by these judgments the Lord promiseth to do great things for them ver 21. Fear not O Land be glad and rejoyce for the Lord will do great things The Prophet Isaiah having set forth the miserable and distressed condition of the Jews both in respect of the corruption of all ranks and degrees of men and of the sore judgments of God that were upon them Isa 1.4,5,6,7,8,9,10 Ah sinful Nation a people laden with iniquity a seed of evil doers children that are corrupters they have forsaken the Lord they have provoked the Holy One of Israel to anger they are gone away backward Why should ye be stricken any more ye will revolt more and more the whole head is sick and the whole heart faint from the sole of the foot even unto the head there is no soundness in it Your Country is desolate your Cities are burnt with fire your Land strangers devour it in your presence and it is desolate as overthrown by strangers and the Daughter of Zion is left as a Cottage in a Vineyard as a lodge in a Garden of Cucumbers Hear the Word of the Lord ye Rulers of Sodom give ear unto the Law of our God ye People of Gomorrah After the rehearsal of their sinful and miserable condition he promiseth that if they would be brought to repentance by these judgments ver 16 17. God would do great things for them notwithstanding they were brought very low ver 25 26 27. I will turn mine hand upon thee and purely purge away thy dross and take away all thy Tin and I will restore thy Judges as at the first and thy Counsellors as at the beginning afterward thou shalt be called the City of Righteousness Zion shall be redeemed with Judgment and her Converts with Righteousness And in several other places of this Prophesie the Lord promiseth that when he did return with mercy to his afflicted people he would make their estate far more glorious than ever it was Isa 30.26 The light of the Moon shall be as the light of the Sun and the light of the Sun shall be seven fold as the light of seven dayes In the day that the Lord bindeth up the breach of his people and healeth the stroke of their wound Isa 60.15 Whereas thou hast been forsaken and hated so that no man went through thee I will make thee an eternal excellency a joy of many Generations Isa 61.7 For your shame you shall have double and for confusion they shall rejoyce in their portion therefore in their Land they shall possess the double everlasting joy shall be unto thee When the Lord is not only shaking a particular City or Nation but all places and all Nations we should not be startled at it God is but making way for the exalting and setting up of his Sons Kingdom Hag. 2.6,7 Thus saith the Lord of Hosts Yet once it is a little while and I will shake the Heavens and the earth and the Sea and the dry Land and I will shake all Nations and the desire of Nations shall come SECT 19. 19. If you purpose to set upon building your Houses which have been consumed by this fire so manage this work as that it may prosper under your hands If you ask How should we so mannage this work of building as to have it prosper under our hands I answer 1. Seek unto God by Prayer to be with you and succeed you in this great work Psal 90.17 Establish thou the works of our hands upon us yea the work of our hands establish thou it Uzziah built and prospered 2 Chron. 26.9 and how came he to prosper ver 5. He sought God in the dayes of Zechariah who had understanding in the visions of God and as long as he sought the Lord God made him to prosper By this means Asa prospered in building Cities and other places of strength 2 Chron. 14.7 Let us build these Cities and make about them Walls and Towers Gates and Bars while the Land is yet before us because we have sought the Lord our God we have sought him and he hath given us rest on every side so they built and prospered Now in regard many persons are wont to neglect seeking God in such undertakings as these it will not be amiss if I add two or three considerations to shew those that are purposed to set upon building how much it is their concernment to give themselves unto Prayer whilst they are carrying on this work 1. It is the will of God that in all our undertakings we should seek unto him by Prayer Phil. 4.6 In every thing by Prayer and Supplication with Thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God Prov. 3.6 In all thy wayes acknowledge him and the more difficult and weighty any undertaking is the more need there is of Prayer 2. Such a work as bulding cannot be carryed on but by the help of God and how should they expect Gods help that do not seek it Psal 127.1 Except the Lord build the house they labour in vain that build it except the Lord keep the City the watchman waketh but in vain When the Lord had promised that their waste and desolate Cities should be rebuilded he tells them he did expect to be sought to that he might do this for them Ezek. 36.33,37 The wasts shall be builded Thus saith the Lord God I will yet for this be enquired of by the House of Israel to do it for them 3. The Servants of God have been wont to carry on this work of building as well as their other works by Prayer Psal 51.18 Build thou the walls of Jerusalem When Nehemiah set upon building Jerusalem he went through very great difficulties in carrying on that work yet by Prayer he overcome them all and prosperously effected what he went about Neh. 4.9 Nevertheless we made our Prayer unto God Neh. 6.9,15 O God strengthen my hands So the wall was finished 4. God hath oft-times visibly appeared against those persons and their undertakings that have gone upon great works without seeking help and direction from God by blasting and confounding them in their undertakings Mal. 1.4 Whereas Edom saith We are impoverished but we will return and build desolate places thus saith the Lord of Hosts they shall build but I will throw down When the Inhabitants of Samaria said in the pride and stoutness of their hearts The bricks are fallen down but we will build with hewen Stones the Sycamores are cut down but we will change them into Cedars and did not seek the Lord Did they prosper No But God threatned to cut them off branch and rush head and tail in one day Isa 9.9,10,13,14 2. If you would carry on this work of building successfully go about it in faith believing that God will be with you therein and rest upon him for his help and assistance Neh. 2.20 The God of Heaven he will prosper us therefore we his servants will arise and build To believe and rely on the
16.10,11 They gnawed their tongues for pain and blasphemed the God of Heaven because of their pains and their sores and repented not of their deeds Rev. 9.20,21 The rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues yet repented not of the works of their hands that they should not worship Devils and Idols of Gold and Silver neither repented they of their Murders and of their Sorceries nor of their Fornication nor of their Thefts Prov. 27.22 Though thou shouldest bray a Fool in a Morter with a Pestel yet will not his foolishness depart from him And this is not only the case of profane men but of most that profess themselves to be the people of God many of them when they are corrected for their sins do yet go on still in their trespasses When God sent such heavy calamities upon the Jews that they were more bitter than death notwithstanding they were by Profession the people of God and their calamities were so great yet scarce any of them were led to repentance by them Jer. 8.3.6 Death shall be chosen rather than life by all the residue of them that remain in this evil family But were they bettered by these great afflictions Not a man of them are brought to repentance as you may see Vers 6. I hearkened and heard but they spake not aright no man repented him of his wickedness saying what have I done every one turneth to his course as the Horse rusheth into the battel The like complaint the same Prophet brings against the Jews Jer. 2.30 In vain have I smitten your children they received no correction The Prophet Isaiah complains also of the Jews that lived in his days that they were not at all reformed by their afflictions Isa 1.5 Why should ye be stricken any more ye will revolt more and more and yet their afflictions were exceeding great as the following words shew The whole head is sick and the whole heart faint from the sole of the foot even unto the head there is no soundness in it but wounds and bruises and putrifying sores Your Country is desolate your Cities are burnt with fire your Land strangers devour it in your presence and it is desolate as overthrown by strangers I may add this farther that it doth exceedingly anger the Lord when such as are under affliction do not turn to the Lord that smiteth them and provokes God many times to send upon them sudden and utter destruction Isa 9.12,13,14 His anger is not turned away but his hand is stretched out still for the people turneth not unto him that smiteth them neither do they seek the Lord of Hosts therefore the Lord will cut off from Israel head and tail branch and rush in one day It may be some will say Seeing it is such an hard matter even for such as are in affliction to be brought to repent of and turn from their sins what means shall we use that we may be brought to repentance now the afflicting hand of God is upon us I answer 1. Sit down and consider your wayes that you may see what is amiss in them and wherein you have gone astray from God consider also seriously with your selves into what endless and unspeakable misely and torments your sins will plunge you if you do not repent of them The Scripture hath many passages to this purpose Rom. 6.21,23 What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed for the end of those things is death for the wages of sin is death Rom. 8.13 If ye live after theflesh ye shall die Psal 9.17 The wicked shall be turned into Hell and all the Nations that forget God When David was in affliction he was reformed by his afflictions Psal 119.67 Before I was afflicted I went astray but now have I kept thy Word And by what means was he brought to a more diligent observation of Gods Word when he was afflicted It was by reflecting upon and considering his wayes as we may see vers 59. I thought on my wayes and turned my feet unto thy Testimonies There is a great efficacy in consideration of our wayes to produce Reformation Prov. 4.26 Ponder the path of thy feet and all thy wayes shall be ordered aright so that Text is rendered in the margent of our Bibles It will not only make good men to reform what is amiss in their wayes but if a man that hath lived a wicked and ungodly life would sit down and seriously consider his wayes it might be a means of turning even of a wicked man from his sins Ezek. 18.27,28 When the wicked man turneth away from his wickedness that he hath committed and doth that which is lawful and right he shall save his soul alive because he considereth and turneth away from all his transgressions that he hath committed he shall surely live he shall not die This Scripture sheweth plainly that consideration because he considereth and turneth will help a wicked man to turn from all his sins by such a repentance as shall surely save his soul he shall surely live he shall not die 2. Give your selves much to hearing reading and meditating upon the Word of God The Rod seldom doth good without the Word but when the Word of God is accompanied with his Rod when in our afflictions we give our selves to search into and meditate upon Gods Word this will make our afflictions to work kindly upon us There is a divine power goeth along with the Word and therefore it must needs be an effectual means to lead us to repentance to converse much with the Word see some places of this Scripture to this purpose Psal 19.7 The Law of the Lord is perfect converting the soul Joh. 15.3 Now ye are clean through the Word which I have spoken unto you Ephes 5.26,27 Christ also loved the Church and gave himself for it that he might sanctifie and cleanse it with the washing of water by the Word Who are harder to be reclaimed then young men who have strong and unruly passions And who are more hardly kept from sin than great men who can do what they please and none can controul them yet both the one and the other may be brought to repentance and kept from sin by taking heed to Gods Word As for young men we may see the power of the Word to reclaim them Psal 119.9 Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way by taking heed thereto according to thy Word David was a King and stood in awe of no man yet was he awed by Gods Word Psal 119.161 My heart standeth in awe of thy Word And though he was a King yet he was so awed by the Word that he durst not sin against God Psal 119.11 Thy Word have I hid in mine heart that I might not sin against thee 3. Confess to God and bemoan the refractoriness and incorrigibleness of your hearts and pray to the Lord that he would turn you from your sins unto himself Jer. 31.18,20 I have surely
passing by on the wall there eryed a woman unto him saying Help my Lord O King and he said if the Lord do not help thee whence shall I help thee 3. They that forsake God in their afflictions are worse than Idolaters for they in their distresses do not run from but run to their Idols to help them The Sea-men that carried Jonah were Idolaters for they had each man his distinct god yet when there arose a great tempest there was not a man amongst them but went to his god for help Jonah 1.4,5 There was a mighty tempest in the Sea so that the Ship was like to be broken then the Marriners were afraid and cryed every man unto his god 3. It may be Satan will take occasion from your afflictions to tempt you to change your Religion He hath not only tempted but prevailed with many in their distress to change their Religion see an instance or two of this 2 Chron. 28.22,23 In the time of his distrâ—ss did he trespass yet more against the Lord this is that King Ahaz for he sacrificed unto the Gods of Damascus which smote him and he said because the gods of the Kings of Assyria help them therefore will I sacrifice to them that they may help me The feeling of want and hope of plenty made the Jews forsake the Lord and burn Incense to the Queen of Heaven Jer. 44.17,18 We will certainly do whatsoever thing goeth forth out of our own mouth to burn Incense to the Queen of Heaven and to pour out Drink Offerings unto her as we have done for then had we plenty of Victuals and were well and saw no evil but since we left of to burn Incense to the Queen of Heaven and to pour out Drink Offerings unto her we have wanted all things and have been consumed by the Sword and by the Famine If Satan by his own suggestions or any of his Instruments should tempt you because of your poor low and afflicted condition to forsake the Protestant Religion which is a Religion founded upon the Scriptures and holdeth forth nothing but what is consonant to and may be clearly proved from the Word of God and should sollicite you to embrace any other Religion the Doctrine or Worship whereof cannot be proved by but are contrary to the Word of God promising you thereby a liberal maintenance you ought not upon any tearms to yield to this temptation I will lay before you some Arguments to continue stedfast in that Doctrine and way of Worship which is according to the Word of God and not forsake the same for any gain or advantage what ever 1. The Prophets under the Old Testament and Jesus Christ and his Apostles under the New Testament do all with one consent direct us to build our faith and to take our directions for worshiping God from the Scriptures The Prophets that lived in the times of the Old Testament they send us to the Scriptures and counsel us to embrace no Doctrines but what are according to the Scriptures Isa 8.20 To the Law and to the Testimony if they speak not according to this Word it is because there is no light in them Psal 119.105 Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path Malachi who was one of the last Prophets under the Old Testament at the conclusion of his Prophesie stirs us up to cleave to the Word of God Mal. 4.4 Remember ye the Law of Moses my servant which I commanded unto him in Horeb for all Israel with the Statutes and Judgments Jesus Christ also would have us regulate our faith by the Scriptures Joh. 7.38 He that believeth on me as the Scripture that said He puts us upon the study of the Scriptures Joh. 5.39 Search the Scriptures he lays the cause of Errors in Judgment upon ignorance of the Scriptures Mar. 12.24 Do ye not therefore err because ye know not the Scriptures His great care after his Resurrection was to help his Disciples to understand and to establish them in the belief of the Scriptures Luk. 24.27,44,45 The Apostles of Christ believed in God and worshiped God according as they were directed by the Scriptures Joh. 2.22 His Disciples remembred that he had said this unto them and they believed the Scripture and the Word which Jesus had said Acts 24.14 So worship I the God of my Fathers believing all things which are written in the Law and in the Prophets And as they believed themselves so they taught no other Doctrine then what was according to the Scriptures Act. 26.22 I continue unto this day witnessing both to small and great saying none other things than those which Moses and the Prophets did say should come see also 1 Cor. 15.3,4 Act. 28.23 yea all the members of the true Church of that Church which is the House of God an holy Temple an habitation of God do cleave to and are built upon that Doctrine which is delivered by the Prophets and the Apostles in the Scriptures Ephes 2.19,20,21,22 2. If there should arise a Prophet which could work wonders if that Prophet should perswade us to turn to an Idolatrous Religion we must not hearken to him Deut. 13.1,2,3 If there arise among you a Prophet or a Dreamer of Dreams and giveth thee a sign or a wonder and the sign or the wonder come to pass whereof he spake unto thee saying Let us go after other gods which thou hast not known and let us serve them Thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that Prophet for the Lord your God proveth you to know whether you love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul yea farther if one of the Apostles should rise from the dead or if an Angel should come from Heaven and preach any other Doctrine than what is contained in the Scriptures we ought not to receive it Gal. 1.8,9 Though we or an Angel from Heaven preach any other Gospel unto you than that we have preached unto you let him be accursed As we said before so say I now again If any man preach any other Gospel unto you than that ye have received let him be accursed Now if we must entertain no Doctrine contrary to the Scriptures though delivered by a Prophet that can work wonders and foretel things to come or by an Apostle or by an Angel from Heaven then how great is their folly who at the instigation of Satan or any of his Instruments do turn aside from the Truth and embrace a corrupt Religion to get or to prevent the losing of the good things of this world 3. If you abide in the true Doctrine of Christ as it is delivered in the Scriptures you shall enjoy the favour of God and have Communion with him both here and hereafter but if you abide not in the Doctrine of Christ you will lose the favour of God and shall have no part or portion in his Kingdom 2 Joh. v. 9. Whosoever transgresseth and abideth not
in the Doctrine of Christ hath not God he that abideth in the Doctrine of Christ he hath both the Father and the Son 1 Joh. 2.23,24 Whosoever denyeth the Son the same hath not the Father 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 Are the Father and the Son so low in your esteem and is the world so high that you will forgo the Father and the Son and deprive your selves for ever of any part or portion of the blessed God by departing from the Truth to embrace this present world 4. It is a sin that will certainly bring damnation to depart from the Truth and to turn aside to corrupt doctrine 1 Tim. 5.12 Having damnation because they have cast of their first faith 2 Thess 2.11.12 God shall send them strong delusion that they should believe a lie that they all might be damned who believed not the Truth but had pleasure in unrighteouss Will you damn your souls to get or keep a little pittance of this world It is not much that you can hope for by changing your Religion But suppose you could gain a Kingdom yea the whole world yet this will not countervail the loss of your soul Mar. 8.36 What shall it profit a man if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul 5. Consider how firmly our Lord Jesus Christ adhered to the Scriptures When he was offered all the Kingdoms of the world for one act of Idolatrous worship he refused it with disdain giving this reason it was against the written Word of God Matth. 4.8,9,10 The Devil taketh him up into an exceeding high Mountain and sheweth him all the Kingdoms of the world and the glory of them and said unto him All these things will I give thee if thou wilt fall down and worship me Then said Jesus unto him Get thee hence Satan for it is written thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him only shalt thou serve And as the Lord Jesus would not go against the Scriptures to gain the whole world so neither would he do any thing against the Scriptures to avoid the greatest sufferings that ever man met with When Christs Enemies had apprehended him in order to the putting of him to death he could have called for twelve Legions of Angels to have rescued him out of his Enemies hands but he would not because it was against the Scriptures Matth. 26.53,54 Thinkest thou that I cannot pray to my Father and he should presently give me more than twelve Legions of Angels But how then shall the Scriptures be fulfilled that thus it must be Now we ought to have as high a respect unto the Scriptures as Christ had for He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also to walk even as he walked 1 Joh. 2.6 6. It is a very rare thing to hear of Idolaters that change their Religion they shew great firmness to their idol gods though they are no gods but the work of mens hands Jer. 2.10,11 Pass over the Isles of Chittim and see and send unto Kedar and consider diligently and see if their be such a thing Hath a Nation changed their gods which are yet no gods but my people have changed their glory for that which doth not profit Is it not a shame for such as profess the true God to set lighter by the true God than Idolaters do by their Idols 7. It never went well with any persons that forsake the true Religion and turned to a false one out of worldly respects Ahaz thought to be much advantaged by sacrificing to the gods of Damascus but was he helped at all thereby No It was his ruine and the ruine of all Israel 2 Chron. 28.23 He sacrificed unto the Geds of Damascus that smote him and he said Because the gods of the Kings of Syria help them therefore will I sacrifice to them that they may help me but they were the ruine of him and of all Israel The Jews that burnt Incense to the Queen of Heaven hoping thereby to obtain both peace and plenty were consumed by the Sword and Famine Jer. 44.17,18,21,22,25,27 What did Francis Spira get by denying and departing from the reformed Religion but such horrour of Conscience as may make all that shall read his History tremble at any thoughts of denying or departing from the Truth 8. That mans Profession of Religion is worth nothing who will change his Religion for wordly advantages for he is not a servant to the great God that made all things but he makes the world his god and shall after his death have his part among Idolaters in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone Phil. 3.18,19 Rev. 21.8 4. It may be Satan will press hard upon some persons that have lived plentifully heretofore and in good respect among their neighbours and now are brought into apoor low condition by this fire to make away themselves It is usual with the Devil who is styled a Murderer to tempt distressed persons either to strangle or drown or stab or some other way to destroy themselves He assaulted Job with this temptation when he was in his troubles and to render the temptation the more successful he maketh use of his wife to carry on his design Job 2.9 Then said his wife unto him Dost thou still retain thine integrity curse God and die But Job abhors the motion and rebukes his wife for this counsel Vers 10. But he said unto her Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh c. If any of you are or should be hereafter assaulted with this temptation to prevent your yielding to it I would advise you to do these things 1. Be convinced that it is a damnable sin for any man upon any pretence whatsoever to murder himself If you doubt of this whether it be a sin for a man to take away his own life I shall endeavour to convince you that it is not only a sin but a very hainous and damnable sin for a man to destroy himself 1. It is a transgression of that Law Exod. 20.13 Thou shalt not kill which is one of the greatest Commandments of the Second Table That Law Thou shalt not kill doth as much oblige us not to kill our selves as it doth not to kill other men 2. The Word of God telleth us plainly that no murderer shall have eternal life but shall be cast into that lake that burns with fire and brimstone 1 Joh. 3.15 Ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him Rev. 21.8 The fearful and unbelieving and the abominable and Murderers and Whoremongers and Sorcerers and Idolaters and all Lyars shall have their part in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone Now such as kill themselves are murderers as well as they that kill other men 3. It is an usurping upon Gods Prerogative for
of fire is as great a mercy as to be delivered from violent men and therefore you should resolve to give God thanks for your deliverance as David did for his Be not only affected with this mercy for the present but let the sense and remembrance of it abide with you as long as you live When the Israelites escaped safe through the Red-Sea where the Egyptians were drowned they were much affected with this mercy for a little while but in a short time it was as much forgotten as if it had never been received Psal 106.12,13 They sang his praise they soon forgot his works David was of another spirit he charged his soul never to forget Gods benefits but to bless God and be thankful for them all the dayes of his life Psal 103.2 Bless the Lord O my soul and forget not all his benefits Psal 34.1 I will bless the Lord at all times his praise shall continually be in my mouth Psal 30.12 O Lord my God I will give thanks unto thee for ever Psal 104.33 I will sing unto the Lord as long as I live I will sing praise unto my God while I have my being We please God exceedingly when we give him praise and thanks by Jesus Christ for the mercies he bestoweth upon us Heb. 13.15,16 By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually that is the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his Name for with such sacrifice God is well-pleased Psal 69.30,31 I will praise the Name of God with a Song and will magnifie him with Thanksgiving this also shall please the Lord better than an Oxe or Buliock that hath horns and hoofs God accounts the praise that his servants offer up to him in the Name of his Son melodious and delightful musick Ephes 5.19,20 Making melody in your heart to the Lord giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ To raise up your thankfulness to God for sparing your houses and substance and not suffering them to be destroyed by the late dreadful fire Consider 1. What a great affliction it is to be destitute of an habitation and of necessary food When David was in a wandering unsetled condition he met with such difficulties as made him shed many a tear Psal 56.8 Thou tellest my wanderings put thou my tears into thy bottle And when God gave him a setled habitation he dedicates his house to God and resolves to be thankful all the dayes of his life Psal 30.12 O Lord my God I will give thanks unto thee for ever This purpose of giving thanks for ever relates to the time that he dedicated his house to God as you may see in the title of the Psalm When the Israelites were destitute of an habitation and were tryed with hunger and thirst it was such an affliction as made their souls faint within them Psal 107.4,5 They wandered in the Wilderness in a solitary way they found no City to dwell in hungry and thirsty their souls fainted in them When Jacob was forced to flee from his fathers house to avoid his brother Esau's fury and knew not what straits he might meet with he looked upon it as such a great mercy to have food and raiment that he Covenants with God to become his servant if he would but give him bread to eat and rayment to put on Gen. 28.20,21 Jacob vowed a Vow saying If God will be with me and will keep me in this way that I go and will give me bread to eat and raiment to put on then shall the Lord be my God To be stricken with hunger and not to have wherewith to satisfie our hunger is a greater misery than to be pierced through with a Sword Lam. 4.9 They that be slain with the sword are better than they that be slain with hunger for these pine away stricken through for want of the fruits of the field 2. Consider how many there are who lived as plentifully and comfortably as you do that were as good or better than you are that are brought to want and exceeding great straits by the losses they have sustained by this Fire And have not you cause to admire Gods goodness and to bless him as long as you live for sparing you when so many have suffered so deeply who yet it may be provoked God less than you have done SECT 3. 3. Let the great calamities that are come upon others and the goodness of God towards you lead you to repentance cause you to humble your souls before God for your sins and to put away far from you all iniquity and to be more careful and conscientious in keeping the Commandments of God Ezra 9.13,14 After thou hast given us such deliverance as this Should we again break thy Commandements Rom. 3.4 The goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance God expects that we should be led to repentance by others sufferings as well as our own Daniel reproveth Belshazzar because he did not humble himble his soul before God notwithstanding he knew what great things his father had suffered Dan. 5.20,21,22 When his heart was lifted up and his mind hardned in pride he was deposed from his Kingly Throne and they took his glory from him c. And thou his son O Belshazzar hast not humbled thine heart though thou knewest all this When Judah had seen the great judgments which God sent upon her sister Israel and was not brought to unseigned repentance by them God was much offended at it and Judah's case was rendered thereby far worse than Israels Jer. 3.7,8,10,11 I said after she had done all these things Turn thou unto me but she returned not and her treacherous sister Judah saw it And I saw when for all the causes whereby back-sliding Israel committed adultery I had put her way and given her a bill of divorce yet her treacherous sister Judah feared not but went and played the Harlot also And yet for all this her treacherous sister Judah hath not turned unto me with her whole heart but feignedly saith the Lord And the Lord said unto me The back-sliding Israel hath not justified her self more than treacherous Judah When but eighteen persons suffered by the fall of the Tower of Siloam Christ tells us that the meaning of that Providence was to call all that heard of it unto repentance Luk. 13.4,5 In the time of the Law when but one person suffered exemplary punishment and that not by an immediate stroke from God but by the hands of men all Israel was to take warning from his sufferings and to be afraid of sinning against the Lord Deut. 13.10,11 Thou shalt stone him with stones that he die And all Israel shall hear and fear and shall done more any such wickedness as this is among you See also Deut. 17.12,13 Even that man shall die And all the people hear and fear and do no more presumptuosly If the suffering of one man by the hands
which every day bringeth forth would fit us for greater tryals Lam. 3.27 It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth If we would know what good cometh by an early accustoming our selves to bear the cross the following verses shew that it will make him patient and silent under his sufferings ver 28. He sitteth alone and keepeth silence because he hath born it upon him It will make a man suffer humbly ver 29. He putteth his mouth in the dust It maketh him suffer willingly ver 30. He giveth his cheek to him that smiteth him Our Lord Jesus exhorts us to take up our cross dayly Luk. 9.23 He said unto them If any man will come after me let him deny himself and take up his cross dayly and follow me If we did practice this counsel if we did every day expect crosses and quietly submit our selves under such crosses as every day bringeth forth if we could but deny our selves and resign up our wills unto Gods will this would prepare us to undergo any tryal that the Lord shall see meet to lay upon us 10. A well grounded hope of eternal life will help us to bear all the troubles of this life cheerfully A Christian that hath good hope through grace that he shall go to Heaven when he dieth may by vertue of this hope rejoyce and glory in the midst of his greatest tribulations Rom. 5.2,3 We rejoyce in hope of the glory of God we glory in tribulations It was this carried Moses through all the difficulties he met with in leaving Pharaoh's Court in wandering among the Israelites by the space of forty years in the Wilderness Heb. 11.24,25,26 By faith Moses when he was come to years refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's Daughter choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt for he had respect unto the recompence of reward The hope of the reward that he should have in heaven caused him to make light both of the good and evil things of this world Hope of salvation is like an helmet which is of great use for our preservation 1 Thes 5.8 putting on for an helmet the hope of salvation Hope is of the same use to the soul in afflictions that the Anchor is to the Ship in a storm which keeps it from perishing by being driven upon the Rocks or Sands Heb. 6.19 Which hope we have as an Anchor of the Soul both sure and stedfast which entereth into that within the vail Therefore if we would prepare our selves for afflictions we must get a solid and well grounded hope of eternal life 11. Let us consider what it is which we have found in our own experience hath made our yoke heavy and also what we have observed either in reading or by discourse hath made the yoke of affliction heavy and hard to be born by others and let us take care to prevent those things As for instance 1. We may observe that the want of Gods presence in the time of affliction hath made affliction very burdensom and hard to be born 1 Sam. 28.15 I am sore distressed for the Philistines make war against me and God is departed from me and answereth me no more When Saul's Enemies came against him and God was departed this put him into such distress that he knew not what to do When God withdrew from Job in his affliction the want of Gods presence made his affliction very bitter Job 23.2,8,9 Even to day is my complaint bitter my stroke is heavier than my groaning Behold I go forward but he is not there and backward but I cannot perceive him on the left hand where he doth work but I cannot behold him he hideth himself on the right hand that I cannot see him When David was in trouble he tells God if he did hide his face from him he should be like a dead man Psal 143.7 Hide not thy face from me lest I be like unto them that go down into the pit Therefore it is our wisdom to do what in us lyeth to get and keep Gods presence with our souls as was hinted before 2. A galled and guilty Conscience When David was under the sense of guilt in the time of his sickness it was such a burden that he was ready to sink under it Psal 38.3,4 There is no soundness in my flesh because of thine anger neither is there any rest in my bones because of my sins for mine iniquities are gone over mine head as an heavy burden they are too heavy for me 3. When we promise our selves a setled course of prosperity and do not look for trouble this makes affliction dreadful and terrible Isa 64.3 Thou didst terrible things which we looked not for Psal 30.6,7 In my prosperity I said I shall never be moved thou didst hide thy face and I was troubled 4. When we have not learnt to deny our selves and to resign and to submit our wills unto the Will of God It is very irksome to self-willed persons and such as abound with self-love to meet with crosses Our Lord Jesus exhorts us to deny our selves before he exhorts us to take up our cross Mar. 8.34 Whosoever will come after me let him deny himself and take up his cross which implyes that no man can bear affliction with a chearful contented mind but such as have learnt to deny themselves 5. When God doth not only withdraw his presence of which I spoke before but sheweth himself terrible to us in an evil day this maketh affliction very irksome to the soul This the Prophet prayeth against Jer. 17.17 Be not a terror unto me thou art my hope in the day of evil This made the calamity of the Jews exceeding heavy and hard to be born that God set himself against them in the time of trouble Lam. 3.3,7 Surely against me is he turned he hath made my chain heavy 12. Treasure up in your hearts the promises of God which relate to an afflicted condition It is a great help to the bearing of affliction to be well acquainted with the promises that God hath made to his people that are in an afflicted condition David found great comfort from Gods promises in his afflictions Psal 119.49,50 Remember thy word unto thy servant upon which thou hast caused me to hope this is my comfort in mine affliction When he met with such hard tryals that he stood astonished to see how God dealt with him he was filled with joy when he called to minde the promise of God Psal 60.3,6 Thou hast shewen thy people hard things thou hast made us to drink the wine of astonishment God hath spoken in his holiness I will rejoyce He telleth us elsewhere if it had not been for the comfort that he found in Gods word he had perished in his afflictions Psal 119.92 Vnless thy Law had been my delights I
should then have perished in mine affliction It was by the help of the word of truth that the Apostle went through his manifold troubles with great patience 2 Cor. 6.4,5,7 Now there are variety of promises which do relate to an afflicted condition which may be of great use to us in our afflictions which we shall do well to store up against an evil day I will mention some of them 1. God hath promised to moderate our afflictions and to lay no more upon us than he will enable us to bear 1 Cor. 10.13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man but God is faithful who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able but will with the temptation also make a way to escape that ye may be able to bear it Isa 27.8 In measure when it shooteth forth thou wilt debate with it he stayeth his rough wind in the day of his East wind Jer. 15.11 The Lord said Verily it shall be well with thy remnant verily I will cause the enemy to entreat thee well in the time of evil and in the time of affliction This promise is added after the mentioning of Gods unalterable purpose to send four sore Judgments upon the Jews Death the Sword Famine and Captivity verse 1 2. So also after mention of a time of trouble such as there had not been the like God comforts his people with his promise that he would not correct them out of measure though he suffered them to partake of the common calamity Jer. 30.7,10,11 Alas for that day is great so that none is like it it is even the time of Jacobs trouble Yet the Lord encourageth Jacob not to be afraid Fear thou not O my servant Jacob saith the Lord neither be dismayed O Israel for I am with thee saith the Lord to save thee though I make a full end of all Nations whether I have scattered thee yet will I not make a full end of thee but I will correct thee in measure and will not leave thee altogether unpunished 2. God hath promised us his presence in our afflictions Psal 91.15 He shall call upon me and I will answer him I will be with him in trouble Isa 43.1,2 But now thus saith the Lord that created thee O Jacob and he that formed thee O Israel Fear not When thou passest through the waters I will be with thee and through the rivers they shall not overflow thee when thou walkest through the fire thou shalt not be burnt neither shall the flame kindle upon thee This promise hath dependance on the last verse where the Prophet telleth us what calamities were come upon Israel He hath poured upon him the fury of his anger and the strength of battle and it hath set him on fire round about and then addeth but now thus saith the Lord Fear not When thou passest through the waters I will be with thee God would not have his people fear any trouble because he will be with them in all their troubles in one as well as another and that not only when they first enter into them but till they are safely passed through all the troubles of this life 3. God hath promised to strengthen and support and uphold us in all our troubles I have mentioned several promises to this purpose already as Joel 3.15,16 Isa 41.10 I will add two or three more Nahum 1.7 The Lord is good a strong hold in the day of trouble and he knoweth them that trust in him Psal 37.39,40 The salvation of the righteous is of the Lord he is their strength in time of trouble And the Lord shall help them and deliver them he shall deliver them from the wicked and save them because they put their trust in him Isa 41.14 Fear not thou worm Jacob and ye men of Israel I will help thee saith the Lord and thy redeemer the Holy One of Israel see also Isa 25.4 4. God hath promised to comfort and revive our souls when we are in affliction Psal 138.7 Though I walk in the midst of trouble thou wilt revive me thou shalt stretch forth thine hand against the wrath of mine enemies and thy right hand shall save me Micah 7.8 When I sit in darkness the Lord shall be a light unto me Psal 71.20,21 Thou which hast shewn me great and sore troubles shall quicken me again and shalt bring me up again from the depths of the earth thou shalt encrease my greatness and comfort me on every side Isa 66.13 As one whom his mother comforteth so will I comfort you and ye shall be comforted in Jerusalem John 14.18 I will not leave you comfortless I will come to you 5. God hath promised to sanctifie our afflictions and he hath promised they shall purge out our sins and make us more holy and shall be all of them so blessed unto us that they shall work together for our good Isa 27.9 By this shall the iniquity of Jacob be purged and this is all the fruit to take away their sin Zech. 13.9 I will bring the third part through the fire and will refine them as silver is refined Rom. 8.28 We know that all things work together for good to them that love God to them who are the called according to his purpose 6. God hath promised in due time to deliver us out of all our afflictions 1 Pet. 5.6 Humble your selves under the mighty hand of God that he may exalt you in due time Job 5.19 He shall deliver thee in six troubles yea in seven there shall no evil touch thee Psal 34.19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous but the Lord delivereth him out of them all God hath promised when he seeth it to be most for our good and for his own glory to preserve us from afflictions Psal 121.7 The Lord shall preserve thee from all evil he shall preserve thy soul Psal 32.7 Thou art my hiding place thou shalt preserve me from trouble thou shalt compass me about with songs of deliverance but when he doth not preserve us from trouble he hath promised to deliver us out of trouble Psal 50.15 Call upon me in the day of trouble I will deliver thee and thou shalt glorifie me SECT 13. 13. Endeavour to demean your selves in such sort towards God that you may prevail with him to continue still to watch over and preserve both your persons houses and substance If you ask what you should do that you may engage the Lord to continue his preservation of your persons and substance I answer 1. Walk in the fear of the Lord and serve him with an upright and sincere heart Satan saith of Job who was an upright man one that feared God and eschewed evil Job 1.9,10 Doth Job fear God for nought Hast not thou made an hedge about him and about his house and about all that he hath on every side Thou hast blessed the work of his hands and encreased his substance in the land Prov.