The Chequer-Work of Gods Providences, Doctrine 1
Doctrine I.
That, Sometimes Gods Israel, Gods own endeared People, may lie, as it were among the Pots, in deepest Distresses and Afflictions.
This Doctrinal Lesson is evidently fluent from the first Branch of the Text. For Unfolding and Improving whereof, I shall chiefly Manifest. 1. That, Gods People being in deep Distresse and Afflictions, is like lying among the Pots. 2. Why God suffers his Church and dearest People sometimes thus to lie as among the Pots, in deepest distresses and tribulations. 3. What Inferences may readily result here upon.
I. That, The lying of Gods endeared People in deepest Distresses and Afflictions, is like lying among the Pots. For,
1. They that lie among the Pots are in a very low, mean and abject condition; Scullions, of the meanest rank, are wont in the Camp or Leaguer to lie among the Pots: So they, that are in deep Distresses and Afflictions, are in a very low, mean, and abject state, in the eye of the world. Israel, in affliction, was in a very low condition:kPsal. 136. 23. —who remembred us in our low estate. Low in Egypt; when theylExod. 1. 13 14. & 5. 10, 11. toyled in the clay, and must make brick without straw. Low at the Read-Sea: when nothing butmExod. 14. 2, 10, 11, 12. present death was before their eyes; Egyptians being behind them, the Sea before them, and mountains on each hand. Low in the Wilderness; whennExod. 16. 3 &17. 1, 3. they had neither bread to eat, nor water to drink, &c. Low in the Land of Canaan: oIudg. 4. 3. See that whole Book. 1 Sam. 4. 11, 21, 22. & 31 7, &c.when they were delivered into their enemies hands, which swarmed about them like Bees; yea when the Ark of God was taken from them, yea when Saul and Jonathan were destroyed. Low in Babylon: when they were visibly as helpless and hopeless as people dead andPEzek 37. 11, 12, 13. buried in their very Graves. Thus, Joseph was very low in his Affliction: when he wasqGen. 39. 20. Psal. 105. 18. clapt up in Prison in Egypt, and laid in Irons, having not one friend in all Egypt to help him out. Job very low: when smitten withrIob 2. 7, 8. sore boyles from the sole of his foot to his crown, so that he scraped himself with a pot heard, and sate down among the ashes. David very low: when he, in fear of his life,sPsal. 34. …i…le. 1 Sam. 21. 11. to the end. changed his behaviour, feigning himself mad before Achish King of Gath: and when het2 Sam. 15. 30. fled from Absalom his son, going up Mount Olivet barefoot, weeping and having his head covered, &c. Jonah very low; when heulonah 1. 15, 17 & 2. 2, …, 5, 6, 7. was as it were twice buried, once in the Sea, and again in the belly of the Whale, and the weeds were wrapped about his head. And Lazarus extreamly low: when hexLuke 16. 20, 21. lay hunger-bitten, full of sores and ulcers at the rich-mans gate, desiring his crums, which none gave unto him, the dogs coming and licking his sores.
2. They that lie among the Pots are apt to be spotted, fullyed, fouled, blacked with the Pots: So they that are in deep affliction and distress are rendred in the eyes of others, deformed, sullied, black, tanned, Sun-burnt, &c. Distressed Job said:yIob 30. 30. My skin is black upon me. The afflicted Church confesseth;zCant. 1. 5. I am black,—as the Tents of Kedar: Even as the black-hair-cloath-weather-beaten-Tents of Kedar. And again;aCant. …. 6. Look not upon me because I am black, because the Sun hath looked upon me. Great afflictions make the very Church her self black, or blackish, and Sun-burnt; how much more her particular members. Thus Jeremiah lamented; Our skin was black like an Oven, because of the terrible famine, Lam. 5. 10. The Nazarites visage is blacker then a coal, &c. Lam. 4. 7, 8. yea our blessed Saviour IESUS CHRIST himself was in his comeliness deformed and marred extraordinarily by his sore afflictions and sufferings;bIsa. 52. 14. & 53. 2. His visage was so marred more then any man, and his form more then the sons of men.—He hath no form nor comeliness, and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.
3. They that lie among the Pots, being deformed, sullyed and blacked, are wont to be slighted, despised, abhorred, men look strange at them, are ashamed of their company, cannot abide to come near them: So they that lie in deep distress and misery, are usually neglected, despised and rejected of others; yea oft-times their very kindred, friends and familiar acquaintance are estranged from them, and stand aloof from their calamity. Thus Job in his extream afflictions complained;cIob 19. 13. to 22.—He hath put my Brethren far from me, and mine acquaintance are verily estranged from me. My kinsfolk have failed, and my familiar friends have forgotten me. They that dwell in mine house, and my maids, count me for a stranger; I am an alien in their sight. I called my servant, and he gave me no Answer; I entreated him with my mouth. My breath is strange to my wife: though I entreated for the childrens sake of mine own body. Yea young children despised me; I arose, and they spake against me. All mine inward friends abhorred me: and they whom I loved are turned against me. Thus Heman the Ezrahite in his sad afflictions lamenteth;dPsal. 88. 18. Lover and friend hast thou put far from me, and mine acquaintance into darkness. And, though our blessed Saviour bear, not his own, but our griefs and our sorrows, yet even for them he was exposed to extream contempt;eIsa. 53. 3, 4, 5, 6. He is despised and rejected of men, a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and we hid as it were our faces from him: he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Oh how hard a thing is it for the dearest of Gods Saints to be deeply distressed, and not to be greatly despised!
II. But, Why is it, that the LORD suffers his Church and his own endeared People, thus to lie sometimes, as among the Pots, in deepest distresses and tribulations?
The LORD Permits, Orders, Directs and Over-powers the sharp afflictions and distresses of his own dear people for their Manifold Benefit. He lets them lie among the Pots, then even this may turn to their fHeb. 12. 10. Phil. 1. 19.andgRom. 8. 28. co-operate for their good, for their manifold good. For,
1. By these, The sins and failings of Gods people are more clearly detected. He with-draweth not his eyes from the righteous: hIob 36. 7, 8, 9.—And if they be bound in fetters, and be holden in cords of affliction: Then he sheweth them their work, and their transgressions, that they have exceeded. The distress ofiGen. 41. 21, 22. Josephs Brethren in Egypt, revived afresh upon their consciences, their old offences against Joseph; Afflictions awaken their sleepy souls and drowsie consciences. As the Suns Ecclipse is best discerned in water: Or as Blots run most abroad in wet paper: so their sinful blots and ecclipses are most evidently discovered in their waters of affliction.
2. By these, They are more throughly melted and humbled for their sinful failings discovered. The fire melts the mettle in the furnace, that it will run into any mould. Whenk2 Chron. 32. 24, 25, 26. wrath was upon good Hezekiah for the Pride and lifting up of his heart, how quickly did he humble himself under the hand of God! That Phoenix Kingl2 Chron 3…. 16, 17. Josiah exceedingly melted and wept before the LORD, when he discerned the Judgements of God but hanging over their heads for sin, in the clouds of the threatnings.
3. By these, their spots, stains and sins, Detected and Lamented, are very notably cleansed, rubbed out, and purged away,mIsa. 27. 8, 9. By this shall the iniquity of Jacob be purged, and this is all the fruit to take away his sin. Dav…d himself acknowledged this advantage by his Afflictions; nPsal. 119. 67.Before I was afflicted I went astray: B…t now have I kept they word. So true is that of Elihu to Job; oIob 36. 8, 9, 10.Then he openeth their ear to Discipline, and commandeth that they return from iniquity. Our afflictions do launce out out corruption; Scour away our spots and stains; File off our rust and canker; Fan away our chaff; Segregate our Dross; And, like thepDan. 3. 23, 24, 25. Fiery furnace, burn off the bands and cords of our corruptions, that we may walk at liberty. Even Manasses, that Monster of wickedness) when taken among the thorns, and bound in fetters, &c. repented and reformed, 2 Chron. 33. 1. to 20.
4. By these, Their graces are Tryed and Proved, whether they be sincere; Not that God doth not know what is in us: but that we do not know what is in our selves.q1 Pet. 4. 1…. Think it not strange concerning the fiery Tryal, which is to Try you. r1 Pet. 1. 6, 7.—That the tryal of your Faith being much more precious then of Gold that perisheth, though it be tryed with fire, might be found unto praise, and honour, and glory. Some writings cannot be read but at the fire or in the water. So some gracious endowments and inscriptions on our hearts, as Faith, Patience, Self-denyal, &c. cannot so well be discerned as in the fire and water of Tribulations. The Furnace tries the Mettal; The Touch-stone tries the Gold; The Storm tries the Pilot; The Battle tries the Souldier: So the Furnace, Touch-stone, Storm and Battle of Afflictions trie the Faith, Patience, Courage, Constancy and Graces of the Christian. Our true spiritual Beauty becomes the more Beauteous by this washing, when thereby paint and counterfeit colours are wiped away.
5. By these, Their Graces and Spirituals are much advanced and improved. As the body by a Growing Ague, or as the grass by an April… shower. sRom. 5. 3, 4, 5Tribulation worketh Patience, and Patience Experience, and Experience Hope, and Hope makes not ashamed, &c. What a rich and strange crop is this! Heres Grapes on Thorns, and Figs on Thistles. By rubbing, the Pomander smells far sweeter: By treading, the Camomile grows the better; by wearing, the nail becomes the brighter: So ou Spirituals become more bright, fragrant and flourishing, by being exercised with Afflictions. Opposition and Difficulties excite their Activities. Had not the Afflictions of Job been so extream,tIob 2. 3, 9, 10. with Iam. 5. 11. the Integrity and Patience of Job had not been so renowned.
6. By these, Their Spiritual Activity in Meditations Prayer, Self-examinations, Self-denyal, Obedience and all Christian Duties, is exceedingly actuated and awakened. WhenuGen. 32. 24. 25, 26. Jacob was in fear and danger of Destruction by his Brother Esau, he wrestled all night by Prayer with the Angel of the Covenant, and would not let him go without a Blessing. While David was exercised under Sauls oppressive persecutions, and other sad afflictions; he breathed out to God his most Coelestial Devotions. Then he said,x…sal. 119. 71. Its good for me that I have been afflicted that I might learn thy Statutes. When David was lowest in Affliction, he was highest in Devotion. Yea, Jesus Christ himself,yLuke 22. 44. foreign. being in an Agony, Prayed the more earnestly. As the Birds in the Spring tune most sweetly, when it rains most sadly; Or, As a musical Instrument, when the strings are struck, sounds most melodiously: So when God rains down troubles upon us, and by his chastisements strikes the very strings of our hearts, oft times our spirits make the sweetest melody in the ears of God.
7. By these, They arezRom. 8. 8, 29. 30. …. 53. 2, 3, 4. …eb. 2. 9, 10. Conform to Iesus Christ their Head and Elder Brother, who was a man of sorrows, acquainted with grief, and perfected, or consecrated through sufferings. AndaHeb. 8. 7. if we suffer with him, we shall be glorified together. If now we be conform to him in his Cross, we shall hereafter be conform to him in his Crown. Its the Perfection of the Members to be conform unto their Head.
8. By these, These child-like Relation to the heavenly Father is sweetly Ascertained, while they are enabled to bear and endure his chastisements with filial patience and submission.bHeb. 12. 6, 7, 8, &c. If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons: for what son is he whom the Father chasteneth not? But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partaker…, then are ye bastards and not sons. The heavenly Father will take pains with his own children to chastize, discipline and nurture them for their good; when he will not wear his rods upon Bastards and Castawaies. And how useful is that his Paternal Affliction, which discries his Fatherly affection unto us, and our Son-like Relation unto him! I am well contented to be under the Rod of the Almighty; that so I may be distinguished from the Bastards of this world, and numbered among the sons of God.
9. By these, They are c1 Cor. 11. 32.chastened of the Lord, that they should not be condemned with the world. And thats an happy Castigation, that helps to prevent Eternal Condemnation. Who would not say with him? dHic ure, his seca: ut in ae…ernum parcas.Here burn me, here cut me, that thou mayest for ever spare me.
10. Finally, By these sharp afflictions and distresses, God fits and prepares his afflicted servants for their Eternal Glory. Christ was firsteEph. 4. 9, 10. Abased before he was exalted: and passed by his Cross, unto his Crown; throughfLuke …4. 26. his Sufferings, into his Glory And his members must follow him:gActs 14. 22. Through muc… tribulation we must enter to the Kingdom of God. We shall meet with Tribulation, much Tribulation; that's the wa… we must go: but through this much tribulation we must Enter into the Kingdom of God, thats the blessed end of this way. If it were, Tribulation, and much Tribulation, and after that no entrance into heaven; that were the tribulation of tribulation, a doleful way to a more doleful journeys end: but in that through this tribulation, yea through this much tribulation, we shall at last enter into a Kingdom, and that the Kingdom of God: This renders all our much tribulation, as in effect no tribulation at all. And,h2 Cor. 4. 17. foreign &c. The momentany lightness of our affliction worketh for us a far more exceeding (Gr. from Hyperbole to Hyperbole; or an Hyperbolical Hyperbolical) eternal weight of glory. Our Afflictions work this transcendent glory for us, by working and disposing us for this transcendent glory. And the sharper are our sorrows here, the sweeter will be our joyes hereafter. As health is most acceptable after the sharpest sickness: liberty most sweet after rigorous bondage: rest most delightful after toylsom weariness: and the harbour most welcome after the sorest storms: So heaven and glory it self will be most grateful and glorious after sharpest afflicting extremities. Thus of the Causes why the Lord suffers his, To lie among the Pots.
III. Inferences or Corollaries, Hence resulting are divers. As,
1. Hence, Behold here the mysterie and wisdom of Gods Providential Dispensations. His own people, (though his Jewels) shall lie among the Pots, and be most sadly afflicted:iPsal. 73. …. to 21. when the wicked shall flourish like a green Bay-tree, in all Prosperity. This strange Dispensation of Gods Providence did exceedingly puzzle and perplex holy David, till he went into the Sanctuary of God; then he saw the end of those wicked prosperous men, that they were set in slippery places, — that they are brought into desolation, as in a moment, &c. GodlykLuke 16. 19, 20, 21, &c. Lazarus lay full of sores, among the dogs at the rich mans gate, Destitute of his very crums to satisfie his hunger: while the wicked rich man was in his Purple and fine linnen, and sured sumptuously every day. Assuredly, Then,
(1) No man knows Gods PeculiarlEccles. 9. 1, 2. love or hatred by these External Dispensations: by all that is before him.
(2) Happiness or Misery consists not, In having or wanting of these outward blessings: Nor in escaping, or enduring the sharpest sorrows or afflictions.
2. Hence, Saddest Extremities of Ou…ward Afflictions and miseries in this present If, are not inconsistent with the gracious condition of God▪ own People. Yea, most usually Gods own people in this world are of all other the most afflicted, when as others mHeb. 11. 26, 27.enjoy the Pleasutes of sin for a season. O what extremities of sufferings and deaths have the faithful undergone in all ages! Consult that little Book of Martyrs in the Epistle to the Hebrews,hHeb. 11. 35, 36, 37, 38. They were tortured not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better Resurrection. And others had tryal of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea moreover of bonds and imprisonment. They were stoned: they were sawn asunder: were tempted: were stain with the sword: they wandered about in Sheep-ski…s, a…d Goats-skins, being destitu…e▪ afflicted, tormented. Of whom the world was not worthy: they wandered in Desarts, and in Mountains, and in Dens and Caves of the earth.
Oh what strange Similitudes, Emblems and Expressions are used in Holy Scripture for representing of Gods peoples calamities! As,
A oGen. 15. 13, 17.smoaking furnace: to denote the affliction of Abrahams seed in Egypt.
A pEzod. 3. 2, 3, &c.Bush burning with fire, all on a light flame.: to express Israels former and future sharp and fiery calamities.
Their qPsal. 44. 25.Souls being bowed down to the dust, and their bellies cleaving to the earth.
Their being sore broken in the place of Dragons, and covered with the shadow of death.
Yea the Jews in Babylons captivity, said;rEzek. 37. 11, 12, 13, 14. Our bones are dryed, and our hope is lost, we are cut off for our Parts. And they were as so many dead bodies that were buried in their very Graves. And therefore extremity of distress in this present life, is not only consistent with, but very incident unto, the sincerest heirs by grace of the life to come.
3. Hence, Let Christians learn patiently and contentedly to bear their heavyest pressures and afflictions, sith no temptation hath befallen them, but what is humane, 1 Cor. 10. 13. Yea sometimes it is the lot of the Church of God, and of …, to lie even among the blackest Pots. Seest thou, Joseph fPsal. 105. 18.laid in Irons; IobtIob 2. 7, 8. sitting in the ashes; Lazarus, uLuke 16. 20, 21.lying among the dogs, full of sores; and Jesus Christ himself so xIsa. 53. 2, 3, 4.full of sorrows: and dost thou think much at thine affliction? Oh fret not against Gods dispensations, faint not, but endure thy tribulations: sith Iesus Christ himself, and his choicest members are therein thy companions.
4. Hence, How unsafe and imprudent is it to Despise, Abhor or Censure others of Hypocrisie, or of a null…y of grace, because of their sad, doleful and strange afflictions! For, in so doing we may rashly condemn the Generation of the righteous, before we be aware. Gods own endeared people oft-times lie among these blacking Pots. O think of David andy…sal. 13…. 1. & 73. 14. all his afflictions, how he was hunted as a Partridge up and down the Mountains, how all the day long he was plagued, and chastened every morning; Of Paul, z2 Co… 11. 2 … the end.in Perils and Distresses on every side; Of Jeremiah, a… 38. 6.cast into the myrie dungeon, and (as some think) sinking up to the Arm-holes in the myre: Of Daniel bDan. 6. 16, 17.flung into the filthy and fatal Den of the hungry Lyons: Of the Prophets persecuted and slain by the Iews, Acts 7. 52. Of the three Jews cDan. 3. 21, 22, 23.bound hand and foot and cast into the hot burning fiery furnace, heat seven times hotter then ordinary, for not worshiping the golden Image; Of Job, covered all over withdIob 2. 7, 8. sore boils from the sole of his foot unto his crown: Hierom thinks,eA planta pe…s us que ad vi…cem perc…sseit …um vulnere pessimo, …. Eleph antia. In… …oto corpore vermes fl…eb…nt, & sinles & putredo. Solam linguam integram …l reservavi…, ut possi… Dominum … blasphemare, Hironym in Comment. ad Psal. 66. p. 9. D. Tom. …. Satan left only his tongue free, that therewith he might blaspheme his LORD: Of Lazarus, fLuk. 16. 20. foreign.full of sores and ulcers; Of Hezekiah, smitten with a mortalg…sa. 38. 2…. boil: Of the godly,h… 8 …6. killed all the day long, and counted as sheep for the slaughter: Of the Martyrs, Heb. 11. 35, &c. Of the cruel Primitive Persecutions: And of Jesus Christ himself the spot less Son of God,i… 23. …, 17. 37, 38. Cra. 3. 13. put to death, and crucified by wicked hands, and hung (for the greater infamy) between two thieves, upon the cursed Tree, O think deliberately upon these Instances, viz. Of the unquestionable yea incomparable piety of thei… Persons, and of the unutterable extremities of their Passions and then take heed of the errour of Jobs friends, of Despising, Abhorring or Censuring any the servants of the Lord, though lying among the Pots, though implunged under heavy, unusual and extream calamities. Do you think the worse of a piece of gold, because it is besmeared with soot? Or do you ever the less value *Lucet marg…ritam in sordibus; & fulgor gemmae purissimae etiam in luto radiat. Hieronym. ad Pammach. consol. p. 164. C. Tom. 1. Basil. 1553.a Jewel, because its fallen into the myre? Its gold still, though colleyed: Its a rich jewel still, though bemyred. Why then should we harbour more hard, mean, despising, undervaluing thoughts of afflicted David, Paul, Job, Lazarus, or of any of the distressed Saints of God; which in Gods account are precious gold still, rich jewels still, though besmeared and blacked with most deforming and amazing miseries?
5. Hence, Finally, Behold, one noted difference betwixt the condition of Gods people in earth and in heaven. Here Gods endeared people may lie among the Pots; may be smutted, soyled, blacked, &c. in the eyes of men, with deep and sore afflictions: But when once the last Messenger hath summoned them, and when once they shall set foot in heaven, they shall never lie among the Pots any more; they shall never bekCant. 1. 5, 6. black as Kedars Tents any more; they shall never be tanned with misery, or Sun-burnt with affliction any more. But they shall perfectlylRev. 14. 13. rest from all their labours, of Sin, Temptation and Tribulation. Then, no more Sea, no more Pain, no more Crying, no more tears, &c. Then Job, that here sate down mIob 2. 7, 8. Luk. 20. 36.among the ashes, shall there set up among the Angels. Then nLuke 16. …0, 21, 22.Lazarus, that here lay among the dogs, shall there be lodged in Abrahams bosom. Then the endeared Saints and servants of God, that here oft-times lay among the Pots, oRev. 3. 4.shall walk with Christ in triumphant White, and be counted worthy.
And thus I pass from the Dark to the Bright side of the Text; yet shall ye be as the wings of a Dove covered with silver, &c. Hence, note;