SECT. I.The Faithful's Croſſes are their way to Bleſſings.

WHen old Simeon, at the preſen­tation of the Child Jeſus, by his Parents, to the Lord, in the Temple, had done bleſſing God, for that he had (accord­ing to the Revelation former­ly received) now before his death ſeen with his eyes the Lords Chriſt; the Evangeliſt tell­eth us he bleſſed the Parents of the Child alſo; and ſaid unto Mary his Mother, Behold, this Child is ſet for the fall and riſing again of many in Iſrael;Luk. 2.34, 35. and for a ſign which ſhall be ſpoken againſt: yea, a ſword ſhall pierce through thy own Soul alſo, that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed. We muſt2 take theſe words of his to Mary, either to be adjoyned to the bleſſing he had pronounced upon them, or to be the very form of bleſſing wherewith he bleſſed them. If the former, they give us to underſtand what a Commix­ture, or connexion of Croſſes, there is with the greateſt Bleſſings the ſervants of God can receive in this life: They were happy Pa­rents to have ſuch a Child, and yet that Child muſt in ſome reſpects be a Benoni, a ſon of extream ſorrow to them, or one of them, by the very unhappy uſe and uſage he ſhould meet with in the world. If the latter (which is to me more probable) it may ſeem at firſt ſight to be a ſtrange kind of Bleſſing, which conſiſts for the moſt part of exceeding ſad events to befall both Son, and Mother, yea and many others. Behold, this Child is ſet for the fall — of many in Iſrael; and for a Sign that ſhall be ſpoken againſt: yea, a ſword ſhall pierce through thy own Soul alſo. So that Mary might as much muſe at this Bleſſing, as ſhe did at the Angels Salutation, of which it is ſaid, She was troubled at his ſaying, and caſt in her mind what manner of Salutation this ſhould be. Luk 1 29.Be it ſo, yet the Holy Ghoſt calls it a Bleſſing, and a Bleſſing it muſt be. Yea we may obſerve (and for that end here I bring it in) It is not only their Bleſſing, but a Pattern or Platform of the Bleſſing of all the Faithful, wherewith the Lord endoweth them here on Earth. Sime­on's3 form of Benediction upon Joſeph and Mary, is a draught of the Lords conſtant method of beſtowing, and bringing about Bleſſings to his people. Look how Simeon ſpeaketh to them, ſo the Lord proceedeth to­wards his; namely, by contradictions, and conflicts; by offences, and ſcandals; and by heart piercing ſorrows to bring them to happy enjoyments, comforts, and mercies. And that which is here deſigned to be the lot of Christs Perſon, is alſo to be extended to his Office, Word, Truth, Way, Cauſe, and Church; they are with him, and he in them ſet as a ſtone of ſtumbling, and Rock of of­fence, whereat many ſhall fall, and thereby catch their ruine; and as a But or Mark (as the word is interpreted) at which proud and malicious men ſhall dart their ſharpeſt re­proaches, and into which they and their Ru­lers ſhall thruſt their bloodieſt ſwords: and theſe their injuries and ſufferings ſhall wound with bittereſt griefs all their Alies, that is, all thoſe that in affection and profeſſion adhere unto them. As Joſeph the Patriarch came by his Bleſſing, The Archers ſorely grieved him, and ſhot at him, and hated him, but his Bow a­bode in ſtrēgth, &c. by the hands of the migh­ty God of Jacob, &c. who ſhal bleſs thee with bleſſings of Heaven above, bleſſings of the deep that lieth under, bleſſings of the breſts, and of the womb, &c. they ſhall be on the head of Joſeph, and on the crown of the head4 of him that was ſeparate from his Brethren: By the ſame way doth Joſeph's Son here be­come a Bleſſing to thoſe that belong to him: But of this courſe of the Saints to the Con­ſolations in Chriſt; That their paſſage to the Land of Promiſe muſt be (with Iſrael) through the Red Sea, and the waſte howling Wilderneſs; That they muſt fetch their ho­ney (with Samſon) out of the Roaring Lion; That the ſword that brought Christ to his death muſt pierce through Mary's heart, and all theirs that travel in birth with Chriſt, if ſh•and they, will obtain the Bleſſing by him: Or, that (as the Prophet Zechariah hath it) that Sword which is awakned againſt Chriſt the Shepherd,Zech. 13.7 8, 9. muſt diſperſe them that are the flock, and be turned alſo upon them, until it hath cut off two parts of three; and the remaining third part muſt paſs through the fire, and be refined as Silver, and tryed as Gold, and then they ſhall call upon the Name of the Lord, and be heard. This I ſay is to be further treated on in the enſuing Diſ­courſe.

SECT. II.The Perſecutions that befall the Faithful make many and notable Heart-diſcove­ries.

BUt, there is another thing which I aimed at in prefacing this of Simeon; and that5 is the effect which he foretells, the falling of many at Chriſt as a ſtumbling block, the bent of mens tongues againſt him, as the ſcope of their malice, and the ſwords piercing through the Soul of Mary, ſhould have, to wit, that the thoughts of many hearts may be Reveal­ed. Afflictions, eſpecially thoſe of the Saints, and more eſpecially thoſe that come upon them by the perſecuting Sword, they cauſe great ſearchings of heart. This Sword, as it worketh impreſſions of fear, and grief in the heart, ſo it cauſeth expreſſions of Truth from it. It is a Key to unlock, open, and bring forth the abundance of the heart, which be­fore was kept in. It gives vent to, and draws forth thoſe deep waters of the counſels of mans heart: It anatomizeth, or rips up all the otherwiſe concealed intents, drifts, and diſpoſitions thereof. What great heart-diſ­coveries doth it make on all hands? It lays open both friend, and foe; it unfolds the heart both of Patients, and Agents; yea, and of the Dependents and Allies of them both; yea, and of meer Spectators. We need go no fur­ther for Inſtance then thoſe Sufferings of Chriſt related to in this place, eſpecially when they came to a head, at his Paſſion and Death; Then did thoſe his Enemies, the high Prieſts, the Elders, the Scribes and Pariſees, Herod, and Pilate with his Soldiers (who before durſt not do what they would, and were ſometimes fain to ſpeak him fair) ſhew them­ſelves6 in their colours. What inveterate Ma­lice, deſperate Blood-thirſtineſs, ſelf-con­demning Injuſtice, deviliſh worldly-policy, immune Cruelty, inſolent Blaſphemy, did then ſwell, and burſt forth of their hearts? Then alſo did the rottenneſs of his falſe and feigned Friends appear: Of Judas, by ſelling and betraying him, his Maſter: Of the com­mon people, who erewhile had followed and admired him, and but a few days before had entertained him with triumphant Acclama­tions and Hoſanna's as their King; they now diſplay their hypocriſie, by their pre­ferring Barrabas before him; by their cry­ing out againſt him, Away with him, crucifie him; and by their wilful taking upon them the guilt of his Blood. Nay then did the paſſers by, and by-ſtanders, take occaſion to ſhew their ſpleen, by railing and ſcoffing at him. Yea, one of his very fellow-ſufferers muſt, with his life, breathe out his impotent rancor, by reviling him. Then did alſo his faithful Friends and Followers diſcloſe what was in them, and that both ways; both the evil, and the good: On the one ſide, they ge­nerally diſcovered their weakneſs of Under­ſtanding, and ſlowneſs of Faith, about the Neceſſity, End, and Fruit of Chriſts Death, and Certainty of his Reſurrection, with ex­tream deſpondency of mind, and ſome of the chiefeſt of them bewrayed, moreover, ſtrange inconſtancy, fear, and falſhood. On the other7 ſide, there brake forth ſomewhat of the truth and power of grace in them, to wit, in Ma­ry, and the other women that followed Chriſt, in the Apoſtles, in Joſeph of Arima­thea, and Nicodemus, and in the good Thief upon the Croſs; in them were manifeſted honeſt reſolutions, and much tenderneſs of affection, with ſome degree of faithfulneſs, piety, and courage. Laſtly, in our bleſſed Sa­viour himſelf there was a diſcovery made. In the midſt of all thoſe his inexplicable en­durings and agonies, his heart (being with them melted like wax in the midſt of his bowels) did ſend forth the moſt precious oyntments,Pſa. 22 14. and ſweet ſmelling ſavours of the graces treaſured in him above meaſure; and among other, admirable and ſurpaſſing Love, Meekneſs, Patience, Fortitude, Charity, Obedience, and Faith oriently ſhined forth in him: So fully did this diſſecting effect of the Sword in all ſorts of perſons then ap­pear.

And there hath been of late no ſmall veri­fication of the ſame in and amongſt our ſelves. That which was once complained of as the caſe of Judah,Jer. 4.10. hath been made good upon us, to wit, the Swords reaching unto the Soul. It hath reached unto, yea and pier­ced through the Soul of theſe three Nations, in regard of their publique Intereſts; beſides ▪ that it hath run through the Soul of many, and many a particular perſon in them, in re­ſpect8 of life, or of other things dearer to them then their own lives: and this Soul-piercer hath been a ſhrewd Heart-diſcloſer. As when that holy King and Prophet David was dri­ven out of his Kingdom by the rebellious ſword of his own ſon and Subjects, the hearts of men did diverſly diſcover them­ſelves towards him: One ſhewed himſelf a traytorous Ahitophel, another a raillng Shi­mei, another a ſelf-advantaging Ziba, ano­ther a ſeditious Sheba; others (as the two hundered which went with Abſalom out of Jeruſalem in their ſimplicity) are ſeduced from their Loyalty: others ſtand faſt, and approve their fidelity (though ſome of them are miſ-repreſented to David) as Zadock and Abiathar, Ittai and Mephiboſheth. So hath it come to paſs amongſt us: Our eyes do now behold all theſe parts acted, as the ſeveral iſſues of mens hearts, drawn forth by this diſſecting Sword. O what Ambition, Deceitfulneſs, Malice, Covetouſneſs, Diſsimu­lation, Cruelty, Carnal-policy, Mutability, Hy­pocriſie in Religion, Perfidy, and Perjury in Covenants and Oaths? What Ignorance in the ways of God, Inſenſibleneſs of one ano­thers Miſeries, Cenſoriouſneſs, Contentiouſ­neſs, hatred of Reformation, wearineſs in well-doing, Impatience, Infidelity, have the ſeveral boſoms of men (opened by this Sword) poured out in the face and theater of the world during the progreſs of theſe9 Wars and Commotions? Theſe times a­bound not (ſcarce) with any thing ſo much as with ſtrange extractions and productions out of the mynes of mens hearts, by the effi­cacy and influence, not of the Stars, but of theſe ſublunary Revolutions: Whileſt an height of earthly proſperity and advancement hath ſo diſſolved ſome, and a load of hard­ſhips and fruſtrations hath ſo depreſſed and ſqueezed others, that they have expreſſed, become, and acted what neither themſelves would, nor others durſt imagine of them. 'Tis commonly obſerved (ſaith one) that though ſmooth and peaceable times are beſt for the Liver,Jo. Wilkins Beauty of Provi­dence, pag. 62. yet times that are full of Changes and Viciſſitude are beſt for the Writer: for the Hiſtorian then hath greater ſtore of ſtrange paſſages to commit to me­mory.

SECT. III.The Faithful's Perſecutions cauſe Heart-diſcoveries in themſelves.

IT is beſides my preſent purpoſe to under­take the decyphering, or cure of all, or ma­ny of thoſe unhappy heart-maladies even now named; the moſt of them are too dangerous Ulcers for me to deal with: ſuch a Spittle-ful of running, raging ſores, require the view and applications of a whole Colledg of the ableſt Phyſicians. It is enough if I admove my hand10 to the moſt gentle and curable amongſt them. There are ſome of them are the taintures and griefs of the godlieſt, uprighteſt men: ſuch as in the aforementioned tryals, the faithful­eſt Diſciples of Chriſt, the faſteſt friends of David, yea and David himſelf was ſubject to thoſe, both deſerve more pity, and promiſe more hope of recovery: Such are, wearineſs in the ways of God; failing, and froward­neſs of heart under the ſmart of worldly troubles and diſappointments; diſtruſtful thoughts, doubts and reaſonings about the Promiſes, and Providences of God, and the like. My deſign is to apply my ſelf (did I know how) unto ſome of the ſervants of God, laboring under, or in danger to be over­taken by theſe evils; To ſpeak (as the Pro­phet bids) to them that are of a fearful (or haſty) heart,Iſai. 34.4 to be ſtrong, and not to fear. It being promiſed by the ſame Prophet, both, that the heart of the raſh (or haſty) ſhall un­derſtand knowledg,Iſai. 32.4. & 29.24. and the tongue of the ſtammerers ſhall be ready to ſpeak plainly (or elegantly;) and, that they that erred in ſpi­rit ſhall come to Ʋnderſtanding, and they that murmured ſhall learn Doctrine.

It is no new thing, that the hearts of men truly gracious and holy, under diſaſtrous e­vents, do manifeſt ſome perverſity, or diſtem­per; It hath ſcarce ever been otherwiſe with any ſuch in that condition. Adverſe Provi­dences are a ſtone, at which, as carnal and pro­phane11 perſons do ſtumble, and fall, and are broken, and ſnared, and taken; ſo do the faithful ſtagger;Iſai. 8.15. Pſal. 73.2. Jer. 25.15.27. & 8.18 Lam. 1.20, 22. in ſo much that their feet are almoſt gone, their ſteps are well nigh ſlipt. The Judgments of God are a Cup of which all muſt drink; and the potion there­of, as it makes the wicked drunk, ſo that they ſpue, and fall, and riſe again no more; ſo it bringeth upon the ſoundeſt of the ſer­vants of God qualms, and ſick fits, and is ve­ry painfully digeſted by them. It is in a ſan­ctified Soul as in a Bee-hive; If you ſtir, or thruſt any thing into the hive, preſently all the Bees come forth; the honey ſtays with­in, but the ſtinging Bees ſwarm out: So, if ſuch a Soul be pierced with that perſecuting-ſword that entered into Mary's Soul, the corruption in it makes iſſue, and comes forth, whileſt the graces and vertues lie hidden, and couched down within. As in Nature, when the heart is violently affected, either through any ſudden paſsion of the mind, or noxious humor in the body, the blood and vital ſpirits retire inward, and betake themſelves to the heart; the outward parts are poſſeſſed with weakneſs, paleneſs, trembling, and diſtortion: So you may obſerve in the ſpiritual Conſti­tution; Let vehement troubles aſſail a graci­ous perſon, and you may find, not ſeldom, and eſpecially in the firſt onſet, that in ſuch a one infirmities and corruptions are forward to break out; and the good that's in him to12 be ſlow of vent, or benummed, and ſhut up in the Center. The Examples of the Servants of God in Scripture thus carrying under Af­flictions, the obſcurement and overcaſting of their graces and good principles, and the ir­ruption of their frailties, are more and larger then I can allow my ſelf to lay forth. How much in this kind is recorded in the Old Te­ſtament, of thoſe great names, and renowned Saints, Job, David, Heman, Ethan, Jeremi­ah, Jonah, and Habakkuk, may eaſily be re­membered: The bitter Complaints, the o­verwhelming Horrors, the deep Aſtoniſh­ments, the high Expoſtulations, the perverſe Judgments and Concluſions, the Infidelity, Wrath, Impatience, and Deſpondency, which they have bewrayed, are too ample a Subject for me here to expatiate on. Some perhaps will preſume, thoſe imperfections and over-cloudings were peculiar to that time of the Churches Minority, before the Goſpel times; but, now ſhe is come to more maturity under the Goſpel, the Saints are overgrown thoſe diſtempers: But this can in no wiſe be ad­mitted. I alledged before the weakneſſes of this nature appearing even in the Apoſtles, and other Diſciples of Chriſt, in the hour of his falling into his Crucifiers hands: and I ſhall only add thereto the example and ac­knowledgment of that great Apoſtle of the Gentiles,Act. 20.19 S^t Paul; His many tears and temptations which befell him by the lying in13 wait of the Jews;Gal. 4.13, 14. 1 Cor. 2.3. 2 Cor. 1.8. & 4.8, 9. & 7.5. & 11.29. & 12.7. Phil. 1.30. the infirmity and tempta­tion which was in his fleſh; his weakneſs, fear, and much trembling; the troubles which preſſed him out of meaſure, above ſtrength, in ſo much that he despaired even of life; How he was troubled on every ſide, perplexed, perſecuted, caſt down; that, without were fightings, within were fears; How he was as weak (in his own ſenſe and repute) as the weakeſt; as ready to be offend­ed, yea to burn (with indignation or fretful­neſs) as any other; that he was galled with a thorn in the fleſh, the meſſenger of Satan ſent to buffet him^**Beza in loc., (that is, with the contume­lies and violences wherewith his and the Go­ſpels Enemies did by Satans inſtinct impetu­ouſly moleſt him, both in body and mind,) and that he had a certain conflict or agony within himſelf. Theſe diſtempers and per­turbations of mind he confeſſeth, as the ef­fects of thoſe perſecutions which in the courſe of his Miniſtry, in Aſia, Greece, Rome, and other places, he ſuſtained: And, they a­bundantly teſtifie, that the beſt of the Saints of God here do (as the Apoſtle in this regard ſaith of himſelf and his partakers in the Mi­niſtry) bear the treaſure of grace in earthen veſſels; that is, that they are frail,2 Cor. 4.7. and apt to expreſs ſome mud and ſoyl of humane infir­mities, when they are preſſed and chafed with hard endurings.

SECT. IV.Some Reaſons wherefore the Perſecutions of the Faithful produce in them Heart-diſcoveries.

THat ſo it is, is evident enough: it may be more appoſite to find out whence it is; or to take notice of ſome ſpecial Cauſes or Occaſions (more then the activeneſs of Corruption, the imperfection of Sanctifica­tion, and the ſtimulating nature of Perſecu­tions, which are of themſelves obvious) by which this cometh to paſs: And this done, I ſhall proceed to the treaty of the Subject intended. Amongſt other things theſe fol­lowing may be conſiderable, as the ground or riſe of the premiſed Effect in ſuch per­ſons.

1. The darkneſs and intricacy of thoſe ways of God, wherein he bringeth any great Calamities upon his Church and People; thoſe his Works are more then ordinarily obſcure and difficult to mens diſcerning, and that not only to vulgar or prophane minds, (they know not the thoughts of the Lord, neither underſtand they his Counſel;Mich. 4.12 Jer. 8.7. Hab. 1.5. they know not the Judgment of the Lord; they will not be­leeve it, though it be told them,) but to them that are godly, and endued with wiſ­dom from above, even to them theſe doings and dealings of God are very intricate. Zo­phar15 in Job ſaith,Job 11.6. There are in them ſecrets of wiſdom, and that they are double to what is, or to what appears, and is extent to be ſeen: There is much more in them within, then in their ſuperficies. And Job himſelf de­ſcribeth God in thoſe his proceedings thus: Which doth great things past finding out, yea and Wonders without number. Lo, he goeth by, and I ſee him not: he paſſeth on alſo, but I perceive him not. And again, he ſaith in the ſame Chapter, He covereth the faces of the Judges thereof;Job 9.10, 11, 22, 23, 24. that is (as I un­derſtand) thoſe that are willing and inquiſi­tive to know and judg of the acts of divine Providence, wherein ſometimes he alike de­ſtroyeth the perfect and the wicked, the good and bad: Sometimes he laugheth at the try­al of the innocent (or is pleaſed to try them with afflictions,) and the Earth (mean while) is given into the hand of the wicked, (or wicked men have allowed them by him an abundant portion of earthly things.) Thoſe (I ſay) that would be acquainted with theſe his diſpoſings, he covereth their faces, or ſo caſteth a vail over their ſight, and interpoſeth a cloud betwixt their eyes and his acts, that they are not able to dive into and clearly diſ­cover them. So it was with the Pſalmiſt: When I thought to know this, it was too painful for me: Thy way is in the Sea, and thy path in the great waters,Pſa. 73.16 & 77.19. and thy foot­ſteps are not known. The ways of God in the16 Sea are deep and inveſtigable; Seafayring men there ſee his Wonders, Pſal. 107.23, 24. Such are the paths of God in his ſharp Cor­rectings of his people by wicked men, as his Rods: Or, as the way of a Ship in the Sea is unperceiveable; this is one of the four things which Solomon the wiſeſt of men found too wonderful for him:Prov. 30.19, 20. ſo is the way of God towards his when he bringeth them into the rough and tempeſtuous Ocean of worldly tribulations. The ſame Wiſe-man having obſerved that there be juſt men, unto whom it happeneth according to the work of the wicked; again, there be wicked men, unto whom it happeneth according to the work of the righteous;Eccleſ. 8.14, 17. reſolveth thus: Then I be­held all the work of God, that a man cannot find out the work that is done under the Sun; becauſe though a man labour to ſeek it out, yet ſhall he not find it; yea further, though a wiſe man think to know it, yet ſhall he not be able to find it. In that glorious Viſion repreſented to the Prophet Ezekiel by the River of Chebar,Ezek. 1.16 one thing was a wheel, the appearance or work of which was as a wheel in the middle of a wheel. This wheel (ſay Expoſitors^**Ezek. 10 13. Hae au­tem rota ipſae voca­tae ſunt or­bis; videli­cet, ut or­bem no­ſtrum in quo verſa­mur figura rent. Jun. ) denoteth the ſtate of this world, with all things in it; particularly, the Kingdoms of the Earth, and the Church of God here Militant; the outward ſtate where­of is always ſubject to motion and mutation, to be up and down life a wheel: and the17 artifice of it being a wheel within a wheel, is the portraiture of divine Providence about the affairs of the world, and eſpecially of the Church, and more eſpecially of the Church in the furnace of hot Perſecutions, (as at the time of this Viſion ſhewed to Ezekiel ſhe was,) and it pointeth out to us the myſteriouſneſs of the courſe of Gods Providence towards his Church in that eſtate: The quickeſt, moſt ſearching eyes cannot therein diſcry the tract and purpoſes of divine Diſpenſations; there are in them ſo many croſs turnings, ſo many cloſe involations and intricacies: The effects produced, to wit, the evils ſuffered, are obvi­ous to ſenſe, and quickly enough apprehend­ed, and the ſecondary means by which they come do oft-times appear; but the obſcuri­ty of them is, as they come from God: What are his reaſons for which, what his ends to which, what his mind and affection with which, he doth them? Theſe are the enqui­ries which are always, and preſently raiſed, by the Patients upon them; and they are no leſs commonly raiſed, then difficulty determined or cleared. O Lord (ſaith Joſhua) what ſhall I ſay when Iſrael turneth their backs before their Enemies? Joſh. 7.8.That diſaſter quite amazed Heroick Joſhua; he was at his wits end; he was ſo puzzled at it, that he knew not what to think, what to ſay of it. Nay, ſometimes the perplexed Soul goes further in its queſti­ons; and demands concerning God, Where18 is he? doth he ſee, or regard? is he mindful of his promiſe? where are his former loving-kindneſſes? and the like. Such clouds are ſpread upon the face of Gods ways in this particular; and ſuch vapors do ariſe out of mens muſing minds to increaſe the obſcurity, that here, he that feareth the Lord walketh in darkneſs,Iſai. 50.10 & 59.10. and gropeth for the wall like the blind, he gropeth as if he had no eyes. And hence doth the Faithfuls diſtemper of heart take its riſe; this darkneſs worketh upon their corruption, or rather their corruption upon it: Unto the weight of that evil that lies upon the outward man, the heart creates it ſelf, and ſuper-addeth a burden of doubtful, ſolicitous, and vexing thoughts, about the Lords doing in it; and thus that condition is turned into a temptation, or occaſion for ſin­ful infirmities to make head, and boil forth.