Preached Augutt 17. 1662. 7 0 Lord, in ct greatfirait. And when the wicked than be condemned to hell, who can exprefs the ftraits they then than be in ? Binde them handand foot, and call them into everlajling darknefs, Matth. 25. When a wicked man fhall be bound with everlafting chains of dark- nefs, then he will cry out, I am in a great ffrait. Confider what Dives faith to Abraham : he defires that Lazarus might but dip the tipof his finger in water, and that he might cool his tongue ; not his whole body, but his tongue t but that would not be granted. It is impoflible thetongue of man fliould let out the great ftraits the damned Puffer in hell, both in regard of the greatnefs and everlaftingnefs of them. This is all I (hall fay for the Explication. Vfe. i. I chiefly aim at the Application : Doth fin bring Nati- ons and Perfons into external,internal,and eternal ftraits? then this fadly reproves thole that choofe to commit fin to avoid perplexity. . There are thoufands in England guilty of this, that to avoid po- verty, will lye, cheat, and cozen ; and to gain an eftate will fell God and a good confcience : and to avoid the lots of eftate and imprifonment will do any thing : they will be lure to be of that Religion which is uppermoft, be it what it will. Now give me leave this morning to fpeak three things to there fort of men, and 0 that my words might prevail with them. i. Confider it is fin onely that makes trouble to deferve the. name of trouble ; for when we filffer for Gods fake, or a good' Confcience, thefe troubles are fo fweetned by the confolations of Heaven, that they are no troubles at all : therefore in Qreen Ma- rie, dayes the Martyrs wrote to their friends out of priloa, If you knew tke comforts we have in prifon, you would wifh to be with us : in prifdnbefore I am in prifon, faith Mr. Sanders. Famous is the ftory of the three Children : they were in a great ftrait when calf into the fiery Furnace ; Bind them hand and foot, and cart them into the Furnace ; but when they were there, they were unbound, Dan. 3.25. faith Nebuchadnezzar, Did not we calf threemen bound into the midi of the fire ? andbe I fee four men loofe walking in themidst of thefire, and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God. I have often told.you, when three are caft into the fire for a good Conicience, God will make the forth :- Therefore, I fay, 'traits and fufferings for God are not worth thename of ftraits. David was often driven into ftraits, x Sam. 30. 6. he was, fore diftreffed when his Town was burnt, and his Wives and Chil- dren taken Captives by the Amaleliites : I, but that was a dial-Cs of danger, not of fin : therefore he encourageth hirnielf in the Lord %.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=