The Burning of London, Part 4 · Discourse 15
DISCOURSE XV. Of fetching comfort from the uſual proceedings of God, with his people, in and under affliction.
AFter all that hath been ſpoken, both from the nature and promiſes of God to comfort us, our weak faith (more ſhame for it) ſeems to implore ſome further relief from experience. Experience is a good crutch to a lame faith, which, were it otherwiſe, then lame might ſtand and walk without it. Since the Apoſtle tells us, that experience worketh hope, we will not reject its aſſiſtance. Let experience then tell us how God is wont to carry himſelf towards his people, in and under their afflictions.
Firſt, hear what the Scripture ſaith to that, Iſaiah 63.9. In all their affliction he was afflicted, and the Angel of his preſence ſaved them; in his love, and in his pitty he redeemed them, and he bare them and carried them all the dayes of old. See alſo Pſal. 112.4. To the upright there ariſeth light in darkneſs: Add thoſe words of God by his Prophet concerning his Church, Hoſeab 2.14. I will allure her, and bring her into the Wilderneſs, and ſpeak comfortably to her. verſ. 15. And I will give her Vineyards from thence, (viz. from the Wilderneſs) and the Valley of Acor (which ſignifies trouble) for a door of hope, and ſhe ſhall ſing there as in the dayes of her youth, and as in the day when ſhe came up from Egypt. And 2 Cor. 1.5. Bleſſed be God who comforteth us in all our tribulation: For as the ſufferings of Chriſt abound in us, ſo our conſolation alſo aboundeth by Chriſt. 2 Cor. 8.2. Speaking of the Churches of Macedonia, he ſaith, that in a great trial of affliction, the abundance of their joy abounded, to the riches of their liberality, and 1 Pet. 4.14. If ye be reproached for the name of Chriſt, happy are ye, for the ſpirit of glory reſteth on you. What do all theſe paſſages ſeem to imply, but that God is wont to reſerve the ſtrongeſt cordials, (I mean comforts) for his people, to the time of their deepeſt ſufferings? Job 22.29. When Men are caſt down, then thou ſhalt ſay there is lifting up, and he ſhall ſave the humble perſon. As our greateſt elevations do uſually precede our greateſt temptations and deſertions, (as Paul his rapture into the third heaven, was not long before his being buffeted: and Chriſt himſelf had received his baptiſme, and been honoured by a voice from Heaven, not long before he was led into the Wilderneſs to be tempted) ſo our greateſt temptations and dejections are uſually ſucceeded by our greateſt elevations and comforts. So it was with Chriſt after he had been tempted; Angels came and miniſtred to him. When Chriſt was either in his agony, or neer unto it, we read in Luke 22.49. That there appeared an Angel to him, ſtrengthning him. If then it be true in a ſpiritual, as well as in a natural ſenſe, that it is uſually moſt dark, but a little before break of day, and that the bright face of heaven is better diſcerned under ground than above, (where the reflection of beames dazle…h our eyes) and if it be ſo, that when the Bricks are doubled, than God uſeth to ſend Moſes (that is deliverance) if God never ſpeak more kindly to his people then he uſeth to do, when he hath drawn them into a Wilderneſs; if God ſmile upon his people then, eſpecially when the World frowns upon them; and when their outward ſufferings abound, cauſe their inward conſolations to do ſo likewiſe, and make light ariſe to them in darkneſs: why ſhould I not then ſay, as David did, Pſal. 49.5. Wherefore ſhould I fear in the dayes of evil, when the iniquity of my heels ſhall compaſs me about? (ſuppoſing him to mean the puniſhment or fruit of his iniquities) If when I ſit in darkneſs, Mich 7.8.the Lord will be a light to me; if when I have more trouble in the World, I may have more peace in Chriſt; if I be in a Priſon, and God will there give me Songs in the night, as he did to Paul and Silas, Acts 16. if I were at a ſtake, and might there feel greater joyes in my ſoul, than ever I was acquainted with before, (as ſome holy Martyrs did) who could ſay I were miſerable, and not do me wrong? or how could I poſſibly think my ſelf ſo to be?
Lord, Pſal. 23 4.though I walk thorough the valley of the ſhadow of death, yet will I fear no evil, if thou wilt be with me, and wilt cauſe thy Rod and thy Staff to comfort me. Though deep call upon deep at the noiſe of thy Water-ſpouts, and though all thy waves and thy billowes are gone over me. Yet if thou Lord wilt command thy loving kindneſs in the day time, and cauſe thy Songs to be with me in the night, I will not fear, though an Hoſt of evils ſhould encamp againſt me. Pſal. 142.8.