4To of Converfon, or turning ñnt.God. S a c r. 1X member that we are by ourcalamities inGods.School ; we confider not, neither do we hearken towhat God faith unto us ; look thentohave teaching, as well as flriking : Ohwoe be to that man, whom God onely beats and beats, but teacheth him not at ali:This is a forerunner offad deffruftáon. How aHli&i- Havingpremáfed thefe things, Icome tofhew in the neat place, how Afflii4i- ons areopera- onsare operative to [he converfionof men, what influence theyhave to make rive tothe con- us turn to God : And herearetwo Errors tobe avoided verfion ofmen Nor of their The liin t ás, as if affliftions of their own nature, in their own felf, could own nature. beget any Each heavenly change upon men : NoEach mater, for if the Word of God it felt, and the Sacraments, if deffátute of Gods fpirit and his power, are uneffeftual, how much more muff thefe outward calamities be? Therefore as Erekidt wheels could not move, unlefs the Spirit drive them ; nor the pool of Bethéfda communicate health, unlefs the Angel defcended andffirredthe waters ; foneither doany afiliftions or troubles at all, do anygood, but where Gods fpirit moveth upon thefe waters. Experience éonfirmeth this, How many times do people grow more defperate, more obtUnate and impenitent in every evilway, by the judgements upon them ? The Prophet Ifaiah complaineth of them, OLord,When tbx hand ùlifted up they .Will not Ere, Ifa, a6.ta. (hough a fool be brayed inamorter,yet heWitl not learn Wifdom,Prov.2y.2a. Nor byway of The Second Errorto be avoided, ás toattribute anymere or wortlrto a pati- merit for the entbearing of affliftions, as if by this we could merit either grace or glory. patient bear- ing ofthem. 2Gor. r buttheword not therefi nifieaproper onely glory, 4. 7 g P P caufality, Y God cloth make afffietions advantagious for his children glory: Do not then think, that becaufe thou haft aaniferable lifehere, God" is bound tomake thee amendsin the life tocome : Thole that fay fuch things, know. not that theirfins have defervedall wrath in this world, and the world to come. This (lonebeing removedout of the way, I proceed todefcribe themanner how thefe outward calamities may furtherconvecton. But fiat by And fir(t, They are very advantagisees to fit the Word . preached ;Ionour hearts : letting the I a e unto thee in th ro exit faithGod, boot thou hearde net, Jet 22. zt. The word preached fp k y p Íp y, f 1 upon our wordof God is never fo likely to have a powerful impreflion, as whenmen are hearts. in miferies ; then theirproud fpirits, their lofty hearts are tamed : As the rod in the fchool, and difcipline makes inftruetion eafily enter into the negligent childe ; fo whenGod teacheth you by his word, and affiiftsyou by his works, this may provoke to converilon: Doth God therefore putthee in this fieryfur- nace? fay, This is CO bring all that bath been preached to me to my minde ; Godbath a fpecial regard to his word, it is the precious feed fown, and there- that they.,,mtay get good by it: This is the properufeof all chaftifements, to make way for dfe word preached, to mollifieand foften, that it may enter ; and there- fore what hearers are more ob[tiniteand oppofite ro the word, then fuchas live in jollity and feourity, that have their heartseafe? Thefe have a fat heart, and foare not fenfible. a, Secondly, Afflitlion helpethmooch to make menfober andWife, to give sus' Pelves Afflietiohs to underffanding ; and by under(tandingwe come tobe converted. Solomon often help to make tells us, That the rodgivesWildem ; and therefore God takes this waywith, us, men lober and we being far more (tupid and.fenfelefs in fpiritual things, then any childe can be wife. to humane Learning :Now when God depriveth us of our joy, of ourcom- forts, of all outward delights, this is apt to make a man to confider thevani- tyof all things, What areRiches,wbatareHonors, what are External mercies tobe me thus afdieted, thus brokenand bruifed ? When thou rebukeft man for his lin,all his defireable things perifb ; when then God takesaway the delire of thy eyes, the delire of thy heart, this is to make thee wife; as you take away thechildes babies, to make it learn its le(fon; Its better togo to the horde of mourning
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