſtill in their treſpaſſes: When God ſent ſuch heavy calamities upon the Jews, that they were more bitter than death, notwithſtanding they were by Profeſſion the people of God, and their calamities were ſo great; yet ſcarce any of them were led to repentance by them, Jer. 8.3.6. Death ſhall be choſen rather than life, by all the reſidue of them that remain in this evil family—But were they bettered by theſe great afflictions? Not a man of them are brought to repentance, as you may ſee, Verſ. 6. I hearkened and heard, but they ſpake not aright, no man repented him of his wickedneſs, ſaying, what have I done? every one turneth to his courſe, as the Horſe ruſheth into the battel. The like complaint the ſame Prophet brings againſt the Jews, Jer. 2.30. In vain have I ſmitten your children, they received no correction,—The Prophet Iſaiah complains alſo of the Jews that lived in his days that they were not at all reformed by their afflictions, Iſa. 1.5. Why ſhould ye be ſtricken any more? ye will revolt more and more; and yet their afflictions were exceeding great, as the following words ſhew, The whole head is ſick, and the whole heart faint, from the ſole of the foot even unto the head, there is no ſoundneſs in it, but wounds and bruiſes, and putrifying ſores,—Your Country is deſolate, your Cities are burnt with fire, your Land ſtrangers devour it in your preſence, and it is deſolate, as overthrown by ſtrangers. I may add this farther, that it doth exceedingly anger the Lord, when ſuch as are under affliction do not turn to the Lord that ſmiteth them, and provokes God many times to ſend upon them ſudden and utter deſtruction, Iſa. 9.12,13,14.—His anger is not turned away, but his hand is ſtretched out ſtill, for the people turneth not unto him that ſmiteth them, neither do they ſeek the Lord of Hoſts, therefore the Lord will cut off from Iſrael head and tail, branch and ruſh in one day.

It may be ſome will ſay, Seeing it is ſuch an hard matter even for ſuch as are in affliction to be brought to repent of, and turn from their ſins, what means ſhall we uſe that we may be brought to repentance now the afflicting hand of God is upon us?

I anſwer; 1. Sit down and conſider your wayes, that you may ſee what is amiſs in them, and wherein you have gone aſtray from God; conſider alſo ſeriouſly with your ſelves, into what endleſs and unſpeakable miſely and torments your ſins will plunge you if you do not repent of them: The Scripture hath many paſſages to this purpoſe, Rom. 6.21,23. What fruit had ye then in thoſe things, whereof ye are now aſhamed? for the end of thoſe things is death; for the wages of ſin is death. Rom. 8.13. If ye live after thefleſh, ye ſhall die,—Pſal. 9.17. The wicked ſhall be turned into Hell, and all the Nations that forget God. When David was in affliction, he was reformed by his afflictions, Pſal. 119.67. Before I was afflicted I went aſtray, but now have I kept thy Word. And by what means was he brought to a more diligent obſervation of Gods Word, when he was afflicted? It was by reflecting upon, and conſidering his wayes; as we may ſee, verſ. 59. I thought on my wayes and turned my feet unto thy Teſtimonies. There is a great efficacy in conſideration of our wayes to produce Reformation, Prov. 4.26. Ponder the path of thy feet; and all thy wayes ſhall be ordered aright; ſo that Text is rendered in the margent of our Bibles. It will not only make good men to reform what is amiſs in their wayes, but if a man that hath lived a wicked and ungodly life, would ſit down and ſeriouſly conſider his wayes, it might be a means of turning even of a wicked man from his ſins, Ezek. 18.27,28. When the wicked man turneth away from his wickedneſs that he hath committed, and doth that which is lawful and right, he ſhall ſave his ſoul alive; becauſe he conſidereth and turneth away from all his tranſgreſſions that he hath committed, he ſhall ſurely live, he ſhall not die. This Scripture ſheweth plainly, that conſideration (becauſe he conſidereth and turneth—) will help a wicked man to turn from all his ſins, by ſuch a repentance as ſhall ſurely ſave his ſoul; he ſhall ſurely live, he ſhall not die.

2. Give your ſelves much to hearing, reading, and meditating upon the Word of God. The Rod ſeldom doth good without the Word; but when the Word of God is accompanied with his Rod, when in our afflictions we give our ſelves to ſearch into, and meditate upon Gods Word, this will make our afflictions to work kindly upon us. There is a divine power goeth along with the Word, and therefore it muſt needs be an effectual means to lead us to repentance, to converſe much with the Word; ſee ſome places of this Scripture to this purpoſe, Pſal. 19.7. The Law of the Lord is perfect, converting the ſoul. Joh. 15.3. Now ye are clean through the Word which I have ſpoken unto you. Epheſ. 5.26,27. Chriſt alſo loved the Church, and gave himſelf for it, that he might ſanctifie and cleanſe it with the waſhing of water by the Word. Who are harder to be reclaimed then young men who have ſtrong and unruly paſſions? And who are more hardly kept from ſin than great men who can do what they pleaſe, and none can controul them, yet both the one and the other may be brought to repentance and kept from ſin by taking heed to Gods Word. As for young men, we may ſee the power of the Word to reclaim them, Pſal. 119.9. Wherewithal ſhall a young man cleanſe his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy Word. David was a King and ſtood in awe of no man; yet was he awed by Gods Word, Pſal. 119.161. My heart ſtandeth in awe of thy Word. And though he was a King, yet he was ſo awed by the Word, that he durſt not ſin againſt God, Pſal. 119.11. Thy Word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not ſin againſt thee.

3. Confeſs to God and bemoan the refractorineſs and incorrigibleneſs of your hearts, and pray to the Lord that he would turn you from your ſins unto himſelf, Jer. 31.18,20. I have ſurely heard Ephraim bemoaning himſelf thus, Thou haſt chaſtiſed me and I was chaſtiſed, as a Bullock unaccuſtomed to the yoke; turn thou me, and I ſhall be turned, for thou art the Lord my God. Is Ephraim my dear ſon? is he a pleaſant child? for ſince I ſpake againſt him, I do earneſtly remember him ſtill, therefore my bowels are troubled for him, I will ſurely have mercy upon him, ſaith the Lord. When Ephraim was in affliction and found a refractory ſpirit,—Thou haſt chaſtiſed me, and I was as a Bullock unaccuſtomed to the yoke, and went to God and bemoaned the hardneſs of his heart, and prayed to be turned, God promiſeth, I will ſurely have mercy upon him; that is, out of my mercy towards him, I will both pardon his rebellious and diſobedient carriage under his affliction, and ſubdue his refractory and rebellious ſpirit. That Gods having mercy on him, implies both the pardoning and ſubduing his ſins, may be gathered from Mic. 7.18,19,20. When the Jews were carried captive into Babylon, and found, that notwithſtanding all the great things that they ſuffered during the ſiege, and at the deſtruction of Jeruſalem, they were not turned from their ſins, they go to God, and pray to him to turn them; for they were perſwaded that though their afflictions had not turned them, yet if the Lord would put forth his Grace and turn them, then they ſhould be turned, Lam. 5.21. Turn thou us unto thee, O Lord, and we ſhall be turned. Prayer is of that prevalency with God, that no iniquity ſhall be able to ſtand long before a praying Chriſtian, but Prayer will ſoon ſubdue the power and dominion of it, Pſal. 119.2,3. Bleſſed are they that keep his teſtimonies, and that ſeek him with the whole heart, they alſo do no iniquity. Prayers and tears will prevail over God himſelf, Hoſ. 12.3,4.—By his ſtrength he had power with God, yea, he had power over the Angel, and prevailed, he wept and made ſupplication unto him. Now if Prayer will prevail over God fear not but it will prevail over all manner of ſin.

4. When you feel any workings and ſtirrings of the Spirit of God upon your hearts, take heed of quenching or reſiſting the Spirit when the Spirit of God worketh upon you either in a way of conviction, or by ſtirring up godly ſorrow for ſin, or exciting purpoſes and reſolutions againſt ſin, or working in any other way upon our ſouls, and yield your ſelves to God, joyn in, and comply with the motions of the Spirit: all the workings of Gods Spirit upon our hearts, are in order to the bringing of us to repentance, that he may prevent our eternal miſery, Job 33.16,17. He openeth the ears of men, and ſealeth their inſtruction, that he may withdraw man from his purpoſe, and hide pride from man. See alſo, ver. 29, 30. Lo, all theſe things worketh God often times with man, to bring back his ſoul from the pit, to be enlightned with the light of the living. We had need attend to the workings of the Spirit, becauſe there is no mortifying of any one ſin, but by the help of the Spirit, Rom. 8.13.—If ye through the Spirit do mortifie the deeds of the body, ye ſhall live. And though we can overcome no ſin but by the help of the Spirit, yet with the Spirits help we may overcome any ſin whatever, Gal. 5.16. This I ſay then, walk in the Spirit, and ye ſhall not fulfil the luſts of the fleſh. What would God have done for Iſrael, if they had hearkned to him, Pſal. 81.13,14,15. O that my people had hearkened unto me—I ſhould ſoon have ſubdued their enemies, and turned my hand againſt their adverſaries; the haters of the Lord ſhould have ſubmitted themſelves unto him—The ſame will the Spirit of God do for thoſe that yield up themſelves to be led and guided by him, he will ſoon ſubdue their ſins, and turn his hand againſt their iniquities, and make all their ſpiritual enemies become ſubject unto them.

5. Look unto Jeſus Chriſt to give you repentance, and to turn you from your iniquities. God hath exalted Chriſt to give us repentance, Acts. 5.31. Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince, and a Saviour, for to give repentance unto Iſrael, and forgiveneſs of ſins. Becauſe we cannot of our ſelves turn from ſin, God ſent his Son to turn us from our iniquities, Acts 3.26. Unto you firſt, God having raiſed up his Son: Jeſus, ſent him to bleſs you, in turning away every one of you from his iniquities. If after you have applyed your ſelves to Chriſt in order to his turning of you from your iniquities, your ſins ſhould ſtill prevail over you, yet be not diſcouraged, but hope in Chriſt, that in his own good time, he will redeem you from all your iniquities, and you ſhall finde that he will not fail your expectation, Pſalm 130.7,8. Let Iſrael hope in the Lord, for with the Lord there is mercy, and with him is plenteous redemption, and he ſhall redeem Iſrael from all his iniquities. Pſal. 65.3. Iniquities prevail againſt me, as for our tranſgreſſions thou ſhalt purge them away.

6. Reſt upon God by virtue of his promiſes, to ſanctifie your afflictions for the purging out of your ſins, and leading of you to repentance. The Lord hath made many gracious promiſes of ſanctifying thoſe afflictions which he layes upon his people, and cauſing of them to purge and refine their ſouls. I will mention two or three, Iſa. 27.9. By this therefore ſhall the iniquity of Jacob be purged, and this is all the fruit to take away his ſin. Here are two things remarkable in this Scripture. 1. The end and deſign of God in afflicting his people, which is, that he may take away his ſins. This is all the fruit to take away his ſin. 2. A promiſe that the affliction, which God ſends upon his people, ſhall have this effect upon their ſouls to purge out their ſins. By this ſhall the iniquity of Jacob be purged. Jer. 24 7. I will give them an heart to know me, that I am the Lord, and they ſhall be my people, and I will be their God; for they ſhall return unto me with their whole heart. This promiſe relates to a time of affliction, when the Jews were carried captives into the Land of the Caldeans, ver. 5. and herein the Lord promiſeth among other bleſſings, that this captivity ſhould produce in them an unfeigned repentance. They ſhall return unto me with their whole heart. Another promiſe to this effect we have, Zach. 13.9. I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as ſilver is refined, and will try them as gold is tryed, they ſhall call on my Name, and I will hear them, I will ſay it is my people, and they ſhall ſay, the Lord is my God. In the former verſe the Prophet ſpeaks of a time of great mortality. Two parts therein ſhall be cut off and die, but the third part ſhall be left therein; and then he foretels what ſhould befal the third part that ſhould be left, I will bring the third part through the fire; and then adds a gracious promiſe that they ſhould be refined by paſſing through the fire; that is, God thereby would purge and purifie their hearts and converſations: urge God daily with theſe promiſes, plead them at the Throne of Grace, and reſt upon God for the performance of them.

SECT. 6.

6. Comply with Gods ends and deſigns in ſending this affliction upon you; The Lord doth not afflict willingly, nor grieve the children of men, Lam. 3.33. but when ever he ſends any affliction upon any man, he hath gracious ends and deſigns in thoſe afflictions; and therefore as the Jews made enquiry, when they were brought into great diſtreſs, Wherefore doth the Lord our God all theſe great things unto us? Jer. 5.19. And as the Apoſtle Paul when he was ſtruck blinde with the viſion that appeared to him as he was going to Dumaſcus, enquires of the Lord, Lord what wilt thou have me to do? Acts 9.6. So ſhould we make enquiry when the Lord afflicts us, wherefore it is that he afflicts us, and what it is that he aims at, what he would have us to do, when his afflicting hand is upon us. We are enemies to our own good, when we do not ſtudy the minde of God in our afflict ons and labour to comply with his ends, for he alwayes chaſtneth us for our profit, Heb. 12.10. and aims at the doing of us good, Deut. 8.16. If you ask, what are Gods ends and deſigns in ſending this affliction upon us? I anſwer, The reſolving of this queſtion concerning Gods ends in afflicting us, what he aims at, and what he would have us learn when his rod is upon us, may be gathered from Sect. 3. I ſhall adde a few things more beſides what are mentioned there.

1. Gods deſign in this affliction is to take away all pride, and to make and keep you humble, Iſa. 2.11. The lofty looks of man ſhall be humbled, and the haughtineſs of men ſhall be bowed down, and the Lord alone ſhall be exalted in that day. This may refer to the day of affliction ſpoken of, Iſa. 1.7. Your countrey is deſolate, your Cities are burnt with fire—In that day when God ſhould bring this deſolation, the lofty looks of man ſhould be humbled, &c. When God afflicted the Iſraelites in the Wilderneſs with fiery Serpents, that and all other afflictions were ſent for this end to humble them, Deut. 8.15,16.—That he might humble thee, and prove thee, and do thee good in the latter end. Elihu tells us that when God ſpeaks once and twice to men, It is, that he may hide pride from man, Job 33.17. When the Apoſtle Paul was afflicted, he telleth us twice, that the end of God was to prevent his being exalted above meaſure, 2 Cor. 12.7. If then you would comply with Gods deſign in this affliction, you muſt be no more proud of your riches, beauty, parts, duties, or any other thing, but muſt put away all pride of ſpirit, all high conceits of your ſelves, and all proud looks, and all pride of life, and you muſt be of a lowly heart, and go alwayes clothed with humility.

2. God aims at the making of you more zealous Chriſtians by this affliction; Lukewarmneſs is a very odious, deteſtable ſin, Rev. 3.15,16. I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot, I would thou wert cold or hot; ſo then becauſe thou art luke-warm, and neither cold nor hot, I will ſpew thee out of my mouth: this being ſo odious in Gods ſight for a man to be luke-warm in his Religion. When God findes any whom he loves to be in a luke-warm temper, he chaſtens them for this very end to make them more zealous, lous, Rev. 3.19. As many as I love, I rebuke and chaſten, be zealous therefore—Now this is one way, and a very ſharp one of rebuking us, when God contends by Fire, Iſa. 66.15. The Lord will come with fire—to render his anger with fury, and his rebuke with flames, of fire. If therefore you were cold, or if not wholly cold, yet but luke-warm before God ſent this Fire, it concerns you now to grow zealous. If you ask in what your affliction ſhould make you zealous? I anſwer, 1. Be zealous in all acts of ſervice, and all religious duties which you perform to God; ſhake off all drowſineſs, and formality, and ſlightneſs of heart in prayer, and in hearing and reading Gods Holy Word, and be fervent in ſpirit when you are about theſe or any other holy duties, Rom 12.11. Not ſlothfulneſs in buſineſs, fervent in ſpirit, ſerving the Lord. What is ſaid of the Apoſtle Paul, Acts 22.3, I was zealous towards God; and of Phinehas, Numb. 25.13. He was zealous for his God. Let the ſame be true of you, put on an holy zeal for God, and ſhew your zeal for God in all that you do, either for, or to the Lord. 2. Be zealous againſt ſin; ſtrive againſt ſin, not in a faint cold manner, but with all your might. Be zealous and repent, Rev. 3.19. Your zeal muſt be manifeſted in your repentance. When a man is zealous againſt his ſins, and zealous in his repentance, his zeal will breed indignation againſt ſin, a vehement deſire to be rid of it, a fear and carefulneſs that he do not commit it again. See an example of zealous repentance, 2 Cor. 7.11. Behold, this ſelf ſame thing that ye ſorrowed after a godly ſort, what carefulneſs it wrought in you, yea, what clearing of your ſelves, yea, what indignation, yea, what fear, yea, what vehement deſire, yea, what zeal, yea, what revenge. 3. Be zealous of good works, Tit. 2.14. Who gave himſelf for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purifie unto himſelf a peculiar people, zealous of good works. We ſhould not only do good works, but be zealous of, and in doing good works. We ſhould be ſo zealous of good works, as not only to embrace opportunities of doing good when they come in our way, but we ſhould covet earneſtly, and follow diligently after opportunities of doing good works, 1 Tim. 5.10.—If ſhe have diligently followed every good work. We ſhould not only do good works, but be careful to excel and continue conſtant therein, whatever difficulties and diſcouragements we meet with in doing of them, Tit. 3.8. This is a faithful ſaying, and theſe things I will that thou affirm conſtantly, that they which have believed in God, might be careful to maintain good works. You ſee, if you would anſwer Gods deſign in your affliction, that you muſt be zealous, and in what you muſt be zealous; only let me adde here two or three cautions, 1. Look that your zeal be regulated with knowledge; There may be a zeal which is not guided by knowledge, Rom. 10.2. I bear them record, that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. Zeal without knowledge is dangerous. Paul in a blinde zeal perſecuted the people of God, thinking therein to do God good ſervice, Phil. 3.6. Concerning zeal perſecuting the Church. And Saul out of a blinde zeal to the children of Iſrael and Judah, ſlew the Gibeonites; for which ſin, though done in zeal, the whole Land was puniſhed with three years Famine, 2 Sam. 21.1,2. 2. Look that your zeal for God be true, and real, and not pretended. Jehu pretended great zeal for God, 2 Kings 10.16. Come with me, and ſee my zeal for the Lord—But it was rather a zeal to eſtabliſh the Kingdom to himſelf, than any true zeal for God. 3. Let your zeal be chiefly exerciſed in thoſe things wherein the life and power of godlineſs conſiſteth, in the eſſential and fundamental matters of Religion, and not in circumſtantials. Phariſaical zeal that was punctual in tything Mint, and Cummin, and Anniſe, and neglected the weightier matters of the Law, as Faith, and the love of God, Judgment and Mercy, was diſallowed and condemned by Chriſt. 4. Look that your zeal be not for a fit, while the ſence of your affliction is freſh upon your ſpirits, but let it be conſtant, Gal. 4.18. It is good to be zealouſly affected alwayes in a good thing.

3. God aims at the making of you partakers of his holineſs, by this affliction, Heb. 12.10. He chaſteneth us for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holineſs. Theſe perſons to whom the Apoſtle writes this Epiſtle, had been chaſtned with the loſs of their Goods, Heb. 10.34. and this chaſtning was for this end, that they might be partakers of Gods Holineſs. They were holy before, the Apoſtle calls them, chap. 3.1. Holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling—They were ſuch as had been ſufferers for Chriſt, and had ſuffered joyfully, they had attained to aſſurance of their ſalvation, chap. 10.32,33,34. Yet theſe perſons were chaſtned, that they might be made more holy. Now ſeeing Gods deſign in this affliction is to make you partakers of his holineſs, let this affliction ſtir you up to follow after holineſs; if you had only a form of godlineſs, a ſhew and appearance of holineſs before, now follow after the power, truth, & reality of godlineſs; if you had true holineſs before, labour now to be more holy; be more holy in your hearts, in your thoughts, in your affections, in your ſpeech, and diſcourſe with all men, be more holy in all manner of converſation, 1 Pet. 1.15. As he which called you is holy, ſo be ye holy in all manner of converſation. This exhortation, though it belong to all Gods called ones, is more eſpecially directed to ſuch as are in affliction, for to ſuch this Epiſtle is directed, as you may ſee, ver. 1, 6. Let your ſufferings excite you to do the works of your Callings in a more godly ſort, and to perform your Cloſet and Family Duties in a more holy manner, to be more holy in your relative Duties, to be more holy in your converſes with all ſorts of men, and to expreſs more of the power of holineſs in all manner of converſation.

4. God aims at the ſtirring of you up to a more cloſe and humble walking with himſelf, and to deal juſtly and mercifully with all men, Micah 6.8. He hath ſhewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do juſtly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God? This God required at ſuch a time as he was pleading a controverſie with his people, as you may ſee, ver. 2. The Lord hath a controverſie with his people, and he will plead with Iſrael. And while he was pleading his controverſie, he deſtroyed Jeruſalem, the chiefeſt City of the Jews, chap. 3.12. Zion ſhall be plowed as a field, and Jeruſalem ſhall become heaps. And Samaria (which was one of the principal Cities belonging to the ten Tribes, Iſa. 7.9. The head of Ephraim is Samaria) Micah 1.6. I will make Samaria as an heap of the field—I will pour down the ſtones thereof into the valley, and I will diſcover the foundations thereof. Now when God had a great controverſie with Iſrael and Judah, (for this Prophet was ſent to both Kingdoms, chap. 1.1.) and was laying waſte their chiefeſt Cities, that which he required from the inhabitants with whom he was pleading his controverſie, was, that they ſhould do juſtly, and love mercy, and walk humbly with their God.

5. God aims at making of you more fruitful by this affliction, that you may bring forth both more and better fruit, John 15.2. Every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it that it may bring forth more fruit. When great wrath was coming upon the Jews, and the axe was even laid to the root of the tree, John the Baptiſt giveth them this exhortation, Mat. 3.8. Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance. Now if you would know what it is wherein God would have you more fruitful in, you may be reſolved from ſuch Scriptures as theſe, Gal. 5.22,23. The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-ſuffering, gentleneſs, goodneſs, faith, meekneſs, temperance. Phil. 1.11. Being filled with the fruits of righteouſneſs, which are by Jeſus Chriſt unto the glory and praiſe of God. Col. 1.10. That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleaſing, being fruitful in every good work. If then you would comply with Gods ends in your preſent affliction, labour to be filled with the fruits of righteouſneſs; abound in all the fruits of the Spirit, which are as you heard before, love, joy, peace, long-ſuffering, gentleneſs, goodneſs, faith, meekneſs, and temperance. Labour to be fruitful in every good work, only remember in ſo doing, that you bring forth your fruit to God, and not to your ſelves, Rom. 7.4.—That we ſhould bring forth fruit unto God; for what fruit is brought forth for ſelfiſh ends, God accounts next to none, Hoſ. 10.1. Iſrael is an empty vine, he bringeth forth fruit unto himſelf.

SECT. 7.

7. The loſſes and other afflictions which you have ſuſtained by this dreadful Fire, ſhould ſtir you up to glorifie God, Iſa. 24.15. Wherefore, glorifie ye the Lord in the Fires, even the name of the Lord God of Iſrael. In the former part of the Chapter the Prophet ſpeaks of a time of great deſolation, as ver. 1. Behold, the Lord maketh the earth empty, and maketh it waſte, and turneth it up-ſide down, and ſcattereth abroad the inhabitants thereof: ver. 3. The land ſhall be utterly emptied, and utterly ſpoiled—ver. 11, 12. All joy is darkned, the mirth of the land is gone; in the City is left deſolation, and the gate is ſmitten with deſtruction—and then tells them what uſe they ſhould make of theſe ſore Judgments, Glorifie ye the Lord in the fires. When God is executing any remarkable Judgments, it ſhould awaken all men to glorifie God, Rev 15.4. Who ſhall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorifie thy name? for thy judgments are made manifeſt. We read, Rev. 14.6,7. That when it was an hour wherein God was executing his Judgments, that an Angel cryed, to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, ſaying with a loud voice, fear God, and give glory to him, for the hour of his judgment is come—If this judgment that is come upon you will not prevail with you to give glory to God, God will curſe your bleſſings, Mal. 2.2. If ye will not hear, and if ye will not lay it to heart, to give glory unto my name, ſaith the Lord of hoſts, I will even ſend a curſe upon you, and I will curſe your bleſſings; yea, I have curſed them already, becauſe ye do not lay it to heart.

If you ask, how and wherein you ſhould glorifie God under this affliction which he hath laid upon you?

I anſwer, 1. Accept of the puniſhment of your iniquity, and acknowledge that the Lord is juſt and righteous in all that is come upon you. Then we give God the glory of his Judgments, when we confeſs him to be juſt and righteous therein, Rev. 15.3,4.—Juſt and true are thy wayes, thou King of Saints, Who ſhall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorifie thy Name—Thus Daniel gave glory to God when Jeruſalem was laid waſte, and the Jews ſpoiled of their goods, and carried captive into Babylon, Dan. 9.14. The Lord hath watched upon the evil, and brought it upon us, for the Lord our God is righteous in all his works that he doth, for we obeyed not his voice. Yea, do not only confeſs God to be righteous, but alſo acknowledge him to be gracious in this diſpenſation; ſay, whereas our Houſes and Eſtates are conſumed by this Fire, it is of the Lords mercies that we our ſelves are not conſumed, even becauſe his compaſſions fail not. Thus Lot gave glory to God, when his houſe and goods were conſumed in Sodom, he looked upon it as a great mercy that he himſelf was not conſumed alſo, Gen. 19.19. Behold now, thy ſervant hath found grace in thy ſight, and thou haſt magnified thy mercy, which thou haſt ſhewed unto me, in ſaving my life.

2. Though your ſufferings have been very great, yet give God thanks, and praiſe his Holy Name for what he hath done for you; by ſo doing you ſhall glorifie God, Pſal. 50.23. Whoſo offereth praiſe, glorifieth me—Iſa. 42.12. Let them give glory unto the Lord, and declare his praiſe in the iſlands. This relates to a time of Judgment. I will deſtroy and devour at once, I will make waſte mountains and hills,—ver. 14. 15. Even when God is riſing up to judgment, and devouring, and deſtroying, we muſt declare his praiſe, and ſo give him the glory of his Judgments. Let not this ſeem ſtrange to you, that I exhort you that have ſuffered great loſtes by this Fire, to praiſe God, and give him thanks; for 1. Job did thus, when God had taken away all his Eſtate, and Children, he bleſſeth God, Job 1.21.—The Lord hath taken away, bleſſed be the name of the Lord; and Job did not ſin, or act imprudently in bleſſing God for his loſſes, for it is ſaid in the next words, In all this Job ſinned not, nor charged God fooliſhly. 2. It is the will of God, that in every eſtate and condition, and under every diſpenſation of his providence, we ſhould give thanks, 1 Theſſ. 5.18. In every thing give thanks, for this is the will of God, in Chriſt Jeſus concerning you. 3. There is much mercy mingled with the affliction; it is mercy that your Eſtates were conſumed, and not your Lives: it is mercy that your Houſes only were burned, whereas you might have been caſt both body and ſoul into everlaſting burnings; and if you cannot give God thanks for the affliction it ſelf, yet at leaſt, give him thanks for the mercy that was mingled with the affliction.

3. Let this affliction put you upon ſearching and trying your wayes, and renewing your repentance, and returning unto God, of which you heard before; for in ſo doing you ſhall give glory to God, Rev. 16.9. They repented not to give him glory.

4. Let this Judgment awaken in your ſouls a more lively fear and dread of God, let it cauſe you to ſtand in ſuch awe of God as to be afraid to offend him; for then we give glory to God when we are afraid to ſin againſt him, Rev. 14.7. Fear God, and give glory to him.

5. You ſhall give glory to God by this Judgment, if you be ſtirred up by it to live a more holy and righteous life, Iſa. 60.21. Thy people ſhall be all righteous—that I may be glorified. If alſo it make you fruitful in good works, John 15.8. Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit.

6. Let this Judgment awaken you to a more diligent practice of what is commanded, 1 Cor. 10.31. Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatſoever ye do, do all to the glory of God. It was your duty ever ſince you were born, to make Gods glory the higheſt and chiefeſt end of all your actions; if you have not done ſo, you have great cauſe to humble your ſouls before God; for you have neglected the great end of your Creation, Iſa. 43.7. Every one that is called by my name, for I have created him for my glory. If you did ſeek to advance the glory of God, before this Judgment came upon you, yet now be awakened hereby to ſeek Gods glory more zealouſly, with more ſingleneſs of heart; and do all your works, both the works of your Calling, and your natural Actions, as your eating and drinking, and your Religious Actions, with more explicite intentions to glorifie God.

SECT. 8.

8. Let the loſſes which you have ſuſtained by this dreadful Fire, take you off from laying up your Treaſure upon the earth, and put you upon laying up treaſure in heaven. That treaſure which you lay up on earth, may be taken from you ſeveral wayes; you may loſe it all in one day, or if you do not loſe it, you muſt leave it all behinde you when you dye: But that treaſure which is laid up in heaven, can by no means be taken from you, but you ſhall enjoy the benefit of it to all eternity. Remember therefore, and follow the counſel and command of our Lord and Saviour Jeſus Chriſt, Mat. 6.19,20,21. Lay not up for your ſelves treaſures upon earth, where moth and ruſt doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and ſteal; but lay up for your ſelves treaſures in heaven, where neither moth nor ruſt doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through and ſteal; for where your treaſure is, there will your heart be alſo. If you ask, What is that treaſure which we ſhould lay up in heaven? I anſwer, All the good thoughts which you think, and all the good words that you ſpeak, are treaſure laid up in heaven, Mal. 3.16. They that feared the Lord, ſpeak often one to another, and the Lord hearkined, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon his name. You ſee here that God treaſureth up in his book of remembrance, all the good words which we ſpeak when we meet together, and all the good thoughts which we think. All the tears we ſhed for our ſins, and all the ſighs and groans which we ſend up to God by reaſon of our ſins, are treaſure laid up in heaven: for God puts ſuch tears into his bottle, and all ſighs and groans that come from a penitent heart aſcend up to heaven, Pſal. 38.9. Lord, all my deſire is before thee; and my groaning is not hid from thee. All the prayers that we put up to God in the Name of Jeſus Chriſt, are treaſure laid up in heaven, Pſal. 18.6. In my diſtreſs I called upon the Lord, and cryed unto my God, he heard my voice out of his Temple, and my cry came before him, even into his ears. This is plain from the forementioned Scripture, All my deſire is before thee. All the alms we give to the poor in a right ſpirit, are treaſure laid up in heaven, Luke 12.33.—Give alms, provide your ſelves bags which wax not old; a treaſure in the heavens that faileth not—Matth. 19.21. Sell that thou haſt, and give to the poor, and thou ſhalt have treaſure in heaven. Acts 10.4. Thy prayers and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God. All the prayers that we make, and all the alms that we give to the poor, are recorded in heaven, as precious treaſure. All the good works that we do, are treaſure laid up in heaven, Epheſ. 6.8. Whatſoever good thing any man doth, the ſame he ſhall receive of the Lord, whether he be bond or free. All the ſins that wicked men commit, are treaſure laid up in Hell to augment their torments, Rom. 2.5. After thy hardneſs and impenitent heart, thou treaſureſt up unto thy ſelf wrath againſt the day of wrath, and revelation of the righteous judgment of God. If all the ſins of wicked men, are treaſure laid up againſt the day of wrath; then ſurely all the good actions of good men, are treaſure laid up in heaven.

SECT. 9.

9. Let the loſſes which you have ſuſtained by the late Fire, put you in minde of, and make you careful to avoid four other Fires, which are more dreadful than this great Fire, which conſumed many thouſand houſes in a few dayes.

1. Take heed of the fire of Sin. Sin is oft compared unto fire, Iſa. 9.18. Wickedneſs burneth as the fire, it ſhall devour the briars and thorns—Prov. 16.27. An ungodly man diggeth up evil, and in his lips there is as a burning fire. Hoſ. 7.6. They have made ready their heart like an oven, whilſt they lie in wait, their baker ſleepeth all the night, in the morning it burneth as a flaming fire. James 3.6. The tongue is as a fire, a world of iniquity; ſo is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and ſetteth on fire the courſe of nature, and it is ſet on fire of Hell. Now this fire of ſin is far more miſchievous than the late Fire which burnt ſo great a part of the City; for though that deſtroyed many ſtately buildings, and much Goods, this deſtroyes mens ſouls; and the ſoul of one man, though the pooreſt man upon the face of the earth, is more worth than the whole world, Mark 8.36. The late Fire hath burnt up a great part of the City, but ſin hath ſet on fire the whole courſe of nature; it hath fired, more or leſs, all perſons in all parts and places of the world, For there is not a juſt man upon earth, that doth good and ſinneth not, Eccleſ. 7.20. It hath been burning many thouſand years together, even ever ſince the fall of Adam.

2. Take heed of the Fire of Gods wrath, that burns like fire, Nahum. 1.6. Who can ſtand before his indignation, and who can abide in the fierceneſs of his anger? his fury is poured out like fire. Pſal. 89.46. Shall thy wrath burn like fire? The Apoſtle ſaith of God, Heb. 12.29. Our God is a conſuming fire. To whom is God a conſuming fire? To all impenitent perſons that refuſe to humble their ſouls, and to break off their ſins, Iſa. 27.4. Who would ſet the briars and thorns againſt me in Battle, I would go through them, I would burn them together. He is a conſuming Fire to all that fall off from the wayes of God, after they have been enlightned with the knowledge of the truth, Heb. 10.26,27. If we ſin wilfully, after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more ſacrifice for ſin, but a certain fearful looking for of judgment, and fiery indignation, which ſhall devour the adverſaries.

3. Let this fire put you in minde of that fire which ſhall conſume and burn up the whole world. It was a dreadful ſight to ſee London on fire, but it will be more dreadful to ſee the whole world on ſire; yet ſuch a time will come, and it is haſtening apace upon us, wherein the heavens and the earth ſhall be ſet on fire, and all perſons and things burnt in that fire, 2 Pet. 3.10,11,12. The day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in the which the heav ns ſhall paſs away with a great noiſe, and the elements ſhall melt with fervent heat; the earth alſo, and the works that are therein, ſhall be burnt up: ſeeing then that all theſe things ſhall be diſſolved, what manner of perſons ought ye to be in all holy converſation, and godlineſs, looking for, and haſtening unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the Heavens being on fire, ſhall be diſſolved, and the Elements ſhall melt with fervent heat? This fire that ſhall burn up the whole world, ſhall be to all the ſervants of God like Elijah's fiery Chariot, a means of conveying them into the Kingdom of Heaven; but it ſhall be a day of deſtruction and perdition to all ungodly men, 2 Theſſ. 1.7,8,9. The Lord Jeſus ſhall be revealed from Heaven with his mighty Angels, in flaming fire, taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the Goſpel of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt; who ſhall be puniſhed with everlaſting deſtruction from the preſence of the Lord. 2 Pet. 3.7. The Heavens and the Earth, which are now, by the ſame word are kept in ſtore, reſerved unto fire, againſt the day of judgment, and perdition of ungodly men. Mal. 4.1. Behold, the day cometh that ſhall burn as an Oven, and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly ſhall be ſtubble, and the day that cometh ſhall burn them up, ſaith the Lord of Hoſts, that it ſhall leave them neither root nor branch.

4. Let this fire put you in mind and make you careful to avoid Hell fire: If this fire were dreadful, think with your ſelves how dreadful it will be to be placed at Chriſts left hand, and hear him pronounce that terrible ſentence, Depart from me, ye curſed, into everlaſting fire, prepared for the Devil and his Angels, Matth. 25.41. and yet this will be the portion of all the workers of iniquity, Matth. 13.41,42. The Son of Man ſhall ſend forth his Angels, and they ſhall gather out of his Kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; and ſhall caſt them into a furnace of fire, there ſhall be wailing and gnaſhing of teeth. Revel. 21.8. The fearful, and unbelieving, and the Abominable, and Murderers, and Whoremongers, and Sorcerers, and Idolaters, and all Liars, ſhall have their part in the lake, which burneth with fire and brimſtone. Hell fire is ſo dreadful, that you ſhould be willing to do any thing, and to ſuffer any thing, ſo that you may not be caſt into Hell fire when you die. If you have any ſins as profitable to you as your right hand, or as dear to you as your right eye, you had better a thouſand times part with thoſe ſins, & ſuffer pain and damage, and enter into life than retain your ſins, and be caſt into Hell fire when you die, Mar. 9.43,44,45,46,47,48. If thy hand offend thee, cut it off; for it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands, to go into Hell, into the fire that never ſhall be quenched; where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. And if thy foot offend thee, cut it off; it is better for thee to enter halt into life, than having two feet to be caſt into Hell, into the fire that never ſhall be quenched; where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. And if thine Eye offend thee, pluck it out; it is better for thee to enter into the Kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes to be caſt into Hell fire; where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.

SECT. 10.

10. Truſt in God for a livelyhood; Though your Eſtates be gone and Trading fail, and Times ſhould be hard, yet God will not fail you nor forſake you if you truſt in him; but he will feed you, and clothe you, and provide all things that are neceſſary for you, Pſal. 37.3. Truſt in the Lord, and do good, ſo ſhalt thou dwell in the Land, and verily thou ſhalt be fed. Heb. 13.5. Let your Converſations be without Covetouſneſs, and be content with ſuch things as ye have; for he hath ſaid, I will never leave thee nor forſake thee. Theſe Hebrews (as I have hinted before) had ſuffered the ſpoiling of their goods, as we may ſee, Chap. 10.34. and now they might be full of fears that they ſhould not be able to live; but the Apoſtle bids them be content with ſuch things as they had, for the Lord would not leave them nor forſake them. Conſider

1. God knows that you need food and rayment for your bodies as well as grace for your ſouls, Matth. 6.32. Your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all theſe things; and as he knoweth what and how great your needs are, ſo he will take care to ſupply all your needs, Phil. 4.19. My God ſhall ſupply all your need according to his riches in glory, by Chriſt Jeſus.

2. God made proviſion for you long before you had a being, the Kingdom of Heaven was prepared for Gods Saints and Servants before they were born; for it was made ready for them from the foundation of the world, Matth. 25.34. Come ye bleſſed of my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. Yea, before the world began, from all Eternity, God made preparation for your eternal happineſs, Tit. 1.2. In hope of eternal life, which God that cannot lie, promiſed before the world began. Now if God made proviſion for your eternal happineſs before you had a being, then doubt not but he will provide for you that little time that you have to continue in this world.

3. God hath given you better, and greater things then food and rayment; he hath given you life, bodies and ſouls, Matth. 6.25. Take no thought for your life, what you ſhall eat, or what ye ſhall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye ſhall put on: is not the life more than meat, and the body than rayment? God hath not with-holden his only Son from you, and do you think, that he will with-hold food and raiment from you, who gave you his own Son? Rom. 8.32. He that ſpared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all; how ſhall he not with him alſo freely give us all things?

4. A good man will give his ſervants convenient food, though he have never ſo many, Luk. 15.17. How many hired ſervants of my Fathers have bread enough and to ſpare? And do you think our good and gracious God will deny his ſervants their neceſſary food?

Doth not God clothe the graſs which is but of few dayes continuance? And do you think that he will deny you rayment who are made for an eternal ſtate? Matth. 6.28,29,30. Why take ye thought for rayment? conſider the Lillies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they ſpin: and yet I ſay unto you, that even Solomon in all his glory was not arayed like one of theſe: wherefore if God ſo clothe the graſs of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is caſt into the Oven, ſhall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? God out of his mercy giveth food to all his creatures, Pſal. 136.25. Who giveth food to all fleſh, for his mercy endureth for ever: He feedeth the Birds and the Beaſts, Job 38.41. He provideth for the Raven his food, when his young ones cry unto God—Pſal. 147.9. He giveth to the Beaſt his food. And do ye think that he who is ſtyled The Preſerver of Men, Job 7.20. will not provide food for the ſons and daughters of men? If you think that the Lord is, or will be more mindful of the Birds and Beaſts than of Men, you wrong him exceedingly, Matth. 6.26. Behold the Fowls of the Air; for they ſow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them: Are ye not much better than they? But of this you may ſee more, Queſt. 1. pag. 75, 76, 77, &c. Sect. 3, 4.

Object. If any ſay, I could truſt God for a livelyhood, if I could but ſee which way I ſhould be able to live; but when I have conſidered which way I ſhould be able to maintain my ſelf and my family, I can't ſee or think of any way whereby I and mine ſhould be maintained, and this makes me that I can't tell how to truſt in God for a ſubſiſtance.

Anſw. 1. You have ſtrange thoughts of God, if you will truſt him no farther than you can ſee him; you will truſt a diſhoneſt man as far as you can ſee him: And what a reproach is this to the holy God, to truſt him no farther than you will truſt a diſhoneſt man?

2. The property of true faith, is to perſwade the ſoul as firmly that thoſe things which God hath promiſed ſhall be, although we neither do or can ſee them; as we are perſwaded of thoſe things which we ſee evidently with our eye, Heb. 11.1. Faith is the ſubſtance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not ſeen. Our Lord Jeſus pronounceth thoſe bleſſed which believe what they ſee not, Joh. 20.29. Jeſus ſaith unto him, Thomas, becauſe thou haſt ſeen me, thou haſt believed; bleſſed are they that have not ſeen, and yet have believed.

3. What though you cannot ſee or think which way you ſhould be maintained? God is able to do abundantly more than you are able to think, Epheſ. 3.20. To him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we can ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us. God hath hidden riches, ſuch as no man knoweth of to give his ſervants, when and where he ſeeth good, Iſa. 45.3. I will give thee the treaſures of darkneſs, and hidden riches of ſecret places, that thou mayeſt know, that I the Lord which call thee by thy name, am the God of Iſrael. God oft-times gives wicked men hidden treaſure; David ſpeaking of Gods Providence towards the wicked, ſaith, Pſal. 17.14.—Whoſe belly thou filleſt with thy hid treaſure,—And cannot he find out hidden treaſure for his ſervants, even ſuch as they think not of?

4. What viſible maintenance did Jeſus Chriſt give his Diſciples when he ſent them on a journey, and bid them Provide neither gold, nor ſilver, nor braſs in your purſes, nor ſcrip for your journey, neither two coats, neither ſhooes, nor yet ſtaves, Matth. 10.9,10. yet he provided ſo carefully for them, that they lacked nothing, Luk. 22.35. He ſaid unto them, When I ſent you, without purſe, and ſcrip, and ſhooes, lacked ye any thing? and they ſaid, Nothing. What viſible maintenance did God give the children of Iſrael in the Wilderneſs? As for bread they had none but what fell from heaven, and of that, they had but for the day, excepting on the ſixth day wherein they were to gather a double portion, on other days if they kept any till the morning it bred worms and ſtank, and what fell in the morning was dried up when the Sun was hot, Exod. 16.4,19,20,21,22. ſo that God gave them nothing before hand, but put them upon living by faith for their dayly bread. And as for fleſh, though God had given them a promiſe, that they ſhould eat fleſh a month together, Moſes himſelf was put to a great ſtand to think, how ſuch a vaſt multitude ſhould be fed with fleſh in the Wilderneſs, Numb. 11.21,22,23. Moſes ſaid, the people amongſt whom I am, are ſix hundred thouſand footmen; and thou haſt ſaid, I will give them fleſh, that they may eat a whole month: Shall the Flocks and the Heards be ſlain for them to ſuffice them? or ſhall all the Fiſh of the Sea he gathered together for them to ſuffice them? And the Lord ſaid unto Moſes, Is the Lords hand maxed ſhort? thou ſhalt ſee now whether my words ſhall come to paſs unto thee or not. Now though God kept this people in ſuch dependance on himſelf, that for forty years together he did not give them one days bread before hand (excepting every ſixt day) but they were to expect it a new from heaven every, day; yet all that forty years he did ſo carefully and conſtantly provide for that great multitude, that they lacked nothing, Dept. 2.7. The Lord thy God, hath bleſſed thee in all the works of thine hand; he knoweth thy walking through this great Wilderneſs: theſe forty years the Lord thy God hath been with thee, thou haſt lacked nothing. Neb. 9.21. Yea forty years didſt thou ſuſtain them in the Wilderneſs, ſo that they lacked nothing, their clothe waxed not old, and their feet ſwelled not.

5. The Birds have nothing before hand, neither do they know one day where they ſhall have their food the next, yet God provideth for them every day, Matt. 6.26. And why ſhould not you depend upon God for your daily bread, though you know not one day, how or which way you ſhall be provided for the next? If you ſay, The Birds have a greater latitude than we have, they may take their meat where they can get it, they being under no law, are under no tranſgreſſion, we are bound up by the Law of God, not to meddle with that which belongs to other men. I anſwer, The Birds do not find out or gather any thing but what God gives them; Pſal. 104.28. That thou giveſt them, they gather, thou openeſt thine hand, they are filled with good. Matth. 6.26. Your heevenly Father feedeth them.

6. Conſider the examples of Gods ſervants, who have truſted God at ſuch times as they could not ſee how or which way thoſe mercies ſhould be given them, which they ſtood in need of. When Iſaac ſaid unto Abraham, My-Father, Behold the fire and wood, but where is the Lamb for a burnt offering? Abraham ſaid, My ſon, God will provide himſelf a Lamb for a burnt offering, Gen. 22.7,8. Abraham could not tell how or which way God would provide a Lamb for a burnt offering, yet he did reſt upon God that he would do it. If troubled thoughts ariſe in your hearts, and you begin to ſay within your ſelves, where ſhall I have bread for my ſelf, and for my family: anſwer your ſelves as Abraham did Iſaac, God will provide bread for me and mine. When Mordecai could not tell, how or which way deliverance ſhould come to the Jews, there being but one way viſible, and that was by Eſther, but ſhe was loath to appear and hazard her ſelf by interceeding for them; but he for all this reſts upon God, that if this means failed, deliverance ſhould come ſome other way, Eſth. 4.14. If thou altogether holdeſt thy peace at this time, then ſhall there enlargement and deliverance ariſe to the Jews from another place.

Object. 2. I am a ſimple, ſhiftleſs perſon; and beſides, I have no friends to take care of me, or look after me, and now my Eſtate is gone, and my Calling fails, I ſhall not be able to live; I could truſt God for a livelyhood, if I could ſhift for my ſelf in the world as others can do, and had any friends to look after me, but I and both ſhiftleſs and friendleſs.

Anſw. 1. You are not more ſhiftleſs now, than you were in your infancy, yet then God provided for you; when you were a little Infant and could not ſhift for your ſelf, God drew you out of your Mothers womb, and fed you, and clothed you, and defended, and ſupported you, Pſal. 71.6. By thee have I been holden up from the womb, thou art he that took me out of my Mothers bowels; my praiſe ſhall be continually of thee.

2. If you had never ſo much craft and ſubtilty, yet you could not get a ſubſiſtance, without the help of Gods Providence; for all the devices of the crafty come to nought, when God ſucceedeth them not, Job 5.12. He diſappointeth the devices of the crafty, ſo that their hands cannot perform their enterprize. Your want of ſubtilty is no impediment to Gods Providence; he by his wiſdom is able to provide for thoſe that have little or no wiſdom to order their affairs, as well as for thoſe that are endued with greateſt diſcretion.

3. There is a ſpecial Providence of God which watcheth and taketh care of ſuch as are ſimple and ſhiftleſs, Pſal. 116.6. The Lord preſerveth the ſimple; I was brought low and he helped me. Who are more ſhiftleſs than ſtrangers, widows and fatherleſs children? and we find that God taketh a ſpecial care of ſuch as theſe, Pſal. 146.9. The Lord preſerveth the ſtrangers, he relieveth the fatherleſs and widow. Were not the Diſciples of Chriſt ſhiftleſs, when they were ſent forth as Sheep in the midſt of Wolves, Matth. 10.16. and yet had neither money in their purſes, nor ſtaves, nor ſcrip? Verſ. 9, 10. but for all this they wanted nothing, as you heard before from Luk. 22.35.

4. Though you are friendleſs as well as ſhiftleſs, let not this diſcourage you; as long as you have a God in Heaven that taketh the care of you, you are well enough though you have no friends on earth to look after you, 1 Pet. 5.7. Caſting all your care upon him, for he careth for you. When David was in diſtreſs, and had no friend that took any care of him, he ſtayed himſelf with this, that he had a God that was his refuge, who would not only give him Heaven when he died, but alſo be his portion, and take the care of him in the land of the living, Pſal. 142.4,5. I looked on my right hand, and beheld, but there was no man that would know me; refuge failed me, no man cared for my ſoul; I cryed unto thee, O Lord, I ſaid, thou art my refuge, and my portion in the land of the living. The fewer friends you have in the world, and the leſs help and relief you are like to have from men, the more you ſhall have from God; for he is wont in an eminent manner to take care of ſuch as are friendleſs and helpleſs, Pſal. 27.10. When my Father and my Mother forſake me, then the Lord will take me up. Jer. 30.17. I will reſtore health uno thee, and I will heal thee of thy wounds, ſaith the Lord, becauſe they called thee an out-caſt, ſaying, this is Zion, whom no man ſeeketh after. Pſal. 10.14.—The poor committeth himſelf unto thee, thou art the helper of the fatherleſs.

Object. 3. But I can't work; my age, may one ſay; my ſickneſs and other infirmities, may another ſay, do diſable me from working; and how then ſhall I be able to live in theſe hard times, when I can't work to get my living?

Anſw. 1. It is the will of God, that as long as we have ability we ſhould work for our living, for by that way God is wont to ſupply our needs, namely, by induſtry and diligence in our imployments, 1 Theſſ. 4.11,12. That ye ſtuddy to be quiet, and to do your own buſineſs, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you, that ye may walk honeſtly towards them that are without, that ye may have lack of nothing. The promiſe of being fed runs on theſe tearms, Truſt in the Lord, and do good,—and verily thou ſhalt be fed; 'tis not ſaid, truſt in the Lord, and then though you live idly, you ſhall be fed; but, do good and thou ſhalt be fed. Idleneſs will bring a man to want, Prov. 19.15. Slothfulneſs caſteth into a deep ſleep, and an idle ſoul ſhall ſuffer hunger.

2. If you would work, but cannot, becauſe you are diſabled by age, or ſickneſs, or ſome other infirmity, this ſhould not hinder you from truſting in God to maintain you. For

1. When you can't work, you can pray, and if you pray, God will ſtir up ſome or other to relieve you, he will by his Providence ſend in a ſupply of your wants, ſo that you need not fear want as long as you can pray, Pſal. 34.10. They that ſeek the Lord, ſhall not want any good thing.

2. When you can't work, God can and will work for you; though God ceaſed from the works of Creation on the ſeventh day, yet he ſtill continueth to work for his people in the way of his Providence, Joh. 5.17. My Father worketh hitherto and I work.

3. The Lillies cannot ſpin, or do any other work, yet the Lord ſends upon them rain in due ſeaſon, whereby they are nouriſhed, and clotheth them in a very glorious manner, Matth. 6.28,29,30. and why ſhould you fear that God will not nouriſh and clothe you, though you ſhould be able to do no work? What could you do, when you lay in your Mothers womb, and for ſome years after you were born into the world? If the Lord provided for you when you could do no work for him, or for your generation, becauſe of your infancy, why ſhould you diſtruſt him for Proviſion, when you are diſabled from working by ſickneſs or old age?

Object. 4. But I begin to be—in want already, I that have lived plentifully heretofore, have not now wherewithal to ſupply my perſonal and family neceſſities, and it peirceth my heart to ſee my children orying about me, and I have not wherewithal to relieve them.

Anſw. 1. If it be ſo that you are ſometimes pinched with hunger, yet remember 1. That better men than you are, have been exerciſed with this tryall; the Apoſtle Paul ſpeaking of himſelf, and the other Apoſtles, ſaith 1 Cor. 4.11. Even unto this preſent hour, we both hunger and thirſt, and are naked,—and have no certain dwelling place. Yea, Jeſus Chriſt himſelf was tryed with this affliction of hunger, and when he was hungry, he ſought for relief from the trees of the field, and was diſappointed of his expectation, Mar. 11.12,13. When they were come from Bethany he was hungry, and ſeeing a Fig-tree a far of, having leaves, he came, if haply he might find any thing thereon; and when he came to it, he found nothing but leaves. At another time being weary and thirſty in his travel, he asked a draught of water of a woman of Samaria, and was denyed it, Joh. 4.6. when he was upon the Croſs, full of pain and anguiſh, which made him very thirſty, when he cryed out to thoſe that ſtood round about him, I thirſt; No body gave him any thing to drink but Vinegar, which encreaſed rather than mitigated his torment, Joh. 19.28,29. Jeremiah, one of the Lords Prophets, was ready to die for hunger; Jer. 38.9. They have caſt Jeremiah into the Dungeon, and he is like to die for hunger. 2. This affliction of hunger as well as other afflictions, is a fatherly chaſtiſement, and comes from fatherly love, and is ſent with a deſign to do us good, Deut. 8.3,5,16. He humbled thee, and ſuffered thee to hunger,—Thou ſhalt conſider is thine heart, that as a man chaſtneth his ſon, ſo the Lord thy God chaſtneth thee,—that he might humble thee, and that he might prove thee, to do thee good at thy latter end. 3. The grace of God will enable a man to ſuffer hunger, or any other affliction contentedly, Phil. 4.12,13. I know both how to be abaſed, and I know how to abound; every where, and in all things I am inſtructed, both to be full, and to be hungry; both to abound, and to ſuffer need. I can do all things through Chriſt which ſtrengtheneth me.

2. If by this Providence you are brought to want, and are pinched with hunger, let this affliction put you upon renewing your repentance, and cauſe you to cry mightily to the Lord, and he will ſave you from your diſtreſſed condition, Pſal. 107.4,5,6. They wandered in the Wilderneſs,—hungry and thirſty, their ſouls fainted in them; then they cryed unto the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them out of their diſtreſſes. Though you are now under great ſcarcity, yet if your ſcarcity put you upon renewing your repentance, the Lord will turn your ſcarcity into plenty, Elihu ſpeaking of ſuch as are in affliction, and having ſhewn how God commandeth them to return from iniquity, telleth us what God will do for ſuch as at the command of God do return from their ſins, Job. 36.11,16. If they obey and ſerve him, they ſhall ſpend their dayes in proſperity, and their years in pleaſures: Even ſo would he have removed thee out of a ſtrait into a broad place, where there is no ſtraitneſs; and that which ſhould be ſet on thy Table ſhould be full of fatneſs. When the Prodigal. Son began to be in want, his want brought his ſins to remembrance, and put him upon returning home to his Father, and when he came to his Father, and confeſſed his ſins to his Father, though he would have been glad of ſuch husks as Swine eat, and could not get them, he was no ſooner returned to his Father, but he kills the fatted Calf, and calls for thebeſt Robe, and a Ring,—and makes very rich and bountiful proviſion for him.

3. When your children come about you and cry for bread, and you have it not to give them, remember that their cries do not only pierce your hearts, but enter into the ears of the Lord of Sabbath. When the water in Hagar's bottle was ſpent, and the child cryed, and ſhe knew not where to have any more, but thought, that the child muſt needs periſh, and therefore caſt the child under a ſhrub, becauſe ſhe could not tell how to ſee the death of the child; God heard the cry of the child and ſent her relief, Gen. 21.15,16,17,19. The water was ſpent in the bottle, and ſhe caſt the child under one of the ſhrubs; and ſhe went, and ſat her down over againſt him, a good way off, as it were a Bow ſhot; for ſhe ſaid, Let me not ſee the death of the child: and ſhe ſat over againſt him, and lift up her voyce and wept. And God heard the voyce of the Lad: and the Angel of God called to Hagar out of Heaven, and ſaid unto her, What aileth thee, Hagar? fear not, for God hath heard the voyce of the Lad where he is; and God opened her eyes and ſhe ſaw a Well of water. When the young ravens wander up and down ſeeking meat and can find none, and cry unto God, he heareth them, Job 38.41. Who provideth for the Ravens his food, when his young ones cry unto God, they wander for lack of meat. Pſal. 147.9. He giveth to the beaſt his food, and to the young Ravens which cry. Doth God hear the voyce of the young Ravens when they cry, and provide them food? and do you think that he will not hear the cryes of your young children, and provide them food?

4. Though you begin to be in want, and both your ſelves and families are now and then pinched with hunger, yet truſt ſtill in God, that he will provide for you and yours ſuch food as he ſeeth to be convenient for you. Our faith muſt not flag or fail when we meet with ſharp trials; you know what Job ſaith, Job 13.15. Though he ſlay me, yet will I truſt in him. If your hunger and ſcarcity ſhould be ſuch, as that you ſhould think God intended to ſlay you with hunger, yet you muſt truſt in him. I will give a few encouragements to ſuch as are under fear, or in danger of being famiſhed with hunger, to truſt in God to relieve them.

1. Your bodies are members of Chriſts Body, 1 Cor. 6.15. Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Chriſt? and temples of the Holy Ghoſt, Verſ. 19. Know ye not that your body is the Temple of the Holy Ghoſt which is in you? And do you think that God will be unmindful of his Sons members, and of the Temple of the Holy Ghoſt? The afflictions of the Saints are ſaid to be the afflictions of Chriſt, Col. 1.23. That which afflicts them, is an affliction to him, Iſa. 63.9. In all their afflictions, he was afflicted. Their hunger and thirſt, may in ſome ſenſe be ſaid to be his hunger and thirſt, Matth. 25.35. I was an bungred, and ye gave me meat; I was thirſty, and ye gave me drink.

2. Conſider what promiſes God hath made to preſerve his people from being famiſhed, and to give them plenty of all ſuch things as are good for them, Prov. 10.3. The Lord will not ſuffer the ſoul of the reghteous to be famiſked. Joel 2.26. Ye ſhall eat in plenty, and be ſatisfied, and praiſe the Name of the Lord your God. Pſal. 33.18,19. Behold, the Eye of the Lord is upon them that fear him, upon them that hope in his mercy: to deliver their ſoul from death, and to keep them alive in famine. Pſal. 136.15. I will abundantly bleſs aer proviſion, I will ſatisfie her poor with bread. When there was ſuch a great ſcarcity among the Jews, that they could not ſee which way they ſhould be ſupplyed with proviſion, Joel 1.16. Is not the meat cut off before your eyes? yet even then God promiſeth his ſervants ſuch plenty as ſhould ſatisfie them, Chap. 2.26. Ye ſhall eat in plenty, and be ſatisfied, and praiſe the Name of the Lord your God, that hath dealt wonderfully with you; and my people ſhall never be aſhamed. Another promiſe you have, Iſa. 41.17,18. When the poor and needy ſeek water, and there is none, and their tongue faileth for thirſt, I the Lord will hear thens, I the God of Iſrael will not forſake them: I will open Rivers in high places, and Fountains in the midſt of the Valleys; I will make the Wilderneſs a Pool of water, and the dry Land Springs of water. Here God promiſeth, that when his Servants are deſtitute of neceſſary proviſion, and are in ſuch ſtraits as they are ready to periſh, he will ſend them in unexpected ſupplies, he will alter the very courſe of Nature, rather than they ſhall periſh, He will make the Wilderneſs a Pool of Water, and the dry Land Springs of Water. Though this promiſe be not to be reſtrained to temporal things, but includeth alſo many ſpiritual bleſſings, yet it may very ſafely and properly be applyed by ſuch as are in great ſtraits, and ready to periſh for want of proviſion for their outward man. Let me add this farther, That God is mindful of every Promiſe of his Covenant which relates to our temporal as well as our ſpiritual welfare, Pſal. 111.5. He hath given meat unto them that fear him, he will ever be mindful of his Covenant.

3. Conſider what great a care God hath for the ſatisfying of ſuch as are hungry: 1. It hath been his manner of old to provide good things for the hungry, Luk. 1.53. He hath filled the hungry with good things. When the Iſraelites were hungry in the Wilderneſs, he gave them bread from heaven, to ſatisfie their hunger, and fetched water out of a Rock, to quench their thirſt, Neb. 9.15. Thou gaveſt them Bread from Heaven, for their hunger; and broughteſt forth Water for them, out of the Rock, for their thirſt. He cauſed the Ravens to bring bread and fleſh to feed Elijah in a time of famine, 1 King. 17.6. The Ravens brought him bread and fleſh in the morning, and bread and fleſh in the evening. The Ravens of their own nature would rather devour and eat a mans fleſh, than bring him bread and fleſh to preſerve his life, ſo Prov. 30.17. ſo that we ſee that God hath altered the courſe of Nature, and wrought miracles to ſatisfie his peoples hunger. And as he hath done great things of old for the ſatisfying the hungry, and relieving the poor and needy; ſo he hath promiſed to be mindful of them in all ages, and to do wonderful and unuſual things rather than they ſhall periſh for want of neceſſary food, as you may ſee in the fore-quoted Promiſes, Iſa. 41.17,18. Pſal. 111.5. and he will keep his truth for ever in theſe as well as in his other Promiſes, Pſal. 146.6,7. Which keepeth truth for ever, which executeth judgment for the oppreſſed, which giveth foed to the hungry,—2. Gods care of hungry perſons appears by the ſtrict charge which he hath given to thoſe that have ability to feed the hungry; they muſt be ſo careful hereof, that they muſt not neglect giving food to ſuch as are hungry, though they have been their Enemies, Rom. 12.20. If thine Enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirſt, give him drink. He hath not only commanded us to feed the hungry, but alſo hath promiſed great rewards to ſuch as feed the hungry, Iſa. 58.20. If thou draw out thy ſoul to the hungry, and ſatisfie the afflicted ſoul; then ſhall thy light riſe in obſcurity, and thy darkneſs be as the noon day. Matth. 25.34,15. Come ye bleſſed of my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you, from the foundation of the world; for I was an bungred, and ye gave me meat; I was thirſty, and ye gave me drink: ſee farther, Pſal. 41.1,2,3. yea ſo careful is God of hungry perſons, that he threatens to condemn thoſe at the day of judgment, who have neglected to feed the hungry, Matth. 25.41,42. Depart from me, ye curſed, into everlaſting fire, prepared for the Devil and his Angels; for I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat; I was thirſty, and ye gave me no drink. May not this care that God hath of the hungry, incourage you to truſt in God in your greateſt ſtraits, when you fear that you ſhall periſh with hunger?

4. Conſider that God is wont to be ſeen in the Mount: our extremity is Gods opportunity. When the Widows Proviſion was all ſpent to an handful of Meal, and a little Oyl in a Cruſe, and ſhe knew not where to have any more, but verily thought that ſhe and her ſon muſt die; then cometh Elijah, and multiplyeth her Proviſion, ſo that ſhe and all her family were nouriſhed during the time of the famine, 1 King. 17.12,13,14,15,16. When all the water that was in Hagars bottle was ſpent, and ſhe knew not where to have any more, but thought that ſhe and her child muſt die, and had caſt the child under a ſhrub, ſaying, Let me not ſee the death of the child,—then God opened her eyes and ſhewed her a well of water by her, Gen. 21.15,16,19. When the Altar was built whereon Iſaac was to be ſacrificed, and the wood was laid in order, and Iſaac was bound and laid upon the Altar, and Alraham's hand was ſtretched out, and he had taken his knife, then the Angel of God calls to him out of Heaven to ſpare Iſaac, and ſhews him a Ram that was provided to be facrificed in Iſaac's ſtead, Gen. 22.9,10,11,12,13. And this act of Gods Providence in refcuing Iſaac when he was at the point of death, was recorded to ſtrengthen the faith of all Gods ſervants in all ages, that they may truſt in God in their greateſt extremities, as we may ſee, Verſ. 14.

5. Conſider how eaſie a thing it is with God to provide for you, ſeeing he is the Lord of the whole world, and hath all the times of the Sea, and all the fowls of the Air, and all the creatures of the Earth at his diſpoſal; Pſal. 24.1. The Earth is the Lords, and the fulneſs thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein. Pſal. 50.10,11. Every Beaſt of the Forreſt is mine, and the Cattel upon a thouſand Hills; I know all the Fowls of the Mountains, and the wild Beaſts of the Field are mine; yea, he can, if he pleaſe, ſuſtain you by his Word without giving of you bread, Deut. 8.3. And he himbled thee, and ſuffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with Manna, which thou kneweſt not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know, that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word which proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord doth man live. God can ſend an Angel from Heaven to bring you Proviſion, as he did to Elijah, when he fled into the Wilderneſs to ſave his life, 1 King. 19.3,4,5,6. God can turn ſtones into bread, Mat. 3.9. God is able of theſe Stones toraiſe up Children unto Abraham. If God can raiſe up Children from Stones, he can alſo turn ſtones into Bread, to nouriſh the Children of Abraham.

6. Conſider how willing God is to relieve you, he is not only able, but willing to feed the hungry. This will appear from what was ſaid concerning the care that God takes of ſuch as are hungry. Conſider 3. However, I ſhall add ſomething farther concerning Gods willingneſs to ſupply your wants, becauſe it is no eaſie matter to truſt in God when we come into great ſtraits. 1. Earthly Parents will not deny their Children Bread, when they are hungry and cry for it; Mat. 7.9,10. What man is there of you, whom if his Son ask Bread, will he give him a Stone? or if he ask a Fiſh, will he give him a Serpent? And God our heavenly Father is more willing to give good things to us when we ask for them, than Parents are to give good things to their Children, Verſ. 11. If ye then being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your Children; how much more ſhall your Father which is in heaven, give good things to them that ask him? 2. God hath regard to the dry ground, though it lie in a deſolate place, in a Wilderneſs where no man cometh, to ſatisfie it with Rain from Heaven when it is thirſty, Job 38.25,26,27. Who hath divided a water-courſe for the over-flowing of waters? or away for the lightning of Thunder, to cauſe it to rain on the Earth, where no man is; on the Wilderneſs, where there is no man? to ſatisfie the deſolate and waſt ground,—Can it enter into your hearts to think, that God ſhould forget you in your neceſſity, when as he remembereth the dry and thirſty ground, even that which is deſolate and lyeth waſt? The Sparrows are Birds of a ſmall value, yet God doth not forget any of them, but gives them their meat in due ſeaſon, Luk. 12.6, Are not five Sparrows ſold for two farthings? and not one of them is forgotten before God,—fear not therefore, you are of mere value than many Sparrows. If God do not forget a Sparrow, you may certainly conclude, that he will not forget you. 3. God wiſheth his people were in ſuch a condition; that he might, without doing them hurt, feed them with the very beſt of his Creatures; for, The Lord hath pleaſure in the proſperity of his ſorvants, Pſal. 35.27. He is very unwilling to afflict them either with hunger, or any other affliction, Lam. 3.33. He doth not afflict willingly, nor grieve the children of men. If we would be obedient to his voice, he would continue our plenty; if after he hath taken it away, our ſcarcity lead us to repentance, he will reſtore our plenty again, Pſal. 81.13,15,16. Oh that my people had bearkened unto me; and Iſrael had walked in may wayes!—their time ſhould have eddured for for ever, he ſhould have fed them alſo with the fineſt of the wheat; and with boney out of the rock, ſhould I have ſatisfied them. 4. The Lord Jeſus takes notice who they are that have nothing to eat, and are in danger of fainting for want of food, and is very full of compaſſion toward thoſe that are in ſuch a condition. The Bowels of his Compaſſion did ſo yearn towards the multitude that had been three dayes without food, and were in danger to faint, that he wrought a miracle to feed them, Mark 8.1,2,3, &c.

It may be ſome will ſay, Since God brought me into diſtreſs, I have manifeſted much unbelif, and diſtruſt, notwithſtanding I have formerly had great experience of Gods goodneſs; and therefore I am afraid now he will ſuffer me to ſtarve, and look no more after me.

Anſw. If you humble your ſelves for your unbelief, God will both pardon your ſin, and give you a plentiful ſupply of your wants. The Jews who had ſeen God providing for them in a wonderful manner, did in their ſtraits diſcover a great deal of diſtruſt, Pſal. 78.19,20. They ſpake againſt God; they ſaid, Can God furniſh a table in the Wilderneſs? Behold, he ſmote the rock, that the waters guſhed out, and the ſtreams over flowed; can he give bread alſo? can he provide fleſh for his people? Yet God did fully ſupply all their wants, ver. 25.—He ſent them meat to the full—And alſo paſſed by their tranſgreſſions, ver. 38. He being full of compaſſion, forgave their iniquity, and deſtroyed them not. God is wont to chaſten his children for their unbelief, but not to break his promiſes made to them. Zacharias was ſtruck dumb for his unbelief, yet his ſin did not hinder the fulfilling of the promiſe, that was accompliſhed in its ſeaſon, Luke 1.20. Behold, thou ſhalt be dumb, and not able to ſpeak until the day that theſe things ſhall be performed; becauſe thou believeſt not my words, which ſhall be fulfilled in their ſeaſon. Rom. 3.3,4. Shall their unbelief make the Faith of God without effect? God forbid.

SECT. 11.

11. If by this affliction you are, or ſhould hereafter be brought into ſuch great ſtraits as that you know not what to do, but are like a man at his wits end, that knoweth not which way to winde or turn himſelf to get out of his troubles, be not diſmayed at it, but look up unto God, and commit your ſelves and all your affairs unto him, cry to the Lord to help you, and though he do not preſently deliver you, yet truſt in him that he will deliver you in his own good time; and wait patiently upon him for his help, how great ſoever your ſtraits are, and though it be very long before he ſend you deliverance. Thus the ſervants of God in former times were wont to do, when their condition was ſo diſtreſſed, they knew not what to do; they looked to the Lord to help them, 2 Chron. 20.12. O our God,—we have no might againſt this great company that cometh againſt us, neither know we what to do, but our eyes are upon thee. Pſal. 22.4,5. Our Fathers truſted in thee, they truſted, and thou didſt deliver them; they cryed unto thee, and mere delivered; they truſted in thee, and were not confounded. Pſalm 40.1,2. I waited patiently for the Lord, and he • nclined unto me, and heard my cry; he brought me up alſo out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay; and ſet my feet upon a rock, and eſtabliſhed my goings. I will adde ſome things by way of encourage ment, to encourage you to truſt in God, and to wail patiently upon him, when you are in ſuch great ſtraies that you know not what to do.

1. When you know not what to do, God knows what to do for you. We read, John 6.5. When Jeſus liſt up his eyes, and ſaw a great company come unto him, he ſaid unto Philip, Whence ſhall we buy bread, that theſe may eat. Philip was at a loſs, he knew not whence they ſhould have bread enough to ſuffice ſuch a multitude, as you may ſee, ver. 7. But though Philip knew not how or which way ſuch a multitude ſhould be provided for, Chriſt did, ver. 6. This he ſaid to prove him, for he himſelf knew what he would do. When a godly mans temptations are ſuch as he knoweth not which way he ſhould be delivered, God knows how to deliver him, 2 Pet. 2.9. The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations—If ſuch thoughts ſhould ariſe in your hearts (as through the ſuggeſtion of Satan poſſibly they may) that your ſtraits are ſo great, that the way of your deliverance is not only hid from your eyes, but hid from God alſo; and that it is above the wiſdom of God to know how to deliver you, abominate all ſuch wicked and ungodly thoughts, and remember, that Gods Wiſdom is infinite, far above what we can ſearch into, Iſa. 40.27,28. Why ſayeſt thou, O Jacob, and ſpeakeſt, O Iſrael, my way is hid from the Lord, and my judgment is paſſed over from my God: Haſt thou not known? haſt thou not heard, that the everlaſting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no ſearching of his under ſtanding, Pſal. 147.5. Great is our Lord, and of great power, his under ſtanding is infinite. Thoſe things which ſeem invincible diffioulties to us, have no difficulty at all in the account of God, Zech. 8.6. If it be marvellous in the eyes of the remnant of this people, in theſe dayes, ſhould it alſo be marvellows in mine eyes, ſaith the Lord of Hoſts? Iſa. 55.8,9. My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your wayes my wayes, ſaith the Lord; for as the heavens are higher than the earth, ſo are my wayes, higher than your wayes, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

2. When you are at that paſs, that you know not what to do, as God knows what to do for you, ſo he is able to help and deliver you, his Power is equal to his Wiſdom, Gen. 18.14. Is any thing too hard for the Lord? Luke 1.37. With God nothing ſhall be unpoſſible. Even ſuch things as men judge impoſſible, and what they do not only judge ſo, but thoſe things which are real impoſſibilities to men, are poſſible with God, Luke 18.27. The things which are unpoſſible with mien, are poſſible with God. When the difficulty of your caſe diſcourageth you from believing, conſider what a great and hard work it was to make the heavens and the earth, and then you will conclnde that nothing can be too hard for God, Jer. 32.17. Ah, Lord God, behold thou haſt made the heaven and the earth by thy great power, and ſtretched out arme, and there is nothing too hard for thee. Suppoſe there was no way extant, whereby you can be delivered out of your troubles, God can make away for you to eſcape, he can create deliverance, 1 Com. 10.13. God is faithful, who will not ſuffer you to be tempted above that ye ars able, but will with the temptation alſo make a way to efcape, that ye may be able to bear it. Iſa. 4.5. The Lord will create upon every dwelling-place of Mount Zion, and upon hen aſſemblies, a cloud and ſmoke by days, and the ſhining of a flaming fire by nights for upon all the glory ſhall be a defence.

3. The Lord is not only able to help you out of great ſtraits, but he bath promiſed, that when you are in ſuch diſtreſs that you know not what to do, if you call upon him, and truſt in him, he will deliver you, Pſal. 25.15. Mins eyes and ever towards the Lord, for he ſhall pluck my feet out of the net. When Davids feet were entangled in a net, that he knew not which way to winde and turn himſelf, he eyes, and reſts upon Gods promiſe, He ſhall pluck my feet out of the net, Pſal 50.15. Call upon me in the day of trouble, I will deliver thee, and thou ſhalt glorifie me. They day of trouble taketh in the greareſt, as well as leſſes troubles, and the Hebrew word that is uſed in this place for trouble, is the ſame that is uſed, Daniel 12.2: where the Prophet ſpeaketh of ſuch a time of trouble as never was ſince the Creation: ſo that the promiſe implyes thus much, when it is a day of trouble with you, though your preſſures and troubles be ſuch, as never any perſon or people met with greater ſince the creation of the world, if you call upon God be will deliver you, Job. 5.19. He ſhall deliver thee in ſix troubles, yea, in ſeven there ſhall no evil touch thee. The Hebrew word for trouble here, is the ſame with what was mentioned before, and is ſometimes tranſlated, a ſtrait, 2 Sam. 34.14. I am in a great ſtrait. So that the promiſe implies thus much, that when we are in ſtraits, in great ſtraits, in many ſtraits, God will deliver us, and bring us out of them all, Pſalm 71.20. Thou which haſt ſhewen me great; and ſore troubles, ſhalt quicken me again, and ſhalt bring me up again from the depths of the earth.

4. Though you be in ſuch ſtraits, that you know not what to do, yet truſt in God, for your help doth not ſtand in your own wiſdom, or in your own ſtrength, but in the Lord, Pſal. 124.8. Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth. Your deliverance from trouble, doth not come partly from God, and partly from your ſelves, but from God only, Pſal. 62.6. He only is my rock, and my ſalvation, he is my dofence; I ſhall not be moved. When all help faileth, he will be a very preſent help in trouble, Pſal. 46.1. God is our refuge and ſtrength, a very preſent help in trouble. Now ſeeing your help ſtandeth only in the name of the Lord, though your wiſdom and your ability to help your ſelves faileth you, this ſhould not hinder you from truſting in God to help you.

5. Conſider what God hath done for others in their ſtraits, when they cried unto God, he helped them, though their troubles were ſuch as that their ſouls melted under them, and they have been at their wits end, Pſal. 107.26,27,28. They mount up to the heaven; they go down again to the depths; their ſoul is melted becauſe of trouble,—they are at their wits end: Then they cry unto the Lord in their trouble, and he bringeth them out of their diſtreſs. Pſal. 34.6. This poor man cryed, and the Lord heard him, and ſaved him out of all his troubles. David was delivered out of a great ſtrait, when he penned this Pſalm, as you, may ſee by the title, compared with 1 Sam. 21.10,11,12,13. David gives us divers inſtances of Gods delivering him out of very great ſtraits, ſuch as to an eye of fence ſeemed inextricable and invincible, Pſal. 18.29. By thee I have run through a troop, and by my God have I leaped over a wall. Pſal. 40.2. He brought me up out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay. And he telleth us, that it was the will of God, that thoſe deliverances which God had given him, ſhould encourage others to truſt in the Lord, Many ſhall ſee it, and fear, and ſhall truſt in the Lord, ver. 3.

6. The Holy Ghoſt recommendeth it to us, as that which is very good and profitable for us, and very acceptable and pleaſing to God, that we ſhould truſt and hope in God, in our greateſt ſtraits, Lam. 3.26. It is good that a man ſhould both hope, and quietly wait for the ſalvation of the Lord. This was ſpoken to thoſe who were in great diſtreſs, and ſaw no way how they ſhould get out of their troubles, ver. 7. 9. He hath hedged me about, that I cannot get out, he hath made my chain heavy, he hath encloſed my wayes with hewen ſtone, he hath made my paths crooked. Hereupon they were ready to deſpair of deliverance, and to ſay, ver. 18. My ſtrength and my hope is periſhed from the Lord. Yet to them the Holy Ghoſt ſaith, It is good that a man ſhould both hope, and quietly wait for the ſalvation of the Lord. And as it is good for us, ſo alſo it is pleaſing to God that we ſhould hope in him under our greateſt troubles, Pſal. 147.11. The Lord taketh pleaſure in them that fear him, in thoſe that hope in his mercy.

If any ſay, I have brought my ſelf into my ſtraits, and my troubles, by my ſins, and this keepeth me from truſting in God, becauſe my troubles are the fruit of my ſins. Were it purely the hand of God to try my faith and patience, I could in ſuch a caſe hope in God.

Anſ. Though our troubles do come upon us for our ſins, yet if we humble our ſouls for our ſins and cry to God in our diſtreſſes, he will raiſe up deliverance for us, Pſal. 107.10,11,12,13,14. Such as ſit in darkneſs, and in the ſhadow of death, being bound in affliction and iron; becanſe they rebelled againſt the words of God, and contemned the counſel of the moſt high; therefore he brought down their heart with labour, they fell down, and there was none to help. Then they cried unto the Lord in their trouble, and he ſaved them out of their diſtreſs; he brought them out of darkneſs, and the ſhadow of death, and brake their bands in ſunder. And again, ver. 17, 19. Fools, becauſe of their tranſgreſſion, and becauſe of oheir iniquities, are afflicted; then they cry unto the Lord in their trouble, he ſaveth them out of their diſtreſſes. When David was under ſuch a great ſenſe of ſin as made his heart to fail, he did yet hope in God for deliverance out of his troubles, Pſal. 40.12,17. Innumerable evils have compaſſed me about, mine iniquities have taken hold upon me, ſo that I am not able to look up; they are more than the hairs of my head, therefore my heart faileth me. I am poor and needy, yet the Lord thinketh upon me; thou art my help and my deliverer, make no tarrying, O my God. When Jonah was caſt into the Sea, and ſwallowed up by a Whale, it was for his ſin, in flying from the preſence of the Lord; yet when in his affliction he cryed to God, God heard and delivered him, Jonah 2.2,10. I cryed by reaſon of mine affliction, unto the Lord, and he heard me; out of the belly of hell cried I, and thou heardeſt my voice. And the Lord ſpake unto the Fiſh, and it vomited out Jonah upon the dry land.

SECT. 12.

12. Watch and pray that ye enter not into temptation. Satan uſeth to be very buſie to tempt us, when we are in affliction. The two ſeaſons wherein the Devil did in a more eminent manner ſet upon Chriſt with his temptations, were, when he was in the Wilderneſs, Mark 1.13. He was in the Wilderneſs forty dayes, tempted of Satan; and when he was entring upon his Paſſion, Luke 22.53. This is your hour, and the power of darkneſs. The Devils at that time beſtirred themſelves to the utmoſt of their power, in tempting and afflicting the Lord Jeſus. Now God hath ſtripped you of all or the greateſt part of your enjoyments, and brought you as it were into a Wilderneſs; now that you muſt expect to ſuffer more hardſhip and difficulties then formerly, you may look to meet with more then uſual temptations. The Devil is ready to take occaſion from others afflictions to tempt us, 2 Theſſ. 3.3,4,5. How much more will he take advantage from our own afflictions to aſſault us with his temptations? If Satan be buſie to tempt, had you not need to watch and pray that ye enter not into temptation? I might here caution you againſt ſeveral temptations, I will inſtance in four or five.

1. Take heed of entertaining hard thoughts of God, as though God dealt hardly with you; or of his wayes, as if there were no profit in ſerving of God, becauſe you have ſuffered ſo deeply, notwithſtanding you have endeavoured to ſerve the Lord: Satan hath baffled very eminent perſons with this temptation. Job in his haſte uttered ſuch an expreſſion as this, Job 30.21. Thou art become cruel to me—Jeremiah in his diſtreſs lets fall ſuch words as theſe, Jer. 15.18.—Why is my pain perpetual, and my wound incurable which refuſeth to be healed: wilt thou be altogether unto me as a lyard and as waters that fail? David being exerciſed with many afflictions, ſaid lin his haſt (though upon ſecond thoughts he called in his words again) that all the pains that he had taken in ſerving God was ladour in vain, Pſal. 73.13,14. Verily, I have cleanſed my heart in vain, and waſhed my bands in innocency; for all the day long have I been plagued and chaſtened every morning. To fortifie you againſt this temptation of calling in queſtion the goodneſs of God, or thinking there is no advantage cometh by ſerving God, let me adviſe you to do theſe things.

1. Judge of God according to that repreſentation which he maketh of himſelf in his Word. Now the Scriptures repreſent God to be a good God, Pſ. 86.5. Thou Lord art good, and ready to forgive, and plenteous in mercy unto all that call upon thee. When the Lord proclaimed his Name to Moſes, he proclaimed his name after this manner, Exod. 34.5,6. The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, long ſuffering, and abundant in goodneſs—He is ſo abundant in goodneſs, that his goodneſs fills the whole earth, Pſal. 33.5.—The Earth is full of the goodneſs of the Lord. He is ſo good a God, that there are ſome expreſſions of his goodneſs towards every perſon, and every creature upon the face of the earth, Pſal. 145.9. The Lord is good to all, and his tender mercies are over all his works. His goodneſs is ſo great, that no words can expreſs it; we may admire it, but we cannot deciare the greatneſs of it, Zech. 9.17. How great is his goodneſs, and how great is his beauty? Even in his moſt terrible acts there is abundance of goodneſs, Pſal. 145,6,7. Men ſhall ſpeak of the might of thy terrible acts,—they ſhall abundantly utter the memory of thy great goodneſs.

2. Conſider what good thoughts of God the ſervants of the Lord have had in their greateſt afflictions: though in time of temptation, ſome of Gods ſervants have uttered ſome raſh expreſſions derogatory to the good roſſ of God, yet afterwards they have humbled themſelves greatly for ſuch ſpeeches, as we may ſee, Job 42.3,6. David calls himſelf fool, and heaſt, for ſpeaking diſhonourably of God in his afflictions, Pſal. 73.13,22. Take the ſervants of God when they have been freed from, or gotten the victory over temptation, and you ſhall finde them admiring and ſpeaking highly in the commendation of Gods goodneſs in their greateſt afflictions, Pſal. 119.68. Thou art good, and doſt good—and this David ſpoke when he was ſpoiled of his goods, ver. 61. The bands of the wicked have robbed me; and when his ſorrows were ſo great that his ſoul melted under them, ver. 28. My ſoul melteth for he avineſs. Neither his loſſes nor his ſorrows made him queſtion Gods goodneſs, but he ſaith under both, thou art good, and doſt good. In another Pſalm, after he had expreſſed the greatneſs of his ſorrows, Pſal. 31.9,10. I am in trouble, mine eye is conſumed with grief, yea, my ſoul and my belly; for my life is ſpent with grief, and my years with ſighing—He breaks out into admiration of Gods goodneſs, ver. 19. O how great is thy goodneſs, which thou haſt laid up for them that fear thee! And Pſal. 73.1,10. Truly God is good to Iſrael. God is good to them when they are forced to wander up and down, and are full of affliction, ver. 10. His people return hither, and waters of a full cup are wrung out to thems. When Doeg the Edomite had accompliſhed his miſchievous deſign in cauſing the Prieſts of the Lord to be ſlain for entertaining of David, which could not but be a great grief to David, yet ſtill he extols Gods goodneſs, Pſal. 52.1. Why boaſteſt thou thy ſelf in miſchief, O mighty man? the goodneſs of God endureth continually. When the Jews that were carried captive into Babylon, had loſt all their ſubſtance, and met with ſuch ſorrows, that they thought none ever met with the like; they, notwithſtanding all their afflictions, think honourably of Gods goodneſs, Lam. 3.25. The Lord is good unto them that wait for him, unto the ſoul that ſeeketh him.

3. When you are ready to have hard thoughts of God becauſe of your afflictions, turn your eyes from looking at Gods Providences, and look upon his Promiſes; they repreſent God to be full of love, when his Providences repreſent him to be terrible. There is a thouſand times more ſweetneſs in the Promiſes, than there is ſhapneſs in your afflictions. David viewing his afflictions, cryed out, Pſal. 60.3. Thou haſt ſhewed thy people hard things, thou haſt made us to drink the wine of aſtoniſhment. But when he turns his eye to the Promiſe, he forgets his ſorrow, and is filled with joy, ver. 6. God hath ſpoken in his holineſs, I will rejoyce.

4. When hard thoughts of God ariſe in your minds becauſe of your afflictions, behold God as he hath manifeſted himſelf in and through Jeſus Chriſt, and there you ſhall ſee him to be a God of unſpeakable love, God ſo loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son—John 3.16. When you look upon God in Chriſt, you ſhall finde him without fury towards ſuch as believe in his Son, when he is executing his greateſt judgments, Iſa. 26.21. Behold the Lord cometh out of his place to puniſh the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity—Fury is not in me: And to whom is it that he ſaith, Fury is not in me? it is to ſuch as take hold of his Son, who is his ſtrength, ver. 5. When you look upon God in Chriſt, you may behold him a reconciled Father, a God pardoning iniquity, tranſgreſſion, and ſin, 2 Cor. 5.19. a God that hath bleſſed you with all ſpiritual bleſſings, Eph. 1.3. a God that will deny you nothing that is good, ont will give you all things freely, Rom. 8.32. Did he paſs by the fallen Angels, and look upon you, and yet will you not have good thoughts of him? Can you harbour any hard thoughts of God, whilſt you look upon him in Chriſt Jeſus? Shall ſome light and ſhort afflictions, make you overlook all the ſpiritual and eternal bleſſings which God hath treaſured up in Jeſus Chriſt for you? If you ſay this helps me but little, becauſe I cannot make it out, that God hath given Jeſus Chriſt to me; if I could ſee that God had given Chriſt to me, I think I ſhould never entertain an hard thought of God any more? I anſwer, God hath made a free offer of his Son Jeſus Chriſt, with all his benefits unto your ſoul, as well as to any other, ever ſince you have heard the Goſpel; and doth ſtill continue to offer him to you, and calls upon you by his Miniſters, and by his Holy Spirit, to come and take him freely, Mark 16.15. Go ye into all the world, and preach the Goſpel unto every creature: Rev. 22.17. The Spirit and the Bride ſay, Come; and let him that heareth, ſay, Come; and let him that is a thirſt, come; and whoſoever will, let him take the water of life freely: By the water of life, is meant, Chriſt and life through him, Chriſt and all his ſaving benefits; and the Spirit of God who ſearcheth the deep things of God, and knoweth the minde of God, and of Chriſt, aſſureth us, that whoſoever will may come and take this water of life freely.

5. When you finde hard thoughts of God ariſing in your mindes by reaſon of your affliction, call to minde what God hath been doing for you from all eternity, and what he will do for you in heaven to all eternity. God hath been ſetting his wiſdom on work from all eternity to make you happy in the enjoyment of himſelf; and he hath prepared ſuch things for you in heaven, as eye never ſaw the like, neither hath ear heard, neither can it enter into the heart of man to conceive the worth of them. When David in time of temptation was ready to think hardly of God, and of his wayes, Pſal. 73.13,14. After he had overcome the temptation, he ſaith, ver. 28. It is good for me to draw near to God; and what cauſed him to take up this concluſion? among other things this was one, he had his eye upon that bleſſedneſs he ſhould enjoy with God in heaven to all eternity, ver. 24. Thou ſhalt guide me with thy counſel, and afterwards receive me unto glory.

6. If you would keep up good thoughts of God in your afflictions, obſerve what goodneſs God manifeſts to you in your affliction, and what good he deſigns to you by your afflictions. If you did obſerve the dealings of God with your inward, and outward man, you might ſee much of the love, and meroy, and goodneſs of God in your greateſt afflictions. The people of Iſrael met with variety of afflictions when they were in the Wilderneſs, yet there was much of the love and goodneſs of God in all his dealings with them, Iſa. 63.7,9. And as for the ends and deſigns of God in out afflictions, if you conſider what they are, you ſhall finde, that in every affliction God aimeth at your good, Heb. 12.10. He chaſtneth us for our profit. Rom. 8.28. We know that all things work together for good to them that love God.

And as you ſhould keep up good thoughts of God, ſo alſo keep up good thoughts of his Service; and believe firmly in your greateſt ſufferings, that it is not a vain thing to wait upon God; and this you will eaſily do, if you keep up good thoughts of God: ſo that there is little need of adding any thing more concerning this temptation: I ſhall therefore but brieſly hint two or three things, and then proceed to the next temptation.

1. It is very unreaſonable to think that there is no profit comes by walking in the wayes of God, when as the Scripture aſſure us, that Godlineſs is profitable unto all things having promiſe of the life that now is, and of that which is to come. 1 Tim. 4.8. God never did ſtir up any man to ſeek his face in vain, Iſa. 45.19. I ſaid not unto the ſeed of Jacob, ſeek ye me in vain. But whoever they are that ſeek and ſerve the Lord, he will give them grace, and glory, and all good things, Pſal. 34.10. They that ſeek the Lord, ſhall not want any good thing, Pſal. 84.11. The Lord Godiva Sun, and a ſhield; the Lord will give grace and glary, and no good thing will to with hold from them that walk uprightly. He doth not only 〈◊〉 , but giveth great rewards to every one that keepeth his Commandments, Pſal. 19.11. In keeping of them there is great reward.

2. When God enyes his ſervants, or takes from then temporal bleſſings, he give them ſpiritual bleſſings: When he afflicts their Bodies, the is good to their Souls, Laius. 3.25. The Lord is good unto them that wait for him, to the ſoul that ſeeketh him. The pooreſt of Gods ſervants that have leaſt of the things of this world, are bleſſed with all ſpiritual bleſſings, Eph. 1.3. and ſpiritual bleſſings are for better than temponal bleſſings.

3. The very afflictions and troubles of Gods ſervants are profitable to them, as hath been before cleared from ſeveral Scriptures, as Heb. 12.10. He chaſtneth us for our profit, Pſal. 119.71. It is good for me that I have been afflicted. It muſt needs therefore be unreaſonable to ſay, there is no profit in ſerving God, becauſe his ſervants meet with many afflictions.

4. The great day of putting a difference between them that ſerve God, and them that ſerve him not, is the day of Judgment; then it ſhall evidently appear to the whole world, even to them that can ſee no advantage now in godlineſs, how much it profiteth a man to ſerve the Lord, Mal. 3.14,17,18. Ye have ſaid, It is vain to ſerve God; and what profit is it, that we have kept his ordinance, and that we have walked mournfully before the Sord of Hoſts?—They (that is, they that ſerve me) ſhall be mine, ſaith the Lord of Hoſts, in that day when I make up my Jenels, and I will ſpare them as a man ſparrth his own ſon that ſerveth him: then ſhall ye return and diſcern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that ſerveth God, and him that ſerveth him not.

2. Take heed of being drawn by this affliction to depart from God: Satan hath prevailed with ſome upon the account of their afflictions to turn afide from God, and to give over waiting upon him, 2 Kings 6.33. This evil is of the Lord, what ſhould I wait for the Lord any longer? As ſome took diſtaſte at Chriſts words and departed from him, John 6.60,66. Many of his Diſciples, when they had heard this, ſaid, This is an hard ſaying, who can bear it? From that time many of his Diſoiples went back, and walked no more with him. So many take ſuch offence at the providences of God, that they depart from God, and will walk no more in his wayes. If you ſhould be followed with this temptation, to prevent your yielding to it, let me ſuggeſt to you theſe following conſiderations.

1. Conſider whom you forſake, when you forſake the Lord: God is your life, and will you not cleave to your life, Deut. 30.20. That thou mayeſt love the Lord thy God—and that thou mayeſt cleave unto him, for he is thy life, and the length of the dayes. Acts 17.28. In him we live, and 〈◊〉 , and have our being. And will you forſake that God, without whom you cannot live or continue in your being one moment. A man will chuſe rather to part with his Eſtate, his Friends, his Liberty; yea, all that he hath, rather than part with his life, Joh. 2.4. Skin for skin, yea, all that a man hath will he give for his life. If life be thus dear, ſhould you not rather forſake all that you have, than forſake God who is your life? God is our glory, Pſal. 3.3. Thou, O Lard, art a ſhield for we, my glory—Now many will chuſe rather to dye, that to part with their glory, 1 Gor. 9.15.—It were better for me to dye, than that any man ſhould make any glorying void. God is your friend, and hath been your Fathers friend: Now no wiſe than will readily forſake a true and an ancient friend, Prov. 27.10. Thine own friend, and thy father's friend forſake not. God is, orought to be, your chiefeſt joy, Pſal. 43.4. I will go unto the Altar of God, unit God my exceeding jay. Moſt men are deſirous of, and follow after joy; and will you be ſo fooliſh as to forſake your chiefeſt joy? God is the chefeſt good, there is nothing in heaven or in earth comparable to God, Pſal. 73.25. Whom have I in heaven but thee, and there it none upon earth that I deſire beſides thee. There are many that pretend, at leaſt, to ſeek after that which is good, Pſal. 4.6. There be many that ſay, who will ſhew us any good? And will you be ſo unwiſe as to forſake the chiefeſt good? Whoever that was in heaven forſook heaven, excepting the Devils? The beſt thing in heaven is God, Whom have I in heaven but thee? and will you forſake the beſt thing in heaven? Did not God make you, and hath not he maintained you ever ſince you were in the world? And will you forſake the God that made you, and hath redeemed you out of all your troubles, and hath maintained you to this day, Deut. 32.6. Do you thus requite the Lord, O fooliſh people and unwiſe? Is not he thy father that hath bought thee? hath he not made thee, and eſtabliſhed thee? Whom have you to go to, if you forſake God? can any give you eternal life beſides God? John 6.67,68. Jeſus ſaid unto the twelve, Will ye alſo go away? Then Simon Peter anſwered him, Lord, To whom ſhall we go? thon haſt the words of eternal life. Can any forgive your ſins beſides God? Mark 2.7. Who can forgive ſins, but God only? and what a ſad condition will you be in, if your ſins be not forgiven? who can ſave you in time of trouble, and who can ſave you from the torments of Hell beſides God? Pſal. 3.8. Salvation belongeth unto the Lord. You muſt ſhortly dye, and unto whom will you commend your ſouls when you dye, if you for ſake the Lord? Pſal. 31.5. Into thy hand I commit my ſpirit, thou haſt redeemed me, O Lord God of truth. In forſaking God you forſake your own mercies, and involve your ſelves in unſpeakable miſery.

2. Conſider how contrary this is to the example and practice of the Saints and Servants of God in all ages, to forſake God becauſe of your afflictions; if you obſerve their practice and carriage, you ſhall finde that they have cleaved to God, and continued conſtant in their walking with God, in the midſt of their greateſt troubles, Pſal. 44.17,18,19. All this is come upon us, yet have we not forgotten thee, neither have we dealt falſly in thy covenant; our heart is not turned back, neither have our ſteps declined from thy way; though thou haſt ſore broken us in the place of dragons, and covered us with the ſhadow of death. Jobs afflictions were very great, yet they did not cauſe him to depart from God, or ceaſe from ſerving him, Job 23.2,11,12. Even to day is my complaint bitter, my ſtroke is heavier than my groaning—My foot hath held his ſteps, his way have I kept and not declined; neither have I gone back from the Commandment of his lips, I have eſteemed the words of his mouth more then my neceſſary food. Job 13.15. Though he ſlay me, yet will I truſt in him—David went through many afflictions, yet none of them cauſed him to depart from God, but he continued to ſerve and walk with God, notwithſtanding all his ſufferings, Pſal, 119.83,109,143. I am become like a bottle in the ſmoke; yet do I not forget thy Statutes—My ſoul is continually in mine hand; yet do I not forget thy law—Trouble and anguiſh have taken hold on me; yet thy Commandments are my delights. Pſal. 31.9,10,14. I am in trouble, mine eye is conſumed with grief, yea, my ſoul and my belly: for my life is ſpent with grief, and my years with ſighing—But I truſted in thee, O Lord—

3. It is a fooliſh and vain thing for any man to forſake God by reaſon of his afflictions; becauſe by forſaking God, a man brings upon himſelf more and greater evils than his preſent afflictions are, how many or great ſoever they be. For, 1. They that forſake God bring upon themſelves the guilt of an horrible ſin, ſuch a ſin as may aſtoniſh the heavens when they hear of it, Jer. 2.12,13. Be aſtoniſhed, O ye heavens, at this, and be ye horribly afraid, be ye very deſolate, ſaith the Lord. For my people have committed two evils; they have forſaken me, the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out ciſterns, broken ciſterns that can hold no water. Now the guilt of ſin is a greater evil than any affliction. 2. They that forſake God loſe his favour, Heb. 10.38. If any man draw back, my ſoul ſhall have no pleaſure in him. What loſs is comparable to the loſs of Gods favour? 3. They that forſake God, do not only loſe his favour, but incenſe and ſtir up his wrath againſt their ſouls, Ezra 8.22. The hand of our God is upon all them for good that ſeek him; but his power and his wrath is againſt all them that forſake him. And Gods wrath is far more dreadful than any affliction. 4. They that forſake God, loſe eternal life and glory, Jer. 17.13. O Lord, the hope of Iſrael, all that forſake thee ſhall be aſhamed, and they that depart from me ſhall be written in the earth, becauſe they have forſaken the Lord, the fountain of living waters. Their names ſhall not be written in heaven, all their portion that they ſhall have ſhall be here on the earth. What are worldly loſſes, compared to the loſs of the Kingdom of Heaven? 5. They that forſake God, ſhall be caſt into Hell when they dye, Pſal. 225.5. As for ſuch as turn aſide to their crooked wayes, the Lord ſhall lead them forth with the workers of iniquity. Now where doth God beſtow the workers of iniquity? he caſts them into Hell, Matth. 13.41. The Son of man ſhall ſend forth his Angels, and they ſhall gather out of his Kingdom, all things that offend, and them which do iniquity, and ſhall caſt them into a furnace of fire. What are all the afflictions and troubles of this life, compared with the torments of Hell? 6. They that forſake God, ſhall be forſaken of God, 1 Chron. 28.9. If thou ſeek him, he will be found of thee: but if thou forſake him, he will caſt thee off for ever. 2 Chron. 15.2. Hear ye me, Aſa, and all Judah, and Benjamin, The Lord is with you, while ye be with him; and if ye ſeek him, he will be found of you; but if ye forſake him, he will forſake you. Now what greater miſery can come upon a man, than to be forſaken of God?

4. Your afflictions ſhould be ſo far from cauſing you to forſake God, that they ſhould make you to return to the Lord, and to cleave faſter to the Lord, and to walk more cloſely with God. For 1. your afflictions are ſent for this very end and purpoſe, to cauſe you to return to God, Jer. 18.11. Thus ſaith the Lord, Behold, I frame evil againſt you, and deviſe a device againſt you; return ye now every one from his evil way, and make your wayes and your doings good. The Prophet Joel having mentioned ſeveral great calamities which God was ſending upon the Jews, Joel 2.1. to the 12. verſe, tells them, ver. 12. that Gods end in thoſe Jadgments was to turn them to himſelf, Therefore alſo now, ſaith the Lord, Turn ye even to me with all your heart—Now ſeeing your afflictions are ſent to turn you unto God, and to bring you nearer to God, is it not horrible perverſeneſs becauſe of your afflictions to depart from God? 2. You had need to turn to God, and not to forſake him in the day of your diſtreſs, becauſe you will not know what to do without God in a time of trouble, Iſa. 10.3. What will ye do in the day of viſitation, and in the deſolation which ſhall come from far? to whom will ye flee for help? and where will ye leave your glory? The Prophet ſpeaketh to ſuch as did not turn to God when he was ſmiting of them, chap. 9.13. David was of another ſpirit, when he ſaw trouble coming, he gets near to God, and labours to get God near to him, Pſal. 22.11. Be not far from me, for trouble is near, for there is none to help. Who ſhall ſupport and comfort you in your troubles, and who ſhall deliver you out of your troubles, if you forſake God in your afflictions? If you have any ſupport in your troubles it muſt come from God, Iſa. 25.4. Thou haſt been a ſtrength to the poor, a ſtrength to the needy in his diſtreſs. Pſal. 124.1,2,3,4. If it had not been the Lord, who was on our ſide, now may Iſrael ſay; if it had not been the Lord who was on our ſide, when men roſe up againſt us: then they had ſwallowed us up quick, when their wrath was kindled againſt us; then the waters had overwhelmed us, the ſtream had gone over our ſoul. If you have any comfort in your troubles, it muſt come from God, Micah 7.8. When I ſit in darkneſs, the Lord ſhall be a light unto me. Pſal. 137.8. Though I walk in the midſt of trouble, thou wilt revive me; and if God do not give ſome comfort by his word, your hearts will break, and you will periſh under your afflictions, Pſal. 119.92. Ʋnleſs thy law had been my delights, I ſhould then have periſhed in mine affliction. If God do not help you out of your afflictions, no man whatſeever can help you, Pſal. 60.11. Give us help from trouble, for vain is the help of man. None can do more for us than Kings; yet if God be not pleaſed to help us, they cannot deliver us from our troubles, 2 Kings 6.26,27. As the King of Iſrael was paſſing by on the wall, there eryed a woman unto him, ſaying, Help, my Lord, O King; and he ſaid, if the Lord do not help thee, whence ſhall I help thee? 3. They that forſake God in their afflictions are worſe than Idolaters, for they in their diſtreſſes do not run from, but run to their Idols to help them. The Sea-men that carried Jonah were Idolaters, for they had each man his diſtinct god; yet when there aroſe a great tempeſt, there was not a man amongſt them but went to his god for help, Jonah 1.4,5. There was a mighty tempeſt in the Sea, ſo that the Ship was like to be broken; then the Marriners were afraid, and cryed every man unto his god.

3. It may be Satan will take occaſion from your afflictions to tempt you to change your Religion; He hath not only tempted, but prevailed with many in their diſtreſs to change their Religion: ſee an inſtance or two of this, 2 Chron. 28.22,23. In the time of his diſtr • ſs did he treſpaſs yet more againſt the Lord; this is that King Ahaz, for he ſacrificed unto the Gods of Damaſcus which ſmote him: and he ſaid, becauſe the gods of the Kings of Aſſyria help them, therefore will I ſacrifice to them, that they may help me. The feeling of want, and hope of plenty, made the Jews forſake the Lord, and burn Incenſe to the Queen of Heaven, Jer. 44.17,18. We will certainly do whatſoever thing goeth forth out of our own mouth, to burn Incenſe to the Queen of Heaven, and to pour out Drink Offerings unto her, as we have done;—for then had we plenty of Victuals, and were well, and ſaw no evil; but ſince we left of to burn Incenſe to the Queen of Heaven, and to pour out Drink Offerings unto her, we have wanted all things, and have been conſumed by the Sword, and by the Famine. If Satan by his own ſuggeſtions, or any of his Inſtruments, ſhould tempt you, becauſe of your poor, low and afflicted condition, to forſake the Proteſtant Religion, (which is a Religion founded upon the Scriptures, and holdeth forth nothing but what is conſonant to, and may be clearly proved from the Word of God) and ſhould ſollicite you to embrace any other Religion, the Doctrine or Worſhip whereof cannot be proved by, but are contrary to the Word of God, promiſing you thereby a liberal maintenance; you ought not upon any tearms to yield to this temptation. I will lay before you ſome Arguments to continue ſtedfaſt in that Doctrine and way of Worſhip, which is according to the Word of God, and not forſake the ſame for any gain or advantage what ever.

1. The Prophets under the Old Teſtament, and Jeſus Chriſt and his Apoſtles under the New Teſtament, do all with one conſent direct us to build our faith, and to take our directions for worſhiping God from the Scriptures. The Prophets that lived in the times of the Old Teſtament, they ſend us to the Scriptures, and counſel us to embrace no Doctrines but what are according to the Scriptures, Iſa. 8.20. To the Law and to the Teſtimony, if they ſpeak not according to this Word, it is becauſe there is no light in them. Pſal. 119.105. Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. Malachi, who was one of the laſt Prophets under the Old Teſtament, at the concluſion of his Propheſie, ſtirs us up to cleave to the Word of God, Mal. 4.4. Remember ye the Law of Moſes my ſervant, which I commanded unto him in Horeb for all Iſrael, with the Statutes and Judgments. Jeſus Chriſt alſo would have us regulate our faith by the Scriptures, Joh. 7.38. He that believeth on me, as the Scripture that ſaid—He puts us upon the ſtudy of the Scriptures, Joh. 5.39. Search the Scriptures—he lays the cauſe of Errors in Judgment, upon ignorance of the Scriptures, Mar. 12.24. Do ye not therefore err, becauſe ye know not the Scriptures—His great care after his Reſurrection was to help his Diſciples to underſtand, and to eſtabliſh them in the belief of the Scriptures, Luk. 24.27,44,45. The Apoſtles of Chriſt believed in God, and worſhiped God, according as they were directed by the Scriptures, Joh. 2.22. His Diſciples remembred that he had ſaid this unto them; and they believed the Scripture, and the Word which Jeſus had ſaid. Acts 24.14.—So worſhip I the God of my Fathers, believing all things which are written in the Law and in the Prophets. And as they believed themſelves, ſo they taught no other Doctrine then what was according to the Scriptures, Act. 26.22. I continue unto this day, witneſſing both to ſmall and great, ſaying none other things, than thoſe which Moſes and the Prophets did ſay ſhould come,—ſee alſo 1 Cor. 15.3,4. Act. 28.23. yea, all the members of the true Church, of that Church which is the Houſe of God, an holy Temple, an habitation of God, do cleave to, and are built upon that Doctrine which is delivered by the Prophets and the Apoſtles in the Scriptures, Epheſ. 2.19,20,21,22.

2. If there ſhould ariſe a Prophet, which could work wonders; if that Prophet ſhould perſwade us to turn to an Idolatrous Religion, we muſt not hearken to him, Deut. 13.1,2,3. If there ariſe among you a Prophet, or a Dreamer of Dreams, and giveth thee a ſign, or a wonder; and the ſign, or the wonder come to paſs, whereof he ſpake unto thee; ſaying, Let us go after other gods (which thou haſt not known) and let us ſerve them: Thou ſhalt not hearken unto the words of that Prophet;—for the Lord your God proveth you, to know whether you love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your ſoul: yea farther, if one of the Apoſtles ſhould riſe from the dead; or if an Angel ſhould come from Heaven, and preach any other Doctrine than what is contained in the Scriptures, we ought not to receive it, Gal. 1.8,9. Though we, or an Angel from Heaven, preach any other Goſpel unto you, than that we have preached unto you, let him be accurſed. As we ſaid before, ſo ſay I now again; If any man preach any other Goſpel unto you, than that ye have received, let him be accurſed. Now if we muſt entertain no Doctrine contrary to the Scriptures, though delivered by a Prophet that can work wonders, and foretel things to come; or by an Apoſtle, or by an Angel from Heaven; then how great is their folly, who at the inſtigation of Satan, or any of his Inſtruments, do turn aſide from the Truth, and embrace a corrupt Religion, to get, or to prevent the loſing of the good things of this world?

3. If you abide in the true Doctrine of Chriſt as it is delivered in the Scriptures, you ſhall enjoy the favour of God, and have Communion with him both here and hereafter; but if you abide not in the Doctrine of Chriſt, you will loſe the favour of God, and ſhall have no part or portion in his Kingdom, 2 Joh. v. 9. Whoſoever tranſgreſſeth and abideth not in the Doctrine of Chriſt, hath not God; he that abideth in the Doctrine of Chriſt, he hath both the Father and the Son. 1 Joh. 2.23,24. Whoſoever denyeth the Son, the ſame hath not the Father;—Let that therefore abide in you, which ye have heard from the beginning; if that which ye have heard from the beginning, ſhall remain in you, ye alſo ſhall continue in the Son, and in the Father. Are the Father and the Son ſo low in your eſteem, and is the world ſo high, that you will forgo the Father and the Son, and deprive your ſelves for ever of any part or portion of the bleſſed God, by departing from the Truth to embrace this preſent world?

4. It is a ſin that will certainly bring damnation, to depart from the Truth, and to turn aſide to corrupt doctrine, 1 Tim. 5.12. Having damnation, becauſe they have caſt of their firſt faith. 2 Theſſ. 2.11.12. God ſhall ſend them ſtrong deluſion, that they ſhould believe a lie; that they all might be damned, who believed not the Truth, but had pleaſure in unrighteouſs. Will you damn your ſouls to get or keep a little pittance of this world? It is not much that you can hope for by changing your Religion. But ſuppoſe you could gain a Kingdom, yea, the whole world; yet this will not countervail the loſs of your ſoul, Mar. 8.36. What ſhall it profit a man, if he ſhall gain the whole world, and loſe his own ſoul?

5. Conſider how firmly our Lord Jeſus Chriſt adhered to the Scriptures. When he was offered all the Kingdoms of the world, for one act of Idolatrous worſhip, he refuſed it with diſdain, giving this reaſon, it was againſt the written Word of God, Matth. 4.8,9,10. The Devil taketh him up into an exceeding high Mountain, and ſheweth him all the Kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; and ſaid unto him, All theſe things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worſhip me. Then ſaid Jeſus unto him, Get thee hence Satan; for it is written, thou ſhalt worſhip the Lord thy God, and him only ſhalt thou ſerve. And as the Lord Jeſus would not go againſt the Scriptures, to gain the whole world; ſo neither would he do any thing againſt the Scriptures, to avoid the greateſt ſufferings that ever man met with. When Chriſts Enemies had apprehended him, in order to the putting of him to death, he could have called for twelve Legions of Angels to have reſcued him out of his Enemies hands, but he would not, becauſe it was againſt the Scriptures, Matth. 26.53,54. Thinkeſt thou that I cannot pray to my Father, and he ſhould preſently give me more than twelve Legions of Angels? But how then ſhall the Scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it muſt be. Now we ought to have as high a reſpect unto the Scriptures, as Chriſt had; for, He that ſaith he abideth in him, ought himſelf alſo to walk, even as he walked, 1 Joh. 2.6.

6. It is a very rare thing to hear of Idolaters that change their Religion, they ſhew great firmneſs to their idol gods, though they are no gods but the work of mens hands, Jer. 2.10,11. Paſs over the Iſles of Chittim, and ſee and ſend unto Kedar, and conſider diligently, and ſee if their be ſuch a thing. Hath a Nation changed their gods, which are yet no gods? but my people have changed their glory, for that which doth not profit. Is it not a ſhame for ſuch as profeſs the true God, to ſet lighter by the true God, than Idolaters do by their Idols?

7. It never went well with any perſons that forſake the true Religion, and turned to a falſe one out of worldly reſpects. Ahaz thought to be much advantaged by ſacrificing to the gods of Damaſcus; but was he helped at all thereby? No, It was his ruine and the ruine of all Iſrael, 2 Chron. 28.23. He ſacrificed unto the Geds of Damaſcus, that ſmote him; and he ſaid, Becauſe the gods of the Kings of Syria help them, therefore will I ſacrifice to them, that they may help me; but they were the ruine of him and of all Iſrael. The Jews that burnt Incenſe to the Queen of Heaven, hoping thereby to obtain both peace and plenty, were conſumed by the Sword and Famine, Jer. 44.17,18,21,22,25,27. What did Francis Spira get by denying and departing from the reformed Religion, but ſuch horrour of Conſcience, as may make all that ſhall read his Hiſtory, tremble at any thoughts of denying or departing from the Truth.

8. That mans Profeſſion of Religion is worth nothing, who will change his Religion for wordly advantages: for he is not a ſervant to the great God that made all things; but he makes the world his god, and ſhall after his death have his part among Idolaters in the lake that burneth with fire and brimſtone, Phil. 3.18,19. Rev. 21.8.

4. It may be Satan will preſs hard upon ſome perſons that have lived plentifully heretofore, and in good reſpect among their neighbours, and now are brought into apoor low condition by this fire, to make away themſelves: It is uſual with the Devil, who is ſtyled a Murderer, to tempt diſtreſſed perſons either to ſtrangle, or drown, or ſtab, or ſome other way to deſtroy themſelves: He aſſaulted Job with this temptation when he was in his troubles; and to render the temptation the more ſucceſsful, he maketh uſe of his wife to carry on his deſign, Job 2.9. Then ſaid his wife unto him, Doſt thou ſtill retain thine integrity, curſe God, and die. But Job abhors the motion, and rebukes his wife for this counſel, Verſ. 10. But he ſaid unto her, Thou ſpeakeſt as one of the fooliſh women ſpeaketh, &c. If any of you are, or ſhould be hereafter aſſaulted with this temptation, to prevent your yielding to it, I would adviſe you to do theſe things.

1. Be convinced that it is a damnable ſin for any man, upon any pretence whatſoever, to murder himſelf: If you doubt of this, whether it be a ſin for a man to take away his own life; I ſhall endeavour to convince you that it is not only a ſin, but a very hainous and damnable ſin, for a man to deſtroy himſelf. 1. It is a tranſgreſſion of that Law, Exod. 20.13. Thou ſhalt not kill; which is one of the greateſt Commandments of the Second Table. That Law, Thou ſhalt not kill, doth as much oblige us not to kill our ſelves, as it doth not to kill other men. 2. The Word of God telleth us plainly, that no murderer ſhall have eternal life, but ſhall be caſt into that lake that burns with fire and brimſtone, 1 Joh. 3.15. Ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him: Rev. 21.8. The fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and Murderers, and Whoremongers, and Sorcerers, and Idolaters, and all Lyars, ſhall have their part in the lake that burneth with fire and brimſtone. Now ſuch as kill themſelves are murderers, as well as they that kill other men. 3. It is an uſurping upon Gods Prerogative for a man to kill himſelf; for our time of life and death is only at Gods diſpoſal, Pſal. 31.15. My times are in thine hand; Deut, 32.39. I kill, and I make alive:—Now as 'tis unlawful for us to avenge our ſelves, becauſe it belongs to God to take vengeance, Rom. 12.19. Dearly Beloved, avenge not your ſelves;—for it is written, Vengeance is mine, and I will repay, ſaith the Lord: So, becauſe our times are in Gods hands, and it is his Prerogative to kill and to make alive, it is utterly unlawful for us to kill our ſelves. 4. We are not our own, 1 Cor. 6.19,20.—Ye are not your own, for you are bought with a price: and therefore we muſt not take upon us to diſpoſe of our ſelves, as we ſee good; but our lives, and all that we have are to be at Gods diſpoſal. The Lord Jeſus died for this end, that he might be Lord of our lives and perſons; and therefore he that takes upon him to live as he liſt, or to die how and when he thinketh good himſelf, ſinneth greatly againſt Jeſus Chriſt; for he goeth about to make void the death of Chriſt, Rom. 14.7,8,9. None of us liveth to himſelf, and no man dieth to himſelf; for whether we live, we live unto Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord; whether we live therefore or die, we are the Lords: for to this end Chriſt both died, and roſe, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living. 5. He that kills himſelf, breaths out his ſoul in the very act of ſin; and that not of a ſmall, but of a crying hainous ſin. Now we look upon their caſe to be very ſad, who die when they are drunk, or who are cut off in the act of Adultery; or who die curſing and blaſpheming God, and ſo it is: But is not their caſe as ſad, who die in the act of murther? 6. He that kills himſelf, tramples under foot one of the choiceſt of Gods mercies; for what mercy is of greater value (I mean, what outward mercy) than life? Life is beyond riches, or honour, &c. and therefore it muſt needs be a great ſin to caſt away life.

2. When Satan preſſeth upon you with this temptation to make away your ſelves, reſiſt him, and thereby you will overcome him, Jam. 4.7. Reſiſt the Devil, and he will flee from you; if you yield, he will trample upon you; but if you reſiſt him, he will flee from you. If you ſay, How ſhould we reſiſt the Devil when he tempts us to deſtroy our ſelves? I anſwer, 1. Reſiſt him by Prayer; pray to God to take this temptation from you, or to give you grace to overcome it; and though the temptation continue after you have prayed to have it removed, be not diſcouraged, but pray ſtill. The Apoſtle directing us how to deal with Satan, after he hath ſet down ſeveral pieces of the ſpiritual armour, that are uſeful in our combat with this Adverſary, exhorts us to pray alwayes with all prayer and ſupplication in the Spirit, and to watch thereunto with all perſeverance, Epheſ. 6.18. If we continne to pray againſt the temptations of Satan, either God will remove them, or give us ſufficient grace to hold out in the conflict, 2 Cor. 12.7,8,9. There was given to me a thorn in the fleſh, the meſſenger of Satan to buffet me, leſt I ſhould be exalted above meaſure: For this thing I beſought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me; and he ſaid unto me, My grace is ſufficient for thee. 2. Reſiſt the Devil with the Word. When he tempted Chriſt to caſt himſelf down from a Pinacle, which was in effect, to deſtroy himſelf; Chriſt reſiſted this and all his other temptations with the written Word, Matth. 4.4,7,10. Three times doth Chriſt repel Satan with the written Word; to teach us, to make uſe of the Sword of the Spirit, in reſiſting all our temptations. Doth Satan tempt thee to deſtroy thy ſelf, remember it is written, Thou ſhalt not kill. It is ſaid of Luther, that he was ſo violently aſſaulted with this temptation to deſtroy himſelf, that for ſome hours together, he was neceſſitated to preſs that Scripture upon his heart, Thou ſhalt not kill. 3. Reſiſt the Devil by Faith. There is a great efficacy in faith to reſiſt and ſubdue the temptations of Satan, Epheſ. 6.16. Above all, taking the ſhield of faith, wherewith ye ſhall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. 1 Pet. 5.8,9. Be ſober, be vigilant; becauſe your Adverſary the Devil, as a roaring Lion, walketh about ſeeking whom he may devour: whom reſiſt ſtedfaſt in the faith.

3. When Satan follows you with this temptation to deſtroy your ſelf, flie for refuge from this roaring Lion to Jeſus Chriſt; caſt your ſelves into his arms, commit the keeping of your ſouls and lives to the Lord Jeſus, & reſt upon him to preſerve you from being vanquiſhed by this temptation. Take ſome encouragements to flie to Chriſt, and to reſt upon him for relief, when you are perſued with this, or any other temptation. 1. The Lord Jeſus is able to ſuccour thee in all thy temptations, Heb. 2.18. In that be himſelf hath ſuffered, being tempted, he is able to ſuccour them that are tempted. He conquered all the powers of darkneſs at his death, Col. 2.15. Having ſpoyled Principalities and Powers, he made a ſhew of them openly, triumphing over them in it. He hath all the Devils in Hell under a lock, and he keeps the keys of this lock in his own hands, Rev. 1.18. I have the Keys of Hell and of death. How eaſily can he command down any temptation, that hath the Keys of Hell, and that hath triumphed over all the powers of darkneſs, and ſpoyled them of their ſtrength? In the dayes of his humiliatio, he had all the Devils at his command; he diſpoſſeſſed them with ſpeaking but a word, Luk. 4.36.—With authority and power, he commandeth the unclean ſpirits, and they come out. If in the dayes of his humiliation, when he was in the form of a Servant, he had ſuch power over the Devils; what power hath he in his Exaltation, now that he ſitteth at the right hand of God in the higheſt Heavens? 2. Jeſus Chriſt is very pitiful to ſuch as are under temptation. What God ſaith to the Iſraelites, Exod. 23.9. Ye know the heart of a ſtranger, ſeeing ye were ſtrangers in the Land of Egypt. The like may be ſaid of Chriſt, he knoweth the heart of ſuch as are in temptation, ſeeing he himſelf was tempted, in all points as we are, only he never ſinned under any of his temptations. That Chriſts being tempted doth encline him to be pitiful and merciful to us in our temptations, you may ſee, Heb. 4.15. We have not an High Prieſt, which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without ſin. He was tempted to this very ſin, to deſtroy himſelf by caſting himſelf down from a pinacle of the Temple; and therefore knows how to pitty thoſe that are dogged with this temptation. He is ſo tender over tempted ſouls, that he takes them in his arms, and lodgeth them in his boſom, to prevent their being devoured by the roaring Lion, Iſa. 40.11. He ſhall feed his Flock like at Shepherd; he ſhall gather the Lambs with his arm, and carry them in his boſom, and ſhall gently lead thoſe that are with young. Though we be weak like Lambs, and Satan be ſtrong and cruel like a Lion; yet as long as we lie in the boſom of Chriſt, we are ſafe enough from this roaring Lion. 3. The Lord Jeſus is very vigilant over all Satans motions; when ever there ariſeth any deſire in his heart to do us miſchief, Chriſt ſeeth what he deſigns, and prevents his temptations from ruining of us, Luk. 22.31,32. The Lord ſaid, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath deſired to have you, that he may ſift you as wheat; but I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not. Chriſt takes care of Peter, before Peter knew his danger, and ſo conſequently before he ſought to Chriſt. Now if Chriſt be ſo careful of perſons in temptation, as to prevent them with mercy, to ſuccour them before they cry; then ſurely he will ſuccour and relieve thoſe that cry to him night and day.

4. When you find your ſelves aſſaulted with this temptation, and it comes with that violence and fury, that you are afraid you ſhall one day fall by it; have recourſe to thoſe Promiſes which relate to a tempted condition, and urge them at the Throne of Grace, and hang upon God for the accompliſhment of them. I wil put you in remembrance of ſome Promiſes that may be of great uſe to you when you are in a tempted condition, Rom. 16.20. The God of Peace ſhall bruiſe Satan under your feet ſhortly. It may be you have had a long conflict with Satan, and you are afraid at the laſt he will get you under his feet; but fear not, the God of Truth hath engaged himſelf by promiſe, that he will bruiſe Satan under your feet, and he will do it ſhortly, 1 Cor. 10.13. There hath no temptation taken you, but ſuch as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not ſuffer you to be tempted above that ye are able, but will with the temptation alſo make away to eſcape, that ye may be able to bear it. Satan is very deſirous to tempt us above what we are able to bear, but God will not ſuffer him; and that we may reſt ſatisfied that he will not ſuffer Satan to tempt us above what we are able to bear, he hath engaged his faithfulneſs for the fulfilling of this promiſe; and he that hath made this promiſe, knoweth what we can, and what we cannot bear, Iſa. 59.19. When the Enemy ſhall come in like a ſtood, the Spirit of the Lord ſhall lift up a ſtandard againſt him; or (as 'tis in the margent) ſhall put him to ſlight. Doth Satan come in upon your ſouls with his temptations like a flood, in ſuch a violent impetuous manner, that you are in danger to be born down by them, yet fear not, the Spirit of the Lord will come into your aſſiſtance and put him to ſlight. The firſt Promiſe that God gave to man after his fall, may be of great uſe to us in our temptations; namely, That the ſeed of the woman ſhall break the Serpents head.

5. Keep up your hope in the mercy of God by vertue of the merits of Chriſt, and the Covenant of Grace. Satan can do little by this temptation of Selfmurther, until he hath brought the Soul into a deſpaning condition. As long as we are able to cleave to the blood of Chriſt, and the Word of God; Satan ſhall not be able to prevail againſt us, but we ſhall overcome all his temptations, Rev. 12.11. They overcame him (that is, Satan) by the blood of the Lamb, and by the Word of their Teſtimony.

6. Shun idleneſs, and alwayes employ your ſelves either in ſome religious exerciſe, or in the works of your Calling; and if Satan come upon you with his temptations, either when you are performing any religious duties, or when you are about the works of your Calling, you need not be afraid of him; for the good Angels have a charge from God to look after you, and defend you when you are in Gods way, Pſal. 91.11. He ſhall give his Angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy wayes: And by vertue of that aſſiſtance which God will give us, whilſt we keep in his wayes, we ſhall overcome the Powers of Darkneſs, as we may ſee, Ver. 13. Thou ſhalt tread upon the Lion and Adder; the young Lion and the Dragon ſhalt thou trample under foot. But by idleneſs and neglecting the works of our Calling, we give Satan great advantage againſt us.

7. Obſerve what pleas and reaſonings Satan makes uſe of to draw you to this horrid ſin of Self-murder; and upon examination you ſhall find them to be but meer deluſions, and traps, and ſnares, that he makes uſe of to deſtroy your ſouls; and that they are of no force and validity to warrant your Commiſſion of this unnatural ſin, will appear evidently by inſtancing in, and returning an anſwer to ſome of the moſt material pleas which he maketh uſe of to draw perſons under diſtreſs, to put an end to their own lives.

Plea 1. My miſery and my troubles are exceeding great, they are ſo heavy I know not how to bear them, and I ſee no way how I ſhould put an end to my miſeries, but by putting an end to my days; and I had better put an end to my life, than live in ſuch great and continual miſery as I live in.

Anſw. 1. It is utterly unlawful for a man to procure his own death, to put an end to his miſery, though his ſorrows and his troubles be exceeding great. Jobs calamities were exceeding great, both in reſpect of what he ſuffered in his inward and outward man. He felt ſuch a load upon his ſpirit, that he thought if all the ſand on the Sea-ſhore had been put into one balance, and his grief into another, his grief would have been heavier than the ſand of the Sea; Job 6.2,3. he ſaith, Ver. 4. The Arrows of the Almighty are within me, the poiſon whereof drinketh up my ſpirit; the terrors of God do ſet themſelves in aray againſt me. His ſorrows and troubles were ſo great that he was weary of his life, and longed to dye, ver. 8, 9. If he might have had his choice, he would have choſen ſtrangling, or any other kinde of death, rather than to have lived ſuch a miſerable life, Job 7.15,16. yet notwithſtanding the caſe was thus with Job he durſt not attempt any thing to take away his life one day before the time appointed by God was come, but reſolves to wait patiently all his dayes for his change, Job 14.14. All the dayes of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come.

2. By making away thy ſelf, thou wilt not put an end to thy miſeries, but wilt plunge thy ſelf irrecoverably into far greater miſeries than thoſe that thou lyeſt under, how great and many ſoever thy troubles be; for, Murderers ſhall have their part in the lake that burneth with fire and brimſtone, Rev. 21.8. Now all the troubles of this life are nothing compared with the torments of Hell; if it were poſſible for one man to have all the pains and tortures inflicted upon him, that have been endured by all the men upon the face of the earth ſince the Creation of the World, and he ſhould ſuffer them a thouſand years, this would be far ſhort of what the damned ſuffer in hell. What the Apoſtle ſaith of the glory that the Saints ſhall have in heaven, Rom. 8.18. I reckon that the ſufferings of this preſent time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which ſhall be revealed in us: the ſame is true of the torments of hell; all the ſufferings of this preſent life are not worthy to be compared with the torments that the damned in hell ſhall ſuffer to all eternity.

3. It is the Devil tempts thee to put an end to thy miſeries, by putting an end to thy dayes: God counſels thee otherwiſe, he directs thee to a better way of getting out of thy troubles, than by deſtroying thy ſelf; and that is by calling upon God, and caſting thy burdens upon him, and flying for refuge to his Son Jeſus Chriſt, Pſal. 50.15. Call upon me in the day of trouble, I will deliver thee—Pſal. 55.22. Caſt thy burden upon the Lord, and he ſhall ſuſtain thee. Matth. 11.28. Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you reſt. Satan deſires to have thee come unto him, that he may torment thee, and to that end he moves thee to deſtroy thy ſelf. Chriſt calls thee to come to him, that he may give thee reſt. Now whether is it better to obey the call of Chriſt which will bring reſt, or to follow the counſel of the Devil, who ſeeketh nothing elſe but thy eternal deſtruction?

Plea 2. I lived in good credit heretofore, but now my Eſtate is gone, I muſt look to be deſpiſed and diſrepected, and ſlighted; and I cannot tell how to bear the loſs of that eſteem and reſpect which I have had formerly; I had as good dye as ſee my ſelf ſlighted—

Anſw. 1. Though you be brought low, yet if you have lowly hearts, God will reſpect you as much as ever he did, Pſal. 138.6. Though the Lord be high, yet hath he reſpect unto the lowly. He will not only reſpect your perſons, but your prayers alſo, Pſal. 102.17. He will regard the prayer of the deſtitute, and not deſpiſe their prayer. If you live in the fear of God, all good men will honour you as much as ever they did, Pſal. 15.4. He honoureth them that fear the Lord.

2. If you ſhould meet with ſhame, and ſcorn, and reproach, this is the hand of the Lord; he is to be eyed in this as well as in other afflictions, Iſa. 43.28. I have prophaned the Princes of the Sanctuary, and have given Jacob to the curſe, and Iſrael to reproaches. Pſal. 44.9,13,14. Thou haſt caſt off, and put us to ſhame—Thou makſt us a reproach to our neighbours, a ſcorn and diviſion to them that are round about us. Thou makeſt us a by-word among the heathen; a ſhaking of the head among the people: and ſeeing it is the Lords doing, you muſt bear it patiently; you muſt not in anger caſt away your lives, becauſe God hath taken away your repute and honour.

3. Suppoſe you ſhould loſe that credit and reſpect which you have had in the world, if you continue in well-doing, God will give you immortal honour and eternal glory in the Kingdom of Heaven, Rom. 2.6,7. Who will render to every man according to his deeds, to them, who by patient continuance in well-doing, ſeek for glory, and honour, and immortality, eternal life; But by deſtroying your ſelves, you deprive your ſelves of eternal glory; for all murderers ſhall be ſhut out of the Kingdom of Heaven, Rev. 22.15. Without are dogs, and ſorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers.—

Plea 3. I am afraid I ſhall be in want, or be driven to beg my bread, or muſt be forced to live upon others; and I had better dye than live in want, or live to be a burden to my ſelf and others, or beg my bread.

Anſw. 1. God hath given his Servants many encouragements to hope that they ſhall not want, or if they be brought into a neceſſitous condition, that they ſhall have their wants ſupplied.

2. We ſhould endeavour what we can to maintain our ſelves without being burdenſome to others, 2 Cor. 11.9. In all things I have kept my ſelf from being burden ſome to you, and ſo will I keep my ſelf. Acts 20.34,35. Yea, you your ſelves know, that theſe hands have miniſtred unto my neceſſities, and to them that were with me: I have ſhewed you all things, how that ſo labouring, ye ought to ſupport the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jeſus, how he ſaid, It is more bleſſed to give, than to receive.

3. If God ſhould bring you ſo low as to live upon alms, yet this ſhould not make you weary of your lives: there are many of Gods children that ſhall reign with Chriſt in heaven to all eternity, that received alms whilſt they were upon the earth, as is evident from Matth. 25.35,36,40. Yea Chriſt himſelf when he was upon earth received alms, Luke 8.1,2,3. Suppoſe you ſhould be put to beg for your living, yet know 1. That it is better to beg than to ſin, better to beg than deſtroy your ſelves; for the one is but an affliction, the other is a grievous ſin. 2. Lazarus who was an heir of heaven, whoſe ſoul was carried by the Angels into Abraham's boſom, was ſo poor, that he begged his bread, and would have been glad to have had the crumbs that fell from the rich mans Table, Luke 16.20.21,22. There was a certain beggar that was named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of ſores, and deſired to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich mans Table; moreover the dogs came and licked his Sores. And it came to paſs, that the beggar died, and was carried by the Angels into Abrahams boſom. 3. Our Lord Jeſus in his thirſt asks a draught of water of a woman of Samaria, John 4.7. There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water: Jeſus ſaith unto her, Give me to drink. 4. If you ſhould be brought to beg your bread, the Lord will not forſake you in this deſolate condition, but will give you his gracious preſence, Pſal. 37.25. I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not ſeen the righteous for ſaken, nor his ſeed begging bread. It is not ordinary for God to bring righteous perſons, or their ſeed, to beg their bread; but when he doth, they are not forſaken of God in that condition. 5. The great God condeſcends ſo low, as to ask and entreat ſeveral things of you; he entreats you to give him your heart, Prov. 23.26. My ſon, give me thine heart. He beſeecheth and prayeth you to be reconciled to him, 2 Cor. 5.20. We are Ambaſſadors for Chriſt, as though God did beſeech you by us; we pray you in Chriſts ſtead, be ye reconciled to God. He beſeecheth you to leave off your ſins, Jer. 44.4. Oh, do not this abominable thing which I hate. He beſeecheth you to preſent your bodies to him, Rom. 12.1. Now if the great God condeſcend to ask ſeveral things of you, why ſhould you be ſo proud and high-minded, as to chuſe rather to ſtarve, or to murder your ſelves, than to ask relief of your fellow creatures?

4. Job was a burden to himſelf, as he himſelf telleth us, Job 7.20. I have ſinned, what ſhall I do unto thee, O thou preſerver of men, why haſt thou ſet me as a mark againſt thee, ſo that I am a burden to my ſelf? He was alſo by reaſon of his ſores, and other afflictions, a burden to his friends; ſo that neither his wife, nor his ſervants, nor his friends, cared to come at him, Job 19.14,15,16,17,19. My kinsfolk have failed, and my familiar friends have forgotten me; they that dwell in mine own houſe, and my maidens count me a ſtranger; I am an alien in their ſight: I called my ſervant, and he gave me no anſwer, I entreated him with my mouth; my breath is ſtrange to my wife, though I entreated for the childrens ſake of mine own body: all my inward friends abhorred me, and they whom I loved are turned againſt me. Yet though Job was become a burden to himſelf, and to all his friends, he durſt not put an end to his life, but reſolves, Job 14.14 All the dayes of mine appointed time will I wait, till my change come.

5. If you deſtroy your ſelves, and thereby provoke God to caſt your ſouls into hell, you will be in greater want there than ever man was upon the face of the earth; for there is nothing good in hell: there is nothing to pleaſe the eye, or the ear, or any of the ſenſes; there you ſhall be tormented with hunger and thirſt for ever, and ſhall not have ſo much as a drop of water to cool your tongue: The rich man that fared deliciouſly every day, though he begged hard for but one drop of water to cool his tongue, he could not obtain it, Luke 16.19,23,24,25,26. In your wants here, you may have relief by going to God, you may have comfort from the word; but there is no relief to be had from God, neither is there any comfort to be had from the word of God in hell. Your wants here continue but a little while; if you go on to ſerve God, you ſhall ſhortly be in heaven, where you ſhall want no good thing; but if you deſtroy your ſelves, God will caſt you into hell, where you ſhall ſuffer all ſorts of wants in the utmoſt extremity to all eternity: and therefore it is great folly for any man to deſtroy himſelf for fear of being brought to want.

Plea 4. My ſins lie as a heavy burden upon me, and they are greater then can be forgiven; and I know not how to be eaſed of this heavy burden, but by making away my ſelf.

Anſw. 1. Say not, thy ſins are greater than can be forgiven; for all ſorts of ſins are pardonable by vertue of the Blood of Chriſt, 1 John 1.7. The Blood of Jeſus Chriſt his Son, cleanſeth us from all ſin. Mark 3.28. Verily, I ſay unto you, all ſins ſhall be forgive; unto the ſons of men, and blaſphemies wherewith ſoever they ſhall blaſpheme. And though it be true, that the ſin againſt the Holy Ghoſt ſhall never be forgiven, the reaſon is not, becauſe the Blood of Chriſt is not of ſufficient value to waſh away that ſin, but becauſe ſuch perſons as commit the ſin againſt the Holy Ghoſt do not repent and believe in Jeſus Chriſt, but do deſpiſe and trample under foot the Blood of the Son of God.

2. Self-murder will not leſſen, but encreaſe the number of your ſins; it will not take off the burden which is upon your conſciences, but will make your burden a thouſand times heavier: for if a man dye in his ſins, all his ſins go down to hell with him, and there will lye as ſo many mountains of lead, preſſing and loading his conſcience to all eternity: and the ſence of ſin which men ſhall have in hell, will torment them a thouſand times more than it doth in this life; for then they ſhall know more of the evil of ſin, and more of the Majeſty of that God againſt whom they have ſinned, than they do now: Then they ſhall ſee more ſins than they do now, and feel more of Gods wrath for their ſins; here they have ſome few drops, there they ſhall have full vials of wrath: then they ſhall have certain knowledge that there is no poſſibility of obtaining the pardon of any one ſin for ever. Here though they may be under great fears, yet there may be ſome hope of mercy; at leaſt, as long as they live, they are not under an impoſſibility of being pardoned.

3. Though thou art under deſpair, and ready to ſay, there is no hope that God ſhould ever pardon ſuch a great ſinner as I have been; yet ſet upon the work of repentance, and returning to God, and God will pardon all your ſins, Jer. 3.22. Return ye back-ſliding children, and I will heal your back-ſlidings. Theſe perſons to whom this promiſe is made had been exceeding great ſinners, as you may ſee, ver. 5. Behold, thou haſt ſpoken and done evil things as thou couldeſt, and were in a deſpairing condition, chap. 2. v. 25.—Thou ſaidſt there is no hope. Yet to theſe perſons that had done evil things as they could, and ſaid there was no hope of mercy for them, God promiſeth if they would return, he would not cauſe his anger to fall upon them, ch. 3. ver. 12. but would pardon and forgive their ſins, ver. 22. God alſo by the Prophet Iſaiah, promiſeth pardon to the chiefeſt of ſinners, if they will but forſake their ſins, Iſa. 1.16,17,18. Waſh ye, make ye clean, put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; ceaſe to do evil, learn to do well—Come now and let us reaſon together, though your ſins be as ſearlet, they ſhall be as white as ſnow; though they be red like crimſon, they ſhall be as wool.

Obj. It is true, if I could repent; then though my ſins were never ſo great, I know the Lord would pardon them; but alas, I cannot turn from my ſins to God, repentance is hid from mine eyes.

Anſw. Though you cannot repent of your ſelf, yet you ſhould not deſpair, for God hath exalted his his Son Jeſus Chriſt to give you repentance, Acts 5.31. Him hath God exalted with his right hand, to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Iſrael, and forgiveneſs of ſins. It may be you will reply, Chriſt is exalted to give repentance unto Iſrael, but what is that to me? I anſwer, 1. This Iſrael had embrued their hands in the Blood of Chriſt, Acts 2.36. Let all the houſe of Iſrael know affuredly, that God hath made that ſame Jeſus whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Chriſt; and in the words immediately foregoing that Scripture, where the Apoſtle tells them, God had exalted Cariſt to give them repentance, he tells them, Acts 5.30. The God of our Fathers raiſed up Jeſus, whom ye ſlew and hung upon a tree; him hath God exalted to give repentance unto Iſrael, &c. Now was Chriſt exalted to give repentance to them that crucified him, and do ye think that he will not give repentance unto you, if you go to him for a penitent heart? have you committed greater ſins than the crucifying of Chriſt? 2. If you queſtion whether Chriſt will give you repentance, you may be ſatisfied that he will from his own words, if you go to him for repentance; for he hath ſaid, John 6.37. Him that cometh to me, I will in no wiſe caſt out.

Plea 5. I have committed (may ſome ſay) a very foul ſin, and I am afraid it ſhould come to light; and if it ſhould, I ſhall be aſhamed to look any man in the face; and I had better make away my ſelf, than live to be a publick ſhame.

Anſw. 1. This will not conceal your ſins, to make away your ſelf; for there is a day of Judgment coming, wherein God will bring to light and publiſh in the hearing of the whole world: all your ſins even your fouleſt and moſt ſhameful ſins which you have committed with greateſt ſecreſie, Eccleſ. 12.14. God ſhall bring every work into judgment, with every ſecret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil. Luke 12.2,3. There is nothing covered that ſhall not be revealed; neither hid, that ſhall not be known; whatſoever ye have ſpoken in darkneſs, ſhall be heard in the light; and that which ye have ſpoken in the ear in cloſets, ſhall be proclaimed upon the houſe tops. 1 Cor. 4.5. Judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkneſs, and will make manifeſt the counſels of the hearts: And therefore if you ſhould eſcape the ſhame of your ſins here, you will at the reſurrection and the day of Judgment, when God ſhall diſcloſe your ſins to the whole world, be put to everlaſting contempt, Dan. 12.2. Many of them that ſleep in the duſt of the earth, ſhall awake, ſome to everlaſting life, and ſome to ſhame and everlaſting contempt.

2. The way to get your ſhameful ſins covered, is to confeſs them to God, and to humble your ſouls for them, and to flee to the Blood of Chriſt; for by ſo doing God will pardon them, and caſt them behind his back; and when God hath pardoned them, they ſhall not do you any hurt, 1 John 1.9. If we confeſs our ſins, he is faithful and juſt to forgive us our ſins, and to cleanſe us from all unrighteouſneſs. When God forgives ſin, he is ſaid to cover it, Pſal. 32.1. Bleſſed is he whoſe tranſgreſſion is forgiven, whoſe ſin is covered. David committed a ſhameful ſin, when he murdered Ʋriah, and committed adultery with Berſheba; yet upon his confeſſion of theſe ſins, God pardoned him, Pſal. 32.5. I acknowledged my ſin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid; I ſaid, I will confeſs my tranſgreſſions unto the Lord, and thou forgaveſt the iniquity of my ſin.

Plea 6. I am tempted in my ſtraits to ſteal, and to kill my Children, becauſe I cannot maintain them; I am tempted alſo to other ſins: Now I am afraid if I live I ſhall fall by my temptations into ſome foul ſin, and thereby be a ſcandal to Religion, and to the Goſpel, and it is better for me to dye than to ſcandalize Religion: and therefore I am of the mind, when I can get a convenient opportunity, to make away my ſelf, that I may not become aſcandal to the Goſpel.

Anſw. 1. You muſt not commit one ſin to avoid another, Rom. 3.8. Not as we be ſlanderouſly reported, and as ſome affirm that we ſay, let us do evil that good may come, whoſe damnation is juſt. It is a good thing to prevent ſin, and to prevent ſcandalizing of Religion; yet we muſt not murder our ſelves, which is a great evil, to prevent other ſins, or ſcandalizing Religion; becauſe it is in the judgment of the Apoſtle, a damnable tenent and practice to do evil that good may come.

2. What greater ſin or ſcandal to Religion than for a man that profeſſeth Religion, to murder himſelf? and therefore it is a ſtrange deluſion for a man to deſign the making away of himſelf, to avoid other ſins, or to avoid ſcandalizing of the Goſpel.

3. If you be tempted to ſteal, or deſtroy your Children, or any other ſins, and are afraid that you ſhall one day fall by theſe temptations, there are better means of avoiding theſe ſins, than by murdering your ſelves: and they are ſuch as theſe, 1. Pray to God to keep you from thoſe ſins to which you are tempted by Satan, or unto which you are enclined by your own hearts, Pſal, 19.12,13. Cleanſe thou me from ſecret faults; keep back thy ſervant alſo from preſumptuous ſins, let them not have dominion over me. Pſal. 119.133. Order my ſteps in thy word, and let not any iniquity have dominion over me. 2. Hide Gods Word in your hearts, for there is great efficacy in the Word of God when it is treaſured up in the heart, to keep a man from falling into ſin, Pſal. 119.11. Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not ſin againſt thee. 3. Reſt upon Gods Promiſes, wherein he hath promiſed you, that he will not ſuffer ſin to get the dominion over you; but when he ſeeth your ſins riſing up againſt you, and ready to prevail, he will take compaſſion upon you, and ſubdue your iniquities, Rom. 6.14. Sin ſhall not have dominion over you. Micah 7.19. He will turn again, he will have compaſſion upon us; he will ſubdue our iniquities: and thou wilt caſt all their ſins into the depths of the Sea. Go out againſt your ſins in the ſtrength of theſe promiſes, and though you be often ſoiled, yet renew your combat, hanging and cleaving to the promiſes of God, and doubt not but you ſhall in the concluſion obtain the victory.

Plea 7. I am a man caſt off by God, and I am ſure to go to Hell when I dye; yea methinks I feel the beginnings of Hell already in my Conſcience, by thoſe terrors of God that are in my ſoul, and a ſeared Conſcience; and the longer I live, the more I ſhall ſin, and the more I ſhall encreaſe my torments hereafter; and therefore 'tis better for me to put an end to my wretched life, than to live to encreaſe my ſins, and my torments; for I do nothing elſe but treaſure up wrath againſt the day of wrath.

Anſw. 1. God would not have any man to ſay, God hath caſt me off, and utterly ſeparated me from his people, Iſa. 56.3. Let not the ſon of the ſtranger, that hath joyned himſelf unto the Lord, ſpeak, ſaying, The Lord hath utterly ſeparated me from his people. We are very ſubject to miſtakes, and to think that God hath caſt us off, when as we have found grace in his ſight, Pſal. 31.22. I ſaid in my haſte, I am cut off before thine eyes; nevertheleſs thou heardeſt the voice of my ſupplications, when I cryed unto thee. Zion thought and ſaid, God had forgotten and forſaken her, when as ſhe lay near Gods heart, and was in his thoughts night and day, Iſa. 49.14,15,16.

2. Suppoſe God did caſt you off, yet you muſt not caſt him off, but acknowledge before God, that it is juſt with God to leave you, and cry to him, and follow hard after him, and hang upon him, and hope in his word, even at ſuch a time as he caſteth off your ſouls. When Heman complained, Pſal. 88.14. Lord, why caſteſt thou off my ſoul? He did not ceaſe calling upon God, Ver. 9. I have called daily upon thee, I have ſtretched out my hands unto thee. Jonah when he thought God had caſt him off, yet reſolves ſtill to wait upon him, Jonah 2.4. I ſaid I, am caſt out of thy ſight, yet I will look again towards thy Temple. When David thought himſelf caſt off by God, he encourageth his ſoul to hope in the Lord, Pſal. 43.2,5. Why doſt thou caſt me off?—why art thou caſt down, O my ſoul, and why art thou diſquieted within me? hope in God:

3. Say not, I am ſure to go to Hell when I dye, for it is yet a day of ſalvation, and the door of hope ſtands open; there is yet time and place for repentance, 2 Cor. 6.2. Behold, now is the accepted time, behold now is the day of ſalvation. Though a man be a perfect ſlave to ſin and Satan, yet there is a poſſibility that he may be brought to repentance, 2 Tim. 2.25,26. In meekneſs inſtructing thoſe that oppoſe themſelves, if God peradventure will give them repentance—that they may recover themſelves out of the ſnare of the Devil, who are taken captive by him at his will: and if God give thee repentance, though thou haſt been as wicked a man as lives upon the face of the earth, yet thou ſhalt ſurely be ſaved, Ezek. 33.15,16. Prov. 28.13. Iſa. 55.7.

4. Suppoſe thou apprehendeſt thy ſelf to have as it were the beginnings of Hell in thy ſoul, yet thy caſe is not deſperate. Others that have had pains and horrors in their ſouls, like the pains of Hell, have found relief from God. Jonah after he had fled from the preſence of the Lord, and was caſt into the Sea, and ſwallowed up by a Fiſh, felt himſelf in ſuch a diſtreſſed condition, that he compares his condition to the belly of hell; yet he crying to God in this condition, was delivered out of it, Jonah 2.2. I cryed by reaſon of mine affliction to the Lord, and he heard me; out of the belly of hell cryed I, and thou heardeſt my voice. When David was in ſuch a ſtate, that he compares his pains to the pains of Hell, by crying to the Lord he was delivered, Pſal. 116.3,4,6. The ſorrows of death compaſſed me, and the pains of hell got hold upon me; I found trouble and ſorrow: then called I upon the Name of the Lord, O Lord, I beſeech thee deliver my ſoul—I was brought low and he helped me.

5. It is true, that all the while a man liveth in an impenitent condition, he treaſureth up wrath againſt the day of wrath; and as he encreaſeth his ſins, ſo alſo he encreaſeth his torments, Rom. 2.5. Thou after thy hardneſs, and impenitent heart, treaſureſt up unto thy ſelf wrath againſt the day of wrath. Yet this ſhould not cauſe any man to deſtroy himſelf, it ſhould only make a man more earneſt in ſeeking unto God to give him repentance. As long as there is life there is hope, God may give a man repentance: God gave one of the thieves that was crucified with Chriſt, repentance but a few hours before he dyed: He calls ſome into his vineyard at the laſt hour of the day. But after death there is no place for repentance, Eccleſ. 9.10.

Plea 8. I will repent of my ſins, and confeſs them to God, and pray God to pardon them, before I make away my ſelf; and if I do ſo, I hope God will pardon my ſins and receive my ſoul into his heavenly Kingdom as ſoon as I am dead.

Anſw. As long as you have any bloody deſigns and purpoſes in your hearts, your prayers will avail nothing with God, Iſa. 1.15. When ye ſpread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you; yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear, your hands are full of Blood. Lo here, though you make many prayers, as long as you have any bloody projects, either againſt your ſelves or others, God will hear none of them, Pſal. 66.18. If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me. Now ſo long as you harbour a purpoſe and reſolution to make away your ſelves, you do regard iniquity in your hearts. It is ſaid, Prov. 28.13. He that covereth his ſins ſhall not proſper, but whoſo confeſſeth and forſaketh them ſhall finde mercy. You miſtake the meaning of the Promiſe, if you think that you ſhall finde mercy upon your confeſſing of this ſin, when as you ſtill retain a purpoſe to commit it.

I might mention other pleas, but I ſhould then enlarge too far upon this head; I ſhall therefore only adde a few propoſitions concerning this temptation of ſelf-murther, that may be uſeful to thoſe that are exerciſed with it, and ſo dismiſs this point.

1. Whenſoever any man hath any ſuggeſtions or motions put in his minde to murther himſelf, it is not God, but Satan puts thoſe motions into his minde, how ſpecious pretences ſoever do attend thoſe motions. What is ſaid of: the motion that was in the heart of Judas to betray Chriſt, John 13.2. The Devil put into the heart of Judas to betray him; the ſame may be ſaid of the motions that come into our hearts to deſtroy our ſelves; it is the Devil puts them into us. If a man be perſwaded to make away himſelf, I may ſay here as the Apoſtle in another caſe, Gal. 5.8. This perſwaſion cometh not of him that calleth you: That it is not God by his Spirit, but Satan puts theſe motions into your hearts, is evident: for 1. God tempts no man to any ſin, James. 13. Let no man ſay when he is tempted, I am tempted of God, for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man.

2. The Spirit of God moveth no man to do any thing contrary to the word: Now the word ſaith expreſly, Thou ſhalt not kill. The word forbids us doing our ſelves any harm, as well as doing harm unto others, Acts 16.27,28. The keeper of the priſon awaking out of his ſleep, and ſeeing the priſon doors open, he drew out his ſword, and would have killed himſelf—But Paul cried with a loud voice, ſaying, Do thy ſelf no harm. If any ſay, I have Scriptures brought to my minde to encourage and put me forward to make away my ſelf; therefore, ſurely it is God, and not Satan puts me upon this work. I anſwer: Though thou haſt ſome portions of Scripture caſt into thy minde to put thee forward to deſtroy thy ſelf, it is not God, but Satan transforming himſelf into an Angel of Light, and wreſting and abuſing the Scriptures, that puts thee upon this ſinful work. When Satan tempted Chriſt to caſt himſelf down from a Pinacle, he brings a Scripture to him; he quotes a precious promiſe out of the Book of Pſalms to carry on his temptation the more plauſibly, Matth. 4.5,6, If Satan made uſe of Scripture to carry on his temptations wherewith he aſſaulted Chriſt, then there is no doubt but he will try the ſame way with us alſo. Now this would be one good means of reſiſting this temptation, to be fully perſwaded, that all the motions that are put into our hearts to deſtroy our ſelves, come from the Devil.

2. The deſign of Satan in this temptation is to devour and deſtroy our ſouls; he is our deadly and implacable enemy, and is alwayes deſigning our hurt; when he pretends our good, he intends our ruine: and therefore what counſel Solomon giveth us concerning a deceitful adverſary, Prov. 26.24,25. He that hateth, diſſembleth with his lips, and layeth up deceit within him; when he ſpeaketh fair believe him not, for there are ſeven abominations in his heart, is very ſeaſonable here: when Satan ſpeaks us fair, we ſhould not believe him, for he hates us, and hath abominable deſigns againſt us in his heart. That Satan ſeeks to devour and deſtroy our ſouls by this and all his other temptations, may be cleared from ſeveral Scriptures, as 1 Pet. 5.8. Be ſober, be vigilant; becauſe your adverſary the Devil, as a roaring Lion walketh about, ſeeking whom he may devour. John 10.10. The thief cometh not, but for to ſteal, and to kill, and to deſtroy. John 8.44. He was a murtherer from the beginning. Now did they that are tempted to make away themſelves, fully believe that theſe motions came from Satan, and that Satans deſign in moving them to kill themſelves, is to devour and deſtroy their precious ſouls, that he may draw them into the ſame place of torment where he himſelf is, it would be a good help to reſiſt the temptation.

3. There is hope for a man as long as God continueth him in the land of the living, that he may obtain Salvation by Jeſus Chriſt, if he repent of his ſins, and believe in Chriſt, how deſolate, and diſtreſſed, and deſperate ſoever his condition ſeem to be. I add this propoſition, becauſe Satan can hardly draw a man to deſtroy himſelf, till he hath brought him to deſpair; and therefore if the perſon that is under this temptation could be convinced, that there was hope of mercy and ſalvation for ſuch an one as he is, it might be an effectual means of preventing the temptation from taking place. I ſhall therefore endeavour to prove, that no man whatever is to conclude his caſe deſperate, ſo long as God permits him to live upon the face of the earth; but there is a poſſibility, yea, there is hope that he may obtain ſalvation, if he will uſe the means appointed by God for the ſaving of his ſoul: and that I prove by theſe arguments.

1. It is the will of God that the Goſpel ſhould be preached to every creature under heaven, Mark 16.15. Go ye into all the world, and preach the Goſpel to every creature. Col. 1.23—The hope of the Goſpel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature under heaven.—As long as a man is out of Hell, as long as he lives in the world, ſo long he may have the Goſpel preached to him, and may have ſalvation tendered to him by Chriſt; and as long as the Goſpel is preached to a man, ſo long 'tis a day of ſalvation; that is, a day wherein he may obtain ſalvation if he ſeek after it, 2 Cor. 6.2. I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of ſalvation have I ſuccored thee: Behold, now is the accepted time, behold, now is the day of ſalvation. What time doth the Apoſtle mean, when he ſaith, Now is the accepted time, now is the day of ſalvation? I anſwer, He means the time when we enjoy the miniſtry of reconciliation; the time when we have the Goſpel preached to us; as you may ſee in the former Chapter, ver. 18. 20. He hath given to us the miniſtry of reconciliation—Now then we are Ambaſſadors for Chriſt, as though God did beſeech you by us; we pray you in Chriſts ſtead be ye reconciled to God: and then adds, chap. 6.2. Behold, now is the accepted time, Behold, now is the day of ſalvation. The note of attention is mentioned twice, behold, behold, to cauſe us to take the more diligent heed to this truth, that we ſhould account it a day of ſalvation as long as we have the Goſpel preached to us.

2. We are commanded to account the long-ſuffering of God to be ſalvation, 2 Pet. 3.15. Account that the long-ſuffering of our Lord is ſalvation; and therefore they that conclude all hope of ſalvation is gone, and that God ſuffers them to live only to aggravate their condemnation, wrong God and their own ſouls, by harbouring ſuch concluſions in their mindes: he therefore ſuffers us to live that we may have time and ſpace to repent, ver. 9. The Lord is long-ſuffering to us-ward, not willing that any ſhould periſh, but that all ſhould come to repentance. Rev. 2.21. I gave her ſpace to repent—

3. The Scripture holds it forth plainly, that as long as a man lives in the world, he is not to caſt away his hope, Eccleſ. 9.4. To him that is joyned to all the living there is hope. It is true, if once a man be dead, and hath not wrought out his ſalvation before he dies, the door of hope is for ever ſhut againſt that man; but while he is in the Land of the living, there is hope that he may obtain mercy.

4. Whilſt a man continues upon the face of the earth, Chriſt calls him to look to him for ſalvation, and promiſeth him ſalvation, if he doth look to him, Iſa. 45.22. Look unto me, and be ye ſaved, all the ends of the earth. Look unto me and be ye ſaved; that is, I will ſave you, if you look unto me: And whom doth Chriſt call to look to him for ſalvation? All the ends of the earth; that is, all men that live upon the face of the Earth, from one end of the Earth to another; ſo that as long as a man is not caſt into Hell, but is permitted to live upon the face of the Earth, he ſhould not conclude his caſe deſperate.

5. We find God hath rebuked thoſe that have caſt away their hope, and hath encouraged them to ſeek and hope for ſalvation, that have thought there was no hope for ſuch as they were. When ſome amongſt the Jews thought God had done with them, and given them over, and would look no more after them, God reproves them for it, Iſa. 40.27. Why ſayeſt thou, O Jacob, and ſpeakeſt O Iſrael; my way is hid from the Lord, and my judgment is paſſed over from my God? And at another time, when they thought there was no hope, but they muſt periſh in their ſins; and looked upon it as an improbable, if not as an impoſſible thing, that ſuch as they were, ſhould obtain life; God ſwears to them that he did not delight in their death, but rather did deſire that they ſhould repent, that they might live, Ezek. 33.10,11. Thus ye ſpeak, ſaying, If our tranſgreſſions, and our ſins be upon us, and we pine away in them; How ſhould we then live? ſay unto them, As I live ſaith the Lord God, I have no pleaſure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live; Turn ye, turn ye from your evil wayes; for why will ye die, O houſe of Iſrael? We find alſo God encouraging the Jews when they were in a deſpairing condition in Babylon, Lam. 3.18,19. I ſaid, my ſtrength and my hope is periſhed from the Lord; remembring mine affliction, and my miſery, the wormwood and the gall. But though they ſaid their hope was periſhed, God ſaith it was good for them to hope ſtill, Ver. 26. It is good that a man ſhould both hope, and quietly wait for the ſalvation of the Lord. God may have great mercy in ſtore for them that think there is no mercy for them. When the houſe of Iſrael ſaid, Our bones are dried, and our hope is loſt; we are cut off for our parts: God promiſeth to do great things for them, to put his Spirit in them, and give them life, &c. Ezek. 37,11,12,13,14. And though Satan may make uſe of ſome Scriptures to drive us to deſpair, yet he perverts the ſenſe and meaning of thoſe Scriptures, for no paſſage of Scripture was written to drive us to deſpair; but the deſign of the Scripture is to encourage us to hope in God, Rom. 15.4. Whatſoever things were written aforetime, were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.

4. Prop. No man ought to conclude that he is a graceleſs perſon, or caſt out of the favour of God, becauſe he is aſſaulted with this temptation to make away himſelf; or becauſe he hath often prayed to God to have his temptation removed, and it continueth ſtill in as great violence as ever. The beſt of men may be tempted to the fouleſt of ſins. What ſin is more hideous than for a man to fall down and worſhip the Devil? yet the Lord Jeſus was tempted to this ſin, Matth. 4.9. All theſe things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worſhip me. Doſt thou think God doth not love thee, becauſe he ſuffers the Devils to tempt thee to make away thy ſelf? Chriſt was the beloved Son of God, yet the Devil tempted him to caſt down himſelf from a pinacle of the Temple, which was in effect to have deſtroyed himſelf, Matth. 4.5,6. yea, God ſuffered the Devil to do more than barely to tempt Chriſt; he ſuffered him to carry him from the Wilderneſs into Jeruſalem, and to ſet him upon the pinacle of the Temple, Matth. 4.5. and from thence to carry him to an exceeding high Mountain, Ver. 8. This is more than God permits the Devil to do to you, yet Chriſt was the beloved Son of God. Did not the Devil tempt Job (who was the moſt upright man that lived in his days) by the inſtigation of his wife to deſtroy himſelf? Job 2.9. His wife ſaid unto him, Doſt thou ſtill retain thine integrity? Curſe God and die. And though you pray to have the temptation removed, and ſtill it continueth: ſo did Paul, who was a choſen Veſſel, when he was buffeted with a temptation from Satan, he prayed often to have it removed, and ſtill it continued, 2 Cor. 12.7,8,9. There was given to me a thorn in the fleſh, a meſſenger of Satan to buffet me;—For this thing I beſought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me; and he ſaid unto me, My grace is ſufficient for thee; for my ſtrength is made perfect in weakneſs. But let thus much ſuffice for the preventing of this temptation of Self-murther.

5. It is probable that Satan will tempt ſuch as are brought low by this fire, to uſe ſome unrighteous courſes to enrich themſelves; eſpecially if they be brought into great ſtraits, he will be urging of them to help themſelves by ſome ſinful means rather than to continue under their ſtraits. Agur prayes, that God would remove poverty from him, and gives this reaſon, Prov. 30.9.—Leſt I be poor, and ſteal, and take the Name of my God in vain: which implies, that Satan doth uſually tempt ſuch as are brought to poverty, to help themſelves by unlawful and ſinful means. I might ſuggeſt ſeveral things to prevent your yielding to this temptation. As

1. You will loſe more and better things than you will get by unrighteouſneſs in your dealings, though you ſhould get a vaſt eſtate by this means. For 1. Hereby you will loſe the favour of God, Deut. 25.16. All that do unrighteouſly, are an abomination unto the Lord thy God: And what is all this world compared to the favour of God? 2. All that you get by ſinful courſes, is the price of blood, it is gotten with the loſs of your ſouls, Ezek. 18.4.—The ſoul that ſinneth it ſhall die. Now the ſoul is of that value, that the gaining of the whole world will not countervail the loſs of one ſoul, Mar. 8.36.3. What you get unrighteouſly, is purchaſed with the loſs of Heaven, 1 Cor. 6.9. Know ye not that the unrighteous ſhall not inherit the Kingdom of God? 4. What is gotten unrighteouſly, is gotten with the loſs of peace of Conſcience, Iſa. 59.8.—They have made them crooked paths, whoſoever goeth therein ſhall not know peace. Prov. 20.17. Bread of deceit is ſweet to a man, but afterwards his mouth ſhall be filled with gravel.

2. You do not only deprive your ſelves of all good, but you bring upon your ſelves woful miſery by ſeeking to enrich your ſelves by unjuſt courſes: for 1. Hereby you bring down the wrath, and curſe, and vengeance of God upon your ſelves, Jer. 22.13. Wo unto him that buildeth his Houſe by unrighteouſneſs, and his Chambers by wrong. 1 Theſ. 4.6. That no man go beyond, and defraud his Brother in any matter, becauſe that the Lord is the avenger of all ſuch. Job 20.23. When he is about to fill his belly, God ſhall caſt the fury of his wrath upon him, and ſhall rain it upon him while he is eating: This is ſpoken of ſuch as get their Eſtates unrighteouſly, as you may ſee Ver. 19. 2. Such as ſeek to get wealth unrighteouſly, ſeek their own damnation, Prov. 21.6. The getting of Treaſure by a lying Tongue, is a vanity toſſed to and fro of them that ſeek death. Is eternal death ſuch a deſirable thing as that we ſhould ſeek after it? Doth it not come faſt enough of it ſelf? Conſider what dreadful judgments are denounced againſt ſuch as get their Eſtates by unjuſt and unrighteous courſes, Job. 20. from ver. the 15. to ver. 29.

3. If you wait upon God, and put your truſt in him, and keep your ſelves honeſt, God will be with you, and provide for you a ſupply of all your needs, Phil. 4.8,9,19. Whatſoever things are true, whatſoever things are honeſt, whatſoever things are juſt;—think on theſe things,—And the God of peace ſhall be with you;—My God ſhall ſupply all your need, according to his riches in glory, by Chriſt Jeſus. Pſal. 37.3,34. Truſt in the Lord, and do good,—and verily thou ſhalt be fed. Wait on the Lord, and keep his way, and he ſhall exalt thee to inherit the Land. Iſa. 33.15,16. He that walketh righteouſly, and ſpeaketh uprightly; he that deſpiſeth the gain of oppreſſions, that ſhaketh his hands from holding of bribes;—He ſhall dwell on high, his place of defence ſhall be the munition of Rocks; bread ſhall be given him, his waters ſhall be ſure. And know this alſo, that a little gotten honeſtly, and in the fear of God, is better than a great Eſtate gotten unrighteouſly, Prov. 16.8. Better is a little with righteouſneſs, than great revenues without right. Prov. 15.16. Better is little with the fear of the Lord, than great treaſure, and trouble therewith.

6. Another temptation, which is like to attend thoſe that have been ſufferers by this fire, is diſcontent and murmuring at their loſſes; but I ſhall need to add nothing more concerning this, but refer you to what is ſaid in the firſt queſtion, to prevent murmuring and diſcontent, becauſe of the loſſes you have ſuſtained by this fire.

SECT. 13.

13. Let the loſs of your Eſtates put you upon ſeeking after, and making ſure of thoſe mercies and bleſſings, which ſhall never be taken from you to all eternity; I will mind you of ſome bleſſings, which if once you can get your ſouls poſſeſſed of them, they ſhall be yours for ever.

1. Get an intereſt in God; if you once get the Lord for your God and portion, he will be your God and your portion for ever, Pſal. 48.14. This God is our God for ever and ever, he will be our guide even unto death. Pſal. 73.26. My fleſh and my heart faileth; but God is the ſtrength of my heart, and my portion for ever.

2. Get the grace of God implanted in your hearts; when God hath beſtowed ſaving grace upon a man, that ſhall remain with him for ever, Pſal. 19.9. The fear of the Lord is clear, enduring for ever,—Joh. 4.14. Whoſoever drinketh of the water that I ſhall give him, ſhall never thirſt; but the water that I ſhall give him, ſhall be in him a well of water, ſpringing up into everlaſting life.

3. Make ſure of the favour of God, and labour to get into Covenant with him, and you ſhall be poſſeſſed of theſe mercies for ever, Iſa. 54.10. The Mountains ſhall depart, and the Hills be removed; but my kindneſs ſhall not depart from thee, neither ſhall the Covenant of my peace be removed, ſaith the Lord, that hath mercy on thee.

4. Seek unto God to give you the Comforter, and when once you have gotten him, he ſhall abide with you for ever, Joh. 14.16. I will pray the Father, and he ſhall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever, even the Spirit of Truth;—he dwelleth with you, and ſhall be in you.

Now the way to make ſure of theſe, and all other ſpiritual bleſſings, is to make ſure of Chriſt; cloſe with Chriſt, cleave to Chriſt, and abide with him for ever, and then all ſpiritual bleſſings ſhall be yours for ever; for all ſpiritual bleſſings are treaſured up in Chriſt, Epheſ. 1.3. Bleſſed be the God and Father of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, who hath bleſſed us with all ſpiritual bleſſings in heavenly places in Chriſt; and if we abide with Chriſt, he will abide ours for ever, Joh. 15.4. Abide in me, and I in you.

SECT. 14.

14. Seek unto God to reſtore what he hath taken from you, and to make up all your loſſes. There are two wayes of having your loſſes made up: 1. When God ſhall give you as much riches as he hath taken from you. 2. When he ſhall give you that which is as good or better, than what you loſt by this fire. You may lawfully ſeek to God to reſtore your Eſtates which he hath taken from you, ſo you ſeek them in Gods way: Take your directions from Gods Word for the getting of riches; and becauſe many that ſeek after riches, do not ſeek them in Gods way, and ſo either fail of them, or have them not with the bleſſing of God: I ſhall 1. propoſe ſome encouragements to ſtir you up to ſeek riches from God in Gods way. 2. I ſhall lay before you ſome directions out of Gods Word for the getting of riches. Now to move you to ſeek your riches of God, Conſider

1. Riches are Gods gift, he gives them to whom he ſeeth good, 1 Chron. 29.12. Both riches and honour come of thee,—and in thine hand it is to make great, and to give ſtrength unto all. Deut. 8.18. Thou ſhalt remember the Lord thy God, for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth.

2. God is able to make up all your loſſes, though they be never ſo great, and to give you as much and more than ever you had. After Job had loſt all his eſtate, it is ſaid, Job 42.10,12. The Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before,—The Lord bleſſed the latter end of Job, more than his beginning. 2 Chron. 25.9. What ſhall we do for the hundred Talents? And the man of God anſwered, The Lord is able to give thee much more than this. Though a man be brought very low, even to beggery; God can eaſily make him a rich man, 1 Sam. 2.8. He raiſeth the poor out of the duſt, and lifteth up the beggar from the dunghil, to ſet them among Princes, and to make them inherit the Throne of Glory.

3. It is uſual with God, after he hath brought a man low, and humbled him, to raiſe him up again, as we ſee in the caſe of Job, to whom God gave twice as much as before; ſee to this purpoſe, Pſal. 66.12. We went through fire and through water; but thou broughteſt us out into a wealthy place. 1 Sam. 2.7. The Lord maketh poor, and maketh rich; he bringeth low, and lifteth up.

4. Thoſe riches that are obtained in Gods way do us moſt good, and convey moſt comfort to the owners, Prov. 10.22. The bleſſing of the Lord it maketh rich, and he addeth no ſorrow with it.

If you ask, What courſe ſhould we take that we may obtain riches from God? I anſwer,

1. Let your firſt and principal care be to get heaven, and the grace of God, that may make you meet to enjoy his Kingdom; and when you do thus, God will not only give you heaven when you die, but will add alſo as much of this world as he ſeeth to be good for you, Matth. 6.33. Seek ye firſt the Kingdom of God, and his Righteouſneſs, and all theſe things ſhall be added unto you. When men are over-eager in ſeeking after the world, they oft-times miſs both of heaven and the world alſo, Prov. 28.18. He that haſteth to be rich, hath an evil eye, and conſidereth not that poverty ſhall come upon him.

2. Embrace by faith, and ſet your love upon Jeſus Chriſt; he promiſeth to fill their treaſures that love him, Prov. 8.20,21. I lead in the way of righteouſneſs, in the midſt of the paths of judgment; that I may cauſe thoſe that love me, to inherit ſubſtance, and I will fill their treaſures.

3. Repent of your ſins and turn to the Lord, and then though you be brought low, he will build you up again, and will give you plenty of ſuch things as he ſeeth to be good for you, Job 22.23,24,25. If thou return to the Almighty, thou ſhalt be built up, thou ſhalt put away Iniquity far from thy Tabernacles; then ſhalt thou lay up Gold as duſt, and the Gold of Ophir as the ſtones of the Brooks; yea the Almighty ſhall be thy defence, and thou ſhalt have plenty of ſilver.

4. Walk in the fear of God, and be careful to keep his Commandments, Prov. 22.4. By humility, and the fear of the Lord, are riches, and honour, and life. 2 Chron. 17.4,5. Jehoſhaphat ſought to the Lord God of his Fathers, and walked in his Commandments, and not after the doings of Iſrael; Therefore the Lord eſtabliſhed the Kingdom in his hand, and all Judah brought to Jehoſhaphat preſents, and he had riches and honour in abundance.

5. Follow your employments with diligence: There is a bleſſing of God goeth along with diligence and induſtry in our Callings, Prov. 10.4. He becometh poor that dealeth with a ſlack hand; but the hand of the diligent maketh rich. Prov. 22.29. Seeſt thou a man diligent in his buſineſs? he ſhall ſtand before Kings, he ſhall not ſtand before mean men.

6. Seek after knowledge, and manage all your affairs with wiſdom and diſcretion, Prov. 24.3,4. Through wiſdom is an houſe builded, and by underſtanding it is eſtabliſhed; and by knowledge ſhall the Chamber be filled with all precious and pleaſant riches.

7. Be faithful and upright in all your dealings, Prov. 28.10,20. The upright ſhall have good things in poſſeſſion: A faithful man ſhall abound in bleſſings. Pſal. 112.3,4. Wealth and riches ſhall be in his houſe;—Ʋnto the upright ariſeth light in darkneſs.

8. Shun thoſe vices that bring men to poverty and hinder their thriving in the world, ſuch as prodigality, and love of pleaſure, Prov. 21.17. He that loveth Pleaſure, ſhall be a poor man; he that loveth Wine and Oyl, ſhall not be rich. Idleneſs, and drowſineſs, a negligent and ſluggiſh management of our affairs, Prov. 6.9,10,11. How long wilt thou ſleep O ſluggard! when wilt thou ariſe out of thy ſleep? yet a little ſleep, a little ſlumber, a little folding of the hands to ſleep; ſo ſhall thy poverty come as one that travelleth, and thy want as an armed man. Prov. 18.9. He that is ſlothful in his work, is brother to him that is a great waſter. Gluttony and Drunkenneſs, Prov. 23.21. The Dunkard and the Glutton ſhall come to poverty; and drowſineſs ſhall clothe a man with rags.

9. Be liberal to the poor; there may be a liberal ſoul, where there is but a ſmall eſtate; and the more liberal any man is, the more likely he is to be a rich man, Prov. 11.24,25. There is that ſcattereth, and yet encreaſeth; and there is that with-holdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty: The liberal ſoul ſhall be made fat; and he that watereth, ſhall be alſo watered himſelf. He that ſheweth mercy to the poor, honoureth the Lord with his ſubſtance, Prov. 14.31. And when a man honoureth the Lord with his ſubſtance, God will multiply it greatly, Prov. 3.9,10. Honour the Lord with thy ſubſtance, and with the firſt fruits of all thine encreaſe; ſo ſhall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy Preſſes ſhall burſt out with new Wine.

10. Be content with what God giveth you, and then though you have never ſo little, you are a rich man, 1 Tim. 6.6. Godlineſs with contentment is great gain.

SECT. 15.

15. If it ſhould not ſeem good unto the Lord to make up your loſſes, by giving you as much riches as he hath taken from you: there is a better way of having your loſſes made up; and that is, when God ſhall make his Providence inſtrumental to convey thoſe mercies and bleſſings to your ſouls, which are of more worth than all the riches of the world; and this may be done ſeveral wayes: As

1. If God by this Providence ſhall teach you wiſdom, that wiſdom which is from above, and bring you into more acquaintance with himſelf, and into more acquaintance with the ſtate and condition of your own ſouls; if you gain any degree of heavenly wiſdom by your loſſes, then your loſſes though they have been very great are abundantly made up; for wiſdom is far better than all the riches of the world, Prov. 16.16. How much better is it to get wiſdom than gold? and to get underſtanding, rather to be choſen than ſilver? Prov. 8.11. Wiſdom is better than Rubies; and all the things that may be deſired, are not to be compared to it. Prov. 3.14.

2. If God by your loſſes ſhall make you partakers of the fruits and graces of his Spirit, if he beget or encreaſe in your ſouls humility, or heavenly mindedneſs, or ſelf-denyal, or patience, or any other grace, then he doth abundantly make up all your loſſes; for the fruits and graces of the Spirit of God, are infinitely better than all the riches of the world, Prov. 8.19. My fruit is better than gold, yea, than fine gold; and my revenue than choice ſilver: you may ſee this cleared by inſtancing in particular graces; as Faith, 1 Pet. 1.7.—Your faith being much more precious than gold that periſheth. Humility, that alſo excels all riches, Prov. 16.19. Better it is to be of an humble ſpirit with the lowly, than to divide the ſpoil with the proud; the like may be ſaid of all other graces.

3. If God under this affliction ſhall clear up your right to his Promiſes; if he give you an heart to underſtand, believe, obey, and delight in his Word; if he gives in Promiſes to your ſouls out of his Word, to ſtay, and comfort, and ſupport you, then he doth make up all your loſſes in a gracious manner. When God gave in a ſutable promiſe to David in his diſtreſs, he joyed in it as much as in all riches, Pſal. 119.162. I rejoyced at thy Word as one that findeth great ſpoyl. He eſteemed that acquaintance that he got with Gods Word in his afflictions, more than thouſands of gold and ſilver, Pſal. 119.71,72. It is good for me that I have been afflicted, that I might learn thy Statutes. The Law of thy mouth is better unto me, than thouſands of Gold and Silver. Pſal. 19.9,10. The Judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether, more to be deſired are they than Gold; yea, than much fine Gold.

4. If God ſtir you up to ſeek after, and make ſure of himſelf for your portion; now you have loſt the portion you had in this world, if you get God for your portion, your loſſes will be abundantly made up in God. When David was robbed and ſpoiled of his goods, he ſaith, God dealt well with him; and why, he gave him himſelf for his portion: Pſal. 119.61. The bands of the wicked have robbed me; yet he adds, Ver. 65. Thou haſt dealt well with thy ſervant; and what made him ſay, God dealt well with him, when he was ſpoiled of all that he had? you may ſee the ground was, he had God for his portion, Ver. 57. Thou art my portion, O Lord.

5. If God ſhall give you Communion with himſelf, if he ſhall be pleaſed to lift up the light of his countenance upon you, and give you his bleſſed and gracious preſence in his affliction, he gives you that which is better than all this world, Pſal. 73.25. There is none upon Earth that I deſire beſides thee. Pſal. 4.6,7. There be many that ſay, Who will ſhew us any good? Lord lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us; thou haſt put gladneſs in my heart, more than in the time that their Corn and Wine encreaſed. The loweſt condition in this world, with the enjoyment of God, is better than the higheſt and beſt eſtate without God, Pſal. 84.10. A day in thy Courts is better than a thouſand; I had rather be a door-keeper in the Houſe of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedneſs. The Wilderneſs is an uncomfortable place; Canaan was a Land flowing with milk and honey, yet Moſes Chuſeth to abide in the Wilderneſs with Gods preſence, rather than to go into Canaan without the preſence of God, Exod. 33.15. If thy preſence go not with me, carry us not up hence.

SECT. 16.

16. Let the loſs of your ſubſtance and habitation ſtir you up to make ſure of a better houſe, and better ſubſtance in heaven. There is an houſe and ſubſtance in heaven, as well as here upon earth, Joh. 14.2. In my Fathers Houſe are many Manſions. Heb. 10.34. Ye have in Heaven a better and an enduring ſubſtance. Now when we have loſt, or are in danger to loſe our houſes and ſubſtance on earth, it ſhould put us upon making ſure of heaven, Heb. 13.14. Here have we no continuing City, but we ſeek one to come. Heb. 11.9,10. By faith he ſojourned in the Land of Promiſe, as in a ſtrange Country—He looked for a City which hath foundations, whoſe builder and maker is God. The Apoſtle Paul being without a certain dwelling place, 1 Cor. 4.11. made ſure of heaven, 2 Cor. 5.1. We know, that if our earthly houſe of this Tabernacle were diſſolved, we have a building of God, an houſe not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. It is very uncomfortable for the body to want an habitation. There was great wailing in Zion, when the Inhabitants thereof were caſt out of their dwellings, Jer. 9.19. A voice of wailing is heard out of Zion, How are we ſpoiled? we are greatly counfounded, becauſe we have forſaken the land, becauſe our dwellings have caſt us out. But it will be far more uncomfortable for our ſouls, to want a dwelling place with God in heaven: there will be great weeping and wailing by all thoſe that ſhall be ſhut out of the Kingdom of Heaven. If a mans dwelling here on earth be burnt, or other wayes deſtroyed, he may get as good in another place; but he that faileth of a dwelling in heaven, muſt dwell with devouring fire, and with everlaſting burnings, Mat. 25.41. Depart from me ye curſed, into everlaſting fire, prepared for the Devil and his angels. Such as ſhall not be admitted to dwell with Chriſt, have another habitation provided for them, and that is among the Devils in flaming • ire. If a man be deprived of a convenient habitation here, it continueth but a little while, a few dayes will put an end to his miſery; but he that faileth of a dwelling with God when he dieth, is miſerable to all eternity.

If you ſay, What ſhall we do that we may be ſure of an houſe in heaven, and go to dwell with God when we dye? I anſwer,

1. We muſt open our ſouls to Jeſus Chriſt, and receive him into our hearts, and let him dwell with us, and then we ſhall ſurely dwell with him. The Lord Jeſus ſtands at the door of our hearts, and knocks, and calls to us to open our hearts to him, Cant. 5.2. It is the voice of my beloved that knocketh, ſaying, Open to me my ſiſter, my love, my dove, my undefiled—Rev. 3.20. Behold, I ſtand at the door, and knock; if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will ſup with him, and he with me. Now, after we have opened the door to Chriſt, and received him into our hearts, we muſt let him dwell with us: we ſhould let him dwell in our thoughts, we ſhould let him dwell in our affections, we ſhould let him dwell in our converſations; which we do, when we order our converſations by his word, and make Chriſt the end of our converſations. Now, if we receive Chriſt, and let him dwell in our hearts, we ſhall ſurely dwell with him for ever, 1 John 5.11,12. This is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son, hath life.

2. We muſt not ſuffer any ſin to dwell either in our hearts or converſations. Evil motions, and vain and ſinful thoughts, will be often coming into our mindes; but we muſt not let them dwell there, but we muſt endeavour to caſt them out as oſt as they come into our mindes. This God expects from all thoſe that expect ſalvation, Jer. 4.14. O Jeruſalem, waſh thine heart from wickedneſs, that thou mayeſt be ſaved: How long ſhall thy vain thoughts lodge within thee? God will not let evil dwell with him, Pſal. 5.4. Thou art not a God that haſt pleaſure in wickedneſs, neither ſhall evil dwell with thee; and therefore if we would dwell with God, we muſt purge our ſelves from our ſins. They that do not depart from iniquity, Chriſt will ſay to them, even to every one of them, Depart from me, Luke 13.27. Depart from me all ye workers of iniquity.

3. We muſt devote our ſelves to the ſervice of Chriſt; and if we ſerve the Lord Jeſus whilſt we are in this world, we ſhall dwell with him in heaven to all eternity, John 12.26. If any man ſerve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there ſhall alſo my ſervant be. Col. 3.24. Knowing that of the Lord ye ſhall receive the reward of the inheritance; for ye ſerve the Lord Chriſt.

4. We muſt walk uprightly, whatever we do for God or for men, we muſt do it with an upright heart, we muſt put away all guile, and diſſimulation, and hypocriſie, and ſpeak the truth from our hearts, and be upright and ſincere in all manner of converſation; for ſuch as walk uprightly while they live, ſhall dwell with God in heaven to all eternity, Pſal. 140.13. The upright ſhall dwell in thy preſence. Pſal. 15.1,2. Lord, who ſhall abide in thy tabernncle? Who ſhall dwell in thy holy hill? He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteouſneſs, and ſpeaketh the truth in his heart. Iſa. 57.2. He ſhall enter into peace, they ſhall reſt in their beds; each one walking in his uprightneſs. Pſal. 84.11. The Lord God is a Sun and Shield, the Lord will give grace and glory, and no good thing will he with-hold from them that walk uprightly. Matth. 25.23. His Lord ſaid unto him, Well done, good and faithful ſervant, thou haſt been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things; enter thou into the joy of thy Lord.

5. We muſt perſevere in believing and ſerving Chriſt, and walking uprightly with him all our dayes, Matth. 24.13. He that ſhall endure unto the end, the ſame ſhall be ſaved. Rev. 2.10. Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life. No ſufferings whatever muſt deter us from ſerving of the Lord Jeſus, though it be the ſuffering of death it ſelf, 2 Tim. 2.12. If we ſuffer, we ſhall alſo reign with him; if we deny him, he alſo will deny us. Mark 8.35. Whoſoever will ſave his life ſhall loſe it; but whoſoever ſhall loſe his life for my ſake and the Goſpels, the ſame ſhall ſave it.

SECT. 17.

17. Let this affliction put you upon preparing your ſelves for all other afflictions that God ſhall try you withal, whilſt you are in this world. When God had been contending with Iſrael by Fire, he calls upon them to prepare for further Judgments, Am. 4.11,12. I have overthrown ſome of you, as God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah, and ye were as a fire-brand plucked out of the burning; yet have ye not returned unto me, ſaith the Lord: therefore thus will I do unto thee, O Iſrael; and becauſe I will do this unto thee, prepare to meet thy God, O Iſrael. Afflictions oft-times come thick one after another, Job 16.14. He breaketh me with breach upon breach. Pſal. 34.19. Many are the afflictions of the righteous—As God dealt with Eli, when he began, he went on, till he had brought upon him all his pleaſure, 1 Sam. 3.12. In that day I will perform againſt Eli, all things which I have ſpoken concerning his houſe; when I begin I will alſo make an end. So it is oft-times in his dealings with others, when he begins to afflict, he follows on with one affliction after another, until he hath throughly humbled them, and made them lie at his foot: therefore one affliction ſhould warn us to prepare for another; and as Chriſt adviſeth us in our ſufferings from men, Matth. 5.39,40. I ſay unto you, that ye reſiſt not evil, but whoſoever ſhall ſmite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other alſo; and if any man will ſue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak alſo: We ſhould be ſo far from quarreling and contending with thoſe that afflict us, that one injury ſhould make us willing and ready to ſuffer another. The ſame advice is very ſeaſonable, when we are under any affliction from the hand of God; we ſhould be ſo far from reſiſting Gods will, that when he taketh one mercy, we ſhould reſign up all the reſt: When he ſends one affliction, we ſhould be willing and ready to ſuffer another. We are exhorted, Heb. 13.3. Remember them which ſuffer adverſity, as being your ſelves alſo in the body. As long as we are in the body, we are liable to all kindes of adverſity, and therefore we ſhould ſtand prepared for whatever afflictions it ſhall ſeem good unto the Lord to lay upon us. If you deſire to know how you ſhould be prepared for all ſorts of afflictions, See Queſt. 3. Sect 12.

SECT. 18.

18. Encourage and comfort your ſelves in the Lord, when any perplexity ſeizeth upon you, or any ſad and troubled thoughts ariſe in your mindes upon the account of your own loſſes, or upon the account of the miſery and diſtreſs that is like to come upon the Nation by reaſon of this dreadful Judgment. When Ziglag, David's City of Refuge, was ſet on fire by the Amalekites, and both David and his men had loſt their Wives and Children, and their ſubſtance, which made them weep till they could weep no more; and beſides all this, David was in danger of loſing his life, (for the people ſpake of ſtoning him) in this great diſtreſs, David encourageth himſelf in the Lord, 1 Sam. 30.6. David was greatly diſtreſſed, for the people ſpake of ſtoning him—but David encouraged himſelf in the Lord his God. You cannot readily be in greater diſtreſs, than David was at this time: and if he in his diſtreſs encouraged himſelf in God, when he had loſt his Habitation, Wives, Subſtance, &c. and was alſo like to loſe his life, may not you finde that in God which may encourage you in all your diſtreſſes which are not ſo great as Davids? I will propoſe briefly ſome grounds of comfort and encouragement (beſides what hath been ſaid upon the firſt Queſt. Sect. 17. page 118, &c.) to ſuch of the Servants of God as are caſt down either at their own loſſes, or at the diſtreſs and miſery which is like to follow in the Nation, upon the account of this ſore Judgment.

1. God is all-ſufficient to ſhield and defend you from all thoſe evils which you fear will come upon you, and to make up whatever good you fear you ſhall be deprived of, now you have loſt your Eſtates, Gen 15.1. After theſe things the word of the Lord came unto Alram in a viſion, ſaying, Fear not Abram: I am thy ſhield, and thy exceeding great reward. Why ſhould that man fear any evil that hath God for his ſhield? and why ſhould that man be diſquieted for the want or loſs of any worldly good things, who hath the great and all-ſuſſicient God for his exceeding great reward? It may be you will ſay, It is true, if I knew that God were my ſhield, and my exceeding great reward, I think I ſhould be ſo comforted, that nothing would trouble me; but I do not know that God is my ſhield, and my reward: this is ſpoken to Abraham, and not to me. I anſwer, The ſame promiſes and bleſſings which were given to Abraham, do belong to every one that believeth in Jeſus Chriſt, Gal. 3.7,9. Know ye, that they which are of faith, the ſame are the children of Abraham—So then, they which be of faith, are bleſſed with faithful Abraham.

2. Though your Eſtates be gone, and your outward comforts be taken away, God himſelf will ſtand by you: Though your Eſtates may fail, and your Calling may fail, and your Friends may fail and forſake you, God will never fail you, nor forſake you, Heb. 13.5. He hath ſaid, I will never leave thee, nor forſake thee. He hath ſaid: Who is that? God, who is a God of truth, a God that cannot lye, a God that changeth not; the Father of mercies, and the God of all conſolation: he hath ſaid, I will never leave thee, nor forſake thee: and why ſhould that man be caſt down that hath the God of all conſolation continually with him? yea, though not only Eſtate, and Calling, and Friends fail, but your hearts fail you alſo; yet God will not fail you, but will be yours for ever, Pſal. 73.26. My fleſh and my heart faileth; but God is the ſtrength of my heart, and my portion for ever. But I am afraid, my trials will be ſo great, that my faith will fail me; and what can I expect then but that God ſhould fail me alſo? Anſwer 1. The Lord Jeſus will take care of your Faith, that it ſhall not totally or finally fail, Luke 22.31,32. Simon, Simon, Behold, Satan hath deſired to have you, that he may ſift you as wheat; but I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not. 2. Though there may be ſome partial failings in your faith, yet God will not fail to fulfil his promiſe wherein he ſtandeth engaged not to leave nor forſake you, 2 Tim. 2.13. If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful, he cannot deny himſelf: therefore, when fears and diſcouragements begin to ſeize upon you, remember that God calleth to you, Iſa. 41.10. Fear thou not, for I am with thee; be not diſmayed, for I am thy God; I will ſtrengthen thee, yea, I will help thee, yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteouſneſs. Iſa. 43.1,2. Fear not, for I have redeemed thee—thou art mine: when thou paſſeſt through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they ſhall not overflow thee: when thou walkeſt through the fire, thou ſhalt not be burnt; neither ſhall the flame kindle upon thee. Though the fire be long ſince quenched, yet it may be you will feel the ſad fruits and effects of this Fire as long as you live; but if you ſhould, be not caſt down, but look upon God, that he, according to his promiſe, will be with you to ſtrengthen and ſupport you when you paſs through the fires.

3. You are as dear to God as ever; he loves you now you are poor, as much as he did when you were rich, Pſal. 40.17. I am poor and needy, yet the Lord thinketh upon me: Though your Eſtates be gone, yet Gods love remains firm to your ſouls, and ſhall continue ſtedfaſt towards you, although you ſhould meet with greater mutations in your eſtate and condition, than you have done to this day, Iſa. 54.10. The mountains ſhall depart, and the hills be removed; but my kindenſs ſhall not depart from thee, neither ſhall the covenant of my peace be removed, ſaith the Lord, that hath mercy on thee. Whatever dangers or troubles compaſs you about, you are, and alwayes ſhall be compaſſed about with the loving kindneſs of the Lord, Pſal. 5.12. Thou Lord wilt bleſs the righteous, with favour wilt thou compaſs him as with a ſhield. Now this is a ground of everlaſting comfort, and may cauſe us in all conditions to ſhout for joy, to underſtand that we are in the love and favour of God, as is evident from the 11. verſe. Let all thoſe that put their truſt in thee rejoyce, let them ever ſhout for joy, becauſe thou defendeſt them; let them alſo that love thy Name, be joyful in thee. Three times the Pſalmiſt calls out to the Servants of God to rejoyce, Let them rejoyce—let them be joyful in thee, let them ever ſhout for joy: and why? what is it which may be a ground of everlaſting joy to them in all eſtates and conditions? Many times they are poor, and under great afflictions, what reaſon then have they to ſhout for joy for ever? He renders the reaſon why a godly man may, and ought to be alwayes joyful, ver. 12. For thou Lord wilt bleſs the righteous, with favour wilt thou compaſs him as with a ſhield. That Gods love is a ground of everlaſting comfort in all eſtates and conditions, is evident from 2 Theſſ. 2.16. Our Lord Jeſus Chriſt himſelf, and God even our Father which hath loved us, and hath given us everlaſting conſolation.—

4. Though your Houſes and Eſtates be conſumed, and your Trading fail, and your Friends ſhould turn away from you, and ſtand aloof from your ſore; God will not turn away from doing of you good as long as you live, Jer. 32.40. I will make an everlaſting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from them to do them good, but I will put my fear in their hearts, that they ſhall not depart from me. When you are in trouble, and have no friend in the world to go to; if you go to the Lord, he will be your refuge, and ſuccour, and comfort you in all your ſtraits, Pſal. 9.9. The Lord will be a refuge for the oppreſſed, a refuge in times of trouble. Iſa. 66.13. As one whom his mother comforteth; ſo will I comfort you, and ye ſhall be comforted in Jeruſalem. When the Jews were in the Wilderneſs, God followed them with a conſtant ſupply of all their wants. The pillar of fire and the cloud never departed from them, Exod. 13.21,22. The Lord went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night: He took not away the pillar of the cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night, from before the people. And though they ſinned againſt God, yet he forſook them not, as Nehomiah confeſſeth, Nehem. 9.19. Yet thou in thy manifold mercies, forſockeſt them not in the Wilderneſs; the pillar of the cloud departed not from them by day, to lead them in the way; neither the pillar of fire by night, to ſhew them light, and the way wherein they ſhould go. And as God guarded and guided them by night and by day, ſo whereever they were, he rained down Manna upon them, and gave them water to drink; he never failed them of a ſeaſonable ſupply of their wants forty years together, Nehem. 9.20,21. Thou gaveſt alſo thy good Spirit to inſtruct them, and with-heldeſt not thy Manna from their mouth; and gaveſt them water for their thirſt; yea, forty years didſt thou ſuſtain them in the Wilderneſs, ſo that they lacked nothing, their clothes waxed not old—The Manna did not ceaſe till the day that they entred into Canaan, and did eat of the corn of the land, Joſh. 5.12. The Manna ceaſed on the morrow after they had eaten of the old corn of the land—The water alſo that came out of the rock followed them up and down in all places whereever they went to give them drink, 1 Cor. 10.4. Now as it was with the Iſraelites whilſt they were in the Wilderneſs, ſo will God deal with all his ſervants whilſt they are in the Wilderneſs of this world; he will guard them and guide them by night and by day, he will ſend in a ſuitable and ſeaſonable ſupply of all their wants, Iſa. 27.3. I the Lord do keep it, I will water it every moment; leſt any hurt it, I will keep it night and day. Iſa. 49.10. They ſhall not hunger nor thirſt, neither ſhall the heat nor Sun ſmite them; for he that hath mercy on them, ſhall lead them, even by the ſprings of water ſhall he guide them. When your wants are many, and you know not how or which way they ſhall be ſupplyed, remember what is ſaid, Phil. 4.19. My God ſhall ſupply all your need according to his riches in glory, by Chriſt Jeſus. And be aſſured of this, that God who hath been good to you, will follow you with goodneſs and mercy as long as you live, Pſal. 23.6. Surely goodneſs and mercy ſhall follow me all the dayes of my life. It may be you will ſay, I have enough to comfort me, if I were but ſure that goodneſs and mercy ſhould follow me all the dayes of my life: but though David was ſure of this, it doth not follow, that I may reſt aſſured that it ſhall be ſo with me. I anſwer, They that come to, and cloſe with Jeſus Chriſt, ſhall be bleſſed with the ſame mercies that God beſtowed upon David, Iſa. 45.3. Encline your ear, and come unto me; hear, and your ſouls ſhall live, and I will make an everlaſting covenant with you, even the ſure mercies of David.

5. Great calamities are oft-times followed with great mercies; and this is true both as to Nations and particular perſons, when thoſe Nations and perſons are humbled and brought nearer to God by their afflictions. Jobs afflictons were exceeding great, both in reſpect of what he met with in his ſoul, body, name, eſtate, and relations; yet God turned the captivity of Job, and made his Eſtate more glorious and proſperous than ever, Job 42.12. The Lord bleſſed the latter end of Job more than his beginning. I will inſtance in ſome mercies which God is wont to beſtow upon his people, either in, or ſoon after they come out of great troubles.

1. God is wont at ſuch times to give his people greater and ſtronger conſolations than at other times, Pſal. 71.20,21. Thou which haſt ſhewen me great and ſore troubles, ſhalt quicken me again, and ſhalt bring me up again from the depths of the earth: Thou ſhalt encreaſe my greatneſs, and comfort me on every ſide. Pſal. 66.3,5,6. How terrible art thou in thy works—Come and ſee the works of God, he is terrible in his doing toward the children of men; he turned the Sea into dry land, they went through the flood on foot, there did we rejoyce in him. When God is doing terrible things, he is making way for his peoples joy. After David had ſpoken twice of Gods being terrible in his doings, he adds, there did we rejoyce in him. In the night of affliction, God puts ſuch comforts into his peoples hearts as makes them ſing for joy, Job 35.10. None ſaith, Where is God my maker? who giveth ſongs in the night. When they are deprived of outward comforts, and are in a ſolitary ſtraitned condition, he giveth them internal and ſpiritual comforts, Hoſ. 2.14,15. I will allure her, and bring her into the Wilderneſs, and ſpeak comfortably unto her; and I will give her, her Vineyards from thence, and the Valley of Achor for a door of hope, and ſhe ſhall ſing there as in the dayes of her youth, and as in the day, when ſhe came up out of the land of Egypt. When our troubles abound, he cauſeth our conſolations to abound alſo, 2 Cor. 1.5. As the ſufferings of Chriſt abound in us, ſo our conſolation alſo abounded by Chriſt.

2. Great troubles are oft-times followed with great pourings out of the ſpirit, and great meaſures of grace. The Prophet Joel having foretold times of great diſtreſs, Chapter 1. & Chapter 2. to the 12. verſe, tells us, what God would do for his people after thoſe great calamities, Joel 2.28. It ſhall come to paſs afterward, that I will poor out my ſpirit upon all fleſh:—The Prophet Zephaniah alſo, having foretold great judgments, promiſeth that they ſhould be followed with great meaſures of grace, Zeph. 3.8,9,13. My determination is to gather the Nations, that I may aſſemble the Kingdoms, to pour upon them mine indignation, even all my fierce anger; for all the Earth ſhall be devoured with the fire of my jealouſie. Obſerve now what mercies follow theſe judgments, Then will I turn to the people a pure language, that they may all call upon the Name of the Lord to ſerve him with one conſent—The remnant of Iſrael ſhall not do iniquity, nor ſpeak lies; neither ſhall a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth: ſee alſo Iſa. 32.10,15. Many dayes and years ſhall be troubled—until the ſpirit be poured upon us from on high:—After the Jews had been under ſore troubles by their long captivity in Babylon, what an encreaſe of grace, and other choice mercies doth God promiſe them, Ezek. 36.25,26,27,28,29.

3. In times of great trouble, God is wont to afford his people more clear manifeſtations of his love, and to give them more communion and fellowſhip with himſelf, than at other times, Zech. 13.9. I will bring the third part through the fire—they ſhall call on my Name, and I will hear them; I will ſay, It is my people; and they ſhall ſay, The Lord is my God. In the day time, the Lord went before the Iſraelites in a pillar of a cloud; but in the night, by a pillar of fire. Divers of Gods ſervants that are much clouded in the day of proſperity, have clear and bright diſcoveries of Gods love to their ſouls in the night of adverſity. When the three Children were in the fiery furnace, the Son of God was ſo evidently with them, that their adverſaries themſelves could not but take notice of it. When the Spouſe was as a Lily among Thorns, compaſſed about with ſharp afflictions, the Lord Jeſus converſed with her in a very familiar manner; He put his left hand under her, and embraced her with his right hand, Cant. 2.2,6.

And as it is thus with particular perſons, ſo alſo with Nations; after God hath afflicted them with great judgments, he is wont to beſtow upon them great mercies, when his judgments lead them to repentance. After Judea, which was like the Garden of Eden, was by Gods judgments made like a Wilderneſs, Joel 2.3. The Inhabitants of the Land being brought to repentance by theſe judgments, the Lord promiſeth to do great things for them, ver. 21. Fear not, O Land, be glad and rejoyce; for the Lord will do great things. The Prophet Iſaiah having ſet forth the miſerable and diſtreſſed condition of the Jews, both in reſpect of the corruption of all ranks and degrees of men, and of the ſore judgments of God that were upon them, Iſa. 1.4,5,6,7,8,9,10. Ah ſinful Nation, a people laden with iniquity, a ſeed of evil doers, children that are corrupters; they have forſaken the Lord, they have provoked the Holy One of Iſrael to anger, they are gone away backward; Why ſhould ye be ſtricken any more, ye will revolt more and more, the whole head is ſick, and the whole heart faint, from the ſole of the foot even unto the head, there is no ſoundneſs in it—Your Country is deſolate, your Cities are burnt with fire, your Land ſtrangers devour it in your preſence, and it is deſolate, as overthrown by ſtrangers; and the Daughter of Zion is left as a Cottage in a Vineyard, as a lodge in a Garden of Cucumbers:—Hear the Word of the Lord, ye Rulers of Sodom; give ear unto the Law of our God, ye People of Gomorrah. After the rehearſal of their ſinful and miſerable condition, he promiſeth that if they would be brought to repentance by theſe judgments, ver. 16, 17. God would do great things for them, notwithſtanding they were brought very low, ver. 25, 26, 27. I will turn mine hand upon thee, and purely purge away thy droſs, and take away all thy Tin; and I will reſtore thy Judges as at the firſt, and thy Counſellors as at the beginning, afterward thou ſhalt be called the City of Righteouſneſs: Zion ſhall be redeemed with Judgment, and her Converts with Righteouſneſs: And in ſeveral other places of this Propheſie, the Lord promiſeth, that when he did return with mercy to his afflicted people, he would make their eſtate far more glorious than ever it was, Iſa. 30.26. The light of the Moon ſhall be as the light of the Sun; and the light of the Sun ſhall be ſeven fold, as the light of ſeven dayes: In the day that the Lord bindeth up the breach of his people, and healeth the ſtroke of their wound. Iſa. 60.15. Whereas thou haſt been forſaken and hated, ſo that no man went through thee, I will make thee an eternal excellency, a joy of many Generations. Iſa, 61.7. For your ſhame you ſhall have double; and for confuſion they ſhall rejoyce in their portion; therefore in their Land they ſhall poſſeſs the double; everlaſting joy ſhall be unto thee. When the Lord is not only ſhaking a particular City or Nation, but all places, and all Nations, we ſhould not be ſtartled at it, God is but making way for the exalting and ſetting up of his Sons Kingdom, Hag. 2.6,7. Thus ſaith the Lord of Hoſts, Yet once, it is a little while, and I will ſhake the Heavens, and the earth, and the Sea; and the dry Land: and I will ſhake all Nations, and the deſire of Nations ſhall come.—

SECT. 19.

19. If you purpoſe to ſet upon building your Houſes which have been conſumed by this fire, ſo manage this work as that it may proſper under your hands.

If you ask, How ſhould we ſo mannage this work of building, as to have it proſper under our hands? I anſwer

1. Seek unto God by Prayer to be with you, and ſucceed you in this great work, Pſal. 90.17. Eſtabliſh thou the works of our hands upon us; yea, the work of our hands eſtabliſh thou it. Uzziah built and proſpered, 2 Chron. 26.9. and how came he to proſper? ver. 5. He ſought God in the dayes of Zechariah, who had underſtanding in the viſions of God; and as long as he ſought the Lord, God made him to proſper. By this means Aſa proſpered in building Cities, and other places of ſtrength, 2 Chron. 14.7. Let us build theſe Cities, and make about them Walls and Towers, Gates and Bars, while the Land is yet before us; becauſe we have ſought the Lord our God, we have ſought him, and he hath given us reſt on every ſide; ſo they built and proſpered. Now in regard many perſons are wont to neglect ſeeking God in ſuch undertakings as theſe, it will not be amiſs, if I add two or three conſiderations, to ſhew thoſe that are purpoſed to ſet upon building, how much it is their concernment to give themſelves unto Prayer, whilſt they are carrying on this work.

1. It is the will of God, that in all our undertakings we ſhould ſeek unto him by Prayer, Phil. 4.6. In every thing by Prayer, and Supplication, with Thanksgiving, let your requeſts be made known to God. Prov. 3.6. In all thy wayes acknowledge him; and the more difficult and weighty any undertaking is, the more need there is of Prayer.

2. Such a work as bulding cannot be carryed on but by the help of God; and how ſhould they expect Gods help that do not ſeek it? Pſal. 127.1. Except the Lord build the houſe, they labour in vain that build it; except the Lord keep the City, the watchman waketh but in vain. When the Lord had promiſed that their waſte and deſolate Cities ſhould be rebuilded, he tells them, he did expect to be ſought to, that he might do this for them, Ezek. 36.33,37.—The waſts ſhall be builded—Thus ſaith the Lord God, I will yet for this be enquired of by the Houſe of Iſrael, to do it for them.

3. The Servants of God have been wont to carry on this work of building, as well as their other works by Prayer, Pſal. 51.18. Build thou the walls of Jeruſalem. When Nehemiah ſet upon building Jeruſalem, he went through very great difficulties in carrying on that work; yet by Prayer he overcome them all, and proſperouſly effected what he went about, Neh. 4.9. Nevertheleſs we made our Prayer unto God—Neh. 6.9,15. O God, ſtrengthen my hands—So the wall was finiſhed.

4. God hath oft-times viſibly appeared againſt thoſe perſons, and their undertakings, that have gone upon great works without ſeeking help and direction from God, by blaſting and confounding them in their undertakings, Mal. 1.4. Whereas Edom ſaith, We are impoveriſhed; but we will return and build deſolate places; thus ſaith the Lord of Hoſts, they ſhall build, but I will throw down. When the Inhabitants of Samaria ſaid in the pride and ſtoutneſs of their hearts, The bricks are fallen down, but we will build with hewen Stones; the Sycamores are cut down, but we will change them into Cedars; and did not ſeek the Lord, Did they proſper? No, But God threatned to cut them off branch and ruſh, head and tail in one day, Iſa. 9.9,10,13,14.

2. If you would carry on this work of building ſucceſsfully, go about it in faith; believing that God will be with you therein, and reſt upon him for his help and aſſiſtance, Neh. 2.20. The God of Heaven he will proſper us; therefore we his ſervants will ariſe and build. To believe and rely on the Lord is the way to proſper, 2 Chron. 20.20. Believe in the Lord your God, ſo ſhall you be eſtabliſhed; believe his Prophets, ſo ſhall ye proſper. By the power of faith, ſtrong Walls and Cities have been demoliſhed, Heb. 11.30. By faith the walls of Jericho fell down—ver. 33. Who through faith ſubdued Kingdoms.—Now if faith be inſtrumental to demoliſh Walls and Cities, Why may it not alſo be of great force to build them up? If any ask, What encouragements can you give us for our faith, that we may truſt and rely on God for his preſence and aſſiſtance with us in this work of building? I anſwer,

1. Building of deſolate Cities is a good work, and well-pleaſing to God; and that which conduceth unto the glory of God, when it is managed with a right ſpirit, and in a right manner. The building of Jeruſalem after it had been waſted by fire and the Sword, is called a good work, Neh. 2.18. They ſaid, let us riſe up and build; ſo they ſtrengthened their hands for this good work: the building of Jeruſalem is called alſo the pleaſure of the Lord, it being that which pleaſed him to ſee thoſe waſt places builded again, Iſa. 44.28. That ſaith of Cyrus, he ſhall perform all my pleaſure, even ſaying to Jeruſalem, Thou ſhalt be built; and to the Temple, Thy foundations ſhall be laid. It did conduce alſo to Gods glory, Pſal. 102.16. When the Lord ſhall build up Zion, he ſhall appear in his glory. Jer. 33.7,9. I will cauſe the captivity of Judah, and the captivity of Iſrael to return, and will build them as at the firſt: And it ſhall be to me a Name of joy, a praiſe and an honour before all the Nations of the Earth. That building is a good work, and acceptable to God, when rightly managed, may be evidenced ſeveral wayes, beſides the forequoted Scriptures: As 1. It is oft ſpoken of a bleſſing, for God to give a man an houſe to dwell in, Exod. 1.21. And it came to paſs, becauſe the Midwives feared God, that he made them houſes. 1 Sam. 2.35. I will build him a ſure houſe—Iſa. 65.21. They ſhall build houſes, and inhabit them. 2. Cohabitation conduceth much both to our civil and ſpiritual good, Pſal. 133.1. Behold how good and how pleaſant it is, for brethren to dwell together in unity. The ſcattering abroad of perſons, and ſeparating them each from other, is threatned as a judgment, Iſa. 24.1. Behold, the Lord maketh the Earth empty, and maketh it waſte,—and ſcattereth abroad the Inhabitants thereof. If cohabitation conduceth much to our good, and ſcatering abroad be an evil, and a judgment; then building of Cities in order to cohabitation is a good work. 3. By building of houſes we prepare Manſions and Recepticles for the bodies of Gods ſervants, which are the Members of Chriſt, and the Temples of the Holy Ghoſt; and that cannot but be a good work to provide Manſions for the bodies of Gods ſervants. The Lord Jeſus takes it kindly when we lodge any of his members but for a night or two, Matth. 25.34,35. Come ye bleſſed of my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was a ſtranger, and ye took me in. To provide ſetled habitations for the ſervants of God, is more than to take them in for a night or two. 4. Building of Houſes, and deſolate Cities, is a means of delivering thoſe that want habitations from great diſtreſs; as being wet with the dew of heaven, and conſumed with cold by night, and the heat by day, &c. and to provide a refuge for the diſtreſſed, is a good work, Neh. 2.17. Ye ſee the diſtreſs that we are in, how Jeruſalem lyeth waſt, and the Gates thereof are burnt with fire; Come and let us build up the Wall of Jeruſalem, that we be no more a reproach. Now if building be a good work, then you may confidently expect Gods preſence with you when you ſet upon it, if you manage it with a right ſpirit, Amos 5.14. Seek good, and not evil,—and ſo the Lord, the God of Hoſts, ſhall be with you, as ye have ſpoken: and if God will be with you in your work, this may greatly encourage you in the management of it, Hag. 2.4. Yet now be ſtrong, O Zerubbabel, ſaith the Lord; and be ſtrong, O Joſhua,—and be ſtrong all ye people of the Land, and work; for I am with you, ſaith the Lord of Hoſts.

2. God is able to carry on thoſe that reſt upon him in this work, how great and how many diſſiculties, and oppoſitions, and diſcouragements ſoever they meet withal. This is evident from the building of Jeruſalem after it was burnt and laid waſt by the Chaldeans: Conſider to this purpoſe, 1. What a great work the building of Jeruſalem was, which had been waſted by Fire and Sword from a forreign power, and had lyen in its deſolation ſeventy years, Neh. 4.19. The work is great and large. 2. Conſider how weak and unfit the Jews were for this great work, after their ſtrength and treaſure was exhauſted by ſeventy years captivity. Some of them were ſo diſcouraged, that they thought they ſhould not be able to accompliſh ſo great a work, Neh. 4.10. Judah ſaid, The ſtrength of the bearers of burdens is decayed, and there is much rubbiſh, ſo that we are not able to build the wall. 3. The times in which they ſet upon building of Jeruſalem, were very troublous times, Dan. 9.25. The ſtreet ſhall be built again, and the wall in troublous times. 4. The Enemies of the Jews oppoſed this work of building Jeruſalem with all their might: They ſcoffed at them, and derided their work, Neh. 4.2,3. What do theſe feeble Jews? Will they fortifie themſelves? Will they make an end in a day? Will they revive the ſtones out of the heap of the rubbiſh which are burnt? Even that which they build, if a Fox go up, he will even break down their ſtone wall. They caſt falſe ſlanders upon them, as though they builded out of a deſign to rebel, Neh. 2.19. What is this thing that ye do? Will ye rebel againſt the King? Neh. 6.6. Thou and the Jews think to rebel; for which cauſe thou buildeſt the wall, that thou mayſt be their King: and when theſe means would not prevail, they attempted by force to make the work ceaſe, Neh. 4.7,8,11. They were very wroth, and conſpired all of them together, to come and to ſight againſt Jeruſalem: And our adverſaries ſaid, They ſhall not know, neither ſee, till we come in the midſt amongſt them, and ſlay them, and cauſe the work to ceaſe. And when none of theſe means would cauſe them to leave off building; they hired Counſellors to mediate with the Kings of Perſia, and wrote Letters to hinder the building of Jeruſalem, Ezra 4.4,5,23,24. And notwithſtanding all the attempts of their Adverſaries, both by fraud and violence; though there were ſome intermiſſions, yet the work was compleated: And how? by the help and aſſiſtance of God, as their Enemies themſelves could not but acknowledge, Neh. 6.15,16. So the wall was finiſhed—And it came to paſs, that when all our Enemies heard thereof—they were much caſt down in their own eyes; for they perceived that this work was wrought of our God. Now that God which helped the Jews to build Jeruſalem under all their difficulties and oppoſitions that they met withal, is able alſo to help you, under what ever difficulties do or may beſet you in your work.

3. Conſider what promiſes God hath made to his ſervants to encourage them in this work of building, when he calls them to it. He hath promiſed to be with them in building, Ezek. 36.9,10. Behold I am for you, and I will turn unto you—And the Cities ſhall be inhabited, and the waſts ſhall be builded. Though their Cities and dwellings have been laid waſt a long time, he promiſeth to help them to build them up again, Iſa. 61.4. They ſhall build the old waſts, they ſhall raiſe up the former deſolations, and they ſhall repair their waſt Cities, the deſolations of many generations. He promiſeth that after their dwellings have been laid waſt, they ſhal be built in the ſame places, and in as good a manner as before, Jer. 30.18. Thus ſaith the Lord, Behold, I will bring again the Captivity of Jacobs Tents, and have mercy on his dwelling places, and the City ſhall be builded on her old heap, and the Palace ſhall remain after the manner thereof. He hath promiſed that after they have laid the foundation, they ſhall go on to finiſh their work, Zech. 4.9. The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this Houſe, his hands ſhall alſo finiſh it. 1 Chron. 28.20. David ſaid unto Solomon his ſon, Be ſtrong, and of good courage, and do it; fear not, nor be diſmayed; for the Lord God, even my God, will be with thee, he will not fail thee, nor forſake thee, until thou haſt finiſhed all the work for the ſervice of the Houſe of the Lord. Though theſe two laſt Promiſes relate to the building of the Temple, yet they are applicable by Gods ſervants in ſuch works as they are called out to by the Lord. He hath promiſed, that when they have built them houſes, they ſhall dwell in them, and enjoy them a long ſeaſon, Iſa. 65.21,22,23. They ſhall build houſes and inhabit them,—they ſhall not build and another inhabit;—for as the dayes of a tree, are the dayes of my people; and mine Elect ſhall long enjoy the work of their hands; they ſhall not labour in vain, nor bring forth for trouble; for they are the ſeed of the bleſſed of the Lord, and their off-ſpring with them. The Lord hath promiſed, that after they have built them houſes, they ſhall dwell in them with ſafety and confidence, Ezek. 28.26. They ſhall dwell ſafely therein, and ſhall build Houſes, and plant Vineyards; yea, they ſhall dwell with confidence, when I have executed judgments on all thoſe that deſpiſe them round about them; and they ſhall know that I am the Lord their God. He hath promiſed to make their habitations proſperous, Job 8.5,6. If thou wouldeſt ſeek unto God betimes, and make thy ſupplication to the Almighty; if thou wert pure and upright, ſurely now he would awake for thee, and make the habitation of thy righteouſneſs proſperous. After Jeruſalem was burnt with fire, and laid waſte by the Caldeans, the Lord doth not only promiſe, that it ſhall be built again; but, that he would put the Jews into a ſetled and better eſtate than they were in before, Ezek. 36.10,11. The Cities ſhall be inhabited, and the waſtes ſhall be builded—and I will ſettle you after your old eſtates, and will do better unto you, than at your beginnings.

3. If you would carry on the work of rebuilding your houſes ſucceſsfully, humble your ſelves for your lins, which cauſed God to lay them deſolate, and get them waſhed away in the Blood of Chriſt, and then you may expect ſucceſs, and a bleſſing upon what you take in hand, Ezek. 36.33,35,36. Thus ſaith the Lord God, In the day that I ſhall have cleanſed you from all your iniquities, I will alſo cauſe you to dwell in the Cities, and the waſts ſhall be builded. And they ſhall ſay, This land that was deſolate is become like the Garden of Eden, and the waſt, and deſolate, and ruined Cities are become fenced. The Lord promiſed alſo in the 32. verſe, that he would give them an heart to loath themſelves for their ſins; and after he had humbled and pardoned them, he promiſeth the re-building of their deſolate Cities. And as you muſt humble your ſelves for your ſins, ſo you muſt put away your ſins, and return unto God with your whole hearts, if you would carry on this work ſucceſsfully, Jer. 24.6,7. I will ſet mine eyes upon them for good—and I will build them, and not pull them down; and I will plant them, and not pluck them up—for they ſhall return unto me with their whole heart. Job 22.23. If thou return to the Almighty, thou ſhalt be built up.

4. Uſe no unrighteouſneſs, but deal truly and faithfully with all men, with whom you have to do in building your houſes. Whomſoever you employ in this work, pay them their full wages; for if you uſe any fraud or unrighteouſneſs, you will bring the curſe of God upon your perſons and habitations, Jer. 22.13. Wo unto him that buildeth his houſe in unrighteouſneſs, and his chambers by wrong; that uſeth his neighbours ſervice without wages, and giveth him not for his work, Hab. 2.11,12. The ſtone ſhall cry out of the wall, and the beam out of the timber ſhall anſwer it, Wo to him that buildeth a Town by blood, and eſtabliſheth a City by iniquity. And as you muſt pay all whom you employ their full wages, ſo alſo at the ſet time for which you make your agreement, Deut. 24.14,15. Thou ſhalt not oppreſs an hired ſervant that is poor and needy, whether it be of thy brethren, or of thy ſtrangers that are within thy land within thy gates: at his day thou ſhalt give him his hire, neither ſhall the Sun go down upon it, for he is poor, and ſetteth his heart upon it, leſt he cry againſt thee unto the Lord, and it be ſin unto thee. Incroach not upon anothers right, but keep within your own bounds and limits, Deut. 19.14. Thou ſhalt not remove thy neighbours land-mark, which they of old time have ſet in thine inheritance—Deut. 27.17. Curſed be he that removeth his neighbours land-mark; and all the people ſhall ſay, Amen. Prov. 22.28. Remove not thy ancient land-mark which thy fathers have ſet. Eccleſ. 10.8.9. Whoſo breaketh an hedge, a Scrpent ſhall bite him; whoſo removeth ſtones, ſhall be hurt therewith. And take this counſel, not only in reference to your equals, that are able to contend with you, but alſo be careful that you incroach not upon the right of the Widows, and the Fatherleſs, that are not able to plead their own cauſe; for God will plead their cauſe with you, Prov. 23.10,11. Remove not the old land-mark, and enter not into the fields of the fatherleſs; for their redeemer is mighty, he ſhall plead their cauſe with thee. By managing your work in truth and righteouſneſs, you ſhall proſper in what you take in hand, Pſal. 45.4.—Ride proſperouſly, becauſe of truth, and meekneſs, and righteouſneſs.

5. Before you enter upon building, ſit down and conſider your coſt and charge; conſider alſo your own ability, whether you have ſufficient to defray the charge of Building, leſt you be neceſſitated to leave your work imperfect, or to run your ſelves into debt, and bring great and unneceſſary incumbrances upon your ſelves, Luke 14.28,29,30. Which of you intending to build a tower, ſitteth not down firſt, and counteth the coſt; whether he have ſufficient to finiſh it: leſt haply after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finiſh it, all that behold it, begin to mock him, ſaying, This man began to build, and was not able to finiſh. Eſpecially be careful that you do not exceed your ability to build your houſes in a more ſtately and magnificent manner than becometh your rank and quality. The calamities of the preſent times, and the many objects of charity, call for frugality and moderation in this kinde. Overmuch curioſity and expenſiveneſs in Building is taxed as a ſin, Jer. 22.14. We may (and many do) tranſgreſs by too much coſt, and curioſity in adorning our Bodies, 1 Tim. 2.9. 1 Pet. 3.3. If not lawful to beſtow too much coft in adorning our Bodies, then ſurely we muſt uſe moderation in adorning our Houſes; for our Bodies are of more worth and value than our Houſes.

6. Follow your work with a willing minde, and with diligence, if you would have it go on ſucceſsfully. A willing minde will carry on difficult work with great eaſe, Nehem. 4.6. So built we the wall, and all the wall was joyned together unto the half thereof, for the people had a minde to work: Diligence and induſtry will effect great things, but ſlothfulneſs and negligence will ſpoil and bring to nought good undertakings, Eccleſ. 10.18. By much ſlothfulneſs the building decayeth, and through idleneſs of the hands the houſe droppeth through. Yet here is need of caution that you do not immerſe your hearts and ſpirits too much in your worldly buſineſs, ſo as to forget or unfit your ſelves for the coming of Chriſt either by death or judgment. Many men are ſo immoderate in their uſe and management of worldly things, that they fall into a ſpirit of ſlumber and ſecurity; ſo that the day of death and of judgment will come upon them as a ſnare, when they neither think of, or are prepared to meet the Lord, Luke 17.28,29,30. As it was in the dayes of Lot, they did eat, they drank, they bought, they ſold, they planted, they builded; but the ſame day that Lot went out of Sodom, it rained fire and brimſtone from heaven, and deſtroyed them all: even thus ſhall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed. It is not building or planting, any more than eating or drinking, but the inordinate affections of men, and their worldly ſpirits; their ſecurity and ſenſuality in the management of their worldly buſineſs, that is here condemned by our Lord Jeſus Chriſt.

7. Aim at Gods glory in this work, and not your own, and ſo manage the whole buſineſs, that nothing of reproach or diſhonour may redound to the name of God, but that God in all things may be glorified. That general rule, 1 Cor. 10.31. Whether ye eat or drink, or whatſoever ye do, do all to the glory of God, ſhould take place in this, as well as any other of your works. You ſhould not look only, or chiefly, at your own conveniences in Building, but at the glory of God: ſo the Jews did in building Jeruſalem, Ezra 4.3.—We our ſelves together will build unto the Lord God of Iſrael. If you be tempted from a vain-glorious painciple to be overcoſtly and curious in building your Houſes: conſider, 1. God would not have us do any action whatever, for the procuring of vainglory, Phil. 2.3. Let nothing be done through ſtrife, or vain-glory: Yea, God would have us ſo far from doing any action for vain-glory, that he would not have us ſo much as deſirous of it, Gal. 5.26. Let us not be deſirous of vain-glory. 2. With what mean Habitations were our fore-fathers contented? Jacob who was a great man, a Prince in the eſtimation of the Angel that wraſtled with him, Gen. 32.28. contented himſelf to dwell in a tent, which was both a mean and a moveable habitation, Gen. 25.27. Jacob was a plain man dwelling in tents; ſo did his Father Abraham, Heb. 11.9. By faith he ſojourned in the land of promiſe, as in a ſtrange Countrey dwelling in Tabernacles with Iſaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the ſame promiſe: Yet Abraham was a great man, he was the heir of the world, Rom. 4.13. and the father of all the faithful, ver. 11, 16. 3. If that which is expended by many perſons in ſuperfluous and needleſs adorning of their houſes were given to the poor, how much good might they do? would it not be much to their comfort at the day of judgment, wherein they muſt give an account for all their talents, how they have uſed them, and what improvement they have made of them?

8. It is of much concernment to you whileſt you are about this work of Building, or when you are about any other work of moment, to give good heed to the Word of God; for thereby you will be helped much to carry on your undertakings ſucceſſively. When you faint and are diſcouraged, Gods Word will put ſtrength into you; when you are under doubts, that will reſolve you: when you turn aſide to the right hand, or to the left, Gods Word will reſtore your ſouls, and lead you in paths of righteouſneſs; it is of great uſe in theſe and divers other reſnects, to help you to carry on your civil employments ſucceſsfully, Deut. 29.9. Keep the words of this covenant and do them, that ye may proſper in all that ye do. That is a remarkable paſſage which you have, Ezra 6.14. The elders of the Jews builded, and they proſpered through the propheſying of Haggai the Prophet, and Zechariah the Son of Iddo, and they builded and finiſhed it, according to the Commandment of the God of Iſrael. The preaching of the word by theſe two ſervants of God, was a means of carrying on this work of building Jeruſalem ſucceſsfully. When God ſent forth Joſhua about a great work, he gave him a ſpecial charge to take heed to his word, and to read and meditate therein night and day, which would be a ſure way to be ſucceſsful, Joſhua 1.8. This book of the Law ſhall not depart out of thy mouth, but thou ſhalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayeſt obſerve to do according to all that is written therein; for then thou ſhalt make thy way proſperous, and then thou ſhalt have good ſucceſs. When Solomon was building the Temple, it is ſaid, 1 Kings 6.11,14. The word of the Lord came to Solomon—ſo Solomon built the houſe and finiſhed it. So he built the houſe and finiſhed it, that is, he was ſtrengthened and encouraged by the word of the Lord that came to him, to go on with, and finiſh the building.

9. While you are buſily employed in building your own houſes, do not forget or neglect the building up of Gods Houſe, Hag. 1.4. Is it time for you, O ye, to dwell in your cieled houſes, and this houſe lie waſte? Solomon ſetting his heart to the building of 〈1 page duplicate〉〈1 page duplicate〉〈1 page duplicate〉〈1 page duplicate〉〈1 page duplicate〉〈1 page duplicate〉〈1 page duplicate〉〈1 page duplicate〉 Gods Houſe, proſperouſly effected what ever came into his heart for the building of his own houſe, 2 Chron. 7.11. Thus Solomon finiſhed the houſe of the Lord, and the Kings houſe, and all that came into Solomons heart to make in the houſe of the Lord, and in his own houſe he proſperouſly effected. When I ſtir you up to build Gods houſe, whilſt you are building your own, I do not only, or chiefly mean places for publick Worſhip (though that alſo be a very good and laudable undertaking; the Centurian who erected a Synagogue, was highly reſpected and extolled by the Jews for this pious work, Luke 7.4,5. When they came to Jeſus, they beſought him inſtantly, ſaying, That he was worthy for whom he ſhould do this, for he loveth our Nation, and hath built us a Synagogue:) but that which I chieſly intend is, that you build up your ſelves an habitation of God through the Spirit. Every true believer is ſtyled Gods houſe, Heb. 3.6. But Chriſt as a Son over his own houſe; whoſe houſe are we, if we hold faſt the confidence and the rejoycing of the hope firm unto the end. All true Believers are Gods Temple, 2 Cor. 6.16. Ye are the Temple of the living God, as God hath ſaid, I will dwell in them, and walk in them. They are Gods habitation, Eph. 2.22. In whom you are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit. Now after the foundation of this ſpiritual building is laid by the ſouls being drawn to Chriſt, there muſt be conſtant and conſciencious endeavour to be built up in grace and holineſs, 2 Pet. 3.18. Grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jeſus Chriſt. 2 Pet. 1.5. Beſides this giving all diligence, add to your faith, vertue; and to vertue, knowledge, &c. If you ask what ſhall we do that we may be built up a ſpiritual houſe unto the Lord? I anſwer,

1. You muſt lay a good and a right foundation. The foundation of this ſpiritual building is Jeſus Chriſt, 1 Cor. 3.11. Other foundation can no man lay, than that is laid, which is Jeſus Chriſt: ſee alſo, Iſa. 28.16. Eph. 2.20. The fundamental graces which are wrought in the ſoul that is built upon Chriſt, are faith and repentance, Heb. 6.1. Therefore leaving the principles of the Doctrine of Chriſt, let us go on unto perfection, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith towards God. When God had given you repentance for your ſins, and faith in the Lord Jeſus, then the foundation of this ſpiritual building is laid in your ſouls.

2. You muſt be daily carrying and caſting away the rubbiſh that hinders the progreſs of this ſpiritual building. After faith and repentance are wrought in truth, there remain ſeveral relicks of the old man, which we muſt be daily purging away: we muſt make it our work to deſtroy our ſins, if we would be built up in grace, 2 Cor. 7.1. Having therefore theſe promiſes (that is, ye are the Temples of the living God, I will dwell in them, and walk in them, of which he had ſpoken in the former Chapter, ver. 16.) dearly beloved, let us cleanſe our ſelves from all filthineſs of the fleſh and ſpirit, perfecting holineſs in the fear of God. We cannot go on to perfect holineſs, unleſs we do in good earneſt ſet upon cleanſing our ſelves from all filthineſs of the fleſh and ſpirit.

3. You muſt be daily looking to Chriſt, and going to him, to carry on, and finiſh that work of grace which he hath begun in your ſouls, Heb. 12.2. Looking unto Jeſus the author and finiſher of our Faith—1 Per. 2. To whom coming as unto a living ſtone—ye alſo as lively ſtones, are built up a ſpiritual houſe. Do not only go to Chriſt, but reſt upon him for the perfecting and finiſhing of what he hath begun in your ſouls; and to that end ponder upon ſuch Scriptures as theſe, Pſal. 138.8, The Lord will perfect that which concerneth me—Phil. 1.6. Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you, will perform it until the day of Jeſus Chriſt. The Lord Jeſus taketh a great deal of pleaſure, not only in beginning, but in finiſhing the work of grace in our ſouls, John 4.34. Jeſus ſaith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that ſent me, and to finiſh his work.

4. After you have received Jeſus Chriſt, you muſt not only believe in him, but walk in him; and by ſo doing you ſhall come both to be rooted, and to be built up in him, Col. 2.6,7. As ye have received Chriſt Jeſus the Lord, ſo walk ye in him; rooted and built up in him: By walking in, and with Chriſt, you ſhall keep his preſence with your fouls; for he hath ſaid, If we abide in him, he will abide in us. John 15.4. Abide in me, and I in you: and 2 Chron. 15.2. The Lord is with you while ye be with him. Now by keeping Chriſts preſence with your ſouls, they will be built up in grace, Cant. 1.12. While the King ſitteth at his table, my ſpikenard ſendeth forth the ſmell thereof. When the owner dwells in the houſe, it is kept in good repair; if he leave it, and it ſtand empty, all things go to decay: As Martha ſaid unto Chriſt, John 11.21. Lord, if thou hadſt been here, my brother had not died. The like may a deſerted ſoul that findeth it ſelf fallen to decay upon Gods with-drawing of himſelf, ſay unto God, Lord, if thou hadſt been here, theſe ruines and deſolations had not come upon my ſoul.

5. Prayer performed in a ſpiritual manner, is a great means of building up our ſouls in the grace of God, Jude 20. But ye beloved, building up your ſelves in your moſt holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghoſt. Though praying in a ſlightly, dead-hearted, cuſtomary, formal manner, availeth little; yet praying in the Holy Ghoſt, (that is, by the help and aſſiſtance of the Holy Ghoſt, and ſtirring up, and exerciſing the graces of the Holy Ghoſt in prayer, as faith, fervency, reverence, humility, &c.) is an effectual means to build up the ſoul in the grace of God.

6. Converſe much with the word of God, read it frequently, treaſure it up in your hearts, make it your meditation night and day; that is the way to be built up a ſpiritual houſe unto the Lord, 1 Pet. 2.2,5. As new born babes deſire the ſincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby. Meditation on the word built up David wonderfully in knowledge, Pſal. 119.99. I have more under ſtanding then all my teachers, for thy teſtimonies are my meditation. The Apoſtle Paul recommends meditation on Gods word to Timothy, as an excellent means to promote his growth in grace, 1 Tim. 4.15. Meditate upon theſe things, give thy ſelf wholly to them, that thy profiting may appear unto all: So alſo when he took his leave of the Elders of the Church of Epheſus, he commends them to the word of the Lord, as the means whereby they might be built up in that grace which they had already received, Acts 20.32. And now brethren, I commend you to God, and to the the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among them that are ſanctified.

I might have added in the tenth place; After God hath proſpered you in this work of building, and you have finiſhed your houſes, dedicate them to God. It was a cuſtom among the Jews after they had built a new houſe, to dedicate it unto the Lord; as you may ſee, Deut. 20.5. but of this I ſhall have occaſion to ſpeak afterward, Queſt. 3. Sect. 7. p. 313. where I ſhall ſhew, how we ſhould dedicate our Houſes to God; and therefore I ſhall adde no more upon this Queſtion, but proceed to the third.

QUEST. 3. What ſhall they render to the Lord for his Mercy, whoſe Houſes and Goods were preſerved from being conſumed by the late Dreadful Fire?

BEfore I anſwer this Queſtion, I ſhall premiſe five or ſix things.

1. It was Gods Providence, not your own prudence, or diligence, or any other act of yours, that preſerved you from ſuſtaining any loſs or damage by the late Fire, Pſal. 16.5. Thou maintaineſt my lot. Pſal. 3.8. Salvation belongeth to the Lord. Pſal. 40.17. Thou art my help and my deliverer. When ever a righteous man is delivered from any trouble, his deliverance proceedeth from the Lord, Pſal. 34.17. The righteous cry, and the Lord heareth and delivereth them out of all their troubles. As God ordereth the rain where it ſhall fall, and where it ſhall not fall, Amos 4.7. I cauſed it to rain upon one City, and cauſed it not to rain upon another: ſo it is he alſo that ordered this Fire, what City, and what Houſes, and Goods it ſhould conſume, and what it ſhould not conſume. The Fire, the Winds, and all other Creatures do nothing but at Gods appointment, Pſal. 148.7,8. Praiſe ye the Lord from the earth, ye Dragons, and all deeps; fire and hail, ſnow and vapour, ſtormy wind fullfilling his word. The fire and the wind are ruled by God, they ſpare thoſe whom God appoints them to ſpare; they afflict thoſe whom God appoints them to afflict; they do nothing but by commiſſion from God. The ſame God that ſets the bounds of the Sea, and ſaith, Hitherto ſhalt thou come, and no farther; and here ſhall thy proud waves be ſtayed, Job 38.11. did ſet bounds to this raging Fire, and appointed how far it ſhould proceed, and where its flames ſhould be ſtayed: wherefore ſuch as were preſerved from ſuffering damage by this Fire, muſt not aſcribe their ſafety partly to Gods Providence, and partly to themſelves; but muſt give all the glory to God, and ſay as David did of his deliverances, Pſal. 4.8. Thou Lord only makeſt me to dwell in ſafety. Pſal. 62.2. He only is my rock and my ſalvation.

2. We ought to look upon it as a great mercy to be ſpared from Gods judgments, Neh. 13.22. Spare me according to the greatneſs of thy mercy. Lam. 3.22. It is of the Lords mercies that we are not conſumed: eſpecially we ſhould account it a great mercy to be ſpared from Gods judgments in a time of common calamity; when multitudes, as good, or better than we are, have been great ſufferers. When Lot eſcaped with his life out of Sodom, though he ſuſtained ſome loſs by the burning of that City, yet he looked upon it as an exceeding great mercy, that his life was preſerved, Gen. 19.19. Be hold now thy ſervant hath found grace in thy ſight, and thou haſt magnified thy mercy, which thou haſt ſhewed unto me in ſaving my life.

3. When the Lord hath given us any remarkable deliverance, or beſtowed any other ſignal mercy upon us, it ſhould put us upon enquiring, what return we ſhould make unto God for his benefits. When David had received a great deliverance, he maketh enquiry, what he ſhould render to God for ſo great a mercy, Pſal. 116.12. What ſhall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits towards me? This is needful, becauſe God expects that when he hath done great things for us, we ſhould be returning ſomething to him, Iſa, 5.1,2. My well-beloved hath a vineyard in a very fruitful hill, and he fenced it—and he looked that it ſhould bring forth grapes.—Luke 17.17,18. Jeſus anſwering, ſaid, Were there not ten cleanſed, but where are the nine? There are not found that returned to give glory to God, ſave this ſtranger. Where we may obſerve, 1. The Lord Jeſus expects that when we have received any eminent favour from him, we ſhould return ſomething for what we receive; elſe why did he ask, Where are the nine? 2. The Lord takes notice who they are that do, and who they are that do not return according to the mercies that they receive from God. The Samaritan returned to give glory to God, the others did not. 3. There are very few, ſcarce one in ten, that make a return according to the mercies that they receive. There were ten cleanſed, and only one returns to give glory to God.

4. When any man faileth to return according to the benefits which he hath received, though he be a good man, God is much diſpleaſed at it, 2 Chron. 32.25. But Hezekiah rendred not again according to the benefit done unto him, for his heart was lifted up; therefore there was wrath upon him, and upon Judah and Jeruſalem. God had in a wonderful manner delivered Hezekiah from death; and though he was a good man, ſo eminently good, that he excelled all the Kings that lived before him, and came after him, according to what we finde, 2 Kings 18.5. He truſted in the Lord God of Iſrael, ſo that after him was none like him among all the Kings of Judah, nor any that were before him. Yet this good man Hezekiah failed to reader again according to the benefit done unto him; and what followed thereupon? wrath came upon him, and upon Judah and Jeruſalem for this very thing.

5. It is not every return will anſwer Gods expectation, but there muſt be ſome ſuitableneſs, ſome proportion between the mercies that we receive from God, and the returns that we make to God. Hezekiah was not wholly wanting in making return to God, for he praiſed God for recovering him from his ſickneſs, Iſa. 38.19. The living, the living, he ſhall praiſe thee, as I do this day: and after his ſickneſs he compoſed a Song or Pſalm to ſet forth Gods praiſe, and reſolved to ſing this Song in the houſe of God all the dayes of his life, Iſa. 38.9,20. The writing of Hezekiah King of Judah, when he had been ſick, and was recovered of his ſickneſs; then follows the Song it ſelf, to the 20. verſe, where he expreſſeth his reſolution by way of gratitude, to ſing this Song all the dayes of his life, The Lord was ready to ſave me, therefore we will ſing my Song to the ſtringed Inſtruments all the dayes of our life, in the houſe of the Lord. Yet notwithſtanding all this, Hezekiah is taxed with not returning according to the benefit done unto him.

6. They whoſe Houſes and Eſtates have been preſerved from this dreadful Fire, may know what they ought to return to God for this great deliverance, by obſerving what the Servants of God have returned unto the Lord, at ſuch times as God hath vouchſafed unto them any eminent deliverances, though it were not a deliverance from Fire, but from ſome other evil; and alſo by conſidering what ſpecial duties God calleth for in his holy Word from ſuch as have eſcaped thoſe judgments that have fallen upon other men, or have received any other ſignal mercy from the Lord. Theſe things being premiſed, I ſhall now anſwer the third Queſtion.

SECT. 1.

1. Render to God your love for his great mercy in preſerving your houſes and ſubſtance from being conſumed by this Fire: God deſerves to be loved by all thoſe whom he preſerveth from any evils, Pſ. 31.23. O love the Lord all ye his Saints; for the Lord preſerveth the faithful. When David was in a wonderful manner delivered from the hands of his enemies, he reſolves with himſelf, that he would love God with an entire and an endeared love, for the deliverances he had received from him, Pſal. 18. ver. 1. compared with the title of the Pſalm, A Pſalm of David, the Servant of the Lord, who ſpake unto the Lord the words of this Song, in the day that the Lord delivered him from the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul; and he ſaid, I will love the Lord my ſtrength. The Hebrew word that is uſed in this place, ſignifieth more then barely to love; it notes an inward, entire, cordial love; it is tranſlated by Junius, and alſo by Piſcator, Exintimis viſceribus diligam te. And at another time when David was communing with his own heart, about what return he ſhould make to God for delivering him from the gates of death, upon his crying to him, Pſ. 116.3,4,12. he determins to give God his love, verſe 1. I love the Lord, becauſe he heard my voice. and my ſupplications. That thing which a Chriſtian prizeth moſt, and deſireth of God above all other things, is his love, Cant. 1.2. Let him kiſs me with the kiſſes of his mouth; for thy love is better than wine. Pſal. 63.3. Thy loving kindneſs is better than life. So it is with God, that which he prizeth moſt from us, and that which he deſireth above all other things, is, that we ſhould give him our love, Deut. 10.12. And now Iſrael, what doth the Lord thy God require of thee, but to fear the Lord thy God, to walk in all his wayes, and to love him, and to ſerve the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy ſoul. Cant. 4.10. How fair is thy love! my Siſter, my Spouſe, how much better is thy love than wine? and the ſmell of thine oyntment than all ſpices? If any ask, which way ſhall we expreſs our love to God for this great deliverance? I anſwer,

1. By hating and abhorring all evil, and endeavouring to root out all manner of ſin, both from your ſelves, and your families, Pſal. 97.10. Ye that love the Lord, hate evil. Sin is an abominable thing in the ſight of God, and therefore he entreateth us, that if we love him, we would not do that which his ſoul hateth, Jer. 44.4. Oh do not this abominable thing that I hate.

2. Expreſs your love to God by being careful to keep his Commandments, John 14.15. If ye love me, keep my Commandments. 2 John 6. This is love, that we walk after his Commandments. God accounted obedience of his Commandments a truer token of love, than the offering of a multitude of ſacrifices, in thoſe times when ſacrifices were in uſe, 1 Sam. 15.22. Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt-offerings and ſacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey, is better than ſacrifice: and to hearken, than the fat of Rams.

3. Expreſs your love to God by doing all the ſervice you can for his Saints and Servants: You cannot be any wayes beneficial to God, but you may be to his people, Pſal. 16.2,3. My goodneſs extendeth not to thee, but to the Saints that are in the earth, and to the excellent, in whom is all my delight. And what you do for them, the Lord will account of it as done unto himſelf, Math. 25.40. Verily I ſay unto you, inaſmuch as ye have done it unto one of the leaſt of theſe my brethren, ye have done it unto me. Three times our Lord Jeſus calls upon Peter to expreſs his love to him, by doing good to his members, Joh. 21.15,16,17. Jeſus ſaid to Simon Peter, Simon ſon of Jonas, loveſt thou me more than theſe? He ſaith unto him, yea, Lord, thou knoweſt that I love thee; He ſaith unto him, Feed my Lambs. He ſaith unto him the ſecond time, Loveſt thou me?—He ſaith unto him, yea, Lord; He ſaith unto him, Feed my Sheep. He ſaith unto him the third time, Loveſt thou me? Feed my Sheep.

SECT. 2.

2. They that have ſuſtained little or no loſs by this dreadful fire, wherein ſo many thouſands of perſons and families have ſuffered very deeply, have great cauſe to give thanks unto God for ſparing and delivering their ſubſtance, and their houſes from this devouring Fire. The Prophet Iſaiah having mentioned altime of great deſolation, wherein a little remnant ſhould eſcape, telleth us what this remnant ſhould render unto the Lord, Iſa. 24.13,14. When thus it ſhall be in the midſt of the Land among the people, there ſhall be as the ſhaking of an Olive Tree, and as the gleaning Grapes when the vintage is done; they ſhall lift up their voice, they ſhall ſing for the majeſty of the Lord:—Four times in one Pſalm doth the Holy Ghoſt call upon the children of men to praiſe the Lord for delivering them out of their diſtreſſes, Pſal. 107.8,15,21,31. O that men would praiſe the Lord for his goodneſs, and for his wonderful works to the children of men. When David was delivered from the hands of violent men, he was much affected with the mercy of God, and determines to give God hearty thanks for it, Pſal. 18.48,49. Thou haſt delivered me from the violent man; therefore will I give thanks unto thee, O Lord, among the Heathen, and ſing praiſe unto thy Name. To be delivered from the violence of fire, is as great a mercy as to be delivered from violent men; and therefore you ſhould reſolve to give God thanks for your deliverance, as David did for his. Be not only affected with this mercy for the preſent, but let the ſenſe and remembrance of it abide with you as long as you live. When the Iſraelites eſcaped ſafe through the Red-Sea, where the Egyptians were drowned, they were much affected with this mercy for a little while; but in a ſhort time it was as much forgotten, as if it had never been received, Pſal. 106.12,13. They ſang his praiſe, they ſoon forgot his works. David was of another ſpirit, he charged his ſoul never to forget Gods benefits, but to bleſs God and be thankful for them all the dayes of his life, Pſal. 103.2. Bleſs the Lord, O my ſoul, and forget not all his benefits. Pſal. 34.1. I will bleſs the Lord at all times; his praiſe ſhall continually be in my mouth. Pſal. 30.12. O Lord my God, I will give thanks unto thee for ever. Pſal. 104.33. I will ſing unto the Lord as long as I live; I will ſing praiſe unto my God, while I have my being. We pleaſe God exceedingly, when we give him praiſe and thanks by Jeſus Chriſt, for the mercies he beſtoweth upon us, Heb. 13.15,16. By him therefore let us offer the ſacrifice of praiſe to God continually; that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to his Name—for with ſuch ſacrifice God is well-pleaſed. Pſal. 69.30,31. I will praiſe the Name of God with a Song, and will magnifie him with Thanksgiving; this alſo ſhall pleaſe the Lord better than an Oxe or Buliock that hath horns and hoofs. God accounts the praiſe that his ſervants offer up to him in the Name of his Son, melodious and delightful muſick, Epheſ. 5.19,20. Making melody in your heart to the Lord, giving thanks always for all things unto God, and the Father, in the Name of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt. To raiſe up your thankfulneſs to God for ſparing your houſes and ſubſtance, and not ſuffering them to be deſtroyed by the late dreadful fire: Conſider

1. What a great affliction it is to be deſtitute of an habitation, and of neceſſary food? When David was in a wandering, unſetled condition, he met with ſuch difficulties as made him ſhed many a tear, Pſal. 56.8. Thou telleſt my wanderings, put thou my tears into thy bottle: And when God gave him a ſetled habitation, he dedicates his houſe to God, and reſolves to be thankful all the dayes of his life, Pſal. 30.12. O Lord my God, I will give thanks unto thee for ever. This purpoſe of giving thanks for ever, relates to the time that he dedicated his houſe to God, as you may ſee in the title of the Pſalm. When the Iſraelites were deſtitute of an habitation, and were tryed with hunger and thirſt, it was ſuch an affliction as made their ſouls faint within them, Pſal. 107.4,5. They wandered in the Wilderneſs in a ſolitary way, they found no City to dwell in; hungry and thirſty, their ſouls fainted in them. When Jacob was forced to flee from his fathers houſe to avoid his brother Eſau's fury, and knew not what ſtraits he might meet with, he looked upon it as ſuch a great mercy to have food and raiment, that he Covenants with God to become his ſervant, if he would but give him bread to eat, and rayment to put on, Gen. 28.20,21. Jacob vowed a Vow, ſaying, If God will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and raiment to put on,—then ſhall the Lord be my God. To be ſtricken with hunger, and not to have wherewith to ſatisfie our hunger, is a greater miſery than to be pierced through with a Sword, Lam. 4.9. They that be ſlain with the ſword, are better than they that be ſlain with hunger; for 〈1 page duplicate〉〈1 page duplicate〉〈1 page duplicate〉〈1 page duplicate〉〈1 page duplicate〉〈1 page duplicate〉〈1 page duplicate〉〈1 page duplicate〉 theſe pine away, ſtricken through, for want of the fruits of the field.

2. Conſider how many there are, who lived as plentifully and comfortably as you do, that were as good, or better than you are, that are brought to want and exceeding great ſtraits by the loſſes they have ſuſtained by this Fire. And have not you cauſe to admire Gods goodneſs, and to bleſs him as long as you live, for ſparing you, when ſo many have ſuffered ſo deeply, who yet it may be provoked God leſs than you have done?

SECT. 3.

3. Let the great calamities that are come upon others, and the goodneſs of God towards you, lead you to repentance, & cauſe you to humble your ſouls before God for your ſins, and to put away far from you all iniquity, and to be more careful and conſcientious in keeping the Commandments of God, Ezra 9.13,14. After thou haſt given us ſuch deliverance as this, Should we again break thy Commandements? Rom. 3.4.—The goodneſs of God leadeth thee to repentance. God expects that we ſhould be led to repentance by others ſufferings as well as our own. Daniel reproveth Belſhazzar becauſe he did not humble himble his ſoul before God, notwithſtanding he knew what great things his father had ſuffered, Dan. 5.20,21,22. When his heart was lifted up, and his mind hardned in pride, he was depoſed from his Kingly Throne, and they took his glory from him, &c. And thou his ſon, O Belſhazzar, haſt not humbled thine heart, though thou kneweſt all this. When Judah had ſeen the great judgments which God ſent upon her ſiſter Iſrael, and was not brought to unſeigned repentance by them, God was much offended at it, and Judah's caſe was rendered thereby far worſe than Iſraels, Jer. 3.7,8,10,11. I ſaid after ſhe had done all theſe things, Turn thou unto me, but ſhe returned not; and her treacherous ſiſter Judah ſaw it. And I ſaw, when for all the cauſes whereby back-ſliding Iſrael committed adultery, I had put her way, and given her a bill of divorce; yet her treacherous ſiſter Judah feared not, but went and played the Harlot alſo. And yet for all this, her treacherous ſiſter Judah hath not turned unto me with her whole heart, but feignedly, ſaith the Lord: And the Lord ſaid unto me, The back-ſliding Iſrael hath not juſtified her ſelf more than treacherous Judah? When but eighteen perſons ſuffered by the fall of the Tower of Siloam, Chriſt tells us that the meaning of that Providence, was to call all that heard of it unto repentance Luk. 13.4,5. In the time of the Law, when but one perſon ſuffered exemplary puniſhment, and that not by an immediate ſtroke from God, but by the hands of men; all Iſrael was to take warning from his ſufferings, and to be afraid of ſinning againſt the Lord, Deut. 13.10,11. Thou ſhalt ſtone him with ſtones, that he die:—And all Iſrael ſhall hear, and fear, and ſhall done more any ſuch wickedneſs as this is among you. See alſo Deut. 17.12,13.—Even that man ſhall die,—And all the people hear, and fear, and do no more preſumptuoſly. If the ſuffering of one man, by the hands of the Magiſtrate, did ſtrike ſuch terror into the hearts of all Iſrael, as to make them afraid of ſinning againſt God; then what a forcible argument ſhould the ſufferings of ſo many thouſand of perſons, and families, by the late Fire and Peſtilence be to all the people of this Land, to perſwade them to repent of their ſins and turn to the Lord? That you may be awakened both by your own mercies, and others ſufferings, to ſet upon the ſerious performance of this duty of repentance, let me propoſe to you three or four Conſiderations.

1. It angereth the Lord exceedingly when we go on in an impenitent condition, after he hath beſtowed any eminent deliverances upon us, Ezra 9.13,14. After all that is come upon us for our evil deeds, and for our great treſpaſs, ſeeing that thou our God haſt puniſhed us leſs than our iniquities deſerve, and haſt given us ſuch deliverance as this; Should we again break thy Commandments, and joyn in affinity with the people of theſe abominations? wouldſt thou not be angry with us, till thou haſt conſumed us, ſo that there ſhould be no remnant nor eſcaping? When Iſrael ſinned at the red Sea, where they had been in a wonderful manner preſerved from the hands of Pharaoh, it did mightily provoke God to diſpleaſure, Pſal. 106.7.—They provoked him at the Sea, even at the red Sea.

2. Such as are not led to repentance by Gods goodneſs, are deſpiſers of the riches of Gods grace, and do treaſure up wrath againſt the day of wrath, Rom. 2.4,5. Deſpiſeſt thou the riches of his goodneſs, and forbearance, and long-ſuffering; not knowing that the goodneſs of God leadeth to repentance? But after thy hardneſs and impenitent heart, treaſureſt up unto thy ſelf wrath againſt the day of wrath, and revelatirn of the righteous judgment of God.

3. Though God may ſpare you a while, yet he will not ſpare you alwayes; but without repentance, divine vengeance will perſue after you, and over-take you, and fall upon you, to your utter and eternal deſtruction, Luk. 13.3. Except ye repent, ye ſhall all likewiſe periſh. Pſal. 68.21. God ſhall wound the head of his Enemies, and the hairy ſcalp of ſuch an one as goeth on ſtill in his treſpaſſes. Prov. 29.1. He that being often reproved, hardneth his neck, ſhall ſuddenly be deſtroyed, and that without remedy. It is neither wiſdom, nor riches, nor honour, nor power, nor any other excellency that ſhall or can exempt that man from deſtruction, that doth not repent of his ſins. Not Wiſedom: for, He reſpecteth not any that are wiſe of heart, Job 37.24. Nor Riches, Job 36.19. Will he eſteem thy riches? no, not gold, nor all the forces of ſtrength. Prov. 11.4. Riches profit not in the day of wrath. Nor Honour, Iſa. 23.9. The Lord of Hoſts hath purpoſed it, to ſtain the pride of all glory, and to bring into contempt all the honourable of the Earth. Neither ſhall power, or ſtrength avail to keep of Gods wrath from impenitent perſons, 1 Sam. 2.9. By ſtrength ſhall no man prevail. Nah. 1.6. Who can ſtand before his indignation? and who can abide the fierceneſs of his anger? Though a man were for gifts and other excellencies, equal to the Angels; yet none of his excellencies or endowments will keep of Gods wrath from him, if be go on in his ſins, 2 Pet. 2.4. God ſpared not the Angels that ſinned, but caſt them down to Hell, and delivered them into chains of darkneſs, to be reſerved unto judgment.

SECT. 4.

4. Do not judge thoſe to be the greateſt ſinners, who have been the greateſt ſufferers by this fire. It is a ſin which eaſily beſets thoſe that are in proſperity, to deſpiſe and cenſure thoſe that are in adverſity, Job 12.5. He that is ready to ſlip with his feet, is as a lamp deſpiſed in the thought of him that is at eaſe. Job's three friends cenſured him for a hypocrite, and an irreligious perſon, becauſe God laid ſuch great afflictions upon him. When the Barbarians ſaw the Viper upon Pauls hand, they ſaid among themſelves, No doubt this man is a murderer, whom though he bath eſcaped the Sea, yet Vengeance ſuffereth not to live, Acts 28.4. To prevent this Errour. Conſider,

1. It is expreſly againſt the mind of Chriſt, to judg thoſe to be the greateſt ſinners that are the greateſt ſufferers. He cautioneth us twice againſt this ſin, Luk. 13.1,2,3,4,5. There were preſent at that ſeaſon, ſome that told him of the Galileans, whoſe blood Pilat had mingled with their ſacrifices; and Jeſus anſwering, ſaid unto them, Suppoſe ye that theſe Galileans were ſinners above all the Galileans, becauſe they ſuffered ſuch things? I tell you, Nay; but except ye repent, ye ſhall all likewiſe periſh: Or thoſe eighteen upon whom the Tower of Siloam fell, and ſlew them; Think ye that they were ſinners above all that dwelt in Jeruſalem? I tell you, Nay; but except ye repent, ye ſhall all likewiſe periſh.

2. It is the property of humble perſons to think better of others than themſelves; Phil. 2.3. In lowlineſs of mind, let each eſteem other better than themſelves. They are wont to account themſelves the leaſt of Saints, and the chiefeſt of ſinners, Epheſ. 3.8. Ʋnto me who am leſs than the leaſt of all Saints. 1 Tim. 1.15.—Chriſt Jeſus came into the world to ſave ſinners, of whom I am chief.

3. It hath been the lot of righteous men in all ages of the world, to meet with many troubles and afflictions, Pſal. 34.19. Many are the afflictions of the righteous;—yea, their afflictions and troubles are more than what other men meet withal. David ſpeaking of wicked men, ſaith, Pſal. 73.5. They are not in troubles as other men; neither are they plagued like other men.

4. We wrong God, and provoke him to anger, when we misjudge his Providences and dealings with his ſervants, Job 42.7. My wrath is kindled againſt thee, and againſt thy two friends; for ye have not ſpoken of me the thing that is right, as my ſervant Job hath. And what was it wherein Eliphaz and his two friends offended in ſpeaking ſuch things of God as were not right? Was is not in miſconſtruing of Gods Providence in ſending afflictions?

SECT. 5.

5. Put on bowels of compaſſion towards ſuch as have been ſufferers by this fire, and towards all others that are in an afflicted, diſtreſſed condition; and be ready upon all occaſions to do all offices of love for any of them, as far as it lyeth in your power to be helpful to them. Pity them, Job 6.14. To him that is afflicted, pity ſhould be ſhewed from his friend. Mourn over their afflicted condition, Job 30.25. Did not I weep for him that was in trouble? Was not my ſoul grieved for the poor? Rom. 12.15. Weep with them that weep. There is a wo pronounced againſt thoſe that are not affected with their brethrens miſeries, Amos 6.1,6. Wo to them that are at eaſe in Zion—That drink Wine in Bowls, and anoint themſelves with the chief Ointments, but they are not grieved for the afffliction of Joſeph. Pray for them, that God would comfort and ſupport them under, and bring them out of their diſtreſſes, Pſal. 25.22. Redeem Iſrael, O God, out of all his troubles. Pſal. 132.1. Lord, remember David, and all his afflictions. Counſel and help them in the management of their affairs, and carry your ſelves like a father to them, Job 29.15,16. I was eyes to the blind, and feet was I to the lame; I was a father to the poor. Viſit them, and comfort them in their afflicted condition, Jam. 1.27. Pure Religion, and undefiled before God, and the Father, is this, to viſit the fatherleſs and the widows in their affliction, and to keep himſelf unſpotted from the world. Relieve them that are in want, Eccleſ. 11.1,2. Caſt thy bread upon the waters, for thou ſhalt find it after many dayes: Give a portion to ſeven, and alſo to eight; for thou knoweſt not what evil ſhall be upon the Earth. Job 31.16,17,18,19,20,21,22,23. If I have withheld the poor from their deſire, or have cauſed the eyes of the widow to fail; or have eaten my morſel alone, and the fatherleſs hath not eaten thereof: (for from my youth he was brought up with me as with a father, and I have guided her from my mothers womb:) If I have ſeen any periſh for want of clothing, or any poor without covering; if his loins have not bleſſed me, and if he were not warmed with the fleece of my ſheep: If I have lift up mine hand againſt the fatherleſs, when I ſaw my help in the gate; then let mine arm fall from mine ſhoulder-blade, and mine arm be broken from the bone; for deſtruction from God was a terror to me, and by reaſon of his highneſs, I could not endue. Lend to them that would borrow any thing of you in their neceſſity, Matth. 5.42. Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee, turn not thou away. Lending as well as giving, is a duty enjoyned by God; but both the one as well as the other, muſt be managed with diſcretion, Pſal. 112.5. A good man ſheweth favour, and lendeth, he will guid his affairs with diſcretion. And to make you willing to lend upon all occaſions unto thoſe that come to borrow ought of you, (if they be ſuch perſons as your Conſcience tells you, it is your duty and your diſcretion, that it is meet to lend to them) conſider, that for this very thing God will greatly bleſs you in all that you ſet your hands unto, Deut. 15.7,8,10. Thou ſhalt not harden thy heart, nor ſhut thine hand from thy poor brother; but thou ſhalt open thine hand wide unto him, and ſhall ſurely lend him ſufficient for his need, in that which he wanteth: Thou ſhalt ſurely give him, and thine heart ſhall not be grieved when thou giveſt unto him: becauſe that for this thing the Lord thy God ſhall bleſs thee in all thy works, and in all that thou putteſt thine hand unto: yea, God will not only bleſs you, but your poſterity alſo for this thing, Pſal. 37.26. He is ever merciful and lendeth, and his ſeed is bleſſed. In all reſpects carry your ſelves towards thoſe that are in a ſuffering condition, as you would deſire they ſhould have carried themſelves towards you, if they had been in your condition, and you had been in theirs; for this is according to the rule which is given us by our Lord and Saviour Jeſus Chriſt, Matth. 7.12. All things whatſoever ye would that men ſhould do to you, do ye even ſo to them; for this is the Law and the Prophets. When you ſee any in diſtreſs, and find your ſelves backward to relieve them; ſay to your own hearts as Mordecai did to Eſther in anothers caſe, when ſhe was unwilling to put forth her ſelf for the help of the diſtreſſed Jews, Eſth. 4.14. Who knoweth whether thou art come to the Kingdom for ſuch a time as this? Who knoweth whether my Eſtate was preſerved from the fire for ſuch a time as this?

When therefore you are conſidering with your ſelves, what you ſhall render unto the Lord for his great mercy towards you, in preſerving your ſubſtance from the fire, determine with your ſelves to do what I have been exhorting you unto; namely, to put on bowels of compaſſion towards all that are in diſtreſs, and to do all the good you can for them, according as God ſhall Miniſter ability and opportunity unto you; for God is al-ſufficient, and needeth not any thing that you can do for him, Act. 17.25. Neither is worſhiped with mens hands, as though be needed any thing, ſeeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things. Your goodneſs extendeth not unto him, Pſal. 16.2. neither can you be profitable to God as you may be profitable to his people, Job 35.7,8. If thou be righteous, what giveſt thou him? or what receiveth he of thine hand? Thy righteouſneſs may profit the Son of Man. God expects this from us, that when he hath beſtowed any eminent mercy upon us, we ſhould expreſs our gratitude by doing good to others that are in diſtreſs, Luke 22.32. When thou art converted, ſtrengthen thy brethren. As it is in reſpect of comfort, when God gives us comfort it is not only for our ſelves, but alſo to enable us to comfort others, 2 Cor. 1.4,6. Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we our ſelves are comforted of God—Whether we be comforted it is for your conſolation and ſalvation. So it is with riches, they are not given to us only for our own uſe, but alſo to enable us to relieve the wants and neceſſities of others. We are not Lords, but Stewards of our Eſtates, and muſt one day give an account of our ſtewardſhip: And it is required in ſtewards, that a man be found faithful, 1 Cor. 4.2. Stewards muſt not diſpoſe of what is committed to their charge, according to their own, but according to their Lords will.

SECT. 6.

6. Seeing God hath ſo mercifully ſpared you, beware that you deal not rigorouſly, or cruelly with any that have been ſufferers by this Fire; do not ſpeak or do any thing that may add to the affliction of the afflicted, and inſtead of oyl, pour vinegar into their wounds. God is ſorely diſpleaſed with thoſe that add to the affliction of the afflicted, Zech. 115. I am very ſore diſpleaſed with the heathen that are at eaſe, for I was but a little diſpleaſed, and they helped forward the affliction. Pſal. 69.24,25,26. Pour out thine indignation upon them, and let thy wrathful anger take hold of them; let their habitation be deſolate, and let none dwell in their tents; for they perſecute him whom thou haſt ſmitten, and they talk to the grief of thoſe whom thou haſt wounded: Therefore do not uſe any inſulting language, or ſpeak any bitter words to ſuch as are brought low, Rom. 11.17.18. If ſome of the branches be broken off—boaſt not thy ſelf againſt the branches. Jer. 48.26,27. Moab ſhall wallow in his vomit, he alſo ſhall be in deriſion; for was not Iſrael a deriſion unto thee? was he found among thieves? for ſince thou ſpeakeſt of him, thou skippedſt for joy. Do not trample upon thoſe that are under Gods feet; it is ſaid of God, Lam. 3.33,34. He doth not afflict willingly, nor grieve the children of men, to cruſh under his feet all the priſoners of the earth. If the great God do not willingly grieve the children of men, or cruſh under his feet the meaneſt ſort of men, the priſoners of the earth: then it doth not become us to grieve, or trample upon, or cruſh under our feet any man, how mean ſoever he be. Do not oppreſs any one in his right, that is become poor by this Fire; in ſo doing you will be guilty of reproaching God, Prov. 14.31. He that oppreſſeth the poor, reproacheth his Maker; it is the ready way to come to want your ſelves, Prov. 22.16. He that oppreſſeth the poor to encreaſe his riches, ſhall ſurely come to want. It is ſaid of Sodom, Ezek. 16.49,50. She did not ſtrengthen the hand of the poor and needy—therefore I took them away as I ſaw good. If the men of Sodom were deſtroyed with fire and brimſtone for neglecting to ſtrengthen the hand of the poor and needy; what ſhall be done unto them that weaken the hands of the poor, and endeavour to make them more poor? Do not exact upon thoſe that are harbourleſs, when they come to hire houſes of you, by demanding an unreaſonable price for your Houſes, Shops, or Ware-houſes. Nehemiah reproves thoſe Jews very ſharply, that did exact upon their poor brethren after they had ſuffered great affliction by the Babyloniſh captivity, Neh. 5.1. to the 14. verſe: By taking advantage of our neighbours neceſſity to ſet unreaſonable and exceſſive rates upon our houſes, we may be guilty of extortion. Our Saviour joyns theſe two together, Extortion and Exceſs, Matth. 23.25.—Within they are full of extortion and exceſs. Now Extortion is a great ſin, as we may ſee, 1 Cor. 6.9,10. Ezek. 22.12,13. Have patience towards ſuch as are endebted to you, and are diſabled by this Fire from paying their Debts, and do not deal cruelly with them, by caſting them into priſon, or ſeizing upon that little which God hath left them, but wait with patience till God ſhall enable them to pay what they owe: God hath dealt mercifully with you, and therefore you ſhould not deal cruelly with your brethren. Remember the parable of him that dealt cruelly with his fellow ſervant after he himſelf had found great favour with his Lord, Matth. 18.28,29,30. The ſame ſervant went out and found one of his fellow ſervants, which ought him an hundred pence; and he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, ſaying, Pay me that thou oweſt: and his fellow ſervant fell down at his feet, and beſought him, ſaying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all: and he would not; but went and caſt him into priſon, till he ſhould pay the debt. And what was the iſſue of this cruel dealing? His Lord was wroth, and rebukes him ſharply, & delivereth him over to the tormenters, ver. 32, 33, 34. Then his Lord after that he had called him, ſaid unto him, O thou wicked ſervant, I forgave thee all that debt, becauſe thou deſiredſt me; ſhouldeſt thou not alſo have had compaſſion on thy fellow ſervant, yea, even as I had pitty on thee? and his Lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormenters, till he ſhould pay all that was due unto him. Do not exerciſe curelty towards the afflicted any of theſe fore-mentioned wayes, or in any other kinde; but let your hearts ſtand in awe of ſuch precepts as theſe, Zech. 7.9,10. Shew mercy and compaſſions every man to his brother, and oppreſs not the widow, nor the fatherleſs; the ſtranger, nor the poor; and let none of you imagine evil againſt his brother in your heart. Levit. 25.43,46. Thou ſhalt not rule over him with rigour, but ſhalt fear thy God—Over your brethren the children of Iſrael: ye ſhall not rule one over another with rigour. Rom. 12.10. Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love. 1 Cor. 16.14. Let all your things be done with charity. If you caſt off all pity towards ſuch as are impoveriſhed by this Fire, who knows but God may ſend a fire to conſume your houſes: This very ſin of caſting off pity towards the afflicted, is threatned with fire, Amos 1.11,12. Thus ſaith the Lord, for three tranſgreſſions of Edom, and for four I will not turn away the puniſhment thereof; becauſe he did purſue his brother with the ſword, and did caſt off all pity; and his anger did war continually, and kept his wrath for ever: but I will ſend a fire upon Teman, which ſhall devour the palaces of Bozra.

SECT. 7.

7. Let Gods mercy in preſerving your houſes from this Fire, cauſe you to dedicate your houſes unto God. When God gave David a peaceable and ſetled habitation, he dedicated his houſe unto the Lord, and compoſed the thirtieth Pſalm at the dedication of it, which beareth this title, A Pſalm, and Song at the dedication of the houſe of David. Some conceive this dedication to have been after God put an end to his wanderings, by reaſon of Sauls perſecuting of him, and gave him a ſetled habitation in Jeruſalem. Others think it refers to his returning to his houſe after he had been driven from it by Abſalom. Whenſoever the time was that he made this dedication, it may teach us thus much, that when it pleaſeth God to give us quiet, and ſetled, and comfortable habitations, we ſhould by way of gratitude dedicate our houſes unto God. Thoſe mercies which we receive from the Lord, we ſhould return back again unto him: as Hannah when ſhe had obtained a ſon, giveth him unto God, 1 Sam. 1.28. He whom I have obtained by petition, ſhall be returned (ſo 'tis rendred in the Margin) unto the Lord as long as he liveth. If any ask, How ſhould we dedicate our Houſes to God? I anſwer,

1. Reform and cleanſe your houſes, put away iniquity far from your Tabernacles, if you be purpoſed to conſecrate them unto God, Job 22.23. We muſt not vow and ſacrifice to the Lord a corrupt thing, leſt we bring a curſe upon our ſelves rather than a bleſſing, Mal. 1.14. Curſed be the deceiver which hath in his flock a male, and voweth and ſacrificeth unto the Lord a corrupt thing. If there were any thing of fraud and unrighteouſneſs in building or purchaſing your houſes, make ſatisfaction to your neighbour before you give your houſes to God, Iſa. 61.8,8. I the Lord love judgment, I hate robbery forburnt offering, Humble your ſelves for whatever ſins either you or your predeceſſors have committed in your houſes, whereby they have been defiled; for ſin defileth not only a mans perſon, but the place where he dwelleth, Lev. 18.27,28. Jer. 2.7.

2. If you would dedicate your houſes to God, let holineſs to the Lord be written upon your houſes, and upon all perſons that dwell in them, and upon all affairs that are tranſacted in your houſes: You know it is ſaid, Pſal. 93.5. Holineſs becometh thy houſe, O Lord, for ever. If therefore you would give your houſes to God, let thoſe that are the maſters of the houſe in the firſt place look unto themſelves, that they be holy in all manner of converſation, and follow the example of David, Pſal. 101.2,3,4. I will walk within my houſe with a perfect heart, I will ſet no wicked thing before mine eyes; I hate the work of them that turn aſide, it ſhall not cleave to me. A froward heart ſhall depart from me. Then endeavour to bring your Children, and your Servants, and all that live in your houſes, to ſerve God in holineſs and righteouſneſs, Joſh. 24.15. As for me and my houſe, we will ſerve the Lord. Endeavour to get godly ſervants into your houſes, or at leaſt to make them ſuch after they are come under your roof, Pſal. 101.6,7. Mine eyes ſhall be upon the faithful of the land, that they may dwell with me; he that walketh in a perfect way, he ſhall ſerve me; he that worketh deceit, ſhall not dwell within my houſe; he that telleth lyes, ſhall not tarry in my ſight. Let holineſs be written not only upon all perſons, but upon all your houſhold affairs. Be holy in your eating and drinking, govern your Children and Servants, and follow your Calling in an holy manner; entertain all that come to your houſes in a godly ſort: In a word, be holy in all manner of converſation, and do not think this to be too great preciſeneſs, for 'tis no more than what is commanded, 1 Pet. 1.15. As he which hath called you is holy, ſo be ye holy in all manner of converſation. God would have us ſo eminently holy in managing our civil employments, that all that converſe with us may ſee holineſs ſo evidently in what we do, as if it were written upon our employments, Zech. 14.20,21. In that day ſhall there be upon the bells of the horſes, holineſs unto the Lord; and the pots in the Lords houſe ſhall be like the bouls before the Altar; yea, every pot in Jeruſalem and in Judah ſhall be holineſs to the Lord of Hoſts.

3. Suffer none that come to, or dwell in your houſes, to ſpeak, or do any thing that may tend to the diſhonour of God; but endeavour as much as in you lieth, to glorifie God your ſelves, and to bring all that live with you; ſo to ſpeak, and ſo to walk, as that God in all things may be glorified, Pſal. 29.9. In his Temple doth every one ſpeak of his glory. If you would have your houſes become as it were Temples of God, you muſt ſuffer no curſing, no lying, no ſcoffing, no back-biting, no rotten communication in your houſes; but every one muſt ſpeak and walk, ſo as God may be glorified. When David dedicated his houſe to the Lord, he begins the Pſalm that he compoſed at the dedication thereof, with a purpoſe and reſolution to extol and glorifie God, Pſal. 30.1. I will extol thee, O Lord. Extol God in your hearts, extol God in all your diſcourſes, extol God in your converſations, extol God in all your wayes. After David had been delivered from the hands of his enemies, he thought it not enough to give glory to God himſelf, but calleth upon others alſo to magnifie God with him, Pſal. 34.3. O magnifie the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together. Do you follow his example, ſeeing God hath ſo graciouſly preſerved your houſes, and ſubſtance from this fire, do not only glorifie God your ſelves, but call upon your Wives, and Children, and Servants, and all that are in your Families: O magnifie the Lord with me, and let us exalt his Name together.

4. If you would dedicate your houſes to God, make them houſes of prayer; pray with your Family every morning, and every evening: and beſides praying with your Family, go into your Cloſet, and pour out your ſouls to God in ſecret, and call to your Servants and Children to pray in ſecret, as well as to joyn in family prayer, Matth. 21.13. My houſe ſhall be called the houſe of prayer.

5. Entertain with a willing and chearful minde all Gods friends and gheſts, that he at any time ſends to your houſes: After you have dedicated your houſes to God, you ſhould be as willing to entertain Gods friends and Gods gheſts as your own. If you ask who are Gods friends, and who are his gheſts? I anſwer, 1. All godly men, John 15.14. Ye are my friends, if ye do whatſoever I command you. When God puts it into the hearts of any of his ſervants to come to your houſes, you ſhould moſt gladly receive them; for they leave a bleſſing behinde them, Matth. 10.41. He that receiveth a righteous man, in the name of a righteous man, ſhall receive a righteous mans reward. 2. All godly Miniſters; when you receive them into your houſes, the Lord Jeſus taketh it as kindly as if you received himſelf, or his Father, John 13.20. Verily, verily, I ſay unto you, he that received whomſoever I ſend, receiveth me; and he that receiveth me, receiveth him that ſent me. 3. Such as are ſtrangers, Matth. 25.35. I was a ſtranger, and ye took me in. Heb. 13.2. Be not forgetful to entertain ſtrangers; for thereby ſome have entertained Angels unawares. Job 31.32. The ſtranger did not lodge in the ſtreets, but I opened my doors to the traveller. 4. Such as are driven from their own Houſes, or their own Countrey for Conſcience ſake, Iſa. 16.3,4.—Hide the out-caſts, bewray not him that wandereth; let mine out-caſts dwell with thee, Moab, be thou a covert to them from the face of the ſpoiler. When we ſee any perſons harbourleſs that are honeſt, and well diſpoſed, we ſhould take pity on them, and receive them into our houſes, Iſa. 58.6,7. Is not this the faſt that I have choſen?—Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry? and that thou bring the poor that are caſt out to thy houſe; when thou ſeeſt the naked, that thou cover him, and that thou hide not thy ſelf from thine own fleſh.

SECT. 8.

8. Seeing God hath ſpared and preſerved your Eſtates from this Fire; by way of gratitude, devote and dedicate your Eſtates to God, and reſolve to ſpend them according to his will, and employ them for his glory. We are commanded to honour God with our ſubſtance, and we ſhall be no loſers by ſpending any part thereof for the advancing of his glory, Prov. 3.9,10. Honour the Lord with thy ſubſtance, and with the firſt fruits of all thine increaſe, ſo ſhall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy preſſes ſhall burſt out with new wine. If you ask how you ſhould honour God with your Eſtates? I anſwer,

1. Do not ſpend them upon your luſts; what is ſpent for the ſatisſying of pride, ſenſuality, curioſity, vain glory, or the like, that is ſpent upon your luſts; and you may be ſure, that what is ſpent upon your luſts, that is not ſpent to Gods glory; for it is mentioned by the Apoſtle as a vice, to ſpend thoſe things which God gives us upon our luſts, James 4.3. Ye ask and receive not, becauſe ye ask amiſs, that ye may conſume it upon your luſts. Now no vice gloriſieth God.

2. Let the abundance wherewith God hath bleſſed you, raiſe up your hearts to ſerve God more chearfully than other men who want what you enjoy. It is ſaid of Jehoſhaphat, 2 Chron. 17.5,6. The Lord ſtabliſhed the kingdom in his hand, and all Judah brought Jehoſhaphat preſents, and he had riches, and honour in abundance; and his heart was lift up (or, as 'tis in the Margin) was encouraged in the wages of the Lord. God is diſpleaſed when our riches produce not this effect, to make us ſerve the Lord with chearfulneſs, Deut. 28.47,48. Becauſe thou ſervedſt not the Lord thy God with joyfulneſs, and with gladneſs of heart, for the abundance of all things; therefore ſhalt thou ſerve thine enemies which the Lord ſhall ſend againſt thee, in hunger, and in thirſt, and in nakedneſs, and in want of all things.

3. Do good according to your ability with what God hath given you, feed the hungry, cloath the naked, relieve the Fatherleſs and the Widows; then you glorifie God with your Eſtates when you do good with them, and relieve the poor and the needy, Prov. 14.31. He that oppreſſeth the poor, reproacheth his Maker; but he that honoureth him, hath mercy on the poor. He that miniſtreth to others neceſſities, be it more or leſs, if it be according to the ability that God hath given him, glorifieth God, 1 Pet. 4.10,11. As every man hath received the gift, even ſo miniſter the ſame one to another, as good ſtewards of the manifold grace of God—If any man miniſter, let him do it as of the ability that God giveth, that God in all things may be glorified through Jeſus Chriſt. Wherefore give freely and liberally upon all occaſions to ſuch as are in neceſſity, remembring how the Scriptures charge and encourage you to give bountifully to the poor: let me minde you of a few places to this purpoſe, 1 Tim. 6.17,18. Charge them that are rich in this world—that they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to diſtribute, willing to communicate; laying up in ſtore for themſelves a good foundation againſt the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life. 2 Cor. 9.6. This I ſay, He which ſoweth ſparingly, ſhall reap ſparingly; and he which ſoweth bountifully, ſhall reap bountifully. Prov. 11.25. The liberal ſoul ſhall be made fat, and he that watereth ſhall be watered alſo himſelf. Luke 6.38. Give, and it ſhall be given unto you, good meaſure, preſſed down, and ſhaken together, and running ever, ſhall men give into your boſom; for with the ſame meaſure that ye meet withal, it ſhall be meaſured to you again. Prov. 22.9. He that hath a bountiful eye ſhall be bleſſed, for he giveth of his bread to the poor. Eccleſ. 11.1,2. Caſt thy bread upon the waters, for thou ſhalt finde it after many dayes: Give a portion to ſeven, and alſo to eight, for thou knoweſt not what evil ſhall be upon the earth?

If any ſay, There are ſo many ſufferers by this Fire, and ſo many objects of Charity, that we know not where to beſtow our Charity, ſeeing we are not able to relieve all; who are they whom we are obliged in an eſpecial manner to relieve with our Charity? I anſwer,

1. If you have any near Relations that are in want, you ought in an eſpecial manner to take care to relieve them, 1 Tim. 5.4. If any Widows have Children, or Nephews, let them learn firſt to ſhew piety at home, and to requite their Parents; for that is good and acceptable before God: and ver. 8. If any provide not for his own, and eſpecially for thoſe of his own houſe, he hath denied the faith, and is worſe than an Infidel. When Job had loſt his Eſtate, all his brethren, and all his ſiſters, and all they that had been of his acquaintance before, gave him every one a piece of money, and an ear-ring of gold, Job 42.11.

2. If you know any godly men to be in want, you ſhould in an eſpecial manner be careful to relieve their wants, Gal. 6.10. Let us do good unto all men, eſpecially unto them who are of the houſhold of faith: and as you ſhould have reſpect unto godly men above others, ſo in a more peculiar manner to godly Miniſters. When the Apoſtle Paul, who was a Miniſter of Chriſt, was relieved in his neceſſities by the Philippians, ſee how acceptable this was unto the Lord, Phil. 4.18. I have all, and abound, I am full, having received of Epaphroditus the things which were ſent from you, an odour of a ſweet ſmell, a ſacrifice acceptable, well-pleaſing to God. The ſmalleſt kindneſs that we can imagine done to any of Chriſts ſervants, whether Miniſters, or others, upon this account, becauſe they belong to Chriſt, ſhall not go without a reward, Mark 9.41. Whoſoever ſhall give you a cup of water to drink in my Name, becauſe ye belong to Chriſt; verily I ſay unto you, He ſhall not loſe his reward.

3. Such as are in greateſt want and neceſſity, either becauſe they are burdened with Children, or have formerly lived plentifully, and ſo know not how to bear a low condition; ſuch as on any account are brought into a neceſſitous condition, and are like to periſh for want of relief: theſe ought in an eſpecial manner to be looked after, and relieved, Job 29.13. The bleſſing of him that was ready to periſh came upon me. Lev. 25.35. If thy brother be waxen poor, and fallen in decay with thee, then thou ſhalt relieve him; yea, though he be a ſtranger, or a ſojourner, that he may live with thee. Here we are directed what ſort of perſons we ſhould relieve: 1. We are to relieve ſuch as have lived well formerly, and are waxen poor, and fallen in decay; whether he be a brother or a ſtranger. 2. We are to relieve thoſe that live in the places where we live, before others at a farther diſtance. If a brother be fallen in decay with thee, thou ſhalt relieve him. 3. Such as know not how to live without ſome relief, that he may live. But as was ſaid before, if the neceſſity of perſons fearing God, be as great as other mens, their neceſſities are to be conſidered before others, Rom. 12.13. Diſtributing to the neceſſity of Saints: and if we know or hear of any of Gods ſervants that are in want, we ſhould ſend relief to them, though they live in places that are at great diſtance from us. The Diſciples of Antioch ſent relief as far as Judea to the diſtreſſed Servants of Chriſt, Acts 11.29. Then the Diſciples, every man according to his ability, determined to ſend relief to the brethren which dwelt in Judea.

4. Such perſons as are moſt ſhiftleſs and friendleſs, as Widows, Fatherleſs Children, Orphans, and Strangers, theſe alſo ought to be conſidered in a more eſpecial manner, as being great Objects of Charity, Job 29.12,13. I delivered the poor that cried, and the fatherleſs, and him that had none to help him—I cauſed the widows heart to ſing for joy. God taketh a ſpecial care of the Widows, and Fatherleſs, and Strangers, Pſal. 146.9. The Lord preſerveth the ſtrangers, he relieveth the fatherleſs and widow—And we ſhould labour to reſemble God: ſee alſo Job 31.16,17,18,19,20.

5. We ſhould minde what opportunities God puts into our hands, and embrace our preſent opportunities; and we ſhould be doing good to thoſe, unto whom our opportunity leadeth us to do good, Gal. 6.10. As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men—Eccleſ. 9.10. Whatſoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might. Prov. 3.27,28. Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of thine hand to do it; ſay not to thy neighbour, Go and come again, and to morrow I will give, when thou haſt it by thee. You ſee here, we ſhould not defer our opportunities of doing good ſo much as for one day.

I ſhall add no more upon this head, but only put you in mind of the curteous carriage of the barbarous people of Melita, towards ſuch as had ſuffered ſhipwrack, and were caſt upon their coaſts; they received every one of the ſhipwracked perſons in a curteous manner, and at their departure did abundantly ſupply all their neceſſities, Act. 28.1,2,10. When they were eſcaped, then they knew that the Iſland was called Melita: and the barbarous people ſhewed us no little kindneſs; for they kindled a fire, and received us every one, becauſe of the preſentrain, and becauſe of the cold—who alſo honoured us with many honours, and when we departed, they laded us with ſuch things as were neceſſary. Will it not be a ſhame for Chriſtians to be wanting in relieving their brethren, that have ſuffered the loſs of their Eſtates by fire; when as theſe Barbarians ſhewed great kindneſs to men that they never ſaw before, when they ſuffered ſhipwrack and loſt their ſhip, and all their goods in the Sea.

SECT. 9.

9. Render your ſelves to God by way of gratitude for his ſparing of you from this ſore judgment which hath fallen ſo heavily upon others. Your Houſes and Eſtates are too little to give unto God for this mercy; and therefore you ſhall do well to give your ſelves, both body and ſoul, all that you have and are, unto the Lord. When David was debating the caſe with himſelf, what he ſhould render to the Lord for his benefits, he reſolves to give himſelf to God, to be his ſervant, and that not only in profeſſion, but indeed and in truth, Pſal. 116.12,16. What ſhall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits towards me? Oh Lord, truly I am thy ſervant, I am thy ſervant,—2 Chron. 30.8. Be ye not ſtiff-necked,—but yield your ſelves unto the Lord,—2 Cor. 8.5. But firſt gave their own ſelves to the Lord. What the Apoſtle ſaid to the Corinthians, 2 Cor. 12.14. I ſeek not yours, but you: The like may be ſaid of God, He doth not ſeek ours, but us; he is more pleaſed when we give him our ſelves, than with any other gift that we have to give him. As a Chriſtian looketh upon it as the greateſt favour that God can beſtow upon him, for God to give himſelf to him; he prizeth none of Gods gifts ſo much as the gift of himſelf: ſo it is with God, he eſteemeth a mans giving up himſelf to God, above all the gifts that he can give to God. Let therefore the mercies which God hath given you, prevail with you to give your ſelves, your whole ſelves, both body and ſoul unto God. 1. Let Gods mercies prevail with you to give God your bodies, Rom. 12.1. I beſeech you therefore, Brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye preſent your bodies a living ſacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reaſonable ſervice. It may be ſome will ſay, What? Doth God care for our bodies? Will that be an acceptable gift to God? The Apoſtle aſſureth us it will be an acceptable preſent, when they are preſerved holy, preſent your bodies, holy, acceptable unto God. And he telleth us elſewhere, that the Lord is deſirous of our bodies as well as of our ſouls, 1 Cor. 6.13. The body is—for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. Now then we give God our bodies, when we keep our bodies in ſubjection to the will of God, when we rule and govern all the members of our bodies by the Word of God, when we are content to do or ſuffer any thing in our bodies for the ſake of God, that God and Chriſt may be magnified in our bodies, Phil. 1.20. when we do not ſuffer ſin to reign in our bodies, neither do yield the members of our bodies as inſtruments of unrighteouſneſs to ſin, but do readily yield up all the members of our bodies as inſtruments of righteouſneſs to do the will of God; this is to give God our bodies. And this is that which the Apoſtle calls for, Rom. 6.12,13. Let not ſin reign in your mortal body, that ye ſhould obey it in the luſts thereof; neither yield ye your members as inſtruments of unrighteouſneſs unto ſin; but yield your ſelves unto God, as thoſe that are above from the dead, and your members as inſtruments of righteouſneſs unto God. 2. Give God your ſouls as well as your bodies, otherwiſe you do not preſent your bodies to God a living ſacrifice, according to the forementioned exhortation, Rom. 12.1. for, The body without the ſpirit is dead, Jam. 2.26. And if the body be a dead carcaſe without the ſpirit, then we cannot preſent our bodies a living ſacrifice unto God, unleſs we give him our ſouls together with our bodies. The ſoul is that which God deſires above all things, Prov. 23.26. My ſon, give me thine heart.—Matth. 22.37,38. Thou ſhalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy ſoul, and with all thy mind; this is the firſt and great Commandement. And why ſhould any of us ſtick at this, the giving our ſelves both body and ſoul unto God, ſeeing it is our reaſonable ſervice? Let me ſhew you the equity of what I am exhorting you unto, that ſo ſuch of you as have received great mercies from God, may be perſwaded by way of gratitude, to give your ſelves the more cheerfully both body and ſoul unto the Lord.

1. Our bodies and ſouls are not our own, but the Lords; and ſhall we refuſe to give God his own? Shall we be backward to glorifie God with that which is his own? 1 Cor. 6.19,20.—Ye are not your own, for ye are bought with a price; therefore glorifie God in your body and in your ſpirit, which are Gods. God did not make either our bodies or our ſouls for the ſervice of ſin or Satan, but for himſelf, 1 Cor. 6.13.—Now the body is not for fornication, but for the Lord,—Prov. 16.4. The Lord hath made all things for himſelf. Rev. 4.11. Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour, and power; for thou haſt created all things, and for thy pleaſure they are and were created. Now ſeeing our bodies and ſouls were created for Gods pleaſure; Is it not meet they ſhould be yielded up unto God?

2. The Lord Jeſus gave himſelf both body and ſoul for us. He yielded his body to be crucified for us, which was both a ſhameful and a painful death, 1 Cor. 11.24. This is my body which was broken for you,—1 Pet. 2.24. Who his own ſelf bare our ſins in his own body on the Tree, that we being dead unto ſin, ſhould live unto righteouſneſs; by whoſe ſtripes ye were healed. Iſa. 50.6. I gave my back to the ſmiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked of the hair; I hid not my face from ſhame and ſpitting. Why ſhould we refuſe to give our bodies to be burned, impriſoned, baniſhed, tortured, or to ſuffer any affliction for the ſake of Chriſt, ſeeing he gave his body to ſuffer ſuch a ſhameful and painful death for us? The Lord Jeſus did not only give his body, but his ſoul alſo an offering for our ſins, Iſa. 53.10. It pleaſed the Lord to bruiſe him, he hath put him to grief, when thou ſhalt make his ſoul an offering for ſin, he ſhall ſee his ſeed,—Shall we ſtick at giving our ſouls to Chriſt, when he did not ſtick at making his ſoul an offering for our ſins?

3. It will be much for the advantage both of our bodies and ſouls to give them unto God; for he will ſanctifie them, and make them his Temple, and come and dwell in them, 1 Cor. 3.16. Know ye not that ye are the Temple of God, and that the ſpirit of God dwelleth in you? 2 Cor. 6.16. Ye are the Temple of the living God, as God hath ſaid, I will dwell in them, and walk in them.—Now, who are they to whom the Apoſtle ſpeaks, when he ſaith, Ye are the Temple of the living God, &c. They were ſuch as had given themſelves to God, as you may ſee, Chap. 8.5. But firſt gave their own ſelves to the Lord,—What greater honour or happineſs are our ſouls and bodies capable of, whilſt they are in this world, than to become Temples of the living God? But beſides this, if we give our bodies and ſouls unto God, he will glorifie both our bodies and ſouls in an unexpreſſible manner in the Kingdom of Heaven to all eternity. The Sun is a glorious creature, it dazleth our eyes to behold it; God will give his Saints in Heaven a glory equal to the brightneſs of the Sun, Matth. 13.43. Then ſhall the righteous ſhine forth as the Sun, in the Kingdom of their Father: yea, they ſhall excel the Sun in glory, for they ſhall be equal to the Angels, and the Angels are far more glorious ceatures than the Sun, Luk. 20.36. Neither can they dye any more; for they are equal unto the Angels, and are the Children of God, being the Children of the Reſurrection: yea, they ſhall be made like to Chriſt, their bodies ſhall be made like to his glorious body, Phil. 3.21. Who ſhall change our vile body, that it may be faſhioned like unto his glorious body,—and their ſouls ſhall be made like to his glorious ſoul, 1 Joh. 3.2. —We ſhall be like him, for we ſhall ſee him as he is. We,—that is, not our bodies only, or our ſouls only; but our perſons, both body and ſoul ſhall be like him.

SECT. 10.

10. Render to God the Sacrifices of righteouſneſs. When we have received any eminent mercy from God, he expects that we ſhould offer up unto him the ſacrifice of a righteous and godly life, which will pleaſe him better than all the Sacrifices that were offered up under the Law, Pſal. 4.5. Offer the Sacrifices of Righteouſneſs. Pſal. 51.17,19. The Sacrifices of God are a broken ſpirit, a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not deſpiſe,—Then ſhalt thou be pleaſed with the Sacrifices of righteouſneſs.—When David was wonderfully delivered from the ſnares of death, he determines to offer this Sacrifice to God, namely, to walk humbly and holily before God all the dayes of his life, Pſal. 116.6,7,8. I was brought low, and he helped me: Thou haſt delivered my ſoul from death, mine eyes from tears, and my feet from falling. Then ſee what he renders to God for this mercy; I will walk before the Lord in the Land of the living. I have touched upon this head before, and therefore I ſhall not enlarge farther upon it; only I ſhall add two Scriptures, which do imply, that it is our duty after we have received any eminent deliverances, to labour after a more eminent degree of holineſs than we had before; and are alſo promiſes, that God will ſanctifie our deliverances, for the making of us more holy, Obad. 17. Upon mount Zion ſhall be deliverance, and there ſhall be holineſs. Iſa. 4.2,3. In that day ſhall the Branch of the Lord be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the Earth ſhall be excellent and comely for them that are eſcaped of Iſrael. And it ſhall come to paſs, that he that is left in Zion, and he that remaineth in Jeruſalem, ſhall be called holy, even every one that is written among the living in Jeruſalem. In the former Chapter, the Prophet had foretold the ruine of Jeruſalem, and the fall of Judah, Iſa. 2.8. and here he foretells, that a little remnant ſhould eſcape; and promiſeth, that Gods judgments on others, and his mercy in delivering them, ſhould conduce much to the promoting of their holineſs, and cauſe them to prize highly the Lord Jeſus (who is underſtood by the Branch of the Lord, Zach. 3.8.) by whoſe merits and mediation they ſhould obtain their deliverance.

SECT. 11.

11. Let this deliverance cauſe you to ſeek after, and to truſt in God for farther mercies and deliverances, when you are brought into ſtraits. This uſe God ſervants have been wont to make of their deliverances, as you may ſee by theſe inſtances, Judg. 15.18. And he was ſore a thirſt, and called on the Lord, and ſaid, Thou haſt given this great deliverance into the hand of thy ſervant, and now ſhall I die for thirſt, and fall into the hand of the uncircumciſed. 1 Sam. 17.37. David ſaid moreover, The Lord that delivered me out of the paw of the Lion, and out of the paw of the Bear; he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philiſtine. 2 Cor. 1.10. Who delivered us from ſo great a death, and doth deliver; in him we truſt that he will yet deliver us. This God expects that when he hath ſhielded us from, or helped us out of one trouble, we ſhould truſt him when we come into another, Pſal. 115.9. O Iſrael, truſt thou in the Lord, he is their help and their ſhield. Pſal. 61.3,4. Thou haſt been a ſhelter for me, and a ſtrong Tower from the Enemy; I will abide in thy Tabernacle for ever, I will truſt in the covert of thy wings. Pſal. 4.5. Offer the ſacrifices of righteouſneſs, and put your truſt in the Lord. God was much diſpleaſed with the Iſraelites when they did not truſt in him, notwithſtanding he had done great things for them, Pſal. 78.21,22,23,24.—Anger came up againſt Iſrael, becauſe they believed not in God, and truſted not in his ſalvation, though he had commanded the clouds from above, and opened the doors of heaven, and had rained down Manna upon them to eat:—ſee alſo ver. 32, 33. For all this they ſinned ſtill, and believed not for his wonderous works; therefore their dayes did he conſume in vanity, and their years in trouble. We render that which is very pleaſing and acceptable to God, when we put our truſt in him; for, The Lord taketh pleaſure in them that fear him, in thoſe that hope in his mercy, Pſal. 147.11.

If you ask, For what ſhould great and remarkable deliverances cauſe a man to truſt in God? I anſwer,

1. When a man hath had any remarkable deliverance out of any trouble, it ſhould encourage him to truſt in God under all his ſtraits and troubles that come upon him all the dayes of his life, Pſal. 18.50. Great deliverance giveth he to his King, and ſheweth mercy to his anointed, to David and to his ſeed for evermore. This Pſalm was penned upon the occaſion of that deliverance which God gave David out of the hands of Saul, as you may ſee in the title of the Pſalm; and from this deliverance, he concludeth, that God would deliver him for ever, Pſal. 6.9. The Lord hath heard my ſupplication, the Lord will receive my Prayer: ſee the fore-quoted Scriptures, 1 Sam. 17.37. 2 Cor. 1.10. But ſome may ſay, How can this be, That deliverance from one trouble or calamity ſhould cauſe us to truſt in God for deliverance from another; when as we ſee, they that eſcape one judgment, are cut off, or ſuffer deeply by another? I anſwer, 1. When God cuts off, and deſtroys thoſe whom he hath formerly delivered, it is uſually ſuch as diſtruſt him, and turn away from him, Jude 5.—The Lord having ſaved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward deſtroyed them that believed not. Joſh. 24.20. If ye forſake the Lord, and ſerve ſtrange gods, then he will turn and do you hurt, and conſume you, after that he hath done you good. 2. When God brings his ſervants who truſt in him, into new troubles, their faith is not vain, but brings down a great bleſſing; for, when they are not delivered from troubles, they are delivered in trouble, and are kept from the evil of trouble, that it doth not hurt them, and this is a great deliverance, Job 5.19. He ſhall deliver thee in ſix troubles, yea in ſeven there ſhall no evil touch thee.

2. Deliverance from temporal evils ſhould encourage the ſervants of God, to truſt in the Lord for deliverance from ſpiritual evils, and the beſtowing upon them ſpiritual bleſſings. As for inſtance,

1. When they have had deliverance out of trouble, they ſhould conclude, that God will alſo deliver them from all their ſins, and preſerve them in a ſtate of grace, till he hath brought them to himſelf in glory. Thus Paul concludes from his deliverance that he had from Nero, that God would deliver him from every evil work, 2 Tim. 4.17,18. I was delivered out of the mouth of the Lion, and the Lord ſhall deliver me from every evil work, and will preſerve me unto his heavenly kingdom.

2. The ſervants of God that have eſcaped great calamities, and been delivered from great dangers, ſhould truſt in God for a broken heart to mourn for their ſins; for God promiſeth this mercy to ſuch as eſcape great judgments, Ezek. 7.16. They that eſcape of them, ſhall eſcape, and ſhall be on the Mountains like Doves of the Valleys, all of them mourning, every one for his iniquity.

3. When the ſervants of God eſcape out of great troubles, it ſhould cauſe them to truſt in God to deliver them from the deceit of their own hearts, and to direct the work of faith and repentance in truth in their ſouls, Iſa. 10.20,21. The remnant of Iſrael, and ſuch as are eſcaped of the Houſe of Jacob, ſhall no more again ſtay upon him that ſmote them; but ſhall ſtay upon the Lord, the Holy One of Iſrael in truth: the remnant ſhall return, even the remnant of Jacob, unto the mighty God. This remnant, unto whom God promiſeth faith and repentance in truth, are ſuch as ſhould eſcape the great calamities that were coming on the Jews, as you may ſee ver. 21, 22.

4. When the ſervants of God have received any eminent deliverances, they ſhould be encouraged thereby to truſt in God for power and ſtrength to walk before God in holineſs and righteouſneſs as long as they live, Pſal. 56.13. Thou haſt delivered my ſoul from death; wilt not thou deliver my feet from falling, that I may walk before God in the light of the living?

If any ſay, What grounds have the ſervants of God to take encouragement from temporal deliverances, to truſt in God for all ſpiritual bleſſings? Amongſt others that may be named, I will mention theſe two.

1. Redemption from outward troubles, is given to the ſervants of God by vertue of the Covenant of Grace, as well as ſpiritual bleſſings, Pſal. 111.9. He ſent redemption unto his people, he hath commanded his covenant for ever. Pſal. 106.44,45. Nevertheleſs, he regarded their affliction, when he heard their cry; and he remembred for them his Covenant. Now when we finde God remembring his Covenant in one kinde, it may encourage us to truſt in God for all the other bleſſings which are promiſed to us in Gods Covenant.

2. Redemption from outward troubles, is given to the ſervants of God from the ſame love of God that ſpiritual bleſſings are beſtowed upon them, Iſa. 63.9. In all their afflictions he was afflicted, and the Angel of his preſence ſaved them; in his love and in his pity he redeemed them, and he bare them, and carried them all the dayes of old. Iſa. 38.17. Behold, for peace I had great bitterneſs, but thou haſt in love to my ſoul delivered it from the pit of corruption.—Pſal. 18.19. He brought me forth into a large place, he delivered me, becauſe he delighted in me. Now even outward deliverances being tokens of Gods love to his Servants, they may thereby be encouraged to truſt in God for ſpiritual bleſſings, Pſal. 36.6,7,8. There is much of Gods love ſeen in his preſerving our perſons and goods; O Lord, thou preſerveſt man and beaſt, how excellent is thy loving kindeneſs? his loving kindneſs ſhould cauſe us to truſt in him—therefore the children of men put their truſt under the ſhadow of thy wings. And this loving kindeneſs of God ſhould cauſe us to truſt in him, not only for outward, but alſo for ſpiritual bleſſings, as appears from the eighth verſe.

SECT. 12.

12. Let this deliverance cauſe you to prepare for your day of viſitation, and to be ready to undergo whatever afflictions God ſhall ſee meet to lay upon you, Amos 4.11,12. I have overthrown ſome of you, as God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah, and ye were as a fire-brand blucked out of the burning—prepare to meet thy God, O Iſrael. Both they that have ſuffered by this Fire, ſhould prepare for farther ſufferings (as hath been hinted in the ſecond Queſtion) and they that eſcaped this burning, ſhould prepare againſt the day of their viſitation. Preparing your ſelves for afflictions, is no way inconſiſtent with that truſting in God, to which I exhorted you in the former Section, but is an effect and fruit of Faith. It was Noah's faith, and not his diffidence that moved him to prepare an Ark, when he underſtood the Flood was coming, Heb. 11.7. By Faith Noah being warned of God of things not ſeen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an Ark—This being a needful point for a Chriſtian to be prepared for all ſorts of affliction, I ſhall enlarge a little upon it, and ſhew you, 1. Why it is needful that we ſhould be prepared for all kindes of affliction. 2. How this may be done. There is great reaſon that we ſhould prepare our ſelves and ſtand ready for all ſorts of affliction, becauſe,

1. As we are men, men that carry about with us a body of ſin and death, we are liable to troubles and calamities every day, as long as we live in this world, Job 5.7. Man is born unto trouble, as the ſparks flie upward. Job 14.1. Man that is born of a woman is of few dayes, and full of troubles. For ought we know every day may bring forth as much trouble as we are able to bear; if it be otherwiſe we muſt aſcribe it to the goodneſs of God, Matth. 6.34. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof: and this is our condition as long as we live, to be liable to trouble and ſorrow all our dayes, Gen. 3.17. Curſed is the ground for thy ſake, in ſorrow ſhalt thou eat of it all the dayes of thy life. There is not any one creature in the world, no not that from which we promiſe our ſelves moſt comfort, but at one time or another it may vex our very ſouls, Eccleſ. 2.17. All is vanity and vexation of ſpirit.

2. As we are godly men, ſo we are liable to many and great troubles, Pſal. 34.19. Many are the afflictions of the righteous. Rev. 7.14. Theſe are they which came out of great tribulation. Acts 14.22. We muſt through much tribulation enter into the Kingdom of God. God would not have any godly man promiſe himſelf immunity from trouble, but would have him prepare for the ſharpeſt tryals, 2 Tim. 3.12. Yea, and all that will live godly in Chriſt Jeſus, ſhall ſuffer perſecution. If we look over the examples of Gods ſervants, we ſhall finde they have all gone through very great tryals. What croſſes did Jacob meet with from his brother Eſau, his Uncle Laban, his own Children, &c. there was ſcarce a day wherein he did not meet with ſome trouble, as he tells Pharaoh, Gen. 47.9. Few and evil have the dayes of the years of my life been. David who was a man after Gods own heart had a great portion of troubles, Pſal. 73.14. All the day long have I been plagued, and chaſtned every morning. Pſal. 31.9,10.—Mine eye is conſumed with grief, yea, my ſoul and my belly; for my life is ſpent with grief, and my years with ſighing. Heman was full of troubles, and that from his youth up, and thoſe ſo great, that he was ready to dye under them, Pſal. 88.3,15. My ſoul is full of troubles, and my life draweth nigh unto the grave—I am afflicted, and ready to dye, from my youth up. Yea, Jeſus Chriſt who was Gods own Son, was a man of ſorrows, and acquainted with grief, Iſa. 53.3.

3. We cannot aſſure our ſelves that we ſhall be exempted from any kinde of trouble; for whilſt we are in the body, we are liable to all kindes of adverſity, Heb. 13.3. Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them; and them which ſuffer adverſity, as being your ſelves alſo in the body. Better than we are, have met with all ſorts of troubles, Pſal. 88.7. Thou haſt afflicted me with all thy wayes. Pſal. 42.7. All thy waves and thy billows are gone over me. We may meet with ſuch afflications as we never looked for, or ſcarce ſo much as thought of them, Iſa. 64.3. Thou didſt terrible things which we looked not for. And as all ſorts of afflictions do attend us; ſo at all times, and in all places, we cannot promiſe our ſelves freedom from affliction in any place, Acts 20.22,23. I go bound in the ſpirit unto Jeruſalem, not knowing the things that ſhall befal me there; ſave that the Holy Ghoſt witneſſeth in every City, ſaying, That bonds and afflictions abide me. Neither can we promiſe our ſelves freedom from trouble any one day, Prov. 27.1. Boaſt not thy ſelf of to morrow, for thou knoweſt not what a day may bring forth. Now ſeeing we are liable to all ſorts of afflictions in all places, and at all times, is it not our concernment to ſtand prepared continually for all ſorts of tryals?

4. God oft-times makes very great and ſuddain changes in our conditions, when we leaſt think of them: when we are in the height of proſperity, and adverſity is far from our thoughts; when we are looking for nothing but good dayes, God ſuddenly exerciſeth us with great tryals, Job 30.26. When I looked for good, then evil came unto me; and when I waited for light, there came darkneſs. Pſal. 30.6,7. In my proſperity, I ſaid, I ſhall never be moved; Lord by thy ſavour thou haſt made my mountain to ſtand ſtrong; thou didſt hide thy face, and I was troubled. When Job ſaid, I ſhall dye in my neſt, I ſhall multiply my dayes as the ſand, Job 29.18. It was but a little after he complains, Terrors are turned upon me, they purſue my ſoul as the winde, and my welfare paſſeth away as a cloud; and now my ſoul is powred out upon me, the dayes of affliction have taken hold upon me, Job 30.15,16. When Abraham was full of joy for his Son Iſaac, there ariſeth a great affliction in his Family; Iſhmael ſcoffs at Iſaac, Sarah makes ſute to Abraham to caſt out Hagar and her Son: and it is ſaid, The thing was very grievous in Abrahams ſight, becauſe of his Son, Gen. 20.11. Afterwards when God was ſo eminently preſent with Abraham, that Abimelech takes notice of it, and deſireth to make a league with him, Gen. 20.22,23. and after he had been worſhiping God, ver. 33. on a ſudden God brought as great a tryal upon him as poſſibly could befal him; he calls him to offer up his Son Iſaac for a burnt-offering, and that without any delay, Gen. 22.2. Take now thy Son, thine only Son Iſaac, whom thou loveſt, and get thee into the land Moriah, and offer him there for a burnt-offering—'Tis not, take a year, or a month hence, but, take now; he was to ſet upon the work without delay.

5. God calleth upon us with great earneſtneſs to prepare our ſelves to undergo ſuch afflictions as he ſhall lay upon us, Amos 4.12. Thus will I do unto thee, O Iſrael, and becauſe I will do this unto thee, prepare to meet thy God, O Iſrael. Jer. 46.14. Declare ye in Egypt, and publiſh in Migdol, and publiſh in Moab; ſay ye, Stand faſt, and prepare thee, for the ſword ſhall devour round round about thee. This exhortation to prepare for approaching judgments, is preſſed with great earneſtneſs; it is uſhered in with a four-fold call, Declare ye, publiſh, publiſh, ſay ye. What is it muſt be declared, and publiſhed with ſuch great earneſtneſs? Stand faſt, prepare thee—ſee alſo ver. 19. O thou danghter dwelling in Egypt, furniſh thy ſelf to go into captivity—

6. If afflictions come upon us before we are prepared for them, we ſhall be in danger to ſink under our burdens; but if we be well provided beforehand, we ſhall go cheerfully through, whatever it ſeemeth good unto the Lord to lay upon us, Pſal. 57.7. My heart is fixed (or as it is in the Margin) My heart is prepared, O God, my heart is prepared, I will ſing and give praiſe. David was fled into a Cave when he penned this Pſalm, as you may ſee by the title of it, and was ſurrounded with great calamities, as you may ſee, ver. 1, 4. In the ſhadow of thy wings will I make my refuge, until theſe calamities be overpaſt. My ſoul is among lions, and I lie even among them that are ſet on fire, even the ſons of men, whoſe teeth are ſpears and arrows, and their tongue a ſharp ſword. Yet in the midſt of his troubles, he ſings for joy and praiſeth God; and what helped him to bear his troubles ſo cheerfully? His heart was prepared for them, My heart is prepared, I will ſing and give praiſe. Joſeph who had prepared for ſeven years Famine, lived comfortably, and felt no great inconvenience by it; other perſons that had laid up nothing before-hand, would have fainted and dyed, had not Joſeph relieved them. The Apoſtle was ſo far from being diſcouraged at his ſufferings, that he joyed in the greateſt of them, even to lay down his life for the Goſpels ſake, Phil. 2.17. Yea, and if I be offered upon the Sacrifice and Service of your Faith, I joy, and rejoyce with you all. And how came he to do thus? he was ready and prepared to ſuffer any thing for the ſake of Chriſt and the Goſpel, Acts 21.13.—I am ready, not to be bound only, but alſo to dye at Jeruſalem for the Name of the Lord Jeſus. Now having given you ſome reaſons why we ſhould prepare our ſelves for all ſorts of afflictions, I ſhall in the next place anſwer a weighty and neceſſary caſe of Conſcience, viz.

What ſhall we do that we may ſtand prepared to undergo any affliction that the Lord ſhall be pleaſed to lay upon us?

Anſ. 1. We muſt give our ſelves much unto prayer; we muſt pray before our afflictions come, and pray in our afflictions; we muſt not pray in a cold manner, but cry mightily to God, to ſtrengthen and ſupport us in our troubles. By prayer we ſhall obtain from God an heart prepared to undergo any troubles, Pſ. 10.17. Lord thou haſt heard the deſire of the humble, thou wilt prepare their heart, thou wilt cauſe thine ear to hear. Pſal. 57.2,7. I will cry unto God moſt high, unto God that performeth all things for me. And what did David get by crying unto God? an heart prepared to bear his afflictions; as you may ſee ver. 7. My heart is prepared, O God, my heart is prepared. The Apoſtle adviſeth Chriſtians that would be able to ſtand in an evil day, to be much in prayer, Epheſ. 6.13,18. Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withſtand in the evil day, and having done all to ſtand—praying alwayes with all prayer and ſupplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perſeverance and ſupplication for all Saints. Obſerve how the Apoſtle multiplieth words to excite us to prayer, he doth not barely bid us pray, but pray alwayes; and as if that were not enough, he adds, with all prayer and ſupplication—and not only ſo, but he bids us watch thereunto, watch with perſeverance, yea, with all perſeverance. And adds, that this duty muſt be performed in a ſpiritual manner, With all prayer and ſupplication in the ſpirit: if we do not pray with our hearts and ſpirits as well as with our lips, yea, if there be not the graces of Gods Spirit exerciſed in prayer, as well as the actings of our own ſpirits, our Prayers are worth little in Gods account. The Apoſtle joyns theſe two together, Patient in tribulation, continuing inſtant in prayer, Rom. 12.12. Implying, that ſuch as deſire to be patient in all their tribulations, muſt be, and continue inſtant in Prayer.

2. Endeavour as much as in you lieth to ſtrengthen and encreaſe your Faith. Faith is the chiefeſt piece of the ſpiritual armour, which above all the reſt will help us to ſtand in an evil day. The Apoſtle would not have us neglect any piece of the ſpiritual armor, all muſt be put on; but Faith above all the reſt, Eph. 6.13,16. Take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withſtand in the evil day, and having done all to ſtand. Above all, taking the ſhield of Faith, wherewith ye ſhall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. By faith a man may be able to do and ſuffer all things, Mark 9.23. All things are poſſible to him that believeth. The Apoſtles did, and ſuffered great things for God: and how? it was through faith, 1 Tim. 4.10. Therefore we both labour and ſuffer reproach, becauſe we truſt in the living God. The ſervants of God have endured all ſorts of tortures, and the moſt painful deaths that their enemies could inflict upon them, and all other afflictions, by the help of faith, Heb. 11.35,36,37. Others were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better reſurrection; and others had tryals of cruel mockings and ſcourgings, yea moreover, of bonds and impriſonment. They were ſtoned, they were ſawn aſunder, were tempted, were ſlain with the ſword; they wandered about in ſheeps skins, and goats skins, being deſtitute, afflicted, tormented: and that they endured all theſe things through faith, you may ſee, ver. 33. Whatever difficulties, ſnares, or diſcouragements a man meets with in the world, either in reſpect of the good things, or the evil things of the world, faith will overcome them all, 1 John 5.4. This is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. Faith will enable a man to reſiſt and overcome all the temptations of Satan, whereby he endeavoureth to diſturb and foil us in times of affliction, 1 Pet. 5.8,9. Your adverſary the Devil, as a roaring Lion walketh about ſeeking whom he may devour; whom reſiſt ſtedfaſt in the faith, knowing that the ſame afflictions are accompliſhed in your brethren that are in the world. Fear weakens the heart, and makes it faint at approaching troubles, Luke 21.26. Mens hearts failing them for fear—Now Faith conduceth much to the fixing and eſtabliſhing the heart againſt fears, Pſal. 112.7. He ſhall not be afraid of evil tydings, his heart is fixed, truſting in the Lord. Pſal. 56.11. In God have I put my truſt, I will not be afraid what man can do unto me. And therefore it conduceth much to the preparing of a man to undergo his afflictions. I might ſhew you here what you ſhould believe in reference to your afflictions, to enable you to bear them with chearfulneſs: among many things that might be inſtanced in, I will mention only theſe three.

1. Believe that no affliction doth, or ever ſhall befal you, but by the wiſe and gracious providence of God; and that not only every affliction, but every circumſtance in every affliction, is ordered and diſpoſed by the infinite wiſdom of God. This is agreeable to ſuch Scriptures as theſe, Rom. 11.36. Of him, and through him, and to him are all things. Epheſ. 1.11.—Who worketh all things, after the counſel of his own will. Amos 3.6. Shall there be evil in a City, and the Lord hath not done it? Matth. 10.30. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. The believing that Gods hand is in our afflictions, will bow our hearts, and make them ſtoop and ſubmit to God, though it be a ſmarting Rod wherewith the Lord corrects us. They were dreadful judgments which Samuel denounced againſt Eli, yet he ſubmits himſelf readily to it, becauſe it came from God, 1 Sam. 3.18. It is the Lord, let him do what ſeemeth him good.

2. Believe that in every affliction God deſigneth the bringing glory to his Name, and the doing good to your own ſouls; you have good ground to believe this, for the Scriptures do aſſure us, that God aims both at our good and his own glory, in all our afflictions, Heb. 12.10. He chaſtneth us for our profit—Rom. 8.28. We know that all things work together for good to them that love God. 2 Cor. 4.17. Our light affliction which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. Rom. 11.36. To him are all things: All things are not only of God as the efficient, but they alſo tend to him as their end, Iſa. 5.16. The Lord of Hoſts ſhall be exalted in judgment. This made the Apoſtle joyful in his afflictions, that they did illuſtrate the glory of God, 2 Cor. 12.9,10. Moſt gladly therefore will I rather glory in mine infirmities, that the power of Chriſt may reſt upon me; therefore I take pleaſure in infirmities, in reproaches, in neceſſities, in perſecutions, in diſtreſſes for Chriſts ſake.—He rejoyced alſo in his afflictions, becauſe they did promote the good of his ſoul. When ſome preached Chriſt out of contention, with a deſign to add affliction to his bonds, Phil. 1.14. Was he troubled at the affliction they created to him? No: for he ſaith, I therein do rejoyce, yea, and will rejoyce, ver. 18. And what made him to rejoyce herein? He gives us the reaſon of his joy, ver. 19. For I know that this ſhall turn to my ſalvation, through your Prayer, and the ſupply of the Spirit of Jeſus Chriſt.

3. Believe that you ſhall be delivered out of your troubles; this will be a means to ſupport you under them, Pſal. 27.13. I had fainted, unleſs I had believed to ſee the goodneſs of the Lord in the land of the living. You have good ground from the Word of God to believe, that you ſhall be delivered out of all your troubles, though they be very many, Pſal. 34.19. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivereth him out of them all. And though they be great as well as many, ſuch as you never met with, or heard of the like, yet you may reſt upon God that he will deliver you out of them, Jer. 30.7. Alas, for that day is great, ſo that none is like it, it is even the time of Jacobs trouble, but he ſhall be ſaved out of it? What is your affliction? Is it the rod of men? God will not ſuffer it to lye over-long upon you, Pſal. 125.3. The rod of the wicked ſhall not reſt upon the lot of the righteous; leſt the righteous put forth their hand unto iniquity. Is it the Rod of God that is upon you? Do the arrows of the Almighty ſtick faſt in your ſoul? doth he contend with you? This will not laſt alwayes, Iſa. 57.16. I will not contend for ever, neither will I be alwayes wrath; for the ſpirit ſhould fail before me, and the ſoul which I have made. Doth the Lord do more then contend with you? doth he ſeem to reject and caſt off your ſoul? you may be aſſured that he will not deal thus with you alwayes becauſe he himſelf hath ſaid it, that he will not caſt off for ever, Lam. 3.31,32. The Lord will not caſt off for ever; but though he cauſe grief, yet will he have compaſſion according to the multitude of his mercies. Is it a temptation of Satan that diſquiets you? wait but a while on God, and he will tread Satan and all his temptations under your feet, Rom. 16.20. The God of Peace ſhall bruiſe Satan under your feet ſhortly. Is it ſome ſin that vexeth and troubleth your ſoul? wait a while upon God, and he will deliver you from your ſins as well as your other troubles, Mich. 7.19. He will turn again, he will have compaſſion upon us; he will ſubdue our iniquities.—Pſal. 130.7,8. Let Iſrael hope in the Lord, for with the Lord there is mercy, and with him is plenteous redemption, and he ſhall redeem Iſrael from all his iniquities. When David was under many ſorrows that diſturbed and caſt down his ſoul, he bore up himſelf with hope of a better ſtate; that though for the preſent he was in a mourning condition, the time would come wherein he ſhould praiſe God for helping him out of his troubles, Pſal. 42.5. Why art thou caſt down, O my ſoul, and why art thou diſquieted within me? hope thou in God, for I ſhall yet praiſe him for the help of his countenance.

3. If we would be prepared to undergo every affliction that God ſhall lay upon us, we muſt labour to get Gods ſtrength engaged with us, & for us: Though of our ſelves we can do nothing, yet through the help of God, we ſhall be able to do and ſuffer great things, Pſal. 60.11,12. Give us help from trouble, for vain is the help of man; Through God we ſhall do valiantly,—Pſal. 18.29. By thee have I run through a Troup, and by my God have I leaped over a Wall. By the help of God we may do and ſuffer every thing, Phil. 4.13. I can do all things through Chriſt which ſtrengtheneth me. If a man have God for his ſtrength, he need not fear any thing, though an hoſt of men ſhould ſet themſelves againſt him, Pſal. 27.1,3. The Lord is the ſtrength of my life, of whom ſhall I be afraid? Though an hoſt ſhould encamp againſt me, mine heart ſhall not fear; though war ſhould riſe againſt me, in this will I be confident: yea, though all the world ſhould ſet themſelves againſt us, if we have God with us, we need not fear any thing, Pſal. 118.10. All Nations compaſſed me about, but in the Name of the Lord will I deſtroy them. Rom. 8.31. What ſhall we then ſay to theſe things, If God be for us, who can be againſt us? Though the whole world ſhould be turned upſide down, and all places ſhould be full of trouble and confuſion, and there ſhould be no peace or ſafety either on the Sea or Land; that man that hath God for his ſtrength need not fear any thing, Pſal. 46.1,2,3. God is our refuge and ſtrength, a very preſent help in trouble: Therefore will we not fear, though the Earth be removed, and though the Mountains be carried into the midſt of the Sea; though the waters thereof roar, and be troubled, though the Mountains ſhake at the ſwelling thereof. If then you would bear up comfortably under all your afflictions; rememember the exhortation of the Apoſtle, Epheſ. 6.10. Finally, my Brethren, be ſtrong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Do not truſt to your own ſtrength, but ſeek to be ſtrong in the Lord, and to get his mighty power to aſſiſt you.

It may be ſome will ſay, What ſhall we do that we may get Gods ſtrength to ſupport us under, and to carry us through all the troubles of this life? I anſwer,

1. Be ſenſible of your own weakneſs, and renounce all confidence in your own ſtrength. God is wont to communicate his ſtrength moſt eminently to his ſervants, when they have loweſt thoughts of their own ſtrength, and are under deepeſt apprehenſions of their own weakneſs, 2 Cor. 12.9,10. My ſtrength is made perfect in weakneſs,—When I am weak then am I ſtrong. Iſa. 40.29. He giveth power to the faint, and to them that have no might he encreaſeth ſtrength. When we grow conceited of our own abilities, God withdraws himſelf from us, and leaves us to fall under ſmall tryals. Peter being over confident of himſelf, that he could ſuffer any thing, yea death it ſelf for the ſake of Chriſt, and that though all men ſhould deny Chriſt he would not, Matth. 26.33,35. fell under the firſt temptation that aſſaulted him; a Damſel did but ſay, Thou waſt with Jeſus of Galilee, and he denyed Chriſt in the preſence of all that were in the Palace, ver. 69, 70. God is ſo far from helping proud perſons, that he is wont to ſet himſelf againſt them, Jam. 4.6. God reſiſteth the proud, but giveth grace to the humble. I will mention three ways whereby you may be convinced of your own weakneſs, and of the abſolute neceſſity of Gods ſtrength, to carry you through your afflictions. 1. Weigh well what the Scripture ſaith of mans impotency; we are ſuch weak creatures, that without divine aſſiſtance we cannot do or ſuffer any thing, though it be never ſuch a ſmall matter, Joh. 15.5. Without me ye can do nothing. Thinking is much eaſier than either doing or ſuffering; yet of our ſelves, we have not ability ſo much as to think any thing, 2 Cor. 3.5. Not that we are ſufficient of our ſelves to think anything as of our ſelves, but our ſufficiency is of God. 2. Obſerve how unable you have been when God hath withdrawn himſelf, to bear thoſe ſmall and light troubles wherewith God hath exerciſed you. Hath not a trifle, that which hath been an affliction and a trouble in your imagination, rather than in reality, dejected and caſt you down? If you have fainted under ſmall troubles, what will you do when great ones come, if you have not the Lords help? Jer. 12.5. If thou haſt run with the footmen, and they have wearied thee, then how canſt thou contend with Horſes? And if in the Land of Peace, wherein thou truſteſt, they wearied thee; then how wilt thou do in the ſwelling of Jordan? 3. Conſider what great men have fainted under ſmall tryals, when the Lord hath left them but a little to themſelves. Jonah a Prophet of the Lord, for the loſs of a gourd, which ſprung up and withered in a day, fell into ſuch a fret, that he was even angry with God, and weary of his life, and wiſhed that he might dye. The Apoſtle Peter upon the ſpeech of a maid, denyed Chriſt, and ſwore that he did not ſo much as know the man. If ſuch eminent perſons as theſe fainted under ſuch ſmall tryals; what ſhall we do without the help of God?

2. Being ſenſible of your own weakneſs, cry unto God to give you his ſtrength, Pſal. 86.16. O turn unto me, and have mercy upon me, give thy ſtrengh unto thy ſervant—Pſal. 119.28. Strengthen thou me according to thy Word. But will this do? Will God give us his ſtrength if we cry to him for it? yea, he will, Pſal. 138.3. In the day when I cryed, thou anſweredſt me; and ſtrengthenedſt me with ſtrength in my ſoul.

3. Reſt and rely upon God for the communicating of his ſtrength to your ſouls. The way to engage God to help and ſtrengthen you, is to truſt in him, 1 Chron. 5.20. They were helped—for they cryed to God in the battel, and he was entreated of them; becauſe they put their truſt in him. 2 Chron. 13.11. Help us, O Lord our God, for we reſt on thee. Pſal. 28.7. The Lord is my ſtrength, and my ſhield, my heart truſted in him, and I am helped. Gods power is communicated in an eminent manner to thoſe that believe in him, Epheſ. 1.19. And what is the exceeding greatneſs of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power. Though we are never ſo weak in our ſelves, we may become ſtrong by reſting upon God, Heb. 11.33,34. Who through faith—out of weakneſs were made ſtrong. If you ask, What ground have we to rely upon God, that he will give us his ſtrength to ſupport us under all our troubles? I anſwer, We have a ſure Word of Promiſe; we have not only one promiſe, but many to aſſure us, that God will not leave us deſtitute of his help and ſtrength, Iſa. 41.10. Fear thou not, for I am with thee; be not diſmayed, for I am thy God; I will ſtrengthen thee, yea I will help thee, yea I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteouſneſs. Zech. 10.12. I will ſtrengthen them in the Lord, and they ſhall walk up and down in his Name, ſaith the Lord. Pſal. 29.11. The Lord will give ſtrength unto his people. Joel 3.15,16. The Sun and Moon ſhall be darkened, and the Stars ſhall withdraw their ſhining; the Lord alſo ſhall roar out of Zion, and utter his voyce from Jeruſalem, and the Heavens and the Earth ſhall ſhake; but the Lord will be the hope of his people, and the ſtrength of the children of Iſrael.

Object. I have cryed unto God, and hung upon, and pleaded his Promiſes for his ſtrength, and ſtill I remain in a weak helpleſs condition.

Anſw. Though it be ſo, yet cry ſtill to the Lord, Iſa. 63.15. Look down from Heaven, and behold from the Habitation of thy Holineſs, and of thy glory; where is thy zeal, and thy ſtrength, the ſounding of thy bowels and of thy mercies towards me? are they reſtrained? Iſa. 51.9. Awake, awake, put on ſtrength, O arm of the Lord. Pſal. 105.4. Seek the Lord and his ſtrength, ſeek his face evermore. And wait patiently upon him, and in due time he will ſtrengthen you, Pſal. 27.14. Wait on the Lord, be of good courage, and he ſhall ſtrengthen thine heart; wait, I ſay, on the Lord. Iſa. 40.31. They that wait upon the Lord, ſhall renew their ſtrength, they ſhall mount up with wings like Eagles, they ſhall run and not be weary, and they ſhall walk and not faint.

4. Keep in Gods wayes; when we go out of Gods wayes we cauſe God to withdraw himſelf, and when God withdraws, our ſtrength departs from us; as it was with Sampſon, when his God departed from him, his ſtrength departed alſo, Judg. 16.19. His ſtrength went from him. How came he to loſe his ſtrength? by loſing the preſence of God, ver. 20. I will go out as at other times; and he wiſt not that the Lord was departed from him: ſo it is with Chriſtians, when they loſe their God, they loſe their ſtrength. But by keeping in Gods wayes, they ſhall keep God with them, and increaſe their ſtrength. That this is the way to get Gods ſtrength, to keep in Gods ways, you may ſee Prov. 10.29. The way of the Lord is ſtrength to the upright. Pſal. 84.5. Bleſſed is the man whoſe ſtrength is in thee, in whoſe heart are the wayes of them. Job 17.19.

5. Get your intereſt in God made out to your ſouls. The knowing of God to be our God, conveyeth great ſtrength into our ſouls, and will ſupport us in our greateſt troubles. What Solomon ſaith of knowledge, Prov. 24.5. A wiſe man is ſtrong, a man of knowledge encreaſeth ſtrength, is eminently true of this knowledge that God is our God; for the more clearly we know God to be our God, the more we ſhall encreaſe in ſtrength, Iſa. 49.5. My God ſhall be my ſtrength. 1 Sam. 30.6. David was greatly diſtreſſed, for the people ſpake of ſtoning him;—but David encouraged himſelf in the Lord his God. The knowledg of our intereſt in God, filleth our hearts with joy, Luk. 1.47. My ſpirit hath rejoyced in God my Saviour; and joy ſtrengthens the ſoul, Neh. 8.10. The joy of the Lord is your ſtrength. Wherefore grow in acquaintance with God, if you will grow in ſtrength to ſuffer the will of God cheerfully, Col. 1.10,11.—Increaſing in the knowledge of God, ſtrengthened with all might according to his glorious power, unto all patience and long ſuffering with joyfulneſs; eſpecially labour to grow in the knowledg of your intereſt in God.

6. Let the Word of Chriſt dwell richly in your ſouls; the Word of God abiding in you, will be a great means to ſtrengthen you, 1 Joh. 2.14. Ye are ſtrong, and the Word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one. The efficacy and power of the Word of God is wonderful. By ſpeaking of a word, God created the whole world, Pſal. 33.6,9. By the word of the Lord were the Heavens made, and all the hoſts of them, by the breath of his mouth: For he ſpake and it was done, he commanded and it ſtood faſt. By his Word he governs and upholdeth all his creatures, Heb. 1.3. Ʋpholding all things by the Word of his Power. Is there ſuch power in the Word as to uphold all things, and doſt thou doubt whether it be able to uphold thy ſoul? If a mans heart be broken in pieces and melted with grief, the Word of God will heal and ſtrengthen him, and ſettle him in a comfortable condition, Pſal. 107.20. He ſent his Word and healed them, and delivered them from their deſtructions. Pſal. 119.28. My ſoul melteth for heavineſs, ſtrengthen thou me according to thy Word.

7. If you would be ſtrong in the Lord, put on the whole armour of God, Epheſ. 6.10,11. Finally my Brethren, be ſtrong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. But ſome may ſay, How ſhall we be ſtrong in the Lord? the next words ſhews this, Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to ſtand againſt the wiles of the Devil. No part of the armour of God muſt be neglected, if we would be ſtrong in the Lord. What this armour of God is, the Apoſtle ſheweth from the 14th. ver. to the 18th.

4. If we would be prepared to undergo all afflictions cheerfully, we muſt labour to get our ſins pardoned, and get our pardon evidenced, and keep clear our evidences of our juſtified eſtate. Senſe of guilt bows down the ſoul, and weakens our ſtrength, and renders us unfit for a ſuffering condition, Pſal. 31.10. My ſtrength faileth becauſe of mine iniquity. Such of the Jews as were under the ſenſe of unpardoned guilt, were ready to faint under their afflictions, when they were carried captive into Babylon, Lam. 3.18,19. I ſaid my ſtrength and my hope is periſhed from the Lord; remembring mine affliction and my miſery, the wormwoed and the gall. And if you would know what made their cup ſo bitter, that they fainted under it, you may ſee ver. 42. We have tranſgreſſed, and have rebelled, thou haſt not pardoned. But when our ſins are pardoned, that will help us to bear afflictions cheerfully, Iſa. 33.24. The Inhabitant ſhall not ſay, I am ſick; the People that dwell therein ſhall be forgiven their iniquity. Matth. 9.2. They brought unto him a man ſick of the Palſie, lying on a bed; and Jeſus ſeeing their faith, ſaid unto the ſick of the Palſie, Son, be of good chear, thy ſins be forgiven thee. Sickneſs is a great affliction; and this man was ſo ſick that he kept his bed, yet Chriſt bids him be of good cheer, becauſe his ſins were forgiven him, before he ſpeaks one word of removing his ſickneſs. A man that is in a juſtified eſtate, may triumph and glory in his greateſt troubles, Rom. 5.1,3. Being juſtified by faith, we have peace with God, through our Lord Jeſus Chriſt:—And not only ſo, but we glory in tribulations alſo.—

5. If we would be prepared for a ſuffering condition, we muſt acquaint our ſelves with, and cleave and adhere to the death and ſufferings of Chriſt, and labour to underſtand and get an intereſt in the imputed righteouſneſs of Chriſt. Chriſts righteouſneſs is one of the main Pillars our Souls have to lean upon, for our ſupport under all our troubles; Iſa. 41.10. I will ſtrengthen thee, yea I will help thee, yea I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteouſneſs. Our chiefeſt ſtrength lyeth in our right hand, and when God calleth his righteouſneſs, his right hand; it may imply, that Chriſts Righteouſneſs (which is oft called the Righteouſneſs of God, as Rom. 1.17. Rom. 3.22,23.) is the chief and principal means for the ſtrengthning and upholding of our ſouls. David found great ſupport in all his troubles, by looking to this righteouſneſs, Pſal. 71.16. I will go in the ſtrength of the Lord God; I will make mention of thy Righteouſneſs, even of thine only. It is recorded of the ſervants of God, mentioned in the Revelation, who went through great tribulations, that they were carried through their ſufferings by looking and adhering to the ſufferings of Chriſt, Revel. 7.14. Theſe are they which come out of great tribulation, and have waſhed their Robes, and made them white in the bloud of the Lamb. Rev. 12.11. They overcame (that is, the Devil who raiſed up perſecutions againſt them, as you may ſee, ver. 17.) by the bloud of the Lamb, and by the Word of their Teſtimony, and they loved not their lives unto the death.

6. Let us get good evidences, that we are in the love and favour of God. Well-grounded apprehenſions of Gods love to our ſouls, will help us to bear up cheerfully under the greateſt trials, as Perſecution, Sword, Famine, &c. and enable us to overcome them all, Rom. 8.35,37. Who ſhall ſeparate us from the love of Chriſt? ſhall Tribulation, or Diſtreſs, or Perſcution, or Famine, or Nakedneſs, or Peril, or Sword? Nay, in all theſe things we are more than Conquerours, through him that loved us. The apprehenſions of Gods love to us, will cauſe us to love God, 1 Joh. 5.19. We love him, becauſe he firſt loved us. And when we love God, we ſhall bear any thing that comes from him. Love to men will make us bear with all things that we meet with from them. The Apoſtle ſpeaking of love, ſaith, It beareth all things, beliveth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things, 1 Cor. 13.7. How much more will love to God, cauſe us to bear and endure all things that we meet with from God? Love will carry us out to ſuffer all afflictions, even death it ſelf, Cant. 8.6,7. Love is ſtrong as death,—Many waters cannot quench love, neither can the flouds drown it. When it was a time of great affliction with the people of God, they pray hard for the light of Gods countenance; and if they could but obtain that, they would account themſelves in a ſafe and happy condition, notwithſtanding all their troubles, Pſal. 80.4,5,6,7. O Lord God of Hoſts, How long wilt thou be angry with the Prayers of thy People? Thou feedeſt them with the bread of tears, and giveſt them tears to drink in great meaſure; Thou makeſt us a ſtrife unto our Neighbours, and our enemies laugh among themſelves. Turn us again, O God of Hoſts, and cauſe thy face to ſhine, and we ſhall be ſaved.

7. We muſt get and keep Gods preſence with our ſouls, that will fortifie our ſouls to undergo any troubles with courage and chearfulneſs, Pſal. 23.4. Yea, though I walk through the Valley of the ſhadow of death I will fear no evil, for thou art with me. Iſa. 50.7,8. The Lord God will help me, therefore ſhall I not be confounded; therefore have I ſet my face like a flint, and I know that I ſhall not be aſhamed: He is near that juſtifieth me, who will contend with me? Pſal. 46.2. We will not fear though the Earth be removed, and though the Mountains be caſt into the midſt of the Sea,—And why? What put ſuch courage into them? they had Gods preſence with them, ver. 5, 7. God is in the midſt of her, ſhe ſhall not be moved; God ſhall help her, and that right early; the Lord of Hoſts is with us, the God of Jacob is our refuge. This upheld Chriſt, and carried him comfortably through all his ſufferings, (who went through greater ſufferings than ever any man met with all) Act. 2.25,26. I foreſaw the Lord alwayes before my face, for he is on my right hand, that I ſhould not be moved; therefore did mine heart rejoyce, and my tongue was glad; moreover alſo my fleſh ſhall reſt in hope. As Gods preſence with Chriſt upheld him, ſo it will alſo uphold us in all our ſufferings. If any ſay, It is true, Gods preſence with a man will help him to do great things; but God is departed from me, How ſhall I gain his preſence again? I anſwer, Gods departing from us uſually ariſth from our departing from him; and if after we are departed from him, and he is departed from us, we return to him, he will return again unto us, Zech. 1.3. Turn unto me ſaith the Lord of Hoſts, and I will turn unto you, ſaith the Lord of Hoſts. Mal. 3.7. Even from the dayes of your Fathers, ye are gone away from mine Ordinances, and have not kept them; return unto me, and I will turn unto you ſaith the Lord of Hoſts. After we are returned to God, and he is returned to us, if we keep with him, he will keep with us, 2 Chron. 15.2. The Lord is with you, while ye be with him. Joh. 15.4. Abide in me, and I in you.

8. We muſt get our hearts weaned from the world; if our affections be ſet inordinately on any earthly things, we ſhall find it an hard matter to bear up under our afflictions, Jer. 45.3. Thou didſt ſay, Wo is me now; for the Lord hath added grief to my ſorrow, I fainted in my ſighing, and I find no reſt: And what cauſed Baruch to faint under his tryals? we may ſee the root of his diſtemper, ver. 5. Seekeſt thou great things for thy ſelf? ſeek them not. Though Baruch was a good man, his affections were carried out too much after great things in the world, and that made affliction very burdenſom to him. The Apoſtle Paul who was crucified to the world, was prepared and ready to ſuffer whatever God ſhould call him to, Gal. 6.14. The world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world. Acts 21.13. I am ready not to be bound only, but alſo to die at Jeruſalem for the Lord Jeſus. We muſt not only ſet looſe to all worldly things, but to our own lives alſo; when we are willing to yield up our lives to God, we ſhall not be much moved by any troubles that come upon us for the Lords ſake, Acts 20.23,24. The Holy Ghoſt witneſſeth in every City, ſaying, that bonds and afflictions abide me; but none of theſe things move me, neither count I my life dear unto my ſelf. Rev. 12.11. They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their Teſtimony, and they loved not their lives unto the death.

9. We muſt accuſtom our ſelves to bear our leſſer tryals with patience and ſubmiſſion to the wil of God, and that will fit and prepare us for greater. There is ſcarce a day paſſeth over our heads, wherein the Lord doth not in one kind or another, try our patience and ſubmiſſion to his will; now the right bearing of thoſe croſſes which every day bringeth forth, would fit us for greater tryals, Lam. 3.27. It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth. If we would know what good cometh by an early accuſtoming our ſelves to bear the croſs, the following verſes ſhew, that it will make him patient and ſilent under his ſufferings, ver. 28. He ſitteth alone and keepeth ſilence, becauſe he hath born it upon him. It will make a man ſuffer humbly, ver. 29. He putteth his mouth in the duſt—It maketh him ſuffer willingly, ver. 30. He giveth his cheek to him that ſmiteth him. Our Lord Jeſus exhorts us to take up our croſs dayly, Luk. 9.23. He ſaid unto them, If any man will come after me, let him deny himſelf, and take up his croſs dayly, and follow me. If we did practice this counſel; if we did every day expect croſſes, and quietly ſubmit our ſelves under ſuch croſſes as every day bringeth forth; if we could but deny our ſelves, and reſign up our wills unto Gods will, this would prepare us to undergo any tryal that the Lord ſhall ſee meet to lay upon us.

10. A well grounded hope of eternal life, will help us to bear all the troubles of this life cheerfully. A Chriſtian that hath good hope through grace, that he ſhall go to Heaven when he dieth, may by vertue of this hope rejoyce and glory in the midſt of his greateſt tribulations, Rom. 5.2,3. We rejoyce in hope of the glory of God,—we glory in tribulations. It was this carried Moſes through all the difficulties he met with in leaving Pharaoh's Court, in wandering among the Iſraelites by the ſpace of forty years in the Wilderneſs, Heb. 11.24,25,26. By faith, Moſes when he was come to years, refuſed to be called the ſon of Pharaoh's Daughter, chooſing rather to ſuffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleaſures of ſin for a ſeaſon: eſteeming the reproach of Chriſt greater riches than the treaſures in Egypt; for he had reſpect unto the recompence of reward. The hope of the reward that he ſhould have in heaven, cauſed him to make light both of the good and evil things of this world. Hope of ſalvation is like an helmet, which is of great uſe for our preſervation, 1 Theſ. 5.8.—putting on for an helmet the hope of ſalvation. Hope is of the ſame uſe to the ſoul in afflictions, that the Anchor is to the Ship in a ſtorm, which keeps it from periſhing by being driven upon the Rocks or Sands, Heb. 6.19. Which hope we have as an Anchor of the Soul, both ſure and ſtedfaſt, which entereth into that within the vail. Therefore if we would prepare our ſelves for afflictions, we muſt get a ſolid and well grounded hope of eternal life.

11. Let us conſider what it is which we have found in our own experience, hath made our yoke heavy; and alſo what we have obſerved either in reading, or by diſcourſe, hath made the yoke of affliction heavy and hard to be born by others, and let us take care to prevent thoſe things: As for inſtance. 1. We may obſerve, that the want of Gods preſence in the time of affliction, hath made affliction very burdenſom and hard to be born, 1 Sam. 28.15. I am ſore diſtreſſed, for the Philiſtines make war againſt me, and God is departed from me, and anſwereth me no more. When Saul's Enemies came againſt him, and God was departed, this put him into ſuch diſtreſs, that he knew not what to do. When God withdrew from Job in his affliction, the want of Gods preſence made his affliction very bitter, Job 23.2,8,9. Even to day is my complaint bitter, my ſtroke is heavier than my groaning: Behold, I go forward, but he is not there; and backward, but I cannot perceive him; on the left hand, where he doth work, but I cannot behold him; he hideth himſelf on the right hand that I cannot ſee him. When David was in trouble, he tells God, if he did hide his face from him, he ſhould be like a dead man, Pſal. 143.7. Hide not thy face from me, leſt I be like unto them that go down into the pit. Therefore it is our wiſdom to do what in us lyeth to get and keep Gods preſence with our ſouls, as was hinted before. 2. A galled and guilty Conſcience. When David was under the ſenſe of guilt in the time of his ſickneſs, it was ſuch a burden, that he was ready to ſink under it, Pſal. 38.3,4. There is no ſoundneſs in my fleſh, becauſe of thine anger; neither is there any reſt in my bones, becauſe of my ſins; for mine iniquities are gone over mine head, as an heavy burden, they are too heavy for me. 3. When we promiſe our ſelves a ſetled courſe of proſperity, and do not look for trouble, this makes affliction dreadful and terrible, Iſa. 64.3. Thou didſt terrible things which we looked not for. Pſal. 30.6,7. In my proſperity I ſaid, I ſhall never be moved,—thou didſt hide thy face and I was troubled. 4. When we have not learnt to deny our ſelves, and to reſign and to ſubmit our wills unto the Will of God. It is very irkſome to ſelf-willed perſons, and ſuch as abound with ſelf-love to meet with croſſes; Our Lord Jeſus exhorts us to deny our ſelves, before he exhorts us to take up our croſs, Mar. 8.34. Whoſoever will come after me, let him deny himſelf and take up his croſs: which implyes that no man can bear affliction with a chearful contented mind, but ſuch as have learnt to deny themſelves. 5. When God doth not only withdraw his preſence (of which I ſpoke before) but ſheweth himſelf terrible to us in an evil day, this maketh affliction very irkſome to the ſoul. This the Prophet prayeth againſt, Jer. 17.17. Be not a terror unto me, thou art my hope in the day of evil. This made the calamity of the Jews exceeding heavy, and hard to be born, that God ſet himſelf againſt them in the time of trouble, Lam. 3.3,7. Surely againſt me is he turned—he hath made my chain heavy.

12. Treaſure up in your hearts the promiſes of God which relate to an afflicted condition. It is a great help to the bearing of affliction, to be well acquainted with the promiſes that God hath made to his people that are in an afflicted condition. David found great comfort from Gods promiſes in his afflictions, Pſal. 119.49,50. Remember thy word unto thy ſervant, upon which thou haſt cauſed me to hope, this is my comfort in mine affliction. When he met with ſuch hard tryals that he ſtood aſtoniſhed to ſee how God dealt with him, he was filled with joy when he called to minde the promiſe of God, Pſal. 60.3,6. Thou haſt ſhewen thy people hard things, thou haſt made us to drink the wine of aſtoniſhment; God hath ſpoken in his holineſs, I will rejoyce. He telleth us elſewhere, if it had not been for the comfort that he found in Gods word, he had periſhed in his afflictions, Pſal. 119.92. Ʋnleſs thy Law had been my delights, I ſhould then have periſhed in mine affliction. It was by the help of the word of truth that the Apoſtle went through his manifold troubles with great patience, 2 Cor. 6.4,5,7. Now there are variety of promiſes which do relate to an afflicted condition, which may be of great uſe to us in our afflictions, which we ſhall do well to ſtore up againſt an evil day. I will mention ſome of them.

1. God hath promiſed to moderate our afflictions, and to lay no more upon us than he will enable us to bear, 1 Cor. 10.13. There hath no temptation taken you, but ſuch as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not ſuffer you to be tempted above that ye are able: but will with the temptation alſo make a way to eſcape, that ye may be able to bear it. Iſa. 27.8. In meaſure when it ſhooteth forth, thou wilt debate with it; he ſtayeth his rough wind, in the day of his Eaſt wind. Jer. 15.11. The Lord ſaid, Verily it ſhall be well with thy remnant, verily I will cauſe the enemy to entreat thee well in the time of evil, and in the time of affliction. This promiſe is added after the mentioning of Gods unalterable purpoſe to ſend four ſore Judgments upon the Jews, Death, the Sword, Famine, and Captivity, verſe 1, 2. So alſo after mention of a time of trouble, ſuch as there had not been the like, God comforts his people with his promiſe, that he would not correct them out of meaſure, though he ſuffered them to partake of the common calamity, Jer. 30.7,10,11. Alas, for that day is great, ſo that none is like it, it is even the time of Jacobs trouble—Yet the Lord encourageth Jacob not to be afraid, Fear thou not, O my ſervant Jacob, ſaith the Lord, neither be diſmayed, O Iſrael—for I am with thee, ſaith the Lord, to ſave thee, though I make a full end of all Nations, whether I have ſcattered thee, yet will I not make a full end of thee; but I will correct thee in meaſure, and will not leave thee altogether unpuniſhed.

2. God hath promiſed us his preſence in our afflictions, Pſal. 91.15. He ſhall call upon me, and I will anſwer him, I will be with him in trouble. Iſa. 43.1,2. But now, thus ſaith the Lord that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Iſrael, Fear not—When thou paſſeſt through the waters, I will be with thee, and through the rivers they ſhall not overflow thee: when thou walkeſt through the fire, thou ſhalt not be burnt; neither ſhall the flame kindle upon thee. This promiſe hath dependance on the laſt verſe, where the Prophet telleth us, what calamities were come upon Iſrael, He hath poured upon him the fury of his anger, and the ſtrength of battle; and it hath ſet him on fire round about—and then addeth, but now, thus ſaith the Lord—Fear not—When thou paſſeſt through the waters I will be with thee—God would not have his people fear any trouble, becauſe he will be with them in all their troubles, in one as well as another; and that not only when they firſt enter into them, but till they are ſafely paſſed through all the troubles of this life.

3. God hath promiſed to ſtrengthen, and ſupport, and uphold us in all our troubles: I have mentioned ſeveral promiſes to this purpoſe already, as Joel 3.15,16. Iſa. 41.10. I will add two or three more, Nahum 1.7. The Lord is good, a ſtrong hold in the day of trouble, and he knoweth them that truſt in him. Pſal. 37.39,40. The ſalvation of the righteous is of the Lord; he is their ſtrength in time of trouble: And the Lord ſhall help them, and deliver them; he ſhall deliver them from the wicked, and ſave them becauſe they put their truſt in him. Iſa. 41.14. Fear not thou worm Jacob, and ye men of Iſrael; I will help thee, ſaith the Lord, and thy redeemer the Holy One of Iſrael: ſee alſo Iſa. 25.4.

4. God hath promiſed to comfort and revive our ſouls when we are in affliction, Pſal. 138.7. Though I walk in the midſt of trouble, thou wilt revive me; thou ſhalt ſtretch forth thine hand againſt the wrath of mine enemies, and thy right hand ſhall ſave me. Micah 7.8. When I ſit in darkneſs, the Lord ſhall be a light unto me. Pſal. 71.20,21. Thou which haſt ſhewn me great and ſore troubles, ſhall quicken me again, and ſhalt bring me up again from the depths of the earth, thou ſhalt encreaſe my greatneſs, and comfort me on every ſide. Iſa. 66.13. As one whom his mother comforteth, ſo will I comfort you, and ye ſhall be comforted in Jeruſalem. John 14.18. I will not leave you comfortleſs, I will come to you.

5. God hath promiſed to ſanctifie our afflictions, and he hath promiſed they ſhall purge out our ſins, and make us more holy, and ſhall be all of them ſo bleſſed unto us, that they ſhall work together for our good, Iſa. 27.9. By this ſhall the iniquity of Jacob be purged, and this is all the fruit to take away their ſin. Zech. 13.9. I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as ſilver is refined—Rom. 8.28. We know that all things work together for good, to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpoſe.

6. God hath promiſed in due time to deliver us out of all our afflictions, 1 Pet. 5.6. Humble your ſelves under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time. Job 5.19. He ſhall deliver thee in ſix troubles, yea, in ſeven there ſhall no evil touch thee. Pſal. 34.19. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivereth him out of them all. God hath promiſed when he ſeeth it to be moſt for our good, and for his own glory to preſerve us from afflictions, Pſal. 121.7. The Lord ſhall preſerve thee from all evil, he ſhall preſerve thy ſoul. Pſal. 32.7. Thou art my hiding place, thou ſhalt preſerve me from trouble, thou ſhalt compaſs me about with ſongs of deliverance: but when he doth not preſerve us from trouble, he hath promiſed to deliver us out of trouble, Pſal. 50.15. Call upon me in the day of trouble, I will deliver thee, and thou ſhalt glorifie me.

SECT. 13.

13. Endeavour to demean your ſelves in ſuch ſort towards God, that you may prevail with him to continue ſtill to watch over, and preſerve both your perſons, houſes, and ſubſtance. If you ask what you ſhould do that you may engage the Lord to continue his preſervation of your perſons and ſubſtance. I anſwer;

1. Walk in the fear of the Lord, and ſerve him with an upright and ſincere heart. Satan ſaith of Job, who was an upright man, one that feared God and eſchewed evil, Job 1.9,10. Doth Job fear God for nought? Haſt not thou made an hedge about him, and about his houſe, and about all that he hath on every ſide? Thou haſt bleſſed the work of his hands, and encreaſed his ſubſtance in the land. Prov. 2.7.—He is a buckler to them that walk uprightly. Pſal. 84.11. The Lord God is a Sun and Shield, the Lord will give grace and glory, and no good thing will he with-hold from them that walk uprightly. Protection from evils is a good thing, if you walk uprightly with God he will not with-hold his protecting providence from you; but as he hath been, ſo he ſtill will be your ſhield.

2. Shew mercy to the Poor, and do good with your Eſtates, that is the way to have them preſerved, Pſal. 41.1,2. Bleſſed is he that conſidereth the poor, the Lord will deliver him in time of trouble; the Lord will preſerve him, and keep him alive, and he ſhall be bleſſed upon the earth, and thou wilt not deliver him into the will of his enemies.

3. Love the Lord for preſerving you hitherto, and thereby you ſhall be preſerved ſtill, Pſal. 145.20. The Lord preſerveth all them that love him. Pſal. 91.14. Becauſe he hath ſet his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him.

4. You muſt not preſerve any of your ſins from deſtruction, if you would have God preſerve your perſons and ſubſtance; for God threatens to deſtroy both the perſons and the ſubſtance of ſuch as live wicked and ungodly lives, Job 15.20,21,29. The wicked man travelleth with pain all his dayes, and the number of years is hidden to the oppreſſor: A dreadful ſound is in his ears, in proſperity the deſtroyer ſhall come upon him. He ſhall not be rich, neither ſhall his ſubſtance continue; neither ſhall he prolong the perfection thereof upon the earth. Zophar ſpeaking of a man that ſpares his ſins, and will not forſake them, among other Judgments mentioneth this, that God will not ſpare, but will deſteoy ſuch a mans ſubſtance, Job 20.12,13,15,26,28. He hath ſwallowed down riches, and he ſhall vomit them up again; God ſhall caſt them out of his belly—All darkneſs ſhall be hid in his ſecret places, a fire not blown ſhall conſume him—The increaſe of his houſe ſhall depart, and his goods ſhall flow away in the day of his wrath. If this merciful providence of God, will not prevail with you to caſt away your ſins; your continuing in your ſins, will cauſe God to caſt away your ſubſtance, Prov. 10.3. The Lord will not ſuffer the ſoul of the righteous to famiſh, but he caſteth away the ſubſtance of the wicked.

5. Commit your ſelves and your ſubſtance into the hands of the Lord, and truſt in God who hath graciouſly preſerved you hitherto, to preſerve you and all that belongth unto you for the time to come. There is no better way to engage God to help us, than to commit our ſelves to him, and to put our truſt in him, Prov. 29.25. Who ſo putteth his truſt in the Lord ſhall be ſafe. Pſal. 17.7. Shew thy marvellous loving kindneſs, O thou that ſaveſt by thy right hand, them which put their truſt in thee, from thoſe that riſe up againſt them. Pſal. 10.14. The poor committeth himſelf unto thee; thou art the helper of the fatherleſs. Pſal. 5.11. Let all thoſe that put their truſt in thee, rejoyce; let them ever ſhout for joy, becauſe thou defendeſt them. Pſal. 22.4. Our fathers truſted in thee; they truſted, and thou didſt deliver them. Dan. 6.23. Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no manner of hurt was found upon him, becauſe he believed in his God.

Now in regard that truſting in God availeth much towards our preſervation, I ſhall mention three or four conſiderations that may encourage you to truſt in God for preſervation of your perſons and ſubſtance, at ſuch times as you apprehend your ſelves to be in greateſt danger of ſuffering either in your Perſons or Eſtates.

1. Conſider how ſolicitous and careful God is of your welfare, 1 Pet. 5.7. He careth for you. You are as dear to him as the apple of his eye, Zech. 2.8. He that toucheth you, toucheth the apple of his eye. He is ſo careful of your welfare, that he giveth all his Angels a charge concerning you, to pitch their tents about your dwellings, and to take the care of you wherever you go, and to deal tenderly with you, to carry you in their arms, that you may be preſerved from being hurt either by evil Angels, or evil Men, Pſal. 91.11,12. He ſhall give his Angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy wayes; they ſhall bear thee up in their hands, leſt thou daſh thy foot againſt a ſtone. Pſal. 34,7. The Angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them. Beſides the charge that God giveth his Angels to look after his people, he himſelf taketh a ſpecial care of them, the Lord himſelf is their keeper, and watcheth over them both by night and by day, Pſal. 121.4,5. Behold, he that keepeth Iſrael ſhall neither ſlumber nor ſleep; the Lord is thy keeper, the Lord is thy ſhade upon thy right hand. Iſa, 27.3. I the Lord do keep it, I will water it every moment, leſt any hurt it, I will keep it night and day. His eyes are alwayes upon his people, to behold their dangers, that the may ſend them relief and deliverance in due ſeaſon, 2 Chron 16.9. The eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to ſhew himſelf ſtrong in the behalf of them, whoſe heart is perfect towards them. His hand is alwayes ſtretched out for their defence, Deut. 33.27. The eternal God is thy refuge, underneath are the everlaſting arms. The Lord is ſo tender of you, that he doth as it were lay you in his boſom, Iſa. 40.11. He ſhall feed his flock like a ſhepherd, he ſhall gather his lambs with his arm, and carry them in his boſom.

2. This care of God for his peoples welfare extendeth not only to ſome, but to every one of his ſervants, Deut. 33.3. All his Saints are in thine hand. Pſal. 145.20. The Lord preſerveth all them that love him. The meaneſt of all Gods ſervants is of more value than many Sparrows; yet there is not ſo much as one Sparrow forgotten of God, Luke 12.6,7. Are not five Sparrows ſold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God? Fear not therefore, ye are of more value than many ſparrows. Surely then there is not the meaneſt of all Gods ſervants, which is forgotten of the Lord.

3. God is not only careful of his peoples perſons, but of their ſubſtance and habitations, Pſal. 16.5. The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance, and of my cup; thou maintaineſt my lot. Job 1.10. Haſt not thou made an hedge about him, and about his houſe, and about all that he hath on every ſide? When you are afraid your houſes ſhould be fired, or any other evil ſhould befall your habitations, think on ſuch Scriptures as theſe, wherein God hath engaged himſelf to preſerve your habitations in ſafety, Pſal. 91.10. There ſhall no evil befal thee, neither ſhall any plague come nigh thy dwelling. Prov. 1.33. Whoſo hearkeneth unto me, ſhall dwell ſafely, and ſhall be quiet from fear of evil. Iſa, 4.5,6. The Lord will create upon every dwelling-place of Mount Zion, and upon her aſſemblies, a cloud and ſmoke by day, and the ſhining of a flaming fire by night; for upon all the glory ſhall be a defence, and there ſhall be a Tabernacle for a ſhadow in the day time from the heat, and for a place of refuge, and for a covert from ſtorm and from rain. Prov. 12.7. The houſe of the righteous ſhall ſtand.

4. The preſervation which God hath promiſed to his people, is not limited to this or that particular evil, or to any period of time; but it extendeth to all ſorts of evils, and to all times. He hath promiſed to preſerve them from all evils, Pſal. 121. The Lord ſhall preſerve thee from all evil—Pſal. 91.10. There ſhall no evil befal thee—Job 5.19. He ſhall deliver thee in ſix troubles, yea, in ſeven there ſhall no evil touch thee. And as this preſervation is not limited in reſpect of evils, ſo neither in reſpect of time; he hath not promiſed to preſerve them for a time, and then give over his care of them, but he hath promiſed them preſervation all their dayes, Pſal. 121.8. The Lord ſhall preſerve thy going out, and thy coming in, from this time forth, and even for evermore. Pſal. 125.2. As the mountains are round about Jeruſalem, ſo the Lord is round about his people, from henceforth even for ever. Iſa. 46.3,4. Hearken unto me, O houſe of Jacob, and all the remnant of the houſe of Iſrael, which are born by me from the belly, which are carried from the womb. And even to your old age, I am he, and even to hoare haires will I carry you: I have made, and I will bear, even I will carry and will deliver you. If any ſay, notwithſtanding theſe promiſes of preſervation, we ſee the ſervants of God do oft-times fall into many troubles as well as other men, how then can theſe promiſes be any encouragement to us to truſt in God? I anſwer, 1. We muſt rely on the promiſes of God, when his providence ſeemeth to run croſs to his promiſe, Rom. 4.18. Who againſt hope, believed in hope—according to that which was ſpoken—Job 13.15. Though he ſlay me, yet will I truſt in him. 2. When God doth not preſerve his ſervants from trouble, he doth them good by their troubles; he fulfils that promiſe, Pſal. 85.12. Yea, the Lord ſhall give that which is good. Now oft-times it is good for the people of God to fall into affliction, Pſal. 119.71. Wherefore we may with much freedom and ſatisfaction commit our ſelves to God in our greateſt dangers upon this account, that he will make all our troubles work for our good, when he doth not preſerve us from trouble.

SECT. 14.

14. Take heed to your ſelves, and to your wayes; that you do not provoke the Lord to ſend any more ſuch mighty and dreadful Fires as this late Fire was: What counſel our Lord Jeſus gave the man that was made whole of his infirmity, Joh. 5.14. Behold, thou art made whole, ſin no more, leſt a worſe thing come unto thee; the ſame may be ſeaſonable to ſuch as have eſcaped this late Fire: ſin no more, leſt a worſe thing than what befel thoſe that were ſufferers by this Fire, come unto you. Pharaoh, though he was exceedingly hardened in his ſins, yet when there had been great thunder and lightning, was ſo affrighted at it, that he calls to Moſes and Aaron, and deſireth them to pray for him, that there might be no more mighty thunderings; and promiſeth alſo to let Iſrael go (which was the ſin for which God contended with him) Ex. 9.27,28. And Pharaoh ſent, and called for Moſes and Aaron, and ſaid unto them, I have ſinned this time; the Lord is righteous, and I and my people are wicked: Intreat the Lord (for it is enough) that there be no more mighty thunderings and hail, and I will let you go, and ye ſhall ſtay no longer. If we be not more hardened than Pharaoh was, this dreadful Fire ſhould put us upon confeſſing our ſins to God, and reforming our lives, and cauſe us to take heed that we do not provoke the Lord to ſend any more ſuch mighty Fires amonſt us.

If any ſay, What ſhould we do that we may not have any more ſuch dreadful Fires break out amonſt us? I anſwer;

1. If we would have no more ſuch dreadful Fires, we muſt make a good uſe of this Fire, ſo as to be led to repentance by it; for if we be not reformed by this Judgment, we may well expect that God will follow us with more Judgments, Lev. 26.21,23,24. If ye walk contrary unto me, and will not hearken unto me, I will bring ſeven times more plagues upon you, according to your ſins: And if ye will not be reformed by theſe things, but will walk contrary unto me; then will I alſo walk contrary unto you, and will puniſh you yet ſeven times for your ſins. How we ſhould make a good uſe of this Fire, is ſhewn at large in the ſecond Queſtion; and although the directions given therein, do chiefly reſpect ſuch as have been ſufferers by the ſaid Fire, there are ſeveral things hinted, that may direct others alſo as well as the ſufferers, how to make a good uſe of this Judgment.

2. We muſt ſeek unto God with prayers and tears, that he would ſend no more ſuch dreadful Fires. When God contended with the Iſraelites by Fire, by the Prayer of Amos, this Judgment was removed, Amos 7.4,5,6. Thus hath the Lord God ſhewed unto me, and behold, the Lord God called to contend by Fire, and it devoured the great deep, and did eat up a part: Then ſaid I, O Lord God, ceaſe, I beſeech thee, by whom ſhall Jacob ariſe, for he is ſmall? The Lord repented for this: This alſo ſhall not be, ſaith the Lord God. So alſo by the Prayer of Moſes, the Fire was ſtayed among the Iſraelites, when God had kindled a great burning amongſt them becauſe of their murmurings, Numb. 11.1,2. When the people complained, it diſpleaſed the Lord; and the Lord heard it: and his anger was kindled, and the fire of the Lord burnt among them, and conſumed them that were in the uttermoſt parts of the Camp. And the people cryed unto Moſes; and when Moſes prayed unto the Lord, the fire was quenched. Prayers and tears are very prevalent with God for preventing and removing of perſonal and national Judgments, Joel 2.17,18. Let the Prieſts, the Miniſters of the Lord, weep between the Porch and the Altar; and let them ſay, Spare thy people, O Lord, and give not thine heritage to reproach—Then will the Lord be jealous for his land, and pity his people. When the ſentence of death was paſſed upon Hezekiah, by his prayers and his tears he prevailed with God to prolong his life for the ſpace of fifteen years, Iſa. 38.5. I have heard thy prayer, I have ſeen thy tears; behold, I will adde unto thy dayes fifteen years.

3. If we would have God ceaſe from ſending any more ſuch dreadful Fires, we muſt ceaſe from thoſe ſins which did provoke God to ſend this ſore Judgment. Until the cauſe of a Judgment be removed, we can have but little hope it ſhould ceaſe. (What ſins they are that provoke God to ſend this dreadful Judgment of Fire hath been ſhewn before, Queſt. 2. Sect. 4.) If we ceaſe from our ſins, and return unto God, we may hope and expect that God will ceaſe from his mighty Judgments, Mal. 3.7,11,12. Return unto me, and I will return unto you, ſaith the Lord of Hoſts—And I will rebuke the devourer for your ſakes—And all Nations ſhall call you bleſſed, for ye ſhall be a a delight ſome land. After Judea had been waſted with Fire and Sword, the Lord promiſeth, if they would ceaſe from their ſins, he would remove his Judgments, Iſa. 1.7,16,17,19,26. Your Cities are burnt with Fire,—ceaſe to do evil, learn to do well.—If ye be willing and obedient, ye ſhall eat the good of the Land.—And I will reſtore thy Judges as at the firſt, and thy Counſellors as at the beginning; afterward thou ſhalt be called, The City of Righteouſneſs, the faithful City.

4. If we would have no more ſuch dreadful Fires, we muſt labour to pacifie Gods anger that is kindled againſt us. The mighty Judgments of God that have fallen upon us, viz. the Sword, the great Peſtilence, and this dreadful Fire, are tokens of great wrath againſt this Nation; and we may fear, in regard there is ſo little reformation, that notwithſtanding all that is come upon us, the anger of the Lord is not turned away, but that his hand is ſtretched out ſtill, as it is ſaid three times of Iſrael, after mentioning great and ſore Judgment, For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is ſtretched out ſtill, Iſa. 9.12,17,21. Wherefore we muſt endeavour to pacifie and turn away the Lords anger, elſe we may expect that the ſame Judgments will return, or ſome others, as dreadful as any of theſe, will fall upon us. Now if you ask, How ſhall we get Gods anger turned away from the Nation? I ſhall inſtance only in theſe two means.

1. Gods choſen ones muſt get into the gap, and cry mightily to God in the Name of Jeſus Chriſt, that he would turn away his fierce anger that is kindled againſt us. The Prayers of impenitent ſinners cannot prevail with God to turn from his wrath, but the Prayers of his Saints and Servants will cauſe him to lay aſide his anger, Pſal. 106.23. He ſaid, he would deſtroy them, had not Moſes his choſen ſtood before in the breach, to turn away his wrath, leſt he ſhould deſtroy them. Jer. 18.20.—Remember that I ſtood before thee to ſpeak good for them, and to turn away thy wrath from them. What Prayers the ſervants of God put up to God in the Name of Jeſus Chriſt, are preſented by the Lord Jeſus unto his Father, Heb. 7.25. Rev. 8.3. and when the Lord Jeſus interceeds with his Father for the turning away of his wrath from a Nation, or a particular perſon, his requeſt ſhall certainly be granted, Zech. 1.12,13. The Angel of the Lord, ſaid, O Lord of Hoſts, how long wilt thou not have mercy on Jeruſalem, and on the Cities of Judah, againſt which thou haſt had indignation theſe threeſcore and ten years? And the Lord anſwered the Angel that talked with me, with good words, and comfortable words: and preſently after comes tidings of the ceaſing of Gods wrath, and his returning with mercy to Jeruſalem, ver. 16. 17. Thus ſaith the Lord, I am returned to Jeruſalem with mercies,—My Cities through proſperity ſhall yet be ſpread abroad, and the Lord ſhall yet comfort Zion, and ſhall yet chooſe Jeruſalem.

2. We muſt every one turn from his evil wayes, and turn unto the Lord with all our hearts, and then his wrath ſhall be turned away from us, Jonah 3.8,9.—Let them turn every one from his evil way, and from the violence that is in their hands; who can tell if God will turn and repent, and turn away from his fierce anger, that we periſh not. Hoſ. 14.1,4. O Iſrael, return unto the Lord thy God, for thou haſt fallen by thine iniquity: and when Iſrael did return at the call of God, hear what God ſaith unto him, ver. 4. I will heal their back-ſlidings, I will love them freely, for mine anger is turned away from him. Jer. 3.12. Return thou back-ſliding Iſrael, and I will not cauſe mine anger to fall upon you; for I am merciful, ſaith the Lord, and I will not keep anger for ever.

5. If we would have God ceaſe from ſending any more ſuch dreadful Fires, we muſt ſet our faith on work on the blood of Chriſt, and on the Promiſes of God. It was the blood of the Sacrifice that made atonement under the law, both for particular perſons, and for the whole Congregation of Iſrael, Lev. 17.11.—It is the blood that maketh an atonement for the ſoul. And as the blood of the Sacrifice made atonement for particular perſons, ſo alſo for the whole Congregation of Iſrael, Lev. 4.13,14,17,18,20. Theſe Sacrifices did type out the blood of Chriſt, and ſignified to us, that faith in Chriſts blood is the way to procure an atonement for our ſouls, and to render God propitious after he hath been provoked to anger by our ſins, Rom. 3.25.—Whom God hath ſet forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood—This blood of Chriſt is available to make atonement for whole Nations as well as particular perſons, Iſa. 52.15. He ſhall ſprinkle many Nations—And as we ſhould ſet our faith on work upon Chriſts blood; ſo alſo on Gods promiſes. If you ask what promiſes? I anſwer, ſuch Promiſes wherein God hath promiſed to ceaſe his Judgments after he hath for a long time been ſorely contending with a people. We have divers promiſes to this purpoſe, I will mention ſome of them, Lam. 4.22. The puniſhment of thine iniquity is accompliſhed, O Daughter of Zion, he will no more carry thee away into captivity, he will viſit thine Iniquity, O Daughter of Edom, he will diſcover thy ſins. Nah. 1.12. Though I have afflicted thee, I will afflict thee no more. Iſa. 51.21,22,23. Hear now this thou afflicted and drunken, but not with wine; Thus ſaith the Lord, the Lord, and thy God that pleadeth the cauſe of his people, Behold, I have taken out of thine hand the cup of trembling, yea even the dregs of the cup of my fury; thou ſhalt no more drink it again: But I will put it into the hand of them that afflict thee.—Iſa. 60.18. Violence ſhall no more be heard in thy Land, waſting nor deſtruction within thy Borders; but thou ſhalt call thy Walls, ſalvation; and thy Gates, praiſe. Iſa. 57.16. I will not contend for ever, neither will I be alwayes wroth, for the ſpirits ſhould fail before me, and the ſouls which I have made. Zeph. 3.15. The Lord hath taken away thy Judgments, he hath caſt out thine Enemy, the King of Iſrael, even the Lord is in the midſt of thee, thou ſhalt not ſee evil any more. Faith is of great force for preventing and removing of National Judgments, and the procuring of National Mercies, Heb. 11.32,34. Who through faith ſubdued Kingdoms, wrought righteouſneſs, obtained promiſes, ſtopped the mouths of Lions, quenched the violence of Fire, eſcaped the edge of the Sword; out of weakneſs were made ſtrong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the Armies of aliens. We may ſee here what great things have been done by faith; it hath ſubdued Kingdoms, it hath vanquiſhed and put to flight great and puiſſant Armies; it hath prevailed againſt the • oreſt of Judgements, as Fire, Sword, wild Beaſts, &c. By Faith and Prayer, we may even, as it were, hold Gods hands from deſtroying a Nation, when they are lifted up to deſtroy a ſinful people, Exod. 32.9,10. And the Lord ſaid unto Moſes, I have ſeen this people, and behold, it is a ſtiff-necked people: Now therefore let me alone, that my wrath may wax hot againſt them, and that I may conſume them; and I will make of thee a great Nation. Though the Lord was exceedingly provoked againſt Iſrael, yet by the Faith and Prayer of Moſes, his hands were held that he did not deſtroy them. Moſes takes hold of the Covenant, and pleads that in Prayer, and thereby prevailed with God to turn from his wreth, and to repent of the evil that he thought to do unto the people of Iſrael, ver. 11, 12, 13, 14. The Lord ſtir up the like Spirit of Faith and Pryer in his Servants in this Nation, that they that make mention of the Name of the Lord, may never hold their peace day nor night, but may cry mightily to the Lord, and give him no reſt, until they have prevailed with him, through the mediation of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, to turn from the fierceneſs of his anger, and to ceaſe contending with us by his mighty Judgments, and until he eſtabliſh and make us a praiſe in the Earth.

FINIS.