Preparation for sufferings. Or The best work in the worst times Wherein the necessity,…

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 preparations 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, mortifying its corruptions, weaning its worldly affections, exciting and making ready its suffering Graces, resolving in the strength of God to take his Lot with Christ, where-ever and howsoever it shall fall; this is the man that hath deliberately closed with Christ upon his own terms, and is like to be the durable and victorious 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 ⟨p. 26⟩rush inconsiderately into the Profession of Christ, never debating the terms which he proposes to all that will follow him, Mark 8.34. 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 14.25, 26, 27, 28. there was a great multitude that followed 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 befall them, it would quickly thin and diminish that great multitude, and reduce them, like Gideons 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 an house, and lay a large foundation, when he is not provided with a Stock to carry up the Walls, and complete the work; no man in his wits would engage with an handful of men against a great armed multitude; possibly they may intend to face, but no man would think they intended to fight the Enemy on such a disadvantage: Just so stands the case in our profession of Christ; if we really intend to go through with the business of Religion, we must sit down and compute the cost and charges of Christianity, think upon the worst, as well as the best, cast upon reproaches,