Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners [53]
I must first pass a sentence of death upon every thing that can properly be called a thing of this life, even to reckon myself, my wife, my children, my health, my enjoyments, and all as dead to me, and myself as dead to them.
326. The second was to live upon God that is invisible, as Paul said in another place; the way not to faint is, TO LOOK NOT ON THE THINGS THAT ARE SEEN, BUT AT THE THINGS THAT ARE NOT SEEN; FOR THE THINGS THAT ARE SEEN ARE TEMPORAL, BUT THE THINGS THAT ARE NOT SEEN ARE ETERNAL. And thus I reasoned with myself, if I provide only for a prison, then the whip comes at unawares; and so doth also the pillory: Again, if I only provide for these, then I am not fit for banishment. Further, if I conclude that banishment is the worst, then if death comes, I am surprised: so that I see, the best way to go through sufferings, is to trust in God through Christ, as touching the world to come; and as touching this world, TO COUNT THE GRAVE MY HOUSE, TO MAKE MY BED IN DARKNESS; TO SAY TO CORRUPTION, THOU ART MY FATHER, AND TO THE WORM, THOU ART MY MOTHER AND SISTER: that is, to familiarize these things to me.
327. But notwithstanding these helps, I found myself a man and compassed with infirmities; the parting with my wife and poor children, hath often been to me in this place, as the pulling the flesh from the bones, and that not only because I am somewhat too fond of these great mercies, but also because I should have often brought to my mind the many hardships, miseries, and wants that my poor family was like to meet with, should I be taken from them, especially my poor blind child, who lay nearer my heart than all besides: Oh! the thoughts of the hardship I thought my poor blind one might go under, would break my heart to pieces.
328. Poor child! thought I, what sorrow art thou like to have for thy portion in this world! Thou must be beaten, must beg, suffer hunger, cold, nakedness, and a thousand calamities, though I cannot now endure the wind should blow upon thee. But yet recalling myself, thought I, I must venture you all with God, though it goeth to the quick to leave you: Oh! I saw in this condition I was as a man who was pulling down his house upon the head of his wife and children; yet, thought I, I must do it, I must do it: and now I thought on those TWO MILCH KINE THAT WERE TO CARRY THE ARK OF GOD INTO ANOTHER COUNTRY, AND TO LEAVE THEIR CALVES BEHIND THEM. 1 Sam. vi. 10-12.
329. But that which helped me in this temptation, was divers considerations, of which, three in special here I will name, the first was the consideration of these two scriptures, LEAVE THY FATHERLESS CHILDREN, I WILL PRESERVE THEM ALIVE, AND LET THY WIDOWS TRUST IN ME: and again, THE LORD SAID, VERILY IT SHALL BE WELL WITH THY REMNANT, VERILY, I WILL CAUSE THE ENEMY TO ENTREAT THEE WELL IN THE TIME OF EVIL, AND IN TIME OF AFFLICTION. Jer. xlix. 11; xv. 11.
330. I had also this consideration, that if I should not venture all for God, I engaged God to take care of my concernments: but if I forsook Him and His ways, for fear of any trouble that should come to me or mine, then I should not only falsify my profession, but should count also that my concernments were not so sure, if left at God's feet, whilst I stood to and for His name, as they would be if they were under my own care, though with the denial of the way of God. This was a smarting consideration, and as spurs unto my flesh. That scripture also greatly helped it to fasten the more upon me, where Christ prays against Judas, that God would disappoint him in his selfish thoughts, which moved him to sell his Master. Pray read it soberly: Psalm cix. 6-8, etc.
331. I had also another consideration, and that was, the dread of the torments of hell, which I was sure they must partake of that for fear of the cross, do shrink from their profession of Christ, His words and laws before the sons of men: I thought also of the glory that He had prepared for those that in faith, and love, and
326. The second was to live upon God that is invisible, as Paul said in another place; the way not to faint is, TO LOOK NOT ON THE THINGS THAT ARE SEEN, BUT AT THE THINGS THAT ARE NOT SEEN; FOR THE THINGS THAT ARE SEEN ARE TEMPORAL, BUT THE THINGS THAT ARE NOT SEEN ARE ETERNAL. And thus I reasoned with myself, if I provide only for a prison, then the whip comes at unawares; and so doth also the pillory: Again, if I only provide for these, then I am not fit for banishment. Further, if I conclude that banishment is the worst, then if death comes, I am surprised: so that I see, the best way to go through sufferings, is to trust in God through Christ, as touching the world to come; and as touching this world, TO COUNT THE GRAVE MY HOUSE, TO MAKE MY BED IN DARKNESS; TO SAY TO CORRUPTION, THOU ART MY FATHER, AND TO THE WORM, THOU ART MY MOTHER AND SISTER: that is, to familiarize these things to me.
327. But notwithstanding these helps, I found myself a man and compassed with infirmities; the parting with my wife and poor children, hath often been to me in this place, as the pulling the flesh from the bones, and that not only because I am somewhat too fond of these great mercies, but also because I should have often brought to my mind the many hardships, miseries, and wants that my poor family was like to meet with, should I be taken from them, especially my poor blind child, who lay nearer my heart than all besides: Oh! the thoughts of the hardship I thought my poor blind one might go under, would break my heart to pieces.
328. Poor child! thought I, what sorrow art thou like to have for thy portion in this world! Thou must be beaten, must beg, suffer hunger, cold, nakedness, and a thousand calamities, though I cannot now endure the wind should blow upon thee. But yet recalling myself, thought I, I must venture you all with God, though it goeth to the quick to leave you: Oh! I saw in this condition I was as a man who was pulling down his house upon the head of his wife and children; yet, thought I, I must do it, I must do it: and now I thought on those TWO MILCH KINE THAT WERE TO CARRY THE ARK OF GOD INTO ANOTHER COUNTRY, AND TO LEAVE THEIR CALVES BEHIND THEM. 1 Sam. vi. 10-12.
329. But that which helped me in this temptation, was divers considerations, of which, three in special here I will name, the first was the consideration of these two scriptures, LEAVE THY FATHERLESS CHILDREN, I WILL PRESERVE THEM ALIVE, AND LET THY WIDOWS TRUST IN ME: and again, THE LORD SAID, VERILY IT SHALL BE WELL WITH THY REMNANT, VERILY, I WILL CAUSE THE ENEMY TO ENTREAT THEE WELL IN THE TIME OF EVIL, AND IN TIME OF AFFLICTION. Jer. xlix. 11; xv. 11.
330. I had also this consideration, that if I should not venture all for God, I engaged God to take care of my concernments: but if I forsook Him and His ways, for fear of any trouble that should come to me or mine, then I should not only falsify my profession, but should count also that my concernments were not so sure, if left at God's feet, whilst I stood to and for His name, as they would be if they were under my own care, though with the denial of the way of God. This was a smarting consideration, and as spurs unto my flesh. That scripture also greatly helped it to fasten the more upon me, where Christ prays against Judas, that God would disappoint him in his selfish thoughts, which moved him to sell his Master. Pray read it soberly: Psalm cix. 6-8, etc.
331. I had also another consideration, and that was, the dread of the torments of hell, which I was sure they must partake of that for fear of the cross, do shrink from their profession of Christ, His words and laws before the sons of men: I thought also of the glory that He had prepared for those that in faith, and love, and