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stance of his grace, and declare in him his almighty power and that our Saviour, in giving him his sight, might make appear that he was the true God, who fashions the wonderful eye, and that he was the true Light, that enlightens every man coming into the world, Psa. xciv. 9. John i. 9. Likewise when some came to inform this great and wise Saviour what had happened to the Galileans, whose blood Pilate mingled with their sacrifices, he replied in this manner, "Suppose ye that these Galileans were sinners above all the Galileans, because they suffered such things? I tell you, Nay; but except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower of Siloam fell, and stew them, think ye that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem? I tell you, Nay; but except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish," Luke xiii.

God is glorified divers ways by the afflictions and calamities which he sends to his children: for, first, he justifies them before all the world from the calumnies which are cast upon them; and he discovers thereby to all the sincerity of their love, and their unfeigned obedience. Satan accuseth us for serving God for the advantages which we receive in this life, Job i. because he is pleased to protect and favour us by his over-ruling providence. Therefore God removes many times from us that which is pleasing and delightful to the flesh; he gives us the bread of affliction for our food, and the waters of sorrow for our drink; he presents us with cups full of bitterness, and causeth his rod to return upon us often. By these grievous temptations he stops the mouth of the accuser of our brethren, who accuseth them day and night before God, Rev. xii. He declares by that means, to all the enemies of our salvation and of his glory, that we put our full confidence in God alone, and in his unchangeable promises, and not in the outward tokens of his mercy and favour. He shews to all the world, that the anchor of our

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hope is not fixed here below, but that it is fastened in hea wen, where Christ is entered as our forerunner, Heb. vi. 19.

As God is glorified in afflictions, he is also honoured by our deliverance. If the land of Judea had not been peopled with deaf, dumb, lame, blind, decrepit, and possessed with devils; if Eneas had not been sick eight years, Acts ix. if a poor woman had not been grieved with a bloody flux twelve years; if another had not been vexed with the disease that had bent her body; if the sick of the palsy had not been lying in his bed thirty-eight years; if the daughter of Jairus had not been dead; if the widow's son of the city of Nain had not been carried to the grave; in short, if Lazarus had not been buried four days—the glory and divine miracles of our Lord: and Saviour had not been admired all over the world, Matt. ix. Luke xiii. John v. Likewise our desperate diseases, and our unexpected recoveries, when human skill can do nothing, declare to the most senseless souls that it is God alone that can give the wound and bind it up, and that leads to the sepulchre and brings back again, Luke vii. John ix. Job v. 1 Sam. ii. God's deliverances of his people from their afflictions are of two sorts; for either he takes away the burden from us, or he stretches out to us his merciful hand, and helps us to bear it; either he removes his affliction, and pacifies our grief, or he strengthens us with power and courage, and arms us with patience, and a generous resolution needful in such a case. This appears in a notable manner in the apostle St. Paul; for fear that he should be lifted up in pride, because of the excellency of his divine revelations, God gave him a thorn in the flesh, and sent the angel of Satan to buffet him, and to increase the bitterness and sharpness of his disease. This holy man prayed often to remove it from him; but God took not this thorn away from his flesh, nor did he check the messenger of Satan that afflicted him; but he delivered him in a more illustrious manner; for he strengthened

him with his divine Spirit ; enriched him with his graces; he made him feel the virtue and power of Christ within him, and accomplished his virtue in Paul's infirmity: insomuch that this great apostle cries out in the sharpest of his afflictions, with transports of joy, “ I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecution, in distresses, for Christ's sake; for when I am weak, then am I strong: I can do all things in Christ that strengthens me," 2 Cor. xii. This may be also seen in the martyr St. Stephen; for he was condemned to die a death the most painful and grievous that we can imagine; but God gave him such powerful comforts, and filled his mind with such joys, that his face shined as that of an angel. You must understand the words of St. Paul in that manner, in his epistle to the Hebrews, Acts vi. Heb. v. Jesus Christ having offered up prayers and supplications, with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, was heard in that he feared: for he was not altogether freed from the sufferings and torments of the cross; but he endured them courageeouly, and was more than conqueror in all things. He drank up the very dregs of the cup of God's wrath; but by his divine power he overcame the strength of the poison. His heavenly Father took him not down from the cross, nor out of the hands of his murderers; but he hath erected upon it his glorious trophies, and the cross hath been as his triumphant chariot. Likewise when you see a Christian bear up in the midst of a grievous affliction, and overcome his grief by his constancy and patience; who instead of mourning rejoiceth, and comforts himself in his distresses; you may then conclude, that such an one is strengthened by God's divine Spirit, who upholds him, and accomplisheth his heavenly virtue in his servant's infirmity. This is the most miraculous and excellent of all deliverances.

I confess, some approve this discourse very well, and admit these consolations in their ordinary diseases; but as soon

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as any extraordinary and violent grief seizes upon them, they are apt to murmur against God, and to complain that their punishment is too grievous. Some proceed further, to curse, as Job, the day of their birth; and, being brought into despair, are ready to cry out with Cain, "My punishment is greater than I am able to bear." Unhappy man! wilt thou imitate the barbarous Heathens, who curse the sun when it burns them, and let fly their arrows against heaven when it thunders? Wretched man! what will it avail thee to affront thy Creator? What advantage wilt thou reap from the blasphemies which thou belchest forth against the Sun of Righteousness? Miserable worm of the earth! contemptible dust! wilt thou undertake to contend with God, to pluck him from his throne, and break the invincible arm of his power? Dost thou imagine to stop the hand of his vengeance by offending and sinning against him?: Wilt thou quench the fury of his wrath by spitting in his face? Believest thou that he will stretch forth his hand to deliver thee, and to increase thy blessings, whilst thy mouth is open to blaspheme him who is thy Sovereign Lord ?

Listen well, I beseech thee, friend, to my advice, and I will help thee out of the labyrinth where thou art unhappily entangled; and, with God's help, I will cause thee to understand that thou complainest wrongfully against him, who : performs all things advisedly, and with justice and reason,

1. Run over the whole course of thy life, and consider how many wicked acts thou hast committed; some by indiscretion, others wilfully; how many words have escaped out of thy mouth, how many thoughts have been entertained in thy mind, against the commands of almighty God. Consider seriously the number and heinousness of thy sins and miscar-briages, and thou shalt find that God's punishments are far less than thy deserts; and that for one sensible stroke of a

bitter pain that thou feelest, thou hast deserved many thou sands; so that thou shalt have cause to confess with the prophet Daniel," O Lord, righteousness belongeth unto thee, but unto us confusion of face," Dan. ix. And thou wilt say with David, "Innumerable evils have compassed me about, mine iniquities have taken hold upon me, so that I am not able to look up; they are more than the hairs of my head; therefore my heart faileth me: there is no whole part in my flesh, because of thine indignation; nor rest in my bones, because of my sins.'

2. Consider how many are in the world to be preferred before thee for piety, and yet suffer sharper and longer evils than thou hast hitherto endured, and have not had so much comfort and assistance. If thou comparest thy condition with theirs, thou shalt find that God spares and favours thee very much.

3. Cast thine eyes upon the death and passion of our Lord and Saviour, who being just and innocent, hath suffered for us wicked and abominable sinners. Thine affliction is painful, I confess; but that which thy merciful Redeemer has undergone for thee, was far more insufferable. Let his exclamations, his tears and drops of blood, which came out of his veins, be a witness; and that earnest prayer which he repeated three times upon his bended knees, "Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me, that I may not drink it." Let that doleful voice upon the cross declare it, “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?"

4. Weigh, in just and equal scales of the sanctuary, all the sufferings of this life, with the torments of hell which thou hast justly deserved. Compare them together, and thou wilt quickly conclude, that all thy pains are nothing in comparison to the grievous tortures of that lake of fire and brimstone, where

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