Christ Jesus therefore they must needs be good for them for nothing comes to them through Him that is otherwise He has born the Saints sins so that they are neither condemned nor commanded by them He unstings death before it seizes upon any of his Members so that the venom and poison of death which is sin is gone and death without a sting is not to be dreaded And Christ has also born the Saints Sicknesses and Infirmities Mat. 8. 17. and so the cause of them is removed God does not demand satisfaction to his Justice in the Afflictions of his People for Christ by his Sufferings has made full Satisfaction He does not exact Law Payment of them for Christ was made under the Law and fulfilled it and bare the Curse due to Believers for transgressing of it The Blood of Jesus Christ how does it alter Afflictions it turns them into profitable and healing Medicines Oh Blessed Troubles in which Christ himself Sympathizes with Souls that are troubled Isa 63. 9. In all their Afflictions he was afflicted and the Angel of his Presence saved them 'T is certainâ—y good to be in the Furnace if the Son of God be there with us to mitigate the heat of it and to consume the dross only while the Metal is secured and purified 4. Afflictions make the Saints Conformable to Christ their Head and 't is never better with the Members than when there is the greatest resemblance in them to their Head and Lord. He was perfected as Mediatour through Sufferings At length he suffer'd so much that he cried out It is finished he paid a full Price for his Churches Redemption and made her Everlasting Peace His Members also must be perfected in Mortification and Holiness by Sufferings also these help to pull down Pride and Self-confidence to tame the Flesh and to check and kill the Affections and Lusts of it Happy Afflictions which make afflicted Believers more like to their Lord in whom they do believe In Conformity to Christ lies our Excellency and Safety This Conformity is in a special manner designed Rom. 8. 29. For whom he did foreknow he also did predestinate to be conformed to the Image of his Son that he might be the first born among many Brethren The Image of the Earthly Adam is our Shame the Image of the Heavenly Adam is our Glory 5. The Afflictions of the Saints are under a Promise that they shall work for good The Medicines which the great Physician of Souls gives to Believers do Work well as they are very proper so very Effectual Rom. 8. 28. We know says the Apostle we are assured of it by Faith and we find it true by Experience That all things Work together for good to them that love God who are called according to his purpose God himself will Work along with Calamities and Troubles of all sorts and bring forth much good out of the very worst of them They work upon the Hearts of the Saints and better the frame and temper and Inclinations of them They work upon their Tongues and lay a Bridle upon them and bring them under the Law of Holiness Love and Kindness they work upon the Actions making them more agreeable to that Rule which whosoever walk according to Peace and Mercy shall be upon them Nay Afflictions work no less than Glory and when the Apostle considered the Weight and Eternity of that Glory he made light of the heaviest Afflictions the Benefit is unconceiveably vast that quickly is reaped from them 2 Cor. 4. 17. For our light Affliction which is but for a Moment worketh for us a far more Exceeding and Eternal weight of Glory Not that Affliction and Suffering though for Righteousness sake does deserve this Glory but it makes it the more Minded and Desired and is a means to make us meet for the Enjoyment of it and the Promise is sure that if we suffer according to the Will of God we shall also Reign with him 6. Afflictions must needs be granted to the Saints for they purge out the worst evil of all and that is Sin Oh! 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 out of measure sinful Sin No Name so bad as thy own No Evil so great as thou art Let all the Calamities of the Earth and all the Miscries of Hell be put into the One Scale together and Sin into the other as Sin is the Cause of them all so it will outweigh them all 'T is the abominable thing which Gods Soul hates 'T is the great Evil and Enemy whereby Mans Soul is ruined How much is Affliction good for since 't is a Soveraign means whereby such an Evil as Sin is purged away Isa 27. 9. By this therefore shall the Iniquity of Jacob be purged and this is all the Fruit to take away his Sin 7. The Afflictions of the Saints are means to prevent their Eternal Sufferings in the other World The Rod is of their Fathers own Appointment to deliver his Childrens Souls from Hell Present Castigation prevents Eternal Condemnation 1 Cor. 11. 32. But when we are judged we are chastned of the Lord that we might not be condemned with the World Not that Sin has not ill demerit enough to make us obnoxious to Sufferings in both Worlds not that Chastizement makes satisfaction for Transgression But it makes the Saints to fly to the Lord Jesus for the making up of all breaches between God and them which Sin has made and 't is effectual to make them truly Humble and Penitent Now Faith and Repentance have the Promise of Life annexed to them Whosoever believes on the Son of God shall not perish but have Everlasting Life Joh. 3. 16. And Repentance is said to be unto Salvation and consequently not be repented of 2 Cor. 7. 10. 8. Afflictions bring the Saints nearer to God and to be near to Him how good is it for them Psal 73. 28. God expects a more serious seeking and a nearer approach when he afflicts his People Hos 5. 15. I will go and return to my Place till they acknowledge their Offence and seek my Face in their Affliction they will seek me early And his People Answer his Expectation Hos 6. 1. They say Come and let us return to the Lord for he hath torn and he will heal us he has smitten and he will bind us up Afflicted Saints inquire after God they come with their Penitential Acknowledgments and desire more fully to know wherefore it is that he Contends that the ground of the Controversie may be removed It is meet that the Afflicted Saint should say and with his Heart he does say it unto God I have born Chastisement I will not offend any more that which I see not teach thou me if I have done Iniquity I will do no more Job 34. 31 32. All that is within him now yields unto God and being melted in the Furnace of Affliction he desires to be cast into the mould of his Word Happy blows which drive the
World Now they may adorn the Doctrine of God their Saviour in all things Now with well-doing they may put to silence the Ignorance of foolish men 1 Pet. 2. 15. Now by a Consciencious Performance of Relative Duties they may be great Blessings to their Relations and greatly promote their Eternal Interest They may be blameless and harmless without rebuke in the midst of a crooked and perverse Nation acting like the Children of God shining as Lights in the World holding forth the Word of Life Phil. 2. 14 15 16. But when once Death has seized on the Preachers of the Word their Mouths are stopt with Earth and they are effectually silenced they can speak unto and oversee the Church no longer At Death also Christian 's Work is at an end in this World therefore before the approach of Deaths Night when it will be too late to work Let all in the mean time work the harder 8. Though you are deliver'd out of Affliction recover'd from your Distempers be sure to die daily So did the Apostle 1 Cor. 15. 31. Dying daily implies a daily Meditation of Death looking upon your selves every day within the reach of Death and a continual preparedness for Death and a stedfast Resolution rather to suffer Death than to make Shipwrack of Faith and a good Conscience Do not reckon upon long Life but be perswaded to live well is to live indeed Live as those that must die certainly as those that may die suddenly Be not offended at the Cross of Christ though it should ly so heavy upon you as to press you to Death Sinful saving the Life is losing it but they who are valiant for the Truth of Christ and will venture the losing of Life for Christs sake shall find it Mat. 16. 25. And if natural Life be continued be earnestly desirous that Spiritual Life and liveliness may be increased Pray to be quickned as the Psalmist often does Psal 119. and look unto Jesus who is a quickning Spirit 1 Cor. 15. 45. The first Man Adam was made a living Soul the last Adam was made a quickning Spirit As he has given you Life so he is ready to give it more and more abundantly this will make you to live to him and to be unweariedly active for him The quickned Apostl's earnest desire was that Christ might be magnified by him his Life was at his Lords Service and he was ready to die also to serve him Phil. 1. 20. According to my earnest Expectation and my Hope that in nothing I shall be ashamed but that with all boldness as always so now also Christ shall be magnified in my Body whether it be by Life or by Death USE V. Of Consolation to Saints to whom it is so good when they are afflicted Unto the Righteous there ariseth Light in the Darkness The Rainbow the emblem of Peace and token of the Covenant is often seen in the blackest Cloud The Saints are never in such depths but Comfort belongs to them 't is good for them to be as they are nay all things considered 't is best for them Quod sis esse velis nihilque malis Believers should never say they had rather it might be otherwise with them than God sees it fit it should be when the Plough of Affliction pierces deepest Light and Joy is sowing and the Hopes of what at last will be reaped should allay the Sorrow wherewith the sowing is attended The Grounds of Consolation to afflicted Saints are these 1. Gods goodness is unquestionable however he is pleased to deal with his People Let them be plagued let them be chastned never so sore yet God is good to Israel even to them that are of a clean Heart Psal 73. 1. God is their God and his dealings are ever according to his Gracious Covenant His wounding of them is not like the wounds given by an Enemy but like the Chyrurgians Lancings in order to greater soundness and for Lifes Preservation Isa 27. Hath he smitten him as he smote those that smote him No no great is the Difference between the Rod and the Scorpion between Believers being chastned as Children and the Wicked their falling into the hands of the Living God who takes Vengeance upon them 2. That good which Saints receive by Affliction is Spiritual The Soul has a great kindness done to it The Conscience is bettered as to calmness and cleanness the Heart is made more pure the Spirit of the Lord works a greater change into the Image of God so that there is an advancing from Glory to Glory When Job had been some while afflicted his Spirit began to run more clear Job 23. 10. But he knoweth the way that I take when he hath tried me I shall come forth like Gold The Fire and Furnace in Zion purges the Dross and how then does the Gold shine 3. That good which the Saints reap by Affliction is peculiar and distinguishing Wicked men are either stupid under Affliction or if they are startled they return to their former Security after Affliction To have Affliction sanctified is a favour peculiar to Gods peculiar People 4. This good which the Saints receive by Affliction at present is an earnest to them of Eternal good things in the other World Afflictions are part of the Purgatory through which the Saints pass and are made meet for Glory The Popish Purgatory is a meer Invention for that Antichristian Churches secular Gain The Dead find it to be nothing but vast is the Worldly gain accrueing hereby to the living by this Craft comes in the Priests Wealth But the Purgatory of Affliction promotes Purity and is really Beneficial The Rod at present yeilds the peaceable fruits of Righteousness and when these are brought forth a Crown of Righteousness is assured 2 Tim. 4. 8. I have done with the first Doctrine That Saints are afflicted for their good I shall be Brief in the Second which follows D. 2. The second Doctrine which I raised from the Text was this The Rod of God is a means to make the Word of God to be the better Learned Psal 119. 67. Before I was afflicted I went astray but now have I kept thy Word Affliction was the means to put a stop to the Psalmists wandring it brought his Feet into the right Path and established his goings What a light shines in the School of Affliction Things are seen naked there Sin the World Hell and Destruction are all naked The great things of the Word are plainly seen to be great and good indeed and are no longer lookt upon as strange things In the handling of this Doctrine I shall 1. Shew you when the Word of God is indeed learned 2. What influence the Rod of God has unto the better Learning of his Word 3. Make Application In the first Place I am to shew you when the Word of God is indeed and aright learned 1. Learning the Word implies a Perswasion of the Words Divine Authority and Truth He has not
Saints to God and strengthen their Resolutions to abide with God! Thus have I demonstrated that Saints are afflicted for their good In the Second Place I am to specifie that good which accrews to the Saints by Affliction 1. One good consequent of Affliction is a greater Power of Spiritual Discerning Prov. 29. 15. The Rod and Reproof give Wisdom If Mans Rod does so then it follows that the Rod of God does it much more Gods Teaching accompanies his Chastning and who Teaches like him Afflictions clear the Eye of the Soul so that it is more Single and Piercing It sees now plainly through the deceitfulness of Sin It sees the Worlds emptiness and Vanity and an End of all its Perfection It sees the Subtilty of the old Serpent and how much it concerns all neither to believe nor follow him It discerns the Insufficiency Weakness and Wickedness of Self and that 't is neither to be trusted in sought or pleased It sees the greatness of that Salvation which is in Christ and what an All-sufficient and Eternal Portion the Lord Jehovah is And the Afflicted Saints Knowledge of all this is more than Notional He knows by Experience as well as Speculation the Evil of Sin and the unsuitableness of the World is plain to his Spiritual Sense and so is the Power of the Grace of Christ In Affliction the other World opens and the Eye looks into it and what a Cypher then is this whole Globe of Earth and Waters The Apostles outward Man perished He was exercised with Affliction and what clear views had he then of things unseen 2 Cor. 4. 16 18. For which cause we faint not but though our outward man perish our inward man is renewed day by day While we look not at the things that are seen but at the things that are not seen for the things that are seen are Temporal but the things that are not seen are Eternal 2. Another good Consequent of Affliction is a more Pure and tender Conscience How great a Misery is it to have a stupid Conscience that is without or past feeling When a man has all his own Guilt and the Wrath of God abiding upon him not a Promise in the Bible belonging to him all the threatnings full charged with Curses and Woes just ready to be discharged at him And He himself is upon the very brink of Hell just ready to tumble in every Moment and yet is altogether unsensible of any danger Such a senseless Conscience is a deadly Sign it argues Spiritual Death to have full Power and Eternal Death to be at the door In the depths of Despair there is more Probability of Salvation than in the heighth of Presumption But Affliction startles the Conscience how quick is its Sight and Sense then The Saints have recourse to the Blood of Christ to purge their Consciences from all the Dead works in which they have been formerly employed And that Blood is sufficient for their Purgation and Peace Heb. 9. 14. How much more shall the Blood of Christ who through the Eternal Spirit offered up himself without Spot to God purge your Consciences from dead Works to serve the Living God! And afflicted Saints are exceedingly afraid of making new wounds in their Consciences since the Smart of former wounds in their Spirits was so intolerable Lam. 3. 19 20. Remembring my Affliction and my Misery the Wormwood and the Gall my Soul has them still in remembrance and is humbled in me 3. Another good Consequent of Affliction is the Mortification of the Sin of Pride Pride is a Sin hateful to God it strikes at his Glory which God aims at in every thing he does And Pride is very hurtful to man 't is the hindrance of the Help which Divine Grace affords for God who gives Grace to the Humble instead of assisting does resist the Proud 1 Pet. 5. 5. And this Pride is the forerunner of falls into Sin and Ruine therefore says Solomon Pride goes before Destruction and an haughty Spirit before a fall The Lord cannot endure this Pride in his Saints and Affliction is sent to kill it The Troubles which the Israelites met with in the Wilderness when they were encountred with Fiery Serpents and Scorpions and Drought and many other Calamities the end of them all was to Humble them and Prove them and to do them good in the latter end Deut. 8. 15 16. A Saint who comes out of the Fire of Affliction with a Meek and humble Spirit his high Conceits and Thoughts of himself all cast down seeing himself to be nothing but what he is by the Grace of God this man looks like Silver coming out of a Furnance of Earth purified seven tunes and what a shining brightness and lustre is upon him 4. Another good Consequent of Affliction is a more perfect Subjection of the whole Man to God There is a Submission to Him by a Penitential Acknowledgment of Offences against him and justifying of him in his severest Dispensations Neh. 9. 33. Howbeit thou art just in all that is brought upon us for thou hast done Right but we have done Wickedly There is a Submission to his Righteousness a great sense that 't is by the Righteousness of One onely the second Adam that the Free Gift comes upon all that are in him unto Justification of Life Rom. 5. 18. So Rom. 10. 4. Christ is the end of the Law for Righteousness to every one that believeth There is likewise a Subjection of Body and Soul unto the commands of God which reach the whole man and require service from the whole And Affliction quickens Desires after Grace to keep these Precepts better so that there may not be a wandring from them Psal 119. 10. With my whole Heart have I sought thee oh let me not wander from thy Commandments Sin 's service becomes more irksome the Law of Sin more grievous but the Lords service is accounted Liberty and Life Rom. 6. 22. But now being made free from Sin and become Servants to God ye have your Fruit unto Holiness and the end Everlasting Life 5. Another good Consequent of Affliction is greater Exactness and Spirituality in Duty and Obedience Affliction causes Saints to Eye their Hearts more which God does Eye Principally Lip Labour Bodily Exercise outward Ceremonies are perceived to be when alone altogether insignificant Afflicted Saints give God their very Hearts The Strength and Vigour of their Spirits and Affections 't is very evident to them that He alone is Worthy of them And Christ not Self has their Confidence Phil. 3. 3. We are the Circumcision who Worship God in the Spirit rejoice in Christ Jesus and have no Confidence in the Flesh Afflicted Saints lift up their Souls to God in his hand they are safe and this is the Way to have them satisfied and fill'd with Joy Psal 86. 4. Rejoice the Soul of thy Servant for unto thee O Lord do I lift up my Soul Duties to God are performed with more Grace
and Duties to Man are done with a greater regard unto God Himself Gods Approbation is more minded and the Eye being single looks not so much at other things but aims at this that God in all things may have Glory which indeed of Right appertains to Him 6. Another good Consequent of Affliction is a more full and compleat Victory over the World and silencing the God of it When Sickness seizeth upon the Saints the Love of the World is hereby struck more dead The World is out of Countenance and ashamed now to appear it's alluring Power and Charms are all gone And Satan the God of it does not so much care now to offer it Mammon can neither cure the diseased Body nor ease the afflicted Mind Affliction takes off the fine Mask upon Mammons Face and then 't is plainly seen how sorry a Master he is and how poor all his store The World cannot yield true Contentment to any for that little while they are the Inhabitants of it and can any thing of this World be carried away into another World Ah no! 1 Tim. 6. 7. For we brought nothing into this World and 't is certain we can carry nothing out He that has most of the World what is it all to him when he is leaving the World and all behind him Suppose the greatest Possessour of Earthly Riches lying upon a Death-bed in his fainting Fits and dying Agonies lay some baggs of Gold upon his Pillows bring in the sweetest Consort of Musick shew him the costliest Raiment he ever â—wore let a Table be spread and furnisht with the choicest Dainties and let the greatest Beauties stand by him proffering themselves and their service to him Alas Alas what 's all this to a Man that is breathing out his last Breath and ready to appear and give an account of himself unto the Judge of all Affliction gives a smart Admonition that this World is to be contemned in Comparison of the better and enduring Substance Satan notwithstanding his Subtlety is easily baffled in Affliction think seriously of Death and Judgment and all that He offers is just nothing though he should make as large an offer as he did to Christ in the hour of his Temptation when he shewed him all the Kingdoms of the World and the Glory of them 7. Another good Consequent of Affliction is an Increase of Grace and an abundance of the Fruits of Righteousness Wicked men receive not Correction being put into the Furnace they are found and rejected as Reprobate Silver but the Correction of the Saints is the Probation Augmentation and evidencing of the Grace of God in them Faith is tried and by trial is strengthned Patience Experience Hope augmented Rom. 5. 3 4 5. Tribulation worketh Patience Patience Experience Experience Hope and Hope maketh not ashamed because the Love of God is shed abroad in our Hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given to us The Lords tender Compassions towards his afflicted Children exceedingly endears him their Father to them His gracious Visits His stretching forth his own Everlasting Arm for their Sustentation when ready to sink under their Burthens His remembring Mercy in the greatest Severity His being within call and readiness to hear and help fills their Hearts with Love and Resolution to live and cleave to him With how much Tenderness and Compassion does the Lord express himself towards his afflicted ones Psal 69. 33. For the Lord heareth the Poor and despiseth not his Prisoners And Psal 22. 24. For he hath not despised nor abhorred the Affliction of the afflicted neither hath he hid his Face from him but when he cried unto him he heard Saints are great gainers by Affliction because Godliness which is great Gain which is profitable for all things is more powerful than before The Rod of Correction by a Miracle of Grace like that of Aarons Buds and Blossoms and brings forth the Fruits of Righteousness which are most excellent A rare sight it is indeed to see a man coming out of a bed of Languishing or any other Furnace of Affliction more like to Angels in Purity more like to Christ who was Holy Harmless Vndefiled and separate from Sinners more like unto God himself being more exactly Righteous in all his ways and more exemplarily Holy in all manner of Conversation 8. Another good Consequent of Affliction is an high esteem of Time and affecting Apprehensions of Death Judgment and Eternity Affliction brings Death within view Jobs Calamity makes his Mortality much thought of the things of the World had left him he speaks as a man just ready to leave the World Job 17. 1 13 14. My Breath is corrupt my Days are extinct the Graves are ready for me If I wait the Grave is my House I have made my Bed in the Darkness I have said to Corruption thou art my Father and to the Worm thou art my Mother and my Sister He claims kindred to the Worms and Corruption Death was most familiar to his Thoughts and in his Imagination the Grave was his Bed already Now at Death the Saints consider that Time comes to a full stop and Judgment will follow and fix them in Eternity It is of great use to us when our Thoughts dwell in Eternity before we our selves enter upon Eternity this makes an Holy and Happy Eternity infinitely desireable in our Eyes And how do we look unto Jesus through whom Eternal Life is given and with what Circumspection is the way of Holiness walked in which ends in Life Everlasting Rom. 6. 22 23. Affliction awakens the Saints care to improve Time to work while 't is day for it will be too late to work when the Night is once come and how are they concerned that there time be not ended before Eternity be well provided for 9. Another good Consequent of Affliction is Serious Diligence to make the Calling and Election sure When Affliction finds us at uncertainties in reference to our Spiritual State our doubts and fears are amazing and tormenting 'T is sad for a man to look upon himself as dying and then to say O animula vagula blandula Quae nunc abibis in loca O my Soul thou art departing hence but whither oh whither art thou going What is like to be the place of thy Eternal abode which must never be changed To be dying and doubting at the same time is very sad though we are really never so safe What is a well grounded Evidence of the Love of God in Christ worth upon a bed of Sickness How valuable and comfortable the Spirits Testimony concerning our Adoption Now Affliction puts the Saints upon a more strict and impartial Self-examination and upon a more thorow and perceivable turning unto God Lam. 3. 39 40. Wherefore doth the living man complain a man for the Punishment of his Sins Let us search and try our ways and turn unto the Lord our God Affliction makes that Admonition of the Apostle to be heeded 2 Pet. 1. 10 11.
is a Grace with a great deal of Reason in it for who can rationally take it ill when good comes to them and spiritual kindnesses which are the most real kindnesses are done them I have demonstrated the good of Affliction to the Saints I shall now demonstrate the good of Patience Patience is your great Security and makes you to keep Possession of your Selves Luk. 21. 19. In your Patience possess ye your Souls A Patient man whatever he loses whatever he suffers is still himself not discomposed not distracted and hurried away from the Conduct and Satisfaction of that Holy Wisdom and the Grace of God which is in Him By Patient Continuance in well-doing and by patient Suffering rather than he will cease in well-doing his Soul is safe and shall never be lost for he that endures to the end the same shall be saved Mat. 24. 13. And in what a calm has he Possession of his own Spirit when his outward Condition is most Stormy and Tempestuous He has cast Anchor within the Vail and that Anchor is sure and stedfast Heb. 6. 19. Keeps his Mind from Fluctuation and tossing too and fro Patience is the Souls Garrison and preserves it in that Peace which neither Earth nor Hell are able to disturb Patience is that which makes you perfect Jam. 1. 4. But let Patience have its perfect work that ye may be perfect and entire wanting nothing The more there is of Christian Patience and Strength to persevere both in Active and Passive Obedience which God calls you to 't is an Argument you are arrived to the greater Degree of Perfection in Grace and Holiness And besides this Patience will make you less concerned at those Wants which to impatient Creatures are so sensible an Affliction He that is very Patient under Sickness may truly be said not so much to want health He that is Patient under Poverty does not so much want Riches The Christian is not disturbed at the want of those things which he can be contentedly without Patience made the Apostle go through great variety of Conditions with a most even and composed Mind and Spirit 2 Cor. 6. 4 8 9 10. In all things approving our selves as the Ministers of God in much Patience in Affliction in Necessities in Distresses By Honour and Dishonour by evil Report and good Report as deceivers and yet true as unknown and yet well known as dying and behold we live as chastned and not kill'd as sorrowful yet always rejoycing as Poor yet making many Rich as having nothing and yet possessing all things Patience very well becomes you considering the Relation you stand in to God who is a Father too Good and Wise to give to any of his Children a just ground for unsubmission things cannot be ordered better or with more Wisdom than He orders them The compliance of your Wills with His will be a great evidence that you are renewed in the Spirit of your Minds and that you have the new Heart promised in the new Covenant And this Patience of yours being manifested in whatever you feel from the Hand of God or Man will be a great Credit to Religion and a Conviction to the World that there is a great Efficacy in the Truth of the Gospel and in the Grace of God which can carry you so far beyond the Strength of Nature * Patientia est quae nos Deo commendat servat Ipsa est quae iram temperat quae linguam fraenat quae mentem gubernat pacem custodit incendium simultatis extinguit coercet potentiam divitum inopiam pauperum refovet facit humiles in prosperis in adversis fortes contra injurias contumelias mites tentationes expugnat persecutiones tolerat passiones martyria consummat Cyprian De Patientiae bono pag. mihi 319. Finally Patience will make and keep you acceptable to God it will restrain Anger and every other disturbing Passion it will bridle the Tongue keep the Spirit under Rule and Government it will extinguish Contention and keep Peace from being broken It will be coercive of the Power of the Rich and it will refresh the neediness of the Poor It will make you humble in the height of Prosperity so strong as not to faint in the depth of Adversity it will make you mild against the greatest injuries it will break the force of Temptation and fortifie you against Persecution though it should rise so high as Martyrdom Let all this perswade you to the exercise of this admirable Grace of Patience and see that it fail not in Affliction Cry to the Lord for the increase of it and that nothing may be too hard or heavy for it He is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The God of Patience and Consolation the more Patience is wrought in you you are likely to Experience the greater Comfort 2. You that are afflicted Saints Pray that your Faith may be so far from failing that it may continually be increasing Faith is a Grace of great Necessity and Use the Christian lives by Faith he sees by Faith he stands by Faith he works by Faith and is kept through Faith unto Salvation In Affliction Faith is the Saints mighty support for Faith bears hard upon the Faithfulness of God which will never fail God is faithful not onely in giving the good things he has promised but also in vouchsafing Correction which he sees 't is needful The Psalmist speaks thus I have believed therefore have I spoken I was greatly afflicted Psal 116. 10. The greatness of Affliction hindred not the Acting of his Faith but his Faith hindred his fainting under the greatest Affliction Psal 27. 13. I had fainted unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the Land of the living God may be trusted in though he hides his face though there are rebukes and frowns in his Countenance God may be trusted in though his ways are Dark and Cloudy and his Hand heavy Nay Holy Job says Though he slay me yet will I trust in him Job 13. 15. Though the Providence of God seems hardly reconcileable with his Promises but looks as if it thwarted his Promises this is onely Deceptio visus the Eyes mistake Let Faith believe what Sense cannot discern and Sense will be forced at last to grant that Faith was in the right In all Afflictions God is making good his Everlasting Covenant which is well ordered in all things and sure he is still pursuing his design of Mercy towards his People and promoting the Work of Grace and Salvation Believe this and rest satisfied onely let desires be strong that what God designs in sending Affliction may be attained and that his Discipline may be to good effect and purpose 3. You afflicted Saints give Glory to God who afflicts you Here you must know that God is of none but of himself his Perfections undenied He is unchangeable no Addition can be made to his Essential Excellency or his Blessedness As all that