The Son of God Walking in the Fire with the Servants of God, Sermon 8
THE Eighth Sermon On DAN. III. XXV.
He anſwered and ſaid, Lo I ſee four men looſe, walking in the midſt of the fire, and they have no hurt, and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.
I Have handled many Propoſitions out of theſe words; The laſt day, we conſidered that Addition that God made unto theſe Martyrs while they were ſuffering for his Name ſake: There were but three caſt into the fire, where as their enemies looked that they ſhould have been all conſumed, and none left to bear witneſs any longer againſt their Idolatrous ways, the Lord makes an addition to them; there is a fourth that joyns himſelf to them to bear witneſs with them unto the truth of God, which they ſuffered for.
Hence we raiſed this Propoſition.
That all the oppoſition & perſecution that the peopl of God meet with for the Name and Tru…h of Chriſt, ſhall not diminiſh th…ir number, but ſhal increaſe them
I ſhewed how the children of Iſra…l were multiply'd by thoſe oppreſſions, and heavy burdens …hat wer layd upon them in Aegypt; the more they oppreſſed them, the more they encreaſed, ſaith the Text: I gave you an inſtance in Chriſt; what counſel did the Scribes and Pharaſees uſe, in the 11. of John, to hinder the number of beleevers: If we let him alone, all men will beleeve in him; Now they thought they would take a ſure courſe that none ſhould beleeve in Chriſt; They put the Lord of life to death; ſmite the Shepheard and the ſheep will ſoon be ſcattered; but this did not diminiſh the number of Believers; no, God did out reach them, and made this the way to bring in men to believe in Chriſt: If I be lifted up, ſaith Chriſt, I will draw all men to me; The Lord Jeſus by dying, becomes a ſuitable Object to poor guilty, unclean ſinners, which durſt not elſe have drawn nigh to the glorious Fathers: and Becauſe he p…ured out his ſoul as an offring for ſin: his Father gave him a portion with the great and mighty, ſo that the number of Beleevers were increaſed, and not diminiſhed by this miſchievous device againſt …im. The Primitive Churches perſecution that was raiſed in Jeruſalem; it did help to the increaſe of the Goſpel, and number of Believers; The Apoſtles and Brethren were ſcattered, in the eighth of the Acts, ſo they carryed the word up and down, and by their means many were brought in to God: Samaria, a great City, many in it were converted; They with one accord gave heed to what Philip ſpake, and there was great joy in that City. I ſhewed you out of Eccleſiaſtical ſtory, that all the perſecutions, thoſe bloody perſecutions the Church me… with, did not diminiſh, but did increaſe the number of Believers: The Lord delights to walk contrary to wicked men; to croſs the corrupt imaginations of the men of the world; In thoſe things wherein their deal proudly, he will be above them; he will let them know, that his thoughts are above thy thoughts, and his ways above th…ir way…. When they ſay concerning Sion, Let her be defiled, and let our eyes …ook upo… her, let us ſee her deſolation. They know no… the thoughts of the Lord, nor underſtand his Counſel: for the event ſhall be quite contrary their expectations. The Lord Jeſus is a great King; and therefore it ſhall be ſo; All power is given into his hand in Heaven and in Earth, and he will order all for the advancement of his own Kingdom: all is his, and he hath given all to the Saints: All is yours, all ſhall do them good, all ſhall further and increaſe their graces, and the increaſe of his Kindom; There is none can hinder the Lord from pouring out of his ſpirit, there is none can hinder the Spirit from working; and therfore all oppoſition cannot hinder the increaſe of Believers: The wind blows where it liſts, and ſo the Spirit of the Lord, breaths where it it pleaſeth: Man may as well ſtop the Sun in the Firmament, or hinder the Sun from ſhining▪ and the winde from blowing, as the Spirit of the Lord from working grace; he darts in beams of light, beams of conviction, to the hearts of Creatures; and his work is an irreſiſtable work, all the powers of Hell and darkneſs ſhall not be able to hinder his work; Therefore I conclude this Point, with an Item to the men of the world; To take heed how they ſeek to oppoſe the truth of Chriſt, and the people of Chriſt; this is not the way to diminiſh their number, no▪ the Lord he will out reach them in all their deſign… of perſecution; the hotteſt pe…ſecution ſhall but increaſe the …umber of the Saints; they ſhall but ſow the blood of Chriſt and their aſhes, the thicker, and if one fall to the ground, a hundred ſhall riſe up in their ſtead.
But I entred into a ſecond Point; in which I ſhall proceed: After we conſidered who this fourth man was; Neb…chadnezz…r ſaw four men looſe, walking in the midſt of the fire, and t…ey have no hurt, and the form of the fo…rth is like th… Son of God, it was indeed the Son of God: It was the Angel of the Covenant, the Lord Jeſus, who did aſſume a body at this time, and came down to refreſh his Servants in the fire: It holds forth this, That he would in time come to deliver poor ſervants from the flame; of his Fathers wrath; That he would be preſent with his people in all afflictions, in the midſt of all their fiery tryals:
The Propoſition then entred into is this.
That the people of God never enjoy more of the preſence of Chriſt, then in their loweſt conditions.
When they are in great afflictions and fiery tryals, the Son of God is with them. Here you ſee it in this fiery tryal; Iſrael never ſaw more of God, then when they were in the barren Wilderneſs: Jacob never had ſuch glorious viſions, as when he was driven from his houſe and home, when he was ſeparated from all creature comforts, had not ſo much as a Bed to ly on, nor a Pillow to lay his head upon, but layd him down upon a heap of ſtones; then had he thoſe glorious Viſions of the Ladder ſet up to Heaven, and of the Angels aſcending and deſcending. Stephen never ſaw ſuch glorious Viſions of Jeſus Chriſt, but when he was vnderunder a ſhowre of ſtones that took away his life; He looked up, then and he ſaw the Heavens opened and the Son of God at the right hand of the Father, ready to recieve him. The Apoſtle John never had ſo glorious Viſions, as when he was b…niſhed to the Iſle of Pa…mos, then did Chriſt reveal thoſe glorious Myſteries, written in the Book of Revelations, concerning the Churches, to the end of the world. The Primitive Churches enjoyed moſt of Chriſt in the times of perſecution they enjoyed moſt of the preſence of Chriſt, and moſt of the mind of Chriſt, moſt purity, and moſt holineſs, they had moſt of the ſupporting preſence of Chriſt, then his left hand is put under to ſupport a poor Creature, when it is in a low condition, in a ſinking condition, in an afflicted condition: He ſupports the inward man, and he ſupports the outward man; he makes a little ſtrength to go a great way, as the Oyl in the widows cruſe, till ſuch time as he ſends deliverance unto his people: They have never more of the enlightening preſence, of the teaching preſence of Chriſt, then in ſuch conditions: Affliction is Chriſts School, in which he teaches his people many precious Leſſons; they have never more of the quickening preſence of Chriſt, then in ſuch conditions: never more of the Sanctifying preſence of Chriſt, he is pleaſed to make uſe of affliction, to knock off that unevenneſs many times that is upon their Spirits, and make them partake … of his own nature. They have never more of the comforting preſence than in ſuch conditions; he brings his people into the Wilderneſs there he allures them and there he ſpeaks to them; then he puts under his left hand to ſupport them, and then his right hand embraces them: But, What are the grounds of the Point? Why doth Jeſus Chriſt manifeſt moſt of himſelf to his people in their afflicted conditions.The Grounds of the Point.
Firſt of all he knows that then they have moſt need of his preſence. If ever they have need of comfort; if ever they have need of ſtrength, of teaching, quickening, guiding; 'tis then when they are in afflicted and low conditions, then is a mercy ſweet, when 'tis in ſea…on; and then 'tis ſeaſonable, when a poor creature ſtands in need of it: The Lord Jeſus knows that they have need of his preſence in low conditions.
Firſt becauſe of the weakneſs of the fleſh; And,
Secondly, Becauſe of the ſtrength of temptation.
1. Becauſe of the weakneſs of the fleſh: He knows his peop…es fram…, and remembers that they are but duſt; and therefore he pities them; He knows how unable they are to bear, and how little time they are able to hold out; and therefore ſomtimes the Lord Jeſus hath ſpoken comfortable words to his people, when they have expreſſed a great deal of weakneſs in them: See in Mat. 26. when the Diſciples could not watch with him; at the 41 verſe, they could not watch with him one houre, though he was in great extremity, and they might have expected a ſharp reproof from him: the Lord Jeſus he looks upon them, and he pities them, he rather excuſes them, and comforts them. Oh The Spirit is willing, but the fleſh is weak: He knows what the weakneſs of fleſh is, for he was partaker of our fleſh and blood, he remembers it ſince he was in the days of his fleſh how weak the fleſh is; he is partaker of our fleſh and bl…od, ſaith the Apoſtle; he knows what it is for a poor creature to grapple with fears, with inward fears, ever ſince he poured out his ſtrong cries unto his Father, with tears: none in the world are ſo ſenſible of affl…ction, as they that have gone under the ſame affliction themſelves; the Lord Jeſus he is ſenſible of all the weakneſs, of all the ſorrow of his people; he knows by experience what they mean; he knows what it is to be weak, and he knows what it is to be in fear; he knows what it is to grapple with the wrath of his Father; he knows what it is to want his Fathers Countenance; he knows what it is to be acquainted with ſorrow, with grief; there was none ſo acquainted with them as he: See what the Prophet Iſaiah ſays of him, in Iſaiah 53. verſ. 3. He was deſpiſed and rejected of men, a man of ſorrow, and acquainted with grief; and we hid, as it were, our face from him: A man of ſorrows, and acquainted with grief: grief and ſorrow were his greateſt acquaintance, when he was upon earth; they were his acquaintance from the beginning of his life; and they were his companions, from firſt to laſt, from the wombe to the Croſs, they were the acquaintance that Chriſt could never ſhake off; his old acquaintance, when all his friends leſt him, when his Diſciples le…t him; in affliction did they leave him; but his grief did not leave him, he was always acquainted with it, and he was acquainted with all ſorrows, with all grief, grief of all ſorts; he knows what ſpiritual ſorrows are; and therfore he wil pity people his under them: a natural man cannot pity a poor creature that groans under ſpiritual ſorrow, he knows not what they mean, what it is for a poor creature to groan under corruption, and cry out of the want of a believing heart, and of the want of Gods preſence; but now the Lord Jeſus is acquainted with theſe ſorrows alſo he had experience of them in his own perſon. The woman that hath been in Travel, pities another that is in the ſame caſe; the Lord Jeſus, he newly come out of Travel, he remembers his pangs ſtill; and therefore he pities door creatures when they groan under grief and ſorrows, for he was acquainted with them himſelf.
2. Again ſecondly, He knows they have moſt need of his preſence, in afflicted conditions, becauſe they are moſt nigh to temptations; and he knows what temptations are; he knows the ſtrength of Temp…tions; he knows that it is the Divils policy, to drive home temptation to the ſpirit of a poor creature at that time when it groans under affliction; and therefore he knows that then a poor creature, if ever, ſtands in need of the preſence of the Lord Jeſus; when Sat… ſtands at the left hand to reſiſt, Chriſt had need to ſtand at the right hand to comfort and ſupport, and ſtrengthen; and therefore the Apoſtle ſaith; that he was tempted in the days of his fleſh; in that 2 of Hebrews, verſ. 18. Being tempted, he … able to ſuccour thoſe that are tempted: he knows by experience what it is for a poor creature to b… tempted; he knows that temptations are moſt grievous to a gracious heart: Temptations are worſe then afflictions, and therefore though a poor creature ſtands in need of ſuccour in affliction, yet much more in temptation; When temptation goes along with affliction, Oh then the Lord Jeſus knows that there is need of his pr… ſence: When a City is beſieged, and the Inhabitants within it be diſquieted, and the enemie hath raiſed their Batteries, and makes breat …s upon the Walls, and their Proviſion grows low, Then, if ever, they have need of relief: Truly ſo it is with a pour tempted ſoul; when it is afflicted Batteries are made againſt the Spirit; proviſion, ſtrength, is little, knows not how to hold out; then the Lord Jeſus, he is their friend; and therefore in ſuch conditions, he uſually makes haſt to afford his preſence: That the firſt Gro…nd of the Point.
The Lord Jeſus knows, if ever, then they have need of his preſence▪ when they are in low conditions, for then the fleſh is weak, and then temptations are ſtrong.
Again ſecondly, The Lord Jeſus manifeſts moſt of himſelf to his people in low conditions, becauſe he remembers the kindneſs of his Father, when he was in the ſame condition; I ſay, he remembers the kindneſs of his Father unto him, when he was in low conditions; now he will requite this kindneſs upon them, that kindneſs that God the Father did ſhew to Jeſus Chriſt when he was in affliction, and in low conditions; I ſay, be will requite it upon his people, it makes deep impreſſions upon the heart of Chriſt; the love that his Father ſhewed him when he was here in the days of his fleſh, when he was in weakneſs, and was in perplexity, and was in diſtreſs, he can not forget it: You know what impreſſion Jonanathans kindneſſe made upon David, becauſe Jonathan ſhewed him kindneſſe when he was in diſtreſs; his kindneſs made impreſſion upon his heart, tha… he could not forget it; he inquired for ſome of his children, that he might requite the love of their Father, which he ſhewed to him when he was in low conditions; Jonathan ſhewed him kindneſs; when Saul perſecuted David, Jonathan ſtept between David and him, and was as a faithful friend to David: and therefore ſaith David, I will requite his kindneſſe; if I can finde but one poor Mephiboſheth, that calls himſelf a dead Dog; yet David ſhews a great deal of kindneſſe to him, to requite the kindneſſe of Jonathan: And ſo doth Jeſus Chriſt, he goes up and down to inquire in the world, where is the Seed of God, the Sons and Daughters of the moſt High, that I might ſhew them kindneſs for my Fathers ſake: Oh he ſhew'd me kindneſſe when I was in diſtreſs, and therefore I will do the like to them, when they ere in affliction and low conditions: Oh ſaith the Lord Jeſus, I remember ſince your Father and my Father, took care of me when I was helpleſs; he formed me in the womb, and he took me out of the womb; he guarded me all my life lo…g, Thirty years and upward, when I was in the midſt of the world, with Bears and Tygers; I remember how he ſent his Angels to comfort me when I was wearied out by Satans temptations; Nay, I remember when he ſtood by me, when all left me and fled; when all left me, that I had none in the world to ſtand by me, the Fathe… ſtood by me; and therefore I will lay all this kindneſs upon you his ſeed: The laſt kindneſ… that the Father ſhewed to the Son, it took mighty impreſſion upon him; that his Father did not le…ve him alone, but was always with him; And therefore Chriſt he often makes mention of it, i… that 16 of John, verſ. 32. The Father hath not lef… me alone, but he is with me all my life long; he never left him alone: yea, when he was in his affliction and low conditions, the Father did not leave him alone; See that 16. of John, verſ. 32. B…hold the hour comes, yea is now come, that ye ſha… be ſcattered every man to his own, and ſhall leave me alone; and yet I am not alone, becauſe the Father is with me: This made deep impreſſion upon the heart of Chriſt; that the Father did not leave him alone, when he was in his affliction, when he was perſecuted, when all his freinds upon earth fled from him, then the Father did not leave him▪ And therefore the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, he did often retain this Kindneſſe; and he will not le… th… Sons and Daughters of God alone in low conditions, but he will be preſent with them; though they be in the fire and water, he will be ſure to comfort them with the ſame conſolation, wherewith his Father comforted h…m, when he was in the ſame diſtreſs; That's the ſecond Ground of the Point.
Thirdly, Chriſt will ſhew moſt of his preſence i… afflicted conditions, becauſe he remembers his Ingagement, he is ingaged then to manifeſt moſt of himſelf.
Firſt of all He is ingaged by his Promiſe and C…venant; He hath promiſed to be with them always; he hath promiſed never to leave them nor forſake them: as the Father promiſed to be with him in trouble, ſo he hath promiſed to be with them: You may ſee his Fathers promiſe to him, in Pſalm 91. 15. He ſhall call upon me, and I will anſwer him, I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him, and honour him. Now as the Father made a promiſe to be with the Son in trouble, ſo hath he made a promiſe to be with his people in trouble: See that promiſe in the 43. of Iſaiah, verſ. 1. 2. how he hath promiſed to be with his people in all Tribulations, in the midſt of the fire and water, and fiery try als; nothing ſhall ſeparate betwixt him and them, he is always making good his Promiſe; and therefore he will fulfill it to them.
Secondly▪ He is ingaged by a Law of Love: There is a Law of Love written in the heart of Chriſt; he takes delight in his people, they are …e joy of his ſoul: in the 16. Pſalm. at the b… ginning of it. it is ſpoken there of Chriſt; All my delight is in the Saints, ſaith Jeſus Chriſt, and theſe that are excellent upon Earth; All my delight is in them, next to the delight that Chriſt hath in his Father; to that Infinite, Incomprehenſible Light; his delight is in his Saints, in his people; and therefore becauſe he loves them, becauſe he delights in them, he will be preſent with them; he loves their preſence; whereever they are he loves to be with them, though their condition be never ſo ſad; though they be in priſon, it ſhall be a Heaven to Chriſt, becauſe he bears dear love to them, he loves to ſee their face; he loves to hear their voice, he loves to injoy Communion with them; he loves to be giving out of himſelf to them: and therefore be made it his great requeſt before he went to Heaven that his Father would make room for his people, as you may ſee in John 14. beginning of the third verſe: And if I go and prepare a place for you; I will come again and receive you unto my ſelf, that where I am, there you may be alſo: he tells them, he would have them with him in the ſame place; they ſhall enjoy the ſame glory. and they ſhal have no worſe room then he: And he beſought his Father, John 17. 24. That thoſe who were given him of his Father, might be with him: Father, I will that they alſo whom thou haſt given me, be with me where I am, that they may behold my glory which thou haſt given me; for thou …o …e…ſt me before the foundations of the world.
Father, I deſire that they may be with me; I deſire thou ſhouldſt bid them as welcome to Heaven as thou bidſt me; and that they may p…take of the ſame glory as I do, that they may …e in the ſame place that they may always ſee …y … ▪ and I may ſee their faces, for my delight is in them: Heaven could not content Chriſt with… the preſence of his Saints: and it is a ſecond, Heaven unto Chriſt, to be preſent with them here upon earth; wherever they are, or whatever their condition, though be never ſo low; though they be in priſon, in chains, in the ſtocks, the Lord Jeſus loves to be with them; he carries them about in his heart, and therefore he cannot be abſent from them.
Again Thirdly, He is ingaged by a Law of Friendſhip, to be moſt of all preſent with them in their low conditions; the Law of friendſhip binds him to it. Affliction is a Touch-ſtone, it diſcovers fained friends, and real friends; it ſhews whether a friend be Cordial or no: By the Law of Friendſhip, a man is bound to ſtick to a friend in the midſt of all his adverſity, and then there is moſt need of a friend: It was a reproof unto Huſhai, that Abſalom gave him in that ſecond of Samuel, 16. 17. Is this thy kindneſs to thy friend? why went you not along with your friend? David was a friend to Huſhai, and ſaith Abſolom to Huſhai, Is this thy kindneſs to thy friend? why wenteſt thou not along with thy friend? This ſhall never be ſaid of the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, that he broke the Law of friendſhip: It ſhall never be ſaid of Chriſt, is this thy kindneſs to thy friend? Why wenteſt thou not along with thy friend? Thov wenteſt not along with thy friend, but thou forſookeſt thy friend, when thy friend had moſt need of thee; no, the Law of Friendſhip is i… Chriſts heart, and he will keep it; and therefore he will ſtick cloſe, and moſt cloſe to his people, when they are in low conditions.
Again Fourthly, There is a fourth ingagement. He is preſent with his people moſt of all in low conditions; in afflicted conditions, becauſe he is ingaged to l…ok after h…s work, 'tis the work of Chriſts own hand; he ſends afflictions for that end, to work ſomething in the heart of his people: and therefore he is ingaged to ſee what becomes of his labour and pains, that he may not looſe his coſt and labour: When a Phyſician gives a Purge to a P…tient, he is ingaged to ſee what becomes of his Phyſick, how it works; So the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, the great Phyſician, he never gives any bitter Purge, any bitter Pill of affliction to his ſervants; but he looks upon himſelf as ingaged to look after it, that he may look after his Phyſick, and ſee how it works: the very preſence of Jeſus Chriſt will help the Phyſick, if it work too much, or too little; if the ſoul diſpiſe, the chaſtening of the Lord, or faint under the chaſtening of the Lord; the Lord Jeſus can by his preſence he…p: When the Gold Smith pu…s his Gold into the Furnace, then he is ingaged to be preſent to look after his Gold; and ſo is Jeſus Chriſt when he duts his people into the Furnace of affliction; he is ingaged to look after his precious Gold, that ſo none may be loſt and conſumed in the fire: You ſee the Grounds of the Point.
Queſt. If you ask me, how doth Chriſt give out much of himſelf in affliction? By what way or means doth Chriſt communicate much of himſelf in affliction: Briefly for anſwer:
Anſw. Firſt of all, he doth raiſe up his peoples faith unto a high pitch; many times, I ſay, he raiſeth up their faith to a more then ordinary pitch, he clears the eye of faith, and ſtrengthens the eye of faith: Now the more the eye of faith is cleared and ſtrengthened, the more it ſees of Jeſus Chriſt: Now the Lore he doth mightily ſtrengthen faith; many times in affliction faith is ſtrengthened, for faith is left alone many times, and then it works beſt; all props are taken away, God takes away all ſence, many times, and leaves faith to work alone; now faith never works better then when 'tis alone; it meets with a great deal of oppoſition; and faith is ſtrengthened by oppoſition; the nature of faith doth take his riſe by oppoſition; the more oppoſition it meets with, the higher it riſes: The woman of Canaan, what oppoſition did her faith meet with? that w…ich was a diſcouragement to her, yet from that diſcouragement, her faith takes a riſe; and becauſe Chriſt ſays; ſhe is a dog, therefore ſhe is confident that ſhe ſhall have Crumbs of mercy before ſhe goes away: When faith is put to extremity, then it becomes ſtrong: When faith is exerciſed in extremity; I having wavered a long time, at laſt it ſees that it muſt either beleeve or periſh, beleeve or ſink; it fares in ſuch a condition, as with a man that is to paſs over a River, he being afraid that the Bridge ſhould not bear him, ſtays long before he dare venture; at laſt he ſees the River ſwell higher and higher, he goes to make an offer, and puls back his foot; he dare not venture; at laſt the water ſwels up to the neck of the Bridge, and he ſees there is no way but one with him, either he muſt venture upon the Bridge, or elſe periſh in the water; and then he conſiders, that many have gone over that way, and many have been ſaved that way, and it hath born up many, thouſands have gone over before, well he ventures: and ſo doth many a poor ſoul waver many times, draw back his foot, dares not venture upon Chriſt, can he bare me up? and will he bear me up? may I venture? God he puts faith many times to it, puts it to ſuch a ſtrait that the ſoul muſt venture or periſh, believe in Chriſt alone, or periſh; faith here many times takes a riſe; that's the firſt way whereby Chriſt doth coummunicate much of himſelf in affliction, he many times lifts up faith, and ſtrengthens faith; Now the more ſtrong faith is, the more it ſees, the more it apprehends of God.
Secondly, He pours out the Spirit of Supplication many times upon his people when they are in low conditions; he makes them to cry out, to cry a main to him, as he cryed to his Father in his diſtreſs, he puts up his cries; He puts up his requ…ſts with ſtrong cries and tears, and he was heard of his fath…r; And ſo the Lord Jeſus he doth pour out of his ſpirit upon his people, that he may ſtir up their ſouls in ſuch a way as Chriſt is taken with; L…t me ſee thy face, and let me hear thy voice, ſaith he, for ſweet is shy voice, and thy countenance is comely, 'tis melody to Chriſt; Chriſt draws nigh to hear the melody; and the nigher Chriſt draws the more evidently the ſoul ſees him.
Thirdly, The Lord Jeſus by affliction, or in affliction he draws the hearts of his people nigher; Then he doth bring them back many times from their wandrings, from their ſtraglings: Before I was afflicted I went aſtray, ſaith David. The Lord Jeſus by affliction, he brings them nigher to himſelf, he cauſes them to wait more upon him, to eye him more, to keep cloſer unto him, and to take heed of ſtragling: Now the nigher the ſoul is brought to Chriſt, the more it ſees of him, though it be not for our waiting not for our beleeving, our walking, that Chriſt doth manifeſts himſelf: Commonly when Jeſus Chriſt manifeſts much of himſelf, he will draw his peoples heart to look towards him, and wait upon him.
Fourthly, He manifeſts moſt of himſelf in affliction, by his word which be ſ…nds along with affliction: Commonly, I ſay, when Chriſt doth afflict his people, he ſends his word along with affliction, ſome word of inſtruction, or ſome word of promiſe, or ſome word of Counſel; there is ſome word or other that goes along with affliction, that ſo Chriſt may teach them before they go out of that ſti…g: Now the word of grace the word of Promiſe, it is the Chariot on which Chriſt rides; he doth by them draw nigh, by his word he draws nigh to the ſoul: and therefore when the word comes with evidence, Chriſt comes along with the word, and then the ſoul ſees moſt of Chriſt, becauſe Chriſt ſends ſuch a word to the ſoul in affliction; which word he comes along with & in which word he conveys himſelf to them.
Queſt. It may be ſome of God people will ſay, Alas if this be true, that Chriſt manifeſts moſt of himſelf in affliction, what ſhall become of me? I have had no ſuch experience, I cannot ſay that I have had moſt of God in affliction, I have not enjoyed the preſence of Chriſt in many afflictions.
Anſw, Why art thou one that haſt cloſed with Chriſt, and received the mercy of the Goſpel? Why then certainly it cannot be, but that thou haſt ſeen ſomething, or thou mighteſt have ſeen ſomething of Chriſt in affliction; do not ſay thou ſeeſt nothing of Chriſt in affliction; do not ſay thou haſt not enjoyed any of the preſence of Chriſt in affliction; haſt not been ſupported by Chriſt in affliction; and is that nothing, ſaiſt thou to ſupport a poor creature under affliction? Haſt thou not been ſupp…ed by the ſtrength of Chriſt or by ſome word … Chriſt in affliction? And haſt thou not ſaid as David ſaid, I had periſhed in my affliction, if thy word had not been my ſtay? hath not Chriſt given thee ſome ſecret Refreſhment in affliction? ſurely he hath been nigh to thee and thou wett not aware; he hath fed thee in affliction, and thou didſt not take notice of it; Joſeph he ſed his Brethren and they did not know it was Joſeph; And ſo Chriſt he doth give ſweet refreſhments to his people, and they do not take notice of it; they do not conſider that it is Chriſt that ſupports them: Oh thy Spirit had ſunk under affliction, if it had not been Chriſt that had upheld thee!
Object. Ay, But if it had been Chriſt that had ſupported me in my affliction, I ſhould h…ve gained by my affliction, I ſhould have ſeen the benefit of my affliction; but I ſee nothing at all, affliction is come and gone, and left nothing behind.
Anſw Haſt thou ſeen nothing, no, benefit? Why reſolve again to walk through, though thou haſt not ſeen, thou maiſt ſee; and theſe afflictions that have been layd upon thee, though they be gone, the fruit of them may be to come: When man takes Phyſick, you cannot expect that he ſhould have health the ſame day, ſtrength the ſame day, he muſt wait ſome days after; and ſee how his ſtrength comes in, and then afterward he perceives the benefit of his Phyſick; and ſo it is with affliction, God may, and doth do his people good by affliction, though they ſaw little benefit while they were under affliction: The rain doth make the earth fruit…l: but the growth of the corn 'tis not ſeen preſently; wait a while, ſtay a Week or a Fortnight, and then look into the Field and you ſhall ſee the rain was beneficial to the Field, and ſo 'tis with afflictions, they are as rain, when the Lord Jeſus comes along with them he makes them very beneficial to his people; Ay▪ but the growth is not diſcerned preſently: No, ſtay a while; But do not thou ſay in unbelief, I ſhall get no good by my affliction; no thou haſt got good by thy affliction; The Lord hath ſaid it, he hath ſaid That All things ſhall work together for their good; he hath ſaid, that He will purge away their ſins; he hath ſaid, that We are made partakers of his Divine Nature, by affliction: and therefore give not way to unbelief; do not by unbe…ief, ſhut out the bleſſing; but beleeve that it ſhall be as God hath ſpoken; and though thou haſt not ſeen the accompliſhment of the promiſe, go and wait upon God, watch over thine own heart; look to thy ſelf, the Weeds grow as well as the Corn: you know how it was with Hezekiah, and therefore we had to need watch over our own hearts, and know thou ſhalt get good by affliction; for God hath ſpoken it, and it ſhall be accompliſhed unto thee in the Lords due time; for the Lord wll fulfill his word.