The Saints Sufferings and Sinners Sorrows, Part 13
God in judging his houſe makes choyce of a fit time.
The originall word foreign imployeth rather the convenience of ſeaſon, than the continuance of time. As God knoweth when to deliver his, ſo he hath his ſeaſon wherein to puniſh and chaſtize them: and that firſt, to revenge the quarrell of his covenant, Lev. 26.25. It is ill conteſting with God, eſpecially for them that are linked in covenant with him. You have I knowne of all the families of the earth: therefore I will puniſh you for all your iniquities, Amo. 3.2. Secondly in reſpect of the Goſpell, which cannot bee preached without oppoſition of outward violence, Matth. 11.12. Luk. 16.16, violent men will prey upon Gods kingdome, and every wicked man will have ablow at it. Like Kites upon a Carkeiſe ſo are Gods enemies upon his Church, Luke 17.37. Thirdly, this ſeaſon here poynted at, fulfills the prophecie of Chriſt, Matth. 24.9. For here Peter writing to the diſperſed Iewes, five yeares before the deſtruction of Ieruſalem, tells them that now is the time to deliver them up to be afflicted, killed, and hated as his maſter Chriſt foretold before his death. Fourthly, Chriſtiās are too great ſtrangers in their afflictions, as in an eſtate unwonted: therefore Peter bringeth this reaſon to bring Chriſtians to themſelves, for the time is come, &c. that is, God hath ſent you the fitteſt ſeaſon of your tryall: and therefore foreign be not ſtrangers in things familiar and ſeaſonable, and wherein you ought to bee the beſt ſtudied. Fiftly, the ſeaſon bids you expect the harveſt: you ſow in teares, and ſhall reape in joy: When others that ſowe in joy, ſhall reape in ſorrow. Philip. 1.28. 2. Theſſ. 1.6.7. Little doe the Iewes know their approching miſeries; their perdition haſtneth, and you ſhall be cōforted when you ſee Chriſt as good as his word. VponUpon this ground I verily beleeve is that to the Hebrewes, Heb. 10.36, 37. Yet a little while, and hee that ſhall come will come, and will not tarry. You have a promiſe that Chriſt will come upon the unbeleeving Iewes and deſtroy them: bee you patient and waite: live by faith: and the Lord will come and ſave you, when that diſobedient nation periſheth. Iames 5.1. Goe to now ye rich Iewes, weepe and houle, &c. The Apoſtle fetcheth his reaſon from their laſt dayes and miſeries neere at hand, that is, the very periode of your kingdome and policye is now approching, &c. It ſhall bee a comfort to us to ſee the downefall of Rome according to holy prophecie, as it was to the beleeving Iewes to ſee Chriſts promiſe fulfilled upon Ieruſalem; hee had threatned and in time executed his decree in puniſhing the ungodly.
Vſe 1. To teach us that afflictions ſhould not bee ſtrange to the godly, that live at home in their Fathers familie, and make his word their ſtay. For what can be ſtrange that falls out ſeaſonably? Yee and Snow in winter, thunder and lightening in Sommer, are no wonders: no more can afflictions ſeeme ſtrange, ſeeing they are alwayes fitted to their owne proper time.
Vſe 2. Afflictions are not dangerous nor hurtfull; (howſoever ſharpe and bitter) becauſe ſeaſonable. Many a thing is undone, by miſſing its owne ſeaſon. If ſowen corne be not buried with winter ſnow, and nipped with froſts (whereby wormes and weedes are deſtroyed) it will not flouriſh afterward, no not in the ſtrength of Sommer. The want of ſeaſonable correction hazardeth many a ſoule, & thouſands periſh, becauſe they know not even this their acceptable time. But thoſe happie croſſes that fall ſeaſonably upon us, never departe without a bleſſing. This makes a Chriſtians chaines to bee chaines of gold, and the markes of the Lord Ieſus to be glorious.
Vſe 3. Afflictions are glorious and beautifull in the eyes of the Lord. Every thing (ſaith the wiſe man) is comely in his ſeaſon: then it flouriſheth and floureth, and expreſſeth beauty to every beholder. The ſcars of a ſouldier received in the field are enſignes of valour: and the wounds which a Chriſtian ſuffereth in fighting the good fight, are impreſſions of honour.
Vſe 4. Afflictions are profitable; time and ſeaſon make for the good of all things. The poore woman of Edeſſa fearing to come too late to ſuffer with Chriſtians, forgets her ſelfe, and with her child in her arines, and her clothes halfe on, meets the Deputy in the face, and feared not to tell him the cauſe of he haſte, to wit, leaſt he ſhould have made an end before her comming; who deſired as well to dye, as to live with Chriſtians.
Vſe 5. Afflictions are changeable. No ſeaſon will laſt alwayes, there will bee an end of the Saints ſufferings, the rod ſhall not alwayes reſt upon them, Pſal. 125.3. God knowes how to take off, and lay on his owne blowes, how to bring in and bring out his owne ſeaſons. Sommer it ſelfe would bee teadious if Winter ſhould not follow it out, and bring it in. Afflictions ſhould never have an after fruite; were they ever grevious for the preſent, and had no change. They are but an exerciſe, which without change cannot bee endured.