Afflictions common-from God.

ing the Lord.-13: 11 Knowing the time, that now it is high time to wake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.

Ep. 4: 28 Let him that stole, steal no more: but rather let him labor, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.

1 Th. 4: 11 Study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you; 12 That ye may walk honestly toward them that are without, and that ye may have lack of nothing. [See 63, 358, 738, 749.]

AFFLICTIONS-TRIALS-CHASTISEMENTS.

2. Afflictions common to man.

Job 5:7 Man is born unto trouble, as the sparks fly upward. -7: 17 What is man, that thou shouldest magnify him? and that thou shouldest set thine heart upon him? 18 And that thou shouldest visit him every morning, and try him every moment?-14: 1 Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble.

3. Afflictions from God.

1 S. 2:7 The Lord maketh poor, and maketh rich: he bringeth low, and lifteth up.

Job 5: 6 Affliction cometh not forth of the dust, neither doth trouble spring out of the ground. 18 For he maketh sore, and bindeth up: he woundeth, and his hands make whole.

Ps. 39: 9 I was dumb, I opened not my mouth; because thou didst it. 66: 11 Thou broughtest us into the net; thou laidest affliction upon our loins. -89: 30 If his children forsake my law, and walk not in my judgments; 31 If they break my statutes, and keep not my commandments; 32 Then will I visit their transgression with the rod, and their iniquity with stripes. -102: 10 Thou hast lifted me up, and cast me down. 23 He weakened my strength in the way; he shortened my days.

2 Cor. 12:7 Lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. [See 147, 260.]

4. Benefit of afflictions and fatherly chastisements.

Dt. 8: 2 Thou shalt remember all the way which the LORD thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments, or no.

Benefit of.

2 Ch. 33: 12 When he was in affliction, he besought the LORD his God, and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers, 13 And prayed unto him: and he was entreated of him, and heard his supplication, and brought him again to Jerusalem into his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the LORD he was God.

Job 5: 17 Behold, happy is the man whom God correcteth: therefore despise not thou the chastening of the Almighty.23: 10 He knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.

Ps. 78: 34 When he slew them, then they sought him and they returned and inquired early after God. 35 And they remembered that God was their Rock, and the high God their Redeemer. 94: 12 Blessed is the man whom thou chastenest, O LORD, and teachest him out of thy law, 13 That thou mayest give him rest from the days of adversity, until the pit be digged for the wicked. - 119: 67 Before I was afflicted I went astray: but now have I kept thy word. 71 It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes. 75 I know, O LORD, that thy judgments are right, and that thou in faithfulness hast afflicted me.

Pr. 3: 11 My son, despise not the chastening of the LORD: neither be weary of his correction: 12 For whom the LORD loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.

Is. 26: 9 When thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness. 27:7 Hath he smitten him, as he smote those that smote him? or is he slain according to the slaughter of them that are slain by him? 9 By this therefore shall the iniquity of Jacob be purged; and this is all the fruit to take away his sin. 48: 10 Behold, I have refined thee, but not with silver; I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction.

Jer. 24: 5 Thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel; Like these good figs, so will I acknowledge them that are carried away captive of Judah, whom I have sent out of this place into the land of the Chaldeans for their good.

Lam. 3: 27 It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth.

Dan. 11: 35 Some of them of understanding shall fall, to try them, and to purge, and to make them white, even to the time of the end: because it is yet for a time appointed. - 12: 10 Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly.

Hos. 5: 15 In their affliction they will seek me early.

Zec. 13: 9 I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people; and they shall say, The LORD is my God.

Rom. 5: 3 We glory in tribulations also; knowing that tribulation worketh patience; 4 And patience experience; and experience, hope.

1 Cor. 11: 32 When we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.

2 Cor. 4: 17 Our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; 18 While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.12: 10 I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.

Heb. 2: 10 It became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the Captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.-12: 10 They verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness. 11 Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless, afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.

Jam. 1: 2 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; 3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. 12 Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.

1 Pet. 1:7 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise, and honor, and glory, at the appearing of Jesus Christ.

[See 508, 512, 515.]

5. The afflictions of the righteous short.

Job 11: 16 Because thou shalt forget thy misery, and remember it as waters that pass away.

Ps. 30: 5 His anger endureth but a moment; in his favor is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.

Lam. 3: 32 Though he cause grief, yet will he have

compas

Support under-demand sympathy

sion according to the multitude of his mercies. 33 For he doth not afflict willingly, nor grieve the children of men.

2 Cor. 4: 17 Our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. [See 225, 585.]

6. God, the believer's support and helper under afflictions.

Ps. 23: 4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.-31: 7 I will be glad and rejoice in thy mercy: for thou hast considered my trouble; thou hast known my soul in adversities; 8 And hast not shut me up into the hand of the enemy: thou hast set my foot in a large room.. -46: 1 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.

Is. 25: 4 Thou hast been a strength to the poor, a strength to the needy in his distress, a refuge from the storm, a shadow from the heat, when the blast of the terrible ones is as a storm against the wall.-49: 13 Sing, O heavens; and be joyful, O earth; and break forth into singing, O mountains: for the LORD hath comforted his people, and will have mercy upon his afflicted.

Jer. 16: 19 O LORD, my strength and my fortress, and my refuge in the day of affliction.

2 Cor. 1: 3 Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; 4 Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.

[See 657, 725.]

7. Afflictions demand sympathy-examples.

Job 6: 14 To him that is afflicted pity should be shewed from his friend.

Ps. 35: 13 As for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth: I humbled my soul with fasting; and my prayer returned into mine own bosom. 14 I behaved myself as though he had been my friend or brother: I bowed down heavily, as one that mourneth for his mother.

Rom. 12: 15 Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep.

Ph. 4: 14 Ye have well done that ye did communicate with my affliction.

Heb. 13: 3 Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them; and them which suffer adversity, as being yourselves also in the body. [See 526.]

8. Afflictions try mankind.

Often misimproved.

Dt. 8: 2 Thou shalt remember all the way which the LORD thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thy heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments, or no. 3 And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna. [See 4.] ́

9. Afflictions often misimproved and magnified.

:

Job 10: 15 I am full of confusion; therefore see thou mine affliction; 16 For it increaseth. Thou huntest me as a fierce lion and again thou shewest thyself marvellous upon me. 17 Thou renewest thy witnesses against me, and increasest thine indignation upon me; changes and war are against me 18 Wherefore then hast thou brought me forth out of the womb? Oh that I had given up the ghost, and no eye had seen me! 16: 12 I was at ease, but he hath broken me asunder: he hath also taken me by my neck, and shaken me to pieces, and set me up for his mark.

Is. 1:5 Why should ye be stricken any more? ye will revolt more and more: the whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint.-9: 13 The people turneth not unto him that smiteth them, neither do they seek the LORD of hosts.

Jer. 5: 3 O LORD, are not thine eyes upon the truth? thou hast stricken them, but they have not grieved; thou hast consumed them, but they have refused to receive correction: they have made their faces harder than a rock; they have refused to return.

Lam. 1: 12 Is it nothing to you, all ye that pass by? behold, and see if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow, which is done unto me, wherewith the LORD hath afflicted me in the day of his fierce anger. 13 From above hath he sent fire into my bones, and it prevaileth against them: he hath spread a net for my feet, he hath turned me back: he hath made me desolate and faint all the day.-3: 10 He was unto me as a bear lying in wait, and as a lion in secret places. 11 He hath turned aside my ways, and pulled me in pieces: he hath made me desolate. 12 He hath bent his bow, and set me as a mark for the arrow.

Am. 4: 6 I also have given you cleanness of teeth in all your cities, and want of bread in all your places: yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the LORD. 7-11.

[See 569, 700.]