' 'The longer mercy is a-coming, the greater, the sweeter, and the belter usually it is when it comes. Many a child hath got a Benjamin's portion, a Hannah's portion, a
S66 HEAVEN ON EARTH. [ROM. VIII. 32-34.
never changed nor neglected his work. Though God should change thy wages, thy comforts into discomforts, thy spring into an autumn, &c., yet thou must never change nor neglect thy work, which is obey- ing, believing, and waiting, till God, in his ordinances, shall lift up the light of his countenance upon thee, and turn thy night into day, and thy mourning into rejoicing. God is the same, and the commands of the gospel are the same, and therefore thy work is the same, whether it be night or day with thy soul, whether thou art under frowns or smiles, in the arms or at the feet of God.
(3.) The tJdrd caution is this. Many of the precious sons and daughters of Slon have had and may have so much comfoH and sweetness, so much life and heat, so much reviving and quickeniTig^ 80 m,uch marrow and fatness in this ordinance, as may clearly evidence the special presence of God with their spirits, and as they ■would not exchange for all the world, and yet would give a world, were it in their power, for those strong comforts and full assurance, that others enjoy in this ordinance. In this ordinance, Christ looks upon one and kisses another ; he gives a nod to one, and his hand to another. Some in this ordinance shall have but sips of mercy, others shall have large draughts of mercy ; some in this ordinance shall see but the back-parts of Christ, others shall see him face to face. Lam. i. 16 ; to one he gives silver, to another he gives gold ; to one he gives but a glass of consolation, to another he gives flagons of consolation. Cant. ii. 5; some shall have but drops, others shall swim in the ocean; some shall have a large harvest, others shall have but a few gleanings, and yet they, if rightly valued, are more worth than a world.^ The Sun of righteousness is a free agent, and he will work and shine forth as he pleases, and on whom he pleases ; and who art thou that darest say to Christ, Why doest thou so ?* Ah ! Christians, you may not, you must not say, We have not met with Christ in the sacrament, because we have not met with joy and assurance in the sacrament ; for you may enjoy very much of Christ in that ordinance, and yet not so much as may boil up to full assurance, and make you go away singing, 'My beloved is mine, and I am his,' Cant. ii. 16. We may enjoy the warmth and heat of the sun, when we cannot see the sun ; so souls may enjoy much of Christ, by holy influences, in the sacrament, when they cannot see Christ in the sacrament.
VI. Sixthly, Times of personal afflictions are times wherein the Lord is graciously pleased to vouchsafe to his people sweet manifesta- tions of his love and favour. When his hand is heavy on them, then he lifts up the light of his countenance upon them : Ps. Ixxi. 20, 21, ' Thou which hast shewed me great and sore troubles, shall quicken me again ; and shalt bring me up again from the depths of the earth. Thou shalt increase my greatness, and comfort me on every side.' So Ps. xciv. 19, 'In the multitude of my careful troubled thoughts, thy
double portion, by waiting ; so hatb many a saint got a worthy portion, a double portion of comfort and assurance by waiting. Urgo, wait patiently, and work heartily.
1 King Cyrus gave a kiss to Chrysantes, and a golden cup to Artabnzus. [Chrysan- taa, not Chrysfnifes, stood very high in the favour of Cyrus: Cyropsedeia throughout. Artabazus. Cf. Cyrop, i. 4, sec 27 ; iv. 1, sec. 23, &c., &c.— G.]
* The least star gives light, the least drop moistens, the least pearl sparkles, and the least dram of special grace saves.
Rom. VIII. 32-34-.] heaven on earth. 367
comforts delight my soul.'' Ah, Christians ! hath not God by all afflic- tions lifted up your souls nearer heaven, as Noah's ark was lifted up nearer and nearer heaven by the rising of the waters higher and higher ? The ball in the emblem says Percussa surgo, the harder you beat me down in afflictions, the higher I shall bound in affection towards heaven and heavenly things ; so afflictions do but elevate and raise a saint's affections to heaven and heavenly things.
When Munster lay sick, and his friends asked him how he did and how he felt himself, he pointed to his sores and ulcers, whereof he was full, and said, 'These are God's gems and jewels, wherewith he decketh his best friends ; and to me they are more precious than all the gold and silver in the world.'
Ajfflictiones benedictiones, afflictions are blessings. God's corrections are our instructions, his lashes our lessons, his scourges our school- masters, his chastisements our advertisements.* And to note this, the Hebrews and Greeks both do express chastening and teaching by one and the same word (">D1D <:ra/diia, Tuusar, paideia), because the latter is the true end of the former. Ah, you afflicted sons and daughters of Zion, have you not had such sweet discoveries of God, such sensible demonstrations of his love, such bowels of affections working in him towards you ? Have you not had such gracious visits, and such glorious visions, that you would not exchange for all the world ? Yes. Have you not had the precious presence of God with you, quieting and stilling your souls, supporting and upholding your souls, cheering and refreshing your souls ? Yes. And have you not had the Lord applying precious promises, and suitable remedies, to all your maladies ? Have you not found God a-bringing in unexpected mercy in the day of your adversity, suitable to that promise, Hosea ii. 14, ' I will allure her, and bring her into the wilderness, and speak comfortably to her' (or, I will speak earnestly to her heart, as the Hebrew reads it') ? Yes. Have you not found that God hath so sweetened and sanctified afflictions to you, as to make them a means to discover many sins that lay hid, and to purge you from many sins that cleaved close unto you, and to prevent you from falling into many sins that would have been the breaking of your bones, and the loss of your comfort? Yes.* Have you not found that you have been like the walnut tree, the better for beating; and like the vine, the better for bleeding ; and like the ingenuous child, the better for whip- ping ? Yes.* Have you not found afflictions to revive, quicken, and recover your decayed graces ? Have they not inflamed that love that hath been cold, and put life into that faith that hath been dying, and quickened those hopes that have been withering, and put spirit into
1 ^syiJJ', my cogitations, i.e. my careful, troubled thoughts, perplexed as the branches of a tree by a strong wind. It comes from 5]">yD, a branch, by interposing ^.