glories of the New Jerusalem shine forth with a new and surpassing lustre. The outside of a stained glass window looks dingy and unsightly; it has no beauty or attraction. And so the coloured windows of pain, sickness, bereavement, to those who look at them from without, from the busy street of the world's pursuits and pleasures, may appear gloomy and uninviting. But within, to God's true children, worshipping in that most solemn of temples -the temple of sorrow-where all earthly clamours are hushed, and all hearts are awed into earnestness and devotion, what a grand and radiant sight is disclosed by these windows! The blue sky is concealed, but a golden glory floats around: the sunshine is dim, but dimmed into the radiance of ruby and sapphire, of emerald and topaz; the common familiar sights of earth are obscured, but painted in hues of living light on these windows,-hues that bathe the soul with their splendour,-are the sublime scenes of the life and death of the Redeemer scenes well fitted to hide the world by their overpowering glory. -Macmillan. 3. It strengthens their faith in God. (122.) The Christian through trouble is made more bold and hearty, and concludeth with himself, more than ever he did before, that God hath a special consideration of those that are in trouble, and will graciously help and deliver them. Like as one that hath sailed oft upon the sea, and hath been sore tossed with the fearful waves, is afterwards the more bold to go unto the sea, forasmuch as he hath ever escaped well; even so a Christian man, whom the cross hath oft assaulted and exercised, forasmuch as he hath always found comfort, aid, and help of God, afterward he trusteth God, the longer the more, though the same affliction come again unto him that he had before. David, when he prepared himself to fight against the valiant giant Goliath, said these words: "The Lord, which hath delivered me from a lion and from a bear, shall deliver me also from this Philistine" (1 Sam. xvii). And again, Paul saith: "God hath delivered us from so great a death, and delivereth us daily, and we hope that He will deliver us from henceforth aiso" (2 Cor. i). -Wermullerus, 1551. (123.) Our faith receives much strength in our afflictions, because in them we have experience of God's truth, both in His threatenings, in that for our sins He has inflicted those judgments which in His Word He has denounced, and also in His promises, seeing He performs all that He has undertaken, not only in assisting us in our afflictions, but also in delivering us in due time; in both showing His infinite wisdom, omnipotent power, and all-governing providence, whereby He has disposed of all things to the best. When by experience we find that the Lord has showed us great mercy in crossing our most earnest desires, has brought to us much comfort out of our greatest calamities, turned our fears and dangers into security and joyful triumph, and has made the whole, which in swallowing seemed to devour us, to be a means of our deliverance, then is our faith marvellously increased, and we thereby are enabled to endure the next afflictions with much more patience and contentment. As the pilot having escaped out of many storms, and the soldier out of many dangerous conflicts, are so heartened thereby that they are marvellously courageous when tossed with tempests and assaulted by enemies, whilst inex perienced passengers and fresh water soldiers tremble at the least danger; so those who have been exer. cised in afflictions, and have had manifold experience of God's mercy, power, and love, both in assisting them in their troubles and in delivering them out of their greatest dangers, have their faith in God hereby so strengthened that they are much more patient in afflictions and more courageous in perils than those who were never exercised with these trials. -Downame, 1644. found out by a comparison of merits among neigh(124.) The purpose of suffering is never to be bours, but by considering how it draws the soul in more childlike dependence towards the Father. By this principle, the right-minded and well-meaning must be tried quite as much as the faithless. Trials are signs of celestial favour, seals on their forehead, badges of favourites, crowns of honour. We forget that it is just as important that the good should be made better, as that the bad should be reformed. Vessels that are to be made meet for the Master's highest uses are to be refined in the furnace seven times heated. We must learn that it is a far richer blessing to be taught what the feeling of the Comforter is, and what peace comes from self-renunciation, than to go through life in any holiday dance. Just as the wise and affectionate mother shows her true maternal love more manifestly when she causes her child to cry with disappointment by snatching him back from the candle he grasps at as a flaming toy, than when she gives him the costliest plaything; so God often shows a tenderer concern when He denies us health and riches than when He grants them-when He enfeebles us with disease or poverty than when He covers us with flesh or fortune. -Huntington. 4. Because it makes them fruitful. (125.) Sharp frosts nourish the corn, so do sharp afflictions grace. -Watson, 1696. (126.) "What beautiful fruit you bear!" said a little Flower to the Vine with purple grapes in the 5. Because it brings out their graces and excellencies into view, to the glory of God. (127.) What place should we then have for patience, submission, meekness, forbearance, and a readiness to forgive, if we had nothing to try us either from the hand of the Lord or from the hand of men. A Christian without trials would be like a mill without wind or water. The contrivance and design of the wheel-work within would be unnoticed and unknown without something to put it in motion from without. -Newton, 1725-1807. 6. Because it establishes them in grace. (128.) We cannot be established except by suffering. It is no use our hoping that we shall be wellrooted if no March winds have passed over us. The young oak cannot be expected to strike its roots as deep as the oid one. Those old gnarlings on the roots, and those strange twistings of the branches, all tell of many storms that have swept over the aged tree. But they are also indicators of the depths into which the roots have dived; and they tell the woodman that he might as soon expect to rend up a mountain as to tear up that oak by the roots. We nust suffer awhile, then shall we be established. -Spurgeon. 7. Because it makes them grow in grace. (129.) Nor would our graces grow, unless they were called out to exercise: the difficulties we meet with not only prove but strengthen the graces of the Spirit. If a person were always to sit still, he would probably wholly lose the power of moving his limbs; but by walking and working he becomes strong and active. So, in a long course of ease, the powers of the new man would certainly languish the soul would grow soft, indolent, cowardly, and faint; and therefore the Lord appoints His children such dispensations as make them strive, and struggle, and pant. They must press through a crowd, swim against a stream, endure hardships, run, wrestle, and fight; and thus their strength grows in the using. -Newton, 1725-1807. away, wanton steeds that grew fierce with pamper. (132.) Afflictions do us good likewise, as they make us more acquainted with what is in our own hearts, and thereby promote self-abasement. There are abominations which, like nests of vipers, lie so quietly within, that we hardly suspect they are there, till the rod of affliction rouses them: then they kiss and show their venom. This discovery is, indeed, very distressing; yet, till it is made, we are prone to think ourselves much less vile than we really are, and cannot so heartily abhor ourselves, and repent in dust and ashes. -Newton, 1725-1807. 9. Because it teaches them true wisdom. (133.) As prosperity blindeth the eyes of men, even so doth adversity open them. Like as the salve that remedieth the disease of the eyes doth first bite and grieve the eyes, and maketh them to water, but yet afterward the eyesight is clearer than it was; even so trouble doth vex men wonderfully at the first, but after. ward it lighteneth the eyes of the mind, that it is afterward more reasonable, wise, and circumspect. For trouble bringeth experience, and experience bringeth wisdom. -Wermullerus, 1551. (134.) The tears of sorrow are like spiritual lenses, showing us the world in its true character as a poor, empty, unsatisfying inheritance. -Macmillan. 10. Because it teaches them to sympathise with the suffering. (135.) By these afflictions we are made more com. passionate unto others who endure the like crosses. whom they see pained with the like diseases. Those Those that have been sick are apt to pity those most who have been imprisoned more readily compas sionate, and accordingly help and relieve those who are restrained. They who have been pinched with them who, being poor, want food to feed them and penury and pined with hunger do above others pity clothes to cover them. And this was one end why God laid upon our Saviour Himself so many afflic (130.) Many of our graces cannot thrive without tions, that He might be able sufficiently to have trials, such as resignation, patience, meekness, long-compassion on them that are ignorant, because He was compassed with infirmity. —Downame, 1644. suffering. Some of the London porters do not appear to be very strong men, yet they will trudge along under a burden which some stouter people could not carry so well; the reason is, they are accustomed to carry burdens, and by continual exercise their shoulders acquire a strength suited to their work. It is so in the Christian life; activity and strength of grace is not ordinarily acquired by those who sit still and live at ease, but by those who frequently meet with something which requires a full exertion of what power the Lord has given them. -Newton, 1725-1807. 8. Because it keeps them humble. (131.) Poverty and affliction take away the fuel that feeds pride. Now, when the fuel is taken away, the fire goes out. When the fodder is taken (136.) The story goes that Harry the Eighth, wandering one night in the streets of London in disguise, was met at the bridge-foot by some of the watch, and not giving a good account of himself was carried off to the Poultry Compter, and shut up for the night without fire or candle. On his liberation he made a grant of thirty chaldrons of coals and a quantity of bread for the solace of night prisoners in the Compter. Experience brings sympathy. Those who have felt sharp afflictions, terrible convictions, racking doubts, and violent temptations, will be zealous in consoling those in a similar condition. It were well if the great Head of the Church would put unsympathising pastors into the Compter of trouble for a season, until they weep with those that -W. M. Taylor. weep. 11. Because it endears the promises to them. (137.) (On hearing of music by night.) How sweetly doth this music sound in this dead season! In the daytime it would not, it could not, so much affect the ear. All harmonious sounds are advanced by a silent darkness. Thus it is with the glad tidings of salvation. The gospel never sounds so sweet as in the night of persecution, or of our own private affliction. It is ever the same; the difference is in our disposition to receive it. O God, whose praise it is to give songs in the night, make my prosperity conscionable, and my crosses cheerful. -Hall, 1574-1656. (138.) We never prize the precious words of promise till we are placed in conditions in which their suitability and sweetness are manifested. We all of us value those golden words, "When thou walkest through the fire thou shalt not be burned, neither shall the flame kindle upon thee," but few if any of us have read them with the delight of the martyr Bilney, to whom this passage was a stay, while he was in prison awaiting his execution at the stake. His Bible, still preserved in the library of Corpus Christi College, Cambridge, has the passage marked with a pen in the margin. Perhaps, if all were known, every promise in the Bible has borne a special message to some one saint, and so the whole volume might be scored in the margin with mementoes of Christian experience, every one appropriate to the very letter. -Spurgeon. 12. Because it teaches them to prize their mercies. heaven, we are often well content to stay longer here. But the Lord sends afflictions one after another to quicken our desires, and to convince us that this cannot be our rest. Sometimes, if you drive a bird from one branch of a tree, he will hop to another a little higher, and from thence to a third; but if you continue to disturb him, he will at last take wing and fly quite away. Thus we, when forced from one creature-comfort, perch upon another, and so on; but the Lord mercifully fol lows us with trials, and will not let us rest upon any. By degrees our desires take a nobler flight, and can be satisfied with nothing short of Himself; and we say, To depart and be with Jesus is best of -Newton, 1725-1807. all. Glacier, and were very hungry when we reached (141.) We had traversed the Great Aletsch the mountain tarn half-way between the Bel Alp and the hotel at the foot of the Æggischorn; there a peasant undertook to descend the mountain, and bring us bread and milk. It was a very Marah to drink, and bread black as a coal, too hard to bite, us when he brought us back milk too sour for us to longed the more eagerly to reach the hotel towards and sour as the curds. What, then? Why, we and made no more halts till we reached the hospi which we were travelling. We mounted our horses, table table where our hunger was abundantly satisfied. Thus our disappointments on the road to heaven whet our appetites for the better country, and quicken the pace of our pilgrimage to the celestial city. -Spurgeon. In battle, the sorer our enemies do assault against us, the greater is the joy and triumph at the overthrow of them. 14. Because it will sweeten heaven to them. (139.) Afflictions when sanctified make us grate(142.) There is no exceeding joy or triumph, but ful for mercies which aforetime we treated with in-spring-time, following immediately upon the rough some sorrow or heaviness goeth before it. The difference. We sat for half an hour in a calf's shed and hard winter, is the more welcome unto us. the other day, quite grateful for the shelter from the driving rain, yet at no other time would we have entered such a hovel. Discontented persons need a course of the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, to cure them of the wretched habit of murmuring. Even things which we loathed before we shall learn to prize when in troublous circumstances. We are no lovers of lizards, and yet at Pont St. Martin, in the Val D'Aosta, where the mosquitoes, flies, and insects of all sorts drove us nearly to distraction, we prized the little green fellows, and felt quite an attachment to them as they darted out their tongues and devoured our worrying enemies. Sweet are the uses of adversity, and this among them that it brings into proper estimation mercies aforetime lightly esteemed. -Spurgeon. 13. Because it makes them long for heaven. (140.) By these things, likewise, they are made more willing to leave the present world, to which we are prone to cleave too closely, when our path is smooth. Had Israel enjoyed their former peace and prosperity in Egypt, when Moses came to invite them to Canaan, I think they would hardly have listened to him. But the Lord suffered them to be brought into great trouble and bondage, and then the news of deliverance was more welcome; yet still they were but half willing, "and they caricu a love to the flesh pots of Egypt with them into the wilderness. We are like them; though we say this world is vain and sinful, we are too fond of it; and though we hope for true happiness only in sick a great season, afterward when he is recovered, He that hath kept his bed a long time, and lain health is a more precious treasure unto him than ever it was before that he felt what sickness was; and also such as mourned for his sickness, do receive an exceeding rejoicing at his restoring unto health again. wealth, prosperity, our natural country, bodily Even so doth God deprive us for a time of riches, health, and such other transitory benefits, for this purpose, that when He giveth them again unto us, we may the more rejoice and be the gladder of them. -Wermullerus. V. DUTIES OF THE AFFLicted. (143.) Xerxes, having received a loss by the rage of Hellespontus, himself more mad than the sea, caused fetters and manacles to be cast into the waters thereof, as if he would make it his prisoner, and bind it with links of iron at his pleasure. Darius did the like upon the river Gyndes, who, because it had drowned him a white horse, threatened the river to divide it into so many streams, and so to weaken the strength of it, that a woman great with child should go over it dry shod. And there were people in Africa that went out to fight with the north wind, because it drove heaps of (144.) Lay a book open before a child, or one who cannot read: he may gaze upon it, but he can make no use of it, because he understandeth nothing in it; yet bring it to one who can read, and understandeth the language that is written in it, he will read you many stories and instructions out of it. It is dumb to the one, but speaketh to the other like manner it is with God's judgments. As St. Augustine well applies it: all sorts of men see them, but few are able to understand them. Every judgment of God is a real sermon of reformation and repentance: every judgment hath a voice, but every In one understands not this voice-as St. Paul's companions, when Christ spake to him, they heard a voice, and no more. But it is the duty of every good Christian to listen to the rod and Him who sent it, and to spell out the meaning of God's anger to inquire and find out the cause of the cross and the ground of God's hiding His face-why it is that He dealeth so harshly with them, and carrieth Himself so austerely towards them. -Gataker, 1574-1654 8. Penitence and Humility. (145.) It is God's main end in correcting us, to bring us by His chastisements to unfeigned repentance; and therefore if impenitently we continue in our sins, we cannot wait upon God for help and deliverance, seeing so He should be frustrate of His principal end, but may justly expect that He will double and redouble our afflictions until, according to His purpose, He has brought us to repentance, unless we be in the number of those whom He gives over as a desperate cure, reserving them for everlasting condemnation. So Chrysostom says, that God can this present day deliver us out of all our afflictions; but He will not do it till He sees us purged from our sins, and our repentance not only begun, but thoroughly confirmed in us. And as the goldsmith will not take his gold out of the furnace until he sees that it is well purified from the dross, because this was the end why he cast it in; so the Lord will not deliver us out of this furnace of affliction until the dross of sin be by our repentance purged away, because this was the end that moved Him to cast us into it. -Downame, 1644. (146.) If in our affliction we would pour forth to God such acceptable prayers as may obtain comfort in our crosses and deliverance from our calamities, we must confess our sins, and humbly acknowledge that we have not deserved God's smallest benefits, but are worthy to be overwhelmed with much more heavy plagues and punishments. And so the Lord will excuse us, when we accuse ourselves; and absoive us from punishment, when in all humility we acknowledge that we have justly deserved the fearfullest of His plagues. For if we, who have but a little milk of mercy, are moved with compassion, when either our sons or our ser vants humble themselves, acknowledge their faults, and of their own accord offer themselves to suffer that punishment which they have deserved, then how can we doubt that God will be pitiful and ready to forgive us when He sees us thus humbled, whose love and mercy towards us is infinite and incomprehensible? As, therefore, a man skilful in the art of swimming, being, through casualty, cast into the sea, and labouring to recover the shore, does not, when he sees a billow approaching, oppose against it, because it would cast him further into the main; his violence of the mighty wave; but stoops and dives weaker force being far too feeble to withstand the under it, and so suffers it to pass over him without receiving any hurt. So when we see the huge billows of troubles and afflictions raised by the stormy blasts of God's anger, near approaching and coming against us, it is both vain and dangerous to oppose against them by pride and impatience, or to imagine that we can withstand them by our strug gling, murmuring, and repining; seeing this will rather hinder us from arriving in the haven of safety. and cast us back into the depth of misery; but like these cunning swimmers, we must dive under these waves, which it is impossible to withstand, bearing and acknowledging that far greater punishments are our burden with patience, meekness, and humility, due unto us. And of both this confession and humiliation we have notable precedents in those excellent prayers of Ezra (ix.), Nehemiah (ix.), and Daniel (ix.); as also in the speech of the prodigal son after his conversion and returning to his father. -Downame, 1644. (147.) Labour to grow better under all your afflictions, lest your afflictions grow worse, lest God mingle them with more darkness, bitterness, and terror. As Joab said to David, if he ceased not his scandalous lamentation on the death of Absalom, all the people would leave him, and then he should find himself in a far worse condition than that which he bemoaned, or anything that befell him from his youth. The same may be said to persons under their afflictions. If they are not improved in a due manner, that which is worse may-nay, in all probability will-befall them. Whenever God takes this way, and engages in afflicting, He commonly pursues His work until He has prevailed, and His design on the afflicted party be accomplished. He will not cease to thresh and break the bread-corn until it be meet for His use. Lay down, then, the weapons of warfare against Him; give up yourselves to His will; let go everything about which He contends with you; follow after that which he calls you unto; and you will find light arising unto you in the midst of darkness. Has He a cup of affliction in one hand?-lift up your eyes, and you will see a cup of consolation in the other. And if all stars withdraw their light whilst you are in the way of God, assure yourselves that the sun is ready to rise. -Owen, 1616-1683. 4. Patience. (148.) Whensoever a man doth give a light punishment unto him that hath deserved much greater, it is reason that he take it patiently. Wherefore, if thou suffer adversity, consider with thyself after this manner: Well, thy manifold sins have deserved a thousand, thousand times more grievous punishment. -Wermullerus, -1551. (149.) The way to be eased is not struggling with it, but meekly to bear it, as for a prisoner to be free from his fetters is not, in the jailor's sight, to seek to break them; that is the way to procure more, or the longer lying in them. So to be eased of a burden is not to wrestle with it when one is under it, but to go softly; there is more ease while it is on his back, and sooner comes he to be released of it. A man may with impatiency wrestle and use unlawful means to ease himself, and God haply will let him prosper for awhile; but after He will bring a more heavy and inevitable burden on him. There is a fable, but it has its moral for this purpose. A certain ass, laded with salt, fell into a river, and after he had risen, found his burden lighter, for the moisture had made it melt away; whereupon he would ever after lie down in the water as he travelled with his burden, and so ease himself. His owner perceiving his craft, after laded him as heavy with wool. The ass purposing to ease himself, as before, laid himself down in the next water, and thinking to have ease, rising again to feel his weight, found it heavier as it continued with him all the day. The moral is, that they who impatiently seek means contrary to the will of God, to ease themselves of their burden, shall have it more and more increase upon them. -Stock, 1568-1626. (151.) This patient submission to God's will in affliction shows a great deal of wisdom and piety. The skill of a pilot is most discerned in a storm, and a Christian's grace in the storm of affliction; and indeed this submission to God's will is most requisite for us while we live here in this lower region. In heaven there will be no need of patience more than there is need of the starlight when the sun shines. In heaven there will be all joy, and what need of patience then? It requires no patience to wear a crown of gold; but while we live here in a valley of tears, there needs patient submission to God's will, "Ye have need of patience.' -Watson, 1696. (153.) A consideration of the benefit of afflictions should teach us to bear them patiently when they fall to our lot, and to be thankful to heaven for having planted such barriers around us, to restrain the exuberance of our follies and our crimes. Let these sacred fences be removed; exempt the ambitious from disappointment and the guilty from remorse; let luxury go unattended with disease, and indiscretion lead into no embarrassments or distresses; our vices would range without control, and the impetuosity of our passions have no bounds; every family would be filled with strife, every nation with carnage, and a deluge of calamities would break in upon us which would produce more misery in a year than is inflicted by the hand of Providence in a lapse of ages. -Robert Hall, 1764-1831. (154.) Did you ever watch to see a stone-cutter carve the figures that were to decorate a temple? I stood once, in Paris, where the stone is soft, and where the building blocks are cut, not on the ground, but in their places on the tops of the doors, and about the windows; and I saw the chiselling done. I saw the work going forward on some of the public buildings, where lions, and eagles, and wreaths of flowers were being carved. Men stood with little chisels and mallets, cutting, and cutting, and cutting the stone, here and there. Suppose one of these blocks of stone, when it first mounts into its place, is told that it is to be a royal lion, and it is to decorate a magnificent structure. The workman commences, and after working one day the head is rudely shaped, but you can barely tell what it is. The next day he brings out one ear. The third day he opens one eye. And so, day after day, some new part is added. The stone complains, and asks if the operation is to be an everlasting one; but the work goes on. And you cannot get anything out of stone except by myriads of blows continued until the work is done. I hear people say, "Why am I afflicted ?" For your good. "How long shall I be afflicted?" Until you cease to ask how long. Until God's work is God will go on chiselling as long as done in you. it is necessary, in order to elaborate first one feature The work and then another, and then another. ought to go on until it is completed. And every true heart ought to say, "Lord, do not stay Thy hand; cut away until I am brought out into the fair lines and lineaments of the image of God." Troubies and afflictions and blows that are sent are useless unless they make you patient to your fellows, and submissive to your lot. But rest assured that if you love God all things will work together for your good. And now join and work with them. Help God to work for you. -Beecher. 5. Faith in the Divine goudness. (155.) The hour of affliction is an hour of temptation. Satan loves to fish when the waters are troubled. He would bring us to hard thoughts of God, by the hard things we suffer from God. "Touch him, and he will curse Thee to Thy face." In such stormy weather some vessels are cast away. Faith is a special antidote against the poison of the wicked one. It can read love in the blackest character of Divine dispensation, as by a rainbow we see the beautiful image of the sun's light in the midst of a dark and waterish cloud. -Swinnock, 1673. (156.) We see God's judgments pursuing and overtaking a man in his righteousness. Let us not now murmur and say, how can God justly afflict the upright? But let us acquiesce in the rational acknow ledgment of this, that God's wisdom may outreach We see the dispensation, but we do not see the design of it; and therefore let us suspend our ours. |