Use 3 Thirdly, this lets us see the Church profitteth by calamities; she comes out better from them, then she went into them: she entered and went into captivity hating God, defiled with many abominations; she returns out, My love, my fair one. The Church of God, and the members of it are more lovely in Gods sight by the hard times that pass over ⟨p. 76⟩them: when this Church had been seventy years in captivity, (a hard time it was, yet) they lost nothing by it▪ they kissed his Rod,1 and sought God; and now he stiles them lovely: He loathed them because they loathed him; they were now tried and purified; before they were loathsome, but are now lovely; before hated, but now loved. But see what a blessed use chastisements are of to the Church: how loathsome soever we go into captivity, when we defile our selves with lusts and sins, yet when we have been throughly humbled with some crosses, how fair come we out! †My son despise not the chastening of the Lord, neither be weary of his correction. And why doth God say, Deut. 8. 16. He proved them to do them good; when he saith, my love, it is more then lovely, it is love, it is love it self; and fair one is more then fair? So,† It is good for me (saith David) that I have been afflicted: so the Church before her affliction was loathsome, foul, hated; but now she is fair and lovely.
Use 3 Thirdly, this lets us see the Church profitteth by calamities; shee comes out better from them, then shee went into them: she entred and went into captivity hating God, defiled with many abominations; she returnes out, My love, my faire one. The Church of God, and the members of it are more lovely in Gods sight by the hard times that passe over ⟨p. 76⟩them: when this Church had beene seventy yeares in captivity, (a hard time it was, yet) they lost nothing by it▪ they kissed his Rod,1 and sought God; and now hee stiles them lovely: He loathed them because they loathed him; they were now tried and purified; before they were loathsome, but are now lovely; before hated, but now loved. But see what a blessed use chastisements are of to the Church: how loathsome soever wee goe into captivity, when wee defile our selves with lusts and sins, yet when wee have beene throughly humbled with some crosses, how faire come wee out! †My sonne despise not the chastening of the Lord, neither be weary of his correction. And why doth God say, Deut. 8. 16. He proved them to doe them good; when hee saith, my love, it is more then lovely, it is love, it is love it selfe; and faire one is more then faire? So,† It is good for mee (saith David) that I have beene afflicted: so the Church before her affliction was loathsome, foule, hated; but now she is faire and lovely.
- 1Jer. 12. 7, 8.Ier. 12. 7, 8.
- †Pro. 3. 11
- †Ps. 119. 71.
