Of the Commandments
Exodus 20:2. Out of the House of Bondage.
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 were under great tyranny, they had cruel task-masters set over them, who put them to hard labor, and set them to make brick, yet allowed them no straw; therefore Egypt is called the Iron Furnace (Deuteronomy 4:20), and here the House of Bondage. From this expression, I brought you out of the House of Bondage, two things are to be noted. 1. God's children may sometimes be under sore afflictions, in the House of Bondage. 2. That God will in his due time bring them out of their afflicted state, I brought you out of the House of Bondage.
1. God's children may sometimes be under sore afflictions, In domo servitutis, in the House of Bondage: God's people have no Writ of Ease granted them, no Charter of Exemption from trouble in this life. While the wicked are kept in sugar, the godly are often kept in brine. And indeed, how could God's power be seen in bringing them out of trouble, if he did not sometimes bring them in? Or how should God wipe away the tears from their eyes in heaven, if on earth they shed none? Doubtless God sees there is need that his children should be sometimes in the House of Bondage (1 Peter 1:6). [reconstructed: in non-Latin alphabet], If need be, you are in heaviness. The body sometimes does more need a bitter potion than a julip.
Quest. 1. Why God lets his people be in the House of Bondage, in an afflicted state?
Resp. He does it: 1. For probation for trial (Deuteronomy 8:16). Who led you through that terrible wilderness that he might humble you and prove you. Affliction is the touch-stone of sincerity (Psalm 66:10-11). You, O God, have proved us: You have tried us as silver: You laid affliction upon our loins. Hypocrites may embrace the true religion in prosperity, and court this queen while she has a jewel hung at her ear. But he is the good Christian, who will keep close to God in a time of suffering (Psalm 44:17). All this is come upon us; yet have we not forgotten you. To love God in heaven is no wonder, but to love God when he chastises us, this discovers sincerity.
2. For purgation: To purge out corruption, Ardet palea, purgatur aurum (Isaiah 27:9). And this is all the fruit to take away his sin. The eye though it be a tender part, yet when it is sore 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 begins to grow in them, he will apply the sharp powder of affliction to eat out the pearl in the eye. Affliction is God's flail to thresh off our husks: It is a means God uses to purge out sloth, luxury, pride and love of the world. God's furnace is in Zion (Isaiah 31:9). This is not to consume, but refine: What if we have more affliction, if by this means we have less sin?
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 Bondage a friend to our grace. Now faith and patience act their part: The darkness of the night cannot hinder the brightness of a star. So the more the diamond is cut the more it sparkles: And the more God afflicts us, the more our graces cast a sparkling luster.
4. For preparation: To fit and prepare the saints for glory (2 Corinthians 4:17). Those stones which are cut out for a building are first hewn and squared. The godly are called, [reconstructed: in non-Latin alphabet], living stones (1 Peter 2:5). And God does first hew and polish them by affliction, that they may be fit for the heavenly building. The House of Bondage prepares for the house not made with hands (2 Corinthians 5:1). The vessels of mercy are seasoned with affliction, and then the wine of glory is poured in.
Quest. 2. How the afflictions of the godly differ from the afflictions of the wicked?
Resp. 1. These are but, [reconstructed: in non-Latin alphabet], castigations, those on the wicked are, [reconstructed: in non-Latin alphabet], punishments; these come from a Father, those from a Judge.
2. Afflictions on the godly are fruits of covenant-mercy (2 Samuel 7:14). But afflictions on the wicked are effects of God's wrath (Ecclesiastes 5:17). He has much wrath with his sickness. Afflictions on the wicked are the pledge and earnest of hell: They are like the pinioning of a malefactor, which does presage his execution.
3. Afflictions on the godly make them better, but afflictions on the wicked make them worse. The godly pray more (Psalm 130:1). The wicked blaspheme more (Revelation 16:9). Men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God. Afflictions on the wicked make them more impenitent: Every plague upon Egypt increased the plague of hardness in Pharaoh's heart. To what a prodigy of wickedness do some persons come after great sickness? Affliction on the godly is like bruising of spices which are more sweet and fragrant: Affliction on the wicked is like stamping of weeds with a pestle, which makes them more unsavory.
Use 1. It shows us that we are not to wonder to see Israel in the House of Bondage (1 Peter 4:12). The holiness of the saints will not excuse them from sufferings: Christ was the Holy One of God, yet he was in the iron furnace. Christ's spouse is a lily among thorns (Song of Solomon 2:2). His sheep, though they have the ear-mark of election upon them, yet may have their wool fleeced off. 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 Timothy 2:12).
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 (Exodus 19:5). Yet these were in the house of bondage: we are apt to judge and censure them who are in an afflicted state. When the Barbarians saw the viper on Paul's hand, they said, No doubt this man is a murderer (Acts 28:4). 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? Jeremy 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 (Hosea 4:14): I will not punish your daughters when they commit whoredom. Deus maxime irascitur cum non irascitur — God punishes most when he does 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.
3. If God's own Israel may be in the house of bondage, then afflictions do not of themselves demonstrate a man miserable. Indeed sin unrepented of makes one miserable, but the cross does not. If God has a design in afflicting his children, to make them happy, then they are not miserable; but God's afflicting them is to make them happy: therefore they are not miserable (Job 5:17). Happy is the man whom God corrects. The world counts them happy, who can keep out of affliction; but the Scripture calls them happy, who are afflicted.
Quest. How are they happy?
Resp. 1. Because they are more holy (Hebrews 12:10). 2. Because they are more in God's favor (Proverbs 3:12). The goldsmith loves his gold, when in the furnace. 3. Because they have more of God's sweet presence (Psalm 91:15). And they cannot be unhappy, that have God's powerful presence in supporting, his 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 cross, the heavier shall be their crown. So then if affliction makes a Christian happy, they cannot denominate him miserable.
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 by affliction. What hurt does the fan to the corn? Only separates the chaff from it. Or the lance to the body, only lets out the abscess. The house of bondage does that which sometimes ordinances will not do, it does humble and reform (Job 36:8, 11). If they be held in cords of affliction, he opens their ear to discipline, and commands that they return from iniquity. O what a merciful providence is this, though God bruise his people, yet while he is bruising them, he is doing them good. As if one should throw a bag of money at another, and a little bruise him, yet it does enrich him. Affliction enriches the soul, and yields the sweet fruits of righteousness (Hebrews 12:11).
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 tree, what shall be done in the 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 Peter 4:17). 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 thresh his wheat, he will burn the chaff. If the godly suffer castigation, the wicked shall suffer condemnation. If he mingle his people's cup with wormwood, he will mingle the wicked's cup with fire and brimstone.
2nd Use. 1. If Israel be in the house of bondage, then do not entertain too hard thoughts of affliction. Christians are apt to look upon the cross and the iron furnace, as frightful things, and do what they can to shun them. Indeed, sometimes to avoid affliction, they run themselves into sin. But do not think too hardly of affliction, do not look upon it through the multiplying glass of fear; the house of bondage is not hell. Consider first, from where does affliction come? Even from a wise God, who prescribes whatever befalls us. Persecutions are but like apothecaries, they give us that medicine which God prescribes. Secondly, affliction has its light side as well as its dark. God can sweeten our afflictions, candy our wormwood (2 Corinthians 1:5). As our sufferings abound, so does also our consolation. Argerius dated his letters from the pleasant garden of the Leonine Prison. God does sometimes so revive his children in trouble, that they had rather bear their afflictions, than lack their comforts. Why then should Christians entertain such hard thoughts of affliction? Do not look at its grim face, but at the message it brings, which is to enrich us both with grace and comfort.
2. If Israel be sometimes in the house of bondage, in an afflicted state, then think beforehand of affliction; say not as Job 29:18, 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 1:20). How quickly may the scene turn, and the hyperbole of joy end in a catastrophe; all outward things are upon the tropics, given to change. The forethoughts of affliction, would make us sober and moderate in the use of lawful delights, it would cure a surfeit. Christ at a feast mentions his burial, a good antidote against a surfeit. The forethoughts of affliction would make us prepare for it; it would take us off the world, it would put us upon a search of our evidences, she would see what oil we have in our lamp, what grace we can find, that we may be able to stand in the evil day. That soldier was imprudent, who had his sword to whet, when he was just going to fight. He who forecasts sufferings, will have the shield of faith, and the sword of the Spirit ready, that he may not be surprised.
3. If afflictions do come, let us labor to conduct ourselves wisely as Christians, that we may adorn our sufferings: that is, let us endure with patience (James 5:10). "Take my brethren the prophets for an example of enduring affliction and patience." Satan labors to take advantage of us in affliction, by making us either faint or murmur. He blows the coals of passion and discontent, and then warms himself at the fire. Patience adorns sufferings. A Christian should say, as Jesus Christ, "Lord, not my will, but your 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."
