Four Useful Discourses, Sermon 1
A Sermon.
1 Sam. 3. the latter part of the 18th. Verſe.
And he ſaid, it is the Lord, let Him do what ſeemeth Him good.
THeſe Words are the Expreſſion of a Gracious, Humble, Submiſſive Heart, to Gods Diſpoſe. The Words of Ely the Prieſt, who when the Hand of God was revealed againſt his Family, he here falls down before Him, and ſaith, It is the Lord, let Him do what ſeemeth Him good.
It is the Lord: Whatever the means be, that ſuch and ſuch ſad things ſhould fall upon my Family, yet, It is the Lord.
Let Him do what ſeemeth Him good. The things ſeem hard to me, but they may ſeem otherwiſe to God; whatever things ſeem to me, however dark they look, yet to God, things may ſeem after another manner; and therefore let things be done rather as they ſeem to God, than as they ſeem to me.
We have in the Words before you, theſe Four Doctrinal Points.
The firſt is, That a Gracious Heart looks much to God in every Affliction that doth befal it: It is the Lord.
Secondly, The ſight of God in an Affliction, is, That that cauſes a gracious Heart humbly to fall down, and to ſubmit: It is the Lord, let Him do what ſeemeth Him good.
Thirdly, That things ſeem oftentimes far otherwiſe to us, than they do to God; God looks upon things otherwiſe than we do: Then let Him do what ſeemeth Him good. Not what ſeemeth good to me, nor what ſeems good to others, but unto God.
Then fourthly, That this is a very Commendable and Acceptable work, upon the firſt Manifeſtation of any Diſpleaſure of God, preſently to yield and ſubmit without any more adoe: Not after a great deal of riggling and ſtir, then to yield; but to yield preſently▪ upon the firſt Manifeſtation againſt his Family, he preſently falls down, and ſaith, It is the Lord, let Him do what ſeemeth Him good. Theſe are the four Concluſions in the Text, and I ſhall deſire to go through them all, and ſpeak to mine own Heart and yours in them: It is the Second that is the chief and main, there we ſhall pitch moſt.
But briefly of the Firſt:
That a gracious Heart in all Afflictions, looks up to God: It is the Lord. Not this Cauſe, and the other Cauſe, or this Accident, or the other thing, that takes up his Thoughts ſo much, but God in it. The truth is, a Heart that is truly Gracious, loves to Converſe with God in every thing. If it be a Mercy, preſently the Heart gets through the Creatures, by which God beſtows a Mercy, and looks up to the God of that Mercy: And ſo if it be Afflictions, the Heart that is Gracious, having ſome of the Divine Nature in it, preſently works it's ſelf up to God, in the 6th. of Micah, ver. 9. there's a famous Scripture for this: Saith the Prophet there, The Lords Voice crieth unto the City, and the Man of Wiſdom ſhall ſee thy Name; hear ye the Rod, and who hath appointed it. The Man of Wiſdom ſhall ſee thy Name: The Name of God is written upon his Rod, and where there is a Man of Wiſdom, he ſees the Name of God that is there written. It's a ſpecial part of the Wiſdom of a Chriſtian, to be able to ſee Gods Name, and to read Gods Name written upon his Rod: The Men of the World have not the skill to read the Name of God written upon his Rod; but it's a priviledge of the Saints, that they ſee Gods Name written there. It is a ſpecial part of the Worſhip that is due to God, the Acknowledgment of God in all his Adminiſtrations. That's Worſhip, when we acknowledge God in all his Providences towards us, In all thy wayes acknowledge Him; and in all His Wayes he muſt be acknowledged: As we muſt acknowledge God in all our wayes, ſo we muſt acknowledge God in all His Wayes, and thereby we come to Worſhip Him.
Secondly, It's a means to compoſe the Heart, to ſtrike the Heart with awful Fears and Reverence of God, when we look at Him in our Afflictions, and beyond the Creature. It is a Way to make us ſearch and examine our Hearts, what there is between God and us; when once we take notice it's God that doth it, this preſently puts the Heart upon a Scrutiny; What is there between God and my Soul? What is there between God and my Family?
And then it is a ſpecial means to put the Soul on to ſeek God for Help, for Aſſiſtance, for Bleſſing, for a Sanctified Uſe of what ever Affliction is upon it. There's a great deal of good in ſeeing the Lord in an Affliction, in ſeeing that we have to deal with Him; but the ſpecial good is, that that we ſhall come to in the ſecond Point: The working of the humble ſubmiſſion of the Heart to God. Only for the preſent, let this Rebuke ſuch who are of Carnal and Atheiſtical ſpirits, That whatever befals them, look no higher than the Creatures by which God works. It's an Argument that they have little to do with God, that they know not what it is to Converſe with God, that will cry out of their Afflictions: They howl upon their Beds, as the Holy Ghoſt ſaith in the 7th. of Hoſea, But they ſeek not to Me, or turn not to Me. And ſuch as have ſlight and vain hearts in the time of their Afflictions, it's a very ill thing that; for Men to think to take Courage to themſelves, ſo as not at all to be ſenſible of the Hand of God. God expects we ſhould be ſo, though we ſhould not have diſhonoured Hearts, yet we ſhould have precious Hearts. For when one have to deal with God in any thing, we had need be ſerious, the Preſence of God ſhould work our Hearts to Seriouſneſs: And therefore ſlightneſs and vanity of Spirit in the day of Affliction, it is very unbeſeeming. Thou doeſt not ſanctifie the Name of God in that Adminiſtration of His towards thee, who haſt… vain and ſlight Spirit in the Day of thine Affliction? And ſurely that's an Argument that thou never ſaweſt God in His Mercy, when thou doeſt not ſee him in thine Afflictions: but that thou didſt enjoy Gods Mercy but in a Brutiſh way, when thou doeſt behave thy ſelf under thine Afflictions in a Brutiſh way. But this ſhall ſuffice for the firſt.
The ſecond, and that's the main: That the ſight of the Hand of the Lord, is that that hath a great deal of Power in it, to work the Heart that is Gracious, to an humble ſubmiſſion to Him. It is the Lord, let Him do what ſeemeth Him good.
That that's here ſpoken of Ely, we may find mentioned by divers of the Servants of God in Scripture: I'll give you but only two Scriptures for it, and thoſe are concerning David. In this Book of Sam. 15. 25. If I ſhall flnd favour in the Eyes of the Lord, he will bring me again, and ſhew me both it, (that is) the Ark and the City, and his Habitation; but if he ſhould ſay, I have no delight in thee, behold, here am I, let him do to me, as ſeemeth good unto him. So you ſee how David, he looks up to God here: If I find favour in the Eyes of the Lord, he will bring me again; and if he ſay, I have no delight in thee, behold, here I am, let Him do what ſeemeth good unto him. And in the 39th. Pſal. ver. 9. I was dumb, I opened not my Mouth, becauſe thou diddeſt it. It was the ſight of the Lord in it, that made him Dumb, and not open his Mouth: And you know what He did in the caſe of Shimei, when He Curſt him, The Lord hath bid him, ſaith he. Now this Point is very large, I ſhall briefly propound unto you, the ſeveral Conſiderations from the Hand of God in an Affliction, for to quiet the Heart, and to help the Heart to ſanctifie his Name.
As firſt …us, It is the Lord: It is he that is infinitely above me, above us all, and therefore He muſt be ſubmitted to. It is the Great and Bleſſed God, that is infinitely above Angels, and above all Creatures that hath done it; and therefore He muſt be ſubmitted to. It may may be you could not tell how to bear a Box on the Ear from an Inferiour, or an Equal, or from one a little above you: But if ſo be a King ſhould be near and ſtrike you, you could bear that; you would not be ſo ready to riſe againſt him, as againſt an Inferiour mans ſtriking of you. Why, 'Tis the Lord, that is Infinitely above us; that is the Infinite, Glorious, and Bleſſed God. He muſt be ſubmitted to.
Yea, ſecondly, It is the Lord, that hath the abſolute Right to us, and all that we have; more than we have to our ſelves, or any thing that we enjoy. It is the Lord, that hath the abſolute Authority over us, to do with us what He will; you have not ſo much authority over a Worm under your feet, as God hath over you, and over all your Comforts; you have not ſo much right to kill a Fly, as the Lord hath to take away your Lives: He hath more Right a thouſand thouſand times over your Lives, Familie, Comforts, and all you have, than you have over the meaneſt Creature, He hath the abſolute Right over you all. If any thing be done amiſs in a Family, and the Servants be falling out one with another, and one ſaith you did thus and thus, and the other ſaith you did it, and ſo are wrangling one with another; now if the Maſter comes, and ſaith, Why? It was I that did it: He makes account that this ſhould ſtill them all, becauſe it was he that had right to do it. Why, It is the Lord, and therefore it is not for us to ſtand Fretting againſt any means: For it is the Great, Soveraign Lord, that hath the abſolute Power and Dominion over us.
And then, Thirdly, It is the Lord we have ſinn'd againſt, and hath us at infinite Advantages that way: It is the Lord that we are liable unto. While we are here in this World, and carry about with us ſo much ſin, we cannot have any ſerious Thoughts of God, but we muſt needs have Thoughts how we have ſinn'd againſt this God, and what advantages this God hath us at, in reſpect of our ſins. Oh! It is the Lord, that we have offended and ſinn'd againſt.
Fourthly, Hence it follows, It is the Lord, and therefore it is He; that if He hath brought a little Affliction, He may bring abundantly more if He pleaſes. It is He, whoſe Power as it is not ſhortned in a way of Help, ſo not in a way of Affliction: Hath He afflicted in one kind, He might in a hundred, if he pleaſed? Hath He afflicted thee in thy Eſtate, He might have afflicted thee in thy Body? Hath He afflicted thee in thy Body, He might have afflicted thee in thy Soul? Hath He afflicted thee in thy Soul here, He might have ſent thee down to Hell eternally? Is it upon any within thy Dwelling-place, it might have been upon thy ſelf? It is the Lord that hath us under His feet. And if He bring the leaſt evil, He might have brought as much as He pleaſed: He might have afflicted us abundantly more than He hath done. And this is a mighty humbling Conſideration to quiet the Heart, under the Hand of God.
And then, Fifthly, It is the Lord. Why, it is the Lord that hath done all the Good that ever we have enjoyed: It is He that hath done all Good to us. You have an Affliction, but have you no Mercies? Do you enjoy no Good? Why, from whence was it, was it not from the Lord? Shall I receive Good from the Hand of the Lord, and not Evil, ſaith Job. Why, even the Savage Beaſts will bear ſtrokes from them that feeds them. The very Bears will ſuffer the Bearherd that brings them Meat, to ſtrike them; they will not ſuffer a ſtranger ſo much, but thoſe that bring them Meat: They receive good from them, and therefore they will ſubmit to them. Now we receive infinite Good from God, daily Good, and that's a very uſeful Meditation for us to conſider of, in times of Affliction: There's this Good, or that particular Good taken from me, but what do I enjoy, or what have I enjoyed? It's a uſual thing in Afflictions; to keep the ſight of God from us: As the putting a thing but as big as a Two-pence upon the Eye, it will keep the ſight of all the Heavens from us; and ſo a little Afflictions many times keeps the ſight of all the Good that we do enjoy from us. But when we conſider it is the Lord, the infinite Fountain of all Good, this is a mighty quieting Conſideration.
Sixthly, It is the Lord: He is Juſt and Righteous in all his Proceedings, there's nothing but Righteouſneſs in Him in all His Wayes: In very Faithfulneſs, ſaith David, haſt thou afflicted me. It may be ſome affliction may come from Men, and we may think they deal Unrighteouſly and Unjuſtly; but it is the Lord, and there is nothing but Righteouſneſs in all His Wayes. If we ſhould think, Why, theſe afflictions, they fall upon me, and ſuch and ſuch, they eſcape. You muſt not reaſon ſo, It is the Lord, and therefore it is Righteous. You think it might be better thus and thus, but it is the Lord, that is Juſt and Righteous in all His Proceedings, and in all His Wayes. Yea,
Seventhly, As Righteous, ſo infinitely Wiſe: He is Infinitely Wiſe, and ſo knows how to Order things in the beſt way that may be; He knows what's fitteſt both for us, and for His own Glory: We are poor weak Creatures, but it's the Lord that ſees Infinitely beyond us.
Eightly, It is the Lord, that hath alwayes very Holy ends; in all His Dealings He hath Holy ends, and Aims at Great and Holy things, though perhaps we know them not; and therefore He is to do whatſoever He will. We uſe to ſay of a Man, if we ſee him to be a Wiſe and Underſtanding man, yea, a Juſt man, and to be a man that doth all things alwayes from good Principles, and for good Ends, let him alone, though we do not underſtand what he is doing, yet let him alone, he knows what he doth: It is the Lord, let Him alone in His work, let Him do what ſeemeth Him good.
Ninthly, It is the Lord, and He is able to bring good out of the greateſt evils, to bring light out of darkneſs; yea, to bring the greateſt good out of the greateſt evils. I verily believe, that many of the People of God have found it ſo, That the greateſt Bleſſings that ever they have had ſince they were born, have been Uſhered in by the greateſt Afflictions. Certainly, as the Lord would not ſuffer ſin in the World, were it not for His Infinite Power, to bring about Good from the ſins of men; ſo neither would He ſuffer Afflictions in the World to His Saints, but that He knows He hath Power enough to bring good to them, even out of their greateſt Afflictions. It is the Lord, that hath this Power. One would be loath to truſt ones ſelf with one in any Danger, that cannot tell how to bring him out again: You would be loath to ſee your Child held over the Water by another little Child, or over a Fire; but if a ſtrong Man hath your Child in his Arms, and holds it over the Water, and you know him to be your loving Friend, it troubles you not at all: Why? Becauſe you know he hath ſtrength enough to keep your Child from the Danger. Why, It's the Lord, that though He holds his Children over Fire or Water, and brings them into Fear and Afflictions; yet He hath Power enough not only to preſerve them, but to bring a great deal of Good out of all, and therefore let Him do what ſeemeth Him good.
Tenthly, It is the Lord, therefore ſubmit to Him, for His Counſel muſt ſtand, and His Work muſt go on, there's no ſtriving with the Almighty: Are we greater than He? No: Inſtead of ſtriving, let there be ſubmitting and yielding.
Eleventhly, Yea, and further, It is the Lord, and therefore He is worthy that His Deſigns ſhould be brought about, though we ſhould be ruined: There is ſuch infinite Excellency in this God (as I ſay) He is worthy to have his own Deſigns brought about, and his own Will fulfilled, though it be to our Ruins: Doth God think man ſo excellent a Creature, as that He ſhall give thouſands of other Creatures for to help him, with the loſs of their own Lives? And ſhall not we think the Lord to be Infinitely worthy, if He have uſe of our Lives, or Liberties, or Names, or any thing; that He ſhould not have all, to bring about his Deſigns withal? O, he is worthy, and therefore let Him do what ſeemeth Him good. If ſo be he will raiſe up any building of his in our ruins, we ſhould be willing to be ſerviceable to God in it; we ſhould be willing to lie down and let all that we have go, that may be any way ſerviceable to God in his deſigns; for the Lord is worthy.
Theſe Conſiderations may be very uſeful to help you in the day of Affliction, to meditate of God; and ſo to work your hearts to an humble ſubmiſſion: but eſpecially if you add this one more.
Twelfthly, When you do not onelyonly ſee him to be Jehovah, the Lord; but if you can ſee that you have any intereſt in him, as that he is the Lord your God; this is of mighty power to quiet the heart: as if he be your God, why then he is in Covenant with you, and if he be in Covenant with you, then he hath engaged all his Wiſdom, and all his Power, and all his Mercy, for to be working eternally for your good; and that's more than a meer conſideration that it is the Lord; and that he is above us, and juſt and holy, and that it is in vain not to ſubmit unto Him. But it is the Lord that is in Covenant with me, and in that Covenant he hath engaged all his Power and Wiſdom, and Mercy and Goodneſs for me. Did we but underſtand what the Covenant of God in Jeſus Chriſt was, that he hath taken his Servants into; O then this thought, It is the Lord in Covenant with me, would be enough to enable us to reſign up our ſelves wholly to his diſpoſe.
Thirteenthly, Yea, 'Tis the Lord that is our Father. You know what Chriſt ſaith, Shall I not drink the Cup that my Father giveth me to drink. That was the Argument of Chriſt: O that this were in all our thoughts at all times, when any thing, though it be never ſo grievous, befals us, Shall I not drink the Cup that my Father giveth me to drink? Whatſoever it be, if it comes out of a Fathers hand, why let Him do what ſeemeth him good. You know when Chriſt came to the Diſciples walking upon the waters, and the Diſciples were afraid; Be not afraid, 'tis I; ſaith Chriſt. They were troubled at it, and thought that one came as an Enemy to do them hurt; but be not afraid, 'tis I; ſaith Chriſt. So my Brethren, we ſhould look in all afflictions to ſee who it is that comes; we apprehend an Enemy coming, but now thoſe that are godly, they may look upon him that comes as God, Be not afraid, ſaith the Lord, it is I; It's I that am reconcil'd to you in my Son. Upon this the ſoul may with abundance of ſweetneſs and comfort, go to God in Prayer, and open it ſelf to God; having an intereſt in him. You know, If a great Dog ſhould come with full mouth upon one, why indeed, if ſo be that he that comes to a houſe be a thief, he hath cauſe to fear; but if he be a Child, he can call to his Father, the Maſter of the houſe, Take off your Dog. So when afflictions come to the wicked, they come with open devouring mouth, and they have cauſe to be afraid; but thoſe that have intereſt in God, may go with freedom unto God in prayer, and cry to the Lord to take off the dog, the affliction; to keep it that it ſhould do them no hurt at leaſt. It is the Lord.
Object. I but you will ſay, That though it be the Lord, yet it's this indeed that rather makes my affliction the greater; to conſider it comes from God: The thought that it's God in it ſtrikes terror; becauſe I am conſcious of ſin againſt God. It is an affliction that comes for my ſin, and therefore I ſee the diſpleaſure of God in it; and this makes it more grievous. I would rather bear any thing from a creature, than to bear the diſpleaſure of God in a creature; that's that that is the greateſt ſtick of all, and therefore every time I think it is the Lord, it rather adds to mine affliction.
Anſw. To that I anſwer, Firſt, It's true, many men that think that all is well between God and them in the time of their health and proſperity, yet when affliction comes, God appears to them, and they look upon God as an Enemy; this is dreadful: It's a fearful thing when God is a terror to a man in the day of Calamity. You know what Jeremy ſaith Jer. 17. 17. Be not thou a terror to me, O Lord, for thou art my hope in the day of evil. If the ſoul may have God to be the hope of it in the day of evil, there's no evil terrible; but if God be a terror then too, and write bitter things againſt the ſoul in the time of affliction, that's dreadful.
But yet ſuppoſe thou ſeeſt God, even as an Enemy coming againſt thee; yet the conſideration that it is the Lord, ſhould make thee ſubmit at leaſt: For it is time for thee then to ſubmit, if ſo be that God as an Enemy appears againſt thee: It's time for thee to make haſte to make thy peace with God, yea, and thou haſt the more cauſe to bleſs God, that he hath not deſtroyed thee. What, doſt thou apprehend God as an Enemy? O then, it's infinite Mercy thou art not deſtroyed. Certainly, if He be an Enemy to thee now, He was an Enemy before; only we are ready to judge according to preſent Adminiſtration. But this is certain, If God be an Enemy now, He was an Enemy all the time thou hadſt thy Health, and waſt in thy uttermoſt Proſperity; it's time for thee then to fall down, and make peace. And what infinite cauſe haſt thou to wonder, that thou art not utterly deſtroyed, and therefore reaſon to ſubmit unto Him.
But yet it is a weakneſs in the Saints, and a temptation, often to judge of Gods dealings thus, and to think that every time God appears againſt them, as if he were in hatred: As the People of Iſrael, in their Murmuring Diſcontented Mood, He brought us out of Egypt into this Wilderneſs, becauſe He hated us; ſay they. O, this was wicked, and diſpleaſed God exceedingly. As we are not to judge of Gods Love by outward Proſperity, ſo not of His Hatred by outward Afflictions.
Object. 2. But though I dare not think that God comes in a way of Hatred and Enmity, yet there's a great deal of Diſpleaſure for my ſin; and it's that that makes it grievous to me.
And mark, Even this that was threatned to Ely, it was threatned for his ſin, and yet he falls down and ſubmits, and ſaith, It is the Lord, let Him do what ſeemeth Him good. Yea, and we find the Servants of God, when they apprehended God appearing againſt their ſin, that Conſideration did quiet them ſo much the more: In Mich. 7. 9. I will bear the Indignation of the Lord, becauſe I have ſinned againſt Him: (Becauſe.) And that fore-named place concerning David, 2 Sam. 15. 26. where you have ſuch a Wonderful Gracious and Humble Submiſſion unto the Diſpoſe of God; where he ſaith, If He hath no pleaſure in me, let Him do what ſeemeth Him good. Why David was under almoſt as ſore an Affliction as a man could be under, and it was for his ſin too: Yea, it was for a great ſin, it was for his ſin of Uncleanneſs, and his ſin of Murder, that he was ſain to flie for his Life, even before his own Son. It was as ſore and hard an Affliction, and there was as much of the ſting of the guilt of ſin in it, as any Affliction of any of the People of God, that ever we read of: And yet how humbly he ſubmits, If he ſaith I have no delight in him, behold, here I am, let him do what ſeemeth him good.
However, there is a vain Conceit abroad in the World, as if God chaſtiſed not his People for ſin at all: Yet certainly, the People of God, that walk cloſe with God, they find there is a Chaſtiſement, and a Fatherly Diſpleaſure, though not the Revenge of a Judge. And certainly, there can be no Argument taken from the abſolute ſatisfaction of Chriſt, to prove that there is no Chaſtiſement for ſin; for Chriſt did ſatisfie as fully for David and Ely, that were under the Law: They had the ſatisfaction of Chriſt perfect as well as you. Would it have been (do you think) a good Argument then, That if God Chaſtiſed for ſin, he did not do juſtly, becauſe Chriſt ſatisfied Gods Juſtice: Why did not Chriſt ſatisfie Gods Juſtice then? It was not a good Argument then, certainly it is not ſo now: And for the New Teſtament, You are Chaſtiſed of the Lord, that you might not be Condemned with the World, 1 Cor. 11. 32. But I'll give you one other Scripture, and that is is the Epiſtle of James 5. 14, 15. Is any ſick among you, let him call for the Elders of the Church, and let them pray over him, &c. The Prayer of Faith ſhall ſave the ſick, and the Lord ſhall raiſe him up; and if he have committed ſins, they ſhall be forgiven him. Here the Apoſtle writes to the Saints, and ſpeaks of Godly People, and ſpeaks of them indefinitely: If any of them, if the moſt Godly in all the Church were ſick, why, ſaith he, let him ſend for the Elders and let them Pray; and if he hath committed ſins, then they ſhall be forgiven him. So that any of the Saints may be in ſuch a condition, as they may be Afflicted, and Afflicted for their ſin; If they have ſinned, then they ſhall be forgiven. To make this Suppoſition, and yet that this ſhall be a Truth, That it's impoſſible for any Godly People to be Afflicted for their ſin, were a Contradiction: For to ſay thus, If any Godly People be ſick, let them take this Courſe, let them ſend for the Elders, and let them pray; and if they have committed ſin, it ſhall be forgiven them. And yet the other to ſtand true, That no Godly People can be Afflicted for their ſin: Certainly, theſe two cannot ſtand together,
You will ſay, If they have committed ſin, it ſhall be forgiven: Was it not forgiven before?
True, they are forgiven in reſpect of Gods eternal Wrath, or in reſpect of the Guilt that binds them over to the ſatisfying of Revenging Juſtice: They are forgiven that, but they are not ſo forgiven, but that they need a Fatherly forgiveneſs ſtill. Chriſt hath taken away already at firſt the Revenge of a Judge, but He hath not taken away all Fatherly Diſpleaſure by his ſatisfying; For that's not at all to ſatisfie Juſtice: But God doth reſerve this to himſelf, to deal with them as a Father. Indeed, through Chriſts ſatisfying, God will never deal with his People as a Judge to Revenge; but this doth not put them out of his way of dealing with them as a Father, and they have need of Fatherly forgiveneſs ſtill. And this is that that Chriſt teaches every one to pray; Forgive us our ſins, forgive us our Treſpaſſes. Some other Pleas and Objections may be made, but I ſhall rather haſten to the Uſe of the Point.
Is the ſight of God that, that ſhould cauſe us humbly to ſubmit? O let what hath been ſaid in theſe ſeveral Conſiderations, ſerve to rebuke our Impatiency, our Fretting, and ſinking Diſcouragements. Who art thou? And what art thou, that thou ſhouldeſt keep a ſtir under any hand of God? Do not ſay, It is ſo great, and if it were any other Affliction, I would bear it; it is not for thee to chooſe thy Rod: And thou canſt not ſpeak more of thy Affliction, than David might have done of his: And therefore whatever thy thoughts may be, be humbled before God, that thou haſt had any kind of Murmuring, or Impatience under the Hand of God, any ſtirrings that way: Who art thou, that thou muſt not be dealt withal, ſo as God hath dealt with others of his Saints before, or as he doth deal with any others now? There's a notable Scripture; O that it might have but ſuch an effect as it had on Job! Compare theſe two in the Book of Job, Job 38. 2. Who is this that darkneth Counſel by words without Knowledge. The Lord ſaith thus to Job: Who is this whoſe heart doth fret and is ſo impatient, who is it? Mark now afterwards, if you read the Scripture, from this place till you come to Chap. 42. you ſhall find that God is Manifeſting himſelf there, and Revealing himſelf in his Glory and Righteouſneſs to Job: Now in the 3d. verſe, Job takes up the very words to himſelf, that God had before ſpoken: Saith Job, Who is he that hideth Counſel without Knowledge? Therefore have I uttered that I underſtood not, things too wonderful for me, which I knew not. God he ſaith, Who is this that uttereth words without knowledge? And then he ſhews himſelf; Look upon me, is it not I that have done it? Then Job ſaw that it was God that did it. I have meddled with things that I underſtood not, I have troubled my ſelf like a Fool in things that I did not underſtand: O fooliſh wretched heart that I have! And then afterwards he ſaith, I have heard of thee by the hearing of the Ear, but now mine Eye ſeeth thee; wherefore I abhor my ſelf, and repent in Duſt and Aſhes. As if he ſhould ſay, I'll never be Impatient more, I'll never have any riſings of heart more againſt any of thy dealings towards me: For, Lord, now I ſee that I heard of thee; before I could have ſaid, All things come by the Providence of God: I could have ſaid ſo, I, but now mine Eyes ſee thee, I have the ſight of that Glorious, Infinite Majeſty of thine, that art ſo infinitely Great, Bleſſed, and Holy; and therefore now I abhor my ſelf in Duſt and Aſhes: Let become of me what will, I have learned for ever to ſanctifie that Holy Name of thine, It is the Lord, let Him do what ſeemeth Him good.
And therefore by way of Exhortation:Exhort. O my Brethren, I beſeech you apply theſe things unto your ſelves: In ſome of your Thoughts (it ſeems) I have been as Dead,His houſe being viſited, it was thought he was Dead. hear then ſomewhat that I am this day to ſay to you; as you know Dives ſaid, If one come from the Dead, they will hear him. Here what I have to ſay to you from this Point.
Firſt, O let this ſinck into your hearts, as if one ſhould come from the Dead to ſpeak it to you, namely this, That God is ſo infinitely worthy of Honour from you, that you ſhould be at a point, whether you Honour him either in the enjoyment of Mercy, or ſuffering of Affliction, it's no great matter: The Honour of God ſhould be ſo dear to you, and you ſhould ſo much love him, your hearts ſhould be ſo much with God, as you ſhould leave it wholly to himſelf, which way he would be Honoured by you. Surely, though we think we have a Love to God, and we would Honour him, yet our Love to God, and deſire to Honour him, is very little; If ſo be that we do not wholly reſign up our ſelves to him, to do in us and by us as he will: then indeed, is the heart right. And this is Honouring God as a God, when there is a full yielding up of the heart, and when it is in a manner indifferent what way God will take. Then your hearts are come to a right frame.
Secondly, The ſecond thing that I would ſay to you, is this, That there is ſo great evil in ſin (and O that God would make it take as great an Impreſſion upon you, as if one from the Dead ſpake it) as the leaſt ſtopping one in the way of ſin, the leaſt abating the power of ſin hath ſo much good in it, as it's enough to countervail the greateſt evil in the greateſt Afflictions in the World. O this Principle would be of mighty uſe in the hearts of People, when any Affliction doth befal them or their Family; but doth God by this (at leaſt) ſtop me in any way of ſin? Doth not God by this, ſome way, or other, help me againſt ſome ſin? O then, the Affliction is well paid for. I have now a greater good abundantly, than the evil of the Affliction comes to; There was a little bitter, but here's a great deal more ſweet.
Thirdly, There is more good in any Exerciſe of any Grace, than there is evil in the bearing of any Affliction: If God doth bring an Affliction but for the Exerciſe of any Grace, or for the ſtirring up thy heart but to look towards him, there may be more good in that, then there is evil in any Affliction. Perhaps thou art going up and down muddling in the World, and thy Thoughts were but little upon him before; why if by Afflictions thou comeſt but to look after God, his is a greater good than the evil of the Affliction comes to. But if God Bleſſes thee ſo as thou comeſt to Exerciſe Grace in it, Humility, Patience, Self-denial, Faith; O here thine Affliction is abundantly made up: Oh! labour therefore upon the Conſideration of this, that It is the Lord, to ſubmit humbly to him; this is acceptable to God. Suppoſe you have two Children that were ſick, it may be one he riggles and keeps a ſtir, and will take nothing that you give him; but now you have another Child lies, and he is ſick too, and he ſaith, Father, Mother, I'll do what you will have me, I'll take what you will give me, do but tell me what you would have done, I'll preſently do it; though it be never ſo grievous and bitter, I'll take it. Now would it not make your hearts relent towards ſuch a Child, that ſhould be ſo yieldable, will lie this way, or that way, take this thing, or that thing, and all becauſe it comes from a Father: If the Child ſhould ſay to you, It's true, I am Sick and Ill, but I know you love me, and know what's better for me than I do, and therefore I'll take it: Would not this be very acceptable? O this it is which the Lord accepts, when his Children do behave themſelves ſo under his Afcting Hand.
And my Brethren, This further helps againſt a great many Temptations: When Job did but ſay this, The Lord giveth, and the Lord taketh away, let Him do what ſeemeth Him good. The Devil ſaw his hopes gone, then his hopes of doing that hurt and miſchief that he intended was gone. O the heart is in a ſafe condition, that is thus ſubmiſſive unto God: Others that have Fretting Impatient hearts, are ſubject to abundance of Temptations, but the danger of Temptation is over, when thy heart comes to this.
And this will make the Affliction very eaſie unto thee, when thou bringeſt thy heart to this: It may be others may think that's very ſore and hard with thee, I, but thou findeſt it very eaſie, abundance of ſweetneſs comes in with this: Yea, I appeal to the Experience of the Saints, that knows but what this means; Whether ever had you more Comfort in all your Lives, than at that time when you have been moſt Afflicted, and yet brought your hearts to this Temper and Diſpoſition. O therefore learn to work theſe things upon your hearts. It's an eaſie matter for Men and Women to ſpeak theſe things, but to have the effectual working of theſe things upon the heart, that's not ſo eaſie: To ſanctifie Gods Name in the Fire. Carnal hearts, they have many poor things to help themſelves in their Afflictions: They ſay this, It is my ill Fortune this befel me; and another ſaith this, This befals all Men, one or other, it's common: Others ſay thus, We muſt, we cannot help it, and we muſt ſubmit to it. Another thinks thus, Why, I hope, it will be over. Theſe are poor Reaſonings to work upon the heart, in the day of Affliction: But now a gracious heart ſhould get up higher above all theſe; It is the Lord, and there look into the Counſels of God, and ſeek to know the Mind of God, and to ſanctifie the Name of God. O, Grace (my Brethren) hath many Excellencies in it; but among other things, this is not the leaſt, That it hath ſuch a mighty Power to help Men in the day of their Affliction; a mighty Power to ſweeten the heart, and to take away the ſting and evil of all Afflictions, and to carry the Soul on comfortably in the time of all Dangers and Trials. O labour to have this wrought upon your hearts! For by this you will manifeſt much Beauty in Grace, much Excellency in Grace; it will be a means to Convince all that are about you. All thoſe that profeſs Godlineſs, ſhould labour to behave themſelves ſo as to do that that others cannot do in the time of Affliction: They ſhould then ſhew what Grace can do. As David in another Caſe, ſaid to the King of Achiſh, Thou ſhalt ſee what thy Servant can do. So now in the time of Affliction, a gracious heart ſhould put it to this; Come let's ſee what Grace can do. And certainly, this will be the way for removing of Afflictions ſooner, when the heart is brought thus to yield unto the Lord: Wherefore that you may bring your hearts to this in the day of your Affliction, labour in the conſtant Courſe of your Life, to Converſe much with God. Thoſe that walk with God (according to the Text that you know I am upon) and Converſe much with God in the day of their Health, why their hearts will in a kind of Natural-way, work up to God in the time of Affliction; then the Thoughts of God will be as ſuitable to thee, as Fire is to Fire: Fire aſcends up to Fire, becauſe of the ſuitableneſs of the Fire that is here, to that that is above. Why ſo the heart will work up to God in a kind of Natural-way, becauſe God is ſo ſuitable to the heart, the heart having ſo much Converſe with God in the day of Proſperity.
And labour throughly to Convince your hearts of this thing, That there is no Good in any Creature, but only in the Reference that it hath to God: There is no Good in Health, in Liberty, in your Names, in your Lives, in your Eſtates, any further than they have ſome Reference to God, the infinite firſt Good, the chief and high Good. It's an eaſie matter in a way of Reaſon, to Convince any one that this is a Truth. But now to have this Principle indeed wrought upon your heart, not only to ſay ſo in a way of Arguing, but I account in my Soul of no good in any thing further, than it hath reference to God. As now, I have for the preſent Health of Body: Where doth the good of the Health of my Body lie? It is, That while I have Health, I have Ability to ſerve God, and be uſeful in the place where God hath ſet me. I have an Eſtate, Wherein lies the good of it? It lies in this, That by this I may be Inſtrumental for God, more than others. If I Live, Wherein lies the good of Life? Why that I may be uſeful to the Church, in the way wherein God hath ſet me. Now when the heart is principled in this, then if God takes away my Health then it ſeems God hath no further uſe of my Health for the preſent, but would rather Honour Himſelf in another way upon me; why now there is no good in my Health. And if God take away my Eſtate, then he would rather Honour Himſelf in the exerciſe of my Humility, and of my Patience. If God takes away my Life, then God will rather have His Honour from my Soul, to joyn with Angels and Saints, in Honouring of Him that way, rather than in Imploying of me any further in this World. Such a Principle as this is, would mightily help the heart in the day of Affliction.
Certainly our Happineſs doth not depend upon what we have here in this World: The reaſon why the heart is ſo troubled in the time of Affliction, it is becauſe of this, That Men and Women look upon their Happineſs to conſiſt in the enjoyment of theſe things: O no, thou Diſhonoureſt the Name of Chriſt, and thy holy Profeſſion, to think that thy Happineſs ſhould depend upon ſuch poor things as theſe are. Surely, Jeſus Chriſt hath not come to ſhed His Blood, and to purchaſe Happineſs for the Saints; and when all comes too, it ſhould be ſo poor as to depend upon all the uncertainty that we have in this World: No, no, thy Happineſs lies hihger, Thy Life is hid with Chriſt in God. If a man hath a Jewel worth many Thouſands, and his Houſe ſhould be on Fire, why though he loſes the Lumber and Stuff in the Houſe, yet if he be ſure the Jewel is ſafe, he is quiet. Now the Saints they may be ſure that they are ſafe for Eternity, and therefore it is not much what other things be. Oh conſider of theſe things, and work them upon your hearts. That's the Second Point.
But a word or two of the other,Doctr. that is: That that which ſeems ill to us, may ſeem good to God. It is the Lord, let Him do what ſeemeth Him good. Certainly, for the preſent it did not ſeem very good to Ely: If that Ely's judgement had been askt of thoſe things, Ely would have ſaid, that they had been very ſad. I, but as I remember, Luther once ſaid, when he was Condemn'd and Rail'd upon at Noremberg, ſaith he, There's one thing Concluded at Noremberg, and another thing Concluded in Heaven: In Heaven there's not the ſame Judgment of my Cauſe, as at Noremberg. And ſo it may be ſaid concerning Affliction, There's one thing many times Concluded in my Wretched, Weak, Fooliſh, and Unbelieveing Heart; and another thing in Heaven: One thing concluded in the world, and in mens rumours; and another thing in Heaven. It's ſome comfort to a man though he hears rumours abroad in the world, if then he can have his own heart to contradict them. If he had nothing elſe to think but this, Well that that's ſpoken in the World is one thing, and that that I find in my heart is another; that's comfortable: But this is greater comfort, Thou art my portion, ſaith my Soul; ſaith the Church in the Book of the Lamentations; as if ſhe ſhould ſay, Well, the temptation ſaith that God hath left me, the Devil ſaith thus; I but thou art my portion, ſaith my Soul: That was comfortable. If ſo be that God ſpeaks peace, it's more than if our own Souls ſpeaks peace: Thou ſhalt chooſe our inheritance: Thy choice is better then our own. If we had alwayes what's good in our own Eyes, wo were to us, we were undone. You would not think it, but certainly it is as heavy a judgment as can befal one in this world; that God ſhould ſay, You ſhall do and you ſhall have what is good in your own eyes. Suppoſe that God ſhould ſay but this morning concerning every one of you, Well, you ſhall hencforward have whatſoever is good in your own Eyes. why you would think that you might go away and be glad of this; Glad, you had cauſe of going away with ringing of Hands, and howling and crying, if God ſhould ſay thus, concerning any of you. O no, it's better that our Lives, Liberties, Eſtates, Comforts, Happineſs, and all be in Gods Hands than our own, to be diſpoſed of ſo as ſeemeth good in Gods Eyes, rather than to be diſpoſed of ſo as ſeemeth good in our own Eyes. I verily believe that many of you may be able to look back to the providences of God towards you, and to ſay, That ſuppoſe God had Twenty years ago ſaid to me, I'll give you leave to diſpoſe of your ſelves as you would: O many may be able to ſay, They certainly could never have diſpoſed ſo well of themſelves as God hath: And they would be loath to go back again to the Twenty years paſt, though they ſhould begin and have liberty to diſpoſe of themſelves as they pleaſe: In Heb. 12. 11. ſaith the Apoſtle there, No Affliction for the preſent ſeemeth Joyous to us but Grievous, but afterwards, ſaith the Text, it works thus and thus. I, but things do ſeem to God as they are preſent alwayes, but they do not ſeem ſo to us till afterwards. After the Affliction is over then they ſeem good to us, but they ſeem good to God at the very preſent. We judge things by the outward appearance, but God judges things according to what they are. Things ſeem to us according as they either make for or againſt our outward good, we are led ſo much by ſenſe: But they ſeem to God according as they are for or againſt his Glory and the laſt good of all. They ſeem good or ill to us according as they are for or againſt ſome particular good; if they ſtrike at ſuch a particular we judge by particulars: But now, God he judges things by the proportion they have to the general, to all things at once. It's that that makes us to give very wrong Judgment of things when we look but to particulars, and do not compare one with another, and raiſe a Judgment upon things all things conſidered. So God doth, God doth not ſo much look at things how they are in reference to this or the other good; but how things are in reference to all together in the general. We know ſome things may croſs ſome particular, but they may be uſeful to another. Now that thats good in the general doth ſeem good to God, though it may go croſs to ſome particular.
And then further, We look at things but juſt as they appear preſent to us, but now God looks upon things as they ſhall be a great while hence: God is working that that we ſhall not underſtand perhaps in our lives; or working in his Adminiſtrations towards us, ſome thing that he intends ſhall come to paſs a great while hence, ſo that if they come to paſs in our Lives, yet we ſhall not have the fruit of them for many years. God He looks a great way off.
Wherefore learn by this, Not to be too Sudden, nor ſo Peremptory, in the judging of Gods Adminiſtrations: Why? Why becauſe whatever they may ſeem to you, they may ſeem otherwiſe to God; ſtay till you know Gods Judgment about them. As you, if you have any Wiſdom, when you hear of ſtrange Rumours, if you know that there be any that knows the thing better than you, you will not give a judgment upon it; till you have the judgment of ſuch and ſuch, that you know may underſtand it better than your ſelf. So in the Wayes of God towards us, Let not us preſently give a Judgment upon thoſe things, but let us ſtay firſt till we have the Mind of God. O let's learn to reſign up our Judgments to Gods, and let Him Judge.
Neither let us trouble our ſelves about other mens Judgments. As things ſeem otherwiſe to God than to us, ſo they ſeem otherwiſe to God than to other men. As we ſhould not truſt too much to the judgments of our own hearts, ſo we ſhould not be ſo much troubled at other mens Judgments. For whatever they think, ſtill it is otherwiſe in Gods account. Men, they will ſay, 'tis for this Cauſe, and the other Cauſe, and the like; but it's otherwiſe concluded in Heaven. And that's the Third Point.
The laſt ſhould have been this, That 'tis not enough for Chriſtians after a great deal of ado, to ſubmit to God; that is, after the Affliction hath been upon them a great while, and when they ſee they cannot help themſelves; then to begin to have thoughts of yielding to God. It's well that they do it at laſt: O, but it's more commendable a great deal, if we do it at firſt. At what inſtant God ſtrikes, preſently for the heart to come in and yield. As it is a moſt excellent thing to yield to Gods Word when God firſt ſpeaks, upon the leaſt intimation of Gods Will; O this is acceptable unto God. For thoſe that are young ones, the firſt time they come to hear the Word; or if not the firſt time they come to hear it, yet the firſt time God ſpeaks to their hearts; the very firſt word that ſpeaks, preſently for them to yield, it's a moſt excellent thing. So in the time of Affliction, for the heart to bow and ſubmit preſently to God: O this is an Argument of much cleanneſs that there is in the heart, that the heart is very clean, that there is not much Corruption there; for then there would be a ſtanding out againſt God, and it would manifeſt it ſelf in time of Affliction. As we know where there is Corruption in the Body it will manifeſt it ſelf, if it come to endure Hardſhip; ſo it is with the Soul, &c.
And it argues much Grace, as little Corruption. So there is ſtrength of Grace that can make the Heart bow preſently to God. When Grace reigns in the Heart; when Grace can ſay Come, and the Soul comes; Go, and it goes; when Grace can ſay, This is the Adminiſtration of God towards you; and now you muſt work thus, and preſently the Soul doth it. It ſhould not be enough to us, that we hope that we have that Grace, which poſſibly may bring us to Heaven at laſt: but we ſhould labour to have that Grace that may reign in the Heart now, and bring all into a due Order. As in a Family, when the Governors are Wiſe, you ſhall have them, if there be but the leaſt Diſturbance, ſpeak but a word, and all is quiet: And you ſhall have other Families, that where the Reins of Government are looſe, if there be but a little Diſturbance, it grows more and more, and to ſuch a height, that it's tedious for one that hath a quiet Spirit, to be in the Family: and ſo it is in the Heart, though the beſt hath ſome Diſturbance. But now where Grace Rules and Governs, it ſtills all preſently, without any great ado: But now in other men, though they have ſome Grace, yet if the Heart begins to be in a Diſturbance, it's a long time before it can be quieted.
My Brethren, I have gone through theſe Points briefly, and you will ſay, 'Tis a harder thing to do this, than to ſpeak it. It's true, it is, yet ſome of the Saints have done it: They have through the Mercy of God, been brought to theſe things that have been ſpoken, and it's poſſible to be done: Some have attained it, and there is ſtrength enough in Chriſt, for the weakeſt to attain it: And He delights as much to Communicate His ſtrength in helping of His poor Servants in the times of Affliction, as at any time.
Conſider what hath been ſaid in theſe ſeveral Truths, and lay them up againſt the Day of your Affliction, that you may ſay, It is the Lord, let Him do what ſeemeth Him good.