Eighteen Sermons, Sermon 7
SERMON VII.
The Furnace of Affliction.
ISAIAH xlviii. ver. 10.
I have choſen thee in the furnace of affliction.
GRACIOUS words indeed! words worthy of a God! who has promiſed that he will not always chaſtiſe, that he will not keep his anger for ever; but, on the contrary, will take care in the midſt of judgment to remember mercy; and if he ſtrikes with one hand, will uphold with the other.
I hope I need not tell you, my dear hearers, that theſe words were ſpoken to comfort the captives in Babylon, who, for their various ſins and great backſlidings, conſtrained the God of love, the God of mercy, their covenant God, to ſend them captives into a foreign ſoil; upon this their enemies take occaſion to inſult them, where are now your ſongs? ſay they, give us one of your temple ſongs, with which you uſed to pour out your allelujahs; let us ſee now whether you can praiſe him in a ſtrange land. The enemy of ſouls joining inwardly with them without, makes ſome that can ſing, even afraid that God hath forgotten to be gracious, that he hath ſhut up his loving kindneſs in diſpleaſure, that the darkneſs in which they were now involved would not be a temporary, but a perpetual one; and notwithſtanding the prophets were ſent in mercy of God to comfort them in their trouble, yet many of them were tempted to ſay, all men, yea the prophets, were liars: it is very well if they ſtopped there, and did not ſay, God is a liar too. The enemy being thus ſuffered to break in upon them like a flood, it was high time for the bleſſed God to lift up a ſtandard againſt him; and therefore the great Redeemer, the angel of the everlaſting covenant, lets them know that he would ſome time or other, nay very ſpeedily, appear to relieve his afflicted people: he aſſures them, that however for a while he might ſuffer them to be tried, he would cauſe a ſpeedy deliverance, that ſhould make them look upon him as their God; and this not for any merit found in this people, not for any good foreſeen, but he ſays, for my own name's ſake; that the heathen might not ſay God had utterly forſaken them, he will appear for their relief, and make them more than conquerors through him that loved them; that however dark the ſeaſon of affliction might be, yet he would let his own people know that all that happened, happened out of love; that it was ſo far from being true, that they were really caſt off from God, that, on the contrary, he intended to over-rule theſe troubles, both foreign and domeſtic, to bring them nearer to, and at laſt to lodge them ſafe in the world above; well therefore for their comfort might it be uſhered in thus, for my name's ſake will I defer my anger, and for my praiſe will I refrain for thee, that I cut thee not off. And to fix their attention and gratitude, 'tis added, behold I have refined thee, but not with ſilver; for this is ſo far from being contrary to the everlaſting decree, or purpoſe, hid in my boſom, that, on the contrary, it is the fulfilling it; for, ſaith God in the words of our text, I have choſen thee in the furnace of affliction.
Though the words are ſpoken in the ſingular number, yet they are of a complex and large import; the great God not only ſpeaks to them as a people collectively conſidered, but particularizes them in this manner; not I have choſen you, but I have choſen thee; for the word of God itſelf will never, never, never do us good, if it is not applied by the bleſſed Spirit of God to you and I. The wiſdom and kindneſs of the Holy Ghoſt deſerves our notice; had the prophet gone on and ſaid, I have choſen you, unbelief might have ſaid, ah, this propheſy belongs only to the people of Iſrael, the words were addreſſed to thoſe who were under the Jewiſh diſpenſation, what have I to do with them? or unbelief would perſuade us to ſay ſo of ſuch a general promiſe as this; but when it is ſaid I have choſen thee, and we know that no ſcripture is of private interpretation, but, like its bleſſed author, is the ſame yeſterday, to-day, and forever, there is no loophole, as it were, for unbelief to creep out at; but every believer may, in all ages, in the words of the text, ſay to himſelf, God has choſen me in the furnace of affliction. Perhaps, there is not a more comfortable paſſage in the whole book of God; I do not know of one that has a greater tendency to ſilence a complaining child of God, or to make a poor ſuffering believer happy, and to reſt under the promiſe, to kiſs the rod of God that ſtrikes the blow.
Where ſhall I begin, where ſhall I end? the very firſt words open ſuch a field, that eternity itſelf will be but juſt long enough for us to take a view of it; the time is come that even ſome good people that have the grace of God in their hearts, have ſuch muddy heads as to kick at the doctrine of election, and look upon it as having a tendency to make us bad in our heads, or Antinomians in our hearts: but if we have eyes to ſee, and ears to hear, and if our hearts are really informed by the Spirit; if we have been anointed with his eye-ſalve, O then electing, ſovereign, diſtinguiſhing love flows in ſuch a ſcene, ſuch a tranſporting ſcene, as will make a believer's heart leap for joy. For my own part I know no other doctrine that can truly humble the man; for either God muſt chuſe us, or we muſt chuſe God; either God muſt be the firſt mover, or man muſt be the firſt mover; either God muſt chuſe them on account of ſome goodneſs, on account of ſome purity, or acts of piety, or God muſt chuſe them merely of his grace, for his own name's ſake, and to let us know that we have not choſen him, but he has choſen us. I verily believe, that the grand reaſon why ſuch doctrine is ſo ſpurned at, and hated by carnal people, is, that it ſtrikes at the very root of human pride, cuts the ſinews of free-will all to pieces, and brings the poor ſinner to lie down at the foot of ſovereign grace; and, let his attainments in the ſchool of Chriſt be ever ſo great, it conſtrains him to cry out, Lord, why me! why me! Our Maſter, and I think we ſhould not attempt to be wiſer than our Maſter was, ſpeaks particularly of and to his own ſchool, his little college of apoſtles: Thine they were and thou gaveſt them me; I have choſen you, but ye have not choſen me.—Becauſe I have choſen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. Before they were fully enlightened, though they were afterwards brought more to the light, two of them at firſt ſaid, we have found the Meſſiah; yet when they were ſunk deeper in the knowledge of themſelves, they changed their note, and ſaid, the Meſſiah has found us. Obſerve the manner of the Redeemer's addreſſing our firſt parent, when their guilt had cauſed them to hide themſelves, Adam where art thou? Pray who called firſt, did Adam call after Chriſt, or did Chriſt call after him; or do you think there is any difference between us and Adam, or that we have got better hearts than Adam had; do you think we are wiſer and better now? Adam run away from God and ſo ſhould we to this very day, unleſs Jeſus Chriſt had called us to himſelf.
Some perſons, perhaps, may ſay, Well, I like your doctrine very well; God chuſes us, you ſay, when we have no regard to any good works at all, therefore I will go on ſinning, becauſe the fitter I ſhall be for God's grace; and the fitter thou mayſt be for hell. Grace does not deſtroy the uſe of the law: an honeſt heart will draw that inference from it, as a good woman once did when the devil told her, that either God had choſen her and ſhe ſhould be ſaved, or if ſhe was rejected ſhe ſhould be damned, ſo, ſaid he, you need not ſtrive; ſhe anſwered, if there were but two to be ſaved, I would ſtrive to be one of them: God help us to draw that inference.
Now this word choſen, refers us to God's eternal election; it comprehends, and is the ſource of all that God has done for believers, for every individual believer in particular when Jeſus bowed his head and gave up the ghoſt. Hence the apoſtle, in the eighth of the Romans, mentioning this doctrine in the cleareſt manner, triumphs over the accuſer by aſking, Who ſhall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? and in the ſame chapter declares, that it is God that glorifies: for though glorification is the laſt thing done to us, yet it is the firſt thing God deſigns for us. What is the great thing for a natural man to hear? what is it? why, not only that God has choſen us, but choſen us in the furnace of affliction: O that the Spirit of God may vouchſafe to tranſcribe theſe words into our hearts! God help thee to take it to thyſelf, O man; to take it to thyſelf, O woman; to take it to thyſelf whoever thou art that art either a chriſtian now, or deſires or hopes to be a chriſtian before thou dieſt, I have choſen thee in the furnace of affliction.
What can be the meaning of the words? why, 'tis very plain that the import of them muſt be this; I have choſen thee, and it is my determination from everlaſting to the end of time, and for ever. I have choſen thee with this determination, that the way to heaven ſhould be through the road of affliction: this is the believer's way, eſpecially the miniſters of Chriſt. When Paul was converted, pray what preferment did God promiſe him? was it to be a great dignitary in the church? no, nothing about the church? was it any more eaſe, was it to wear a triple crown, were perſons to come and kiſs his toe, what preferment did God chuſe him to? what? ſays God, I will ſhow him what great things he muſt ſuffer for my name's ſake. I verily believe, that if we were to have no other preferment than this of Paul, there is not one in a thouſand of the miniſters that would aſk for a living, if they knew they were to have ſuch poor wages as Paul had. Miniſters that hold the ſtandard up, muſt expect the enemy will fire on them from every quarter; and if they happen to be inſtrumental in comforting others, with the ſame comforts where with they themſelves are comforted of God, they muſt expect to bear their part, not only for their own purification, but for the benefit of thoſe to whom they miniſter; and I believe audiences find that miniſters miniſter beſt, and the bread comes beſt, when it comes out of the furnace of a miniſter's affliction.
The word affliction is of a very complex kind; it is like the word tribulation, which comes from the latin tribulus, ſignifying a pricking thorn, a ſcratching briar, or wounding ſpikes concealed in the way; and the word affliction ariſes from a word that ſignifies ſomething that beats down, preſſes ſore, and is very grievous and tormenting; it is a word of ſo general import, that it takes in all the trouble we meet with from men, all the wounds we receive from enemies, as well as in the houſe of our friends; it takes in all our domeſtic trials, all our inward ſtruggles and dreadful temptations occaſioned by the fiery darts of a watchful devil; and if I am not miſtaken, when the great God ſaid, I have choſen thee in the furnace of affliction, it implies, that this is really to continue with us even to the very end of our days: this is what young converts, in the time of their firſt love, do not ſee; that is, do not wholly ſee it; for if young chriſtians were to know all they have to ſuffer, it would dreadfully diſcourage them. God ſays, his people ſhall not do ſo and ſo, becauſe at their firſt ſetting out they would be diſheartned, and think of going back. It is our happineſs God lets us know our trials but very little before-hand, very little notice of them have we before the time, and then, perhaps, gives us but little reſpite; but O when one trial is gone, God does with us as maſters do with their ſcholars, turns over a new leaf with us; and when one trial is over, teaches us another; hence our trials are not only new, but conſtant; hence many a believer is apt to ſay, My trials riſe out of the ground; and many believers are ſaying, who would have thought ſuch a trial would have befallen me at ſuch a time, from ſuch a hand? this may, perhaps, open to us a gloomy ſcene; it would be gloomy indeed, if we were not living in a ſtate of preparation; it would be gloomy indeed, if God was to afflict without a cauſe; but there is ſo much corruption, ſuch remainders of indwelling ſin, even in God's own children that are to ſtand neareſt to him in glory, that are the deareſt to him, and who are to be bleſſed with being in his boſom, that if God was not to ſend them afflictions, there is not a child of God but would overſet even with the comforts God vouchſafes to them. We find it ſo with our bodies, that if we live without exerciſe we are liable to have a variety of diſeaſes, we therefore ſubmit to various ways and means that a phyſician can preſcribe; and if the diſorders to which we are expoſed in our bodies, make us willing to ſubmit to a regimen preſcribed by a ſkilful phyſician, does it not follow by a parity of reaſoning, that we for our ſouls want ſometimes lenitives, and corroſives, and ſomething like a cauſtic to eat off the proud fleſh that cleaves to us? and it vindicates God's ways to man, that there is an hereafter appointed for us, that there is another world, to which, perhaps, we ſhall be called to go before the morning, where the inhabitants ſhall no more ſay, I am ſick. Believers know this, and if they cannot keep a ledger book, if they cannot poſt a merchant's book, they may learn ſo much of divine arithmetic, as to know that the light afflictions which are but for a moment, work for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. The way to heaven, good biſhop Beveridge ſays, is narrow, but it is not long; the gates are ſtrait, but open to everlaſting life; and therefore God has choſen us in the furnace of affliction, becauſe if we were not afflicted, we ſhould never know what we were made of. Mr. Bohem, who was chaplain to the prince of Denmark, that was married to queen Anne, in one of his excellent ſermons upon affliction, has this obſervation, "Afflictions and temptations are like ſun-beams falling upon a dunghill; they do not bring vapours into the dunghill, but they exhale the vapours." So afflictions do not bring the corruptions into us; we blame ſuch and ſuch a one for ſtirring up ſuch and ſuch corruptions in us, but theſe tend to draw out the vapours, and prepare us for the more laſting ſunſhine of a ſmiling God. God does not intend to deſtroy thee, but to refine thee, and to humble thee by it. The devil wants to ſift thee as wheat; he thinks to let the grain go through the ſieve, but Chriſt will only let the chaff fall through, and the ſooner that is gone the better: ſo it is no ways derogatory to the honor of Chriſt, but agreeable to the ſtate in which we are, agreeable to the ſtate and the preparations to be made for eternity, agreeable to the militant diſpoſition that our graces muſt retain. Hence our Lord was content to be called God's ſervant, Behold my ſervant whom I have choſen, mine elect in whom my ſoul delighteth.—Though he was a ſon, he learned obedience by the things that he ſuffered; he was made perfect by his ſufferings. We cannot avoid trouble as men, as chriſtians we ſhould not attempt it: man is born to trouble as the ſparks fly upwards: and chriſtians, eſpecially the man new-born. If theſe things were done to the green tree, what ſhall be done to the dry? The croſs is the highroad to heaven, and ſo the king's highway: you know there is always a bar upon the king's road, the king has a particular road for himſelf; but the King of kings will make all bars to be removed, and then his people go the ſame road he himſelf went: this was the road of all the children of God; there is not an heir of God in heaven, but is now thanking God for his ſufferings here below; there is not a child of God ever received into glory, but, I believe, as ſoon as he comes there, is made to know why he met with ſuch a trial, and from ſuch a quarter; why he was under ſuch a rod, why under it ſo long; why it was ſhifted, why it was changed, why the whip ſometimes was turned to a ſcorpion, and the furnace heated ſeven times hotter; then the believer ſees the need of it: in heaven, it makes him wonder he was not afflicted ſeven times more on earth. I remember Virgil makes his hero in the AEneid to ſay, 'twould all end well. *Dabit Deus his quoque finem. Forſan et haec olim meminiſſe juvabit, Per varios caſus, per tot diſcrimina rerum, Tendimus in Latium.He comforts himſelf with this conſideration under his trouble, that the diſcharge from it would be the better; and if a child of God would think of that, hereafter he will look with pleaſure on what he ſuffered here; much more a chriſtian enriched with the grace of God, will be willing to die when he conſiders he is hereafter to ſit in Abraham's boſom, and God ſays to him, Remember thou in thy life-time received thy evil things. O my brethren, a fine ſchool is the ſchool of Chriſt! I never knew any one of my acquaintance that were believers, and I have been acquainted with ſome theſe twentyeight years laſt paſt, but what flouriſhed moſt under the afflicting hand of God. I believe if the devil had his will, he would bid too high for every believer; he does not love money; a covetous man is worſe than the devil, he loves that which the devil ſquanders away; but ſay they, we think we ſhould be very good if we had a coach and ſix; ſo when they have it, they think they are too good to go to that chapel or foundery; it was a good place when we walked a-foot, but now we have a coach we will drive by. Happy is it for us that we are choſen in the furnace of affliction; that is a glorious petition in our litany, That in all time of our tribulation, good Lord deliver us! You may very well excuſe me for preaching from ſuch a text as this, becauſe I have been in the furnace, and I find it is very ſweet; it is very ſweet walking in a burning fiery furnace when the Son of God leads by the arm. In the account we have of the three children being in the fiery furnace, the king could ſay, I ſee one walking with them: what an emblem of the children of God! O, ſay you, does the Son of God walk with you in the furnace? I anſwer, yes; make the worſt of it, tell them the enthuſiaſt, the babler ſays, God walks with his people in the furnace; he walks with all that walk with him, and never walks cloſer with them than when they are in the furnace. Daniel is generally painted young, but he was four-ſcore years old when he was thrown in among the lions, there he ſits as ſweet and eaſy, and no lion dare to touch one of his grey hairs. Nothing proves the truth of grace, and ſhows the love of God more, and you may be aſſured of it as you are of being in this place alive, that ſanctified afflictions are the greateſt evidence God can give you of his love; ſo that if we are choſen in the furnace of affliction, we are to expect it; and is it not a great ſhame for us, that the heathens out-do us? when one came and told one of the heathens that his ſon, a … ſon, was dead, he ſaid, "I know that I begot him mortal." So Job ſaid, The Lord hath given, and the Lord hath taken away. O that God may bleſs this poor preaching to the raiſing up ſome drooping ſoul. Underneath thee, O believer, O ſufferer, are God's everlaſting arms; therefore the beloved of the Lord ſhall dwell in ſafety, becauſe they dwell near him, and he that toucheth them, toucheth the apple of God's eye.
This may teach us, when one trouble is over to expect another; none of your requiems here. Abraham, I believe, thought when he had got his Iſaac, he was to be tried no more; but after theſe things God did tempt Abraham. We know not what trials we are to have, but remember they are marks of our adoption: not that all afflictions do prove us children of God, becauſe there are ſome afflictions that are not ſanctified: God give us all to have ſanctified afflictions!
If this is the caſe, let young believers know what they are to meet with; God forgive thoſe, and viſible churches are too much peſtered with them, that daub with untempered mortar: formerly, when the church was under perſecution, they would forſake father, mother, and all; but now, bleſſed be God, we are for becoming Chriſtians; we live in London, we live where the church is ſmiled upon, we may live where we are at eaſe.—My dear hearers, do you think that all the Londoners are converted? do you think they all bring forth the fruits of the Spirit; or have you heard that the devil is converted? can any body prove to me that the devil is not the ſame; can you prove that God is not the ſame; can you prove that the world is not the ſame, that the human heart is not ſame? if you can prove that neither of theſe are what they were when Chriſt came into the world, I will give up the point; but if they are the ſame, we muſt expect the ſame trials our forefathers met with, if ever we hope to meet with them in glory; God forbid I ſhould glory, ſave in the croſs of Jeſus Chriſt. Therefore, if any of us have a mind to ſet out for heaven, expect trouble. Indeed, if we have enliſted under the devil's banner, he ſhows you the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them. When Peter ſaid to our Lord, concerning his ſufferings, far be that from thee; after having ſhown his diſpleaſure at it, as a ſuggeſtion of ſatan's, he ſays to all his diſciples, If any man will come after me, let him take up his croſs and follow me. And I remember Mr. Law, who was a great man, notwithſtanding ſome great blunders and miſtakes, told me thirty-two years ago, all principles, all doctrines, are comprehended in theſe few words, If any man will come after me, let him deny himſelf and take up his croſs and follow me. And if you do not chuſe the furnace of affliction, if you are too nice to enter in, you forſake the Lord, and are only preparing to be company for the damned in hell. This was the caſe with Dives; Son, thou in thy life time received thy good things; and for a man that fares ſumptuous every day; for a man that is clothed in fine linen, to be tormented by the devil; to ſee God, Chriſt, heaven, with all he had, loſt; and the torments muſt never ceaſe. One moments thought of this is very awful! God grant this may not be the lot of any of us! Come, my dear hearers, may God of his infinite mercy grant this night, that ſome poor ſoul may be reſcued from the devil, and enliſt under Chriſt's banner! I have bore the croſs thirty-four years; I never wore it long, but I found to my great comfort it was lined with the love of God. My yoke is eaſy, my burden is light, ſaith our bleſſed Lord. Suffering grace is given for ſuffering times; the reaſon we have not more comfort is, becauſe we have not more croſſes: happy they that ſay in this viſitation, my Jeſus, my Lord, I give up all for thee; my life, and all things, I caſt behind.
A heart that no deſire will move,
But ſtill to adore, obey, and love,
Give me, my Lord, my life, my all.
I wiſh you joy that run this courſe don't be weary of it, don't think hard of God, don't ſay, never was any body tried as I am, never was any body tempted as I am, for if you was to go and tell your croſs, there are a thouſand in the congregation would, perhaps, ſay, dear I have had that and ten times worſe. One Mr. Buchanan, a Scotchman, who died the other day, having loſt his laſt child, ſaid, "I am now childleſs, but, bleſſed be God, I am not Chriſtleſs. A noble lady told me herſelf, that when ſhe was crying on account of one of her children's death, her little daughter came innocently to her one day and ſaid, "Mama, is God Almighty dead, you cry ſo? the lady bluſhing, ſaid, no; ſhe replied, Madam, will you lend me your glove? ſhe let her take it, and after that aſked for it again; upon which the child ſaid, Now you have taken the glove from me, ſhall I cry becauſe you have taken away your own glove? and ſhall you cry becauſe God has taken away my ſiſter." Out of the mouths of babes has God perfected praiſe, and will for ever. O glorify God in the furnace!
If any of you are ſaying, don't tell me of your afflictions, I will live, I will drink, tomorrow ſhall be as to-day, and ſo much the more. It there be any of you that ſay ſo, take care, take care, God himſelf can't iſſue out a worſe ſentence againſt you than this, Let him …, let him alone; whom the Lord loves he c…aſtens. What a pretty creature would you make … heaven, if you was to go there, without one of Chriſt's croſſes on your back, you would be turned out; no there are none ſuch there.
Chriſtians endure the croſs; happy ye that are tried, and happy they that are gone to glory. Where is Mr. Middleton now? where is my dear fellow-labourer, that honeſt, that ſteady man of God? Oh! he was thanking. God for the gout in his head, in his feet, in his ſtomach, all decays; thanking God for that laſt trouble that cut the thread of life, and gave the ſoul a paſſage for heaven; if, in the midſt of that torture, he could anſwer his daughter and ſay, heaven upon earth, heaven upon earth, and went to heaven but a little after; now ſurely he muſt ſay, heaven in heaven; muſt he not now he ſees God, and ſees Chriſt? and by his comfort, though in ſuch great pain, it ſhows that God was kiſſing away his ſoul, he died at the very mouth of God. O may the bleſſed God bleſs his parents and children that are here to-night; I believe you may be glad that God has choſen him in the furnace of affliction. I am glad to hear that ſo many are deſirous that ſomething may be done for his family, and Mr.—, and Mr.—, and Mr.—, are willing to take in the ſubſcriptions that any may be inclined to ſend them. May God bleſs the family, and grant that his children may not diſgrace the memory of their father; that they may live as followers of his faith, who is now gone to inherit the promiſes of God. You know not how your children may be left by you … there is not one of you here but may be called that have children, to ſay, by and by my children muſt be left to the goodneſs of God; and it is a great happineſs to ſee ſo many fatherleſs children provided for of late: there was never a time when perſons were more beneficent to the diſtreſſed; let it not be ſaid that believers in London live on bread alone, but may they be continuing to lay up treaſure in heaven! when we plead, not by way of merit, remember me, O Lord, I did ſo and ſo when others were in trouble. Lord Jeſus, I plead thy promiſes, if thou haſt choſen me in the furnace of affliction; O Lord, help me to lay hold on thee: O that this may be your and my lot. I am haſtning to the grave; I am aſtoniſhed that I have again an opportunity to preach the word of God. May God prepare us to follow thoſe that are gone before us, where the wicked ceaſe from troubling, and the weary ſoul enjoys everlaſting reſt with thee, O Father, with thee, O Son, and with the Holy Ghoſt; to whom, three perſons but one God, be all honor and glory, now and for evermore. Amen.