Brcnich 3. If God's own Israel maybe in the house of bondage, then afllictions do not of tliemselves demonstrate a man n)isera])le, indeed sin unrepented of, makes one miser- able ; but the cross doth not. If God hath a design in afllicting his children, to make them hapj)y, then they are not miserable ; but God s afflicting them is to make them lia])py, therefore they are not miserable, Job V. 17., " Happy is the man whom God correcteth." The wtu'ld counts them hap- ])y who can keej) out of affliction ; h\it the scripture calls them happy who are afflicted.
QuES'i'. How are thtt/ happij ?
Ans. 1. Because thev are moreholv, Ileb. xii. 10. — 2. Because they are nu)re in (iod's favour, Prov, ili. 12. Tiie goldsmith loves his gold when in the furnace. — 3. Because, they haA'e more of (lod's sweet ])resenee, Ps. xci. 15. And they cannot he unhaj)py that have (jiod's powerful juesence in suj>- ]torting, his gracious ])resence in sanctifying their aflliction. 4. Because, the nu)re af- fliction they have, the more degrees of glory they shall have ; the lower they have been in the iron furnace, they shall sit u])on the higher throne of glory : the lieavier their crosses, the lieavier shall be their crown.
not always the sign of (iod's anger. Israel, i So then, if afllictions nuike a Christian lia])-
tlie apple of God's eye, a ])eculiar treasure to him above all people, Exod. xix. 5., yet these were in the house of bondage. We
py, they cannot denominate him miserable.
Branch 4. See the merciful pro-\idence of
God to his children : thouyh they niav l>e
aie apt to judge and censure them who are in the house of bondage, and smart by af-
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fliction, yet they shall not he hurt by af- llictioii. What hurt doth the fan to the corti ? only separates the chaff from it. Or, the lance to the hotly ? only lets out the iuip(»sthnine. The house of bondag-e doth that which sometimes ordinances will not do ; it doth humble and reform, Job xxxvi. 8, 10., " If they be lield in cords of afflic- tion, he openeth their ear to discipline, and commandeth that they return from iniqui- ty." O what a merciful providence is this, thoug^h God bruise his people, yet, while he is bruising them, he is doing them good ? As if one should throw a bag of money at another, and a little bruise him, yet it doth enrich him. Affliction enricheth the soul, and yields the sweet fruits of righteousness, Heb. xii. 11.
Branch 5. If Israel be in the house of bondage, if the Lord deals so with his own children, then, how severely will he deal with the wicked ? If God be so severe with them he loves, how severe will he be with them he hates? If it be done in the green tree, what shall be done in the dry? If they that pray and mourn for sin be so severely dealt with, what will become of them that swear and break the sabbath, and are un- clean ? If Israel be in the iron furnace, the wicked shall lie in the fiery furnace of hell. It should be the saddest news to wicked men, to hear that the peojde of God are afflicted, let them think how dreadful will the case of sinners be, 1 Pet. iv. 17., " Judgment must begin at the house of God; and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gos- pel?" If God thrash his wheat, he will burn the chaff. If the godly suffer castiga- tion, the wicked shall suflFer condemnation. If he mingle his people's cup with worm- wood he will mingle the wicked's cup with fire and brimstone.
Uxe 2(1. If Israel be in tlie house of bon- dage, then, 1.?^, Do not entertain too hard tliouglUs of affliction. Christians are apt to hxtU upon the cross and the iron furnace as friglitfid things, and do what they can to shun them. Nay, sometimes, to avoid affliction, tiiey run themselves into sin. But do not think too hardly of affliction ; do not look upon it as through tlie miilti- pl^-ing-glass of fear ; the house of bondage
is not hell. Consider, first, AVlience dotti affliction come ? even from a wise God, who prescribes Avhatever befalls us. Perse- cutions are but like a[)othecaries. They give us that j)hysic which God prescribes. Se- condly, Affliction hath its light side, as well as its dark. God can sweeten our afflic- tions, candy our wormwood, 2 Cor. i. 5., " As our sufferings abound, so doth also our consolation." Argerius dated his let- ters from the pleasant garden of the Leo- nine prison. God doth sometimes so revive his children in trouble, that they had ra- ther bear their afflictions than want tlieir comforts. Why then should Christians en- tertain such hard thoughts of afflictions ? Do not look at its grim face, but at the message it brings, which is to enrich U8 both Avith grace and comfort.