322 Means ofAggravation ofAffiiaion. Pfal. i 3o.. many excellent things fpoken concerning Afflictions ; their Ne- ceffity, their Ufefulnefs, and the like; fuch bieffed ends areal.. figned unto them, and in many have been compaffed and ful- filled by them , that a man unacquainted with the exercife wherewith th y are attended, would think it impoffibie that anyone fhould be (haken in mind, as to the Love and favour of God on their account. But as the Apo(}le tells us, that no A - flit-lions are joyeuc at prefent tut grievous; So he whomade in the clofe ofhis Trials that folemn profcflìon, That it was good for him that he had been a feted, yet we know, as hath been declared, how he was dittreí%d under them. There are there- fore fundry Accidental things which accompany great Af- flictions that kern to exempt them from the common Rule, and the promife of Love and Grace : As Means of I. The.Remembrance ofpaft and buryedmifcarriages and fins, the Aggra- lyes in the bofom of many Afflictions : It was to with yob; varion of thou mat fe me, faith he, to po f fl the fins of myyouth. See his Afhi±ion.;! ifa to that purpofe, chap. r 2 2- z 26 In the midit p P P p 3 3 5 97 of his troubles and diflreffes, God revived upon his fpi. it a fenfc of former fins, even the fins of his youth, and made him to poffifs them ; he filled his foul and mind with thoughts of them, and anxiety about them. This made him fear let( God was his enemy, and would continue to deal with him in all fe- verity. So was it with 7ofephs Brethren in their diftrefies, Gen. 42.21. They faidone to another, we are verily guilty con- cerning our Brother, in that we law the anguifh.of his foul, whets héfought us, andwe would not hear, therefore is this dif}refs come upon its. And verf 22. Behold his blood is .required. Their di- ltrefs revives a deep perplexing fenfe of the guilt oLfin many years pact before, and that under all its aggravating circum- fiances which fpoiled them of all their reliefs and comforts, filling themwith Confufion and Trouble, though abfolutely. innocent as to what wascomeon them. And the like appeared in theWiddow of Zareptha,with whomElijah fojourned during the famine. Upon the death of her Son, which it Teems was fomewhat extraordinary, the cryed out unto the Prophet, Pat have I to,do with thee thou Mani ofGod? Art tbou come to call
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