Zephaniah 3:18

I will gather them that are sorrowful.

Comfort to mourners for the loss of solemn assemblies

I. God doth sometimes suffer the solemn assembly to lie under reproach.

1. When does it lie under reproach?

(1) When the presence of God is departed from the public ordinances.

(2) When a reformation has been intended, and cannot be accomplished, but is stayed and hindered.

(3) When the ways of Zion mourn and are unfrequented.

(4) When the members are scattered and driven from one another, that they cannot meet together.

(5) When its state and condition is such as that no man seeks it, or cares for it.

2. Why doth God suffer it to lie under reproach at any time? That He may roll away the reproach. There is a sinful reproach and a penal reproach of the solemn assembly. Sometimes the members are accessary to the reproach. Sometimes they are exceeding barren and unfruitful under the enjoyment of the solemn assembly. Sometimes the members do bear themselves out in their sins upon their enjoyment of the solemn assembly. There is a bearing of ourselves in opposition to false worshippers.

II. How should the members be affected under reproach? There are two sorts of members, false and true. They will not be so affected as to be incapable of the teachings of God. Nor so as to be unthankful for what they have. Nor will they be so affected as if it were barely their own concernment. They look upon this as their great affliction. The saints and people of God will search into their own ways, and turn from the evil of those ways which have had a hand in bringing in this reproach, what is there in this reproach that the saints and people of God should be so much affected by it?

1. There is a darkness upon the greatest organ of light.

2. The name of the Lord is dishonoured.

The whole generation of the righteous are afflicted. The world is scandalised. The devil gets up again. There is a certain presage of a famine of hearing the Word. And God is departed. When the members are sensible of the reproach and carry it as a burthen, the Lord will turn former sorrow into future comforts. He will cause their after comforts to run parallel with their former trouble. (W. Bridge, M. A.)