and the gall ; my soul liatli them still in re- membrance, and is Innnbled in me," Lam. iii. 19, 20. When men are grown high, God hath no better way with them, than to brew them up a cup of wormwood. Afflic- tions are compared to thorns, Hos. ii. 6. God's thorns are to prick the bladder of pride : Suppose a man run at another with a sword to kill him,— accidently, it only lets out his imposthume, — this doth him good. God's sword is to let out the impos- thume of pride ; and shall that which makes us humble, make us discontented? 2d, Af- flictions teach us repentance ; " thou hast chastised me, and I was chastised. I re- pented ; and after I was instructed, I smote upon my thigh," &c. Jer. xxxi. 18, 19. Repentance is the precious fruit that grows upon the cross. When the fire is put un • der the still, the water drops from the ros- es ; fiery afflictions make the waters of re- pentance drop and distil from the eyes; and is here any cause of discontent? Sd, Afflictions teach us to pray better, " they poured out a prayer when thy chastening was upon them," Isa. xxvi. 16. Before, they would say a prayer ; now they poured out a prayer. Jonah was asleep in the ship, but awake and at prayer in the whaled belly. When God puts under the fire-brands of affliction, now our hearts boil over the more ; God loves to have his children pos- sessed with a spirit of prayer. Never did David, the sweet singer of Israel, tune his harp more melodiously, never did he pray better, than when he was upon the waters. Thus afflictions do indiscipline; and shall we be discontent at that which is for our
good ?
Secondly, Afflictions are probatory, Ps. Ixvi. 10, 11. Gold is not the worse for being tried, or corn for being fanned. Af- fliction is the touchstone of sincerity, — it tries what metal we are made of; affliction is God's fan and his sieve. It is good that men be known ; some serve God for a live- rv, — thev «i*e like the fisherman, that makes use of the net, only to catch the fish, — so they go a-fishing with the net of religion, only to catch preferment : affliction discov- ers these. The Donatists went to the Goths when the Arians prevailed : hypocrites will fail in a storm,— true grace holds out in the
winter-season. Tliat is a pi ecious faith which, like the stars, shines brightest in the darkest night. It is good that our graces should be brought to trial ; thus we have the comfort, and the gospel the honour, and why then discontented ?
Thirdly, Afflictions are expurgatory ; these evils work for our good, because they work out sin, and shall I be discontented at this ? What if I have more trouble, if I have less sin ? The brightest day hath its clouds ; the purest gold its dross ; the most refined soul hath some lees of corruption. The saints lose nothing in the furnace but what they can well spare, — their dross ; is not this for our good ? Why then should we murmur? " I am come to send fire on the earth," Luke. xii. 49. Tertullian under- stands it of the fire of affliction. God makes this like the fire of the three children which burned only their bonds and set them at liber- ty in the furnace: so the fire of affliction serves to burn the bonds of iniquity. " By this therefore shall the iniquity of Jacob be pur- ged : and this is all the fruit, to take away his sin," Isa. xxvii. 9. When affliction or death comes to a wicked man, it takes away his soul ; when it comes to a godly man, it only takes away his sin ; is there any cause why we should be discontented ? God steeps us in the brinish waters of affliction that he may take out our spots. God's people are his husbandry, 1 Cor. iii. 9., the ploughing of the ground kills the weeds, and the har- rowing of the earth breaks the hard clods : God's ploughing of us by affliction, is to kill the weeds of sin ; his harrowing of us is to break the hard clods of impenitency that the heart may be the fitter to receive the seeds of grace ; and if this be all, why should we be discontented ?
Fourthly, Afflictions do both exercise and increase our grace. U/, They exercise grace: affliction doth breathe our graces; every thing is most in its excellency when it is most in its exercise. Our grace, though it cannot be dead, yet it may be asleep, and hath need of awakening. What a dull thing is the fire when it is hid in the embers, or the sun when it is masked with a cloud? A sick man is living, but not lively ; afflictions quit-ken and excite grace. God doth not love to see grace in the eclipse. Now faith
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ART OF DIVINE CONTENTMENT.