Our second morning session was Mike Reeves on the Puritans and suffering. What was to take three Puritans (Flavel, Bunyan and Goodwin) and draw out some of their teaching on suffering and stressing (in the first two cases that they were men who knew what they were talking about).
Flavel says that
"The wisdom of God is much seen in the choice of his rods. It is usual with God to smite us in those very comforts which stole away too much of the love and delight of our souls from God; to cross us in those things from which we raised up too great expectations of comfort. These providences bespeak the jealousy of God over us, and his care to prevent far worse evils by these sad, but needful strokes. It is a good sign our troubles are sanctified to us, when they turn our hearts against sin, and not against God."
Flavel points us to Scripture, to God and to the future.
When in prison, Bunyan found comfort in Jeremiah 49:11 and in 1 Corinthians 11.
Goodwin expounded Hebrews 4:11 in his Heart of Christ in Heaven towards Sinners on Earth.
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