(2.) Affliction brings tliose sins to re- membrance Avhich before Ave buried in the grave of forgetfulness. Joseph's brethren, for twenty years together, Avere not at all troubled for their sin in selling their bro- ther ; but Avhen they came into Egypt, and began to be in straits, then their sin in sell- insT their brother came into their remem- brance, and their hearts did smite them, Gen. xlii. 21., " They said one to another, Ave are A'crily guilty concerning our bro- ther." When a man is in distress, now lils sin comes fresh into his mind; conscience makes a rehearsal-sermon of all the evils Avhich have passed in his life ; now his ex- pense of precious time, his sabbath-break-
or THE IHIllD PETI'lION IN THE LORD'S PRAYER.
inc", liis slip^litiiif^ of tlie word, come into his renieinbraiico, and he p^ocs out with Pe- ter and weeps bitterly. Tims the rod gives wisdom, it shews the liidden evil of tlie /leart, and brings former sins to remem- brance.
A. 2. There is profit in affliction as it quickens a spirit of prayer, — premuntur jtis- ti lit pre.ssi clament. Jonah was asleep in the sliip, but at prayer in the whale's belly. Perhaps, in a time of health and prosperity, we prayed in a cold and formal manner, — we put no coals to the incense, — we did scarce mind our own prayers, — and how should God mind them ? Now, God sends some cross or other to make us stir up our- selves to take liold of God. When Jacob was in fear of his life by his brother, then lie wrestles with God, and weeps in pi'ayei', and would not leave God till he blessed liim, IIos. xii. 4. It is with many of God's cliildren, as witli those who formerly had the sweating sickness in this land, it was a sleep)'^ disease, if they slept they died; there- fore to keep them waking, they were smit- ten with rosemary brandies ; so, tlie Lord, useth affliction as a rosemary branch to keep us from sleeping, and to awaken a spirit of prayer, Isa. xxvi. 16., " They pour- ed out a prayer, when thy chastening hand was upon them ;" now their prayer pierced the heavens. In times of trouble we pray feelingly ; and we never pray so fervently as when we pray feelingly ; and, is not this for our profit ?
A. 3. Affliction is for our profit, as it is a means to expectorate and purge out our sins, Isa. xxvii. 9., " By this therefore shall the iniquity of Jacob be purged." Afflic- tion is God's })hysic to expel the noxious humour ; it cures the imposthume of pride, the fever of lust ; and, is not this for our profit ? Affliction is God's file to fetch off our rust, his flail to thrash off our husks : the water of affliction is not to drown us, but to wash off our spots.
A. 4. To be under the black rod is pro- fitable, in that herebv we ci'ow more se- rious, and are more careful to clear our e- vidences for heaven. In times of prosperi- ty,— " when the rock poured me out rivers of oil," Job xxix. 6., — we were careless in getting, at least clearing our titlo to glory. '
Had many no better evidences for their land, than they have for their salvation, they were but in an ill case ; but when an hour of trouble comes, we begin to look af- ter our s]ii ritual evidences, and see how things stand between God and our souls; and, is it not for our profit to see our inte- rest in Christ more cleared than ever ?
A. 5. Affliction is for our profit, as it is a means to take us more off from the woild ; the world oft proves not only a spi- der's ^veb, but a cockatrice egg ; pernicious worldly things are great enchantments, they are ret'tnacuki spci, Tertul. They hinder us in our ])assage to heaven. If a clock be overwound, it stands still ; so, when the heart is wound up too much to the world, it stands still to heavenly things. Afflic- tion sounds a retreat to call us off the im- moderate pursuit of earthly things ; when things arc frozen, and congealed together, the only way to separate them, is, by fire : so, when the heart and the world are con- goai(:d together, God hath no better way to separate them than by the fire of affliction. A. 6. Affliction is for our profit, as it is a refiner ; it works us to further degrees of sanctitj', Heb. xii. 10., " He for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness." The vessels of mercy are the brighter for scouring; you pour water on your linen when you would whiten it : God pours the waters of affliction upon us, to lay our souls a-whitcning. The leaves of the fig-tree, and root are bitter, but the fruit is sweet ; afflictions are in themselves bitter, but they bring forth the sweet fruits of righteous- ness, Ileb. xii. 11. : This may make us sub- mit to Cod, and say, " Thy will be done ;" there's kindness in affliction, it is for our spiritual profit.