Chap.17. AnExpofition upon the Bookof J O B. Verf. g 495 As afflietion gives a proofofgrace, whether it be true or no , fo where it is true , it is improved byof idion. rant° magi: Naturalifts tell us, that the reafon of thunder and lightning b iBez tiflo is, becaufe the heat beingpent in,and imprifoned by the cold of the mi Idle Region, breakes out(by an Antiperiftafis)ac'ith terrible noyfe and flafhings : And thus when grace is pent in by opposition, perfecution, and afidion, irenlarged it felt, and breakes out with greater tlrength, yea with a kind of heavenly violence ; and not only maintains its own, but is a gainer. It is faid of the Ladecemonian Kepublick. that when all o- ther Kingdoms were undone by War, that only grew rich, was bettered by it. We may fay, that whereas all prophane perlons andhypocrites, are undone by afllidion ( all their Paint is wathed off, their varnifh difcovered) Only truebe- lievers thrive, and are advantaged by it :.He that hath an up- right heart, and clean hands, growes ftrongerand ftronger His inner man increafeth in outward decayes. It is raid of the Ifraelites(Exod. r. ia. that the more the £Egyptians afflicted them, the more they multiplyedandgrew ; they mul- tiplied in number, they grew in iirength and ftaturie ; their oppreflion there was addition in temporais : It is 16 withall true Ifraelites in fpirituals, the more they are affl'ited and troubled themore they encreafe:andwhereas theLorcf'fpeaks in reference to wicked men(¡fa. i. S .;Why fhouldyou befinis. ten any more ?ye will revòlt more and more.(The more evil men are fmitten for their good, the worfe theyare. )We may fay on the contrary, that the righteous, the more they are (mit- ten with evil, the better they are; yea, they fometimes put wicked men to fuch a flopping expoftulation, as God makes there concerning wicked mmen:Why fhouldwe trouble them any more?They will holdfait more andmore, theyWill not be beaten off withfowr looks &hardwortkao nór with our hardeftiblocvs) We may trouble andweary out our felves,yeaandbreskour own hearts, but we fhallnever dt(hearten them. All Ages have given experiments of this: The Apoftles in the Afar rejoyced when they were threatned, and were emboldned -with' fcourging. 'Tis faid of the fuffertng Saints (Heb. io. 34.. ) They took joyfully thefpoyling of their goods : They were glad ofan op' portunity to put off their worldly goods at fagreat -a rat ass
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