A question may be moved here. Whether it be the genius and 'property of a gracious sfirH^ to forbear sin because of' the rod of affliction ^ They have surely higher motives and nobler principles than these. This is the temper of a carnal and slavish spirit.
Indeed it is so, when this is the sole or principal restraint from sin : when a man abhors not sin, because of the intrinsic filth, but only because of the troublesome consequents and effects. But this is vastly different from the case of the saints, under sanctified af- flictions ? For as they have higher motives and nobler principles,
THE MYSTERY OP PROVIDEXCE. 40t
SO they have lower and more sensible ones too ; and these are, in their kind and place, very useful to them. (2.) Besides, you must know, that afflictions work in another way upon gracious hearts to restrain them from sin, or wara them against sin, than they do upon others. It is not so much the smart of the rod which they feel, as the tokens of God's displeasure, Avhich affright and scare them, Job x. 17. " Thou renewest thy witnesses against me," &c. and this is that which principally affects them. See Psal. \i. 1. " O Lord, rebuke me not in thine anger, neither chasten me in " thy hot displeasure f' and Jer. x. 24. " O Lord, correct me, " but with thy judgment, not in thine anger, lest thou bring me " to nothing ;" and surely this is no low and common argu- ment.
(2.) Notwithstanding this double sense of God's command, and preventive afflictions, yet sin is too hard for the best of men : their corruptions carry them through all to sin. And when it is so, not only doth the Spirit work internally, but providence also works externally, in order to their reduction. The ways of sin are not only made bitter unto them, by the remorse of conscience, but by those afflictive rods upon the outward man, with which God also follows it ; and in both these respects, I find that place expounded, Eccl. X. 8. " Whoso breaketh an hedge, a serpent shall bite him." If, as some expound it, the hedge be the law of God, then the serpent is the remorse of conscience, and the sharp teeth of afflic- tion, which he shall quickly feel, if he be one that belongs to God.
The design and aim of these afflictive providences, is to purge and cleanse them from that pollution into which temptations have plunged them, Isa. xxvii. 9. " By this shall the iniquity of Jacob " be purged, and this is all the fruit to take away his sin." To the same purpose is that place, Psal. cxix. 67. " Before I was af- " flicted I went astray, but now have I kept thy word."*' These afflictions have the same use and end to our souls, that frosty wea- ther hath upon those clothes, that are laid a bleaching : they alter the hue, and make them whiter, Dan. xi. 35, " And some of the " understanding shall fail, to try them, and to purge, and to make " them white.''
And here it may be queried, Upoti Tohat account qfflictiofis are said to purffe arvai/ the iniquities q/'the saints. Is it not unwarrant- able, and very dishonourahle to Christ to attribute that to affiction which is to the peculiar honour of his blood f
It is confessed, that the blood of Christ is the only lavatory^ or fountain opened for sin, and that no afflictions, how many, or strong, or continual soever they be, can in themselves purge away the pollution of sin, as we see in wicked men, who are afflicteUj
408 DIVINE CONDUCT ; on,
and afflicted, and again afflicted ; and yet nevertheless, sinful : and the torments of hell, how extreme, universal, and continual soever they are, yet shall never fetch out the stain of one sin.
But yet, this hinders not, but that a sanctified affliction mav, in the efficacy and virtue of Christ's blood, produce such blessed ef- fects upon the soul. Though a cross, without a Christ, never did any man good, yet thousands have been beholden to the cross, as it hath wrought in the virtue of his death for their good. And this is the case of those souls that this discourse is concerned about.
(3.) We find the best hearts, if God bestow any comfortable en- joyment upon them, too apt to be over-heated in their affections towards it, and to be too much taken up with these outward com- forts. This also sheweth the great power and strength of corrupt tion in the people of God, and must by some means or other be mortified in them.
This was the case of Hezekiah ; his heart was too much af- fected with his treasures, so that he could not hide a vain-glorious temper, as you find Isa. xxxix. 2. and so good David, Psal. xxx. 7, he thought his mountain, (i. e. his kingdom, and the splendour and glory of his present state) had stood so fast that it should never be moved.
How did the same good man let out his heart and affections upon his beautiful son Absalom ; as appears by the doleful lamen- tation he made at his death, prizing him above his own life, which was a thousand times more worth than he.
So Jonah, when God raised up a gourd for him to shelter him from the sun, how excessively was he taken with it, and was ex- ceedingly glad of it ?
But will God suffer things to lie thus ? Shall the creature pur^ loin, and draw away our affections from him ? No this is our cor- ruption, and God will purge it; and to this end he sends forth providence to smite those creatures on which our affections are ei- ther inordinately, or excessively let out, or else to turn them into rods, and smite us by them.
Is Hezekiah too much puffed up with his full exchequer ? Why, those very Babylonians to whom ye boasted of it, shall empty it, and make a prey of it, Isa. xxxix. 6.
Is David hugging himself in a fond conceit of the stability of his earthly splendour.^ Lo, how soon God beclouds all, Psal. xxx. 7. Is Absalom doated on and crept too far into his good father'*s heart ! This shall be the son of his sorrow that shall seek after his father's life.
Is Jonah so transported ^vith his gourd ? God will prepare a worm to snjite it, Jonah iv. 6, 7.
How many husbands, wives,, and children hath providence smit-
THE MYSTERY OF PROVIDENCE 409
ten upon this very account ? It might have spared them longer if they had been loved more regularly and moderately. This hath blasted many an estate and hopeful project ; and it is a rperciful dispensation for our good.