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robe ? Thus in temporal things we gain by our losses, and God chooseth better for us than we could have chosen for ourselves.
(2.) For our spiritual good. All affliction is made up and recom- pensed to the soul ; it afflicts the body, but bettereth the heart ; Ps. cxix. 71, ' It is good for me that I have been afflicted, that I might learn thy statutes.' There is more to be learned in the school of afflic- tion than in tlie vastest libraries ; Bodley and the Vatican cannot furnish us with a book that will teach us as much as a little experience under God's discipline. Madmen are cast into prison, kept in the dark, and under all hardships, to bring them to their mind again ; so to cure us of our spiritual frenzy, and dementation in a course of sin- ning, God is forced to use us a little hardly. Thou darest not pray, Lord, let me have worldly comforts, though they damn me ; let me not be afflicted, though it do me good. And if thou darest not pray so, wilt thou murmur when it falleth out to be so ? If a man break an arm or a leg in pulling us out of the water wherein we shall certainly be drowned, would we be angry with him ? and shall we fret against the Lord when he taketh away the fuel of our lusts ? Is it not a good exchange, to part with outward comforts for inward holiness ? certainly that will be of more gain to us than all the affliction, pain, and loss which we suffer will do us hurt. Learning God's statutes by heart is a good lesson, tliough it cost us trouble in learning. We lose nothing but our rust by scouring. If God will take away our outward peace, and give us peace of conscience ; our worldly goods, and give us true riches, have we any cause to complain if our outward wants be recom- pensed by an abundance of inward grace ? 2 Cor. iv. 16, ' But though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day : * and we have the less of the world that we may have more of God, and are kept poor that we may be 'rich in faith,' James ir 5. Who is the loser, if we have a healthy soul in a sickly body, as Gains had ? 3 John 2. And an aching head maketh way for a better heart ; doth not God deal graciously and lovingly with us ? Afflictions are com- pared to fire that purgeth away the dross, 1 Peter, i. 7 ; to the fan that driveth away the chaff, Mat. iii. 12 : to a pruning-hook that cuts off the luxuriant branches, and maketh the others that remain more fruitful, John xv. 2 ; to physic, that purgeth away the sick matter, Isa. xxvii. 95 ; to ploughing and harrowing the ground, that fitteth it to receive the good seed; Jer. iv. 3. Wilt thou be troubled when God cometh to make use of this fire to purge out thy dross, this fan to winnow away thy chaff, this pruning-hook to lop off the luxuriancies of thy soul, this physic to purge out thy corruption and filth, this plough to break up thy fallow ground, and destroy the weeds that grow in thy heart ? Should we not rather rejoice that he will not let us alone in our corruptions, but refine us as metal is by the fire ; and fan and winnow us, that we may be pure grain ; and prune us, that we may be fruitful in holiness ; and use a medicine to cure those distempers, which otherwise would destroy us ; and suffer the ploughers to make long furrows upon our backs, that we may enjoy the richer crop ? thus it is for spiritual good.
(3.) For our eternal good. Heaven will make a complete amends : 2 Cor. iv. 17, ' For our light affliction, which is but for a moment.
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worketli for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.' The affliction worketh it as a means which God iiseth, it shall either hasten or secure our glorious estate ; this mainly is intended in Kom. viii. 28-30, ' For we know that all things shall work together for good to them, that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the first-born among many brethren. Moreover, whom he did predestinate, them he also called ; and whom he called, them he also justified; and whom he justified, them he also glorified.' Well then, as a bee sucketh honey from a bitter herb, so there is a great deal of good which faith can extract out of afflictions ; no water, but it can turn into wine ; no stones out of which faith cannot make bread.
[7.] That we shall have comfort, and support and direction, and many intervening blessings, before the deliverance cometh.
(1.) Comfort ; we shall have it : 2 Cor. i. 5, ' For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ.' God will refresh and relieve our troubles with many comfortable ex- periences of his grace ; comforts proportionable to our afflictions. Should we have great sufferings and small comforts, we should not be well enough provided for ; such a degree of heat will not warm cold water unless it be made more intense ; a little boat that would serve well enough in fresh water, will not serve at sea, where we are to con- flict with boisterous waves and mighty billows ; therefore as our sutferings abound, so our consolations by Christ abound also. God suits his dispensations to the need and want of the creature. The disciples, when they had lost the bodily presence of Christ, they re- ceived the Spirit. God vnU not give comforts upon conflicts till the affections be purged from the dross and feculency of outward delights ; till then we cannot relish spiritual delights. Troubles usually enlarge the capacity of the soul, for they humble us, and an humble soul is a vessel fit to receive grace. They put us upon the exercise of grace ; then men pray most, and have most communion with God ; and the more grace is exercised, the more comfort is increased ; for the comforts of the Spirit follow the graces of the Spirit, as heat doth the fire. After the sharpest winter there is the sweetest spring, and the more fruitful summer and autumn.