Obj. But some may object, and say, I have been long afflicted, and have had many crosses upon me, and little good do I find by them ; I am never the better, but rather the worse for all.
Ans. This may be true thou sayest, but stay a little and consider the event. Howsoever, by reason ' of the bitterness and continuance of the cross, hitherto thou findest little good thereby, yet know that God is all this while but in hammering and working of thy unruly heart, thy good will follow afterwards. We see by experience, that sick persons, while they are in physic, are made sicker and sicker, but after that hath done working, then the party- is far better than before. It is a folly to think that we should have physic and health both at once. It is impossible that a man should sow and reap both together. AYe must of necessity endure the working of God's physic. If trouble be lengthened, lengthen thy patience. "When the sick humour is carried away and purged, then we shall enjoy desired health, God promiseth forgiveness of sin, but thou findest the burden of it daily on thee. Cheer up thyself ; when the morning is darkest then comes day ; after a fight victory will appear. God's time is best ; therefore wait cheerfully.
Ofttimes God's servants under his cross are so sore wrought upon that they have hardly leisure of making a good use of the same, being distracted and dejected for the present, so as that they burst out rather into further evil than before. But afterwards, when their afliictions are thoroughly digested, then they begin to find the fruit of patience, humiliation, and obedience, and are better for the same ever after; therefore wait contentedly God's leisure ; thou shalt surely find a sweet calm after the storm is over. Though we find little benefit by afflictions for the present, yet let us not conclude all is naught with us ; for temptations being bitter, will not sufier men in them to lift up their hearts straight. After the extremity and vexation thereof is laid, then ensueth the ' quiet fruit of righteousness,' Heb. xii. 11.
Obj. 1. But if all things, yea, sin itself, shall turn to the best to those that love God, what need we then care for the committing of sin '?
Ans. The apostle St Paul was in his days troubled with the like question. Therefore, observe with what detestation he answers, saying, ' God forbid, the damnation of such men is just,' Kom. iii. 8. But to answer more fully and plainly for the satisfaction of weak Christians. * Cf. Note, Vol. III. page 9.— G.
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THE rniVILKGES OF TJIE FAITUFUL.
2. True it is, that all Ihinys, cvoa the sins of God's servants, shall by God's mercy turn to their good ; j'et, nevertheless, the rnlo of God's word must ever bo regarded, which is this, ' we may not do evil that good may come thereof.' That which is evil in itself must not be done, no, though for the doing thereof we might gain the greatest good, or avoid the greatest evil whatsoever ; as if it were to win a world, wo might not tell a lie, because it is a broach of God's law; Christ saith to the devil, 'It is written, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God,' Mat. iv. 7. We may not there- fore by sin tempt God, so to set his goodness in working good out of our wickedness.
If, therefore, upon this ground of doctrine (that all things shall turn to the good of God's children, yea, even their sins themselves), any of us shall commit wickedness, and displease his Majesty, to try what mercy and wisdom is in him, to draw good out of our evil ; this is a provoking of God's goodness, and those who thus do, turn the truth of God's word into poison, and make even that their destruction which should build them up in grace and holiness.
If we sin through weakness and frailty of our flesh, and through strength of temptation, upon repentance we may find grace ; but if presuming that God will turn all things to our good, we break his law, what else do we but first of all make God the cause of our evil ; and secondly, vex and scandal* the saints on earth ; thirdly, we sadf the blessed angels in heaven ; and, fourthly, rejoice the devils and damned spirits in 'hell, putting darts and deadly weapons into their hands to work our ruin and overthrow ; nay, fifthly, we grieve the good Spirit of God, who continually putteth us in mind of better things, if we would hearken to him, and by whom we are sealed up unto the day of redemption ; sixthl}^ we slacken grace in our hearts, and whereas we should grow forward in virtue and holiness, we weaken the power of godliness exceedingly in us ; seventhly, all willing sins do abate our afiiance in God, and the feeling of his favour towards us ; yea, oftentimes by so sinning, many of his dear children have walked heavily without spiritual joy all the days of their lives ; for howsoever in regard the Lord hath elected us, we shall never finally fall away and perish, yet we may want the sweet sense of his favour, and remain afflicted in spirit all our life long. And then we shall know that the grief and trouble which we here undergo to avoid sin and subdue it, will be nothing so much as the mischief and sorrow that sin once committed and yielded ^to will bring on the soul.