"The Lord is there!" Ezek.

top be cut, the whole body politic will soon wither. O pray that xlviii. 35. Pray that righteousthe Lord will continue the visible ness and peace may kiss each tokens of his presence among us, other, that so glory may dwell in his ordinances, that England may our land!

be called, Jehovah Shammah,

EXOD. xx. 2., Out of the house of bondage.

they shed none? Doubtless God sees that there is need that his children should be sometimes in the house of bondage, 1 Pet. i. 6., "If need be, ye are in heaviness;" the body sometimes doth more need a bitter potion than a julap.

III. "EGYPT," and "the house of bondage," are the same, only they are expressed under a different notion. By Egypt is meant a place of idolatry and superstition; by the house of bondage is meant a place of affliction. Israel, while they were in Egypt, QUEST. 1. Why God lets his

people be in the house of bondage, in an afflicted state?

Ans. He doth it, 1. For probation or trial, Deut. viii. 16., "Who led thee through that terrible wilderness, that he might humble thee and prove thee." Affliction is the touch-stone of

were under great tyranny; they had cruel task-masters set over them, who put them to hard labour, and set them to make brick, yet allowed them no straw; therefore Egypt is called the iron furnace, Deut. iv. 20., and here the house of bondage. From this expression, " I have brought sincerity, Ps. lxvi. 10, 11., “Thou thee out of the house of bondage," O God, hast proved us; thou two things are to be noted:-1. hast tried us as silver; thou laidst God's children may sometimes be affliction upon our loins." Hyunder sore afflictions, "In the pocrites may embrace the true house of bondage." 2. That God religion in prosperity, and court

will in his due time bring them out of their afflicted state, "I brought thee out of the house of bondage."

this queen while she hath a jewel hung at her ear; but he is a good Christian who will keep close to God in a time of suffering, Ps. xliv. 17., "All this is come upon us, yet we have not forgotten thee." To love God in heaven, is no wonder; but to love God when he chastiseth us, this discovers sincerity.

1st. God's children may sometimes be under sore afflictions, In domo servitutis, in the house of bondage.' God's people have no right of ease granted them,no charter of exemption from trouble in this life; while the wicked are kept in sugar, the godly are oft kept in brine. And, indeed, how could God's power be seen in bringing them out of trouble, if he did not sometimes a tender part, yet when it is sore,

bring them into it? or how should God wipe away the tears from their eyes in heaven, if on earth

2. For purgation; to purge our corruption. Ardet palea, purgatur aurum, Isa. xxvii. 9., " And this is all the fruit, to take away his sin." The eye, though it be

we put sharp powders and waters into it, to eat out the pearl: though the people of God are dear to him, yet, when corruption punishments; these come from a begins to grow in them, he will father,-those from a judge. apply the sharp powder of afflicA. 2. Afflictions on the godly tion, to eat out the pearl in the are fruits of covenant-mercy, 2 eye. Affliction is God's flail to Sam. vii. 14. But afflictions on thrash off our husks; it is a the wicked are effects of God's means God useth to purge out wrath, Eccl. v. 17., "He hath sloth, luxury, pride, and love of much wrath with his sickness." the world. "God's fire is in Afflictions on the wicked are the Zion," Isa. xxxi. 9. This is not pledge and earnest of hell; they to consume, but to refine; what are like the pinioning of a maleif we have more affliction, if by factor, which doth presage his this means we have less sin. execution.

A. 3. Afflictions on the godly make them better, but afflictions on the wicked make them worse; the godly pray more, Ps. cxxx. 1.; the wicked blaspheme more, Rev. xvi. 9., "Men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God." Afflictions

3. For augmentation: to increase the graces of the Spirit. Grace thrives most in the iron furnace; sharp frosts nourish the corn, so do sharp afflictions grace; grace in the saints is often as fire hid in the embers, affliction is the bellows to blow it up into a flame. The Lord makes the house of on the wicked make them more bondage a friend to our grace; impenitent; every plague upon now faith and patience act their Egypt increased the plague of part; the darkness of the night hardness in Pharoah's heart. To cannot hinder the brightness of a what a prodigy of wickedness do star; so, the more the diamond some persons come after great is cut the more it sparkles, and sickness? Affliction on the godthe more God afflicts us, the ly is like bruising of spices, which more our graces cast a sparkling lustre.

are most sweet and fragrant; affliction on the wicked is like stamping of weeds with a pestle, which makes them more unsavoury.

Use 1st. It shews us, that we are not to wonder to see Israel in

4. For preparation: to fit and prepare the saints for glory, 2 Cor. iv. 17. These stones which are cut out for a building are first hewn and squared: the godly are called "living stones," 1 the house of bondage, 1 Pet. iv. Pet. ii. 5. And God doth first 12. The holiness of the saints hew and polish them by affliction will not excuse them from sufferthat they may be fit for the hea-ings. Christ was the holy one venly building; the house of of God, yet he was in the iron bondage prepares for the "house furnace: Christ's spouse is a lily not made with hands," 2 Cor. among thorns, Cant. ii. 2. His v. 1. The vessels of mercy are sheep, though they have the earseasoned with affliction, and mark of election upon them, yet then the wine of glory is poured may have their wool fleeced off:

in.

QUEST. 2. How do the afflictions of the godly differ from the afflictions of the wicked?

Ans. 1. These are but castigations, those on the wicked are

the godly have some good in them, therefore the devil afflicts them, and some evil in them, therefore God afflicts them. While there are two seeds in the world, expect to be under the black rod. The gospel tells us of reigning, but first of suffering, 2 Tim. ii. 12.

who can keep out of affliction; but the scripture calls them happy who are afflicted.

QUEST. How are they happy? Ans. 1. Because they are more holy, Heb. xii. 10.-2. Because they are more in God's favour, Prov. iii. 12. The goldsmith loves his gold when in the fur

Branch 2. It informs us, that affliction is not always the sign of God's anger. Israel, the apple of God's eye, a peculiar treasure to him above all people, Exod. xix. 5., yet these were in the house of bondage. We are apt nace. 3. Because they have to judge and censure them who more of God's sweet presence, are in an afflicted state. When Ps. xci. 15. And they cannot be the barbarians saw the viper on unhappy who have God's powerPaul's hand, they said, "No ful presence in supporting, his doubt this man is a murderer," Acts. xxviii. 4.; so when we see the viper of affliction fasten upon the godly, we are apt to censure them, and say, these are greater sinners than others, and God hates them; this rash censuring is for want of wisdom. Were not Israel in the house of bondage? Jeremiah in the dungeon? Paul a night and a day in the deep? God's afflicting is so far from evidencing hatred, that his not afflicting is, Hos. iv. 14., "I will not punish your daughters when they commit whoredom." Deus maxime irascitur cum non irascitur, BERN. God punisheth by affliction. What hurt doth

most when he doth not punish; his hand is heaviest when it seems to be lightest; the judge will not burn him in the hand whom he intends to execute.

gracious presence in sanctifying their affliction. 4. Because, the more affliction they have, the more degrees of glory they shall have: the lower they have been in the iron furnace, they shall sit upon the higher throne of glory: the heavier their crosses, the heavier shall be their crown. So then, if afflictions make a Christian happy, they cannot denominate him miserable.

Branch 4. See the merciful providence of God to his children. Though they may be in the house of bondage, and smart by affliction, yet they shall not be hurt

the fan to the corn? only separates the chaff from it. Or, the lance to the body? only lets out the imposthume. The house of bondage doth that which sometimes ordinances will not do; it

Branch 3. If God's own Israel may be in the house of bondage, doth humble and reform, Job then afflictions do not of them- xxxvi. 8, 10., "If they be held selves demonstrate a man miser- in cords of affliction, he openeth able; indeed, sin unrepented of their ear to discipline, and commakes one miserable, but the mandeth that they return from cross doth not. If God hath a iniquity." O what a merciful design in afflicting his children, providence is this, though God to make them happy, then they bruise his people, yet, while he are not miserable; but God's af- is bruising them, he is doing them flicting them is to make them good. As if one should throw a happy, therefore they are not bag of money at another, and a miserable, Job v. 17., "Happy little bruise him, yet it doth enis the man whom God correcteth." rich him. Affliction enricheth The world counts them happy 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

us.
Persecutions are but like
apothecaries: they give us that
physic which God prescribes.
Secondly, Affliction has its light
side, as well as its dark. God
can sweeten our afflictions, candy
our wormwood, 2 Cor. i. 5., "As
our sufferings abound, so doth
also our consolation." Argerius
dated his letters from the present

tree, what shall be done in the garden of the Leonine prison.

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 unclean? 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 people 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 gospel?" If God thrash his wheat, he will burn the chaff. If the godly suffer castigation, the i. 20. How quickly may the wicked shall suffer condemnation. scene turn, and the hyperbole of If he mingle his people's cup joy end in a catastrophe! All with wormwood, he will mingle outward things are upon the trothe wicked's cup with fire and pics, given to change. The forebrimstone. thoughts of affliction would make us sober and moderate in the use of lawful delight; it would cure a surfeit. Christ at a feast mentions his burial, a good antidote against a surfeit. The fore

God doth sometimes so revive his children in trouble, that they had rather bear their afflictions than want their comforts. Why then should Christians entertain such hard thoughts of afflictions? Do not look at its grim face, but at the message it brings, which is to enrich us both with grace and comfort.

2dly, If Israel be sometimes in the house of bondage, in an afflicted state, then think beforehand of affliction; say not as Job xxix. 18., " I shall die in my nest." In the house of mirth, think of the house of bondage; you that are now Naomi, may be Marah, Ruth

Use 2d. If Israel be in the house of bondage, then, 1st, Do not entertain too hard thoughts of affliction. Christians are apt to look upon the cross and the iron furnace as frightful things, thoughts of affliction would make and do what they can to shun us prepare for it; it would take them. Nay, sometimes, to avoid us off the world, it would put us affliction, they run themselves upon a search of our evidences, into sin. But do not think too we should see what oil we have hardly of affliction; do not look in our lamp, what grace we can upon it as through the multiply- find, that we may be able to stand ing-glass of fear; the house of in the evil day. That soldier was bondage is not hell. Consider, imprudent who had his sword to First, Whence doth affliction whet when he was just going to come? even from a wise God, fight. He who forecasts sufferwho prescribes whatever befalls ings, will have the shield of faith, and the sword of the Spirit ready, that he may not be surprised.

3dly, If afflictions do come, let us labour to deport ourselves wisely as Christians, that we may adorn our sufferings, that is, let us endure with patience; James v. 10., "Take my brethren the prophets for an example of enduring affliction and patience." Satan labours to take an advantage of us in affliction, by making us either faint or murmur; he blows the coals of passion and discontent, and then warms him

self at the fire. Patience adorns sufferings. A Christian should say as Jesus Christ, "Lord, not my will but thy will be done." And, indeed, it is a sign the affliction is sanctified, when the heart is brought to a sweet submissive frame, and then God will remove the affliction; he will take us out of the iron furnace. And that brings me to the second thing, God's deliverance of his people Israel, "I brought you out of the house of bondage.'

Exod. xx. 2. Which brought thee out of the house of bondage.

We may consider these words, children out of troubles, Ps. xxii. "Which brought thee out of the 4., "Our fathers trusted in thee, house of bondage," either, 1. Li- they trusted, and thou didst deterally; or, 2. Spiritually and liver them;" 2 Tim. iv. 17., mystically. 1st. In the letter, "And I was delivered out of the "I brought thee out of the house mouth of the lion," viz. from of bondage;" that is, I delivered Nero; Ps. lxvi. 11, 12., “Thou you out of the misery and servi- laidst affliction upon our loins, tude you sustained in Egypt, but thou broughtst us out into a where you were in the iron fur- wealthy place;" Ps. xxx. 5., nace. 2d. Spiritually and mys- "Heaviness may endure for a tically, "I brought thee out of night, but joy cometh in the the house of bondage." So it is morning." God brought Daniel a type of our deliverance by Christ from sin and hell.

out of the lion's den, Zion out of Babylon. God, in his due time, gives an issue out of trouble, Ps. lxviii. 20. The tree which in the winter seems dead, in the spring Affliction may leap on us as the viper did on Paul, but at last this viper shall be shaken off. It is called a cup of affliction, Isa. li. 17. The wicked drink a sea of wrath, the godly drink only a cup

First, Literally, in the letter, "I brought thee out of the house of bondage," viz. out of great misery and slavery in the iron revives: Post nubila Phœbus.

furnace. The thing I note hence is, though God brings his people sometimes into trouble, yet he will bring them out again; Israel was in the house of bondage, but at last I brought you out of bondage. 1. That God doth deliver of affliction, and God will say out of trouble. 2. In what man- shortly, 'Let this cup pass away. God will give his people a gaol

3. When are the seasons. 4. Why God delivers. 5. How deliverances of the godly and wicked out of trouble differ.