The Burning of London, Part 4 · Discourse 13
DISCOURSE XIII. Of that comfort under trouble, which may be drawn from the conſideration of Gods nature.
I Honour the wiſdome of David, who when God gave him his election of one evil out of three, (which he would) made choice of that which might ſeem to come more immediately from God, (viz. the Plague) ſaying, Let us fal now into the hand of the Lord, 2 Sam. 24.15.and let me not fall into the hand of Man, and the reaſon he gives, is, becauſe his (that is Gods) mercies are great (or many.) It is a great relief in and under troubles to look upon our ſelves as in Gods hands, and upon the nature of that God (in whoſe hands we are) as far better than is the nature of any, even the beſt natured of men. They miſconſtrue David, that think he intimates, as if men were not alwaies in the hands of God, in every kind of affliction that befalls them (be it ſword, or famine, by ſiege) for all he meaneth is, that as to ſome troubles, we do not fall into the hand of men, but of God: as namely under the plague, which is an Arrow ſhot from God's bow, not from Man's. Men are called God's hand, Pſal. 17.14. From Men which are thy hand, ſo that when under the rage of men, we are in the hand of God; but we may be in the hand of God and not of men. (By the way, what furious creatures are wicked men, that David ſhould be more afraid of Gods puniſhing him by their hand, than by plague, or famine.)
That under all our troubles we are in Gods hand, is clear. Be alſo convinced, that that is to be in a good hand, that you are in a good hand, when in the hand of God, and that will comfort you exceedingly. If the nature and diſpoſition of God be very good, tranſcendently good, that is, kind, and gracious, and mercifull, as the ſcripture tells us in ſundry places, it is, Exod. 34.6. Nehem. 9.17, 31. Jer. 3.12. Joel. 2.13. (With an hundred more in the old Teſtament, beſides the new) then muſt we needs be in a good hand when we are in Gods hand. Is a Childe ſafe in the hand of his tender mother, even when ſhe hath a Rod in her other hand? and are not Gods Children well in the hand of their heavenly Father, who hath ſaid to his Church, though a Mother may forget her Childe, yet will not I forget thee, Iſa. 49.15. I have graven thee upon the palmes of my hands, &c. Methinks that heathen Poet ſpake divinely, who ſpeaking of the love of God to man, (underſtand him but of good men, if of a love of complacency; but of others alſo, if of a love of benevolence) Charior eſt illis homo quam ſibi. Man is more dear to them, meaning to the Gods, (which plural number is the only thing in that ſaying, that diſcovers the Author to have been a heathen, and not an eminent Chriſtian) than he is to himſelf: or God hath more love for men, than they have for themſelves. That text, Heb. 10.31. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God; if rightly underſtood, no wayes contradicteth what I have ſaid: for it is meant of ſo falling into the hands of God, as they muſt do, who have trodden under foot the Son of God, counted his blood an unholy thing, and done deſpight to the ſpirit of Grace, verſ. 29. for that is to fall, not under the meer correcting, but the revenging and conſuming hand of God, as he hath ſaid, vengeance is his, verſ. 30. he will pour out fiery indignation upon the adverſaries, v. 27. meaning ſuch Apoſtates as after illumination turn enemies to Chriſt and his truth. But what is that to others? It is ill for the rejecters and oppoſers of Chriſt, to fall into the hand of God. God out of Chriſt, eſpecially to them that ſet themſelves againſt Chriſt, is wrath. But it is terrible. But it is well for the accepters and receivers of Chriſt, to fall into Gods hand, for God in and thorough Christ is unſpeakably gracious.
He is partly an Infidel that would have more aſſurance of the ſweet nature and diſpoſition of God, than Scripture and experience; but if the weakneſs of ſuch men may be condiſcended to; I can preſently call in ſound reaſon for a witneſs. Who ſhed abroad all that love and kindneſs, and compaſſion, and tenderneſs in the hearts of men and women, fathers and mothers, that is there found? who taught men to know that love, and pitty, and mercy, are real excellencies and perfections: but hatred and cruelty are odious and deteſtable things, the fruits of ſin and weakneſs? that what we call good nature doth as much excell that we call ill nature, as light doth excell darkneſs? who hath given us to underſtand, that to do good, and to ſhow mercy, are ſacrifices acceptable to God; but fury and violence his ſoul bateth. Hath not God himſelf taught us theſe things, and is it not therefore, that the Gemiles are ſaid to do by nature the things of the Law? and that, they that have not the Law, are a Law to themſelves, and do ſhow the work of the Law written in their hearts, Rom. 1. Is it not becauſe love and mercy are agreeable to Gods nature (the Scripture ſaith, God is love) that he hath commended them to us, and made us to ſee a beauty in them, and to apprehend that God is therewithall delighted, and that with the mercifull, he will ſhew himſelf mercifull? Is it not therefore, that God hath called his mercy his glory, and told us that mercy rejoyceth againſt judgment, James 2.13. Much of our diſquietment under affliction proceedeth from miſconceivings of God's nature, and of his heart towards us, and for that we think we ſee a ſword in the hand of an enemy, when it is only a Rod in the hand of a father. Therefore it is excellent advice, that we ſhould acquaint our ſelves with God in order to being at peace, Job 32.21.
O Lord I know it is neceſſary I ſhould be ſometimes chaſtned, and better by thy hand than by any other. Thou knoweſt how to do it in mercy and in meaſure: Parents may correct their children for their pleaſure; but thou chaſtneſty hine for their profit, I ſhall count my loſſes a fruit of thy love, if thou wilt but tell me that I am therefore chaſtned of the Lord, that I may not be condemned with the World.