Firsts That divine precept, not providence, is to rule out our way of duty.
Secondly^ That no hindrances or discouragements whatsoever will justify our neglect of a known duty.
All these rubs he passes over ; all these discouragements he over- came, with this heroic and truly Christian resolution in the text ; " What mean ye to weep, and to break my heart ? For I am ready " not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalc^tn, for the name " of the Lord Jesus."
In which words we have,
1. A loving and gentle rebuke.
2. A quieting and calming argument.
^ PREPARATIONS FOR SUFFERINGS ; OR,
jP.'rst, He lovingly and gently rebukes their fond and inordinate g^iTowfor his departure, in these words, What mean ye to weep, and to break my heart ? As if he should say. What mean these passionate intreaties and tempting tears ? To what purpose is all this ado ? They are but so many snares of Satan, to turn my heart out of the way of obedience : Vou do as much as in you lies to break my heart ; let there be no more of this I beseech you.
Secondly^ He labours to charm their unruly passions with a very quieting and calming argument ; For I am ready, &c. sroi/j^ojg i^u^ parate habeo. I am prepared and fitted for the greatest sufferings which shall befal me in the pursuit of my duty ; be it a prison, or be it death, I am provided for either : Liberty is dear, and life much dearer, but Christ is dearer than either.
But what was there in all this, to satisfy them whose trouble it was to see him so forward ? Let the words be considered, and we shall find divers things in them to satisfy and quiet their hearts, and make them willing to give him up.
First, I am ready ; that is, God hath fitted and prepared my heart for the greatest sufferings ; this is the work of God : flesh and blood would never be brought to this, were not all its interests and incli- nations subdued, and over-ruled by the Spirit of God. What do ye therefore in all this, but work against the* design of God, who hath fitted and prepared my heart for this service ?
Secondly, I am ready ; that is, my will and resolution stands in a full bent, my heart is fixed, you cannot therefore study to do me a greater injury, than to discompose and disorder my heart again, by casting such temptations as these in my way, to cause the flesh to rebel, and the enemy that is within to renew his opposition.
Thirdly, I am ready ; that is, my heart is so fixed to follow the call of God, whatever shall befal me, that all your tears and intrea- ties to the contrary are but cast away ; they cannot alter my fixed purpose ; you had as good be quiet, and cheerfully resign me to the will of God.
Tiius you see the equipage and preparation of Paul's spirit to re- ceive both bonds and death for Christ at Jerusalem ; this made him victorious over the temptations of friends, and the malice and cruelty of his enemies: By this readiness and preparation of his mind, he was carried through all, and enabled to finish his course with joy. From hence the observation is,
Doct. That it is a blessed and excellent thing for the people of God to be prepared, and ready for the hardest services, and worst of' sufferings,* to which the Lord may call them.
This is that which every gracious heart is reaching after, praying, and striving to obtain ; but, ah ! how few will attain it ! Certainly there arc not many among the multitudes of the professors of this generation that can say as Paul here did, " Fam ready to be bound, " or to die for Christ.""
THE BEST "WORK IN THE WORST TIMES.
Shews, that although God takes no delight in afflicting his people^ yet he sometimes exposeth them to great and grievous sufferings ; with a brief account zvhy, and hozc he calls them thereunto.
A HE mercies and compassions of God over his people are exceed- ing great and tender, Psalm ciii. 13. " Like as a father pltieth " his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him." He delights not in afflicting and grieving them, Lara. iii. S3. " He doth not af- " flict wilHngly, nor grieve the children of men." The scripture in- timates to us a seeming conflict betwixt the justice and mercy of God, when he is about to deliver up his people into their enemies hands, Hosea xi. 8, 9. " How shall I give thee up, Ephraim ? How shall I " deliver thee, Israel ? How shall 1 make thee as Admah ? How shall *' I set thee as Zeboim ? Mine heart is turned within me, my re- " pentings are kindled together." Which shews us with what re- luctance and great unwillingness the Lord goes about such a work as this. The work of judgment is his strange work, it pleases him bet- ter to execute the milder attribute of mercy towards his children. Hence we find, when he is preparing to execute his judgments, that he delays the execution as long as the honour of his name and safety of his people will permit, Jer. xliv. 23. He bears till he can bear no longer : he often turns away his wrath from them, Psal. Ixxviii. 38, 39. He tries them by lesser judgments and gentler correc- tions to prevent greater, Amos iv. 6. When his people are humbled tinder the threatenings of his wrath, his heart is melted into compas- sion to them, Jer. xxxi. 17, 20. and whenever his mercy prevails against judgment, it is with joy and triumph, Jam. ii. 13. Mercy rejoiceth against judgment.
For he feels his own tender compassions yerning over them ; he foreseeth, and is no way willing to gratify the insulting pride of his and their enemies. Deut. xxxii. 26, 27. " I said I would scatter them " into corners, I would make the remembrance of them to cease " from among men, were it not that I feared the wrath of the enemy, " lest their adversaries should behave themselves strangely, &c.
Yet all this, notwithstanding, it often falls out, by the provocations of his sons and daughters, that the Lord gives them up into the hands of their enemies for the correction of their evils, and the ma- nifestation of his own glory. Seneca, though a heathen, could say, that God loves his people with a masculine love, not with a woman- ish indulgence and tenderness : If need require, they shall be in hea- viness through manifold temptations, 1 Pet. i. 6. He had rather their hearts should be heavy under adversity, than vain and careless under prosperity ; the choicest spirits have been exercised with the sharpest sufferings, and those that now shine as stars in heaven,
Q PllEPAKATIONS FOK SUFFEIIIXGS ; OE,