Counsel to the Afflicted, Question 1 · Considerations
Conſiderations to quiet the minds of thoſe that have been great ſufferers by the late fire.
SECT. 1.
1. Conſider who it is that hath conſumed your Houſes and taken away your Eſtates. It is God hath done this thing. Whoever were the inſtruments of beginning or promoting and carrying on this dreadful fire, that hath deſtroyed ſo many goodly buildings, and ſo much treaſure; you muſt look beyond all inſtruments at the hand of the Lord. There is no evil befalleth any City, or any family, or any particular perſon, but it is the Lord which ſends that judgment of what nature ſoever it be, Amos 3.6. Shall there be evil in a City, and the Lord hath not done it? There is nothing comes to paſs at any time in any part of the world, but it is brought about by the Providence of God, Rom. 11.36. Of him, and through him, and to him are all things. A Sparrow is a bird of ſmall value, yet not one Sparrow falls to the ground without the concurrence of Gods Providence, Matth. 10.29. Are not two Sparrows ſold for a farthing, and one of them ſhall not fall on the ground without your Father; If not one Sparrow ſuffereth any thing but by the Providence of God, then ſurely there is a Providence that ordereth all the ſufferings of every man, who is of more value than many Sparrows. There is no loſs more inconſiderable than to loſe an hair of our heads, hundreds of our hairs may be taken away and we regard it not; but God is ſo careful of our perſons, and of all our concernments, that he numbreth every hair of our heads, and there doth not fall off one hairat any time but by his appointment, Matth. 10.30. The very hairs of your head are all numbred. And as to this judgment of Fire, we finde it oft aſſerted in the Scriptures, that when Cities or other places are ſet on fire, it is the Lord which kindleth thoſe fires, and ordereth all circumſtances belonging to them. It is the Lord that appointeth the place where the fire ſhall begin, and how far it ſhall proceed, and what houſes ſhall be burnt down by it, Amos 2.5. I will ſend a fire upon Judah, and it ſhall devour the Palaces of Jeruſalem; Jer. 50.32. I will kindle a fire in his Cities, and it ſhall devour all round about him. When a fire rageth with that vehemence that none can quench it, it is God which rendereth it unquenchable, Jer. 17.27. If ye will not hearken unto me, to hallow the Sabbath-Day, and not to bear a burden, even entring in at the gates of Jeruſalem on the Sabbath-Day, then will I kindle a fire in the gates thereof, and it ſhall devour the Palaces of Jeruſalem, and it ſhall not be quenched. When any men do ſet a City on fire, it is God giveth up that City into their hands, and cauſeth their enterprizes to take effect, Jer. 32.28,29. I will give this City into the hands of the Caldeans—And the Caldeans ſhall come and ſet fire on this City.—Now the conſidering and believing that it is God which hath taken away your Houſes and Eſtates by this Fire, will ſilence all murmurings and repinings, and cauſe you to bear your loſſes and croſſes with a contented minde. Pſal. 39.9. I was dumb, I opened not my mouth, becauſe thou didſt it. VVhen Job had loſt all that he had in one day, by looking at Gods hand in his loſſes, he bore them very cheerfully, Job 1.21.—The Lord hath taken away, bleſſed be the Name of the Lord; And yet Job loſt a very great Eſtate, for he was the richeſt man in the Eaſt, Job 1.3. He did not only loſe his Eſtate, but all his Children were cut off alſo, ver. 19. and that whilſt they were eating, and drinking wine in their Elder Brothers houſe, ver. 18. at which meetings Job was afraid leſt his Sons ſhould ſin, and curſe God in their hearts, v. 5. which made the affliction the more heavy. Now to make this Argument the more effectual towards the producing of contentment, conſider who this God is, that hath taken away your Eſtates from you by this Fire.
1. It is that God that gave you all the good things that ever you did enjoy, 1 Chron. 29.12,14. Both riches and honor come of thee:—All things come of thee; James 1.17. Every good gift, and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights; Deut. 8.17,18. Moſes biddeth Iſrael beware of ſaying in their hearts, My power, and the might of my hand hath gotten me this wealth, but thou ſhalt remember the Lord thy God, for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth. This quieted Jobs minde, when he conſidered that the ſame God who took away his Eſtate and his Children, did formerly give them to him, Job 1.21. The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away, bleſſed be the name of the Lord.
2. It is God that is Holy. There is nothing of wrong, no injuſtice, no iniquity in this diſpenſation, as it proceedeth out of the hands of God, Pſalm 145.17. The Lord is righteous in all his wayes, and holy in all his works. When God cometh forth in fiery diſpenſations, we ſhould be ſo far from murmuring, that we ſhould give thanks at the remembrance of his Holineſs, becauſe we know him to be Holy in all his Works, Pſal. 97.3,12. A fire geeth before him, and burneth up his enemies round about. Rejoyce in the Lord, ye righteous, and give thanks at the remembrance of his Holineſs. The with-drawing of Gods Bleſſed Preſence from our ſouls, is a far greater loſs, than the loſing of our Eſtates, or any thing that we enjoy in this world; for there is nothing in the whole world, yea, there is nothing in heaven it ſelf, which a godly man eſteemeth ſo much as he doth the enjoyment of God, Pſal. 73.25. Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I deſire beſides thee. Yet we finde David quieting himſelf upon the account of Gods Holineſs, when he apprehended himſelf forſaken of God, and the Lord came not to him, though he cryed and roared after the Lord, Pſal. 22.1,2,3. My God, my God, why haſt thou forſaken me? why art thou ſo far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring? O my God, I cry in the day time, but thou heareſt not, and in the night ſeaſon, and am not ſilent: But thou art holy. If David was ſtayed from repining againſt God, when he apprehended himſelf forſaken of God, and thought God rejected his Prayers, by conſidering, that God that dealt thus with him, was an holy God; then ſurely the conſideration of Gods Holineſs may quiet your mindes under the loſs of any worldly things, what ever they be. When the labourers that had born the heat of the day, murmured, becauſe others that had wrought but one hour were made equal to them, the houſholder ſtilled their murmurings, by ſaying to one of them, Friend I do thee no wrong, Mat. 20.11,12,13. If you finde any murmurings in your mindes, at Gods taking away your Eſtates, when others enjoy theirs ſtill, endeavour to ſilence your murmurings, by ſaying unto your ſouls, O my ſoul, God is a juſt, and holy, and righteous God; he hath done thee no wrong, why then doſt thou murmur againſt him?
3. It is God that hath a Sovereign Power over you, to do with you, and all that belongeth unto you, whatſoever ſeemeth good in his ſight, Job 9.12. Behold, he taketh away, who can hinder him? who will ſay unto him, what doſt thou? Jer. 18.6. O houſe of Iſrael, cannot I do with you as this potter, ſaith the Lord? behold as the clay is in the potters hand, ſo are ye in mine hand, O houſe of Iſrael. Such is the Sovereign Power of God, that he diſpoſeth of all his Creatures, both thoſe that are in heaven, and all that are in all places of the world, Pſal. 135.6. Whatſoever the Lord pleaſed, that did he in heaven, and in earth, and the ſeas, and all deep places. If the Lord diſpoſeth of all things in heaven and earth as he pleaſeth, ſhall any particular perſon fret, and think much to have all his concernments diſpoſed of at the pleaſure, and by the order of the great God? When the Lord maketh ſuch deſolations in any Nation, as that the report of them goeth throughout all the world, this muſt ſtill and quiet our minds, that it is the great and Sovereign God that doth theſe things, Pſal. 46.8,10. Come, behold the works of the Lord, what deſolations he hath made in the earth. Be ſtill, and know that I am God. To murmur at Gods fulfilling his own will, is a practical denying his Sovereignty; and to deny the Sovereignty of God, is to deny his Deity. He ſhould not be God, if he were not our Sovereign Lord; his Sovereignty is eſſential to his Deity.
4. It is God that loveth you, and is the beſt friend that you have in all the world, that laid theſe rebukes upon you, and hath taken away your Eſtates by this Fire. Every godly man hath God for his Friend, Cant. 5.16. This is my beloved, and this is my friend. And when God rebukes any of his Servants in their Names, Eſtates, Bodies, or Souls, it is out of love, Rev. 3.19. As many as I love, I rebuke and chaſten; Prov. 3.12. Whom the Lord loveth he correcteth, even as a Father the Son, in whom he delighteth. Will you take any thing amiſs that cometh from ſo good a friend as the Lord is? eſpecially that which cometh from this friend in love? We are wont to take rebukes that come from friends in good part, though they be ſuch as wound and pierce us to the ſoul, Prov. 27.6. Faithful are the wounds of a friend; Pſal. 141.5. Let the righteous ſmite me, and it ſhall be a kindeneſs, and let him reprove me, and it ſhall be an excellent oyl which ſhall not break my head.—Shall we eſteem it a kindeneſs to be ſmitten and reproved by righteous men, and fret, and be angry when we are ſmitten and reproved by the righteous God?
5. It is God who is your Father that hath done theſe things. Never any man drank ſuch a bitter cup as was mingled for our Lord and Saviour Jeſus Chriſt, if we conſider all the ingredients that were put into it: yet becauſe it was his Father that gave him this cup he took it cheerfully, John 18.11. The cup which my Father hath given me, ſhall I not drink it? We ſubmit our ſelves to our earthly Parents when they correct us, how much more ought we to be ſubject to our heavenly Father when he chaſtneth us; ſeeing he hath more power over us than they have, and aimeth more purely at our good than they do? Heb. 12.9,10. We have had fathers of our fleſh, which corrected us, and we gave them reverence; ſhall we not much rather be in ſubjection to the Father of Spirits, and live? for they verily for a few dayes chaſtned us after their own pleaſure, but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his Holineſs.
6. It is God who is pleaſed with all his own works, Pſal. 135.6. Whatſoever the Lord pleaſed, that did he in Heaven, and in Earth, and in the Seas, and all deep places. God calleth the judgements that he executes upon his enemies his pleaſure, Iſa. 48.14. He will do his pleaſure on Babylon. Yea even thoſe afflictions which God ſendeth upon his own children, are the good pleaſure of his will. The Prophet, ſpeaking of the ſufferings of Chriſt, ſaith, Iſa. 53.10. It pleaſed the Lord to bruiſe him.—Our ſufferings are in ſome reſpects ſaid to grieve the Lord, Judges 10.16. His ſoul was grieved for the miſery of Iſrael. But on another account, as they are a fulfilling of his eternal Councils, as they illuſtrate his Glory, as they promote our good, &c. they may be ſaid to pleaſe him. Now that which pleaſeth God ſhould not diſpleaſe us. It is ſaid of David, who was a wiſe and a gracious Prince, Whatſoever the King did, pleaſed all the people, 2 Sam. 3.36. The Lord our God infinitely tranſcendeth David in Wiſdom and Goodneſs; and therefore whatſoever the Lord doth, ſhould pleaſe all his people.
7. It is God that made you, who hath taken away your Eſtates from you, and it is not meet that the Creature ſhould quarrel, murmur at, or finde fault with any thing that his Maker doth, Iſa. 45.9. Wo unto him that ſtriveth with his Maker; let the potſheard ſtrive with the potſheards of the earth: ſhall the clay ſay to him that faſhioneth it, what makeſt thou?
SECT. 2.
2. Conſider what it is which God hath taken away from you; and this Conſideration will miniſter ſeveral Arguments for the quieting of your mindes under all your loſſes, though they have been very great. For,
1. God hath taken away nothing but that which was his own. Your Houſes, your Goods, your Silver and Gold, and all that you have, or ever had, is the Lords, 1 Chron. 29.11. All that is in the heaven, and in the earth, is thine; Pſal. 24 1. The earth is the Lords, and the fulneſs thereof, the world, and they that dwell therein; Hoſ. 2.7. Therefore will I return and take away my corn—and my wine—and my wool—and my flax. What Benhadad ſaid to Ahab, and Ahab replyed to Benhadad, 1 King 20.3,4. Thy Silver and thy Gold is mine, thy Wives alſo, and thy Children, even the goodlieſt are mine: and the King of Iſrael anſwered and ſaid, My Lord, O King, according to thy ſaying, I am thine, and all that I have. The like may God ſay to us, Thy Silver and thy Gold is mine, &c. And we may ſay to the Lord, O my Lord, according to thy ſaying, I am thine, and all that I have. Now we take upon us to diſpoſe of thoſe things which are our own, as we ſee good, Mat. 20.15. Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? And ſhall not we allow unto God that liberty which we take unto our ſelves? ſhall we murmur againſt him when he taketh away nothing from us but that which is his own?
2. God hath taken away nothing from you, but what you were unworthy to enjoy. Jacob was a great man; the Angel that wraſtled with him, ſaith of him, As a Prince haſt thou power with God and Men, and haſt prevailed, Gen. 32.28. Yet he looked upon himſelf as unworthy of the leaſt of all the mercies that ever God beſtowed upon him, Gen. 32.10. I am not worthy of the leaſt of all the mercies, and of all the truth which thou haſt ſhewed unto thy ſervant. As the Woman of Samaria ſaid to Chriſt, John 4.12. Art thou greater than our Father Jacob? So may I ſay unto you, Are you greater, and better than Jacob? if not, then you muſt confeſs your ſelves unworthy of the leaſt of all Gods mercies as he did; and if you are unworthy of the leaſt of all Gods mercies, then you have no cauſe to repine at your loſſes, ſeeing God hath taken nothing from you but what you were unworthy to enjoy.
3. God hath taken nothing from you, but that which you muſt of neceſſity have ſhortly parted with, though this fire had not conſumed any thing of your Eſtates. It is but a very little while, and you muſt leave this world; and though you have never ſo much of this worlds goods, you cannot carry one penny with you out of the world, 1 Tim. 6.7. We brought nothing into this world, and it is certain, we can carry nothing out: and upon this account the Apoſtle urgeth Chriſtians to be content, though they have never ſo little, nothing beſides food and raiment, ver. 8. Having food and raiment, let us be therewith content. And as we can carry nothing with us out of the world, ſo it is altogether uncertain, who ſhall poſſeſs what we leave behinde us, Luke 12.20. This night ſhall thy ſoul be required of thee; then whoſe ſhall thoſe things be that thou haſt provided? If we have children to inherit the ſubſtance that we leave behinde us, yet who can tell but the Extortioner may catch all that they have, and Strangers devour their wealth, Pſal. 109.11. Or if they ſhould enjoy what we leave them, yet who can tell whether they will ſpend it well or ill? who can tell whether they will be wiſe men or fools? Such thoughts as theſe weaned Solomon from the world, and made him repent of all the pains he had taken in erecting ſtately Buildings, and gathering together much Treaſure, Eccleſ. 2.18,19. I hated all my labour which I had taken under the Sun, becauſe I ſhould leave it unto the man that ſhall be after me, and who knoweth whether he ſhall be a wiſe man or a fool? yet ſhall he have rule over all my labour wherein I have laboured, and wherein I have ſhewed my ſelf wiſe under the Sun.
4. That which God hath taken from you is but vanity, yea more, that which often proveth a vexation to the Soul and Spirit, which is the better part of a man. Solomon ſpeaking of all worldly things, ſaith of them, Vanity of Vanities, all is vanity, Eccleſ. 1.2. and afterwards reckoning up his outward enjoyments, he doth tell us that his ſtately Buildings and his great Treaſures were vanity as well as other things. Eccleſ. 2.4,5,8,17. I made me great works, I builded me houſes—I made me Gardens and Orchards—I gathered me alſo Silver and Gold, and the peculiar treaſures of Kings—All is vanity and vexation of Spirit. Should a wiſe man diſquiet himſelf for the loſs of a vanity? or vex himſelf becauſe he is deprived of that which is but vexation of Spirit?
5. Riches are not that which moſt men think them to be. They have leſs of good, and more of evil in them than we are aware of. I do not mean that riches are evil of themſelves, they are good bleſſings of God; yet our corrupt natures are apt to turn them to an evil uſe. VVherefore view your riches which you have loſt, not according to that eſtimation which men of the world have of riches, but according to the judgement which the Holy Ghoſt giveth of them in the Scriptures, where they are ſtiled, Deceitful Riches, Mark 4.19. Uncertain riches, 1 Tim. 6.17. The Mammon of unrighteouſneſs, Luke 16.9. Vanity and vexation of Spirit, as was hinted before. Thorns, Mat. 13.22. That which is not. That which ſhould be ſo far from diſquieting our hearts, that they are not worthy that ſuch a noble creature as man ſhould ſet his eyes upon them. Prov. 23.5. Wilt thou ſet thine eyes upon that which is not? for riches certainly make themſelves wings, they flye away as an Eagle towards Heaven. The Scriptures inform us, that all that diſquiet themſelves about riches, diſquiet themſelves in vain, Pſal. 39.6. Surely every man walketh in a vain ſhew, ſurely they are diſquieted in vain, he heapeth up riches, and knoweth not who ſhall gather them. If this be the nature of riches, if they be like thorns, deceitful things, not worthy the fixing of the eye upon them, &c. Why ſhould you be perplexed in your minds for the breach which God hath made upon your Eſtates.
SECT. 3.
3. Conſider that God hath wiſe, and gracious, and merciful ends in this diſpenſation, and intendeth you much good by taking away your eſtates from you. When David was robbed of all that he had, and his City of refuge was burnt with fire by the Amalekites, he found that this as well as his other afflictions wrought for his good, Pſal. 119.61,71. The bands of the wicked have robbed me—It is good for me that I was afflicted, that I might learn thy Statutes. There is much mercy to the people of God in thoſe paths that carry the greateſt appearance of ſeverity, Pſal. 25.10. All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth to ſuch as keep his Covenant and his Teſtimonies. It is an unqueſtionable truth that God deſigns the doing his people good in every affliction which he layeth upon them, Rom. 8.28. We know that all things work together for good unto them that love God—And if all work together for your good, then alſo your late loſſes though very great ſhall work for your good. And is it not an unreaſonable thing that you ſhould be diſcontented when God dealeth mercifully with you? that you ſhould be diſcontented when God is doing you good? What though you cannot ſee for the preſent how your loſſes ſhould work for your good? you may ſee it hereafter, Joh. 13.7. What I do, thou knoweſt not now, but thou ſhalt know hereafter. God may have ſeveral merciful ends, and deſign your good ſeveral wayes in taking away your eſtates; I will hint three or four gracious ends of God in cutting of his people ſhort in outward things, in order to their ſpiritual good, and leave it to you, to judge which of theſe God deſigns in your loſſes.
1. God ſometimes diminiſheth his peoples wealth, becauſe he ſeeth that if he ſhould have continued them in the enjoyment of their eſtates it would have been for their hurt, Eccleſ. 5.13. There is a ſore evil which I have ſeen under the Sun, namely, riches kept for the owners thereof to their hurt. Riches may be hurtful ſeveral ways. As 1. when they make us high-minded and rough in our ſpeeches and carriages towards the poor. This ſin is very incident to rich men, Prov. 18.23. The rich anſwereth roughly. 1 Tim. 6.17. Charge them that are rich in this world that they be not high-minded.—2. When they draw off our hearts from God, and cauſe us to ſet them upon our riches, then they prove hurtful. Now the more we have of the world, the more apt we are to ſet our hearts upon the world, Pſal. 62.10.—If riches increaſe ſet not your heart upon them. 3. When they hinder our truſting in God, and living by faith, and we by reaſon of the multitude of our riches truſt in them. Now the more riches we have, the more apt we are to truſt in them, Pſal. 52.7.—But truſted in the abundance of his riches. 1 Tim. 6.17. Charge them that are rich in this world that they truſt not in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy. 4. When they fill our minds with cares, and diſturb our peace; and this is uſual with many rich men, to have their minds diſturbed about their eſtates both day and night, Eccleſ. 5.12. The abundance of the rich will not ſuffer him to ſleep. 5. When they draw a man to, or drown him in any ſinful luſts as idleneſs, ſenſuality, pride, ſecurity, &c. they become hurtful, 1 Tim. 6.9. They that will be rich fall into a temptation and a ſnare, and into many fooliſh and hurtful luſts which drown men in deſtruction and perdition. Now if God foreſaw that your eſtates would have been hurtful to you any of theſe wayes, or any other way, and thereupon took them away, that they might not do you hurt, you have no cauſe to complain, but rather to be thankful. If you ſay, there is no fear that a good man ſhould be hurt by his riches. I anſwer, Agur was a good man, yet he was afraid leſt riches ſhould cauſe him to deny the Lord, Prov. 30.8,9. Give me neither poverty nor riches,—leſt I be full and deny thee, and ſay, who is the Lord.—Is it not better that God ſhould deny us the enjoyment of riches, than leave us in proceſs of time to deny him.
2. God ſometimes diminiſheth our eſtates, and brings us low, becauſe he intendeth to call us to great ſufferings, even to forſake all that we have. The more a man hath of the world, the harder it will be to part with all that he poſſeſſeth for Chriſt, Mar. 10.21,22.—Go thy way, ſell whatſoever thou haſt, and give to the poor—And he was ſad at that ſaying, and went away grieved, for he had great poſſeſſions. The Apoſtles who were poor, and had but little to leave at the call of Chriſt, immediately left all and followed him, Matth. 4.20. Luke 5.28. This forſaking of all for Chriſt is ſo neceſſary when we are called to it, that without it we cannot be Chriſts Diſciples, Luke 14.33. Whoſoever he be of you that forſaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my Diſciple. Suppoſe God foreſaw that if he had not brought you into a low condition, you would rather have forſaken Chriſt than your Eſtates; Hath he not dealt mercifully with you in taking away your Eſtates, which would have hindred you from becoming Diſciples of Chriſt?
3. Riches oft times prove great hinderances to our ſalvation, and God takes them away that he may make our paſſage to Heaven more eaſie, Matth. 19.23,24. Jeſus ſaid unto his Diſciples, Verily I ſay unto you, that a rich man ſhall hardly enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. And again, I ſay unto you, It is eaſier for a Camel to go through the eye of a Needle than for a rich man to enter into the Kingdom of God. Suppoſe God ſaw your riches to be clogs to you, and that they would have hindered your ſalvation, Was it not good for you that God ſhould take them away? Is it not better that you ſhould loſe your Eſtates than loſe the Kingdom of Heaven?
4. God diminiſheth our Eſtates that he may encreaſe our Graces, Heb. 12.10. He chaſtneth us for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holineſs. Ordinarily poor men are richer in grace than great men, Jam. 2.5. Hath not God choſen the poor of this world, rich in faith? Grace is better than riches, and have they then any cauſe to complain, whom God maketh poor, that he may make them rich in grace and holineſs?
5. God diminiſheth our outward worldly comforts that he may encreaſe our inward & ſpiritual comforts, Hoſ. 2.7,14. I will take away my corn,—and my wine,—and my wooll,—and my flax,—I will allure her and bring her into the Wilderneſs, and ſpeak comfortably unto her. I might mention others of a like nature, but I forbear; by theſe you may ſee that God may intend his people much good, when he depriveth them of their eſtates.
SECT. 4.
4. Conſider that though God hath taken much from you, he might with equity and juſtice have taken away a great deal more from you, and therefore you have no cauſe to repine that God hath taken away ſo much, but rather to be thankful that God hath taken away no more from you. For
1. God might have taken away your lives as well as your eſtates. When Sodom was burnt, Lot loſt his houſe and his goods, as may be gathered from Gen. 19. It was evening before the Angels came to him, Verſ. 1. and in the morning about the time that the Sun roſe God rained fire and brimſtone upon the City, Verſ. 23. Some time was ſpent in entertaining the Angels, in going to his ſons in law to acquaint them with the purpoſe of God to deſtroy Sodom, in fleeing to Zoar, ſo that he ſaved very little, if any of his goods; for, what could a man, that had ſuch ſhort warning of Sodom's deſtruction, and was forced to flee for his life, carry along with him? Beſides the loſs of his goods and his houſe, he loſt his wife, V. 26. and his ſons in law, and his daughters that were married to them, V. 14. only Lot and his two Daughters that were unmarried got to Zoar: yet he doth not murmur at his loſſes, but looketh upon it as a great mercy, that God had ſpared his life, Gen. 19.19. Behold now thy ſervant hath found grace in thy ſight, and thou haſt magnified thy mercy, which thou haſt ſhewed unto me in that thou haſt ſpared my life.—When the Jews were carried captive into Babylon, and Jeruſalem was burnt with fire, though they had loſt their liberties, and their dwellings were conſumed, they did not murmur becauſe of their loſſes, but looked upon it as a great mercy that themſelves were not conſumed alſo, Lam. 3.22. It is of the Lords mercies that we are not conſumed, becauſe his compaſſions fail not. And notwithſtanding their ſufferings were very great, ſuch as could ſcarce be paralled by any that lived in former ages, as we may ſee, Lam. 1.12. yet they acknowledge that they had no cauſe of complaining, ſeeing God had ſpared their lives, Lam. 3.39. Wherefore doth a living man complain? When the Ship in which the Apoſtle ſailed was caſt away, and all the goods were loſt, he makes a light matter of their loſſes ſeeing their lives were preſerved, Acts 27.22,25. I exhort you to be of good cheer, for there ſhall be no loſs of any mans life among you, but of the Ship,—Wherefore Sirs be of good cheer. He calls upon them twice, notwithſtanding their loſſes, to be of good cheer, becauſe their lives were preſerved.
2. God might have taken away your ſouls and caſt them into everlaſting burnings, for you have ſinned, and The wages of ſin is death, Rom. 6.23. The Angels are more glorious creatures than man, yet aſſoon as they had ſinned, God caſt them into Hell, 2 Pet. 2.4. God ſpared not the Angels that ſinned, but caſt them down to Hell, and delivered them into chains of darkneſs to be reſerved unto judgment. Now if God had dealt thus with you, if inſtead of burning your houſes, he had taken away your ſouls and caſt them into everlaſting burnings, your loſs would have been incomparably greater than now it is, though you had been owners of the whole world; For what ſhall it profit a man to gain the whole world and loſe his own ſoul? Mark 8.36.
5. God might have taken away his loving kindneſs from you, as he did from the Jews, Jer. 16.5. I have taken away my peace from this people, ſaith the Lord, even loving kindneſs and mercies. Now that would have been a far greater loſs, than the loſs of your eſtates, yea than the loſs of your lives; for Gods loving kindneſs is better than life, Pſ. 63.3. Becauſe thy loving kindneſs is better than life, my lips ſhall praiſe thee. David ſpoke this when he was in the Wilderneſs of Judah, as appears from the title of the Pſalm, and in this Wilderneſs he was deſtitute of all wordly comforts, as appears by calling this place, a drie and thirſty land where no water is; yet enjoying Gods love in this deſolate Wilderneſs, he doth not murmur for want of what he enjoyed, whileſt he lived at home with his father, or in Saul's Court, but praiſeth God for the ſweetneſs and ſatisfaction which he enjoyed in the ſenſe of Gods love. And as David did, ſo may we bleſs God if he hath not taken away his loving kindneſs from us, whatever it be which God hath taken from us, becauſe his love is better than all other things.
SECT. V.
5. Conſider how you have ſinned againſt the Lord, and what you have deſerved for your ſins. The reflecting upon your ſins, will make you patient under this and all other ſufferings, Micah 7.9. I will bear he indignation of the Lord, becauſe I have ſinned againſt him,—Lam. 3.39. Wherefore doth a living man complain, a man for the puniſhment of his ſins? The calling to remembrance our ſins may cauſe us to take patiently and contentedly the greateſt afflictions on ſeveral accounts, I will mention two.
1. How great ſoever our ſufferings are, they are far leſs than our ſins have deſerved. God never puniſheth any man in this world, either the godly or the wicked, according to the deſert of their ſins, Pſal. 103.10. He hath not dealt with us after our ſins, nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. Job's ſufferings were very great, he was the greateſt man that lived in the Eaſtern part of the world, and had all his eſtate taken from him in one day, he did not only loſe his eſtate, but his children alſo; his body was ſmitten with painful and noyſome boyls and ſores, his ſoul alſo was full of trouble, as he himſelf expreſſeth it, Job 6.4. The Arrows of the Almighty are within me, the poyſon whereof drinketh up my ſpirit, the terrors of God do ſet themſelves in aray againſt me: yet Job's ſins had deſerved greater things from God, than what God was pleaſed to lay upon him, Job 11.6.—Know that God exacteth of thee leſs than thine iniquity deſerveth. The afflictions which the Jews endured at the deſtruction of Jeruſalem, and during the time of their captivity in Babylon (which laſted 70. years) were exceeding great, ſo great as ſcarce any people in the world endured the like, as we may ſee by theſe two Texts of Scripture, Lam. 1.12. Is it nothing to you, all ye that paſs by, behold and ſee if there be any ſorrow like unto my ſorrow, which is done unto me, wherewith the Lord hath afflicted me, in the day of his fierce anger. Dan. 9.12. Under the whole Heaven hath not been done, as hath been done upon Jeruſalem; yet Ezra confeſſeth that all that they had ſuffered was far leſs than they deſerved, Ezra 9.13. After all that is come upon us, for our evil deeds and for our great treſpaſs, ſeeing that thou our God haſt paniſhed us, leſs than our iniquities deſerve.—Our ſins deſerve eternal damnation, Ezek. 18.4. The ſoul that ſinneth ſhall die. They deſerve to be puniſhed with the loſs of God, and the loſs of the Kingdom of Heaven to all eternity, 1 Theſſ. 1.9. Who ſhall be puniſhed with everlaſting deſtruction from the preſence of the Lord,—Matth. 7.23. Depart from me ye that work iniquity. Now what are the loſſes and croſſes that we meet with in this world compared with the eternal loſs of God and the Kingdom of Heaven, and with the torments of Hell, that muſt be endured to all eternity?
2. What ever we ſuffer for our ſins, we our ſelves are the cauſes of thoſe ſufferings, and therefore have no reaſon to blame the Lord, but our ſelves for provoking the Lord to lay ſuch afflictions upon us, Jer. 2.17. Haſt thou not procured this unto thy ſelf, in that thou haſt forſaken the Lord that led thee by the way? Hoſ. 13.9. O Iſrael thou haſt deſtroyed thy ſelf,—Jer. 30.15. Why cryeſt thou for thine affliction?—becauſe thy ſins were encreaſed have I done theſe things unto thee.
SECT. 6.
6. Conſider what abundance of mercy you have enjoyed in former times, as well as what afflictions you under go at preſent; this was one argument wherewith Job quieted himſelf, and wherewith he laboured to quiet his wife when ſhe adviſed him to curſe God and die, Job 2.10. What? ſhall we receive good at the hand of God and not evil? As God in the way of his Providence intermingleth proſperity with our adverſity, and ſets the one againſt the other, that no man may find out any cauſe of complaining againſt the Lord, Eccleſ. 7.14. In the day of proſperity be joyful, but in the day of adverſity conſider, God alſo hath ſet the one againſt the other, to the end that man ſhould find nothing after him. So ſhould we for the taking away of all occaſions of murmuring under our afflictions, ſet our mercies againſt our croſſes; our former and preſent mercies againſt our preſent afflictions, and that will convince us that we have much cauſe of thankfulneſs, but no cauſe to murmur under our greateſt afflictions. For
1. We may wonder more that God beſtoweth one mercy upon us, than at his ſending of a thouſand afflictions, for we are altogether unworthy of the leaſt of all Gods mercies, Gen. 32.10. and have deſerved all ſorts of judgments, Dan. 9.7. To us belongeth confuſion of faces,—
2. Though we deſerve all kinds of miſery, and no mercy, yet they that have met with moſt and greateſt afflictions, if they take a view of Gods dealings with them from the day that they were born to this preſent time, ſhall find that their mercies have been far more and greater than their afflictions. Do we meet with ſome croſs or other every day? if we do, yet the mercies of the day are greater than the croſſes, for God ſends new mercies every day, Lam. 3.23. They are new every morning. We enjoy ſo many mercies every day, that we are ſaid to be loaded with them, Pſal. 68.19. Bleſſed be the Lord who dayly loadeth us with his benefits. Have our afflictions lyen long upon us? Gods mercies have been of a longer date than our afflictions, Pſal. 103.17. The mercy of the Lord is from everlaſting to everlaſting upon them that fear him. There are intermiſſions in our afflictions, He doth not alwayes chide, Pſal. 103.9. but there is no intermiſſion in Gods mercies, there is not one moment all our life long but he is conveying ſome good things to us, Iſa. 27.3. I will water it every moment. Lam. 3.22. His compaſſions fail not.
3. Every affliction that we meet with in this life, is allayed and tempered with mercy, yea the bittereſt cup that ever Gods people drink of, hath more of mercy than it hath of judgment, Pſal. 145.9: His tender mercies are over all his works. Pſal. 25.10. All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth unto ſuch as keep his Covenant and his Teſtimonies. If we conſider the ſharpeſt affliction that God lays upon his ſervants, in their procuring cauſe, which is ſin, if with the good intended by them, if in the principle from which they flow, which is Gods love to their ſouls, we ſhall be eaſily convinced that there is more of mery than ſeverity in them, and ſo conſequently that we have much cauſe in every thing, even in every affliction to give thanks, but no cauſe at all to murmur at the hand of the Lord.
SECT. 7.
7. Conſider that it is the will and command of God, that we ſhould be content with ſuch things as we have; Heb. 13.5. Let your Converſation be without Covetouſneſs, and be content with ſuch things as ye have, for he hath ſaid, I will never leave thee nor forſake thee. It was but little which thoſe perſons poſſeſſed, to whom the Apoſtle wrote this Epiſtle, for they had ſuffered much for Chriſt, their goods were ſpoiled and taken from them, as we may ſee Heb. 10.34. yet he telleth them it was the will of God that they ſhould be content with ſuch things as they had. If we have nothing more than food and rayment, we ought to be content, 1 Tim. 6.8. Having food and rayment let us be therewith content. It is not ſaid, having dainty meat and rich attire, let us be therewith content; but having food and rayment, though never ſo plain and mean, we ought to be therewith content. Though you have loſt much, and have very little left, yet there are weighty reaſons that may perſwade you to be content with ſuch things as you have. As
1. Though you have very little left, you have more left than you brought with you into the world, and more than you can carry with you out of the world, 1 Tim. 6.7. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. Job 1.21. Naked came I out of my mothers womb, and naked ſhall I return thither.
2. Though you have very little, you have as much, it may be, more than Chriſt, or the Apoſtles of Chriſt had when they were in the world. Our Lord Jeſus Chriſt lived in a very poor condition when he was in the world, 2 Cor. 8.9. Ye know the grace of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, that though he was rich, yet for your ſakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might become rich. He was ſo poor that he had not an houſe to dwell in, Mat. 8.20. The Foxes have holes, and the Birds of the air have neſts, but the Son of Man hath not where to lay his head. His diet was mean, when he had nothing but barly bread and two ſmall fiſhes for himſelf and his Diſciples, and them that came to hear him; he was not diſcontented becauſe he had no better proviſion, but gave God thanks for what he had, though it was but barly bread, Joh. 6.9,11. He was ſo poor, that he received contribution from well diſpoſed perſons, Luk. 8.2,3. when the Tax-gatherers came to him for tribute, he had not wherewith all to pay them without working of a miracle, Mat. 17.24,27. yet this foreign, this Tribute money which was demanded of him, was no great ſum, not above fifteen pence of our mony. Now ſhall we murmur, or be diſcontented, when we are as well or better provided for, as to worldly things, than Jeſus Chriſt our Lord and Maſter was? The Diſciple is not above his Maſter, nor the Servant above his Lord; It is enough for the Diſciple, that he be as his Maſter, and the Servant as his Lord. And as you have as much as Chriſt had, ſo you have as much or more of this worlds goods than the Apoſtles had, 1 Cor. 4.11. Even to this preſent hour, we both hunger and thirſt, and are naked, and are buffeted, and have no certain dwelling place, and labour, working with our own hands. Paul ſpeaketh here of himſelf, and the other Apoſtles, as you may ſee, v. 9. And though they were ſo poor, that they had ſcarce any thing that they could call their own; yet they were as well contented as if they had poſſeſſed all the world. 2 Cor. 6.10. As poor, as having nothing, and yet poſſeſſing all things. Phil. 4.11,12. I have learned in whatſoever ſtate I am, therewith to be content. I know both how to be abaſed, and I know how to abound; every where, and in all things I am inſtructed both to be full, and to be hungry, both to abound, and to ſuffer need.
3. Though you have very little left, yet you have more than you are worthy of, as hath been hinted already, from Gen. 32.10. I am not worthy of the leaſt of all the mercies, and of all the truth that thou haſt ſhewed unto thy ſervant.
4. Though you have but little, you may live as long, and may live as bleſſed and comfortable a life, as you might do, if you had all the world. You may live as long, Luke 12.15. Take heed and beware of covetouſneſs; for a mans life conſiſteth not in the abundance of thoſe things that he doth poſſeſs. You may live as bleſſed and comfortable lives, though you be poor, as they that have great Eſtates, Luke 6.20. Bleſſed be ye poor—The Apoſtle Paul, who was ſo poor, that he had nothing, was alwayes in a joyful condition, 2 Cor. 6.10. David had not more ſatisfaction when he ſate upon the Throne, enjoying all the delights that his Kingdom could afford, than he found when he was in the Wilderneſs of Judah; for when he was in this Wilderneſs, he tells us that his Soul was ſatisfied as with marrow and fatneſs, whilſt his thoughts and meditations were taken up about God, Pſal. 63.5,6. Yet in this Wilderneſs he was deſtitute of all worldly comforts. He calls it a dry and thirſty Land, where no water was, ver. 1. Many labouring men that work hard all the day to get their living, enjoy more comfortable dayes and nights than they that have great riches. Eccleſ. 5.12. The ſleep of a labouring man is ſweet, whether he eat little or much; but the abundance of the rich will not ſuffer him to ſleep.
5. Though you have but little, yet it is far better with you, than with thoſe that want the Grace of God, and enjoy great Eſtates, Pſal. 37.16. A little that a righteous man hath is better than the riches of many wicked: For what a righteous man hath, he enjoyeth it with the love and favour of God; but a wicked man is hated and abhorred of God, Pſal. 5.5. Thou hateſt all workers of iniquity. Now it is ſaid, Prov. 15.17. Better is a dinner of herbs where love is, than a ſtalled Oxe, and hatred therewith. A righteous man when he hath but little, hath that which ſufficeth him, Phil. 4.11,12. But a wicked man is diſſatisfied and ſtraitned in his minde, under his greateſt abundance, Job 20.22. In the midſt of his ſufficiency he ſhall be in ſtraits.
6. Though you have but little, God can bleſs your little, that it ſhall become a great deal before you die. Jacob had but little when he went to Laban, but God ſent him away with a great Eſtate, Gen. 32.10. With my ſtaff I paſſed over this Jordan, and now I am become two bands. It is the bleſſing of the Lord maketh rich, Prov. 10.22. And it is all one with God to bleſs a man that hath little, as him that hath much. Bildad telleth Job after he had ſuffered great loſſes, that if he would ſeek unto God, Though thy beginning was ſmall, yet thy latter and ſhould greatly encreaſe, Job 8.5,7. But if God ſhould continue you in a low Eſtate, yet he can ſo bleſs that little that he hath left you, that you ſhall have enough to maintain you as long as you live. As it was with the Manna that fell in the Wilderneſs, 2 Cor. 8.15. He that gathered much had nothing over, and he that gathered little had no lack, So it falls out by the providence of God towards his people, that though they have but little, yet they have no lack of what is good for them, Pſal. 34.10. They that ſeek the Lord ſhall not want any good thing. It may be ſome will ſay, we have ſo little, that we have much ado to live, though proviſion be plentiful and cheap; but ſuppoſe times ſhould grow hard, ſuppoſe God ſhould ſend a Famine, how ſhould we do then that have ſo little, that have much ado to live now?
Anſw. If God ſend a Famine, he promiſeth to take care of all ſuch as fear him, and hope in his mercy, Pſal. 33.18,19. Behold the eye of the Lord is upon them that fear him, upon them that hope in his mercy to deliver their ſoul from death, and to keep them alive in Famine. Pſal. 37.16. and 19. verſes compared. In the 16. verſe the Pſamiſt ſpeaketh of the happy condition of the righteous, though they have but little: and whereas ſome might think, but what ſhall become of us that have but little, if a Famine ſhould come? he adds, ver. 19. They ſhall not be aſhamed in the evil time, and in the dayes of Famine they ſhall be ſatisfied. Job 5.20. In famine he ſhall redeem thee from death. and ver. 22. At deſtruction and famine thou ſhalt laugh. When there was a famine in Iſrael, God did ſo bleſs and multiply the widows handful of meal, and her little oyl in a cruſe, that ſhe, and the Prophet, and all her houſe were nouriſhed therewith many dayes, even till God ſent plenty in Iſrael, 1 Kings 17. from ver. 9. to 17.
SECT. 8.
8. Conſider that God hath left you more and better things then he hath taken from you; and therefore how great ſoever your loſſes have been, you may well be content. I will put you in minde of ſome things which God hath left you, which are far better than thoſe things which he hath taken from you.
1. God hath left you his Holy Word, in the reading and meditation whereof, you may delight your ſelf night and day, Pſ. 1.1,2. Now Gods word is more worth than all the Gold and Silver in the world, Pſal. 119.22. The law of thy mouth is better unto me than thouſands of Gold and Silver. And with this David comforted himſelf when he was robbed and ſpoiled of his goods, by the means of wicked and ungodly men, ver. 61. You may ſee alſo Pſal. 19.10. and Pſal. 119.14.
2. God hath left you himſelf for your portion, and though a man hath loſt all that he had in the world, as long as he hath God for his portion, he is well enough. When the Jews who were carried captive into Babylon, were ſpoiled of all their goods, and had ſeen their dwellings burnt with fire, they comforted themſelves with this, that they had God ſtill for their portion, Lam. 3.24. The Lord is my portion, ſaith my ſoul, therefore will I hope in him. All things in all Nations compared with God are leſs than nothing and vanity, Iſa. 40.17. All Nations before him are as nothing, and they are counted to him leſs than nothing and vanity. And why then ſhould a man that enjoyeth this great God for his portion not reſt ſatisfied in God, but diſquiet himſelf for that which is leſs than nothing and vanity?
3. God hath left you his Spirit which is in you, and ſhall abide with you, to teach, ſanctifie, and comfort, you as long as you live. John 14.16,17. I will pray the Father, and he ſhall give you another comforter, that he may abide with you for ever, even the Spirit of truth—he dwelleth with you, and ſhall be in you. When David had offended the Lord in the matter of Uriah, he wat more afraid of having the Spirit of God takenaway, than of loſing his Kingdom; and therefore he doth not pray, take not my Kingdom, but take not thy Holy Spirit from me, Pſal. 51.11. And though he was told by Nathan, that the Sword ſhould never depart from his houſe, and that God would raiſe up evil againſt him from his own houſe, 2 Sam. 12.10,11. Yet he reſolveth if God would but pardon his ſin, and continue his Holy Spirit with him, his tongue ſhould ſing aloud of his Righteouſneſs, Pſal. 51.12,14.
4. God hath left you the true riches which are far better than all the riches of this world. To be rich in Grace, is better than to be rich in Money, or Houſes, or Lands, or any other worldly thing. He that is rich in worldly Poſſeſſions, but is not rich towards God, is a miſerable man, Luke 12.19,20,21. but he that is rich in Grace, though he be a very poor man as to worldly things, is an happy man, for he is an heir of the Kingdom of Heaven, James 2.5. There is not any one Grace of the Holy Spirit, but it is much better than all the Riches of the world. I will inſtance in three or four Graces by which a man may give judgement of the reſt. 1. Wiſdom and Underſtanding by which we know God and the things of God, is of ſuch a precious Nature, that there is nothing in the world worthy to be compared with it. Prov. 3.13,14,15. Happy is the man that findeth wiſdom, and the man that getteth underſtanding; for the merchandize of it is better than the merchandize of Silver, and the gain thereof than fine Gold. She is more precious than rubies, and all the things that thou canſt deſire are not to be compared unto her. 2. Faith is more precious than all the gold in the world, 1 Pet. 1.7. That the tryal of your faith being much more precious than gold that periſheth. Faith is not only as precious, but more, much more precious than Gold. 3. The fear of the Lord that is precious treaſure, Iſa. 23.6. The fear of the Lord is his treaſure. 4. A meek and a quiet ſpirit is a rich ornament far above gold or ſilver; for theſe only commend us to men, but a meek and a quiet ſpirit is an ornament of great price in the ſight of God, 1 Pet. 3.3,4.
5. God hath left you all the promiſes, he hath not taken away one promiſe from you. The covenant which comprehends under it all the promiſes, is in all things ordered and ſure, 2 Sam. 23.5. When God makes the greateſt alterations in our conditions, there is no alteration in his covenant. Pſal. 89.34. My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips. Iſa. 54.10. The mountains ſhall depart, and the hills be removed, but my kindeneſs ſhall not depart from thee, neither ſhall the covenant of my peace be removed, ſaith the Lord, that hath mercy on thee. Though you ſhould have loſt all that you have, you are as rich in promiſes as ever, and the promiſes are more worth than the whole world; and may you not then quiet your mindes with what promiſes God hath left you, ſeeing you have promiſes not only for the life to come, but alſo for the ſupply of all your wants in this preſent life? 1 Tim. 4.8. Phil. 4.19.
6. God hath bleſſed you with all ſpiritual bleſſings in Chriſt, where they ſhall not, where they cannot be taken from you. You have loſt only earthly bleſſings, you have not loſt any one ſpiritual bleſſing. Now this may be a great comfort to you, that notwithſtanding what you have loſt, yet you are ſtill bleſſed with all ſpiritual bleſſings. The Apoſtle Paul who had ſuffered the loſs of all things for Chriſt, Phil. 3.8. was not troubled for his loſſes, when he conſidered what God had laid up for him in Chriſt, but breaks out into bleſſing and praiſe, Epheſ. 1.3. Bleſſed be the God and Father of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt who hath bleſſed us with all ſpiritual bleſſings in heavenly places in Chriſt.
SECT. 9.
9. Conſider what God hath laid up for you in Heaven, and that will quiet and comfort your hearts, though your goods be ſpoiled, and your houſes burnt, and you have loſt all the eſtate that you have in the world, Heb. 10.34. Ye took joyfully the ſpoiling of your goods, knowing in your ſelves, that ye have in Heaven a better and a more enduring ſubſtance. There are ſuch excellent things treaſured up for you in Heaven, that the tongues of men are not able to expreſs the goodneſs or the greatneſs of them, Pſal. 31.19. O how great is thy goodneſs which thou haſt laid up for them that fear thee? We have ſeen many deſirable and excellent things with our eyes, and poſſibly we may have heard of better things than ever we ſaw, and we can conceive of better things in our minds than ever we ſaw or heard of, but thoſe things which the Lord hath prepared for us in Heaven are far better and more excellent than ever we ſaw or heard of, or can conceive in our minds, 1 Cor. 2.9. Eye hath not ſeen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. Such is the excellency of thoſe things which God hath laid up in Heaven for us, that the thoughts and hope of enjoying the glory and joys of heaven, may fill our hearts with joy and comfort under all the loſſes and croſſes that we meet with in the world, Rom. 5.2,3. We rejoyce in hope of the glory of God, and not only ſo, but we glory in tribulations alſo. 1 Pet. 1.3,4,6. Bleſſed be the God and Father of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, which according to his abundant mercy, hath begotten us unto a lively hope, by the Reſurrection of Jeſus Chriſt from the dead, to an Inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reſerved in Heaven for you, wherein ye greatly rejoyce, though now for a ſeaſon (if need be) ye are in heavineſs through manifold temptations. Though a ſervant of God hath loſt never ſuch a fair Inheritance on Earth, yet he hath more cauſe of rejoycing in that incorruptible Inheritance that fadeth not away, which is reſerved for him in Heaven, than of being troubled for the loſs of his earthly Inheritance,
SECT. 10.
10. Conſider what a great evil it is to murmur, and to be diſcontented at your loſſes, and how pleaſing and acceptable it is unto the Lord that you ſhould be content and patient under this affliction, which it hath ſeemed good unto the Lord to lay upon you. The Iſraelites went through many difficulties whilſt they wandered up and down by the ſpace of forty years in the Wilderneſs, and becauſe they murmured, multitudes of them were deſtroyed, neither the greatneſs, nor the long continuance of the affliction did excuſe them from puniſhment; and this example of Gods juſtice on them is ſet down for an example to us, that we might for ever be deterred from murmuring under any of our afflictions, 1 Cor. 10.10. Neither murmur ye as ſome of them murmured, and were deſtroyed of the deſtroyer. To murmur becauſe God hath taken away our Eſtates, is the ready way to provoke God to take away our lives, Pſal. 106.25,26. They murmured in their Tents,—Therefore he lifted up his hand againſt them, to overthrow them in the Wilderneſs. There is more evil in one repining diſcontented thought, than there is in all your loſſes though they be very great; for the one hath only the evil of puniſhment, the other hath in it the evil of ſin. And there is more of evil in the leaſt ſin than in the greateſt puniſhment. All Gods dealings towards his people are managed with infinite wiſdom and infinite love, in order to the promoting of their good and his own glory; and what an hainous ſin, and how offenſive to God is it for a man to murmur when God is doing of him good, and bringing glory to his Name? ſeeing alſo that whatever way God takes to bring about our good, is contrived with infinite wiſdom, and is accompanied with infinite love.
And as it is is a great evil to be diſcontented at any of Gods dealings, ſo it is an excellent, heavenly frame of ſpirit, and that which is highly pleaſing to God, for a man in all things to ſubmit himſelf to God, and to lie at his foot and to be content with his will, and to ſay in his heart, It is the Lord, let him do what ſeemeth him good. That is of great excellency which is an ornament to a man in the judgment of a wiſe, holy, judicious man, that may be deemed more excellent, which is accounted an ornament by the Angels of Heaven; but that is moſt excellent which is an ornament in the ſight of God, and of this nature is a meek and quiet ſpirit, 1 Pet. 3.4. The ornament of a meek and quiet ſpirit, which is in the ſight of God of great price. When the Lord hath brought us to lie at his foot, he is ſo pleaſed with this ſubmiſſive frame of ſpirit, that he is wont to beſtow very great bleſſings on ſuch as are brought to his foot, and are content that he ſhould do what he pleaſeth with them, Iſa. 41.2. Who raiſed up the righteous man from the Eaſt, called him to his foot, gave the Nations before him, and made him Ruler over Kings? Contentment under the croſs makes great afflictions to ſeem but ſmall ones, and ſmall afflictions none at all. The Apoſtle went through very great ſufferings, as we may ſee, 1 Cor. 4.9,10,11,12,13. 2 Cor. 11.23,24,25,26,27. yet having learnt in every eſtate to be content, Phil. 4.11. he maketh a light matter of all his afflictions, 2 Cor. 4.17. Our light affliction, &c. Rom. 8.18. I reckon that the ſufferings of this preſent time, are not worthy to be compared with the glory that ſhall be revealed in us. But a diſcontented mind thinketh ſmall afflictions great and intolerable burdens. The loſs of a gourd which ſprang up in a day, and withered in a day, was but a ſmall loſs, yet Jonah being under a diſcontented mind, is ſo troubled at this loſs, that he faints under it, and wiſheth that he might die, and is angry with God, and juſtifieth himſelf in his frowardneſs, and ſaith, I do well to be angry even to the death, Jonah 4.7,8,9. Diſcontent is like a nail in a yoke which frets and galls, and pains the neck far more than the yoke it ſelf doth. When God layeth the yoke of affliction upon us, diſcontent troubles and perplexeth the ſoul far more than any affliction can do.
SECT. 11.
11. Conſider how patiently and contentedly others of Gods ſervants have endured, and gone through far greater loſſes and ſorer troubles than you have met withal. Job loſt a very great Eſtate, and ſeven Sons and three Daughters, even all that he had in one day, yet all theſe loſſes did not provoke Job to repine, or ſpeak one fooliſh word againſt God, or do any other iniquity, but he bore all with ſuch a quiet ſpirit, that in ſtead of fretting and repining, he bleſſeth God, Job 1.21,22. The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away, bleſſed be the Name of the Lord, in all this Job ſinned not, nor charged God fooliſhly: When David was driven from Jeruſalem by his ſon Abſolom, who conſpired againſt him, to take away not only his Crown and Kingdom, but his life alſo; this was a very great affliction, and it was the more heavy, becauſe it was his own ſon that came ſorth of his bowels that ſought to take away his life, 2 Sam. 16.11. and this affliction came upon him for his ſin in killing Ʋriah, which he knew very well, being foretold of it by Nathan the Prophet, 2 Sam. 12.9,10,11. yet he ſubmits himſelf to God under all that was come upon him, and is willing that the Lord ſhould lay whatever elſe he ſaw meet, though he ſhould ſay of David, I have no delight in him, 2 Sam. 15.26. If he thus ſay, I have no delight in thee, Behold here am I, let him do to me as ſeemeth good unto him. It was a ſad meſſage which God ſent to Eli by Samuel, it is uſhered in with this Preface, 1 Sam. 3.11. Behold! I do a thing in Iſrael, at which both the ears of every one that heareth it ſhall tingle; yet Eli upon the hearing of the whole meſſage lyeth down at Gods foot, and ſpeaketh not one repining word againſt the Lord; Verſ. 18. Samuel told him every whit, and hid nothing from him. And he ſaid it is the Lord, let him do what ſeemeth him good. The ſufferings of Jeſus Chriſt were exceeding great, yet how patiently did he bear them, Iſa. 53.7. He was oppreſſed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth, he is brought as a lamb to the ſlaughter, and as a ſheep before her ſhearers is dumb, ſo he openeth not his mouth. We are exhorted to take notice of the patience of Gods ſervants in their afflictions, in order to the helping us to bear our afflictions with patience, Jam. 5.8,10,11. Be ye alſo patient—Take my Brethren the Prophets, who have ſpoken in the Name of the Lord, for an example of ſuffering affliction, and of patience. Behold we count them happy that endure, ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have ſeen the end of the Lord, that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.
Thus much may ſuffice by way of conſideration, I ſhall now adviſe you ſome things by way of practice for the obtaining and promoting a quiet, cheerful contented frame of ſpirit under this affliction, of the loſs of your Eſtates, which may be uſeful under other afflictions which the Lord doth at preſent, or may hereafter trie you withal.