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it is good for him. So that the greatest Affliction, in the Opinion of those that see no further than the Outside of things, when it falls upon a truly good Man, who has learnt out of God's Word to make the Right Use of all his Difpenfations, when, I fay, Affliction falls upon fuch a One, because it cannot make him Evil, it is by his Goodnefs overcome, and itfelf converted into Good. It lofeth the malignity of its Nature, lighting upon Him, and instead of a Curfe becomes a Bleffing. To the Juft Every Affliction is a Preventive of Sin, a Corrective of Corruptions, an Exercise of Grace, a Conformity to Chrift,an Evidence of his being a Son of God, an Affurance of his Father's Love, and a Preparative for Heaven.

For these and the like are the Designs of God in inflicting, and the Ufes that his Children make in bearing, the Evils that come from his Hand: For from thence they wifely confider that they come, that Afflic tion cometh not forth of the Duft, neither doth trouble fpring out of the Ground. They know that troubles fall out to 'em, not by blind Chance, but by God's determinate appointment, not according to the Fury of the Wicked, but according to the Will of their Father, a Father that in very Love and Faithfulness doth correct, that hath a Heart

of

of Compaffion even when he feems in hisProvidence to frown upon 'em,and has prepar'd Strength to fupport, and Grace to improve and Glory to reward all their Sufferings. And he who by Faith is affur'd that any difafters befalling him are not inflictions of Wrath, but expreffions of Love towards him, by. God in kindness difpens'd as Trials of his Faith, as Exercises of his Virtue, as occafions of acquiring more plentiful rewards, will count it, as St. James fays, all Foy when he falleth into divers Temptations, James 1.2. and Rejoice that he is counted wor thy to fuffer for the Name of Christ.

For Afflictions have a great Influence and Tendency towards the begetting a Secret and a Spiritual Joy within the Breafts of the Faithful and the Juft. For, from their Conformity with Chrift here, in Suffering grievous but fhort Afflictions, they affuredly gather their Conformity with him hereafter, in the fruition of Everlafting Glory; According to that of St. Paul Rom. 8. 17. If fo be we Suffer with him, we shall be alfo Glorify'd together; and that of St. Peter, 1Pet. 4. 13. Rejoice in as much as ye are partakers of Chrift's Sufferings, that when his Glory shall be reveal'd, ye may be glad alfo with exceeding Joy. They glory therefore that they are thus made like to their bleffed Mafter, and as Luther elegantly enough expreffes it,

Embrace

Embrace their Sufferings, as Reliques confe crated by the Touch of Christ.

They confider further, that it is never but for moft Wife and Good ends, that God who hateth nothing that he hath made, and that doth not willingly grieve the Children of Men, much lefs his Own Children, fends upon them any Scourge or Calamity.

And those Ends are many and various, but all working for Good.

Sometimes for the Punishment, fometimes for the Prevention, of Sin; For certainly there is not the best Man living, but upon a ftrict and impartial Search of himself, may find Fuel for Affliction, Guilt enough to deserve it, fomewhat amifs that requires Amendment, fome Corruptions growing into Exorbitancy, fome Errors that ftand in need of Phyfick to cleanse them, fome Diforders ready to break out, that want a Medicine to prevent them.

This therefore being one chief Reason of God's Vifitations, is not Affliction to good Men rather Beneficial than Hurtful? Can they refuse to take, not patiently only, but gladly and willingly, that Cup, which, tho' bitter, yet is temper'd and prepar'd for 'em by fo wife and fo loving a Phyfician? Have they not Reason to be thankful, that God rather choofeth to afflict them than for fake them? As long as God Almighty afflicts

them,

them, 'tis plain they are under his Difcipline,his Care; and no Man'sCondition can be defperate, fo long as this Allwife Phyfician continues his Adminiftration, and reaches Him forth this Medicine, that without his Own fault will most certainly cure and recover Him. Evils as they come not without Desert, for God is Juft; so they pass not away without Profit, for God is Good.

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Sometimes in particular, they are sent to wean a Man from the Love of the World, and to carry up the Thoughts and Hopes and Defires to that better Country, whereunto We are appointed. If all things went always well, even with good Men, in this Life, they would be building Tabernacles, and crying out, It is good for us to be here and fet up their Reft and Hopes on this Side Fordan, as the Reubenites did in the Country of Baban when they found it Rich and Fruitful. God Almighty therefore in Mercy makes this World unpleafing to good Men by Affliction, that they may fet the lefs Value upon it, and fix their Hopes and Defires and Endeavours where only true foys are to be found, even that City which is above; and learn to despise every thing that is lower than Heaven, and fhorter than Eternity.

But lastly, Sometimes for the Tryal of his Saints God is pleas'd to Exercise them.

with Afflictions, that he may bring them to greater Glory, As Gold in the Furnace has be try'd them, fays the Wife Man, and receiv'd them as a burnt-offering, and in the time of their Vifitation they shall shine, and run to and fro like fparks among the stubble, They shall Fudge the Nations and have Dominion over the People, and their Lord fball Reign for Ever: Wisdom 3. 6, 7. It was the Saying of a Wife Heathen, that a Good Man bravely combating with, and getting the better of Afflictions, was Dignum Deo Spectaculum, a Sight Worthy of God; and there is fomewhat like this even in the Book of God himself, where he feems to be extreamly pleas'd with Job's Integrity, and Glorys as it were in him, and points him out to Sa tan with Honour and Applaufe, even when he gave him up a fecond time to try all his Affaults upon him: Haft thou confider'd my fervant Job, that there is none like him in the Earth? a Perfect and an Upright Man; and still be holdeth faft his Integrity altho' thou movedft me against him to deftroy him without Caufe. Job 2. 3.

God, when he fees a ftrong Faith and an Heroick Virtue, is pleas'd to make it Exert and fhew itself, to polish and make it shine by Exercise and Ufe, as he did in those most Heroical Saints of Old, whom Afflictions have made Glorious Glorious