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ACTS xxi. 13.

Then Paul answered, What mean ye to weep, and to break my heart? For I am ready not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerufalem for the name of the Lord Jejus.

CHAP. I.

Wherein the text is opened, and the doctrine propounded.

TH

HE Divine providence is not more fignally discovered in governing the motions of the clouds, than it is in dif poung and ordering the fpirits and motions of the ministers of the gofpel, who, in a myftical fenfe, are fruitful clouds, to dif penfe the showers of gofpel-bleffings to the world. The mo tion of the clouds is not fpontaneous, but they move as they are moved by the winds; neither can gofpel-ministers chuse their own stations, and govern their own motions, but must go when and where the Spirit and providence of God directs and guides them; as will evidently appear in that dangerous voyage to Jerufalem in which the apoitle was at this time engaged. Acts xx. 22." And now, behold, I go bound in the Spirit to "Jerufalem," [bound in the Spirit :] Alluding to the watery va pours which are bound up in clouds, and conveyed according to the motions of the winds. This journey was full of danger; Paul forefaw his bufinefs was not only to plant the gospel at Jerufalem with his doctrine, but to water it alfo with his blood; but fo effectually was his will determined by the will of God, that he chearfully complies with his duty therein, whatsoever difficulties and dangers did attend it.

And indeed it was his great advantage, that the will of God was fo plainly, and convincingly revealed to him touching this matter; for no fooner did he employ himself to obey this call of God, but he is prefently affaulted by many ftrong tempta tions to decline it.

The first rub he met in his way, was from the difciples of Tyre, who pretending to speak by the Spirit, faid unto Paul, that he should not go up to Jerufalem, Acts xxi. 4. The Lord by this trying the fpirit of his apostle much, as he did the young prophet coming from Judea to Bethel, 1 Kings xiii. 18. but not with like fuccefs.

His next difcouragement was at Caefarea, where Agabus (whom Dorotheus affirms to be of the feventy-two difciples, and had before prophefied of the famine in the reign of Claudius,

which accordingly came to pass) takes Paul's girdle, and binding his own hands and feet with it, faid, "Thus faith the Holy "Ghost, so shall the Jews at Jerufalem bind the man that own. "eth this girdle, and shall deliver him into the hands of the "Gentiles," Acts xxi. 11. And furely he was not ignorant what he must expect whenever he should fall into their hands; yet neither could this affright him from his duty.

But then, laft of all, he meeteth with the foreft trial from his dearest friends, who fell upon him with paffionate intreaties, and many tears, befeeching him to decline that journey: O they could not give up fuch a minifter as Paul was! this even melted him down, and almost broke his heart, which yet was easier to do, than to turn him out of the path of obedience: Where, by the way, we may note two things:

First, That divine precept, not providence, is to rule out our way of duty.

Secondly, That no hindrances, or difcouragements, whatfoever, will justify our neglect of a known duty.

All these rubs he paffes over; all thefe difcouragements he overcame, with this heroic and truly Chriftian refolution in the "What mean ye to weep, and to break my heart? For "I am ready not to be bound only, but alfo to die at Jerufalem, for the name of the Lord Jesus."

text;

In which words we have,

1. A loving and gentle rebuke.

2. A quieting and calming argument.

First, He lovingly and gently rebukes their fond and inordinate forrow for his departure, in these words, What mean ye to weep, and to break my heart? As if he fhould say, What mean these paffionate intreaties, and tempting tears? To what purpose is all this a-do? They are but fo many fnares of Satan, to turn my heart out of the way of obedience: You 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 paffions with a very quieting and calming argument; For I am ready, &c. STOIμWS EX, parate habeo. I am prepared, and fitted for the greatest fufferings which shall befal me in the pursuit of my duty; be it a prifon, or be it death, I am provided for either: Liberty is dear, and life much dearer, but Chrift is dearer than either.

But what was there in all this, to fatisfy them whose trouble it was to see him, so forward? Let the words be considered,

and we shall find divers things in them to fatisfy 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 fufferings; this is the work of God: flefh and blood would never be brought to this, were not all its interefts and inclinations fubdued, and over-ruled by the Spirit of God. What do ye therefore in all this, but work against the defign of God, who hath fitted and prepared my heart for this fervice?

Secondly, I am ready; that is, my will and resolution stands in a full bent, my heart is fixed, you cannot therefore ftudy to do me a greater injury, than to difcompofe and diforder my heart again, by cafting fuch temptations as these in my way, to cause the flesh to rebel, and the enemy that is within to renew his oppofition,

Thirdly, I am ready; that is, my heart is fo fixed to follow the call of God, whatever shall befal me, that all your tears and intreaties to the contrary are but caft away; they cannot alter fixed purpofe; you had as good be quiet, and chearfully refign me to the will of God.

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Thus you fee the equipage and preparation of Paul's fpirit to receive both bonds and death for Christ at Jerufalem; 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 courfe with joy. From hence the obfervation is,

Doct. That it is a blessed and excellent thing, for the people of God to be prepared, and ready for the hardeft fervices, and work of fufferings, to which the Lord may call them. This is that which every gracious heart is reaching after, praying, and thriving to obtain; but ah! how few will attain it! Certainly there are not many among the multitudes of the profeffors of this generation, that can fay as Paul here did, "I am ready to be bound, or to die for Chrift."

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С НА Р. 11.

Shews, that although God takes no delight in afflicting his people, yet he fometimes exposeth them to great and grievous sufferings; with a brief account why, and how he calls them there

unto.

TH

HE mercies and compaffions of God over his people, are exceeding great and tender, Pfal, ciii. 13. "Like as a father pitieth his children, fo the Lord pitieth them that

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"fear him." He delights not in afflicting and grieving them, Lam. iii. 33." He doth not afflict willingly, nor grieve the "children of men." The fcripture intimates to us a feeming conflict betwixt the justice and mercy of God, when he is about to deliver up his people into their enemies hands, Hofea xi. 8, "How fhall I give thee up, Ephraim? How shall I deliver "thee, Ifrael? How fhall I make thee as Adma? How shall "I fet thee as Zeboim? Mine heart is turned within me, my "repentings are kindled together." Which thews us with what reluctance, and great unwillingness the Lord goes about fuch a work as this. The work of judgment is his frange work, it pleases him better 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 fafety of his people will permit, Jer. xliv. 23. He bears till he can bear no longer he often turns away his wrath from them, Pfal. Ixxviii. 38, 39. He tries them by leffer judgments, and gentler corrections, to prevent greater, When his people are humbled under the threaten { ings of his wrath, his heart is melted into compaffion 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,

Amos iv. 6.

For he feels his own tender compaffions yerning over them; he forefeeth, and is no way willing to gratify the infulting pride of his, and their enemies. Deut. xxxii. 26, 27. "I faid I "would scatter them into corners, I would make the remem"brance of them to cease from among men, were it not that [ "feared the wrath of the enemy, left their adverfaries should "behave themfelves ftrangely," &c.

Yet all this, notwithstanding, it often falls out, by the proVocations of his fons and daughters, that the Lord gives them up into the hands of their enemies for the correction of their evils, and the manifestation of his own glory. Seneca, though a heathen, could fay, that God loves his people with a mafcu. line love, not with a womanish indulgence, and tenderness: If need require, they shall be in heaviness through manifold temptations, Pet. i. 6. He had rather their hearts should be heavy under adverfity, than vain and careless under prosperity; the choiceft fpirits have been exercifed with the fharpelt fufferings, and thofe that now fhine as stars in heaven, have been trode under foot as dung on the earth, 1 Cor. iv. 11, 12, 13. "Unto this prefent hour we both hunger and thirst, and are

naked, and buffeted, and have no certain dwelling-place,

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"and labour, working with our own hands; being reviled we blets, being perfecuted we fuffer it, being defamed we intreat; "we are made as the filth of the world, and the off-fcouring of "all things unto this day." The eleventh chapter to the Hebrews is a compendium of the various and grievous fufferings of the primitive faints: "They were tortured, they were fawn "afunder, were tempted, were flain with the fword, they "wandered about in fheep-skins and goat-skins, being afflicted, "deftiture, tormented, of whom the world was not worthy; they wandered in deferts, and in mountains, in dens, and "caves of the earth." And fince the earth hath dried up those rivers of precious blood, whereof the facred records make men. tion, what feas of Chriftians blood have fince thofe days been thed by bloody perfecutors? Hiftories inform us, that in the ten primitive perfecutions, fo many of the faints and martyrs of Jefus Chrift have been flain, as that you may allow five thousand a day to every day in the whole year. Those bloody emperors fported themfelves with the deaths of God's deareft faints; many precious Chriftians were burnt by night at Rome, to serve as torches to light their enemies in their paffage through the ftreets; eight hundred thousand martyrs are mentioned within the fpace of thirty years, fince the Jefuits arofe out of the bot tomless pit.

To what grievous fufferings did the Lord give up thofe precious fervants of Chrift, the Waldenfes, and Albigenles, who received the light of reformation about the year 1260, when the fogs of Antichriftian darkness had overspread the earth! a people found in judgment, as appears by their letters, catechifins, and confeffions, which are extant;, a people of a fimple, plain, and inoffenfive behaviour: Yet, with what fury and rage did that impious pope Pius perfecute them to destruction! driving them into the woods and mountains, except the aged, and children that could not flee, who were murdered in the way: Some famished in the caves, and clefts of the rocks; others endured the rack for eight hours together; fome beaten with iron rods, others thrown from the tops of high towers, and dashed to pieces.

What bloody fhambles, and flaughter-houses, have France, Ireland, and England, been made by popish cruelty! More might be related out of each story, than a tender-hearted reader is able to bear the rehearsal of. But what God hath done, he may do again: We are not better than our fathers, difmal clouds of indignation are gathering over our heads, charged with double destruction; fhould the Lord please to make them

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