794 Chap. 42. e/1n Bxpofitien apex the Book of JOY, Verf. e. Hencenote; Afl¡Elrons and fuffcrings are a fpeciat means to increafe oar knowledge, and wife us in the things of God, Thegodly never increafe more in knowledge, than under the Crofs, under afl3i&ions of one kind or another. David faith (Pfd.179. 7a.) It is good for me that Ihave been aii5ied, that Imight learn thy fiatuter. Did not David know theStatutes of God before ? doubtlefs he did ; he was all-along trained up in the flatutesof God ; but when God took him into the School of of liEtion, thenhe learnt the Statutes of God much better. Let us confider what profiting, we find at any time under aflii&ion, as to the knowledge of God, and of our felves ; if we donot bet- ter our knowledge by one crois, we may expect to meet with an- other, and another,till mattersmend with,us.Solomon fairh,(Prov. 2.7.22.) Though rho"fhouldflbray afool in a morter,ameng wheat, svrxb apefile, yet will not bit foolifbnefr depart from bin, ; that is, an obl inate tanner (he is the fool there fpoken of) though extreamly ofli6 ed, is not bettered : but a godlymanprofits by his afllidlion, both as to the departureand riddance of his folly, as alto to his growth- in fpiritual experimental knowledge. Once more (whichwill give us a thirdnote) fob was not only affliction, but God taught him in his afllii&ion; fob hadnot on- ly a rodupon his back, but a tutor by his fide. His three friends hadbeen longwith him, and fpoken much to him, but he learnt little by them. When Elibu had been fpeaking to him, he yield- ed fomewhat tohim, though not fully ; but when once God un- dertook to tutor and infirut him,, fob learned amain, andprofit= crd-greatly inknowledge. Hencenote ; ben weprofit indeedunder affliEfiont, when God teacbetb ur in our attiEhans. If we have nothingbut the rod, we profit notby the rod ; yea, . if we have nothing but the Word, we flail never profit by theWord. It is the Spirit given with the Word, and the Spirit given with the rod, by which we profit under both, or either. (Pfal. 94, I2.)Bitted it the man (faith David)wbom thou cha Pentfband teacbeff out of thy Law. Chaflning anddivine teach- ingg.
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