The Son of God Walking in the Fire with the Servants of God, Sermon 6
THE Sixth 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 made ſome further progreſs in the words: We conſidered who it was that gave teſtimony unto this miraculous Deliverance that God wrought for his ſervants; It was Nebuchadnezzar, a proud and an inſolent man, an enemy to God and his people, and ſo he continues ſtill in his heart; for 'tis probable, he was not converted, not really brought home to God, for in the next Chapter you may ſ…e he did return to his very old ways of Idolatry; he ſent for the Magicians to interpret his dream; and yet God makes him here bear witneſs what he hath done for his people.
So then we obſerved this Propoſition, That God ſometimes works ſuch deliverances for his people, as he makes his very enemies, and their very enemies to acknowledge that God hath done great things for them: It was …aid among the Heathen, in the 126. Pſalm, Wh…n God turned again the Captivity of Sion, They ſa…d amongſt the Heathen, the Lord hath done great things for them. The Lord Jeſus many times did extort confeſſion from the mouths of his greateſt enemies; Nevar man ſpake like this man: And of a tru…h this was the Son of God: And then for this thing did Chriſt pray, in the 17. of John, that his Father would manifeſt ſo much of himſelf unto us his people, and pour out ſo much of his Spirit upon them, that the very world might know that he hath ſent the Son; and that he hath loved his people with the ſame love that the Son is loved: and this did Chriſt promiſe unto his people, to the Church of Philadelphia, in the 2. of the Revelations and the 9. verſe: Behold I will make them of the Synagogue of Satan, which ſay they are Jews and are not, but do lye; behold I will make them to come and worſhip before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee: Therefore hath Chriſt put ſo much power into his word: that at leaſt it might lay chains upon wicked men and convince men many times that God is in his word▪ and that God is in his people; When you Propheſie, ſaith the Apoſtle, and there comes in one that is unlearned; the ſecrets of his heart is made manifeſt, and ſo falling down on his face, he will worſhip God, and report that God is in you of a truth.
Therefore it is alſo that when God works great deliverances, he doth ſo order it in his providence, that his peoples enemies ſhould be eye-witneſſes, and ear-witneſſes, of what God hath done for them, yea ſometimes Agents, againſt their wills, in doing good to the Saints: So Haman was an Inſtrument in the promotion of Mordecai: Yea,
Therefore it is that God works in ſuch a glorious manner, as muſt needs convince; he works freely; He works ſuddenly, he works unexpectedly; and he works ſolitarily: Now Gods very manner of working deliverance for his people, doth carry a great deal of conviction along with it: As,
Firſt of all, wicked men they look upon the afflictions of the Saints; they ſay, Let our eye look upon Sion, and let her be defiled; Therefore doth the Lord make them to look with aſtoniſhment upon their mercies and deliverances; God hath gracious ends, even towards wicked men, he would convince them by this, he would lay blocks in their way, th…t they might not take the running leap into Hell, that they might not go on in their violence, and perſecution of the Saints.
I proceed to what remains: Loe I ſee four men, and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.
There were three caſt in, and now there are four: Now before we come to conſider who this fourth man was; By way, take notice of the wonderful providence of God, that a fourth man ſhould be added to them; that while they were in the midſt of the ſiery Furnace, while they were bearing witneſs againſt the Idolatry of Nebuchadnezzar and his peop…e; while they were ſuffering Martyrdome for the Truth, and for the Name or God; here is a fourth added to them: Certainly, their enemies ſuppoſed that fire would ſoon have devoured them all, that there ſhould not be one of the three left to bear witneſs any longer againſt their wickedneſs and idolatry; but how contrary doth God work to the expectation of them? their number is not diminiſhed; but Loe there were three caſt in, and now th…re is four four men looſe walking in the midſt of the fire: Therefore we ſhall conſider this Propoſition by the way, before we come to the Main.
Obſervat. 4.That all perſecutions that the Devil, or his Inſtruments, do raiſe againſt the Saints, ſhall not diminiſh their number, but ſhall rather increaſe them.
I ſay, all the oppoſition and perſecution that the people of God meet with, for the name and cauſe of Chriſt ſhall not diminiſh their number, but ſhall rather increaſe them.
I ſhall make it evident to you; Look upon Iſraels oppreſſion by the Aegyp…ian…, which you read of in the 1 of Exodus, 10. 11, 12▪ 13. Come ſay they let us deal wiſe…y with them, let us increaſe their task, let us lay heavy burdens vponupon th…m, &c. Thus they thought to have weakened their ſtrength, and to have brought them low, but did this ſtratagem prevail? no; you ſhall read in the 12. verſe, That the more they afflicted them the more th…y encreaſed: And therefore God did appear to that Church unto Moſes, in the 3. of Exodus: God ſhews Moſes there, the viſion of a Buſh that was not conſumed: this did hold forth the ſtate of Iſrael then: a Buſh all on fire, and was not conſumed; ſuch Buſhes are all the Churches of Chriſt, that men of the world may ſet them on fire many times. but though they burn, they ſhall not be conſume…; yea the hotter any fire of perſecution be againſt the Saints, the more green ſhall this Buſh be, the more ſhall it flouriſh, take root and grow, and ſpread abroad her branches till it fill the whole earth: This was repreſented unto Daniel in a viſion, in the third of Daniel: The Kingdom of Chriſt is ſet forth there by a little ſtone cut out of the Mountains without h…nds, the ſtone was a growing ſtone, and although there were many hammers at work to break this ſtone in pieces, yet they have not, nor ſhall not prevail, but the ſtone grew more and more, and became a Mountain, and filled the whole earth. Under the Goſpel I ſhall give you ſome inſtances of of it: To begin
Firſt with Jeſus Chriſt: It was a main deſign that the Phariſees had to keep men from beleeving in Chriſt, therefore they reſolved that they would take ſome courſe to leſſen the number of Believers; to leſſen the number of his followers; See in John, 11. what they feared, and what courſe they reſolved to ſet upon: 11. 48. verſe, Oh ſay they, if we let him alon… all men will beleeve in him, and the Romans will come & take away our place; Therefore you ſhall read in the 52. verſe that they gave counſel to put him to death: to ſmite the Shepheard, and the Sheep ſhall be ſca…tered: they would put him to death that they might not beleeve on him; Behold how contrary doth God work to the imaginations of theſe fooliſh men? for by that very thing, by the death of Jeſus Chriſt, is ſo many thouſand, thouſand, brought in to believe in him; they would put the Lord of life to death, that they might not believe in him; and it was the Fathers way to make men beleeve in him, if I be lifted up, Ioh. 12. 32. And I, if I be lifted up, will draw all men to me: And they ſay, if he be lifted up, there ſhall be none drawn to him; ay but If I be lifted up, I will draw all men: if I be lifted up upon the Croſs, if I be Crucified, by this means will I draw all men to me. For,
Firſt, Chriſt became a ſuitable object for a poor ſinner; a poor guilty ſinner could never have looked upon a glorious Saviour but Jeſus Chriſt he is clothed with garments of blood, that ſo by that means he became a reconciler: Without ſhedding of blood there is no rem…ſſion: Here is encouragement given to poor guilty ſinners, that apprehend nothing due unto them but wrath; yet by the blood of Jeſus Chriſt, by that new and living way they come in; and then God the Father too he made a promiſe to the Son, that becauſe he laid down his life, he ſhould have a multitudinous offſpring: in that 53. of Iſaiah, In the day that he pours out his ſoul to death, he ſhould ſee the travel of his ſoul, and he ſhould have a large portion; becauſe he poured out his ſoul to death for tranſgreſſors; ſo you ſee that the killing of Jeſus Chriſt, and putting him to death, is ſo far from leſſening believers, that this is the way to draw in all thoſe multitudes of ſouls that were g…ven to Chriſt of his Father.
Secondly, Again, If you look upon the primitive Churches, you ſhall finde that the worlds perſecution had the ſame effect upon them; there wa… a great perſecution, a mighty ſtorm, which you rea… of in the 8. of Acts, perſecution begun fi…ſt a… J…ruſalem; and by that means the Churches were ſcattered: Well, did this tend to the hindrance of the Goſpel, and leſſen the number of Beleevers? No▪ you ſhall read in that Chapter, tha… God made this a means to carry the Goſpel to many, other Countries were brought in to bebeleeve in Chriſt: the great City of Samaria; you read in the 6. verſ. P…ilip went down and Preached to Samaria; and this did tend to the furtherance o… the Goſpel: in the 8. verſe, They gave all heed, a…d there w…s great joy in that City: If you look upon t…e Churches in thoſe Ages, for the firſt th…ee hundred years after Chriſt, there was a moſt …errible perſecution, there were ten perſecu…o…s, ten bloody Emperours that ſought to root out the Name or Ch…iſt, and to deſt…oy the Saint; and therefore thoſe that write of Eccleſiaſtical Hiſtory, they tell us, they deviſed all manner of torments; ſome ſpeak of about twenty ſeven deaths they deviſed to torment the poor Chriſtian…; Many thou…ands, many millions, ſuffered in the time of tho…e perſecutions; and yet this was ſo far from …iminiſh…ng the number of B…leevers, t…at they were encrea…ed: the more they were oppreſſed and perſecuted, the more they encreaſed; and there…ore ſ…me of them did obſerve that Juli…n he uſed all means to …uppreſſe them; ſhut up all their Schools that they might not have learning; a…d yet never had they more learning then then: He deviſed all manner of torments to terrifi… them, and yet he ſaw they encreaſed and multiplied ſo faſt, that he thought at laſt, his beſt courſe was to give over his perſecution, not out of love but out of envy, becauſe that through his perſecution they encreaſed. And thus you ſee the Point cleared, That the perſecution of the Saints ſhall not diminiſh the number of them, but ſhall encreaſe them: For the Grounds of it, B…iefly,
Fi…ſt of all, God delights to walk contrary to The Grounds of the Point.men; therefore he will have it thus. He loves to croſs the imaginations of the hearts of men of the world; and to ſet his ways againſt their t…oughts and their ways; in the fourth of Micah, the latter end; they ſay, Let our eye look upon Si…n; but what ſaith God in the next verſe? They know not th… thoughts of the Lord, neither underſtand … counſel: When men dream that ſuch a way▪ it ſhall be the utter rooting out of the Goſpel, they a…e might ly miſtaken, ſaith God, my thoughes are ab…ve yours, my ways above yours: You know not the thoughts of the Lord, for this very way ſhall encreaſe multitudes: God delights to walk contrary to men, and to oppoſe his gracious thoughts, to their curſed imaginations.
Secondly, The Lord Jeſus is a mighty King, all 2. Ground.power is given into his hand, both in Heaven and earth; and all this power he will improve for the Kingdom of Saints: all is given to him, and …e will give all to them: Neither life nor death, things preſent, nor things to come, they are all yours: He hath given all to them, and all ſhall make for their advantage: In this the power of the Lord Jeſus, King of Saints, is mightily ſeen, that he can turn a…l oppoſition to advantage: the greateſt perſecution that the Devils can raiſe, ſhall all turn to the advantage of Chriſts Kingdom: It is ſo with particular ſouls, all is yours, all is yours to do you good; life and death is yours, all given you to ſerve you, and they ſhall work together for your good, for your beſt good, for your eternal good; the Lord makes an advantage of all unto his people; the Devil caſts blocks in their way to hinder them; he turns it to their advantage, and ſo they are helped nigher to himſelf. all the evil of the world, yea all the evil of ſin, and the Devil himſelf, ſhall (though againſt their wills) help forward the ſalvation of Gods people; and ſo Chriſt cauſe all to be for the good of his Church, for the good of his Kingdom all oppoſition and perſecutions which are raiſed to blow down the Kingdom of Jeſus Chriſt ſhall but eſtabliſh it; for 'tis rooted, 'tis a Kingdom that cannot be ſhaken: And then
Thirdly, Men cannot hinder the increaſe of Chriſts Kingdom, for there is no man able to hinder the work of the Spirit of Chriſt from working; 3. Ground.The wind blows where it liſts and ſo the Spirit of God, that breaths where it liſts, and where ever he pleaſe to breath; It is not poſſible for man to reſiſt his work: The work of Chriſt by his Spirit upon mens hearts, is a mighty work, an irreſiſtable work; and all the powers of Hell ſhall not be able to hinder the work, 'tis a mighty work, and none ſhall let it.
To apply this briefly;
Firſt of all, It lets us ſee the vanity of all the Application.attempts of men againſt the truth of Chriſt, and the people of Chriſt, they are but vain imaginations Ʋſe 1 ; men do but imagine a miſchiefous device, that they ſhall never be able to bring to paſs; it is a vain thing for a man to go about to ſilence the truth of Chriſt, or to deſtroy the Saints of Chriſt; I tell you, the more the truth is troden on, the more it ſhall ſhine; and as it goes with truth, ſo it goes with Saints, the more troden on in the world, the more loved of God; all the winde of oppoſition that the Devils can raiſe from the world, it ſhall never be able to ſhake them, though it may ſhake ſome particular grains and ears, that they may fall to the earth, but yet they ſhall riſe again, every grain that falls, ſhall bring forth fruit, ſome thirty, and ſome a hundred fold, the more thy are oppoſed, the more they encreaſe; perſecution ſhall but ſow the blood of Chriſt the thicker, and ſow the aſhes of the Saints the thicker, and out of their very aſhes ſhall new converts ariſe.
And therefore Oh that this might be an Item to An Item to the Powers of the worldthe Powers of the world to the men of the world that they ſeek not to ſuppreſs either the truth or the people of Jeſus Chriſt. For truly, the more they endeavour it, the more they ſhall encreaſe; if they caſt three of them into the Furnace, a fourth ſhall be preſently added to them.
Object. But you will ſay, God forbid any ſhould ſuppreſs truth, there is none goes about ſuch a work, but only to ſuppreſs error: and you will not ſay that that is perſecution; but that it is rather zeal for God.
My Brethren, To ſuppreſs error, 'tis a good work, 'tis a bleſſed work; but men muſt be careful to do it in Gods way. Error in judgment wil a great deal ſooner be ſuppreſſed by the ſword of the ſpirit, then by any ſword of man: I tell you God hath appointed a means for the ſuppreſſing of error, and men that ſtray in their judgments, and that is to be convinced by the word of God, in matters of faith men muſt be convinced by Gods word: Our weapons ſaith Paul▪ are not carnal but they are mighty through God, to c…ſt down ſtrong holds, and ſinful imaginations: Paul did not uſe carnal weapons to bring down ſinfu… imaginations in the hearts of men; he had uſed thoſe weapons before he was brought home to God, you know he went for power from the High Prieſts, to perſecute all thoſe that beleeued in Chriſt; he went to authority to ſilence them, to ſtop their mouths and all that he could do, becauſe they pleaded error contrary to the Law of Moſes; but you do not read that Paul after his converſion, did uſe ſuch weapons, he does not call the help of Men, no ſays he, the Lord he hath given us weapons: Our weapons they …re not c…rnal, but ſpiritual, and ſo they are mighty through God: Brethren, I am perſwaded it glads the Devil much, when he ſees men ſo violent againſt error, by drawing the ſword againſt them: I ſay, it glads the Devil to ſee men ſeek this way to ſuppreſs them, not that the Devil hates error, or that he loves the truth, for he hates the truth, and loves error; but he knows God will hardly bleſs that way of men, when men ſhall neglect Gods Inſtitution, and ſhall cleave to their own wayes, and to their own inventions; God will hardly bleſſe that way of men, when his own way is neglected.
Beſides, Let men conſider, that 'tis poſſible, that while men go about to ſuppreſs error, they may ſuppreſs the truth for error; unleſs you will ſay any man hath an infallible ſpirit, or that any company of men hath an infallible ſpirit; if they have not an infallible ſpirit, then with what right can they force anothers judgment, anothers conſcience? men may, and do many times ſuppreſs truth, under the notion of error; we know in the times of Popery, that truth was perſecuted that we now ſee to be truth; out great t…uth, our main truth of juſtification by the free grace of God, and the blood of Jeſus Chriſt without work, without merits: I ſay, how was this truth perſecuted? and how did men ſeek to perſecute this truth as error? many things have been perſecuted as error, which now we ſee to be truth; and why may it not be ſo now? does all truth come into the world at once? and may not we perſecute that which afterwards may appear to be a truth? Well let it be an Item to men, and let them not ſuppreſs the truth of Chriſt: it is a vain imagination, and men ſhall not be able to bring it to paſs, but the more it is ſuppreſt, the more it ſhall ſhine, and the more the people of God are oppoſed the more they ſhall multiply.
Secondly, Here is a ground of Patience and ſtrong conſolation to the Saints in the midſt of all oppoſition and perſecution, that they meet with, and may meet with for the name, and truth, and way of Jeſus Chriſt: Hear what Chriſt ſaith to you; fear not little flock; you think you are but a ſmall number, there is but a few that profeſs the name of Chriſt; and Oh if perſecution ariſe it will leſſen the number: I tell you, fear not; that perſecution ſhall not leſſen the number, but … ſhall increaſe the number: though the men of th… world may ſtrike at the Tree, and they may beat off many of the branches yet the Lord Jeſus he will make uſe of every branch that is broke off, he will ſlift it and ingraft it, and ſo all ſhall tend to the furtherance of the Goſpel and of the truth and of the way of God. But to Proceed.
I ſhall make ſome entrance into the main Doctrine: Here you ſee three caſt into the fiery Furnace, and Nebuchadnezzar ſaw four: Let us conſider then who this fourth man was: Nebuchadnezzar could not tell who it was; but he perceived ſome glorious majeſty, and therefore though he was ignorant of Chriſt: Yet ſaith he, The fourth is like the Son of God: the form of the fourth is like the Son of God; that's ſure, he is more then a man; God hath ſent his Angel and delivered them, but this was in truth the Son of God. This Companion that is added to the Saints in Tribulation, it was Jeſus Chriſt, who did at this time create himſelf a body, and came down viſibly amongſt men, that ſo he might ſupport them, and comfort them, and deliver them, that it might hold forth this unto us, that he would come in his appointed time, to reſcue his poor people, that lay under wrath, from all the flames of his fathers indignation, and that he would be preſent with his people in every condition: when they went through fire and water, in the midſt of every Tribulation they ſhould enjoy him; ſo then here is another main Propoſition offers it ſelf; and I ſhall but bring you unto it, and leave the further proſecution of it:
The Propoſition is this;
Obſervat. 5.That the Lord Jeſus is never nigher to his people, then when they are in great affliction, in fiery tryals
I ſay, Chriſt is never nigher to his people, then when they are in the greateſt affliction: they never in joy more of the preſence of Chriſt, then in ſad conditions.
The three Children, they never ſaw Chriſt ſo viſibly as here they did, when as they lay in the flames; The children of Iſrael, they never ſaw ſo much of God among them, as when they were in the Wilderneſs, in the barren Wilderneſs, where there was neither meat nor drink, nor clothing, for they had a great deal of the ſpecial preſence of God, and abundance of the power and goodneſs and faithfulneſs of God, was manifeſted to them in a ſpecial manner, while they were in that condition: Jacob he never ſaw ſuch viſion of God as at that time when he was driven from his fathers Houſe, when he was forced to fly to ſave his life; he was in a ſad conditihn, he had not a bed to lye on, he had not a pillow to lay his head upon, but took a heap of ſtones to lay his head upon; and yet in that condition did God come and manifeſt himſelf moſt gloriouſly to him: he dreamed a Dream, and ſaw a Viſion of the Ladder ſet up to Heaven, and of the Angel Aſcending and Deſcending, God was there in a ſpecial manner; ſo he ſaith, The Lord was there, and he was not aware; never did he enjoy more of God, then in that condition.
Stephen, the firſt Martyr, never enjoyed more of God, he never enjoyed more glorious Viſions of Jeſus Chriſt, then when he looked through a ſhowr of ſtones that came about his ears, and took away his life; he ſaw the arme of the Lord Jeſus ready to receive him, to embrace him in the everlaſting armes of his love he had heard much of Chriſt in his everlaſting Goſpel; but he never ſaw him before with his eye. John the Evangeliſt, there is another inſtance, if you look into the firſt Chapter of the Revelation of John, about the 9. verſ. you ſhall ſee; there where he was, and in what condition he was in, when he received thoſe gloriou… Revelations; he ſaid he was baniſht into the Iſle of Patmos for bearing witneſs to the Name of Chriſt, and the truth of Chriſt: he was a Martyr and fellow ſufferer, and when he was baniſhed from all friends and comforts, and left naked and deſtitute of all comforts, the Lord Jeſus doth draw nigh, and doth reveal the moſt glorious Myſteries concerning his Churches to John: The primitive Churches never enjoyed more of God, then at that time when they were moſt perſecuted by men; in the times of thoſe 10. bloody p…rſecution, the Churches had abundance of the preſence of Chriſt, abundance of the Spirit of Chriſt, and abundance of the grace of Chriſt, abundance of holy zeal, and abundance of activity for God; it was poured out upon them, the Lord Jeſus never took ſo much delight to walk among them, as when they were in the midſt of the fiery perſecution.What preſence of Chriſt the people of God enjoy in p…rſecution?
Queſt. If you ask me, But what preſence of Chriſt is it that the people of God do enjoy in their great afflictions, and in the midſt of their fiery tryals?
Anſw 1. Firſt of all, they have moſt of the ſupporting preſence of Chriſt; never more of the ſupporting preſence of Chriſt, then in ſad conditions; he ſupports the inward man, and he ſupports the outward man; he upholds the ſpirits of his people in ſad conditions, and he makes their ſpirits able to bear their infirmity: Now here is a wonderful work of the Lord, that he ſhould ſtrengthen the ſpirit of a poor creature with ſuch mighty power, as to reſiſt, and to keep out the violence of ſuch mighty tryals, ſuch great afflictions: There is nothing that the Devil ſeeks more, then to drive affliction home to the ſpirit, that ſo he might cruſh the ſpirit and conquer the ſpirit, when he can get in, and ceaze upon the ſpirit, then he becomes maſter, and creats a deal of ſm…rt and vexation: Now the power of the Lord Jeſus is ſeen, in that he doth ſupport and ſtrengthen the ſpirits of his people; that when they have but a little ſtrength, no ſtrength, and yet are able to hold out, notwithſtanding they are ſo ſtrongly beſieged, and ſo ſtraitly girt many times round about with afflictions; yet he makes that little ſtrength to hold out at that time, that ſo he is pleaſed to renew their ſtrength, to give freſh ſupplies, and to remove the diſeaſe, and ſo the power of Chriſt is ſeen in ſupporting the outward man; many times in the midſt of great afflictions: when the Saints meet with great afflictions; afflictions of the body, croſſes, ſuch afflictions as might even overwhelm the outward man, and they have but little ſtrength many times, yet the Lord doth ſo bleſſe that little ſtrength, that though they meet with croſſes, that little ſtrength ſhall not fail, till ſuch time as the Lord do bring deliverance to them.
Secondly, As they have the ſupporting preſence of Chriſt in the affliction, ſo they have the inlightening preſence of Chriſt; and that's a great mercy: commonly the Lord never teaches his people more then in affliction; when Chriſt gets them into the School of affliction then he inſtructs them, there he doth open mens ears, and he doth ſeal up mens inſtruction to them, when Chriſt draws nigh in affliction: I know afflictions in themſelves, cannot teach, but when Chriſt draws nigh▪ they learn a great deal in affliction; they never ſee more of God, and of themſelves, never more of their corruptions, and vileneſs that is within them; never ſee more of the power and way of God, and the myſteries of Chriſt at that time, when Jeſus Chriſt draws nigh with his enlightening preſence:
Thirdly; Jeſus Chriſt draws nigh with his ſanctifying preſence, his people have more of his ſanctifying preſence in their greateſt tryals, when Chriſt draws nigh to ſanctifie their afflictions, to ſubdue their corruptions, and to ſtrengthen their graces: the fruit of their affliction, ſhall be to purge them from ſin; afflictions themſelves cannot do it, afflictions themſelves harden; but when the Lord Jeſus Chriſt draws nigh in affliction, the Saints do enjoy abundance of the ſanctifying preſence: and through their afflictions they are made partakers of the Divine Nature; their corruptions are ſubdued and mortified.
Again fourthly, They never injoy more of the quickening preſence of Chriſt, then in affliction: I ſay, the quickening preſence of Chriſt: many times dead hearts, how are they raiſed up, when Chriſt draws nigh to them? how are they elevated above themſelves and their own ſtrength, becauſe they are mightily acted by the Spirit of Chriſt? in the fifth of Hoſea, you may ſee there, how God doth promiſe his quickening preſence in the time of their affliction; Hoſea 5 laſt verſe, I will go and return to my place till they acknowledge their offence, and ſeek my face: in their afflictions they will ſeek me early: They were dead-hearted people, and they had loſt all activity for God, they were not carryed out with deſire after God, they would not ſtir up themſelves to take hold of him: Well, ſays God, I will make them prize me, I will fling them into affliction, and then in their affliction I will draw nigh to them with my quickening preſence; and in their afflictions, they will ſeek me early.
Again fiftly and laſtly, The Saints never injoy more of the comftoring preſence of Chriſt, then they do in the time of their great affliction: in the 2. of the Song of Solomon, verſ 6. what ſays the Spouſe there in her greateſt afflictions? His left hand is under my head, and his right hand doth embrace me, As Chriſt doth ſupport in affliction, ſo he doth embrace in affliction; he commonly never revea…s more of himſelf, never gives out more glorious manifeſtations of himſelf, then in the time of affliction: I will bring her into the Wilderneſs, ſee that place, Hoſea 2. 14. I will bring her into the wilderneſs, and ſpeak comfortably to her: ſhe ſhall have my comfortable preſence in the Wilderneſs, I will ſpeak comfortably to her; and ſo David, he had experience of it, in Pſalm 23. Thou art with me, and I will fear none ill, though I walk in the midſt of the ſhadow of death: I will fear none ill, thy rod, thy ſtaff… doth comfort me: never more conſolations of Chriſt are given out to poor creatures then when the Lord brings the… into great tryals: he deals as an indulgent Mother with her child, never manifeſts more love then when the child is ſick; though a Parent does reſtrain love before; yet then ſhe mani…eſts her love the child ſhall know that the Parents love it, and then ſhe ſhall bring out all her ſweet meats, in the time of ſickneſs: and ſo doth the Lord bring out a great deal of ſweet meats, they have more ſweet meats, and ſweet drinks that the world knows not of, then in the day of tribulation, in the day of affliction; when it is ſad and dark with the outward man, they have meat to eat that the world knows not of, they have the comfortable preſence of Chriſt that the world knows not of: they have never more of the comfo…table p…e…ence of Chriſt then when they are brought into great ſtraits, and low conditions.
I ſhall have no time to come to the Application; but only let me ſay this to you: You k…ow not what uſe you may have of this before another Sabbath, the Lord may bring you into afflictions; and therefore remember this truth, hide it in your heart, that ſo upon all occaſions, you may make uſe of it; and if God do bring you into afflictions ſubmit willingly and readily to him, ſubmit to low conditions, ſubmit to tryals, ſubmit to perſecutions; know this, that Jeſus Chriſt manifeſts his preſence; and this is the way to manifeſt his preſence, I will abundantly comfort you in all your afflictions you lay under, and that you meet with for his names ſake; and let it help to ſtrengthen your faith; and truly you had need to ſtreagthen your faith in times of affliction, there is no time in which the heart of men, good men are more ready to faint and give over, then in times of tryal; how did David cry out? and how did Chriſt cry out in his great a…fliction? Oh my God my God, why haſt thou forſaken me? In affliction we are apt to think that God hath forſaken us; Sion ſ…id in her affliction, the Lord hath forſaken me: in her affliction ſhe ſaid, the Lord hath forſaken me: and thus an unbeleiving heart is apt to queſtion in times of affliction, Oh is God amongſt us? as Iſrael ſaid when they were in wants and great ſtraits; Oh then their unbelieving hearts were diſcovered; though they had ſeen his Miracles, they tempted God, and ſaid, is God amongſt us? And the beſt of Gods people in time of temptation and affliction, may be apt to queſtion, is the Lord with us? Now therefore ſtrengthen your faith in the day of adverſity, that ſo you may not faint and diſhonour God, and look unto the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, that beholding the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, your faith may be ſtrengthened; remember that it is his way to give out much of himſelf to his people in times of affliction; and therefore never ſay, is the Lord wi…h us? but expect to meet with God; conclude the Lord is with you, and he will be with you in the time of affliction; and remember you ſhall never have more of his ſupporting preſence of his enlightening preſence; his comforting preſence; his ſanctifying preſence; and of his quickening preſence: I ſay, you ſhall never have more of the preſence of Chriſt, then in ſuch ſad conditions: ſtrengthen the feeble hands and knees, and look to the Lord, that your faith may be ſtrengthened.