The Burning of London, Part 4 · Discourse 22
DISCOURSE XXII. Of the gracious ends and intendments of God in afflicting his people.
COuld we take any thing ill from God's hand if we did believe he meant well? would we receive with our left hand what we thought that God did offer us with his right? all thoſe things in which God hath good ends towards us muſt needs end in our good; for the Almighty cannot be fruſtrated. Our Proverb ſaith, All is well that ends well, why then ſhould we take on as if all thoſe things were againſt us, which ſhall in the event make for us and work together for our good? Wherefore did God lead the Iſraelites about in the Wilderneſs 40. yeares together? was it not meerly, to humble them and prove them, and do them good in their latter end? Deut. 8.2, 16. God ſpeaking of debating with his people, viz. by correction, Iſa. 27.8. ſaith, By this ſhall the iniquity of Jacob be purged, and this is all the fruit, to take away his ſin: verſ. 9. And the Apoſtle ſaith Heb. 12.10. That God chaſtneth us for our profit, that we might be partakers of his Holineſs. To think that God would correct his children but for ſome good end, what is it but to think more hardly of God than we do of our ſelves, who uſe to ſay, but that we think it for their good, we would never ſtrike a Childe whilſt we lived, nor ſhould it feel the weight of our finger. Is not God as unwilling to ſtrike as you can be, if fair meanes would ſerve the turn? how ſhall I give thee up oh Ephraim, but either he muſt take ſuch a courſe with us, or it will be worſe for us. Even then when the meanes which God uſeth are the fruits of juſtice and diſpleaſure, the end which he propoundeth in ſo doing, is the reſult of his mercy. Though the Husband-man break up the ground, plow upon its back, and make long furrowes, he intends no hurt, all is to prepare it for the ſeec. Whatſoever the face of Gods actions or actings towards his people may be, to be ſure he hath alwayes good intentions as towards them, for he is tender of them as of the apple of his eye, Zach. 2.8. And give me leave to ſay there is a great deale more comfort in the good meanings of God than of men; becauſe men may meane well, when yet they may do very ill: yea that very thing which they deſigned for much good, may do much hurt. The Amalekite that told David he had killed Saul, deſigned to get a reward for himſelf, 2 Sam. 1.2. but we ſee it coſt him his life. But the deſignes of God cannot be defeated. Prov. 19.21. The counſell of the Lord that ſhall ſtand. Job 23.13. He is of one minde, and who can turn him, and what his ſoul deſireth that he doth. It is yet a further comfort that we may not only know in the general that God intends the good of his people in afflicting them, but alſo in particular that he intends our good thereby.
For firſt of all, If it be ſo that God hath created in us hungrings and thirſtings after a ſanctified uſe of our afflictions, ſo that we more long to be brought out of ſin by affliction, than to be brought out of affliction by deliverance: we may be conſident, he that created thoſe hungrings and thirſtings after learning righteouſneſs by the judgments that are upon us, and obedience by our ſufferings, will ſatisfie them. Mat. 5.6.
Moreover, If God hath given us a ſanctified uſe of mercies time after time, if mercies have done us good; afflictions ſhall do ſo likewiſe. We ſometimes give out children delightful things, only to pleaſe them: but not diſtaſtful things, unleſs it be to profit them; neither will God do otherwiſe by his children.
Again, If afflictions actually do us good, and make us better, we may be ſure they were ſent of God for that end and purpoſe: for it is not by accident, but by divine appointment that evil things ſhould do us good; though it is true they may do us hurt thorough our own default, how be it God had made them capable of doing us good, if we had not abuſed them. We can bring evil out of good, and darkneſs out of light: but it is God only that can bring good out of evil, and light out of darkneſs. God ſometimes ſends afflictions to do his enemies good, (as Manaſſ…h for inſtance) and will he ſend them to do his friends hurt?
O Lord how uſual is it with us to double and treble our miſeries, by miſinterpreting the ends of God in inflicting them, as if thou didſt it only to wreak thine anger upon us, and to wreak thy wrath from heaven againſt us, as if thou didſt whet thy glittering ſword that thou mighteſt render vengeance, when yet thou chaſteneſt us only as a Man chaſtneth his Son, Deut. 8.5. how oft do we think that thou haſt laid thy Axe to our Root, when it is but thy Pruning-hook to our ſuperfluous branches: Doth it not grieve thy ſpirit to be thus miſconſtrued and hardly thought of, as it would cut us to the heart to be miſtaken for enemies, when we have done and ſpoken as true friends? Lord open thy heart to us, as Joſeph opened his to his brethren, when after angry looks and threatnings, he comforted them with ſaying, I am your brother Joſeph, which before they knew not. Lord it ſhal ſuffice, let our troubles be what they will be, if we may but read thy love in them, and if thou wilt but ſay to us, as to thy people of old, Jer. 29.11. I know the thoughts that I think towards you, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.