First, Readiness for sufferings will bring the heart of a Christian to an holy rest and tranquillity, in a suffering hour, and prevent that anxiety, perturbation, and distraction of mind, which puts the sink- ing weight into afflictions. The more cares, fears, and troubles we have before our sufferings come, the more calm, quiet, and com- posed we are like to be when our sufferings are come indeed. It is admirable to consider with what peace and patience Job entertained his troubles, which, considering the kinds, degrees, and manner in which they befel him, one would think they should at least have startled and amazed him, and put his soul (as gracious and mortified as it was) into great disorder and confusion ; but you find the con- trary : never did the patience of a man triumph at that rate over ad- versity ; he worships God, owns his hand, and resigns himself up to his pleasure. Job i. 20, 21. And whence was this ? Surely had his troubles come by way of surprise, he could never have carried it at that rate; but in the days of his peace and prosperity he had prepared for such a day as this. Job iii. 25, 26. " I was not in safety, neither " had I rest ; yet trouble came ; the thing that I feared (saith he) " is come upon me.'"* He laid it to heart before it came, and there- fore it neither distracted, nor brake the heart when it came. In like manner the prophet Habakkuk stood upon his watch-tower, i. e. he made his observations by the word upon the probable events of pro- vidence, whereby he got a clear foresight of those troublesome days that were at hand ; which though it made him tremble in himself, yet it gave him rest in the day of evil, Hab. iii. 16, 17, 18. There is a twofold rest in the day of evil, viz.
1. A rest of deliverance.
2. A rest of contentation.
It is a singular mercy to find rest in a man's own spirit ; to enjoy inward peace, and tranquillity of mind, Avhen there is no rest with- out ; and the way to obtain this, is to foresee, count upon, and make due preparation for troublous times before-hand : evils that come by way of surprisal, are not only amazing, but very frequently destruc- tive evils ; it is a sad aggravation to feel a misery, before we fear it ; those calamities that find men secure, do usually leave them desperate; the enemy that comes upon our backs hath a great advantage to ruin us, yet this is the common case of the world, " For man knoweth " not his time, but as the fishes are taken in an evil net, and as the " birds that are caught in the snare ; so are the sons of men snared " in an evil time, when it falleth on them suddenly," Eccl. ix. 12. Thus perished the old world ; there was but one Noah provided for the flood, and he only, with his family, was preserved in it : all the
18 PR EPAHATIOXS FOR sufferings; OR,
rest were eating, drinking, marrying, and giving in marriage, until the flood came and swept them all away, Mat. xxiv. 38. Men will not use their foreseeing faculties; but because it is all quiet to-day, they conclude it shall be so to-morrow. Those that are at rest in their habitation, and have got a safe pillow under their heads, are apt to fall asleep in security, and dream pleasantly of continued rest and peace ; and loth they are to interrupt their sensual pleasure with melancholy thoughts of changes and sufferings.
Philosophers tell us, that immediately before an earthquake the air is very quiet and serene ; and before the great rain falls, the wind is usually still : were the aspect of second causes much more favour- able and encouraging than it is ; yet there is cause enough, for all that are wise in heart, to fear and tremble, under the consideration of that national guilt which is treasured up, and will certainly pro- duce distress and trouble.
O Christians ! look out for days of visitation ; prepare for a storm, and provide you an ark, an hiding-place in Christ, and the promises, as ever you expect rest, and peace in your own spirits, when the earth shall be full of tumults, uproars, and desolations.
Secondly^ Our preparation for sufferings is an excellent argument of the honesty and sincerity of our hearts, in the matters of religion : he that makes account of sufferings, and is daily at work with his own heart, mortifyir.g his corruptions, weaning its worldly affections, exciting and making ready its suffering-graces, resolving in the strength of God, to take his lot with Christ, wherever, and howso- ever it shall fall ; tliis is the man that hath deliberately closed with Christ upon his own terms, and is like to be the durable and vic- torious Christian.
As for hypocrites, (Christ's summer friends) they have either their exceptions against the severities of religion, and study to secure to themselves a retreat from danger, or else they rush inconsiderately into the profession of Christ, never debating the terms which he pro- poses to all that will follow him, Mark viii. 84. The necessity of a rational and well-advised closure with Christ upon suffering and self- denying terms, is by himself fully set forth in that excellent parable, Luke xiv. 25, 26, 27, 28. There was a great multitude that follow- ed him at that time ; Christ began to grow in request among them ; they flocked from all parts to see and hear him ; but he foresaw, that if once a sharp trial should befal them, it v.ould quickly thin, and diminish that great multitude, and reduce them like Gideon's host, into a little handful : and therefore he resolves to deal candidly and plainly with them ; he propounds his terms, and sets down his conditions, which every one of them must subscribe, that will follow him ; the sum of which is this, " Let him deny himself, take up his " cross and follow me."" And to evince the rationality of these terms, he argues, from the most common and obvious practices of men in their civil affairs : no man, that exerciseth reason, will begin to build
THE BEST WORK IX THE WORST TIMES. 19