order to Health Remember Every Affliction is in order to somewhat It cometh with a message from God Now our great work is to find out what the Message is Affliction bringeth When a man brings us Letters we do not look on the back side only and the superscription but we look upon what is contained within and what they import So it is in respect of Afflictions They bring us as I may say Letters from God and a Message in order to somewhat The thing we have to do in an Affliction is not only to look upon the endorsment and outside of the Affliction but we must break it up and see what is written within I told you formerly We must go to God to know the meaning of a condition Dan. 5. 5. We read of a hand writing and the King and all were troubled to know the meaning of what was witten In an Afflicted condition there is a hand-writing upon it The great thing we have to do is to enquire what is the meaning of it and for what end the Affliction cometh Thus it is with many in Affliction they never inquire after the meaning of an Affliction though it cometh with Letters and Messages yet as I may say they put them in their pocket as Caesar did those Letters that forewarned him of his Death when he was going to the Senate Plutarch telleth of the Governour of Thebes when a Letter was sent to him from Athens to discover a Plot that was against him which was that night to be Executed and the Messenger told him that the Matter contained in the Letter was of high Concernment and that he must read the Letter presently His Answer was Weighty matters for to morrow and that night he was Slain Thus some never look into the Letters that an Affliction bringeth us and so despise the Affliction Lam. 3. 40. the Afflicted are there directed what to do in their condition Vers 39. Why doth the living man complain This we should not do But then see what we should do Vers 40. Let us search and try our wayes c. This is some of the work we have to do in an Afflicted condition As the Lord spake to Josuah when the men of Israel fled before the men of Ai Josuah casteth himself down before the Lord but the Lord bids him rise up and search for there was wickedness committed As you may read Josh 7. 10. Where the Lord sheweth him what was his duty viz. To search out the sin for which that defeat came 2. This is another thing we are to do in an Afflicted condition viz. To set in and joyn with the Affliction and to further it in the work for which it is sent We must do by Afflictions as we do by Physick we do not only take Physick but we also joyn with it to further it in it's working we keep our Chamber we take Broth we forbear Studying and Working and all this is to further it's working Afflictions are Physick that God giveth us and then it is right when we joyn with the Physick and further and help it in it's Operation When a Physitian administreth Physick to a diseased Patient there are three things considerable viz. The Physitian the Patient and the Disease And where any two of these joyn together down goeth the third If the Physitian and the Patient joyn together down goeth the Disease if the Physitian and the Disease joyn together down goeth the Patient if the Patient and the Disease joyn together down goeth the Physitian So it is in respect of an Afflicted Condition There is the Patient the Physick and the Disease Now what is the reason that the Physick of Affliction doth some persons no good Surely this The Patient and the Disease joyn together This the Prophet telleth us in the case of Babylon Jer. 51. 9. We would have healed Babylon but she would not be healed Where you find the Patient taking part with the Disease Thus many in an Afflicted Condition take part with the Disease and not with the Physick Affliction cometh to set mens hearts and the world men's hearts and their lusts at greater distance but here is the misery that most men take part with their Lusts and not with their Afflictions to further them in the work for which they are sent They do in respect of the Rod as they do in respect of the Word When they should take part with the Word against their Sins they take part with their Sins against the Word So when they should take part with the Rod against their Lusts they take part with their Lusts against the Rod. Thus did those Isa 1. 5. Jer. 5. 3. They joyned with the Disease and did all they could to obstruct the operation and working of the Physick of Affliction This as I may say is a crossing our Crosses and afflicting our Afflictions when we hinder them in their working And this speaks an Afflicted condition evil for a man in this life It is said of Ahaz That in his Affliction he transgressed more and more This is naught 3. This is another work of an Afflicted condition viz. to eye our Passions and Affections more than our Afflictions To have an eye upon our hearts more then upon our hurts Some when they are in an Afflicted condition spend all their time in poring upon their afflictions as though that were the only work of their condition whereas the great work they have to do is to eye their own hearts and spirits Some look altogether without when they should look within It is our own passions in an Afflicted condition that are our greatest Affliction If the house within be kept dry we need not much to care what tempests are without We many times complain of that that is without us when indeed the cause is within us As we see it is with a sick man he complaineth of the uneasiness of the Stool he sits upon of the Bed he lieth upon of the unsavoriness of the Meat he eats when the cause is inward Were but his ill-humours removed and purged away the same Stool and Bed and Meat would content him When God puts men into an Afflicted condition the reason why to some it is so troublesome is from within from their own spirits and dispositions If they could but subdue their passions and bound their spirits the condition would be well enough Poring upon Afflictions is like a mans poring upon rough and tempestuous Waters which makes his head giddy and himself Sea-sick So it is with some they do but distemper themselves by looking altogether upon their Afflictions Thus it was with Job Job 2. You find him poring upon his Afflictions And then see what the effect was Chap. 3. he opened his mouth and fell a cursing the day of his birth Satan indeed thought to make him fall a cursing his God but he was deceived yet he fell to cursing the day of his birth which was too-much The great work a
whip Folly and Stubbornness out of a Child and when it doth this work then it is good We are to see What the Rod hath driven out of us There is folly bound up in all our hearts and we must see Whether the Rod of Affliction hath driven it away Ephraim makes this confession Jer. 31. 18. Thou hast chastised me and I was chastised I was as a Bullock accustomed to the yoak c. There was an unruly and untamed spirit in Ephraim but the Rod of Affliction subdued it As he acknowledged Vers 19. Surely after I was turned I Repented The Rod gave him a Turn and he was Reformed by it Our great Work in an Afflicted Condition is To see what the Rod hath driven out of us And whether when we were out of the way it hath whipped us into the right way David saith Psal 119. 67. Before he was Afflicted he went astray David was a Rambler till God whipped him But now I keep thy Precepts q. d. I was a very careless observer of thy Precepts but now thy Rod hath whipped it out of me 2. The Rod cometh to drive and beat somewhat into us It comes to set on Lessons and Instructions Correction cometh for this end To set on Instruction You have a passage of Elihu Job 33. 16. Of God's speaking once or twice and man perceiveth it not Vers 16. Then he openeth the ears of men and sealeth their Instruction i. e. When men will not hear God cometh with Afflictions and openeth their ears and setteth on his Instruction with a Witnesse God's Corrections are to Seal his Instructions Instructions many times make no impression till the Rod comes and Seals them and puts the Stamp upon them The question we are to put to our selves in an Afflicted Condition is What Instruction the Affliction hath Sealed to us 1. Can you say The Rod of Affliction hath Sealed an Instruction to you concerning God What he is We read of Manasseh 2 Chron. 33. 12. When he was in Affliction he besought the Lord his God and then saith the Text he knew that the Lord was God No doubt but he knew it before but he heeded it not till the Affliction came and Sealed the Instruction to him 2. What Instructions hath Afflictions Sealed concerning your selves Can you say We have often heard What a Proud and Stubborn and Perverse-Creature man is Like a Bullock unaccustomed to the Yoak Such a creature I my self am apt to forget my God and to forget my self But alas I took no notice of these Instructions But now Affliction hath opened mine Ear and Sealed this Instruction 3. What Instructions hath Afflictions Sealed concerning the Creature I have often been instructed of the Vanity of the Creature of the Emptiness that is in all worldly Comforts of the Uncertainty that is in Riches and all worldly Enjoyments And have been called upon to use all these things with weaned Affections and right considerations of their Brevity Mortality Mutability But these Instructions I heeded not in the day of my Prosperity But now my Affliction hath Sealed these Instructions I now see what the creature is and what all worldly things are viz. Vanity and Vexation of Spirit When Solon the Wise came to visit Croesus the Rich Croesus shewed him his Wealth and asked him Whether he thought him not the happiest man living Solon answered Nemo faelix ante obitum Thou mayest be unhappy for all this before thou diest Croesus did then but laugh at what Solon said But afterwards when he had lost the Battle against Cyrus and had his City taken and was bound to a Gibbet over a Great Pile of wood to be burned in the sight of the Persians He cryed out aloud O Solon Solon Cyrus asked him the meaning of it He answered That Solon had told him this before but he believed him not We are to see Whether Affliction hath Sealed this Instruction concerning the creature's vanity 4. What Instructions hath Affliction Sealed concerning Sin Can you say I have been informed of the Evil of Sin what a bitter thing it is That though it be sweet in the mouth yet it will be Gall and Worm-wood in the end These Instructions I have often heard but heeded them not But now Affliction hath Sealed these Instructions It hath given me to see The Evil of Disobedience Pride Covetousnesse and of over-loving the Creature c. 5. What Instructions hath the Rod sealed concerning Duty I have heard out of Gods Word much concerning my Duty What I ought to do but I was a careless and forgetful Hearer 1. I have heard it was my Duty In a Good day to prepare for Evil dayes But this Instruction I heeded not I could not believe there would be a change in my condition But now Affliction hath sealed this Instruction 2. I have heard that this was my Duty To pity others in their Miseries and to have a fellow-feeling of others Afflictions But these I heeded not I did not remember the Afflictions of Joseph I was not afflicted in the Afflictions of others But now the Rod of Affliction hath sealed that Instruction 3. I have been Instructed concerning Obedience viz. That it should be close and conscionable But alass I heeded not the Instruction I was loose and formal and took that liberty to my self that the Word did not allow But now the Rod hath sealed this Instruction It hath taught me to be more strict and close in my Obedience as it did David Psal 119. 71. Thus we are to see Whether the Rod of Affliction hath sealed these Instructions Psal 94. 12. Blessed is the man whom thou chastnest and teachest out of thy Law Then it is right when with Affliction and Correction there goeth Instruction and when the Rod of affliction sealeth instructions out of the Law 3. We have Affliction presented to us under another Name and Notion viz. That it is God's Plough Psalm 129. 3. Every Instrument in Affliction is God's Plower And every Affliction is God's Plough that makes Furrowes upon our Backs our Estates and Families Now consider What is the work of the Plough It is to break up the Ground and to fit it for the Seed that it may bring forth a Crop Now how shall we know it was good for the Land that it was Plowed but by the Crop it brings forth If it bring forth nothing but Weeds or Bryars or Thorns we cannot say That it was good for that Land that it was Plowed Joh. 15. 1. God is compared to a Husband-man Now a Husband-man hath two things to look to 1. His Field 2. Vineyard For his Field he hath a Plough For his Vineyard he hath a Pruning-knife Afflictions are both these 1. Afflictions are God's Plough for his Field And whoever are the Instruments in Afflicting they are but God's Plow-men An Husband-man hath his day-labourers under him So hath God some that labour about the Ear the Heart and the Inward-man And these are his Ministers
know what is good for him A man may know Riches are good when yet they may not be a convenient good for him Agur's Prayer Prov. 30. 8. was Give me neither Poverty nor Riches feed me with food Convenient Though he saw Riches were in themselves good yet he question'd whether they were a Convenient good for him and thereupon desires a middle Estate between Poverty and Riches So that when we tell you No man knowes what is good for man in this life it is to be understood of a Convenient good 4. Distinction There is good in Respect 1. Of our Apprehensions and Imaginations 2. Of Gods Intention 1. There is good in respect of our apprehensions So men have their several apprehensions of what is good and what is evil One man apprehends Honour good for him and Riches good for him And apprehends Disgrace evil and Poverty evil A man apprehends Health good and Sickness evil for him 2. There is good in Gods Intention And so the Proposition is to be understood of the latter not of the former Though a man may know what is good for himself in his own apprehension yet he knows not what is good for him in Gods Intention What a man apprehends to be good to him may be intended for evil and what he apprehends as evil may be intended to him for good Eccles 9. 1. No man knowes Love or Hatred by any thing that is before him The meaning is That no man from outward blessings which are good in our apprehension can conclude that God loves him and intends good to him And no man from outward Afflictions which are evil in a mans apprehension can conclude hatred or that He intends evil to him So that though a man knoweth what is good and evil for him in his own Apprehension yet he knoweth not what is good or evil in God's Intention 5. Distinction There is Good that is good in a General Notion and Consideration And Good that is good in relation to particular Cases and to particular Times So the Proposition is to be understood of the latter not of the former This is granted that a man may know what is good and what is evil for him in General but a man knoweth not what is good for him in such a particular Case and at such a particular Time As Hushai said of Achitophel's Counsell It is not good at this time Why so what a man looks upon as good for him may not be good for him at such a time Riches that seem to be Good for a man yet at some times may be Evil to a man As in Plundring times it was a mans unhappinesse either to be or to be thought Rich. Thus for the first thing Of what Good this is to be understood 2. The second thing to be Enquired after is Of what Men this is to be understood So the Question is Whether the Proposition concludes all men without Exception under this ignorance and excludes all from the knowledge of what is good for them in this Life So the Question is concerning Godly men that are sanctified and enlightned by the Spirit of God Whether are they as Ignorant in this particular as others Answ There is a great difference to be put between the Spiritual and the Natural man in respect of their knowledge of what is good or evil for a man in this Life A Godly man not only knows what is good for a man in relation to the Life to come as Pardon of Sin an Interest in Christ c. but also he knows more than others do what is good for a man in this Life He knows that many things are good for a man that are apprehended to be evil and he knows there are many things evil for a man that are look'd on as good Thus David said It was good for him that he had been afflicted when others looked upon Afflictions as evil he looked on them as good for him Agur prayed against Riches why he knew they were evil for him when others look upon abundance as good So consider a Godly man hath Four things to help him in the knowledg of this that others have not 1. He hath the Spirit of God to instruct and teach him what is good and evil for a man in this life When others are only led by Sense Opinion the Godly man is taught and led by the Spirit of God 2. He hath the Sanctuary to go into where he may learn what is Good and Evil for a man in this Life There David tells you that he attain'd to this knowledg and till he went into the Sanctuary he was ignorant of it Psal 73. 17. till I went into the Sanctuary Till then he thought it was ill for good men that they were afflicted and that it was good for wicked men that they were in prosperity But when he came into the Sanctuary he was informed otherwise 3. The Godly man hath convincing Experience by which he comes to know what is good and evil for a man in this life So that by experience he knows that to be good for him that others think evil Psal 119. 71. It is good for me that I have been Afflicted David speaks it from experience 4. The Godly man hath the Promise to help him too Rom. 8. 28. All things work together for good to them that Love God So that being such as Love God they know all shall be for Good to them be it what it will Though it seem Evil yet it shall work for Good These things Godly men have above others whereby they are enabled above others to know what is Good for them this in Life And yet for all this the Proposition includes them too as well as others It is true Solomon it is probable means it chiefly of the Natural and Unregenerate man yet it takes in the Godly man too as one that knows not what is Good for a man in this Life And that especially in two Cases 1. A Godly man knows not what is good for a man in all things 2. He knows not what is good for a man at all times 1. A Godly man knows not what is good for a man in all things In this as the Apostle speaks they know but in part And it appears thus that they have been denyed in their Requests Praying for that that God saw not Good for them Thus Abraham for Ishmael Thus Moses requested to have gone into the Land of Canaan And Gods denying them these Requests must be interpreted Gods not seeing that particular thing Good for them and that indeed it was not good for them The Will of God being the highest Rule of Goodness So we find some of the Servants of God have been blinded with passion in some of their requests as Elijah and Jonah and God did not see it good to grant them what they desired They Asked they knew not what 2. A Godly man may not know what is good for him at all
crowded in with It and when Sin shall be no more these Miseries and Evils shall be no more Rev. 21. 4. There shall be no more Death c. The Thred followeth the Needle Sin was the Needle that drew in with it the Thred of Miseries and Afflictions Man had never known what Losses and Crosses and Miseries and Afflictions had bin had it not been for Sin 2. Afflictions of themselves do us no good of themselves they do not make a man better The Good by Afflictions comes from a Superiour Work from those admirable Influences and Concurrences of the Spirit of God on and with the Afflictions As our Saviour said Man lives not by Bread only So man is not amended by Afflictions only Put a Stone into the Fire it cometh out a Stone still No water either hot or cold will make a Blackmore White Empty Vinegar from Vessel to Vessel it will be Vinegar still So let a man be emplyed from Condition to Condition he is still the same We know the Plough breaks up the Earth but of it self doth not better it it leaveth it as it was there is nothing put in by the Plough If the Husbandman Dung it and cast in good Seed when he hath broken it up with his Plough then there is like to be a Harvest else there is nothing but Weeds and Nettles The Plough of Afflictions may break our Bodies and Estates and Spirits but there will be no Harvest without something more without an Heavenly Influence Afflictions will bring forth only Briars and Thorns The Expression of the Psalmist is Psal 94. 12. Blessed is the Man whom thou chastenest and teachest out of thy Law It is then happy when Correction and Instruction go together 3. As Afflictions are fruits of Sin and of themselves do no good so oftentimes through Mans Corruption they prove occasions of Sin They are so far from making men Better that they often make men Worse I have shewed before what Evils are incident both to a state of Prosperity and Adversity Satan knoweth how to make Afflictions to become Temptations And therefore we find this to be the Reason why Agur prayed against Poverty Prov. 30. 9. lest I be Poor and Steal and the Name of God be taken in Vain q. d. Poverty may put me under a Temptation of using Unlawful means to the Dishonour of God Thus Afflictions prove somtimes occasions of Sin and we are taught to Pray That we may not be led into Temptation 4. Consider again this That the Saints and Servants of God have prayed against Afflictions So they have prayed for 1. The Preventing of them and Keeping them off 2. The Removing them and Taking them off 1. For the Preventing them and keeping them Off. Thus did Agur Prov. 30. 8 9. where you have his Prayer First Against the Evils of Sin Ver. 7. Take from me Vanity and Lying Next Against the Evils of Affliction Ver. 8. Give me not Poverty 2. They have prayed for the Removing them and taking them off And those have done it who got as much good by their Afflictions as any under Heaven Thus David Psal 39. 10. Take away thy Stroak from me Psal 119. 22. Turn away Shame and Reproach from me Thus did Job Job 9. 34. Let him take away his Rod from me Job 13. 20 21. Withdraw thine Hand from me c. Where he Prayeth for Gods taking away his Afflicting Rod and for his with-drawing his Afflicting Hand And these Two men got as much good by their being Afflicted as ever any did Thus in General You see what we Answer to the Question Whether Evils of Affliction may be Prayed against II. We come to give a more particular Answer to the Question And tell you That though we say It is Lawful to pray against Afflictions yet it must be with the Observation of some Rules and Cautions and Directions That as our Saviour said in another case concerning Hearing Take heed how ye Hear So in this case of praying against Afflictions we say Take heed how ye Pray So consider There is a double praying against Afflictions as I told you before 1. For the Keeping them off 2. For the Taking them off 1. For the Keeping them off So there is a Twofold praying for the Keeping off Afflictions 1. Absolute 2. Conditional and with Submission 1. Absolute When men Pray that in no Case the Evil may happen to them so making their Will a Law to God's This praying against Afflictions is Unwarrantable and Unlawful We must know for Moral Evils of Sin we may pray absolutely against but not so against the Evils of Affliction 2. There is a Praying against them that is Conditional with Submission to the Will of God This is Lawful Our Saviour himself prayed that the Cup might pass from Him but adds this Not my Will but Thine be done Our praying against Afflictions is then right when there is a sweet Submission of our wills to the Will of God So that though we know that Afflictions are grievous to our Natures yet because we know not what the Decrees and Purposes of God are concerning us and not knowing but that He may see them good for us and make them good to us we do sweetly submit our wills to the Will of God and Proclaim Liberty to Him to deal with us as He please And herein is the Work of Grace seen that though Nature desireth wholly to be freed from them they being such things as are bitter to It yet a Christian leavs himself wholly to the Will of God and saith Not my Will but Thine be done When Christians see the Cup of Affliction preparing for them or coming towards them they must pray against it only as our Saviour did It is then right when in praying against Afflictions we pray absolutely that God may be Glorified but for the things that concern our selves we pray with Submission to His Will Thus Christ did John 12. 27 28. Save me from this Hour but for this cause came I to this Hour Father Glorify thy Self Our Saviour is absolute in that request of his That His Father would Glorify his Name and received an Answer But for the other Request he sweetly submitted to His Father 's Will. Thus doth a Gracious Heart pray absolutely that God may be Glorified let it be in Relation to himself which way the Lord please Thus in desiring freedom from Affliction though a Gracious Heart looks upon it as desirable to Nature to be freed from Losses and Crosses Sickness and Poverty c Yet he looks upon Gods Glory as That that is to preferred before its own worldly Welfare Ease Quiet Contentment and Comfort Whereas some may say that Agur prayed absolutely against Poverty Prov. 30. 8 9. Give me not Poverty c. We Answer that though it looketh like an absolute Request yet it is not If we look upon the Reason of the Request Vers 9. we shall find that he prayed absolutely only in relation
us as our Daily Bread It is strange yet it is true These Thorns will bear Grapes and these Thistles will bear Figgs And there is a Day when the Saints of God shall say They could not have been without such and such Afflictions and that It was good for them that they were Afflicted Some Trees there are whose Root is Bitter yet their Fruit Sweet A natural Eye seeth no Good in them and tastes no Sweetness And indeed the Spiritual man doth not always at present discern what Advantage cometh by them We must know those Creatures that we look upon as Venemous and Noxious are yet useful for some Ends and some Respects Thus even Toads c. The skilful Apothecary knoweth how to make Vipers and Scorpions Medicinal Enquire of the Saints of God and they will tell you from their own Experience What good Afflictions have done them and that they were Chastned for their Profit Heb. 12. 10. Afflictions seem to be but dry Rods yet like Aaron's Rod they have found them bringing forth both Blossomes and Fruit. 3. Some say Afflictions are bitter and burthensom to Nature and therefore conclude they are not good for a man in this Life We shall a little examine this to see whether there be Truth in it The Premises are granted That they are Bitter and Grievous to Flesh and Blood and the Apostle grants it Heb. 12. 11. But the Consequence is denied That what is Bitter and Grievous to Flesh and Blood is therefore Evil for a man in this Life And therefore we are to distinguish between what is Toothsom and what is Wholsom Between things that are Pleasingly and Profitably good Things may be Profitably good for us that are not Pleasingly good Those things are sometimes most Wholsom that are least Toothsom There be sweet and honied Poysons that Destroy And there be bitter and distastful Medicines that do Cure We know Wormwood is a Bitter hearb and yet Wholesom and Useful for Man Some things may be sweet in the Mouth that yet are bitter in the Stomack Heb. 12. 11. The Apostle saith of Afflictions though they are Grievous yet they bring forth the quiet fruit of Righteousness Here is the Difference between the Evils of Sin and of Affliction The Evils of Sin they are Sweet in the Mouth but bitter afterwards but the Evils of Affliction are bitter in the Mouth but sweet in the Close Afflictions indeed are bitter but oftentimes the bitternesse ariseth from our own Spirits When our Taste is Vitiated some things seem to be Bitter to us that otherwise would not be so It 's our Spirits that many times Imbitter our Condition and make our Chain much Heavier than other waies it would be There are many Afflict themselves when they are under an Affliction As it is with a Bird when it is gotten into a Room or Chamber it might do well if it sate still till the Doors and Casements were opened but till then with flying against the Walls it doth but hurt and bruise it self To close up this Physitians do observe we are most apt to Surfeit of those things that are most Sweet and Luscious And we find Solomon the Wisest of Men prefers bitter things before Sweet Eccles 7. 3. Sorrow is better than Laughter Ver. 4. It is better to go to the House of Mourning than to the House of Feasting 4. Some say That Afflictions are the Effects and Fruits of Sin And therefore not Good for a man in this Life We shall a little Examine this Ground It is true That Afflictions were at first Fruits of Sin But we must make a Difference between what they were at First and what Jesus Christ hath made them to His People now It is true they were at first the products of Sin but to the People of God they are now Changed and Altered We must Distinguish between what is Sinfully Evil and Penally Evil. What is Sinfully Evil is Unchangeably Evil but Afflictions are but Penally Evil and may be made good We must know As there is a Regeneration of Persons so of Things To him that is Born again All is Born again As his Outward Comforts are born again so all his Outward Afflictions It is true the Evils of Afflictions were first Conceived in the womb of Sin and Sin brought them Forth but there is the womb of the Covenant and of the Promise where they are New-formed and out of which those things that were Punishments come forth Priviledges and what was Loss comes forth Gain We read Rom. 5. 12. Sin entred into the World and Death by Sin We see Death came in by Sin Death which is the King of Fears and so its Attendants with it viz. all Miseries and Afflictions whatsoever Thus at first they were conceived in and came forth of the womb of Sin but the Covenant and Promise have changed and altered them it turneth Miseries into Mercies and Punishments into Priviledges and Evil into Good 1 Cor. 3. 22. All is yours saith the Apostle to Believers and among other things he names Death where he makes Death one of the Believer's Priviledges put into the Believer's Charter And the same Apostle Phil. 1. 21. saith To him to Die was Gain Death in respect of its first Birth was Losse but being born again it becomes Gain And as Death which is the King of Fears and so the chief of Evils so likewise all other Evils are Gain to a believer Rom. 8. 28. All things work together for Good to them that love God Thus we have examined the Grounds that those go upon in making this Judgment of an Afflicted Condition That it is Evil for a Man in this Life I shall Conclude with these Queries 1. Who knows or can say that That is Evil for a man in this Life that God inflicts upon the best in this Life We often find the cup of Gall and Wormwood going round about the Saints Tables We usually find it the Diet-drink with which God doth Physick his Dearest Children With the same Sword wherewith He destroyeth his Enemies He sometimes wounds his Friends and all this for their Good We find the Godly ones of Judah were carried Captives to Babylon as well as others they lost their Houses Estates were taken out of the Land of their Nativity and carried into a strange Land And yet the Lord saith of them Jer. 24. 5. That he had sent them into Captivity for their Good 2. Who knows or can say that that is Evil for man in this Life that may be consistent with Happinesse An Afflicted Man may yet in this Life be a happy Man As Man at his best Estate is but Vanity so there are that in their worst Estate may be Happy A Man may be Great and Rich and yet Miserable And a Man may be Poor and Afflicted and yet Happy Job 5. 17. Behold Happy is the Man whom God Correcteth It seems to be a strange thing and therefore a BEHOLD is put to it A
strange Sight to see an Afflicted Man and yet a Blessed Man Sense and Reason wonder at this Conjunction That Affliction and Happinesse should both Kisse the same Person Psal 94. 12. Blessed is the Man whom thou Chastnest c. So that a Man may be a Chastised man and yet a Blessed man 3. Who knoweth or can say That those things are evil for a man in this life that by experience have been found to have been the means of doing many good Though Afflictions of themselves have not done it yet being Sanctified and Instruction going together with them they have wrought a Gracious and wonderful Change How many may say with David That it was good for them that they were Afflicted We read of Moses his Rod what Miracles it wrought The Rod of Affliction works Miracles when God worketh with it How many Proud ones hath Affliction Humbled When Manasseh was in Bryers then he sought God How many Ignorant ones hath Affliction taught They have Learnt that in the School of Affliction that they never knew before Sir Thomas Palmer upon Tower-Hill when he came to Dye pointing to the Tower said I have learnt more in yonder dark Corner of the Tower then ever I learnt in all may Life How many wild and unruly Spirits hath Affliction tamed Those that in their Prosperity have been as Wild Asses used to the Wilderness that none could turn them back Yet in their Moneth of Affliction they have been found and taken Jer. 31. 18. Ephraim saith Thou hast Chastised me and I was Chastised i. e. I was bettered by the Chastisment He was as an unruly Bullock unaccustomed to the Yoak But Afflictions have made him to submit and tamed him How many Wandring ones hath Affliction Reduced and brought into the Way Psal 119. 67. Before I was Afflicted I went astray but now I keep thy Statutes Many have been out of the Way to Heaven and have been brought into it by Gods Guiding with this Rod. It was Affliction that made the Prodigal find the way to his Father's house We read of those that were with Paul in the Ship when they suffered Ship-Wrack Acts 27. 44. that some upon Planks and some upon the broken pieces of the Ship got safe to Land So many have been brought to Heaven upon the broken pieces of an Estate and must say as one once said They had been undone if they had not been undone How many worldlings hath Afflictions Weaned from the world By being crost in the creature they have come to discern the Vanity that is in the creature and to have their hearts taken off the creature Here we tast Affliction as a Father saith Tanquam amaritudinem in where materno We are apt to hang on the breasts of the Creature and Afflictions are the Wormwood by which God Weans us from them Lastly How many Sinners hath Affliction stopped who else had run headlong into Hell if God had not made a Hedg of Affliction in their way We read Hos 2. 6. I will saith the Lord hedg up thy way with Thorns and thou shalt not find thy paths God sometimes maketh a hedg of Thorns whereby sinners are stopped It is happy for a man to meet with such a stop though the hedg be made of Thorns 4. Who knoweth or can say That that Condition is Evil for a man in this life in which the People of God are best This is to be considered that wicked men are worst in their best worldly condition and a Godly Man is best when his outward condition is worst As one saith of the English Nation Angliea gens est optima flens pessimaridens The English Nation is best when it Weeps and worst when it Laughs Thus for the Second sort of those that are mistaken about Conditions 3. There are another sort that are grosly mistaken on the other hand And such are those who think it cannot but be well with them because they are in this life Afflicted Thus some think they are the better and the happier upon that account And here lyeth the mistake because they hear Afflictions have done some good and that some have been able to say That it was good for them that they were Afflicted and thence Conclude That they are happy because their Condition is such a Condition Never considering what I said before That Afflictions of themselves never did any man good and that conditions are to us as we are in those conditions Some because they Suffer in this world think it is an Argument that they shall be freed from Suffering in another world as if God could not make two Hells for them We must know when the Scripture speaketh of Rejoycing in Affliction it is not to be understood that meerly Afflictions are matter of Joy those that think they are happy because they are Afflicted and that their Condition is low in this world may be sadly mistaken It is said Mat. 5. 3. Blessed are the poor in Spirit c. It is not said Blessed are all that are poor in Purse Let me tell you Some mens sufferings here are but the forerunners of those that are to come and so may be but the beginning of sorowes We must know that upon the very Tooth-ach of a Reprobate as one saith Hell is Engraven Every Lazarus is not taken into Abrahams bosome Those may want a bit of bread here that may hereafter cry as Dives did for a drop of water to cool their tongues A man may be poor in this world and poor in the world to come There are a sort of poor that are the worst of people under Heaven being Ignorant Stubborn Prophane Vitious Despisers of God His Sabbaths Ordinances Ministers People And indeed for the most part the poorest sort are the worst of people and the most Licentious there being nothing of knowledg or politique Restraints or civil and ingenious Education to keep them in and hold them back To conclude this Happiness is not the portion of every Afflicted man in this life It is not Affliction but Affliction Sanctified that makes a man Happy by it Thus for the First Information CHAP. VIII The Second Information IF no man knoweth What is good for a man in this Life then it Informeth us That we should be as ready to receive evil as well as good at the Hands of God We are not to be our own Carvers in respect of Conditions When Job was in his sad Condition the Devil stirred up his Wife to tempt him to Blasphemy and Impatiency But see what answer Job returns to her Job 2. 10. Thou speakest as one of the foolish Women c. Where First He Reprehends her Secondly He Instructeth Her Shall we saith he receive Good at the Hands of God and not receive Evil q. d. Have I for so many Years received so many good things and blessings from the Hand of God and shall I not now receive these Crosses and Afflictions Now receiving Evil from the Hand of God
who are in an Afflicted condition Thus Job's Friends did judge of him by his Condition Now the right way of making a Judgement of Conditions is To Judge of Conditions by Persons To a Wicked man every condition is Evil And to a Godly man every condition is Good That as the Expression is Tit. 1. 15. To the Pure all things are Pure So to those that are Good all things are Good If he hath Prosperity it causeth Thankfulness if Adversity it worketh Patience Rom. 8. 28. All things work together for Good to them that Love God So that we must know we are to judge of Conditions by the Persons When one came to Austin and told him of one that came to a strange End he presently asked But how did he Live Intimating That a man was not to be judged of by the manner of his Death if he were Godly in his Life 3. In making of a Judgement of Conditions you must judge of them by what Men are to and in their Conditions I have told you before A condition is to a Man as he is to and in his condition It is as a Man mannageth his condition Would you know whether Prosperity be Good for a Man You must see how he doth manage that condition and how he doth carry and deport himself in it If he demean himself Proudly and make the Things he enjoyes to be Fuel for his Lust you may conclude his condition is Evil for him So on the contrary Would you know Whether an Afflicted condition be Evil for a Man Mark how he Behaves himself in that condition If Foolishly if Impatiently Either on the one hand Despising the Affliction Or on the other hand Murmuring at it You may know that it is Evil for him Of this I shall speak more afterwards 4. To make a Judgement of Conditions We must Know our Spirits and Dispositions Now we cannot know the Spirits and Dispositions of others but we should labour to know our own which we may know and thereby come to know what is good for us in this Life Some there are That will undertake to make a Judgement of a condition without ever eying or considering their own Disposition It is with some Men as it is with some that sit at the Wine when they have drunk so many Cups yet they call for the other Quart and the other Pint when they have Drunk too much already not considering what their heads will bear Consider as all heads so all dispositions are not alike This Agur acknowledged in that prayer of his Prov. 30. 8. Give me not Riches He looked upon them as a heady and intoxicating Drink which was too Strong for him The Prophet speaks of some that are strong to drink Wine Now a man of a weak Brain that will make their measure his is easily overtaken We are apt to eye the prosperous condition of another and to think such a condition is good for us and to desire to have our condition made after that Fashion and Mode But this is as if the younger child should cry to have the coat of his elder brother which would be too long for him and ready continually to make him fall 5. In making a Judgment of a condition we must judg of it by the relation it hath to another condition viz. that which is Spiritual and Eternal The saying is that what is the first and best in every thing is the Rule of the rest So the best condition must direct us how to judg of lower conditions That condition is good for a man that makes his Spiritual Condition the better This is the fault of many they judg of conditions without considering how they stand in conjunction with or opposition to their Spiritual and Eternal Condition We may safely conclude that that Condition is good for a man in this Life that is an advantage to him in relation to another Life Many little consider this We should put the question to our selves in every condition Am I the better for being in this Condition in relation to the Spiritual and Eternal Good of my Soul Doth it hinder or further my growth in Grace Doth it hinder or further my Salvation Doth it set me nearer Heaven or nearer Hell 6. In making a Judgment of Conditions we must make use of Faith and not Judg by Sense and Opinion not by Appearances Those that Judg so will never make a Right Judgment of Conditions An Eye of Faith will see Good in that wherin an Eye of Sense yea of Reason too can see none Heb. 11. 26. It is said By Faith Moses refused to be called the Son of Pharoahs Daughter c. Where see what he refused viz. to be called the Son of Pharoahs Daughter which seemingly was the greatest Honour and Advancement that a man could attain unto And then see what he chose viz. to Suffer Affliction with the People of God One would have thought he had chose the Evil and refused the Good But by an Eye of Faith he saw Evil in that that Sense and Reason would have told him was good and Good in that that they would have told him was Evil. It is observable in Mat. 5. that all the Beatitudes are affixed to unlikely conditions Blessed are the poor in Spirit Blessed are those that are Persecuted for Righteousness Sake Blessed are ye when men Revile and Persecute you and speak all manner of evil against you falsly for my Names sake This is to shew that the Judgment of the Word and the Judgment of the world are contrary Faith will shew you that the men of the world are infoeliciter foelices miserable in being happy And the Children of God are foeliciter infoelices happy in their being miserable So that as the Apostle saith Without Faith it is impossible to please God So without Faith it is impossible to make a judgment of conditions I shall close this with an Answer given to one that passed his censure upon a picture as ill drawn when it was not so Si meos oculos haberes non ita diceres If thou hadst mine eyes thou wouldst not say so Faith teacheth a man to make another Judgment of Conditions then Sense or Reason doth III. Those that will make a judgment of a condition must know another thing viz. What it is makes a condition good and what makes a condition evil for a man in this life I shall in some particulars shew What it is that makes a mans condition good for him in this life 1. An Interest in the Covenant Where there is that Interest there is an assurance that all is good and all is for good When we once come to know our Interest in the Covenant we may then make a judgment of a condition I shewed you before we are not to judg of persons by their conditions but of conditions by the persons Psal 25. 10. All the wayes of the Lord are Mercy and Truth to them that keep his Covenant So
it is to them that have an Interest in the Covenant All conditions fall under a Promise when the Scripture saith All shall work together for good An Afflicted condition it self falleth under that promise So when it is said No good thing will He with-hold from them that walk uprightly Afflictions themselves come under that promise If Afflictions be good for them they shall have them and if they have them they may be assured they are good for them It is the Covenant and Promise that helpeth us to make a right Interpretation of all conditions and of all the Dealings of God with us in this life 2. That which makes a condition good for a man in this life is the Enjoyment of God in a Condition and so we may conclude that that condition is good for a man in this life in which he enjoys God The best condition without God in it is evil and the worst condition in which we enjoy God is good God is the chiefest Good and that condition must needs be good in which we enjoy the chiefest Good Look upon the worst of outward conditions it is the best if there be an enjoyment of God the more in it This was the ground of Moses choice Heb. 11. 26. that he choose rather the suffering of Affliction with the People of God then the enjoyment of all the Pleasures and Treasures of Egypt He saw God was to be Enjoyed in that Condition So that by this we may make a judgment of conditions That condition is good for a man in this life in which he enjoys the chiefest Good The Apostle saith 2 Cor. 1. 5. As our Tribulations abound for Christ so our Consolations abound through Christ. When one seeth Christians abound in Tribulations he would think their condition evil but when he cometh to see their Consolations abound in that condition he must needs conclude it good To close up this There is no condition good without the enjoyment of the Chiefest Good He that enjoys God in a condition enjoys Him whose Favour is Life and whose Countenance is a Sun to enlighten the darkest condition It is the Sun that makes day let the Starrs be never so many and shine never so bright yet it is night still So it is in respect of conditions let a man enjoy never so much of the creature yet without the enjoyment of God it is but a dark condition It is His Countenance that makes the darkness of a condition to be light about us Psal 18. 28. He shall make my darkness to be light Mic. 7. 7. Though I sit in darkness the Lord shall be a light about me So that that condition is good for a man in this life that God enlightneth and shineth upon with the beams of His Countenance 3. That that speaks a mans condition Good for him in this Life is The suitableness of his Spirit to his condition When the Spirit is not above the condition As it is to be observed in a Married condition the sweetness of the condition lieth in this In the Suitableness of their Spirits So in every condition the sweetness and goodness of it lieth in the Suitableness that is between our Spirits and our Condition We see how it is with some That their spirits are above their condition their spirits are High when their condition is Low and upon this their condition doth not please them And this is the cause of much Discontent because their spirits suit not with their condition This is the great thing we are to look to In making a judgement of conditions to search and find out How our spirits suit with our condition Whether we can say as the Apostle doth Phil. 4. 11. I have learnt in every estate to be Content He had a spirit fitted for every condition So then when your spirits and conditions suit it is one thing by which you are to make a judgement of your condition 4. That which makes a condition Good for a man in this Life is Peace within What ever the condition be Without if there be peace Within it makes it good and sweet to him Want of that imbitters a condition Solomon saith A good Conscience is a continual Feast It Feasts a man and makes him Merry in all conditions and so makes the worst Outward estate and condition to be good and sweet to him Isa 48. 22. There is no peace saith my God to the Wicked Put him into what condition you will he hath no Peace in that condition and that spoils all 5. That that makes a condition good for a man in this Life is Doing the Work of his condition Conditions have their several and suitable Improvements In every condition a man should put such a Question to himself as the Prophet puts Mich. 6. 8. And now What doth the Lord thy God require of thee So in every condition we should put this Question to our selves What is it that the Lord requires me do as the work of my condition The Apostle James tells us of Duties suitable to conditions Jam. 5. 13. If any man be Afflicted let him Pray If any man be Merry let him sing Psalmes An Afflicted condition hath its Duties and a Prosperous condition hath it's And by doing the Work and performing the Duties of a condition we make a Judgement of it Whether it be good for us in this Life 6. That that makes a condition good for a man in this Life is His living above his outward condition When though there be a suitableness of spirit to the condition yet he takes not up with his condition but fetcheth in his Contentment from some higher thing What is it that makes a Prosperous condition Evil to some Surely this they look no further than their condition They look no higher than Riches and Honour c. and seek for all their comfort and contentment from them And likewise What is it that makes an Afflicted condition Evil to some Surely this they have their Eye only upon their Condition they look no higher than their Troubles and Crosses and Afflictions They see nothing beyond their condition as Hagar when she was wandering in the Wilderness and the Water in her Bottle was spent she concludes that She and her Child must Die as though the Bottle was all that she and her Child had to live upon when yet there was a Fountain near but she could not see it Let a mans condition be what it will yet it cannot hurt him if he live Above it Prosperity cannot hurt that man who maketh God his All in a condition There is an Expression Job 20. 22. concerning a Wicked man That in the midst of his Sufficiency he shall be in Straits Thus it is with some men Let their condition be what it will yet in the midst of it they are in Straits the Reason is Because they live no Higher than their condition In the midst of their Prosperity and Sufficiency they are in straits by reason of
though we are on earth we have an answer from Heaven The Jews had two means by which they received Answers from God First by the Mouth of the Prophets when the Spirit came upon them Secondly by the Priests when they put on the Brest-plate of Judgment Those wayes of Understanding the Minde of God are ceased We have the Word to go to and Prayer to make use of Jam. 1. 5. If any man lack Wisdom let him ask of God The Apostle speaks there of a man in an Afflicted condition and speaks to such in an Afflicted condition as those that need Wisdom both for the managing of their condition and for the making a right judgment of it He telleth them what they must do they must ask this Wisdom of God It is as if the Apostle should say When you are in such a condition you need wisdom 1. Wisdom to discern God's end in it and to find out the meaning of God in a Dispensation When we receive outward good things from the Hand of God or Afflictions whether it be for good or evil It tends much to the quieting and and satisfying our Spirits in a condition when we can find out what is God's end in it 2. Wisdom to find out our duty in a condition There are seasonable and proper duties which belong to and become every providence and dispensation Now here is Wisdom to find them out and to know what we have to do in our condition It is said of the men of Issachar 1 Chron. 12. 32. They had understanding of the times and knew what Israel ought to do So there is wisdom required of a man to know what to do in every condition As one being invited to a Feast asked the Philosopher who was his Tutor How he should behave himself Remember thou art a King's Son i. e. Behave thy self as becometh thy Birth and Dignity So here is Wisdom to know the duties of our condition and accordingly to behave our selves 3. Wisdom to regulate and moderate our affections and passions in a condition That a man be not too much taken with the comforts nor too much troubled with the crosses of a condition Now for the attaining of this Wisdom the Apostle gives this Direction that we must ask of God 2. He that will make a judgment of his condition must be much in searching himself to see what he is in a condition I have said before The condition is to be judged of by the person and that conditions are to men as they are to and in their conditions Here is the mistake of many they go to make a judgment of their conditions before they make a judgment of themselves Our Saviour speaketh in Mat. 7. 3 4. of them that see a Mote in their Brothers eye and discern not the Beam that is in their own eye They would go about to reform others before they reform themselves Thus some would go to make a judgment of conditions before they make a judgment of themselves and that Ignorance is a Beam in their eyes that keeps them from discerning a condition There are some as I have shewed you to whom every condition is a Curse and some to whom every condition is a Blessing The great thing we are to do is to see of which number we are Psal 77. we find Ver. 1 2. David was in an Afflicted condition and see what he doth in that condition First he sought the Lord Ver. 2. In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord. He made his Addresses to God Secondly he fell upon a search of himself Vers 6. I communed with my own heart and my spirit made diligent search Where we see he both sought the Lord and searched Himself So that before a man can make a perfect judgment of a condition there must be a searching of himself There must be a communing with his own heart We must understand our selves before we can understand our condition Eccles 9. 2. No man knoweth love or hatred by what is before him When a man looks only upon the outward Dispensation viz. Riches and Honour on the one hand and Crosses and Afflictions on the other A man may pore upon these all the dayes of his life and yet be never the wiser he may stare on them till his eyes drop out and yet not know whether they are good or evil for him whether they speak love or hatred But then you will ask What should a man do in this case that he may know He must not look so much on things without him as things within him he must not so much eye what his condition is as what he is in his condition It is not for a man to look what God doth without but he must look what God hath done within him to know the meaning of an outward Dispensation Hath God made you one of His hath He shed his Love abroad in your hearts hath He given you the New Name which none knoweth but he that hath it have you the Engravings of Heaven on your Spirits have you Love to Jesus written upon your hearts and Holiness to Jehovah upon your Fore-heads By this you may know the meaning of a condition As it was said of Luther That he knew what was done in Heaven by what was done in his own heart Much more may we know the meaning of what is done on earth by what is done within us The outward Dispensation is dumb and saith nothing of it self in respect of Love and Hatred it is something within a man that must speak that There is an expression Psal 25. 14. The Secret of the Lord is with them that fear Him and he will shew them His Covenant We must know in Gods Dispensations there is a Secret a Secret of Love and a Secret of Hatred and this lyeth hid in the Dispensation so that a man may look long enough upon the outward dispensation and not see the Secret that is in the dispensation Now the Godly Man and he that feareth God knoweth this Secret of a Dispensation God sheweth such a one His Covenant so that he finds all coming in by Covenant let it be what it will whether outward Blessings or outward Afflictions In a word Those that will make a judgment of their outward condition must know that all is Good to those that are Good and all is Evil to those that are Evil. Wrath and Hatred and Hell are written on a wicked Mans outward mercies and on a wicked Mans outward miseries Hell is Engraven on the very Tooth-ach of a Reprobate As on the contrary Love is written not only upon the Mercies but also upon the Miseries of a Godly Man Blessedness is engraven upon his Afflictions and Persecutions So you see that he who will make a judgment of his condition must first make a judgment of himself 3. He that will make a judgment of his outward condition must be sure to take a right view of his condition The not
to discern the dangers of a condition To discover what Rocks and Shelves are in the Sea of every condition that he may know how to avoyd them A man can never take a right view of a condition till he hath viewed it with it's Dangers Snares and Temptations Of these the Scripture makes a Discovery two wayes 1. By way of Caution So it Cautionates men concerning the dangers of a Condition both Prosperous and Adverse As you may see Deut. 6. 11 12. and Deut. 8. 11 12 13. When thou hast eaten and art full Take heed thou forget not the Lord thy God Forgetfulness of God is that that is to be taken heed of in a prosperous condition The Scripture is frequent in giving such Cautions 1 Tim. 6. 17. Psal 62. 10. Jer. 9. 23. Let not the Rich Man glory in his Riches c. 2. The Scripture presents us with the Examples of those that have miscarried and fallen by their conditions It sheweth us against what Rocks some in their Sayling have dashed their Ships Deut. 32. 15. Jesurun waxed fat and kicked Neh. 13. 26. we find how Solomon miscarried in his Prosperity Nebuchadnezzar said in that condition Dan. 4. 30. Is not this great Babel that I have built c In Scripture you have the Saints set out to us as in their Graces so in their Sins You have heard saith the Apostle of the patience of Job so from the same Scripture we hear likewise of his impatiency As it acquaints us with the pride of Israel when they were in their prosperity so with their murmuring and repining when they were in adversity 2 Chron. 32. 25. it is said of Hezechiah After he was recovered that he rendred not again according to what the Lord had done to him for his heart was lifted up 6. Scripture-Light discovereth another thing concerning Conditions And that is this What are the Alloys and Correctives of a Condition without the knowledg of which we can never take a right view of Conditions On the one hand the pleasantness of a condition may deceive us and on the other hand the seeming ill-favouredness of a condition may make us mistaken in making a judgment of it The Scripture discovereth this to us What are the true Correctives of a Condition What may allay the Sweetness and Pleasantness of Prosperity that they be not too much lifted up And what will correct the bitter ingredients of an Afflicted Condition that they be not too much dejected and cast down It is sometimes with men in conditions as it is with those that go to Sea of whom the Psalmist speaketh Psal 107. 26. They mount up to the Heavens and they go down again to the depths So it is in conditions A man in a prosperous condition when the waters of a condition are full he is apt to be high and high-minded But he must know waters of a condition may fall and that conditions have their depths There are the full Tides and the Ebbs of a condition It is sometimes full Sea with a man the comforts of a condition flow in a pace and then a man is apt to be lifted up And then there is the ebb of a condition when there is a decrease and diminishing of those comforts and then men are apt to faint and be cast down Now Scripture-Light discovereth to us what helps we have in this case We know how it is with Fishermens Nets They have Lead to make them sinck and they have Cork at them to make them swim And both these are in Scripture put upon outward conditions 1. For a Prosperous Condition There is Lead put upon it to keep a man Low and Humble and to Sink him in that condition The Scripture telleth us of the Vanity of Riches and Honour c. It telleth us of the Brevity Uncertainty and Insufficiency that is in the Best of outward things Withal it acquaints us with the Temptations Cares Troubles Disquietments wherewith those things are attended It telleth us That the increasing of them is but the increasing of Vanity and Vexation of Spirit Again it telleth us this That a mans happiness lieth not in them that a man may have them and yet be miserable and that being vanity they cannot cure a mans vanity Now this is some of the Lead that the Scripture putteth to a prosperous condition to keep men low and humble in it The consideration of these things are as Ballast to a Ship which makes it Sayl eevenly and steadily When a man is in a prosperous condition his spirit is apt to be lifted up and so it needs Ballast to keep it from Fleeting at random upon the waters of prosperity Now the Scripture is much in shewing what it is that should keep the Spirit low in a high condition Thus 1 Tim. 6. 17. Charge them that are Rich in this world that they be not high-minded and that they trust not in uncertain Riches Observe There is the Ballast and there is the Lead to keep down the Spirit in a Rich condition viz. They are uncertain Riches 1 Cor. 7. 29 30 31. Brethren the time is short and the fashion of this world passeth away q. d. Remember The time is short for your enjoying of the comforts of this life and the fashion of the world goeth away the world is upon Gate and Marrying and Buying and Selling c. will shortly have an end I shall close this with that place Jam. 1. 10. Let the Rich rejoyce in that he is made low The Expositions of the place are divers but without doubt the meaning of the Apostle is this when he saith Let him that is Rich rejoyce in this that he is made low That is There is no Rich man but hath reason to be low and humble if he doth rightly consider his condition And that this is the meaning appears by the following words For as the flower of Grass he shall pass away i. e. The beauty and glory of his condition is but fading and vanishing like the Flower of Grass Here is Lead to make the Spirit sinck in a high and prosperous Condition 2. Concerning an Adverse Condition There the Scripture comes in with Cork to make it Swim and to keep up the Spirit of a man in that condition That we may not be too much cast down it hath it's Correctives for the crosses of a condition and somewhat to allay the bitterness of such a condition It presents us with somewhat that helps to keep the head above water and to keep a man from drowning when the waters of Affliction overflow Scripture puts somewhat under to hold up the Spirit in that condition viz. Promises and Comforts suited to such a Condition With God's End in Afflicting With the sweet Fruit of Afflictions With what Good many have gotten by their Conditions With what Afflictions are being compared with the Glory that is to be Revealed These considerations are as Cork that the Scripture puts to an Adverse Condition 2 Cor.
1. 5. As our Sufferings for Christ abound in us so our Consolations through Christ abound Those Consolations are Cork to the Condition The Apostle saith Jam. 1. 9. Let the Brother of low degree rejoyce in that he is exalted He speaks there to Christians that were in a low and Suffering condition And see there was Cork to make them hold up their heads and swim in that condition saith the Apostle he is Exalted According to to the Original it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in his sublimity being a brother he is a Member of Christ And the Apostle setteth before Christians the Dignity and Honour of their Spiritual Estate to Counter-poyse the Misery and Obscurity of Afflictions Thus the Scripture sheweth a man How he may be preserved from the dangers of the heights and depths of conditions that neither prosperity may lift him up too high nor adversity cast him down too low but that a Christian may have an equal Spirit in unequal conditions There is nothing we have in a Prosperous Condition but we have it by Divine Donation And why should a Christian then be lifted up when he hath nothing but what he hath received And there is nothing befalleth us in an Afflicted Condition but what is by Divine Ordination and why should we then fret at it To close this The Scripture teacheth a man how to keep himself Sober in Prosperity that he be not overcome with the Sweet and Pleasant Wine of that Condition And also Sober in Adversity that he be not overcome with the Gall and Wormwood of that Condition The Scripture speaketh of a Drunkenness that is incident to an Afflicted condition Isa 51. 21. Hear thou this thou Afflicted and Drunken but not with Wine Thus for the First Direction for the taking a right View of Conditions It must be done by Scripture-Light CHAP. X. II. HE that will take a right View of a Condition must take a right Standing for the Viewing of it Conditions must be viewed at a due and convenient Distance It is in the viewing of a Condition as it is in the viewing of a Picture the Art in Drawing is best discerned at some convenient distance The reason why many are mistaken about their Conditions is Their setting their Conditions too near them when they take a View of them Thus they set the Comforts of a condition and the Crosses of a condition so near to them that they cannot take a right View of them It is with men in this Case as it is with a man in the midst of a great Wood or in the midst of a great City When he is at some distance from them he hath a fuller View of them than when he was in the midst of them because his sight is bounded and terminated that he can see but a little way He seeth it may be but a Street or some part of a Street When being but at some convenient Distance from the City and having a little advantage of Ground he hath a full view of the City in respect of Greatness Length Circuit c. Thus it is in respect of conditions When a man is in the midst of the comforts of a condition in the midst of his Honour Wealth and Prosperity he seeth but a little way and cannot take a full View of his condition So it is when a man is in the midst of his Crosses and Afflictions he discerneth but a little of his condition And thus not taking a right View of their Conditions they make a false Judgement of them Solomon hath a passage Prov. 18. 1. Through desire a man having separated himself seeketh or intermedleth with all wisdom The words are diversly interpreted In the Margin we read thus He that separateth himself seeketh according to his desire and intermedleth in every business The meaning seemeth to be this That a man that seeketh after Wisdom and Knowledg hath his retirements His desire of Wisdom makes him sometimes come off from his secular employments and set them at a distance from him It makes him sequester himself from all his worldly Businesses that he may seek after Wisdom and that he may be the freer for Study and Meditation and a consideration of things What they are Thus it is in respect of Conditions If a man will take a right View of his condition and will get Wisdom to make a judgment of it he must for a while as I may say separate himself from it and look upon it at some Distance The Apostle gives this Direction for the taking of a right View of conditions 1 Cor. 7. 29 30 31. Let those that have Wives be as though they had none and they that Rejoyce as though they rejoyced not and they that Possess as though they possessed not c. This sheweth us that then we take a right View of things when we look on them at a distance Those things are worst seen that we are on the same side with An House is best viewed when we are on the other side the Street So it is in respect of Conditions we should view the condition as though we were not in the condition And so for an Afflicted condition we should view it at a distance Let them saith the Apostle that weep be as though they wept not Thus the best view of a condition is To look upon a condition to view it upon the other side of the Street to view it at a Distance It is often-times Self in a condition that hinders from taking a right View of a condition If we could separate our selves from our Conditions and look upon them as other mens Conditions and not our own we should take the better View of them There was a Nobleman of this Nation who had three of his Sons drowned together in the River of Trent The Father had not as yet received the sad tydings of their Deaths It was thought good he should be prepared for the tydings before they came Upon this account was that Learned and Prudent Prelate Bishop King desired to go to him He very wisely managed the business He did not at first tell the Nobleman what was befallen him but fell upon a General discourse of an Afflicted condition and so gave the Nobleman a view of his condition afar off The Nobleman assented to all the Bishop said and answered That if God should bring him into such a condition he did hope he should be content and submit to His will Upon this the Bishop brings the condition nearer to him and putteth this Question to him Admit the Lord should take from you your worldly Enjoyments your outward Comforts and should break off the Olive-Branches from about your Table The Nobleman answered That he hoped he should be therewith content Upon this the Bishop came nearer and told him It was his condition That his Sons were drowned and therefore desired him to do as he had said If he had at first shewed him what was his condition he had been
Comfort when they see they can keep it no longer And this is that Submission that some rest in and think it sufficient to say There is no remedy But now there is another Submission that hath more of Grace in it And that is when God calleth for a Comfort from us there is free Resignation of it up to God As we read of Abraham When God called for Isaack he presently resigned him up to Him And this Submission proceedeth from Faith which works a Christian to the denying of himself and to a complying with God in that that is seemingly contrary to his own desires and content Thus we read Heb. 11. how Abraham by Faith offered up his only begotten Son By a hand of Faith he presents again to God That Blessing he received from Him Faith teacheth a man to receive a Mercy from God and to be thankful and to part again with it and to be content And this not out of necessity because they can keep it no longer but there is a free resigning of it up to God Consider the difference between these Submissions is such as is between the death's and ends of men Some men when they see they must dye and that there is no remedy do yield out of necessity and so their Soul 's are as it were taken from them As the expression in the Gospel is Thou fool this night shall thy Soul be taken from thee Whereas a Godly man makes his Soul a Free-will-Offering to God As our Saviour did his Father into thy hands I commend my Spirit And as Stephen did his Lord Jesus receive my Spirit It is said Prov. 14. 32. The Wicked is driven away in his Wickedness i. e. He is thrust and forced out of the world whether he will or not But the Righteous hath hope in his Death and that hope makes him to Resigne and give up his Soul to God As we read of giving up the Ghost 8. This is another work we have to do in an Afflicted Condition viz. To lay to heart the Affliction When God puts a man into an Afflicted Condition This is one thing God expects from him Eccles 7. 14. In the day of Adversity consider In Isa 42. 25. the Prophet complaineth of Jacob That when God poured out upon him the Fury of his Anger and the Strength of Battle And it had set him on Fire round about yet he knew it not and it burned him yet he layed it not to heart According to the Original it is thus He did not put it upon his heart It is an Hebrew Phrase and notes diligent consideration of Affliction Now that you may not be mistaken about this you must know There is a double laying to heart of an Affliction 1. Carnal sinful and hurtful 2. Spiritual holy and helpful 1. There is a Sinful laying of Afflictions to heart When a man takes those burthens that lye upon his outwards viz. His Person Estate c. and layeth them as a burthen upon his Spirit whereby a man troubles himself when God troubles him When he layeth his troubles without so to heart as to trouble himself within this is Evil. This is forbid John 14. 1. Let not your hearts be troubled The word in the Original signifieth such a trouble as is in water when the mud is stirred up or as the Sea is when it is troubled with a Storm or Tempest As we read in Scripture of the troubled Sea that it's Waters cast forth Mire and Dirt. It also signifieth such a trouble as is in an Army when it is Routed and Disordered there is nothing but Fear and Distraction and Confusion So saith our Saviour Let not your hearts be troubled i. e. Take heed of so laying your troubles to heart as to trouble your Hearts to distemper your Affections and so to blind the Judgement that you can see and discern things no better then a man can in muddy water This laying of Afflictions to heart is unlawful when they are layed to heart to disquiet and distemper the Heart and to raise a Storm in the Soul to make it a troubled Sea casting forth nothing but the mud of impatiency and discontent Take you a glass of water that hath some mud in it and let it stand still the mud settleth at the bottom and the water above is clear but shake this water and then the mud ariseth and there is confusion and the water that before was clear becometh muddy So it is with our hearts and affections there is mud at the bottom and when they come to be stirred by Affliction then the mud ariseth This we should take heed of of laying Afflictions so to heart as to stir up the mud of impatiency and discontent 2. There is a laying of Afflictions to heart that is Spiritual holy and helpful This is a laying them to heart not for the troubling but for the bettering the heart Not for the making of the Spirit more Distempered Impatient Weak and unfit for Duty but for the making of it more Holy and Humble and Submissive this is a right laying of Afflictions to heart It is then right when there is an applying of the heart to the Affliction to find out what use and benefit may be made of it When we lay the Affliction to the heart not to distemper it but as a plaister to heal the diseases and distempers of it viz. to heal it's Pride and Worldliness and Vanity c. It should be with us in considering of and laying Afflictions to heart as with the Bee which alights on a Flower and leaves it not till she hath made something out of it even out of the very blossom of a Thistle she will get somewhat So it should be in respect of an Afflicted Condition There should be such an application of the heart to it as to get somewhat out of it for the bettering of the heart Solomon telleth us Eccles 7. 2. It is better to go to the House of Mourning then to the House of Feasting For this is the end of all flesh and the living will lay it to his heart Laying to heart the ends of others is the making somewhat out of them that is good and profitable for our selves It is our Duty to lay to heart the Afflictions of others much more our own The Lord telleth Babylon Isa 47. 7. That she said She should be a Lady for ever and did not lay the Afflictions of his people to heart As she laid them not to heart by way of Sympathy so not by way of Improvement So then to close this Laying afflictions to heart stands in this In having Impressions made upon our Spirits suitable to the Providence and the Dispensation We read of Ahaz That in his Affliction he transgressed more and more 2 Chron. 28. 19. God brought Judah low and Ahaz was put to his shifts he gave gifts to the King of Assyria yet he helped him not And Verse 22. In the time of his distress he did
trespass more against the Lord. And it is said This is that King Ahaz The meaning is That the Affliction did not make an Impression upon his heart suitable to the Providence and Dispensation To close this It is then right when our Hearts answer to Providences in laying Afflictions so to heart as to make suitable Impressions 9. This is some of the work we have to do in an Afflicted Condition We are patiently to expect and wait upon God Waiting is one of our Duties in an Afflicted Condition We are to wait upon God for comfortable Supports in it and a seasonable Deliverance out of it Isa 8. 17. I will wait upon the Lord that hideth his Face from the house of Jacob. The Prophet resolved to walk dutifully when God walked strangely We shall find in an Afflicted condition This is the Duty that is Commanded Commended and Practised by the Saints in that Condition It is commanded Psal 27. 14. Wait on the Lord and he shall strengthen thy heart wait I say on the Lord. Lam. 3. 26. It is good that a man should hope and quietly wait for the Salvation of the Lora It is spoken there in reference to an Afflicted Condition And so we find the Godly have made it their work in that condition to wait David telleth us He waited patiently for the Lord. Consider Waiting is an Act of Patience drawn-out The Scripture hath two Expressions concerning it viz. Waiting on God Waiting for God Waiting on Him for Comfort in Affliction And waiting for Him to deliver out of Affliction Thus did the people of God Isa 25. 9. Lo This is the Lord we have waited for him and he will save us This is some of the work we have to do in an Afflicted condition viz. To wait on God and to wait for God Affliction is apt to make us short-breath'd To make us weary not only in waiting but weary of waiting This we should look to That though we are weary in waiting yet not to be weary of waiting It was the saying of that wicked King of Israel 2 King 6. 33. This evil is of the Lord why should I wait any longer The great work we have to do in an Afflicted Condition is To wait upon God I have told you before It is God that brings a man and his Afflictions together and as it is He that openeth a fore-door to let a man into that condition so it is He that must make a back-door to let a man out There are many that would make a back-door of their own but God is wiser then they and knows how to deliver them Job 14. 14. All the dayes saith he of my appointed time will I wait till my change come And this is some of the work we have to do in an Afflicted condition viz. To wait till our change come Now waiting upon God in Affliction standeth in these two things 1. In a Silence of Spirit A waiting Spirit is a Silent Spirit it makes no Noyse or Clamour Lam. 3. 26. It will wait quietly for the Salvation of God Psal 62. 1. My Soul wait thou upon God According to the Original it is Be Silent before God Where there is waiting upon God there is no murmuring There are no impatient expressions There is a deep silence of the Soul in respect of passion though not in respect of Prayer There is a speaking to God but not against God A waiting Soul is a praying but not a passionate Soul Remember When God's hand is upon our Backs our hands should be upon our Mouths 2. In a sweet Submission of Spirit to God waiting God's time for Deliverance There is our time and there is God's time As Christ told Mary Mine hour is not yet come This is Waiting to stay the Lords leisure and to wait His time It was wickedly spoken by that King of Israel Who said This evil is of the Lord why should I wait any longer Whereas on the contrary he should have argued thus This evil being of the Lord therefore there is reason I should wait 10. Another work of an Afflicted Condition is this To make all out of God that we need in that condition Living on God and living by Faith are some of the great Duties that concern that Condition Isa 50. 10. Is there any that walketh in darkness and hath no light Let him stay himself upon his God While we are in a prosperous condition we have Creature-props and stayes and we are too apt to stay our selves upon them And therefore the Lord pulleth them away to make us stay our selves upon Him As the Lord speaks Isa 3. 1. Behold I take away the stay and the staff c. The Church in the day of her Affliction made all out of God Mic. 7. 8. Though I sit in darkness yet the Lord shall be a light about me Faith will help us to look upon God as an Universal Good We know there are many particular things and as it were pieces of comforts that must concurr to make a mans outward condition good Our good here below is a Compounded good A Wife is a part and Children a part and Riches a part and Health a part c. But a man by an Eye of Faith seeth that God is all this and more As Elkanah told Hannah Am not I better to thee then ten Sons So the Lord is more to a Christian then all worldly Enjoyments The things of the world though enjoyed in the greatest measure can never make a Condition comfortable without God But the enjoyment of God will make a condition comfortable without them It was Davids course to place God as his Strength where greatest danger was The Lord saith he is the strength of my life His Life was in greatest danger And it was his way to fetch supplies from God in his greatest wants When he wanted a Rock a Fortress a Comforter a Deliverer he made the Lord all these And this is some of the work we have to do in an Afflicted condition Thus we have finished the First thing by which a man is to make a judgment of an Afflicted Condition whether it be good for him in this life or not viz. By considering what he doth in that condition CHAP. XII 2 WE come now to shew you that you are to make a judgment of your condition by what you make of your condition and what you have gained by it The great Question you are to put to your selves is Whether you are Spiritual gainers or losers by your condition The truth is this Every Temporal condition is Evil for a man by which he is a Spirituall loser In an Afflicted condition all will confess they are Temporal losers They will tell you they have lost Houses and Estates and Wife and Children and this and the other Comfort But the Question is Whether you are Spiritual gainers by your temporal losses I have told you before An Afflicted condition is a condition that may be improved to
1 Cor. 3. 9. We are labourers together with God ye are God's Husbandry or God's Tillage And then God hath another sort that deal about a mans outwards and those are Such Instruments as he makes use of in Afflicting An Husband-man in his Field hath some to Plow and break up the Earth And he hath some to Sow and cast abroad the Seed Those that Sow are his Ministers who by their Preaching cast abroad the Seed when the Plough of Affliction hath broken up the Ground It is not the Husband-man's work to be alwayes Plowing he hath his time to be Sowing too As you may see Isa 28. 24. God's Afflicting may well be compared to Plowing and that in these respects 1. Plowing altereth and changeth the face of the Earth If you Plowe up a green Meadow you alter the Face of it It 's Verdure and Greenness and Beauty is gone The Plough turneth a pleasant Meadow into a fallow Field Thus Affliction changeth the face of a mans condition It turneth a Naomi into a Marah Naomi signisieth pleasant and Marah bitter Ruth 1. 20. It is said in Mic. 3. 12. Sion shall be Plowed as a Field Sion had been as a beautiful Meadow Fair Green and Pleasant But God by Afflicting her would make her look like a Fallow-field Thus you find the change God's Plough of Affliction made in Job's condition It quite altered the face of it Job 29. 2 3 6 c. he sheweth you how fair and flourishing his condition was before God's Plough went over him But Chap. 30. He telleth you what a change it had made of the face of his condition 2. The Plough overturneth the Earth and layeth the bottom uppermost It turneth that downward that was upward and that upward that was downward So doth Affliction Where that Plough comes it hideth that that was green and turns it out of sight viz. our Comforts and casteth earth upon them As the expression is Isa 24. 1. Behold the Lord maketh the Earth empty he maketh it wast he turneth it upside down This the Plough of Affliction doth when it cometh It turneth our comforts and worldly enjoyments upside-down 3. The Plough where it cometh maketh furrows And maketh such marks and prints on the earth that a man may know where the Plough hath gone So that we can for along time after say This ground hath been Plowed So Afflictions make furrows and leave marks behind them upon a mans Estate and Body and Family and Relations that one may say Here hath the Plough of Affliction hath gone Thus it did upon Shiloh Jer. 7. 12. Go ye to my place which was in Shiloh c. And see what I did to it for the wickedness of my people Israel This was a long time after God had inflicted his judgments upon Shiloh yet she lay as a Fallow-field still The great work we have to do is this To see What work the Plough of Affliction hath done You must know Plowing is a relative work It is in order to some other and some further thing as to Sowing and to Harvest We are to see Whether our Affliction have been followed with a fruitful Crop I have told you before The Plough of it self doth no good there must be something else or else there will be no Harvest There must be Sowing as well as Plowing This we are to do to see Whether we are Sowed as well as Plowed And to see What Crop is brought forth and groweth in those furrows of Affliction Whether it be not weeds and hemlock as the expression is Hos 10. 4. 4. We are to look upon Afflictions as God's Physick and as those Physical means and remedies that God useth for the curing of our diseases As Physitians have their wayes of curing corporal Diseases by Diet-drinks and Sweatings and Purgations So the Lord hath his Wayes and Means of curing our Spiritual Diseases As there are diseases to which our bodies are subject viz. Surfets and Feavers and Dropsies and Consumptions so there are the like in our Spirits It is the saying of one That there is no Beast on the Land but it hath it's like in the Sea So there is no disease belonging to our Bodies but our Souls are spiritually subject to There is the Tympany of Pride the Dropsy of Covetousness the Consumption of Envy the Feaver of Passion The Spirit hath it's Surfets and Distempers Now Afflictions are some of those means and remedies God makes use of for the curing these Diseases The great thing we are to enquire after is What work the Physick of Affliction hath wrought upon us 1. Afflictions are God's Diet-drink It is made up with Gall and Wormwood So the Church telleth us Lam. 3. 19. So Isa 30. 20. we read of the Bread of Affliction and the Water of Affliction Psal 80. 5. We read of the Bread of Tears c. Physitians give things to their Patients that may not be toothsome yet may be wholesome We are to see What Operation this Diet-drink hath had upon us Whether it hath weaned us from the world There is a Disease Physitians call Pica which is a desire to feed upon Trash As some Women and Children will eat Earth and Coales and the Clay of Walls Such a Disease we are all suctject to having a strong appetite and desire after low earthly things too base for the Spirit to feed upon Now can you say This Diet-drink of Affliction hath cured you of this Disease 2. Affliction is God's Phlebotomy his blood-letting God's Afflicting is His takeing some blood from us And when God doth it He doth it in the right Veine When He takes away Riches and Honour c. then he bloodeth us in one Veine When he taketh away Wife or Children Then he letteth us blood in another Veine We are to see What good our Blood-letting hath done us Whether it hath taken down our high Colour and our high Looks We are to see Whether it hath taken away any of our corrupt Blood Whether it hath cured our Ranckness of Pride and Feaverishness of Passion There is an Expression Isa 17. 4. That the glory of Jacob should be made thin and the farness of his flesh should be made lean i. e. God would let them blood by His Afflictions to cure their Pride and all their other Spiritual Diseases 3. Afflictions are God's Purgations To purge out of us Peccant and Malignant Humours They come to purge out of us Pride Covetousness c. We are to see VVhether Afflictions have purged us not only by moving these corrupt humours but by removing of them Isa 27. 9. By this shall the iniquity of Jacob be purged This is our work To see what sinful humours affliction hath purged away How many Purges hath God given to some by Afflictions and yet they have not removed Obstructions Afflictions are to remove Obstructions to make way for the Word to come to the Heart It comes to the Ear but the work of Affliction