puts forth its purest and most noble acts in times of affliction : God makes the fall of the leaf the spring of our graces. What if we are more passive, if graces be more active. 2d, Afflictions do increase grace ; as the wind serves to increase and blow up the flame, so dotli the windy blasts of affliction augment and blow up our graces; grace spends not in the furnace, but it is like the widow's oil in the cruise, wliich did increase by pouring out. The torcli, when it is beaten burns brightest, so doth grace when it is exercised by sufferings. Sharp frosts nourish the good corn, so do sharp afflic- tions grace. Some plants grow better in the shade than in the sun, — as the bay and the cypress, — the shade of adversity is bet- ter for some than the sun-shine of prosperi- ty. Naturalists observe that the col wort thrives better when it is watered with salt water than with fresii, so do some thrive better in the salt water of affliction; and shall we be discontented at that which makes us grow and fructify more?
FiftJiIy, These afflictions do bring more of God's immediate presence into the soul. When we are most assaulted, we shall be most assisted; " I will be with him in trouble," Ps. xci. 15. It cannot be ill with that man with whom God is, by his power- ful presence in supporting, and his graci- ous presence in sweetening the present trial. God will be with us in trouble, not only to behold us, but to uphold us, as he was with Daniel in the lion's den, and the three chil- dren in the fiery furnace. AVhat if we liave more trouble than others, if we have more of (iod with us than others have ? We never have sweeter smiles from God's free than when the world beoins to look strange; thy statutes have been my song, — where? Not when 1 was upon the throne, — but " in the liouse of my jjilgrimage," Ps. cxix. 54. We read, the Lord was not in the wind, nor in the earthquake, nor in the fire, 1 Kings xix. 11. But in a meta])horical and spiritual sense : Avhen the wind of af- fliction blows upon a believer, God is in the wind; when the fire of affliction kindles upon him, God is in tlie fire, viz. to sancti- fy, to support, to sweeten. If God be « ith us, the furnace shall be turned into a festi- val, the prison into a paradise, the earth-
quake into a joyful dance. O why should I be discontented, when I have more of God's company !
Sixthly, These evils of affliction are for good, as they bring with them certificates of God's love, and are evidences of his spe- cial favour. Affliction is the saints' live- ry ; it is a badge and cognizance of honour; that the God of glory should look upon a worm, and take so much notice of him, as to afflict him rather than lose him, is an high act of favour. God's rod is a sceptre of dignity. Job calls God's afflicting of us, his magnifying of us, Joo vii. 17. Some men's prosperity hath been their shame, when others' afflictions have been their crown.
Seventhly, These afflictions work for our good, because they work for us a far more exceeding weight of glory, 2 Cor. iv. 17. That which works for my glory in heaven, works for my good. We do not read in scripture that any man's honour or riches do work for him a weight of glory, but af- flictions do ; and shall a man be discontent- ed at that which v/orks for his glory ? The heavier the weight of affliction, the hea- vier the weight of glory ; not that our suf- ferings do merit glory, (as the papists do wickedly gloss,) but though they are not causa, they are via, — they are not the cause of our crown, yet they are the way to it, — and God makes us, as he did our captain, " perfect through sufferings," Heb. ii. 10. And shall not all this make us con- tented with our condition ? O I beseech you, look not upon the evil of affliction, but the good ! Afflictions in scripture are call- ed ' visitations,' Job vii. 18. The word in the Hebrew, to visit, is taken in a good sense, as well as a bad : God's afflictions are but friendly visits. Behold here God's rod, like Aaron's rod blossoming ; and Jonathan's rod, it hath honey at the end of it. Poverty shall starve out our sins ; the sickness of the body cures a sin-sick soul ; O then, instead of murmuring and being discontented, bless the Lord ! Hadst thou not met with such a rub in the way, thou mightest have gone to jjell and never stopped.
Sect. VII. The seventh argument to conten- tation.
The next argument to contentment is,
ART OF DIVINE CONTENTMENT.
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