Chap.t6.Se&·3· ~atntS ftdfett~gG. 341 h ll "t '·l"t· the hell that is in fin is worfe then the hdl that is prepared for (in: now ~Ven e I l< > > • h r I h . . ' d " ~· d in affliction fin is lald open before a mans eyes•1n fuc 10r.t as, e IS mtorc;e top ~a . guilty ofthe evil o it; As m~ny as I love, I rebuk..! and 'hlljfen; the•gteek words {jgl)llie, I ,onvince and correfl, Revel. 3• '9· . . . , ' . . : z. The emptinefs of the creature ; mour profpenty we lhck mthe qeatur~,_ and dote 0 on the creature, as ifthere our happm~fs and comfort were bound up: but 1n the day of~dverfity, God convinceth us ofour mtftakes, by caufing us to fee t~e"e~ptln~fs and vainty of all fublunary ~ontentments; we begin to find !he world to be laut a gUilded emptinefs amecr nothmg. " - The fuln~fs of Jefus Chrifl:.. there is an infinite fulnefs in Jefus Chrift, itpleafod the 3 father that in himJhonld allfltlnefs dwtll ; but we are not alwayes i~ a capacity either to receive or to fee that fulnefs; and the r eafon IS, becaufem our profpenty we fill ur felves fo full with the World, that it fears with Chrill: now as it did when he was born, there isno roomef o• him in the Inne; but now when God fpreads fack,cloth upon all the beauty and-bravery ofth~ crea~ure,.and fo hydeth pnde from man, then we can difcover beauty and excellency mChnll:, mfimtly tranfcendmg all the beauty and excellency in the world; when the foul is ~tnd<r the jtayers,and in the clefts of therock}, then Can. s. :o fhecan fing, My beloved iswhite, and ruddy, the chiefeft among ten thoufands. 2 . Be jealous of our felves, left that our fujferings lhould paffc away unfanctificd. lle we more afraid of the affliction leaving of us, then of its continuing upon us ; lay out our firength more for .a fan(\ified u;e ofit, then for deliverance from it ·, that we may fay with Davtd, It " goodfor m< t11at I pave been ajjlzfled, that I mzghtleam thy l'[•t.: , 9 _71 ftawteJ. 3 • Labour to know Gods mind in our afflictions. The man of wifdome fees Gods name upon this yod, and he underll:ands what God intends, vi:<.. whether he fends them for fin, or for fome other ends. Oncly obfervc, though God fends afflic'l:ions fometimcs for tryal. and other ends, rather then for fin, yet it is fin that makes us capable of fuel\ a way of tryal; were we not finful, God would not deal :vith us that way, the~efore it is good in all to be humbled for fin. But here two quefi10ns a-re to be d1fcuffed, ~ I. How we may difcerne Gods ends in our Affiictions. ' z. If it be rather for fin, howwe may finq out the particular Gn ·r , For the firft, Gods ends in ajfliflingmmay bedifcerned thus.-- r. If the affli(\ion be extraordinary, and come in an elltraordin.ary way: and upon examination we find our felves not guilty of any fpecial evil bcfides daily incurfion§, then we may comfortably hope Gods intentions arc not fpecially for finne,but for Come other end: foitwas in J ob, andJo[eph. z. We may kRow from the work 0f the affliction, which way it intends, and how God foll?ws it; whether in it God fetles not Gn upon our heart for humiliation more then ordiDary; or whether the work ofGods Spirit be not rather for the ll:irring up of the exercift of fome other grace: For God in his dealings with his people will work for the attaining the ends he aimes at. l · Much m~y be learn't from the iffue of an affli(\ion; when God comes chiefly for ttyal_, m the tffue h1s grace do~s much abound towards his fervants , as it did in Jofcph . and J•b; What honour was Jofcph advanced unto? and how had Jobgiven him twi'~ 1ob 42. te '" n:uch '"he had brf ore ? But when the affliCiion is for fin, it cloth not ufe to have fuch an lifue; it is well if the finner may be rell:ored into fuch a comfortable condirion as he "':as m before: When David was afflicted fot his fin, fome skars fiuck by him after h1s dehverance , he fcarce ever was brought into that comfortable condition h_c; w~s in before. For ihefecond, If theajjliilion be f or fin , howmay we findo;tt the particul•r fi.n-"f f :tnfwer.-- 1 . , .;c .! " z. Look whatfins and affii(\ions the Word hath coupled together; although every fin d.eferves all kmdcs of affiictions, yet the "I;Vord joynes fomc.-fpecjal corre()i~n to. (pc~t~l tranfgreffions; as God forts fevcral promifes to feveral.graces,fo he forts feveral affli<'hons to feveral fins · 2. Confider what fi~~ and affli(\ions Providence coupl~s;in refpec']: of~GIJi,ifiiud~ :' God often ftamp& the hkencffc ot the fin upon the judgement, Jndg. r. 7,8. . _ :, .• Y y 2 3. Enqutre:
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