Gospel-worship, or, The right manner of sanctifying the name of God in general. And…

That the most eminent Saints of God are not freed from very grievous afflictions even in their Children; It was one of the forest afflictions that almost ever any Saint of God met withal in his Children; this affliction of Aaron at this time, That two of his Sons, and (as I told you the last day) renowned men in Israel, newly consecrated to the Office of Priesthood, that the very first day they came to offer in their Office, they were struck before all the people with fire from Heaven and were consumed: Oh what a sad affliction was it to Aaron their Father when he saw his Sons in such a manner destroyed by God Himself! Consider of this you that have Children, and are ready to murmur and complain of every little affliction that is upon you in respect of your Children: If so be that your Children be but a little sick, or there be any miscarriage of them, you think it is a heavy hand of God; But especially if God take away your Children by death, then you mourn and will not be comforted: Yea, but though God have taken away your Children by death, yea perhaps it may be by a violent death as being drowned, &c. yet they have not been strucken with fire from Heaven by God, and they have not been of such public use. These here were renowned men, and taken away in their very sin too; your Children which have gone upon their lawful employments, and God hath taken away their lives; there is no such cause of murmuring here; but when God takes away Children in their sins, and in such a way as by fire from Heaven• thus God took away Aaron's Children, and he was as dear to God as you are: And yet thus God deals with His Saints; with Aaron in regard of his Children, and with his Elder Children, and with two of them together. This Example may be enough to still and quiet the hearts of men and women that are afflicted in respect of any calamity that befalls their Children. You see what a hand of God is against the very Children of Aaron.

That the most eminent Saints of God are not freed from very grievous afflictions even in their Children; It was one of the forest afflictions that almost ever any Saint of God met withall in his Children; this affliction of Aaron at this time, That two of his Sons, and (as I told you the last day) renowned men in Israel, newly consecrated to the Office of Priesthood, that the very first day they came to offer in their Office, they were struck before all the people with fire from Heaven and were consumed: Oh what a sad affliction was it to Aaron their Father when he saw his Sonnes in such a manner destroyed by God Himself! Consider of this you that have Children, and are ready to murmur and complaine of every little affliction that is upon you in respect of your Children: If so be that your Children be but a little sick, or there be any miscarriage of them, you think it is a heavy hand of God; But especially if God take away your Children by death, then you mourn and wil not be comfortred: Yea, but though God have taken away your Children by death, yea perhaps it may be by a violent death as being drowned, &c. yet they have not been strucken with fire from Heaven by God, and they have not been of such publick use. These here were renowned men, and taken away in their very sin too; your Children which have gone upon their lawfull imployments, and God hath taken away their lives; there is no such cause of murmuring here; but when God takes away Children in their sins, and in such a way as by fire from Heaven thus God took away Aarons Children, and he was as dear to God as you are: And yet thus God deals with His Saints; with Aaron in regard of his Children, and with his Elder Children, and with two of them together. This Example may be enough to still and quiet the hearts of men and women that are afflicted in respect of any calamity that befals their Children. You see what a hand of God is against the very Children of Aaron.