Works (Vol 7) - Goodwin - XXXIV - Sermon II of 'On repentance'

Required reading
The Works (Vol 7) by Thomas Goodwin (Available from Amazon or free here) - Read Sermon II of 'On repentance'.

My summary
This week we read Goodwin's second sermon on Zephaniah 2:1-3: 'Gather yourselves together, yea, gather together, O nation not desired; Before the decree bring forth, before the day pass as the chaff, before the fierce anger of the LORD come upon you, before the day of the LORD'S anger come upon you. Seek ye the LORD, all ye meek of the earth, which have wrought his judgment; seek righteousness, seek meekness: it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the LORD'S anger.'

In this week's sermon, Goodwin firstly explains why the threat of public and common calamities causes God's people do what he has asked of them.

Then Goodwin enforces the particular duties that God asks of us:
(i) seek him;
(ii) seek righteousness;
(iii) seek meekness.

What grabbed me
It is sad to come to an end of the Goodwin volume.  I've thoroughly enjoyed it.

Today I liked the explanations as to why God uses calamities: 'Consider the chief end which God hath in threatening and sending public calamities on the world is to purify and make his own better and fitter for heaven, to put them upon seeking him and seeking righteousness. As the winter and cold winds are sent for the good of the corn and herbs as well as the sunshine days in summer and spring, so the winters of calamity which the world hath successively after days of peace and prosperity, are for the bettering of his own people ; for 'the world is theirs, things present and to come,' 1 Cor. iii. 22. Winter chokes the weeds, mellows the heart of the earth, and so furthers the rooting and growth of the corn. The winds purify and fan the air, and cause the flowers to cast forth a pleasing smell. So in measure doth God deal with his, Isa. xxvii. 8, when first the seed begins to bud forth; and though he stays the roughness of the winds and storms that might blast, and kill, and destroy grace in them, in the same verse, yet debate with them he doth in measure. And his end is to purify them: 'By this shall the iniquity of Jacob be purged;' yen, and this is all his end, this is all the fruit, to take away the sin.'

Suffering is not necessarily bad - pain does indeed work for the good of God's people.

Next week's reading
Commence the 46 sermons in Volume II of the Works by Jonathan Edwards (Available from Amazon or free here) by reading Sermon I (God glorified in man's dependence).

Now it's your turn
Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.