2. From the temper of his goverment, or the mitigation of his sovereignty, which he observeth in all his dealings with his people. God is an absolute sovereign, and giveth no account of his matters ; therefore we must acquiesce in his laws and providences, though we know not the reasons of them. Yet his sovereignty in the exercise of it is always mitigated, and made sweet to us by his wisdom, power, and goodness, as to the case in hand. For his laws, they are holy, just, and good ; there is no modelling and bringing them down to our humours and fancies, but they must stand as they are, being built on eternal equity, and commending themselves by their own evidence to our con- sciences.
But for his providential dispensations —
[1.] There is much wisdom in them : for he doth not call us to any eminent act of self-denial till we are prepared for it, sufficiently enlight- ened and confirmed, before we are called tosuffer for the truth, or upon the hopes of glory. As Jacob drove as the little ones were able to bear, so doth God lay upon his people no more than they are able to bear, 1 Cor. x. 13. His castles are well victualled before they are besieged ; first enlightened, then afflicted : Heb. x. 32, ' After ye were illuminated, ye endured a great fight of affliction ; ' Gen. xxii. 1, ' After these things God did tempt Abraham.' After solemn assurances of his love, then he put him upon offering up Isaac. So he deals proportionably with all his children. Their afflictions are according to their strength, and the degree and measure of grace received.
, [2.] From the power of God. We have no reason to be discouraged in his service. God can deliver you from hard trials by forbearing to call you to them, and restraining the rage of enemies by delivering out of their hands by his almighty power ; only it is your duty to resolve to be obedient to him, whether he will deliver you or no, and make a way for your escape. This was the resolution of the three children : Dan. iii. 17, 18, ' We are not careful to answer thee in this matter. If it be
70 SERMONS UPON PHILIPPIANS III. [SeR. VII.
so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, 0 king : but if not, \)e it known unto thee, 0 king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship thy golden image which thou hast set up.' So Paul : Acts xx. 22, 24, ' And now I go bound in the spirit to Jerusalem, not knowing the things that shall befall me there : but none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so I may finish my course with joy, and the ministry which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.' We must be posi- tive m our duty, but refer it to God to determine of our lot. If the worst come to the worst, he is able to support us : 2 Tim. iv. 17, 18, ' I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion ; and the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and preserve me to his heavenly kingdom.' It becometh not the servants of God to be tender of the interests of the flesh, if they will be kept blameless to his heavenly kingdom.
[3.] There is relief in his goodness too, who doth extraordinarily support, assist, and comfort his suffering servants in all their conflicts and trials : 1 Peter iv. 14, ' If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye ; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you.' Cordials are for a fainting time ; and his people in sufferings have a more liberal allowance of his supporting presence, a sweeter taste of his love : Rom. v. 5, ' The love of God is shed abroad in our hearts.' Clearer hopes of glory than others have. All the saints of God are in a way to glory, but his suffering saints are in the nearest way ; yea, they have a reward above the common reward, for those that come out of tribulation wash their garments white in the blood of the Lamb, and are admitted to stand before the throne, Rev. vii. 13, 14. Now since these things are so, we may be contented by any means to attain unto the resurrection of the dead.
3. The great difficulty lieth, not in a respect to the end, but the means ; and so the trial of our sincerity must be rather looked for there. There is some difficulty about the end, to convince men of an unseen felicity, but the greatest difficulty is to convert them from worldly vanities, and to draw them to seek after it. We have a quick ear for offers of happiness, but we snuff at the troublesome conditions of duty, and obedience, and entire subjection to God. All would attain to the blessed resurrection, but they do not come to this, ' If by any means.' Balaam could say, ' Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my latter end be like his,' Num. xxiii. 10 ; but he loved the wages of unrighteousness. If the wicked are said to despise eternal happiness, it is not simply as happiness, nor eternal ; they like happiness well enough, for they love themselves, and would be happy ; nor as eternal, for man, that lost the right object of his desires, hath not lost the vastness of them ; he would be happy for ever, but it is not in conjunction with the means. Thus the Israelites despised the pleasant land, and ' murmured in their tents,' Ps. cxvi. 24, 25. What ailed them ? The land was a good land, a most fruit- ful possession ; but when the spies brought back word, as of the great fertility of the land, so of the giantly strength and stature of the people and their fortifications, they thought God had deluded them, and resolved to give over the pursuit of Canaan. Canaan was not