A. 7. There's kindness in affliction, ia that there is no condition so bad, but it might be worse : when it is duskish it might be darker. God doth not make our cross so heavy as he might ; he doth not stir up all his anger, Ps. Ixxviii. 38. He dotli not put so many nails in our yoke, so much wormwood in our cup, as he might. Doth God chastise thy body ? He might torture thy conscience. Doth he cut thee short .'* lie miffht cut thee off. The Lord might make our chains heavier. Is it a burning
500
OF THE THIRD PETITION IN THE LORD'S PRAYER.
fever ? It might have been the burning lake. Doth God use the pruning knife to lop thee ? He might bring liis axe to l)e\v thee down. Ezek. xlvii. 3., " The waters were up to the ankles." Do the waters of affliction come up to the ankles ; God might make them rise higher ; nay, lie might drown thee in the waters. This may make us submit quietly, and say, " Thy will be done," because tliere is so much kindness in it ; whereas God useth the rod, he might use the scorpion.
A. 8. There is kindness in affliction, in that your case is not so bad as others ; tliey are always upon the rack, they spend tlieir " years with sighing," Ps. xxxi. 10. Have you a gentle fit of the ague ? Otliers cry out of the stone and strangulation. Do you bear the wrath of men ? Others bear the wrath of God. You have but a single trial : others have them twisted together. God shoots but one arrow at you, he shoots a shower of arrows at others. Is there not kindness in all this ? We are apt to say, never any suffered as we ! ^Vas it not worse with Lazarus, who was so full of sores, that the dogs took pity on him, and licked his sores ? Nay, was it not worse with Christ, who lived poor, and died curs- ed ? May not this cause us to say, " thy will be done ?" There is kindness in it, that God deals not so severely with us as with others.
A. 9. There is kindness in affliction, in that (if we belong to God) it is all the hell we shall have. Some have two hells, — they suffer in their body and conscience, — here is one hell ; and another hell is to come, unquenchable fire. Judas had two hells, but a child of God hath but one hell. La- zarus had all his hell here : he was full of sores, but had a convoy of angels to carry him to heaven wlien he died. Say then, *' Lo, if this be the worst I shall have, if this be all my hell, I will patiently acqui- esce, " Thy will be done !"
A. 10. There is kindness, in that God gives gracious supports in affliction. If he strikes with one hand he will support with the other ; Deut. xxxiii. 27., " Underneath are the everlasting arms." Tiion* is not the least trial, but if God would desert us, aud not assist us with his grace, we should
sink under it, — the frown of a great man, — the fear of reproach : Peter was frighted at the voice of a maid, Mat. xxvi. 69. O therefore, what mercy is it to have Christ strengthen us, and as it were bear the hea viest part of the cross with us ! One said,
1 have no ravishing joys in my sickness, but I bless God, I have sweet supports : and should not this cause submission to God's will, and make us say, Lo, if thou art so kind as to bear us up in affliction, that we do not faint, put us into what wine- press thou pleasest, "Thy will be done !"
, 11. There is kindness in affliction, in that it is preventive.
(1.) God by this stroke of his would pre- vent some sin. Paul's " thorn in the flesh" was to prevent his being lifted up in pride,
2 Cor. xii. 7. As affliction is sometimes sent for the punishing of sin, so sometimes for the preventing of sin. Prosperity ex- poses to much evil ; it is hard to carry a full cup without spilling, and a full estate without sinning. God's people know not how much they are beholden to their afflic- tion ; they might have fallen into some scandal, had not God set a hedge of tiiorns in their way to stop them. What kindness is this ? God lets us fall into sufferings, to prevent falling into snares ; say then, Lord, do as it seems good in thy sight, " Thy will be done."
(2.) God by affliction would prevent damnation, 1 Cor. xi. 32., " We are chas- tened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world." A man, by falling into the briars, is saved from falling into the river : God lets us fall into the briars of affliction, that we may not drown in perdition. It is a great favour when a lesser punishment is inflicted, to prevent a greater. Is it not clemency in the judge, when he lays some light penalty on tlie pri- soner, and saves his life ? so, wlien God lays upon us light affliction, and saves us from wrath to come. As Pilate said, Luke xxiii. 16., "I will therefi)re chastise )iim, and release liim :" so God chustiseth his children, and lets them go, frees them from eternal torment. What is tlie droj) of sor- row, the godly taste, to that sea of wrath the wicked shall he drinkinir of to all eter- nity ' O ^\•hat kindness is here ! May
^
OF THE THIRD PETITION IN THE LORD'S PRAYER.
507