Human nature in its fourfold state ... In several practical discourses

And therefore, if we should reckon the cross amongst the benefits flowing to believers from their union with Christ. I judge, we should not reckon it amiss. Sure I am. in their sufferings they suffer with him, Rom. viii. 17. And the assurances they have of the cross, have rather the nature of a promise, as of a threatening, Psal. lxxxix. 30.31.32.33. If his children forsake my law,—then will I visit their transgression with the rod, and their iniquity with stripes. Nevertheless, my loving kindness will I not utterly take from him: nor suffer thy faithfulness to fail. This looks like a tutor's engaging to a dying father, to take care of the children left upon him; and to give them both nurture and admonition, for their good. The covenant of grace does truly beat the spears of affliction into pruning hooks, to them that are in Christ, ⟨p. 209⟩Isa. xxvii. 9. By this therefore shall the iniquity of Jacob be purged, and this is all the fruit to take away h•s sin. Why then should we be angry with •ur cross? Why should we be frighted at it? The believer must take up his cross, and follow his leader, the Lord Jesus Christ. He must •ke up his ilk-day's cross, Luke ix. 23 If any man will come after me, let him deny […], and take up his cross daily. Yea, he must t•ke up his holy-days cross too, Lam. ii. 22 Thou hast called, a• a solemn day, by terrors round about The church of the Jews had, of a long time, many a pleasing meeting at the temple, on solemn days, for the worship of G•d: but they got a solemnity of another nature, when God called together, about the temple and city, the Chaldean army that burnt the temple, and laid Jerusalem on heaps. And now, that the church of God is yet militant in this lower rgon, how can it be but the clouds will return after the rain? But the cross of Christ (which name the saints troubles do bear) is kindly ame to the believer. It is a cross indeed; but no to the believer's graces, but to his corruptions. The hypocres seeming graces may indeed breathe out then last on a cross, as these of the tony ground hearers did. Matth xiii 6. And when the sun (of persecution, ver. 26) was up, they were scorched: And because they had not root, they withered away. But never did one of the red graces in a believer die upon the cross yet. Nay, as the candle shnes brightest in the night, and the fire burns fiercest in intense frost: