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selves miserable by an imagined cross ! and so, when all things without are well, their own humours and passions make them a burden to themselves, and when they are not wounded in point of honour, nor lessened and cut short in estate, nor assaulted in their health, nor their relations diminished and cut off, but are hedged round about with all temporal happiness, there seemeth to be no room or place for any affliction or trouble in their bosoms, yet, in the fulness of their sufficiency, God maketh them a terror and burden to themselves, either by their own fears or misconceit, or the false imagination of some loss or disgrace : God maketh them uncomfortable and full of disquiet ; and though they want nothing, yet they are not at ease, yea, more troubled than those that are called out to conflict with real, yea, the greatest evils. Haman is an instance : he was one of the princes of the kingdom of Persia, flowing in wealth and all manner of de- lights, in degree of dignity and honour next the king himself, and flourishing in the hope of a numerous and fair issue ; yet because Mordecai, a poor Jew, did not do him expected reverence, 'All this availeth me nothing,' Esther v. 19. So soon can God send a worm into the fairest gourd, and a dissatisfaction into the most flourishing estate in the world, that men shall have no rest night and day, especially if a spark of his wrath light into the conscience : Ps. xxxis. 11, ' When thou with rebukes dost correct man for his iniquity, thou makest his beauty to consume away like a moth : surely every man is vanity, Selah.' There is a secret moth that eateth up all their contentment ; they are under terror, discouragement, and want of peace : God teacheth them that nothing can be satisfactorily enjoyed apart from his blessed self : 'Afire not blown shall consume them,' Job XX. 26. Partly in the continuance of afflictions. God ordereth, taketh off, and layeth on afflictions at his own pleasure, and as he seeth it conducible to our profit. Variety of afflictions may meet to- gether on the best and dearest of God's children, there being in the best many corruptions both to be discovered and subdued, and many graces to be tried : 1 Peter i. 6, ' Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness, through manifold temptations ;' and James i. 2, 'My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations.' One trouble worketh into the hands of another, and the succession of them is as necessary as the first stroke. We often force God to renew his corrections, ah assuetis nulla fit passio — things to which we are accustomed do not aflect us ; there- fore, under a general affliction there come in many special ones to rub up our sense, and make it work the better. Under public calamities we have a private one, and they come one in the neck of another like waves. When God hath begun he will make an end, and bring his discipline to some more comfortable and perfect issue. In all these things the wisdom of God is to be observed.
4. The affliction so sent hath a notable use to reduce us to a sense and care of our duty. This is often pressed in the scripture : ' The fruit of all shall be to take away their sin.' Afflictions are compared in scripture to fire that purgeth away our dross : 1 Peter i. 7, ' Now for a season, if need be, ye are in manifold temptations, that the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perishetb,
VeK. 67.] SEKMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. 227
though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise, and honour, and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ/ To the fan that driveth away the chaflf : Mark iii. 12, ' Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner ; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.' To a pruning- hook, that cutteth off the luxuriant branches, and maketh the others that remain the more fruitful : John xv. 2, ' Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away, and every branch that beareth fruit he purgeth it that it may bring forth more fruit.' To physic, that purgeth away the sick matter : Isa. xxvii. 9, ' By this therefore shall the iniquity of Jacob be purged, and this is all the fruit to take away his sin.' To ploughing and harrowing of the ground, that destroyeth the ill weeds, and fitteth it to receive the good seed : Jer. iv. 3, ' Break up your fallow ground, and sow not among thorns.' To the file that worketh oft' our rust, and the flail that maketh our husk fly off. So Heb. xii. 11, 'No affliction for the present seemeth joyous, but grievous ; nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness to them that are exercised therewith.' The affliction hath a necessary tendency to so comfortable an effect. But because generals do but beat the air, and do not so well fit themselves in the mind, I shall show you it is either the means of our first conversion, or subservient to the reformation of those that are converted.