than are ye bastards and not sons As they say of the Eagit shee tries her young ones by setting their eyes against the bright and scorching beames of the Sun and if they cannot endure those scorching beames she rejects them as spurious and as a bastardly brood So God somtimes tries his Children to see whether they will be constant or no and whether they be his own Children or bastards And so he tries their gracess whether they be golden graces Re v. 3.18 I counsell thee to buy of me gold tryed in the fire 'T is a Text I once opened to you and I shewed you by gold there is ment the golden graces of the Spirit of God and pray mark our Saviour would have such gold as is tryed in the fire implying thus much that our graces are not true graces unless they be able to hold out in the day of tryall and tribulation gold you know will endure the fire The Apostle speaking of our faith 1 Pet. 1.7 saies The very tryall of it is much more precious then gold that perisheth And if the tryall of it be so precious what will the victory or conquest of it be As one saies Some vertues and graces they are like Stars that shine not in the day time of prosperity but shine onely in the night of adversity We had never known Jobs patience had not we known Jobs sufferings As their is Honey you know in the comb but it comes not out usually till it be prest and as there is sweet water in the Rose leaf but it comes not out till it be fired and as the strength of a Tower is not known till an assault and battery be made against it So there are many graces in a Christian that will never be discovered till the day of affliction And as the Lord afflicts us for the tryall of our graces so likewise for the exercise of our graces faith would not be exercised were it not for afflictions We know not what to doe but our eyes are toward thee 2 Chron. 20.12 And patience would not be exercised were it not for afflictions Rom. 5.3 and therefore the Apostle saith Tribulations worke patience And obedience would not be exercised were it not for afflictions it is said of our Saviour Hebr. 5.8 that He learnt obedience by the things which he suffered A man trained up in the school of affliction will gain more good by one Sermon than another will gain by ten for in times of prosperity we usually have a deafe ear some truths we understand not others we believe not we kick at some truths and fret at others but affliction opens the ear for discipline Job 36.10 And so servent prayer would not be exercised were it not for afflictions Isa 26.16 Lord in trouble have they visited thee they pouered out a prayer when thy chastening was upon them They prayed to purpose then A man may pray in times of prosperitie but he seldome pouers out a prayer till affliction comes as One saies Prayer without afflictions is but like a bird without wings 'T is said of our blessed Saviour when he was in an agonie he prayed a great deal the more earnestly So that affliction adds much to the grace of prayer And our simpathy likewise towards our bretheren would not be exercised like afflictions work like affections neither would our fear of the great and holy name of God be exercised so that affllictions are both for the tryall and for the exercises of our graces Thirdly Another good God intends by afflictions is in reference to our present comsorts and enjoyments that we may not surfer upon the lucious contentments here below therefore in the midst of our comforts God gives us some crosses to diet us as in the midst of our crosses he gives us some comforts to support us the Lord knows that we have weak heads and are not able to bear a prosperous estate without some bitter ingredient If any of you have a Child that hath but a weak head and he is drinking wine one comes and mingles a little water with the wine you thank him for it because your poor Child is not able to bear strong drink therefore it is a great favour to have some water mingled with it God I say sees that we are not able to bear a prosperous estate and therefore it is a great mercie that he mingles some affliction with it and thereby by imbitters our comforts and so seasons our joys that we may not surfet with them and indeed one main end that God aims at in all our afflictions is to imbitter all outward things to us that himself alone may be sweet to our poor souls God would not have us set our hearts upon things here below he would not have these outward comforts to steal away our hearts as Absolom stole away the hearts of the people nor would he have us say as Peter did it is good being here or to set up our staff here but to be willing to part with what we do enjoy and to contemn it in comparison of what we do expect That is a third thing in reference to our present comforts Fourthly Another good God intends likewise is in reference to our future hopes for these afflictions these severe dispensations of his providence they are both the way to Glory and they work out our Glory they are the way to Glory Luke 24.26 Ought not Christ to have suffered these things and so to enter into his Glory What hath the head gone that way and must not the member go the same way also Nay they work out our Glory 2 Cor 4.17 for our light affliction which is but for a moment worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternall weight of Glory Afflictions they are but the file wherewith God doth polish and square us that we may be fit stones in his spirituall building Thus you see the first thing opened unto you what Good God intends in the severest of his dispensations But secondly Who are they to whom God intends this good certainly God doth not intend it unto all Figs he never intended it to the wicked but he intends it to those that are good Figs as it is here in the text I but how shall we do to know we are good Figs I gave you three Characters you may remember the last Lords day let me very briefly give you but three more now that so you may know whether you be those good Figs to whom this promise belongs that all the severe dispensations of God shall be for your good First If you be upright in heart Psal 125.4 Do good O Lord unto those that be good I but who are they he tels you in the next words to them that are upright in their hearts If you be good not only in appearance but good in proof if you be good in reality for you know rotten Figs may make as fair a shew as the best Figs
his providences intend our good then there are four duties that I desire to propound to you and I will but propound them for I cannot press them the time being gone 1. Believe this truth 2. Apply this truth 3. Act according to this truth 4. Draw out the sweetness of this truth First I would have you believe this truth that God in all his dispensations though they seem never so strange and harsh to you yet intends your spirituall good Believe it may some say what do you think we are atheists do you think we do not believe the Scripture when God saies all things work for good I it may be you believe it but it is one thing to believe with a notional faith and another thing to believe with a practicall faith You read of the work of faith with power 2 Thes 1.11 there are many it may be that believe this truth with a notional faith I but few that believe it with a practicall faith for example there are none of us but believe we are mortall that we are poor frail creatures that must die and drop down to the dust we know not how soon we believe this doctrine with a notionall faith I but how few believe it with a practical faith so as to prepare for their latter end to make their whole life a preparation for their dying day the devils they believe too they believe that God is a holy and a just God and will render to them according to their deserts at that great day when they must be judged before all the Angels and before all the Saints I but for all this they do not repent they have a notional faith I but they have not a practicall faith so it may be you believe this Doctrine but do you believe it practically so as to make use of it that you are able to say certainly this providence this affliction though sharp yet tendeth to my spirituall good But Secondly As I would have you to believe this truth so I would have you apply it unto your own souls that when afflictions come or troubles come or sickness comes when the loss of a dear husband or wife or the loss of a hopefull child or the loss of an estate comes when pangs and pains and fears and streights come upon you you may say to every one of them you are welcome you come with your commission do the work that God ets you about I know that though for the present you are very painfull yet at the laft you will be very beneficiall as I have heard the story of a boy in a Ship when there was such a storm that threatned the sinking of the Ship presently hesat still and was not at all troubled and being asked why he was not troubled when he saw they were in jeopardy of death every minute O saies he I know my Father sits at the stern I know my God hath the disposing of all and he will order all for good And O that we could do so this is to apply this Doctrine and not only to believe it Thirdly I would have you act according to your faith and therefore let the utmost endeavour of your souls be in this that you may find a spirituall advantage by every passage of providence and that every condition may draw you nearer to your God I confess this is a hard lesson to be learnt but yet there are these five means that may help you I will but name hem First If you would act so that every condition may drawy on nearer to God you must live not by sight and sense but by saith for if you look upon Afflictions with an eye of sence you will see no good in them at all but if you look upon them with an eye of faith then you will say sanctified Affliction is better than unsanctified prosperity sanctified sickness better than unsanctified health and sanctified poverty better than unsanctified riches For our light affliction saith the Apostle which is but for a moment worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternall weight of Glory How did he know this he tels you in the next words While we look not at the things which are seen but at the things which are not seen c. 2 Cor. 4.17 18. as if he should say look not with as eye of flesh but with an eye of Faith And then secondly As a great deal of faith so a great deal of patience is required also you must not look that the good of affliction should come presently as I told you in one of the limitations No affliction for the present seemeth to be joyous but grievous nevertheless afterwards it yeeldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby Heb. 12.11 As you must exercise faith so you must be contented to wait also Thirdly There must be a great deal of self-denial too so that you can be content to be crost of your own wills that Gods will may be fulfilled Fourthly You must resolve you will not part with your integrity though to avoid any affliction you must not choose iniquity rather than affliction but you must choose the greatest affliction rather than you will commit the least sin If you keep your integrity than this is certain every affliction will work for your good and you shall find every providence will tend to your spirituall advantage in your worst condition but on the contrary if you part with your integrity you shall meet with a curse in the best of your outward conditions here below And then in the Fift and last place If you would have all thingswork for good you must be much in prayer Phil. 1.19 saies the Apostle speaking of afflictions I know that this shall turn to my salvation through your prayer and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ and this is the third Duty And then Fourthly And so I have done Do not onely believe and apply and act according to but labour to draw out the sweetness of this truth that you may be able to rejoyce in the time of temptation My brethren count it all joy when you fall into divers temptations Jam. 1.2 What to rejoyce in temptations may some say if the Apostle had said my brethren count it all sorrow when you fall into divers temptations he had said something but count it all joy when you fall into divers temptations yes and the Apostle knew very well what he said for he knew that they that sow most in tears shall reap most of all in joy and they that can bear afflictions and temptations with most quiet calm and serene spirits they shall have the blessed fruit of righteousness though for the present they are exercised thereby and God will do them a great deal of good and will at length bring them to heaven though by the gates of hell and 't is a great deal better to be brought to heaven by the gates of hell than to be brought to hell by the gates of heaven and it is better to have our hell here than to have our hell hereafter to have a hell of misery to all eternity the Lord write every one of these things in our hearts that we may be able to speak by experience that every one of these providences shall be for our good And so much shall suffice for this Text and for this time FINIS ERRATA PAge 10. line 15. r. deserts us p. 20. l. 18. r. hear p 25. l. 7. r. of whom p. 34. l. 12. r. others p. 41. l. 8. r. it self p. 50. l 9. in some Copies r. had Judah
upon him for ever This is a good conclusion for that God that hath smitten us will heal us if we wait upon him though he hide his face for a little while yet he will not always hide his face Isa 57.16 and though he contend for a little while yet he will not conend for ever lest the spirit which he hath made should faile before him The third and last Use is for consolation Is God the Author of all the miseries and calamities that befall us then it serves for the comfort of the people of God in this that God can order and overrule and he can bridle and restrain wicked and ungodly men in all their enterprises in all their plots and projects and in all their purposes and designs that they have against his people because he is the Author whoever be the instruments all wicked men are but the rod in his hand O Assyrian the rod of mine anger and the staff in their hand is mine indignation Isa 10.5 and if there were twenty rods in a room and never a hand to use one of them we would not be afraid of them the rod can do nothing unless their be a hand to use it instruments can do nothing if God do not make use of them or if he do restrain them God can still the rageing of the sea the noise of their waves and the tumult of the people Psal 65.7 and these two are joyned together the raging of the Sea and the tumnlt of the people implying thus much that though people should rage against Gods servants as much as the waves of th Sea yet God can restrain them he that saies to the waves thus far shall ye go and no further here shall your proud waves be stayed he can say to the rage and fury of the greatest oppressours upon earth thus far shall ye go and no further that God that doth whatsoever pleaseth him in heaven and earth he will order things so that we may be fure though his Church be oppressed yet it shall not be supressed and if he can do whatsoever pleaseth him Psa 31.15 then the enemies of the Church cannot do whatsoever pleaseth them My times are in thy hands saies David Ps 115.7 truly if the times of our troubles were in our own hands the rod would be taken away too soon and if our times were in our enemies hands our afflictions would be too long but now because our times are in Gods hands therefore he will order and over-rule both for time and manner and measure so as may make most for the glory of his own Name and for our comfort that though he do humble us and prow us yet it is that he may do us good in the latter end And this leads me to the third and last particular in the Text The third comfort that is tendered to these poor Captives saies God here I have sent them out of this place into the Land of the Caldeans but it is for their good for their spirituall benefit and advantage But of that God willing you shall hear in the after noon so much shall serve for this time SERMON IV. Jeremiah Chap. 24. Verse 5. Thus saith the Lord the God of Israel Like these good Figs so will I acknowledge them that are carried away captive of Judah whom I have sent out of this place into the Land of the Caldeans for their good I Have spoken to this Text as you may remember in three Sermons I will by Gods assistance finish it at this time I have done with the explication of the Type like these good Figs and am now upon the application if it and the application is wholly comfortable and that in three respects First God tels them that he would acknowledge them that were carried away aptive of Judah And secondly That he himself had sent them into the Land of the Caldeans and these two I have dispatched I come now to the third and last particular and that which is most remarkable in the Text and that is that God doth assure them here that this their captivity should be for their good for their spirituall profit and advantage I have sent them out of this place into the Land of the Caldeans for their good And the Point of Doctrine I would commend to you from hence is this That God in the severest of his proviences Doct. and the sharpest afflictions that his people meet withall doth yet intend their spirituall good To be carried captive into Babylon doubtless it was a very severe providence and a very sharp affliction if you consider either the antecedents of it or the consequents of it the antecedents of it what went before why blood and slaughter and the loss of many mens lives or if you consider also the consequents of it what followed their captivitie why the enslaving of their persons the loss of their estates the leaving of their Country and the Land of their nativity the scorns and reproaches the exultations and triumphs of their adversaries that would be ready to trample upon their misery whereas misery should be a loadstone for mercy and not a footstool for pride to trample upon but yet this they must look for to be trampled upon and triumpht over by their insulting adversaries as for example the Edomites said in the day of Jerusalem that is in the day of Jerusalems misery Down with it down with it even to the ground Psal 137.7 Yea they rejoyced over the Children of Judah in the day of their destruction and they spake proudly in the day of their distress as it is in the Prophesie of Obadiah v. 12. So likwise the Amonites you shall see how they insulted over them when they had carried them Captive Ezek. 26.6 saies God Thou hast clapped thine hands and stamped with the feet and rejoyced in heart with all thy despite against the Land of Israel Insomuch that the people of God complain Psalm 44.13 O Lord thou makest us a reproach to our neighbours a scorn and a derision to them that are round about us These were the wofull consequences of that Captivitie and yet God saies notwithstanding he did intend their spirituall good This is that which God tels them Jer. 32.41 Yea I will rejoyce over you to do you good and I will plant you in this Land assuredly with my whole heart and with my wholesoul And how many testimonies might I produce to this purpose that God in the severest of his dispensations doth yet intend his Childrens good Dut. 8.15 16. When he led thee through that great and terrible Wilderness wherein were fiery Serpents and Scorpions and drought where there was no water c. It was that he might humble thee and prove thee that he might do thee good at thy latter end And Rom. 8.28 't is a known Scripture and as comfortable a Scripture as any in all the Book of God We know that all things work togather for good to