352 ÓbjefE. `The Profit of fiffliEfions, or, againft theLord : this will make him indeedto lay heavier blows upon us ; an it}r= patient Patient makes the Phyfitian deal more harthly, and a ftrugling child,prou- reth for himfelfthemoreand forer (tripes; what though our portión bebitter; fo longas it is wholefotne, have wenot reafon to fubmit our felves? But here is the main thing we flick at. Youmay happily reply;Indeed ifwe could feeour corruptions fubdued, our heartshumbled, the pride that is within usabated, and that Godwould be pleafed to bring usmore nearer to him, and make us more heavenlyminded,and wean our affeEtions from the world ; If wecould fee the fruit ofallour fufferingsand temptationsand croffes, it would be an abundant fatisfacßfon to our fouls; but alas, alas, we cannot fee this profit ; ourhearts are flill full of many fpiritual diftempers, and great prevailings ofevil there is uponits : notwith- ftandingall thefe Storms and Frofts,and tempeftuous hard Winters.yet dtefe weeds of wickednefs grow and are marvellous lively : this is the bitternefsof the cup, and this is that which finketh the heart moft under all thofe preflures which lie upon us. To which 1 anfwer, firft, we muff judge rightly and wifely ; and confider well whether it be the time for the fruit of affliftion to fpring forth.71(,0 off n7ion for the prefent feemeth joyous ; and no affli&ion, it may be for thetime of its working ap- peareth commodious : But (faith the Appoftle) theydo bring forth the quiet fruit ofrighteoufneft. . Again fecondly, we mayperhaps beartoomuch upon the phyfick: alas ! afflifti- ons and crolles of themfelves they will rather drive us further than draw usnearer unto God ; we are therefore to fubmit our felves unto God in his way of admï filtration, and to intreat his bleflingupon them,thatthrough that they may bemade fuccefsful. As every creature, fo every condition both ofprofperity and adver- fty, ie fantlifzed toea by the word and byprayer. And take heed of difputing againft the Lord, as we areapt to do, he is wife above all that wecan conceive, he is wonderful in working, and knoweth how to bringa- bout the good ofhis people in a wonderful way : whatifhe will plunge thee into the mire in order to holinefs? what if Chrift will put clayupon a mans eyes in or; der to fight,a medicine more likely to put out his eyes. Confidering therefore that God iswife and wonderful in his working ; let us applyour felves to him,and in due time we (hall fee the fruitand benefit ofallhis adminiftrations. I fhould now have come to the third and left propofition,and that was,That this profit that G.id aimethat in all his caftigations ofhis children, isto make them par- takers of his holinefs. And this is profit indeed, whenGod thereby draweth us from the world, and makes us more heavenly minded, and more dead to the creature, purgeth away our drofs, and takes away that filth and corruption that is in us ; oh this will, acquit all the colt, and make amends for all the labour and pains and hardfhip sse have been made to endure. But I (hall forbear to infift upon this. So much for theText. There is a wordto be fpoken according tocultom with refpe& to the occafionof our meeting. I have done the mainpartofmy task, whichvvas to prefent to you a' vvord ofinftru&ion; andtherefore for the occafion concerning this young gentle- man difceafed, vvhofe Funerals vvenovv folemnize, I (half but fpeaka fevv vvords and fo conclude. I need not to fpeak any thing concerninghis parentage and difcent ; nor much concerning his education : I amconfident that that vvas religious andgracious, and fuch as vvherein there vvas a fecond travel inorder to his fpiritual birth, that Pfue Chriffmight be formed in him. For his ovvn particular, though I can fpeak nothing upon my ovvn knovvledge. (being a meer ftranger) yet I have fuch a teftimony concerning him, from chore that deferve credence both ofme and you, as that I (hall conclude that ofhim, as may give us good hope concerninghis final and eternal eftate. If fo be contritionofheart and forrovv for fin ? Ifearnefland conftantprayerun to God ; If lamentingofyouthful mifearriages and the not anfvvering of time d meansan,
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