354 SERMONS upon Serm. XLV, and love,and peace, writing from the Gofpel ; the Law iheweth the breach, the Gofpel the way of reconciliation; how it is made up for us : butthere is alto i"...4R+eui, preparation or rr a briefs of mind :Abe Apofile'smrolu.A,' Ads 21. 13. I am ready, not to be bound cn1y, but to ctie at Jerafalenrfor the name of the Lord Jefus. And r Pet.3. 15. Be ye iroruor, ready to render a reafon of the hope that is in yore. Meaning there, not sufficiency of know.. ledge in the mind, but strength of refolution and will : fo that his preparation is a refolution to.go through thick and thin, to follow Chrift in all conditions. Alas! else o when we have lanched out with Chrift, we Mall be ready to run albore again upon eve- ry dorm. Now that we may thus resolve, Chrift would have us fit down, and count the charges; for he would not furprize any : We should be read}, to fttffer the fharp- eft aflidions, though it may be the Lord doth not lee fit to exercise us with them. God never intended Ifiac should be Sacrificed; yet when he would try Abraham, he mutt put the knife to his throat, and make all things ready to offer him up. 4. How thankful we should be if God call us not to severe tryals, Much as tribu- lation, diftrefs, persecution, famine, nakednefs, peril, or fword 5 which the primitive Chrifiians endured, that were purer Chriftians than we are. If he deal more gently with us, what use [hall we make of this indulgence ? Manifold, (t) Partly, to be more ftrid and holy ; for when we are not called to pafftve obedience, and fufferings, our ahive obedience should be the more cheerfully performed. Ads 9. 31. Then the Churches had reI , and were edified, writhing in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghofl. Alas, the firft Chriftians fuffered more willingly for Chrift, than we (peak of him ; and went to the flake more readily, than we go to the Throne of Grace r our peace and comfort will colt us more in getting, therefore we Mould be more eminent in fere ice. (z) Partly,that we f could be more mortified to the world ; he that liveth a fiefh- plealing life, beconaeth an enemy to God without temptations, James 4. 4. Know ye not, that the friendfhip of the world is enmity to God. Man under trouble is fors d; you yeíld of your own accord; your a& is more voluntary ; they for a great fear, you for a little plealure hazzard the hopes of eternal life. (3) Partly, to be more ready to communicate and distribute to the neceffities of others, 1 John 3. 17. Bet whofä bath this worlds goods, aìad feeth his brother bath need, and fbutteth rsp his bowels of compaffìon, from him ; hew'dwélleth the love of God in him? He that cannot part with this worlds 'good things freely; "will be loath to part with them by constraint ; how will you take the fpoiling of your 'goods joyfully, Heb.1o. .34. when you part with them as with a drop of blood ?. Surely he that Arudgeth at a commandment, will murmure at a provi- dence. (4.) Partly, to bear lighter of Ii &ions. patiently, Jet-. 12. 5. If thou . hafl.rnn with footmen and they have wearied thee; how canfi thou contend with horfès 2 If you cannot bear a disgrace, a frown, a lofs of dignity, and honour, and preferment ; how will you bear the lots of life ? Heb. 12. 9. 2 e have not yet reftfled unto blood, firiving a- gairtfl (in. (5) Partly, by diligence in the Heavenly life; a man traineth up himfelf to endure hardnefss, as a good foldi'er of Jefus Chrift, by degrees ; by meekness, and poverty of spirit, and humility, he is fitted to endure tribulation ; by resignation, and refolute dependance on God, to endure clatters by weanednefs from houle and borne, to endure persecution ; by fobriety, to endure famine; by modefiy in apparel, to en- dure nakednef ; by clofe'retirements, to endure a prifon s by carrying our life in our hand, to endure peril ; by heavenlinefs of mind, to endure death, malnm efi Impatì- entia beni. If it be irklome to pue the body to a little trouble for holy duties ; how will you endure tortures, and fufferings, to such an eminent degree as they did ? (5.) That we should, not be dilmayed when troubles dome a&ually upon us; 'tíà not in the power of any persecutor on earth to put us out of the favour of God. What do we fuffer ? tribulation! and do any enter into the kingdom of God without it ? And we have that prómife cf tea-which will fweeten it. Difrefs! Chrift was non- pluft, John 12.28. You mutt (tick the clofer to God, who will relieve you in your diltrefles. Per - fecution The Lord Jesus in his cradle was carryed into Egypt, Match. 2. t4. We that know no 'home in the world, should know no banishment ; Jesus Chrift had not where to lay his head. Famine! Man liveth not by bread only; better our bodies f milhed, than our fouls ; if we have God to our Father, we have bread to eat the world know - eth not of. Nakednefs l Better.:pafs naked out of the world than go to He'! ith gay apparel; your rags are more honourable than the worlds purple. Is it peril ? No dan- ger fo great, as losing Chrift and his falvation. Sword ! 'Tis the ready way to fend you to Chrift, :Oho is your bountiful Lord and Matter, and to loofe you from the body, that you may be ever with the Lord; a. Doh.
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