'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — November 17

God's mercies over his people are exceedingly great and tender. He does not delight in afflicting and grieving them. He delays as long as the honour of his name and the safety of his people will permit. When his people are humbled, his heart is melted into compassion for them. However tender his compassions are, it often falls out that he gives them up into the hands of their enemies for the correction of their evils. He would rather their hearts be heavy under adversity than careless under prosperity. The choicest spirits have been exercised with the sharpest sufferings, and those that now shine as stars in heaven, have been trod under foot as dung on the earth. What grievous sufferings God has called his dearest people to! If God is inclined to mercy, why has he often hedged in his own people by his providence in a suffering path? (1.) By this, the most-wise God will illustrate the glory of his own name. In grievous sufferings he manifests the glory of his power in their support, escape and deliverance. (2.) Through sufferings, he advances their happiness. Corruptions are mortified, and sincerity proved to the joy and satisfaction of their own hearts. Many doubts and fears are removed and answered. (3.) Sufferings are ordained to free the church of hypocrites. Affliction is a furnace to separate the dross from pure gold. Multitudes of hypocrites, like flies in a hot summer, are generated by the church's prosperity, but the winter weather kills them. (4.) Sufferings endear the family of God to each other. Times of suffering are times of reconciliation and greater endearments. (5.) By suffering we are awakened to our duties and taught to pray more frequently and fervently. Ah, what drowsiness and formality creep in at times of prosperity!

Devotional Readings taken from Puritan Devotional Readings 'Voices From The Past Vol.1.'
John Flavel, Works, VI:6-11
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