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
because the Word of God has been observed with no more care Conscience also is still urging To the Law and to the Testimony This is the way to be freed from Trouble and to attain to Peace Psal 119. 165. Great Peace have they that Love thy Law Gal. 6. 16. And as many as walk according to this Rule Peace be on them and Mercy and upon the Israel of God 2. The Rod of Affliction takes off from worldly Business and Diversions and hereupon they that are afflicted are at better leasure to consider their ways Eccles 7. 14. In the day of Adversity consider God is not to be complained of for punishing Sin but men who are punished should search and try their ways and turn to Him Lam. 3. 39 40. Inconsiderateness is spoken of as the occasion of a World of Wickedness and 't is exclaimed against as very offensive and inexcusable Isa 1. 2 3. Hear O Heavens and give ear O Earth for the Lord hath spoken I have nourished and brought up Children and they have rebelled against me The Ox knows his owner and the Ass his Masters Crib but Israel doth not know my People doth not consider Now the more any consider what they do the greater heed they will take to the Word of God for this Word Counsels safely it directs and leads in the way of Peace and Truth and Life Prov. 6. 23. For the Commandment is a Lamp and the Law is Light and Reproofs of Instruction are the way of Life 3. The Rod of Affliction brings God to remembrance whose the Word is and God being remembred his Word is the more awfully regarded Most men forget the Lord all their days Jer. 2. 32. Can a Maid forget her Ornaments or a Bride her attire yet my People have forgotten me days without number And forgetting the Lord they forget themselves their Duty and their Interest Affliction is a means to bring God to mind and his hand being lifted up and there being a Rod in his hand there is a more heedful looking into his Word to know his Pleasure and what is the ground of his present displeasure and controversie Job was desirous to know his Transgression and Sin and wherefore it was that God hid his Face and counted him for his Enemy Job 13. 23 24. 4. The Rod of Affliction brings Iniquity to remembrance which is contrary to the Word of God The very first stroke of Correction how of a sudden has it opened mens Eyes and marshall'd their Sins more terrible than an Army with Banners before them Psal 50. 21. I will reprove thee and set them in Order before thine Eyes Now the remembrance of Sin is a great ingredient in true Contrition and Repentance which the Word of God so often calls for Ezek. 36. 31. Then shall ye remember your evil ways and doings that have not been good and shall loath your selves in your own sight for your Iniquities and Abominations To remember Sin in Hell will be to remember Sin too late and the Eternal Remembrance of it and the Folly and Perverseness in giving way to it will be a great part of the Sinners Eternal Torment But to remember Sin in Affliction is very profitable how evident now is the deceitfulness of it All its pretences of Impunity Gain and Pleasure are found altogether vain This is One great Lesson of the Rod. Sin cheats all its Servants and quickly ends in Sorrow 5. The Rod of Affliction brings Duty to remembrance which the Word of God requires Omission and neglect of Duty and negligence in Duty are then reflected on with grief for if Duty had been more seriously and frequently performed possibly the stroke might not have been felt and suppose it had improving of Ordinances might have furnished the Heart with more Faith and Patience to have born it And now says the Rod be better acquainted with the Word know thy Duty and from what Principle thou art to act after what manner and to what end Act from Spiritual Life let Faith work by Love and the more there is of the Heart and will in Obedience 't is the better and let it be the constant design that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ 1 Pet. 4. 11. Affliction vehemently urges unto practical Godliness and unto walking in newness of Life Doers of the Word are blessed in their deed whereas those Professours are Self-deceivers who satisfie themselves with a Faith which Works not but is dead Jam. 1. 22. But be ye doers of the Word and not hears only deceiving your own selves V. 25. Whoso looketh into the perfect Law of Liberty and continueth therein he being not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the Work this man shall be blessed in his deed 6. The Rod of Affliction brings Death to remembrance and Death brings the Night when the Work which the Word of God calls for can be done no more Joh. 9. 4. I must work the Works of him that sent me while 't is day the night cometh when no man can work When a man seriously meditates on Death how wise will it make him he will number his days aright and do the Work for which time and days are given him Psal 90. 12. Teach us so to number our days that we may apply our Hearts to Wisdom And if Death be brought to remembrance by Affliction Judgment which follows at the heels of Death will also be thought of And this Judgment will be according to the Word of God for this Book among others will be opened at the great day and Sentence pass'd according to it Joh. 12. 48. The Word which I have spoken the same shall judge him at the last day The Consideration of a future Judgment how will it quicken to the study search and Practise of the Word If the Word now bind thee because of thy Vnbelief and Impenitency in Sin thou art bound in Heaven If the Word now condemns thee continuing as thou art the Judge also will most certainly condemn thee But if the Word at present does acquit thee the Judge also will absolve thee If the Word pronounces thee blessed because Poor in Spirit Meek a Mourner for Sin one that hungers and thirsts after Righteousness because pure in Heart a Peace-maker and one that is willing to suffer Persecution for Righteousness sake rather than cease the Practice of Righteousness Mat. 5. 3 10. Being thus pronounced Blessed by the Word Our Lord will never contradict himself but at last will say to thee Come thou Blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdom prepared for thee from the Foundation of the World Mat. 25. 34. I come in the last place to the Application USE I. Of Information From the Doctrine we may learn several useful Lessons 1. We may be instructed concerning the end of Affliction which is our truer Knowledg and Holiness The Rod sends us to the Word from whence Wisdom comes Prov. 2. 6. For the Lord giveth Wisdom out of
to be lookt upon as an Admonition to take greater heed to the Holy Scripture which is profitable for Doctrine for Reproof for Correction for Instruction in Righteousness that the Man of God may be perfect throughly furnished unto all good works 2 Tim. 3. 16 17. 2. Be sensible that true and saving Knowledge is from above therefore ask it from thence Jam. 1. 5. If any of you lack Wisdom let him ask it of God who gives to all men liberally without upbraiding and it shall be given him And V. 17. Every good and perfect Gift is from above and cometh down from the Father of Lights And as God is the Father of Lights so his Spirit is the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation Eph. 1. 17 18. He enlightens the Eyes of the Understanding and puts saving Knowledge into the Heart What an Instructer is the Spirit of the Lord He not onely reveals Gods Counsel but gives an Heart to apprehend it and to be answerably affected with it He not onely speaks the Word which it does so infinitely concern all to know but he gives also the Ear to hear the Eye to see and the Heart to understand 3. Resolve when Instructed to Praise your Instructer thus does the Psalmist Purpose and Promise Psal 119. 7. I will Praise thee with uprightness of Heart when I shall have learned thy Righteous Judgments How joyful was the Hallelujah when the Psalmist had said He geveth his Word unto Jacob his Statutes and his Judgments to the Children of Israel Psal 147. 19 20. And Psal 119. 164. Seven times a day do I Praise thee because of thy Righteous Judgments And V. 62. He had said upon the same account he would arise at midnight and give thanks unto God 4. Look unto Jesus in whom are hid all the Treasures of Wisdom and Knowledge Col. 2. 3. Christ is the Churches Lawgiver and Prophet He declares the Father whom no man at any time hath seen and no man knoweth the Father but the Son and he to whom the Son shall reveal him Mat. 11. 17. He opens the Eyes and Understanding to understand the Scripture Luk. 24. 45. The Gospel is as it were a Sealed Book till he opens it a right understanding of the Things of God and which belong to your Peace is both Christs Purchase and the Work and Effect of his illuminating Spirit 5. Pray much for Meekness and Humility and let not any deceitful lust be harboured in the Heart A Promise of Guidance is made to the Meek and Lowly Psal 25. 8 9. Good and upright is the Lord therefore will he teach Sinners in the way the Meek will he guide in Judgment and the Meek will he teach his Way Make no Provision for any fleshly or wordly Lusts for these Lusts of the Heart influence the Head and hinder the Light from shining there so clearly and powerfully both Mind and Conscience by fulfilling these Lusts will be defiled The Apostle plainly intimates that the old man must be put off which is corrupt according to deceitful Lusts or else we can never be renewed in the Spirit of our Mind Eph. 4. 22 23. In short be willing to know the Truth that you may be sanctified by the Truth Look into the perfect Law of Liberty and count you walk most at Liberty when you walk most accurately and exactly according to this Law Cry for Knowledge in Order to Affection and Practise that 's the Way to attain to great understanding in the Word of Righteousness Talents you shall still be intrusted with when you are thus ready to Trade with them The Second Question follows What are sufficient and comfortable Evidences that the Word of God is truly Learned What has been spoken already may be in part an Answer to this Question But that this great Case may be more fully resolved I shall add these Particulars 1. You have truly Learned the Word of God when you stand in awe of it When Conscience does urge and the whole man does reverence the Words Authority And the Heart concludes that God must be obeyed whatever come on 't and that nothing can excuse disobedience to his Commands This Holy awe of the Word must break the force of the strongest Temptations from worldly Gain and sinful Pleasures and it must Swallow up the fear of the greatest Men who will dislike you for the sake of Righteousness Psal 119. 161. Princes have persecuted me without a cause but my Heart standeth in awe of thy Word Princes commands and threats are not so much to be minded as Gods commands and the threatnings wherewith they are enforced When Princes have inflicted Temporal Death they are come to their Ne plus ultra they can go no further Eternal Life and Death are not in their Power but how is God to be sanctified and dreaded who can reward or punish for ever in the World to come 2. You have truly Learned the Word of God when you preferr it before all things which are really of less value Worldly Wisdom Riches Might and earthly Greatness are very despicable compared with that Knowledge of God which this Word is a means to convey to us Jer. 9. 23 24. Thus saith the Lord let not the wise man Glory in his Wisdom neither let the mighty man Glory in his Might let not the rich man Glory in his Riches But let him that glorieth Glory in this that he understandeth and knoweth Me. See how the Policy of the greatest Potentates on Earth is disparaged in Comparison of Scriptural Wisdom and not without sufficient Reason The Policy of Princes and themselves perish together But Believers who are made wise by the Word of God do mind and attain unto and shall be unmoveably possess 't of an Eternal Glory and Kingdom 1 Cor. 2. 6 7. Howbeit we speak Wisdom among them that are perfect yet not the Wisdom of this World nor of the Princes of this World which come to nought but we speak the Wisdom of God in a Mystery even the hidden Wisdom which God ordained before the World unto our Glory In my Text the Psalmist having said 'T is good for me that I have been afflicted presently expresses his Estimation of the Word above thousands of Gold and Silver If the Word has an higher Room in your Judgments and Affections after Affliction Affliction has certainly done you good and you have learned the Word to good purpose 3. You have truly Learned the Word of God if you Love and Delight therein and make it your continual Meditation Psal 119. 15 16. I will Meditate in thy Precepts and have respect unto thy Ways I will delight my self in thy Statutes I will not forget thy Word Here are excellent Rules and they that walk by them are perfected more and more for they become more gloriously like to God himself here are clean and safe Ways Promises of the good things of Time so far as they are good for any of you and of the infinitely
and Duties to Man are done with a greater regard unto God Himself Gods Approbation is more minded and the Eye being single looks not so much at other things but aims at this that God in all things may have Glory which indeed of Right appertains to Him 6. Another good Consequent of Affliction is a more full and compleat Victory over the World and silencing the God of it When Sickness seizeth upon the Saints the Love of the World is hereby struck more dead The World is out of Countenance and ashamed now to appear it's alluring Power and Charms are all gone And Satan the God of it does not so much care now to offer it Mammon can neither cure the diseased Body nor ease the afflicted Mind Affliction takes off the fine Mask upon Mammons Face and then 't is plainly seen how sorry a Master he is and how poor all his store The World cannot yield true Contentment to any for that little while they are the Inhabitants of it and can any thing of this World be carried away into another World Ah no! 1 Tim. 6. 7. For we brought nothing into this World and 't is certain we can carry nothing out He that has most of the World what is it all to him when he is leaving the World and all behind him Suppose the greatest Possessour of Earthly Riches lying upon a Death-bed in his fainting Fits and dying Agonies lay some baggs of Gold upon his Pillows bring in the sweetest Consort of Musick shew him the costliest Raiment he ever â—wore let a Table be spread and furnisht with the choicest Dainties and let the greatest Beauties stand by him proffering themselves and their service to him Alas Alas what 's all this to a Man that is breathing out his last Breath and ready to appear and give an account of himself unto the Judge of all Affliction gives a smart Admonition that this World is to be contemned in Comparison of the better and enduring Substance Satan notwithstanding his Subtlety is easily baffled in Affliction think seriously of Death and Judgment and all that He offers is just nothing though he should make as large an offer as he did to Christ in the hour of his Temptation when he shewed him all the Kingdoms of the World and the Glory of them 7. Another good Consequent of Affliction is an Increase of Grace and an abundance of the Fruits of Righteousness Wicked men receive not Correction being put into the Furnace they are found and rejected as Reprobate Silver but the Correction of the Saints is the Probation Augmentation and evidencing of the Grace of God in them Faith is tried and by trial is strengthned Patience Experience Hope augmented Rom. 5. 3 4 5. Tribulation worketh Patience Patience Experience Experience Hope and Hope maketh not ashamed because the Love of God is shed abroad in our Hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given to us The Lords tender Compassions towards his afflicted Children exceedingly endears him their Father to them His gracious Visits His stretching forth his own Everlasting Arm for their Sustentation when ready to sink under their Burthens His remembring Mercy in the greatest Severity His being within call and readiness to hear and help fills their Hearts with Love and Resolution to live and cleave to him With how much Tenderness and Compassion does the Lord express himself towards his afflicted ones Psal 69. 33. For the Lord heareth the Poor and despiseth not his Prisoners And Psal 22. 24. For he hath not despised nor abhorred the Affliction of the afflicted neither hath he hid his Face from him but when he cried unto him he heard Saints are great gainers by Affliction because Godliness which is great Gain which is profitable for all things is more powerful than before The Rod of Correction by a Miracle of Grace like that of Aarons Buds and Blossoms and brings forth the Fruits of Righteousness which are most excellent A rare sight it is indeed to see a man coming out of a bed of Languishing or any other Furnace of Affliction more like to Angels in Purity more like to Christ who was Holy Harmless Vndefiled and separate from Sinners more like unto God himself being more exactly Righteous in all his ways and more exemplarily Holy in all manner of Conversation 8. Another good Consequent of Affliction is an high esteem of Time and affecting Apprehensions of Death Judgment and Eternity Affliction brings Death within view Jobs Calamity makes his Mortality much thought of the things of the World had left him he speaks as a man just ready to leave the World Job 17. 1 13 14. My Breath is corrupt my Days are extinct the Graves are ready for me If I wait the Grave is my House I have made my Bed in the Darkness I have said to Corruption thou art my Father and to the Worm thou art my Mother and my Sister He claims kindred to the Worms and Corruption Death was most familiar to his Thoughts and in his Imagination the Grave was his Bed already Now at Death the Saints consider that Time comes to a full stop and Judgment will follow and fix them in Eternity It is of great use to us when our Thoughts dwell in Eternity before we our selves enter upon Eternity this makes an Holy and Happy Eternity infinitely desireable in our Eyes And how do we look unto Jesus through whom Eternal Life is given and with what Circumspection is the way of Holiness walked in which ends in Life Everlasting Rom. 6. 22 23. Affliction awakens the Saints care to improve Time to work while 't is day for it will be too late to work when the Night is once come and how are they concerned that there time be not ended before Eternity be well provided for 9. Another good Consequent of Affliction is Serious Diligence to make the Calling and Election sure When Affliction finds us at uncertainties in reference to our Spiritual State our doubts and fears are amazing and tormenting 'T is sad for a man to look upon himself as dying and then to say O animula vagula blandula Quae nunc abibis in loca O my Soul thou art departing hence but whither oh whither art thou going What is like to be the place of thy Eternal abode which must never be changed To be dying and doubting at the same time is very sad though we are really never so safe What is a well grounded Evidence of the Love of God in Christ worth upon a bed of Sickness How valuable and comfortable the Spirits Testimony concerning our Adoption Now Affliction puts the Saints upon a more strict and impartial Self-examination and upon a more thorow and perceivable turning unto God Lam. 3. 39 40. Wherefore doth the living man complain a man for the Punishment of his Sins Let us search and try our ways and turn unto the Lord our God Affliction makes that Admonition of the Apostle to be heeded 2 Pet. 1. 10 11.
Wherefore the rather Brethren give diligence to make your Calling and Election sure for if ye do these things ye shall never fall For so an entrance shall be administred to you abundantly into the Everlasting Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ When once a Christian has attained unto a Sense and Assurance of the savour of God how prepared is he for whatever may befall him He can lie easie upon a Sick-bed because his God makes his Bed for him Psal 41. 3. The Lord will strengthen him upon the bed of Languishing thou wilt make all his Bed in his Sickness Nay the presence of his God makes him fearless in the gloomy Valley of the Shadow of Death Psal 23. 4. Though I walk through the Valley of the Shadow of Death I will fear no evil for thou art with me 10. Another good Consequent of Affliction is spiritualized Affections and a Conversation more in Heaven Saints are cast down by Affliction that they may rise with Christ and feel the Power of his Resurrection more That 's a lesson which every Rod is sent to teach Col. 3. 2. Set your Affection on things above and not on things which are upon the Earth The harder the Ball is flung to the ground it rebounds the higher when God flings a Saint down with a mighty Hand his Heart should rebound higher towards Heaven imitating those excellent and faithful Ones who confessed they were strangers and Pilgrims on the Earth who declared plainly they sought a better Countrey than any Countrey on Earth because they sought an Heavenly Countrey And God was not ashamed to be called their God for he prepared for them a City Heb. 11. 13 16. The Psalmist was very much helped towards Heaven by Chastisement Psal 73. 14. All the day long says he have I been plagued and chastned every Morning And though for a while Temptation prevailed yet at length his Thoughts and Eyes are fixed right upon that Glory promised to such as give up themselves to God and to be guided by his Counsel V. 23. 24. Nevertheless I am continually with thee thou hast holden me by my right Hand Thou shalt guide me with thy Counsel and afterward receive me to Glory Afflicted Saints study and endeavour to shew forth the Power and Vertue both of their Lord's Death and Rising again How profitable is it to Dye and to be Crucified with him to be Dead to the World and all the Evil of it And how Sweet and Pleasant is it to rise with him and by earnests and foretasts of Glory to sit with Him in Heavenly Places Eph. 2. 4 5 6. But God who is Rich in Mercy for the great Love wherewith he loved us Even when we were dead in Sin hath quickned us together with Christ by Grace ye are saved And hath raised us up together and made us sit together in Heavenly Places in Christ Jesus How great and good are these Consequents which follow upon Affliction I come in the last Place to the Application And shall begin with some Corollaries drawn from the Doctrine If Saints are afflicted for their good 1. Hence we may inferr Afflictions are not Sings of Gods hatred rather Tokens of his Love They are the Lot of the Righteous Psal 34. 19. Many are the Afflictions of the Righteous but the Lord delivereth them at length out of them all They are trained up under the Yoak and bearing it well is greatly beneficial Man is born unto Trouble as the sparks fly upward Troubles like sparks of Fire are innumerable which fill the few days of the Life of Man But those who are born again usually have more troubles than other men God cares for them Hedges up their way with Thorns which they may be afraid to break thorow into Paths which are destructive Hos 2. 6. Therefore behold I will Hedge up thy way with Thorns and make a wall that she shall not find her Paths Happy Saints in their Afflictions who have both a Thorny Hedge and also a wall between them and the broad Road which leads unto Eternal Perdition The Saints make an ill Comment upon their Afflictions when they say God cares not for them nor how he deals with them Several of them have born the Yoak in their Youth and have still carried it to their Graves It is said of One who lately died that upon his Death-bed being asked How long he had been ill made this Reply that he had been ill for fifty Years together Christ was a Man of Sorrows and yet the Son of Gods Love You may be very much beloved of God and yet be very much and often acquainted with griefs 2. Saints in their Afflictions should not be censured because afflicted Holy Job was stript naked and deprived of all that he had and was smitten in hiâ— Person from Head to Foot yet he was truly and eminently good and under all these Evils held fast his Righteousness and Integrity His Censorious Friends were blame-worthy in concluding him an Hypocrite because of his Sufferings He had a greater understanding in the things of God a sounder Judgment and more Grace in his Heart than they The excellent young Elihu spake right indeed when he pronounced Job a man to be justified as to his State Job 33. 32. But he blames him because in vindicating himself he spoke that which too much reflected upon God himself and therefore tells him Job 34. 23. That God will not lay upon any Man not upon the best of Men more than is Right that he should enter into Judgment with God But as for the other three Friends of Job who judged Job unsound in his Religion because of Gods heavy hand upon him they are very sharply rebuked The Lord owns his Servant whom they had so censured Job 42. 7. The Lord said to Eliphaz the Temanite my Wrath is kindled against thee and against thy two Friends for ye have not spoken of me the thing that is Right as my Servant Job And they are commanded to make use of Job as an Intercessour for them that they might not be dealt with according to their Folly To censure a Saint is ill but to censure him in Affliction and only because of Affliction is worse because this adds so much to his Affliction 3. There is no ground or reason for impatience in the Saints whatever Afflictions are their Exercise It may be a check to impatience to consider the very best have deserved worse a thousand-fold than ever they have suffered but the most effectual Remedy against Impatience is the Consideration of the Profit of Affliction Why should Saints repine and murmur at that which is so good for them When their Father is humbling purifying and healing of them when he is carrying on the good Work begun in them towards greater Perfection why should they count themselves hardly dealt with The Father of Spirits is not like the Fathers of our Flesh Will and Humour appears in their Corrections
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
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