The Sinners Hope, Sermon · Chapter 12
CAP. XII.
The Obſervation improved to the Godly in reſpect of their afflictions.
THe third and laſt improvement of the point to the Godly is, In reſpect of their affliction. The godly are apt to be diſcouraged and dejected about their outward afflictions. We ſhall make uſe of the doctrine as to them, that are in this eſtate. Doe not ſit down diſcontented about your ſtate whatever it is, there is yet hope in this thing whatever the trouble is, inſtead of concluding it remedyles and letting down your heart about it.
1. Humble your ſelves for the ſin that you think brought this affliction on you. The Lord doth not willingly afflict, he doth not doe it out of his heart (as the marg. nath it) out of his meer pleaſure as the phraſe elſwhere ſignifies,Neh. 6.8. when there is no ground for the thing doth not ſtrike,Heb. 12.9. becauſe he will ſtrike as ſometimes our fathers of the fleſh, ſtrike children in tyranny, in paſſion, when angry with other matters, but he doth not ſtrike us ſo, he doth not uſually do it out of a will, though this were to be humbly ſubmitted unto, but he doth it out of ſome bleſſed deſign upon you, ſearch therefore thy heart for former ſins as the Church did.Lam. 3 40 Jer. 31.19. Ephraim is chaſtiſed and bears the reproach of his youth. And ſo God may bring thy youthfull ſin to thy remembrance, or ſome other miſcarriage, and it is rather thy duty to ſearch for this, then to deſpair about thy affliction.
2. Labour to part with any ſin your affliction diſcovereth. If it be not the ſin, yet part with that which comes next to hand, make clean work as you go, this is worth the finding, and this is the way to find out the reſt: God may ſtrike thee to have thee leave this ſin, though thou thinkeſt it is not the ſin the Lord ſtrikes at in thee.Iſa 27.9. This is the fruit unto Jacob to purge away all ſin, part with all you can find; and then you may be ſure you ſhal part with the right one. If God ſtrike at one, he intends thou ſhouldſt leave all thou findeſt. If the chiefe be not yet light on, deale with theſe thou meeteſt, to be doing with.
3. Do the dutyes your affliction requires at your hands. You are willing it may be to think ſuch a buſineſſe helpleſs, becauſe you have no mind to be at the coſt of uſing the meanes for it; Concludeſt ſuch a friend incurable becauſe thou haſt a mind to give over praying for him, and dealing with him: the Church crys there is no hope, becauſe ſhe had another way to go, had other buſineſſe ſhe minded more then deliverance this way. Thou letteſt this thing lye deſperately becauſe thou haſt no mind to be importunate in prayer, unwearied in thy endeavours about it, unleſſe it would come with eaſe, it will not come at all, as if nothing that is difficult were poſſible. Come let this deſpair of thine ſave thee no labour take paines about this thing, cry mightily to God in it, leave it not off, unleſſe the Lord hath ſaid to thee ſay, no more to me of this mater, many would have matters with eaſe and it will not be.
4. Thou art not alone in thy trouble, There is no temptation hath taken you but that which is common. Many of the pretious ſervants of God have had their ſore afflictions and all Gods ſervants ſtill aile ſomething this way. If you be without chaſtiſement whereof all are partakers, then are ye Baſtards and not Sons, would you be priviledged as none of Gods children are! Alas there are none but have their exerciſe, ſome one way and ſome another, every one muſt have ſomewhat to ballaſt an heart of vanity with, whileſt he ſailes through this world. The parable of the hares being hunted on every hand and in continuall feares, in diſcontent they would goe together and drowne themſelves; but as they went to the bridge of the river the frogs at all adventure leap into the water before them, whereupon they tooke courage that they were not the moſt miſerable creatures in the world, in that ſome were more affrighted then they. And ſo no doubt ſome are determinately miſerable in the very caſes, wherein you a little ſuſpect your condition.
Doe not conclude any one child without affliction. For many one may have ſecret afflictions which they ſpeak not of, nay afflictions about ſuch ſecret things as is not fit for them to ſpeak of, thou knoweſt not what ſorrow they ſup in ſilence, what they ſuffer, and commit to God only, no friend hath the knowledge of it. And ſo this way thoſe thou thinkeſt to be moſt free, may have a greater burther then thine is, becauſe they have no eaſe by complaining as thou haſt. Do not ſay any one is free, unleſſe you hear any one complain for want of affliction. Theſe are rare but if ſuch a one ſhould be, I would ſay to him, it is time enough yet. There is room for many afflictions to ſtand, betweene this and his latter end, and therefore this need not trouble, he may meet with his childes part time enough yet.Directions for peace. p. Mr. Baxter hath communicated to us an experience concerning himſelf this way. That he was ſufficiently helped againſt ſuch a temptation. But conclude thou art not alone in thy trouble. Socrates uſed to ſay, if all mens loades were laid in a common heap, each man would take up his own again.Plutarch. Pittacus when he had invited many ſtrangers to dinner and his ſhrewd wife came among them, and overthrew the diſhes: he ſaid, no man is without his croſſe, were it not for this one thing I were the happyeſt man.Jer. 10.19. This is a grief and I muſt bear it. Every one hath ſome, and this is mine. It is but one bundle and I muſt make it part of my work to carry it as ſtrongly and patiently as I can, ſome men are of ſingular uſe whoſe chiefe work is to carry burthens.
5. Thou haſt cauſe to bleſſe God that it is neither carnall proſperity, nor carnall adverſity, the former would not have been ſo good as affliction, the latter much worſe. As long as thou art in the ſtate of a Child no matter what thy condition is. If thou hadſt the world at pleaſure, and wantedſt grace what would it avayle thee, and if thou beeſt in adverſity, and yet art not wicked, withall, it is ſome eaſe to thee. There are many that are godly may be in proſperity, and ſo there are many wicked men that are afflictted and wicked too, and therefore herein thy condition is better, thou beareſt fruit in this affliction of holyneſs which is better then proſperity, like the flower in china that in Winter looſes its leaves yet hath another flower though not ſo beautifull, yet ſweeter then the ſummer flower was. So though not ſo fair in the outſide yet thy winter fruit may be more ſavory, but thou beareſt fruit all along.
6.Pſa. 116.6. & 25.17. Many of Gods children have been brought out of their afflictions. David was brought low and the Lord helped him. The troubles of my heart are inlarged, O bring thou me out of my diſtreſſes. The Pſalmiſt when his troubles increaſed upon him, yet the Lord could free him out of them all. Many of Gods children have been brought off in harder caſes then theſe are. Cum duplicantur lateres tunc venit Moſes. The Hebrews have a proverb, When the Bricks are doubled then Moſes comes, when things are at the worſt, they may then begin to mend; God hath uſed to help his Servants in the very time of their extremity, and ſo he may helpe thee.
7. As much as thou art troubled the Lord could cure thee at an Ordinance. And that either 1. By diverſion, to ſet thy heart on theſe great things before thee here. One great thing in affliction is we ſet our heart on it, pore upon it are alwaies about it and this increaſes it much, but now at an Ordinance thou mayſt have thy mind taken up with ſome greater thing, that this pane ſhall be ſwallowed up in it.
2. By ſhewing thee the example of the affliction and patience of the Saints, Rom. 15.4.
3. Or by caſting in ſome better comforts. The Lord can ſoone give you much more then this, One glimpſe of his face, like wine to the man with an heavy heart, would make you forget your ſorrows, Prov. 31.7and remember your miſeries no more. This might make us think our afflictions to be leſſe, and Ordinances to have more in them then ordinarily we think at. But the Lord can ſet thee free in a great meaſure here.
8. There is help for thee in thy God. David never feared till the Enemy began to ſay there was no help for him in his God. Pſa. 3.2.But the child of God hath this ſure enough. The Lord can, and the Lord will help.
1. The Lord can. And 1. The Lord can help in kind there is nothing can hinder his almighty power when meanes are moſt unlikely he is not at all reſtrained hereby, when there is neither wind nor water the Lord can ſend rain. Their ſtrength is to ſit ſtill; 2 K…: 3.17 1 Chro. 20.17. Pſa. 112.4.when they can do nothing, let them ſit ſtill, and God may then ſhew his power for them. To the upright there ſhall ariſe light in darkneſs when it is leaſt looked for, the Lord can for his own children make light appear. The thing is not out of Gods reach nor paſt his power to be effected whatever it is.
2. He can do it in equivalency, he can help you againſt it, and he can help you with it. It is poſſible for thee to make a ſhift to live though this affliction ſhould tarry The Lord can turn it into good for thee.2 Cor. 12.9 If this meſſenger depart not my grace is ſufficient for thee. God can make a change in thy mind as well as thy condition, and all may yet be well with thee.Pſa. 3.1. David might well ſay, Lord how are my foes increaſed! when his Son for lack of worſe enemies muſt riſe againſt him, for the Pſalm was penned when he fled from Abſolom. This ſure was a grievous affliction, many of you think if your children are not dutifull, if they deny you the comfort you look for from them, it is a ſore tryall, but if they be rebellious and ſeeke to do evill to you, you would count this grievous indeed. The affliction of a childs ſin, the parent knows not of any thing how to take, yet David, the Lord had dealt with him, that he could take a nights reſt in the midſt of this trouble, The Lord ſuſtained him and he would lay him down to ſleepe for all this.Pſa. 3 5 The Lord can come in, and ſtay the heart under the ſoreſt troubles. To read Pſa. 89. ult. How the Pſalmiſt complaines all along of their afflictions and miſeries, and yet concludes with, Bleſſed be God for evermore Amen, and Amen. Sure the Pſalmiſt ſaw ſome what elſe then afflictions, that could make him conclude theſe complaints with thanks-giving.Cleark in the life of Mr. Dod. But take notice of it, this the Lord can do, he can ſatisfie thee with it whatever it is. It is reported of Mr. Dod, that when ſome very ſad newes was brought him, That fetcht Tears out of his eys, he ſaid notwithſtanding he would go bleſs God for this affliction, for the good he believed it would doe him, though at preſent he did not ſee it. God can ſo deal with thy heart for thy eaſe under afflictions, as Antipater that was blind, and one pittyed him, he ſaid, could there be no delight in the night? and another that was working when his gangred leg was cutting off,Neirenber…. de ante volunt. That one ſaid Tam aberat a dolore quam ab otic. As if indeed much of our troubles aroſe from our ſetting our whole mind on ſuch paſſages. As he that ſaid his paines were great even to ſhouting, but although I feele them in the greateſt extremity, yet I yeild not my ſelf to them but unto God. If God thus take the heart of thy ſorrow it is as much as to take thy ſorrow off thee, as one ſays, The fire may be put out as well by withdrawing fuell as caſting on water. This God can do in thy caſe of affliction. Thus God can help.
2. God will, He is gracious and mercifull though thou haſt ſinned thy ſelf into affliction, yet he will remember thee in the multitude of his tender mercies. Though we have ſinned againſt thee, âer. 4….6 Pſa. 86.5.14.15.16. & 106.43.44.45.46. Pſa. 69.32yet do thou it for thy own names ſake. He deſpiſeth not his Priſoners. We uſually when men get low in the world are apt to vilify them and deſpiſe them. If a man get poore, this of all afflictions is uſually looked on as a fault, and men are apt to look ſtrangely at ſuch perſons. If a ſin be viſible they may have repented of it, and we ſhould hope they have, and be glad to be reconciled to them, many a one may have committed the like ſin, yet if not brought down by it we do not deſpiſe them; well God wil not deſpiſe them, though men do, the Lord will look at them though they are in affliction and that for ſin too. Yet he wil have thoughts of pitty towards them, hath he forgiven thee ſins without afflicting! and will he not forgive though he doth afflict! I am poor and needy, Bſa. 40. ul.yet the Lord thinketh upon me. God hath a pitifull heart towards thee whatever thy …dition is. Ephraim ſaw his ſin under his chaſtiſement, and yet even then God looked at Ephraim as a pleaſant child,Jam 1.5. and earneſtly remembred him ſtill. If any man lack wiſdome let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not, and it ſhall be given him. This wiſdome is to be able to ſuffer, to have patience under afflictions. If any man know not how to ſuffer, and carry not as they ſhould do under affliction, let him go to God for wiſdome. I but it may be this affliction comes on me for my ſin, and how can I for ſhame aske the Lord wiſdome to help me to ſuffer for the puniſhment of my ſin. Yea that thou mayeſt, thou may aſke wiſdome of him in this very caſe; For he giveth liberally, and upbraideth not. He will not daſh thee in the teeth with the occaſion, he will not upbraide thee but will give thee the wiſdome thou needeſt, whatever the occaſion of thy need is.
Thou mayſt thus comfort thy ſelf in God.
9. Thy affliction is not great all things conſidered. Alas thou that deſerveſt hell, to complain of a temporall burthen. Mephiboſheth never grieved to part with half the land, when David before had given it him all, when he conſidered he could not have claimed his life nor any thing at the firſt. Alas, ſays he, what ſhould I trouble my Lord the King any more with theſe matters. I conſider not what I would have, but what I could claime, and I am well content, half the land is better then dying. When Baruch was complaining, that he had no larger a portion, God takes him in hand,Jer. 45 5. and ſchools him, and tells him, when God was pulling down, did he ſeek great things for himſelf. Let him not do it, come. ſays he, I muſt take thee down a little, I will offer thee fair, Thou ſhalt have thy life for a prey, in all places whither thou goeſt and that is faire for thee, we are ſo tender and dilicate we complaine and murmure, if every thing be not fine about our homes, but the time may come when we may be thankfull if we can ſave our lives, and not be kept to any certain place neither. Thou mayeſt be removed and be in many places, a ſtranger here and there, but in all places, if thou can eſcape with life it is well for thee, when we complain under preſent burthens, God ſhews us greater, and lets us ſee how little we can claime, and how glad we may be of lower terms before we part. Come this is well for thee whatever it is, Thy very life thou mayeſt be glad of, ere thou dy, and let all thy great things go, men may be high in their demands, but the market may bring them down.
10. Theſe afflictions make work for heaven. Then will Chriſt wipe away all tears. One would not want them when Chriſt ſhall come to wipe them off,Rev. 21.4. ſurely thy glory will be the more for the afflictions thou haſt gone through unto it, and it is enough, that they ſhall end in glory whatever they are. Alas this is but a ſick fit for heaven, it may well be born. One day in etrenity will make amends for all.2. Cor. 4, 17 Theſe light afflictions which are but for a moment work for us a far more exceeding and eternall weight of glory. Maſſy glory, glory that you cannot bear no more then the weak eye can bear the glory of the Sun, under which it doth ſuccumbere, ly down, as the back or body ſhould bow under an intolerable burthen; even ſuch ſhall this glory be, a weight not conceiveable by us. And therefore the thoughts of it ſhould keep us quiet, and much ſatisfied under our preſent afflictions, you may hope under all your afflictions ſince heaven is before you. And till the true Chriſtian ſhall have attained to the end of his hope, to this glory where hope ſhall be ſwallowed up in fruition: Let him make it his ſtudy to cheriſh, and live upon the hopes that God hath left him about his eſtate in the ſeverall changes of it, according to this Doctrine.
The End.
ERRATA.
IN Mr. Angiers Ep: for Shepheards v. Sheapherd. In the Ep:to the Reader p. 4. l. 22 r. abler. p. 5 l 29 potior pars. p. 6. l. 18 dele when.
P. 7. l. 22. r. ſave p. 10 l. 6. r. ſlew. l. 23. r. into p. 62. l. 1. r. letters of credence. l. 9. r. heard, p. 65. l. 9. of. be it known add to you. p. 69. l. 15. admirable. p. 75. l. 9. r moſt. p. 77. l. 5. r muſt after thou. p. 85. l. 4. a parentheſis to begin at (as if theſe words &c. to end in 16 line. after the word but) p. 87. l. 5. r. old and ignorant p. 91. l. 18. r. and you have cauſe p. 93. l. 9. for for faith r. for ſailing. p. 114. l. 11. r. doubteſt p. 138. l. 21. r. thy. p. 139. l. 4. r. bids him pray. In the title of ch. 10. for diſtreſſed. r. diſcuſſed. p. 155. l. 30. r. to turn him. p. 158. l. 27. r. all her afflictions. p. 161. l. 18. r. Lord. p. 175. l. 25. r. in the marg. Lam. 3.33.