SPIRITUAL PEACE AND COMFORT. 443 so foolish as to be troubled with it myself; and perhaps some others may be as foolish as I; though. I think' but few in these times; our great friends have done so much to resolve themmore effectually than words could have done. 1. Some of the texts speak only of man's duty of bearing persecution and tribulation, when God lays it on us, rather than of the event, that it shall cer- tainly come. 2. Yet I think it ordinarily certain, and to be ex- pected as to the event. Doubtless tribulation is God's common road to heaven. Every ignorant person is so well awareof this, that they delude themselves in their sufferings, saying, that God hath given them their punishment in this life, and therefore they hope he will not, punish them in another. Ifany soul be so silly as to fear and doubt for want of affliction, if none else will do the cure, let them follow,mycounsel, and I dare warrant them for this, and I will advise them to nothing but what is honest, yea, and ne- cessary, and what I have tried effectually upon myself; and I can assure you it cured me, and I can give it a ' Probatum est.' And first, see that you be faithful in your duty to all sinners within your reach ; be they great or small, gentlemen or beggars, do your duty in reproving them meekly and lovingly, yet plainly and seriously, telling them of the danger of. God's everlasting wrath ; and when you find them obstinate, tell the church-officers of them, that they may do their duty ; and if yet they are unreformed, theymay be excluded from the church's communion, and all Christian familiar- ity. Try this course awhile, and if you meet with no afflictions, and get no more fists about your ears than your own, nor more tongues against you than formerly, tell me I ammistaken. Men basely balk snd shun almost all the displeasing, ungrateful work ofChristianity of purpose, lest they should have sufferings in the flesh; and then they doubt of their sincerity for want of sufferings. My second advice is, Do but stay awhile in patience, (but prepare your patience for a sharper encounter,) and do not tie God to your time. He bath not told you when your afflictions shall come. If he deal easier with you than with others, and give you longer time to prepare for them, be not you offended at that, and do not quar-. rel with your mercies. It is about seventeen years since I was troubled with this doubt, thinking I was no son, because I was not afflicted ; and I think I have had few days without pain for this sixteen years since together, nor but few hours, if any one, for this six or seven years. And thus my scruple is removed. And ifyet any be troubled with this doubt, if the church's and common trouble' be any trouble to them, shall I be boldto tell themmy thoughts? (only understand that I pretend not to proph- esy, but to conjecture at effects by the position of their moral causes.) I think that the righteous King of saints is even now,
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