in the evil day. 355 he begins to fink ; now he fees therewas more unbelief in his heart then he before fu(peaed. Sharp afR Lions arc to the (mile as a driving rains to the houfe ; we know not that there are fuch crannies and holes in the houCi., till we fee it drop down here and there. Thus we perceive not hoR unmortified this corruption, not how weak that grace is, WI we are fearcb'r, and made more Sully to know what is in our hearts by fuck'tri als This is the reafon why none have luch humble thoughts of themfelves, and Inch pitiful and forbearing thoughts towards o- thers in their infirmities; as thofe who are moll acquainted with afflidions they meet with fo many foiles in their confli&s, as make them carry a low faile in refpeet of their own grace, and a tender refpei to their brethren; more ready to pity then cen- fure them in their weakneffes. Fourthly, this is the leafon when the evil one Satan comes to tempt. What we finde call'd the time of tribulation, Mat. 13. a4 , we finde in the fame parable, Luke S. 13. cali'd the time of temptation. Indeed theyboth meet; feldome doth God afflift us, but Satan addeth temptation to our wilderneffe; 7-his is four boure (faith Chrifl) and the polder of d _47- .,ne I re, Luke 22.53. Chrifts fuffering; from man, and temptation from the devil came together. Elm, who hated his brother for the bleffi ng, fail in his heart, The dayes of rnottrxing for my father are At hand, then milli kill my brother, Gen. 27 e,r, Times of affli. i &ion are the dayes of mourning, thofe Satan waits for to do us .mifchief in. Fifthly and bitty, the dayof affI.6tion bath oft an evil event and iffue, and in this refpeA proves an evil day indeed. MI is well (we fay) that ends ; the produft of aftlicons on the Chrillian is good, the rod with which they are corn-. &led, yields the peaceable fruits of ri,ghteoufneffe,7nd therefore f ticy can oil their affliftions good, that is a good inflrument that lees out only the bad blood, it is good for me that 1 eras offli5ed, faith Dad. I have read of a holy Wornab,- who ufed to compareliet. flifti- ons to her children, theY both put her togreat pain in the bear- ing, but as the knew not Which of her children te, hsve heen without(for allthe trouble in die bringing forth)fo ecitherwhich of her affliftions file could have miffed, notwitbflanc.:irg the for- rowthey put her to in the enduring.Butto the wicked theiffue is Z z 2 fad, 4.
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