contrary to this corruption as alwaies one contrary is prouoked by another it will be also exasperated by the contrarietie of corruption to oppose and encounter it There is no time for the Martialist to shew his valour but in the time of vvarre The time of affliction therefore being the time of the spirituall war and conflict betwixt the flesh and spirit then questionlesse howsoeuer before the spirit lay asleep in vs yet then he will awaken and stirre vp himselfe and declare his mighty power and puissance in vs. Hence it is that afflictions by Peter are called the triall of our faith 1. Pet. 1. 7. And as they are the triall of our faith so of our patience hope obedience courage constancie c. Therefore Rom. 5. 3. Afflictions are said to bring forth patience because by them this grace of Gods Spirit is stirred vp in his children and in their afflictions they haue experience of their patience Afflictions in themselues bring forth impatience and by this impatience of the flesh the patience of the spirit is excited Our Sauiour is said Heb. 5. to haue learned obedience by the things which he suffered How was that Being before disobedient did hee then learne to become obedient Not so but hee learned it experimentally that is he had triall of his obedience which was alwaies in him before but had not so fit an occasion to shew it selfe till then So in the same sense may it be said that Abraham learned loue by that greeuous affliction of beeing put in feare of losing Isaac For so God tells him Gene. 22. Now I knowe that thou louest mee God knew it before but the meaning is that now by manifest experience it was made known indeed that Abraham did in truth loue God Therefore it is said that God tempted Abraham in giuing him that commaundement of sacrificing his sonne By affliction therefore wee come to haue knowledge of that grace to be in vs which before wee either knew not to be in vs at all because there is no occasion for it to shew it selfe vnlesse in affliction as how can a man shew his strength vnlesse some burthen bee layd vpon his backe or else wee knew not to be in our selues in that measure and sinceritie that it was because there can be no occasion of so sound a triall of affliction Reue. 13. 9. Iohn hauing foretold some grieuous persecution he addeth Heere is the faith and patience of the Saints That is to say Here is matter now for the faith of the Saints to work vpon Hope is compared to an Anchor Heb. 6. whose vse is specially in a storme For though in prosperity we may haue experience of our faith and hope and loue to God yet nothing so soundly and throughly as in affliction In prosperity there is place for the Diuels obiection Doth Iob serue God for nought but in affliction it is taken away and it appeares plainly that wee loue God serue and obey him not as mercenaries for our owne profit but euen for himselfe Againe though in our prosperitie wee might haue some experience of the sinceritie of our graces yet not of that great measure of them which we haue in affliction Many of the Martyrs that before they were in question quaked and trembled after GOD brought them into the field were emboldened and strengthened to suffer the most exquisite torments their aduersaries could deuise While the corne stands in the field wee may giue some gesse what it will amount to but when it is cut downe threshed out the yeeld proues more oftentimes then we could before possibly expect So is it with Christs haruest till wee bee threshed with the flayle of aduersity we cannot tell what increase of corne we shall yeeld to our heauenly Master So much for the vse of affliction respecting Knowledge 2. For Practice The vse of affliction in matter 2. Practice 2. of practice is either in renuing graces decayed or else in increasing these decaied graces after we haue afresh renued them 1. And first of all our afflictions teach vs to renue 1. Renuing graces decayed and take vp afresh the practice of all Christian duties which prosperity had caused vs to intermit For oftentimes the children of God beeing drunken and besotted with ease and prosperity fall into dangerous Lethargies and such dead sleepes of carnall carelesnes that they euen forget God and themselues Now by affliction God comming giuing them a priuy nip in their flesh awakeneth them and causeth them to return again vnto themselues So that in this respect affliction is to the children of God as the pricke to the brest of the Nightingale whereby she being awakened out of her sleepe singeth most melodiously See how the Apostaticall Church of the Israelites pricked with the thornes of affliction Hosea 2. 7. playes the Nightingale sweetly singing the song of her returning againe to the Lord her first husband So the Prodigall sonne feeling the prick of famine Luke 15. hauing been once a member of the Church a sonne liuing in the house of his Father and afterwards running away what is it that sends him home againe and makes him renue his conuersion The present misery wherewithall hee was pinched To this purpose excellently speakes Elihu Iob 33. 15 16. that God in trouble rounds men in the eare that lye securely snorting in their sinnes and so arouses them by the noyse of his voice speaking in affliction Haue we therefore beeing wise Virgins begun to slumber with the foolish haue we left our first loue and decayed in the graces of the Spirit then surely if affliction come vnto vs the lesson we are to learne is to remember from whom we are fallen to repent and doe our first works and to quicken those things that are ready to dye Now these decaying and languishing graces Which are 2. which affliction calls vpon vs to reuiue and stirre vp afresh in our selues are either generall and the maine foundation of all the rest or else speciall depending vpon the former 1. The generall and fundamentall graces the renouation 1. Generall 2. whereof affliction teacheth are Faith Repentance And first affliction teacheth vs to renue our 1. Faith 2. Faith both in regard of Gods prouidence for this temporall life as also of his mercy for the life to come in the saluation of our soules 1. For the first wheras in prosperitie we hauing 1. In Gods prouidence all things according to our hearts desire as health strength credit countenance maintenance wee did too too much rest and rely our selues vpon these for the preseruation of this transitory life now when in affliction God takes from vnder vs these proppes these stilts and staues of our confidence then we are constrained by faith to fly vnto him and depend on his good prouidence Deut. 8. 2. Therefore he humbled thee and made thee hungry that thou mightest learne that man liueth not by bread but by euery word that
namely care to preuent them For afflictions as they serue to reforme sinnes past so likewise to preuent sinnes to come Therefore are they compared to an hedge Hos 2. 6. stopping vs in our way that wee can go no further And this Paul sheweth in his owne example 2. Cor. 12. 7. This was the end why God sent him the Thorne in the flesh to preuent pride in him lest he should be exalted aboue measure in the multitude of reuelations And hence it is that so many times in the children of God before honour hath gone humility before some great blessing some grieuous crosse that by this meanes those sinnes which through our corruption prosperity would haue brought with it might bee preuented If Dauid had beene presently taken from the Sheep-fold to the Throne hee might haply haue growne insolent too forgetfull of God and his duety in gouernement Therefore a long time before did the Lord exercise him with many sore afflictions that so those mischiefes might be escaped To the same purpose was Ioseph abased in the dungeon before hee was aduanced to that place of authority So were the Israelites forty yeares wandring in the Desart and after that many yeares taken vp with tedious warres before they obtained the peaceable possession of the Land of Canaan and Moses forty yeares an exile and a keeper of sheep before he was the Conductor of the Israelites to the promised Land So much for the renewing of these two maine and Generall graces of Faith and Repentance 2. Besides the stirring vp of these affliction 2. Speciall 4. further awakens in vs many speciall and particular graces and among them specially foure 1. Our Thankefulnesse for his mercies which 1. Thankfulnes we forgat in our prosperity though daily before our eyes But by affliction in the want of them perceiuing the worth of them we are stirred vp to a more regardfull estimation of them and so are wee taught to bee truely thankefull for them when againe we do re-obtaine them After long sicknesse in the want of health feeling the sweetnesse of health how shal we then rellish our health and how thankefully shall wee receiue it at Gods hand So after long imprisonment how highly then shall we apprise our liberty more carefully vsing it for Gods glory then euer before 2. Compassion towards those that are in the 2. Compassion same or like affliction Wee are very cruell and hard-hearted by nature to our brethren in distresse and misery That therefore our hearts may be enlarged towards them God sendeth afflictions to vs that we may haue experience of the same misery our selues This vse Christ himselfe made of his afflictions Heb. 4. 15. We haue not an high Priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities but was in all points tempted like as wee are This Paul makes plaine 2. Cor. 1. 2 3 4 5 6. 3. Preparation for death whereof euery affliction 3. Preparation for death is a messenger or harbinger and therefore when afflictions come we haue warning giuen vs of deaths approach and so are iustly occasioned to renew our preparation for the entertainement of him This vse the Apostle Paul made of his affliction 1. Cor. 15. when by them he learned to die daily For besides that they put vs in minde of our mortaltty they themselues being little kindes of death make death seeme lesse grieuous vnto vs. If a man would be able to beare a great burthen hee shall be the more able to do it by inuring himselfe to beare a lesse as Bilney prepared himselfe to the fire of his martyrdome by the fire of his Candle 4. A longing and hungring after the life to 4. Desire of life to come come When we haue the world at wil we begin to be besotted with the loue thereof and to say as once Peter in the Mount It is good being here let me build my Tabernacle heere God is therefore faine to weane vs from the world euen as mothers do their children by laying on some sowre thing which may cause vs to distaste it and so being out of loue with it to cry Come Lord Iesus This vse Moses and the rest of the Israelites made of those contagious sicknesses which raigned amongst them in the Desert Psal 90. 12. Teach vs to number our daies and to apply our hearts to wisedome All is little enough to make vs thinke of our home Neuer would the Israelites haue beene brought to haue stirred one foote out of Egypt had they not beene tyred with that sore bricke bondage and Pharaohs tyrannie they that in the Desart wished for the flesh-pots and onyons of Egypt notwithstanding their sore bondage surely but for that bondage would neuer haue left those fleshpots So much of the first maine vse of our afflictions in regard of practice the renewing of graces decayed 2. The second followes namely an encreasing 2. Encreasing Grace renewed in those graces renewed This vse of afflictions our Sauiour notes Ioh. 15. 2. Euery branch that brings forth fruite my Father purges with the pruning knife of afflictions That it may bring forth more fruite Looke then how Vines pruned and Trees lopped grow the faster so the Christian afflicted thriues and prospers the better in Christianity So 2. Cor. 4. 16. the decayes of the outward man by afflictions are the renewings of the inward The happy Antiperistasis of the outward cold of afflictions doth increase the inward heate and feruour of the grace of God in vs. And these be the lessons which God teacheth by correcting of vs. So that now wee may fully see the meaning of these words And teachest in thy Law Hitherto of the first part of this Text concerning those things which are required by the Prophet in him whom he blesseth namely that hee bee as corrected of God so also taught of God Come we now to the second part concerning that blessednesse which in these respects belongeth to the childe of God Blessed is the man The doctrine of the Psalmist in this place is a paradoxe to flesh and bloud which iudgeth no men more vnhappy then those that are laden with miseries specially such as here the Prophet speakes of which come by meanes of cruell enemies What blessednesse would one thinke there were in being trod vnder foote and trampled vpon like durt by others our bitter aduersaries Well though the blinde buzzards of this world cannot see this yet the faithfull can by the quicke and piercing eye of their faith behold the light of the Sunne through the thickest and darkest cloudes Let vs therfore consider a little of this blessednesse of those whom God schooles by correction and see wherein it consisteth This blessednesse therefore is twofold Priuatiue and Positiue 1. The first kinde of blessednesse I call Priuatiue because it consisteth in taking away of that curse which naturally cleaues to all afflictions For as death so also all other afflictions haue their sting which yet is
as the fish drinketh in water neuer saying so much as What haue I done Assuredly they are out of the fauour of God An humbled heart for sinne is the first step to the fauour of God Secondly thou must shrowd thy selfe vnder Christs wings Clothe thy selfe with his righteousnesse and the precious Robes thereof that so thou mayest appeare amiable and louely in the eyes of the Lord for in Christ only is the Father well pleased and so if thou wouldest haue him well pleased with thee thou must become a member of him bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh This thou doest when by Faith thou layest hold vpon Christs righteousnesse and gripest the promises of the Gospell And this act of Faith sheweth it selfe most of all in earnest Prayer and Deprecation when thou cryest with strong cryes Forgiue me my trespasses According to the multitude of thy mercies blot out my offences These be the wrestlings of IACOB who would not let the Lord goe till he had blessed him If thou wouldest find grace thou must come and in this manner knocke at the gate of Grace and it shall be opened vnto thee How can wee looke to haue grace with God when he offring vs his Sonne as a meanes thereof wee will not reach forth the hand of our Faith to take him Thirdly by Faith hauing clad thy selfe with the Robes of Christs imputed righteousnesse thou must be clothed vpon with the garment of thy own righteousnesse and obedience which howsoeuer being in it selfe a menstruous cloth as it comes from vs yet being of the Spirits owne weauing in that regard is acceptable to God and causeth him to take a further delight in vs. Pro. 3. 3. Let not Mercy and Truth depart from thee so shalt thou haue fauour with God and man Pro. 11. 20. They that are vpright in their way are his delight If then we would be Gods Fauoured and Beloued we must put on that party-coloured Coate of the Apostle Col. 3. 12. consisting of many parts Of Humblenesse Mercy Kindnesse and long Suffering c. then shall that be verified Psal 45. 11. The King shall delight in thy beautie and that Cant. 4. 9. My faire One thou hast wounded my heart with one of thine eyes and with a chaine about thy neck Looke how the Spouse that being beautifull of her selfe is withall set forth and decked with precious ornaments is gracious in the eyes of her Louer so shalt thou be in Gods when thou appearest before him in the beautifull face and pleasant rayment of a new creature in Christ Iesus for then thou art made partaker of the diuine Nature And God in thee seeing himselfe an Image of his owne Holinesse and Righteousnesse thou being with DAVID a man after his owne heart how can hee but take great pleasure in thee if so bee hee take pleasure in himselfe Thou then who hast not this pleasant rayment of the new man but the torne rags of the old man thou that lyest wallowing in the mire of sinne a forlorne nasty creature thou that still retaynest the old Ethiopian hide and Black-mores skin these foule Leopard spots how thinkest thou that the pure and cleere eyes of the Lord can abide the sight of so filthy and deformed an obiect Hee that can performe these three duties may assure himselfe of Gods fauour Thus much for the first thing desired namely Grace The second followeth and Peace I doe willingly assent to those who by Peace doe vnderstand all prosperitie and felicitie both earthly and heauenly in this life and that to come In the ordinary salutation among the Iewes wherein they wished peace to the saluted Luk. 10. I thinke only outward prosperitie was meant by peace But as the Apostles augmented the ordinary forme of salutation by adding Grace to Peace because they preached in the Gospell the free Grace of God for our saluation so by the same reason may it well be thought that they inlarged the signification of this word Peace euen to inward peace as well as to outward specially their Gospell being the Gospell and glad tydings of that Peace Extending therefore the signification Foure things comprehended vnder Peace of this word in this Apostolicall salutation further then it was taken in the common greetings of the Iewes it may comprehend all these things within his circuit First the inward peace of Conscience with God which springeth out of the grace and fauour of God Rom 51. A mans conscience will neuer be at quiet within him till it feele this grace There will bee nothing there but the vncomfortable darknesse of terrors and astonishments till the light of Gods countenance arise and shine vpon it Secondly The peace of Charitie among our selues of which the Apostle Be at peace among your selues Let the peace of God rule in your hearts This also is an effect of Gods grace which as it maketh a man at peace with himselfe and God so with his Brethren The loue of God shed into our hearts will make vs loue our Brethren also There can be no true loue then among those that are not in fauour with God but they liue together like Wolues Beares But when our God hath vouchsafed vs his grace he changes our Woluish and Tygrish natures accomplishing that which is prophesied Esai 11. Thirdly The peace of Amitie and a holy kind of League with all Gods creatures Iob 5. The stones of the field shall be at peace with thee This also is an effect of grace for when we haue his fauour who is the Lord wee haue the good will also of his seruants the creatures Rom. 8. If hee bee with vs who can be against vs for all things are at his command who is the Lord of Hosts Nay who shall not be for vs On the contrarie Oh the miseries of the man in disgrace with God! all the creatures are at enmitie and at variance with vs being out of Gods fauour The senselesse creatures themselues in their kind rise vp against vs to fight the Lords battails against vs as the heauens did fight against SISERA Iudg. 5. Fourthly Outward Prosperitie and good successe in our wayes so it is commonly taken in all their salutations as 1. Chron. 12. 18. Peace be vnto thee O sonne of ISHAI And 2. King 9. Is it peace the salutation of IEHORAM to IEHV Hence it is euen from this manner of saluting all kind and good dealing is set out in the Scripture by this phrase of speaking peace as Psal 85. God sayes I will speake peace to my people Now the reason why outward prosperitie is signified by this name of peace is first because to the godly they are Pawnes and Pledges of that sweet Peace they haue with God Secondly they are notable Maintayners of the peace and quietnesse of our affections for in the want of outward things how are we disquieted and vnsettled But Peace in this fourth signification is so taken for outward prosperitie that which all this
truth of that excellent saying of PAVL Faith works by Loue Yea but I loue God or else it were pitie I should liue Thou lyest heare Christ If you loue mee keepe my Commandements And yet thou delightest thy soule in the daily breach of them for all this so affectionate entreatie of him whom thou professest thy Sauiour Behold MARY MAGDALEN and in her see vndoubted arguments of loue Her eyes which had beene entisements to vncleannesse she maketh a Bason of water to wash CHRISTS feete her haire abused to the same purpose a towell to wipe them Thou then that preferrest thy vnlawfull pleasures before Christ whatsoeuer thou confessest with thy mouth certainly thou beleeuest not with thy heart vnto saluation Secondly but as this Doctrine is terrible to the Hypocrite whom it vnmasketh of his vaine vizzard of faith so it is no lesse comfortable to the true Christian For what doest thou feele thy soule panting and breathing in the earnestnesse of desire after God doest thou find thy selfe grieued when thou missest of thy desire doest thou finde thy heart to arise when thou seest Gods Name dishonoured c Surely these things as they are arguments of sincere loue so likewise of Faith not fayned If thou feelest these things in any manner in thy selfe thou mayest truly say with him in the Gospell Lord I beleeue For it is impossible for vs to loue God vnlesse by Faith wee haue tasted how sweet Gods loue is to vs. But if thou findest these things in a smaller measure then is fit goe on with the same man and say Helpe my vnbeliefe For as true Loue argueth true Faith so a luke warme loue a faint and feeble faith For the Fountayne of Loue being as a good Conscience so likewise and that primarily and originally Faith not fayned 1. Tim. 1. vers 6. Looke what measure of Loue there is in any the like measure of Faith also If then we find great want of zeale in our selues we haue cause to bewaile the smalnesse of our Faith out yet so that feeling any measure of zeale at all we may raise vp our selues in a comfortable assurance of hauing Faith Therefore 1. Pet. 1. after that hee had said They loued the Lord he inferreth presently that they also beleeued in him In temptations oftentimes many excellent men are greatly troubled with doubting whether they haue Faith or no in as much as they cannot confidently and boldly nay scarse faintly and fearefully say that Christ is theirs but rather they are readie to say the contrary They feele the hand of Faith not onely trembling and quiuering but euen strucken with a dead Palsie But if at the same time thou canst perceiue that thou hast the giuing hand of Loue giuing vnto God and man those duties which thou owest them thou mayest assure thy selfe that thou hast also the receiuing hand of Faith taking those mercies which hee owes thee not howsoeuer for the present thou hast no feeling of it Satan and Sinne haue so benummed it If thou canst with DAVID Psal 18. 1. say I loue the Lord thou mayest as truely vse the words following and say The Lord is my Rocke Thirdly this Doctrine of Loues issuing and flowing from Faith confuteth those that teach our Election dependeth vpon our foreseene obedience By that which hath beene deliuered it appeareth that our loue of God is caused and stirred vp in vs by his loue to vs apprehended by our Faith And therefore we say with IOHN We loue him because he loued vs first But according to their Doctrine contrariwise God loues vs because we loued him first Fourthly this Doctrine teacheth vs what to iudge of that loue of God of that deuotion that is in Ethnicks Iewes Papists or any superstitious persons PAVL granteth to the Iewes a zealous loue of God but saith that it is not according to knowledge which is the very beginning of Faith But we haue shewed that the true loue of God is the handmaid of Faith And therefore if it shall wait vpon any other Mistris as vpon blind deuices of mans owne braine vpon good intentions falsly so called it is to be censured as a base a blind and preposterous zeale whatsoeuer shewes and colours it may haue For PAVL reioyceth in PHILEMON not for his loue alone but for his loue and faith that is for his loue conioyned with and proceeding from his Faith There is no matter of ioy then in Loue seuered from Faith Thus wee see how our loue of God comes from Faith Secondly our loue of our Brethren springeth Loue to our Brethren proceeds from Faith likewise from faith for the Apostle speaketh here of both loues This will appeare if either we consider those duties of loue which wee owe generally to all or in speciall to some For the first this is a dutie which wee owe to all indifferently to be readie to forgiue one another being offended Now what is that which will make a reuengefull nature yeeld to this but Faith which when once it hath apprehended Gods loue forthwith reasoneth as the Master in the Parable with his seruant Matth. 19. The Lord hath freely forgiuen mee my whole debt ought not I then to shew the like compassion to my fellow-seruant Therefore the Lord enioyning the dutie of forgiuenesse the Apostles pray Lord increase our Faith Luk. 17. 4 5. Ephes 5. Forgiuing one another euen as God for Christs sake hath forgiuen you and 1. Ioh. 2. 12. I write vnto you namely the Commandement of loue because your sinnes are forgiuen you Other duties there are which we owe specially to some As first to those that are yet vnconuerted the desiring of and by all meanes possible labouring after their conuersion Now it is Faith only which will make a man doe this For when by Faith wee haue felt the sweetnesse of Gods loue our selues we cannot but call vpon others and with the Prophet DAVID inuite them to the eating of the same dainties with our selues Ps 34. Come and see and taste how good c. As at the table if wee meet with any dish that pleaseth vs aboue another wee offer it presently to others desiring that it may haue their commendation as well as ours Thus EVE reached forth the Apple to ADAM Albeit here there be many to whom yet EVE though falne was vnlike so giuen to their appetites and louing their bellies that if they light vpon any meate which they loue more specially they like rauenous Harpies snatch it all to themselues grudging another the least morsell thinking all is lost that goes besides their owne lips But here no such thing can fall out for these exquisite delicates do so fully satiate vs that there still remaineth ynough for many thousand thousands Therefore we cannot endure to eat our Morsels alone but we desire the companie of others as PAVL did AGRIPPAES and the whole Assembly there present besides Acts 26. Would to God that both thou and all that heare me this day
proceeds out of the mouth of God This was the lesson God would teach the Israelites by that hunger and want they endured in the Desart namely to call backe their confidence from the outward meanes of life as bread and to giue it wholly to Gods prouidence This lesson also Paul confesseth that hee was taught by his affliction 2. Cor. 1. 9. We receiued the sentence of death in our selues that wee should not trust in our selues but in GOD who raiseth vs from the dead We are all like proud beggers who so long as we may haue reliefe at home will not goe seeke abroad as long as wee haue the outward meanes to stay our selues on we will not seeke to God But in affliction God makes vs giue ouer our hold in the meanes which he takes from vs and so wholly to cast our selues by faith on him When riches haue taken vnto thē the wings of the Eagle and are gone frō vs when our credit shall be cracked and our honour layd in the dust when the precious oyntment of our good name shall putrifie when our dearest and neerest friends shall deceiue vs as a brooke in a vvord when all outward helps and hopes shall fayle vs and we shall be left destitute and desolate starke naked and bestript of all will not this make vs denying all other things by faith to catch hold on God houering and couering our selues vnder his wing Yes surely Then shall we be forced to say It is better to trust in God then to haue confidence in man yea it is better to trust in God then to haue confidence in Princes Psal 118. 8 9. And with Iehoshaphat 2. Chro. 20. O Lord we know not what to doe but our eyes are toward thee 2. Neither doth affliction cause vs to renue our 2. In Gods promise faith onely in depending vpon Gods prouidence for these outward things but also in depending on his mercifull promises for the saluation of our soules For vnlesse this latter act of our faith be renued it is impossible wee should renue the former In Christ onely come wee to haue right to temporall mercies and therefore none can haue faith in God for his preseruation in this world that hath not faith in Christ for the remission of his sinnes Afflictions therefore teaching vs to renue the former doe necessarily also cause vs to renue the latter And as in this regard affliction stirres vs vp to renue our faith in beleeuing in Christ so also in another respect When afflictions are come vpon vs Sathan vseth to descant vpon them and cast them in our teeth as arguments of Gods anger Herevpon wee are necessarily constrained to looke to our assurance to search our euidences to consider wel on what ground wee stand and to try our faith to the vttermost Thus Iob renued his faith in his affliction notably by examining the soundnes of his former faith and by continuing in it after hee had found it sound not casting away his confidence but cleauing more forcibly to GOD then before Lord though thou kill me yet will I trust in thee Iob 13. 2. The second maine and generall grace which 2. Repentance 2. affliction teacheth vs to renue is Repentance Now afflictions cause vs to renue our repentance either in those acts which concerne our sinnes past or those which respect sinnes to come 1. The acts of Repentance respecting sinne past 1. is 4. taught by affliction are 4. 1. The first is to examine and search our harts 1. Sight of sin vpon examination and so to come to a knowledge of them For affliction preacheth Gods wrath Gods wrath necessarily presupposeth some sin The darknes of affliction is a light whereby we find out sin When we see things goe not well without wee are enforced to conclude that there is some disorder within and to say with the Church Lam. 3. Wherefore is the liuing man sorrowfull Man suffereth for his sin And hereupon we proceed further and say with the Church in the same place Let vs search and try our waies let vs find out those sinnes for which we are now rebuked This is that which Elihu plainly teacheth Iob. 36. 8 9. And if they be bound in fetters and tyed with the cords of affliction then will hee shew them their worke and their sinnes because they haue beene proud Before these cords and fetters came men would take no notice of their sinnes but slubbered them ouer as matters of nothing soothing and blessing themselues in them but when God comes with this scourge he makes them enter into their hearts and ransack their consciences there to find out their close secret corruptions which before they saw not This did the grieuous mortality of the Israelites in the Wildernesse effect in Moses and others fearing God Psal 90. 8. Thou settest our iniquities before thee and our secret sins in the light of thy countenance God sets our iniquities before himselfe when he sets them in order before our owne consciences Psal 50. So was it with Iob by meanes of his affliction possessing the sinnes of his youth with the widdow of Sarepta who cryed out to the Prophet when her child was dead Why art thou come to bring my sins to remembrance With Iosephs brethren whose memories beeing rubbed by affliction in Egypt they came to see the greeuousnes of that sin which for the space of twentie yeeres they had suffered to lye vnquestioned vpon their consciences And thus was it with Iaacob who being made odious in the sight of his neighbours by the bloody butchery of his sonnes therevpon tooke occasion to search his family and to find out that secret idolatry which for a long time had lyen lurking there And thus ought it to bee with euery one of vs in the day of our affliction to harken to the cōmandement of the Prophet Zeph. 2. 1. Sift sift your selues O Nation not worthy to be beloued Enter we into a more serious cōsideration of our owne waies and courses that so wee hunting and ferreting out our corruptions out of the close corners of our hearts we may both see those sinnes which we could not formerly espy and may more cleerely discerne those which already haue beene discouered vnto vs. 2. The second Act is truely to humble and deiect 2. Humiliation 2. our selues for these sinnes found out This Humiliation taught by affliction is two fold 1. Inward which is first in the iudgement 1. Inward 2. 1. In Iudgement when we haue a very base and meane opinion of our selues yea of that which is most glorious and excellent in vs. In prosperity wee could nourish great and high conceits of our selues and admire our owne beauty and excellencie but in affliction being taken downe by God wee are vrged to take downe our selues further and in the sight of our foule deformed feet to pluck in our Peacocks feathers Then with Iob though before iustifying our selues wee cry out