from Sin it self as well as have the afflicting hand of God removed 'T is an ill thing to chuse Iniquity rather than Affliction Job 36. 21. Many under Sickness cry to have bodily Health restored but the Diseases of their Souls they feel not neither is the health of the Soul valued Many a man in Affliction and Pain does call upon God saying Lord heal my Body but he was a man after Gods own Heart who said Lord be merciful to me heal my Soul for I have sinned against thee Psal 41. 4. Pharaoh cried to be delivered from the Plagues of Egypt but not from the hardness of his Heart neither did he desire to fear the Name of God if he had both his Drowning and Damnation might have been prevented You who are afflicted I grant may pray for the sparing of your Lives with Submission to the Will of God and that his stroke may be removed away from you The Psalmist prays for both Psal 39. 10 13. Remove thy stroke away from me I am consumed by the blow of thy hand O spare me that I may recover Strength before I go away from hence and be no more But before he had prayed that he might be delivered from Sin for this was the greatest Evil Ver. 7 8. And now Lord what wait I for my Hope is in Thee deliver me from all my Transgressions This he Hopes this he Longs this he Waits upon God for that he might be deliver'd from his Transgressions not some only but from all of them that neither the guilt of Sin might lie upon him nor any Iniquity have the Dominion over him You that have lived wickedly and God is rebuking of you with the blows of his hand have great cause to be Self-suspicious least all your Religion and Devotion at present be onely forced by what you feel and fear You had need therefore to beg that a thorow and lasting change may be wrought in your Hearts or else your hot fit of Religion will quickly be off Your goodness will be as the Morning Cloud and as the early Dew so it will go away Hos 6. 4. Oh cry for the Sanctifying Spirit that he may dwell in you continually and Consecrate you as Temples for himself to abide in and cause you to walk in the Laws and Ways of the Lord unto the very end And if You that are Notorious Sinners are spared and God does send his Word and heal you and deliver you from the Pit of Destruction I would farther advise you in these following particulars 1. Think with your selves if Affliction had carried you off in your Sins into another World whither Oh! whither had you gone At Death all Souls are disposed of in the place which they are fit for Holy Souls are made meet to be partakers of the Inheritance of the Saints in Light and when separated from the Body they enter upon that Inheritance The Souls of the Wicked were continually fitting themselves for Destruction at Death they are ripe for it and are thrown into it The Wicked who die in their Sins what a woful place are they turned into Psal 9. 17. The Wicked shall be turned into Hell and all the Nations that forget God That Rich and sensual Israelite who called Abraham Father but chose the Pleasures of Sin for a season before Righteousness and Life Eternal what became of him After Death the next News we hear of him was this He was in Hell he sees Heaven afar off too far for him ever to Hope to come thither He saw too late what he had mist of and how hot and unquenchable were the Flames in which he was tormented Luk. 16. 23 24. On Sinner if thon hadst died in thy Wickedness and Enmity against God thou hadst been dealt withal as an Enemy sent away with a Curse into Everlasting Fire without Hopes of Reconciliation or Release 2. Admire the Patience and Goodness of God towards you You burthen'd him with your Iniquities 't is a wonder he did not ease himself of the Load that that Word did not take hold of you Isa 1. 24. Ah! I will ease me of my Adversaries and avenge me of my Enemies He might have glorified his Righteousness Purity Power and Truth in your just Condemnation and Misery but he has pittied and spared you and still waits to be Graoious Now do not shew your selves such rebels as neither Severity nor Goodness will overcome as neither fair means nor foul will work upon and better Do not Act as if you were delivered to work Abomination Though the Patience of God be wonderful yet 't is not Eternal and when abusing it brings it to an end the following Fury is dreadful to the Abusers 3. Remember the Sparing of you is owing to the Lord Jesus He interceeds that the fruitless Fig-tree may be spared and tried a little longer and how well will it be if at length it bring forth fruit which is good Whatever Deliverances and Salvation wicked men partake of Christ is the Author of them for he is affirmed to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Saviour of all men though 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 especially of them that believe 1 Tim. 4. 10. And as the Lord Redeemer has interceded for your sparing so he offers a far greater Benefit if you will accept it to make Peace for you to work true Grace in you to Open your Eyes and to turn you from Darkness to Light and from the Power of Satan to God that you may receive forgiveness of Sins and an Inheritance among them that are Sanctified by Faith which is in Him Act. 26. 18. 4. Be sure to Sin no more Presumptuously least a worse thing come next Joh. 5. 14. Jesus found the man whom he had healed in the Temple a proper place after his recovery to be found in and he saith to him Behold thou art made whole Sin no more least a worse thing come to thee If after the return of health and the removal of the Rod. you turn away from the Holy Commandment delivered to you and it happens to you according to the Proverb The Dog is turned to his own vomit again and the Sow that was washed to her wallowing in the Mire You becoming worse than ever and more inexcusable than ever in being so worse than ever from Gods hand is to be expected Greater Distress may quickly seize you and the loudest cries may have a deaf Ear turned to them Psal 18. 41. They cried but there was none to save even to the Lord but he answered them not That may be the Lords Determination concerning you Ezek. 8. 18. Therefore will I also deal in fury mine Eye shall not spare neither will I have pitty and though they cry in my Ears with a loud voice yet will I not hear them Though Gods hand be off from you remember he can quickly lay it on again and it may be so heavy as to make you fall under it See what is threatned to
the tree which bringeth not forth good fruit Mat. 3. 10. And now also the Ax is laid to the Root of the Trees therefore every Tree which bringeth not forth good Fruit is hewen down and cast into the Fire And if this bringing forth no good Fruit brings the Tree to Everlasting burning what fierce Flames will burn those Trees which bring forth a great deal of bad Fruit Such as you read of Deut. 32. 32 33. For their Vine is of the Vine of Sodom and of the Fields of Gomorrah their Grapes are Grapes of Gall their Clusters are bitter their Wine is the Poyson of Dragons and the cruel Venom of Asps To go on in Sin after recovery from Sickness may shorten your days and make Sentence against you to be speedily executed 5. Though Death is a little delayed yet it will certainly and quickly come let it not find you unprepared Heb. 9. 27. It is appointed unto men once to dye and after this the Judgment And this appointment is concerning you as well as others Therefore speak every one of you as Job did Job 30. 23. For I know that thou wilt bring me to Death and to the House appointed for all the living 'T is not more certain you are alive than 't is certain that you shall shortly die And wo to you if you lie still and at last die in your Wickedness If Sin be the sting of Death then so many Sins as you have been guilty of so many stings will your Death have A King of Terrors indeed it will be found when with so many stings 't is armed Pray hard that a saving change may be wrought in Heart and Life before the great change come and that you may pass from Death to Life in a Spiritual Sense before in a Natural Sense you pass from Life to Death USE III. Of Direction more generally unto all and here I shall direct you How to carry it under Affliction And likewise how after Affliction that you may receive much good by Affliction In the first place I am to direct you how to carry it under Affliction 1. Under Affliction be perswaded and take great notice that God himself is come to visit you Though he be not the Author of sin yet Penal Evils are all from him chastning is called the Chastning of the Lord Heb. 12. 5. Chastisements are stiled his rebukes His Providence is so extensive that not a Sparrow falls to the ground without Him Nothing then befalls any of the Children of men but by Divine Appointment Fix your Eyes therefore upon God He has taken you in hand and out of his hand none can rescue you and the wound that is made will remain uncured till the same hand heal which gave it Job 9 13. If God will not withdraw his anger the Proud helpers do stoop under him The Chaldeans were the Ax but Gods hand hewed Israel with it they were the Saw but Gods hand did shake it And when you see 't is really God himself that visits you in Severity behave your selves as Creatures ought to do towards their Creator who is infinitely above them has been greatly offended by them can easily crush them and yet is able and ready upon Humiliation to cure them If the Invisible God who corrects were more eyed in all the strokes he give you this would have a mighty Efficacy to abase you before him and to make Affliction attain its end upon you that an end might be put to your Affliction 2. Under Affliction Justifie God and accept the Punishment of your Iniquity in Affliction Conscience may speak very plain and home and so as that you have nothing to reply and the Spirit of God may set in with Conscience and make its charge more unanswerable Heedfully listen to Conscience and Mind the Convictions of the Spirit Oh search and try your ways the ways that your Hearts and Affections have gone as well as the Paths you have broken with your Feet Be better acquainted with the evil nature of your own ways and their pernicious and destructive Tendency Lay blame where it ought to be laid upon an evil Heart especially for that 's the fruitful womb in which Sin is conceived that brings forth all the Evils wherewith the man is defiled 'T is the Evil Heart which through unbelief departs from the Living God and is inclined to dead works and lying Vanities Fail not to clear the Justice of God as it is written That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings and mightest overcome when thou art judged Rom. 3. 4. Judge likewise and condemn your selves and your Sin as the meritorious cause of all your Sorrows and Sufferings Never look upon Sin but behold the long train of Evils that follow after it and if you were not deliver'd from Sin it self this train of Evils would run Parallel with Eternity God requires the Heart should be humbled and accept the Punishment of its Iniquity The Heart must firmly believe that Sin is that whereat God is displeased that Sin is the procuring Cause of all other Evils that are felt and that the true Reason of Gods Controversie is because even because his Word and Commandments have been cast behind the back despised and broken Levit. 26. 41 43. 3. Under Affliction be sensible of the Plagues of your own Hearts and Consent with Earnest Desire to have them presently and throughly healed The Sickness and Perishing of the outward man is for the restoring the inward man to Health The Humours and Appetites and Inclinations of the Body are an occasion of much Sin in the Soul which should make you the more contented that the Flesh should be diseased and pained and ready to perish that the Spirit may be healed and saved in the day of the Lord Jesus Corporal Diseases attain not their end unless they make you sensible of Spiritual Maladies Is thy Head thy Breast thy Back or any part of thy Body out of Order presently look with a diligent search into thy own Heart to know what that ailes that there may be the more serious and speedy Application to the great Physician of Souls Ephraim when chastized was sensible of the stubbornness of corrupted Nature and its backwardness to come under the Yoak of God I was says he as a Bullock unaccustomed to the Yoak and he prays not so much for the removal of the Rod as for Grace that might Convert him unto God who did correct him Afflictions are Spiritual Medicines much made use of by the Lord who heals his People Sick-beds are the places where he Works great cures when the Face is Pale when the Pulse beats disorderly when the Blood is boiling hot and the whole Body in a Flame and the frame of Nature seems just ready to be dissolved all this has a mighty Influence unto the Souls Healthiness and Prosperity How are dreggs then purged out and how Pure Humble and Heavenly minded is the Heart then 4. Under Affliction desire
World Now they may adorn the Doctrine of God their Saviour in all things Now with well-doing they may put to silence the Ignorance of foolish men 1 Pet. 2. 15. Now by a Consciencious Performance of Relative Duties they may be great Blessings to their Relations and greatly promote their Eternal Interest They may be blameless and harmless without rebuke in the midst of a crooked and perverse Nation acting like the Children of God shining as Lights in the World holding forth the Word of Life Phil. 2. 14 15 16. But when once Death has seized on the Preachers of the Word their Mouths are stopt with Earth and they are effectually silenced they can speak unto and oversee the Church no longer At Death also Christian 's Work is at an end in this World therefore before the approach of Deaths Night when it will be too late to work Let all in the mean time work the harder 8. Though you are deliver'd out of Affliction recover'd from your Distempers be sure to die daily So did the Apostle 1 Cor. 15. 31. Dying daily implies a daily Meditation of Death looking upon your selves every day within the reach of Death and a continual preparedness for Death and a stedfast Resolution rather to suffer Death than to make Shipwrack of Faith and a good Conscience Do not reckon upon long Life but be perswaded to live well is to live indeed Live as those that must die certainly as those that may die suddenly Be not offended at the Cross of Christ though it should ly so heavy upon you as to press you to Death Sinful saving the Life is losing it but they who are valiant for the Truth of Christ and will venture the losing of Life for Christs sake shall find it Mat. 16. 25. And if natural Life be continued be earnestly desirous that Spiritual Life and liveliness may be increased Pray to be quickned as the Psalmist often does Psal 119. and look unto Jesus who is a quickning Spirit 1 Cor. 15. 45. The first Man Adam was made a living Soul the last Adam was made a quickning Spirit As he has given you Life so he is ready to give it more and more abundantly this will make you to live to him and to be unweariedly active for him The quickned Apostl's earnest desire was that Christ might be magnified by him his Life was at his Lords Service and he was ready to die also to serve him Phil. 1. 20. According to my earnest Expectation and my Hope that in nothing I shall be ashamed but that with all boldness as always so now also Christ shall be magnified in my Body whether it be by Life or by Death USE V. Of Consolation to Saints to whom it is so good when they are afflicted Unto the Righteous there ariseth Light in the Darkness The Rainbow the emblem of Peace and token of the Covenant is often seen in the blackest Cloud The Saints are never in such depths but Comfort belongs to them 't is good for them to be as they are nay all things considered 't is best for them Quod sis esse velis nihilque malis Believers should never say they had rather it might be otherwise with them than God sees it fit it should be when the Plough of Affliction pierces deepest Light and Joy is sowing and the Hopes of what at last will be reaped should allay the Sorrow wherewith the sowing is attended The Grounds of Consolation to afflicted Saints are these 1. Gods goodness is unquestionable however he is pleased to deal with his People Let them be plagued let them be chastned never so sore yet God is good to Israel even to them that are of a clean Heart Psal 73. 1. God is their God and his dealings are ever according to his Gracious Covenant His wounding of them is not like the wounds given by an Enemy but like the Chyrurgians Lancings in order to greater soundness and for Lifes Preservation Isa 27. Hath he smitten him as he smote those that smote him No no great is the Difference between the Rod and the Scorpion between Believers being chastned as Children and the Wicked their falling into the hands of the Living God who takes Vengeance upon them 2. That good which Saints receive by Affliction is Spiritual The Soul has a great kindness done to it The Conscience is bettered as to calmness and cleanness the Heart is made more pure the Spirit of the Lord works a greater change into the Image of God so that there is an advancing from Glory to Glory When Job had been some while afflicted his Spirit began to run more clear Job 23. 10. But he knoweth the way that I take when he hath tried me I shall come forth like Gold The Fire and Furnace in Zion purges the Dross and how then does the Gold shine 3. That good which the Saints reap by Affliction is peculiar and distinguishing Wicked men are either stupid under Affliction or if they are startled they return to their former Security after Affliction To have Affliction sanctified is a favour peculiar to Gods peculiar People 4. This good which the Saints receive by Affliction at present is an earnest to them of Eternal good things in the other World Afflictions are part of the Purgatory through which the Saints pass and are made meet for Glory The Popish Purgatory is a meer Invention for that Antichristian Churches secular Gain The Dead find it to be nothing but vast is the Worldly gain accrueing hereby to the living by this Craft comes in the Priests Wealth But the Purgatory of Affliction promotes Purity and is really Beneficial The Rod at present yeilds the peaceable fruits of Righteousness and when these are brought forth a Crown of Righteousness is assured 2 Tim. 4. 8. I have done with the first Doctrine That Saints are afflicted for their good I shall be Brief in the Second which follows D. 2. The second Doctrine which I raised from the Text was this The Rod of God is a means to make the Word of God to be the better Learned Psal 119. 67. Before I was afflicted I went astray but now have I kept thy Word Affliction was the means to put a stop to the Psalmists wandring it brought his Feet into the right Path and established his goings What a light shines in the School of Affliction Things are seen naked there Sin the World Hell and Destruction are all naked The great things of the Word are plainly seen to be great and good indeed and are no longer lookt upon as strange things In the handling of this Doctrine I shall 1. Shew you when the Word of God is indeed learned 2. What influence the Rod of God has unto the better Learning of his Word 3. Make Application In the first Place I am to shew you when the Word of God is indeed and aright learned 1. Learning the Word implies a Perswasion of the Words Divine Authority and Truth He has not
Prayer Or a Discourse wherein the Nature of Prayer is open'd the Kinds of Prayer are handled and the right manner of Praying discovered Several Cases about this Duty are Resolved From Eph. 6. 18. Praying always with all Prayer and Supplication in the Spirit c. Unto which is added a Direction for the Attaining the Gift of Prayer That Family-Duty may not be omitted nor Secret Duty discouraged through Inability of Utterance and Expression A Heaven or Hell upon Earth Or a Discourse concerning Conscience on Acts 24. 16. Herein do I exercise my self to have a Conscience c. The True Touchstone which shews both Grace and Nature Or a Discourse concerning Self-Examination by which both Saints and Sinners may come to know themselves Whereunto are added sundry Meditations relating to the Lords Supper The more Excellent Way to Edifie the Church of Christ Or a Discourse concerning Love The Design of which is to Revive that Grace now under such decays among Protestants of ALL Perswasions The Conversion of the Soul Or a Discourse Explaining the Nature of that Conversion which is sincere and Directing and Perswading all to cease their Loving Sin and Death and to Turn to God and Live A Warning given to Sinners to prepare for Judgment to flee from Wrath to come and turn from All Sin but especially the Sin which does most easily beset them The Little Childs Catechism In which the Principles of the Christian Religion are in plain Words and short Answers laid down and suited to the Memories and Understandings of Little Children Whereunto are added several short Histories which may both please and profit them as also Directions how to Pray The Principles of the Doctrine of Christ Or a Catechism in which is contained the Sum of the Christian Religion or what is necessary to be believed and done in order to Salvation The Answers being but Seventeen in number and in very plain words easie to be understood Unto which is added a Catechism for Conscience wherein the Consciences of the Ignorant the grosly Profane the Young the meerly Mortal and the Hypocrites are examined in order to their Instruction and Awakening and the Consciences of the sincere Christians are tried in order to their Peace and Comfort The Saints Triumph over the Last Enemy In a Sermon Preached at the Funeral of that Zealous and Painful Minister of Christ Mr. James Janeway Unto which is added His Character His sore Conflict before he died And afterwards His Triumphant manner of departing from Earth to the Heavenly Inheritance On 1 Cor. 15. 55. O Death where is thy sting Israels Lamentation at the Death of a Prophet In a Sermon Preached at the Funeral of that Holy Learned and Painful Minister of Christ Mr. Thomas Cawton And now published at the earnest Desire of the Hearers On 1 Sam. 25. 1 And Samuel died and all the Israelites were gathered together and lamented him A Funeral Sermon Occasioned by the Death of Mr. George Baker First Preached and then Published at the earnest Desire of his Relations On 1 〈◊〉 1. 17. Pass the Time of your Sojourning â—â—re in Fear The Great Change Discoursed of in a Funeral Sermon occasioned by the Death of Mrs. Martha Thompson late Wife of Captain William Thompson in Wapping On Job 14. 14. All the days of my appointed time will I wait till my change come The Good of Affliction Psalm 119. 71. It is good for me that I have been afflicted that I might learn thy Statutes THough I appear not in the face of this Assembly as One risen from the dead yet as One raised from the very brink of the Grave and am again sent to Preach the Word of Life the Gospel of Salvation Since I was last in this place I have been brought very near to another World and when I had a clearer view of it I found that God was All and that all this World was nothing less than nothing and vanity When Sickness lies heavy and the last Enemy Death seems entring in at the door believe me then it appears that Divine Favour is better than Life the succours of our merciful and faithful High-Priest the Lord Jesus the supports of his Grace and that Peace of God which passes all understanding are things of real and of the highest value I did not know but that my Work and Life might be just ending but that I might quickly be in that place where I should see Man no more nor Preach any more the Word of Reconciliation But behold in Answer to the prayers of many health is restored and my Sickness will prove good both to me and you if I am more sincere in the exercise of and you are more serious in your attendance upon my Ministry I have been Once and again brought back from the gates of Death my obligation is increased to live more to God and to endeavour to do more good to the Souls of men I wish these ends of my life towards the conclusion of it may be attained more than ever The dealings of God with me of late have been very remarkable I desire aright to regard the operation of his hands and wisely to consider of his doings He has come into my house with a Rod in his hand and to one Member of my Family he gave a deadly blow and others he has struck down though not quite yet near to the Grave I my self have been of late twice seized with a Death threatning Malady and am here before you all to accept the punishment of my iniquity whereby infinitely worse has been deserved than what I have undergone I kiss the Rod for the needful healing strokes of it which I have felt and great reason I have to proclaim my Chastizers faithfulness and love and how good 't is for me that I have been afflicted In the words which I have read these particulars are observable 1. Here is an Exercise sharp and sore to Nature and which will put Grace upon the Tryal and prove the truth and strength of it and this Exercise is Affliction 2. The Person thus exercised is the Psalmist who was both Saint and Preacher Saints are afflicted that they may be more throughly sanctified Preachers are afflicted that they may Preach and labour to better purpose 3. From whom came the Psalmists Affliction the Rod which he felt was in God's hand To Him he speaks in the Text being sensible he had to do with God and God had to do with him Rods though of sins meriting are of God's making All bitter Cups are of God's own mingling the kind the measure the continuance of Affliction is of the Lord 's own appointment 4. The Issue of Affliction follows it issued well in the Psalmists truest good it made him really better than he was before therefore good for him indeed It was medicinal to his Soul the inward man was more renewed heart and life both very much amended 5. Here is a demonstration that Affliction was thus
Christ Jesus therefore they must needs be good for them for nothing comes to them through Him that is otherwise He has born the Saints sins so that they are neither condemned nor commanded by them He unstings death before it seizes upon any of his Members so that the venom and poison of death which is sin is gone and death without a sting is not to be dreaded And Christ has also born the Saints Sicknesses and Infirmities Mat. 8. 17. and so the cause of them is removed God does not demand satisfaction to his Justice in the Afflictions of his People for Christ by his Sufferings has made full Satisfaction He does not exact Law Payment of them for Christ was made under the Law and fulfilled it and bare the Curse due to Believers for transgressing of it The Blood of Jesus Christ how does it alter Afflictions it turns them into profitable and healing Medicines Oh Blessed Troubles in which Christ himself Sympathizes with Souls that are troubled Isa 63. 9. In all their Afflictions he was afflicted and the Angel of his Presence saved them 'T is certainâ—y good to be in the Furnace if the Son of God be there with us to mitigate the heat of it and to consume the dross only while the Metal is secured and purified 4. Afflictions make the Saints Conformable to Christ their Head and 't is never better with the Members than when there is the greatest resemblance in them to their Head and Lord. He was perfected as Mediatour through Sufferings At length he suffer'd so much that he cried out It is finished he paid a full Price for his Churches Redemption and made her Everlasting Peace His Members also must be perfected in Mortification and Holiness by Sufferings also these help to pull down Pride and Self-confidence to tame the Flesh and to check and kill the Affections and Lusts of it Happy Afflictions which make afflicted Believers more like to their Lord in whom they do believe In Conformity to Christ lies our Excellency and Safety This Conformity is in a special manner designed Rom. 8. 29. For whom he did foreknow he also did predestinate to be conformed to the Image of his Son that he might be the first born among many Brethren The Image of the Earthly Adam is our Shame the Image of the Heavenly Adam is our Glory 5. The Afflictions of the Saints are under a Promise that they shall work for good The Medicines which the great Physician of Souls gives to Believers do Work well as they are very proper so very Effectual Rom. 8. 28. We know says the Apostle we are assured of it by Faith and we find it true by Experience That all things Work together for good to them that love God who are called according to his purpose God himself will Work along with Calamities and Troubles of all sorts and bring forth much good out of the very worst of them They work upon the Hearts of the Saints and better the frame and temper and Inclinations of them They work upon their Tongues and lay a Bridle upon them and bring them under the Law of Holiness Love and Kindness they work upon the Actions making them more agreeable to that Rule which whosoever walk according to Peace and Mercy shall be upon them Nay Afflictions work no less than Glory and when the Apostle considered the Weight and Eternity of that Glory he made light of the heaviest Afflictions the Benefit is unconceiveably vast that quickly is reaped from them 2 Cor. 4. 17. For our light Affliction which is but for a Moment worketh for us a far more Exceeding and Eternal weight of Glory Not that Affliction and Suffering though for Righteousness sake does deserve this Glory but it makes it the more Minded and Desired and is a means to make us meet for the Enjoyment of it and the Promise is sure that if we suffer according to the Will of God we shall also Reign with him 6. Afflictions must needs be granted to the Saints for they purge out the worst evil of all and that is Sin Oh! 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 out of measure sinful Sin No Name so bad as thy own No Evil so great as thou art Let all the Calamities of the Earth and all the Miscries of Hell be put into the One Scale together and Sin into the other as Sin is the Cause of them all so it will outweigh them all 'T is the abominable thing which Gods Soul hates 'T is the great Evil and Enemy whereby Mans Soul is ruined How much is Affliction good for since 't is a Soveraign means whereby such an Evil as Sin is purged away Isa 27. 9. By this therefore shall the Iniquity of Jacob be purged and this is all the Fruit to take away his Sin 7. The Afflictions of the Saints are means to prevent their Eternal Sufferings in the other World The Rod is of their Fathers own Appointment to deliver his Childrens Souls from Hell Present Castigation prevents Eternal Condemnation 1 Cor. 11. 32. But when we are judged we are chastned of the Lord that we might not be condemned with the World Not that Sin has not ill demerit enough to make us obnoxious to Sufferings in both Worlds not that Chastizement makes satisfaction for Transgression But it makes the Saints to fly to the Lord Jesus for the making up of all breaches between God and them which Sin has made and 't is effectual to make them truly Humble and Penitent Now Faith and Repentance have the Promise of Life annexed to them Whosoever believes on the Son of God shall not perish but have Everlasting Life Joh. 3. 16. And Repentance is said to be unto Salvation and consequently not be repented of 2 Cor. 7. 10. 8. Afflictions bring the Saints nearer to God and to be near to Him how good is it for them Psal 73. 28. God expects a more serious seeking and a nearer approach when he afflicts his People Hos 5. 15. I will go and return to my Place till they acknowledge their Offence and seek my Face in their Affliction they will seek me early And his People Answer his Expectation Hos 6. 1. They say Come and let us return to the Lord for he hath torn and he will heal us he has smitten and he will bind us up Afflicted Saints inquire after God they come with their Penitential Acknowledgments and desire more fully to know wherefore it is that he Contends that the ground of the Controversie may be removed It is meet that the Afflicted Saint should say and with his Heart he does say it unto God I have born Chastisement I will not offend any more that which I see not teach thou me if I have done Iniquity I will do no more Job 34. 31 32. All that is within him now yields unto God and being melted in the Furnace of Affliction he desires to be cast into the mould of his Word Happy blows which drive the
but He gives not a blow but what is for his Childrens Profit Heb. 12. 10. And why should any be impatient at their being Profited and Advantaged Considering the blessed issue of the Saints Troubles they should be born with all thankfulness for sanctified Afflictions are great Promotions and hereby mighty advances are made in Heavens way 4. 'T is unreasonable for the Saints because of their Afflictions to question Divine Providence or to conclude that Religion is vain The Psalmist under the Rod and Temptation together was ready to draw such Conclusions Continued chastning made him to think of God and to speak of Religion unbecomingly and indeed impiously He was so foiled by the Tempter that his Feet were almost gone and 't was hard for him to recover strange kind of Language he utters Psal 73. 10 11 12 13 14. Therefore his People return hither and Waters of a full Cup are wrung out to them And they say how doth God know and is there Knowledge in the most high Behold these are the ungodly who prosper in the World they increase in Riches Verily I have cleansed my Heart in vain and washt my hands in Innocency for all the day long have I been plagued and chastned every Morning But at length the Psalmist comes to himself V. 15. If I say I will speak thus behold I should offend against the Generation of thy Children And he gives himself very bad Words but such as his yielding so far to that Temptation very well deserved V. 21 22. Thus my Heart was grieved and I was pricked in my Reins so foolish was I and ignorant I was as a beast before thee But he is cured of his brutishness and speaks like a Saint expressing desires after God above all things in Heaven and Earth concludes it good to draw near to God and rejoices in him as the Strength of his Heart and his Portion for ever Suppose a Saint never so much afflicted yet to be and continue a Saint is certainly good for him and a wise part in him Job when sitting upon the ground among the Ashes full of Boyls and Scraping himself with a Potsheard was still dear to God And so was Lazarus lying at the Rich mans Gate desiring to be fed with the Crumbs which fell from the Rich mans Table Saints under the greatest Troubles can't be miserable for God is Theirs and They are His still and these very Troubles do promote their Holiness and their Happiness 5. The Prosperity of the Wicked and their Freedom from Affliction should not raise the Saints Envy Saints are frequently tempted to envy the wicked their good things and sometimes this Envy has prevailed and has been their fault and failing it has proved their great both Sin and Torment Psal 73. 3. I was Envious at the Foolish when I saw the Prosperity of the Wiched That Caution is but needful Psal 37. 1. Fret not thy self because of evil doers neither be thou envious at the Workers of Iniquity For a man that is made wise to Salvation to be envious at the Foolish for a man that is enriched with Grace to be envious at the Workers of Iniquity because of their Prosperity there is no Reason at all for it Alas this Prosperity of theirs is greatly to their Prejudice and helps forward their Perdition Prov. 1. 32. The turning away or the ease of the simple shall slay them and the Prosperity of Fools shall destroy them And this Destruction is hastning and comes unexpectedly suddenly and so the more unavoidably upon them and 't wil be utter and Eternal Destruction Psal 73. 17 18 19. Until I went into the Sanctuary of God then understood I their End Surely thou didst set them in slippery places thou castest them down into Destruction How are they brought into Desolation as in a Moment they are utterly consumed with terrours The greatest Wealth and Glory of the Ungodly considering how soon 't will end and what will follow when it ends should not stir our Envy but rather our Pitty and Compassion for they walk in a vain shew full of vain Confidence till their Feet go down to Death and their steps take hold of Hell 6. To be Incorrigible under Affliction is inexcusable As 't is good for Saints to be afflicted so all should be bettered by Affliction 'T is a great Aggravation of Sin to smart and bleed and groan because of it and yet still to Love it If Saints are afflicted for their Good when Sinners are afflicted a great price is put into their hands which may be improved to an Eternal Advantage In Prosperity the Ungodly are usually hardned in Pride and Earthliness and Wickedness and Sensuality the Lord not rebuking them nor presently executing Sentence against their Evil Works they are apt to think Him altogether such an one as themselves Psal 50. 21. and that he dislikes Sin no more than they do Whereupon their Hearts are fully set in them to do Evil Eccles 8. 11. But when wicked Ones are visited with Troubles and they feel the smart of the Rod God is really very near them and if they would but cry to him with their Hearts how readily would he hear and turn them to himself and turn his anger away from them Jer. 31. 18. I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself thus Thou hast chastised me and I was chastised as a Bullock unaccustomed to the Yoak turn thou me and I shall be turned for thou art the Lord my God And according to his desire he was turned and instructed he obtained sure Mercy and became a dear Son a pleasant Child notwithstanding all his former foul Sins and reproachful Abominations V. 19 20. But when Sinners are smitten in vain and receive no Correction Nay like Ahaz in their Affliction trespass yet more this Argues a great Love to Sin and the more provokes the Lord to Jealousie and Indignation Judah was strangely fond of and wedded to their Idolatry and other Wickedness when the Sorest Judgments could not be a means to divorce them from it Jer. 5. 3. O Lord are not thine Eyes upon the Truth Thou hast smitten them but they have not grieved thou hast consumed them but they have refused to receive Correction they have made their Faces harder than a Rock they have refused to return 'T is the highth of Madness to be Sins Martyrs and not only to suffer trouble in this World but for the sake of it to venture burning in Hell for evermore 7. How great is the goodness of God who can make the Evil of Affliction to Work for good to his People 'T is the Physicians great art so to temper Poyson as to turn it into a powerful and wholesom Medicine What is Evil in it self and evil and Destructive to Nature God does make it become very good to the Saints and to further the work of Grace in them How securely may such a Gracious God be relied on who can make the worst things a Saint
received it not as the Word of men but as it is in Truth the Word of God which worketh effectually in you that believe This Word shews its Power in pulling down strong holds in casting down Imaginations and every high thing that exalteth it self against the Knowledg of God and in bringing thoughts into Captivity and Obedience to Christ 2 Cor. 10. 4 5. The Spirit of God wrought Signs and Wonders and divers Miracles according to his own Will for the Confirmation of the Gospel when first it was published in the World and these were part of the Spirit 's Demonstration of its Truth And Miracles in the New Creation cease not to be wrought still by the same Spirit The Word is made an effectual means to make the dead in Sin alive to God to make the Blind to see and the Lame to walk in the Way of Gods Commandments 7. Learning the Word implies a ready and Hearty embracing what the Word of God Offers and Promises Mammon and Satan make but very poor and mean offers and their Promises are deceitful they can offer nothing but what is temporal the things they boast of are onely good in appearance and they quickly vanish away Indeed there is something that is Eternal but 't is Eternal Wo and Misery that abides the worldly and the wicked but this Satan studiously endeavours to conceal from them Whereas the offers of the Gospel are great and glorious worthy of all acceptation and by all to be accepted the Promises here are so firm that they shall remain when Heaven and Earth shall pass away Psal 119. 152. Concerning thy Testimonies I have known of old that thou hast founded them for ever If the Children of men might have their wish and would wish but wisely they would wish for what the Word assures to all Accepters of it Here is justifying Righteousness for the guilty and Condemned here is Healing Sanctifying Grace for the Diseased and Defiled here is Strength for the Weak and Comfort for them that are cast down and for lost Souls great and Everlasting Salvation How can he be said to have learned the Word of God or to know when he is well offer'd by whom such offers are refused 8. Learning the Word implies the Subjection and Conformity of the whole man to the commands of the Word of God Promises and Priviledges are to be studied and embraced and Precepts and Commands are to be received He that casts the commands behind his back is very Presumptuous in applying Promises to himself That Hope will make a man ashamed which is not accompanied with Obedience Hearken to the Psalmist Psal 119. 166 167 168. Lord I have hoped for thy Salvation and done thy Commandments My Soul hath kept thy Testimonies and I love them exceedingly I have kept thy Precepts and thy Testimonies for all my ways are before Thee He that has learned the Word of God knows that the Law is not made void by Faith but established Rom. 3. 31. Do we then by Faith make void the Law through Faith God forbid yea we establish the Law Christ the Churches Head and Prophet in his Sermon upon the Mount shews the extent of the Law requiring Purity in the Heart and Thoughts as well as in the Life and Actions condemns them who shall break the least of these Commands and shall teach men so but those that teach and do them he owns as great in his Kingdom Mat. 5. 19. The Law spoken from Mount Sinai is established by the Legislator Christ in Mount Sion as a Rule of Righteousness And they who are rightly instructed which walk according to this Rule both Heart and Conversation will be order'd according to its Direction and Peace and Mercy will be upon them and hereby they shew themselves indeed the Israel of God 9. Learning the Word implies a living in Expectation and Hope of that Glory which God in his Word has revealed Rom. 5. 2. By whom we have access by Faith into this Grace wherein we stand and rejoice in Hope of the Glory of God The Apostle tells that our Saviour Jesus Christ hath abolished Death and hath brought Life and Immortality to light by the Gospel What Joy is set before us to encourage patient continuance in Faith and well-doing Were it not for this the Disciples of Christ would be of all men most miserable 1 Cor. 15. 19. But since the Glory hoped for is so sure and near they are the onely Happy ones in the World He that learned the Word aright Heaven is in his Eye there is his Heart and Treasure He knows he cannot be perfectly Holy or Happy till he come thither and when once come there Holiness and Happiness will be perfect in degree and endless in Duration Nothing therefore can move him away from the Hope of the Gospel He abides in the Word and the Word in him and stands fast in the Lord himself and at last receives the blessed Life that is promised 1 Joh. 2. 24 25. Let that therefore abide in you which ye have heard from the beginning if that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you ye also shall continue in the Son and in the Father and this is the Promise that he hath Promised us even Eternal Life And if all this be implied in Learning the Word of God How many may Conscience reproach for never having learned the Word to this day Strangers they are to its Power and haters of its Purity and most foolishly and wickedly neglect that Grace and Salvation which is there tender'd to them How many may Sigh for Sorrow that they have learned the Word of God no better that their Faith is no stronger their delight in the Word of God no greater and that there are so many defects in their Obedience to it How should we all groan with earnest desires that God Himself would be our Teacher and make us right Learners of his Word And if He is pleased to teach us how Blessed Holy and Wise will his teaching make us and such also we shall continue for that teaching will have a lasting effect upon us Psal 119. 33 Teach me O Lord the Way of thy Statutes and I shall keep it unto the end In the second Place I am to shew the Influence that the Rod of God has to make his Word the better Learned 1. The Rod of Affliction awakens the Conscience So that it is very punctual in doing its Office Conscience being startled causes fear Where there was too much unconcernedness and stupidity before The Consciences of Josephs Brethren after the great Injury they did him lay in a deep sleep for many Years together but Distress and Affliction awakened them Gen. 42. 21. They said one to another We are verily guilty concerning our Brother in that we saw the anguish of his Soul when he besought us and we would not hear therefore is this distress come upon us Conscience being awakened is full of remorse