A Crystal Mirror, Chapter 8
CHAP. VIII.
Of the Hearts Treachery in Adverſity.
1. THe ſecond Temporal ſtate (wherein the Treachery of the Heart is diſcovered alſo) is, The ſtate of Adverſity, which is a ſtate that knocks at every mans door (leſs or more) for man bears miſery in his very name: There be four Hebrew names for Man uſually mentioned in the holy Scriptures, and theſe are [Iſh, Enoſh, Gheber, and Adam;] and of theſe four, there be three of them that do carry Miſery in their very ſence and ſignification: So that 'tis three to one againſt every man, but he ſhall have his Adverſity, or (as the word imports) ſomething to be againſt him in one kinde or another, if yet he ſay not with old Jacob, [All theſe things are againſt me,] Gen. 42. 36. The firſt name of Man in Hebrew is [Iſh,] ſo named [à ſonitu] from ſound or noiſe: for Man comes into the world crying, and goes out of the world groaning; and all the time betwixt thoſe two extremes, or [Termini à quo & ad quem] the firſt term of birth, and the laſt term of death, Man is no more than a ſound or noiſe, while he is acting his part upon the ſtage of the world (whether it be a publick or private part) all that time of his appearing upon that ſtage, he (indeed) may make ſome noiſe (leſs or more, in his place or ſtation; but when the time of his diſappearing cometh (to wit, the day of his dying, as 1 Sam. 26. 10.) then all his noiſe is at an end.
2. The ſecond name in Hebrew for Man is [Enoſh,] which hath two ſignifications; firſt it ſignifies Miſery, or Calamity, as if Man (in the fallen eſtate) were made up of nothing elſe, but of Sin and Miſery: Secondly, it ſignifies (as ſome render it) Oblivion, as if Man (becauſe of his miſery) were ſcarce worthy to be taken notice of, or remembred, Deut. 25.19. and 32.26. Job 18. 17. Pſal. 34. 16. Eccleſ. 9. 15.
The third Hebrew name for Man is [Gheber] Lamen. 3. 1. I am the [Gheber] or man, that hath ſeen affliction; though the word (indeed) doth ſignifie [great, or a great man] yet not ſo great, as to be beyond or above the touch (yea the churliſh touch) of trouble: No man was ever (yet) found in the world, either ſo good or ſo great, as to be raiſed (either by his goodneſs or greatneſs) above the reach of Adverſity.
The fourth Hebrew name for Man is [Adam] which ſignifies [earthly;] which plainly intimates, that ſuppoſe a Man (a ſon of Adam) do grow great in the world, yet cannot he continue long in that greatneſs, becauſe he is earth, He is of the earth, earthly, Joh. 3. 31. and he is of the earth, earthy, 1 Cor. 15. 47. Duſt he is, and unto duſt he muſt return, Eccleſ. 12. 7. And (poſſibly) his return may be like that Return in the term of Law (called Returna brevi) a very ſhort return, God knows how ſoon, how ſuddenly: All Adam is all Abel, (as the Original runs elegantly) Pſal. 39.5. in his beſt eſtate is all over vanity; or Adam is Abel's mate, Pſal. 144. 3, 4. foreign, Soul and Soil; a puff of winde is his breath, and but a bag of duſt is his body, Jam. 4.14. a mere flaſh, and a curious well-drawn Picture of Nothing.
1. Of the Malady. 2. Of the Remedy. Firſt, the Malady.
3. The Deceitfulneſs of the Heart in this ſtate of Adverſity, is diſcovered in the many branches thereof; as firſt, 'tis diſcovered by mans dulneſs to underſtand the minde of God in his Afflictions, or the ſpring and original of them from whence they come, whether from chance, or from God: God commands man [to hear the rod, and who hath appointed it,] Micah 6. 8. But alas, man is exceeding dull and deaf to hear the voice of the rod, or the voice of God in the rod: God ſpeaks [once and twice, and man perceives it not,] Job 33. 14. Herein Job (himſelf) was puzzled and at a nonplus, when he cryed to God, [Shew me wherefore thou contendeſt with me,] Job 10. 2. Thoſe reflect acts of the inner man, come hardly off with the heart of man; blind and dumb croſſes (ſuch as we know not what they point at, and ſpeak to us, nor from whence they come) are never good: as in aſcribing them to chance, as if things were of themſelves, and fall out well or ill of themſelves, and the hand of the great God were in none of them. The Pagan Philiſtims conſult with their Diviners about the cauſes of their Afflictions, 1 Sam. 6. 2. (When the hand of the Lord was heavy upon them, 1 Sam. 5. 6. 9.) not knowing whether to aſcribe them to Chance, or to divine Providence, verſ. 9. If you at any time harp upon this ſtring of Hap and Chance, (in the mean while, if not denying, yet (at leaſt) doubting of Gods all-ordering Providence) your heart doth deceive you. The Rabbins ſay, when Jeroboam's hand was withered up, 1 Kin. 13.4. that his lying Prophets told the King, It was but a chance that had hapned to him; and thereby they withheld him from thinking upon God, who had ſmitten him; and from reflecting upon himſelf and his ſin, which was the procuring cauſe of that Judgment of God. Still Satan and your own ſubtle heart will be ſuggeſting to you, that croſſes are but common events, and ſuch as had a time to come in, and muſt have a time to go in; whereas nothing comes to paſs in all the world, but by Gods appointment, Amos 3. 6. Matth. 10. 30, &c.
4. The ſecond Diſcovery of the Hearts deceitfulneſs in Adverſity is, in aſcribing your Afflictions to Fortune, which is worſe than that of the Philiſtims (aforeſaid) of aſcribing that which is called The hand of the Lord, (1 Sam. 5. 6-9.) unto chance, 1 Sam. 6. 9. For Chance is a Scripture-word, Eccleſ. 9. 11. Luke 10. 31. And 'tis ſaid, Ruth 2. 3. that her hap hapned (Hebr.) to light in Boaz's field; this was a mere chance in reſpect of Ruth, (who, being a ſtranger, knew not whoſe field it was,) yet was it ordered by a ſweet and ſecret Providence of God, in order to her Marriage to Boaz afterwards. That which is to us but caſual and contingent, is yet by God Almighty both fore-appointed and effected: That which is Caſualty to man, is no other than Counſel to God; and what is Chance to the ignorant man, is no leſs than [the Lord] to religious Job, chap. 1. 21. [The Lord giveth and taketh.] All Chances and Changes are as much in God's hand, as is Time it ſelf, Pſal. 31. 15. Pſal. 91. 10. [No evil ſhall chance unto thee.] So this Chance may be underſtood in a way of ſubſervieney and ſubordination to Gods Providence: Yet to aſcribe evil to Fortune, is far worſe; as if ſhe were a Goddeſs, and ordered all things both good and evil. We do not finde that the very Philiſtims (in the place before-quoted) while they dreamed of a Chance, did worſhip this Fortune as a Goddeſs. Neither was ſhe ever held to be ſo, (Heſiod mentions her not in his Theogonia) till Homer made her ſo, giving her a Soveraignty over all humane Affairs; and the ſucceeding Poets (that are ſaid to lick up his Spewings) ſay, [Sed te Nos facimus Fortuna Deam, coelóque locamus.] Juvenal. Satyr. 10.
5. The third Diſcovery is, Your heart will deceive you, in making you to look more at the ſtroak that is given you, than at God who ſtrikes it. Not much unlike the Dog that runs at the ſtone which is thrown at him, but mindes not the hand that throwes it: Oh! how prone is poor man to ſnarl at, and quarrel with that tryal and trouble (that is ſent to afflict him,) ſaying to it, Art thou come to torment me before the time, (as Matth. 8. 29.) and many times may curſe it; whereas he ſhould (chiefly) curſe his Sin, which is the procuring cauſe of his Miſery. You may pore too much upon the matter of your Affliction, and too little upon (both) the Procuring and the Efficient Cauſe thereof; your own ſin is the former that ſends for it, and God's Juſtice (againſt your ſin) is the latter that ſends it: Hence it is, that we cannot ſay to our affliction, as Laban ſaid to Abraham's ſervant, [Come in, thou bleſſed of the Lord, thou art welcome,] Gen. 24. 31. Thou art Gods Angel, or Meſſenger, (wherefore ſtandeſt thou without?) I know that when thou haſt delivered thy Meſſage, and done thy Errand, thou wilt be gone, and ſtay no longer; and though thou be like a froward Gueſt at an Inne (that is diſpleaſing enough while he ſtays there) yet pays nobly for all at parting: may you be but able to do thus, then you [Accept] of the puniſhment of your Iniquity, as God ſaith, Levit. 26. 41. then do you kiſs the Rod, yea and the Hand (too) that lays it on; As the Scholar (on his Death-bed) did his Maſters hand, crying, [Iſtae manus me ad Paradiſum portant,] Thoſe very hands (that have given me bleſt correction) helps me to Heaven. Your heart will deceive you, if you look not beyond your Affliction, at Gods faithfulneſs in your Affliction, ſaying with David, [I know, that out of thy very faithfulneſs, O Lord, thou haſt afflicted me,] Pſal. 119.75. as if he had ſaid, Lord, thou hadſt not been faithful to my Soul, without afflicting my Body.
6. To aſcribe any thing (whether good or evil) to fortune, is the grand overthrow of all true Piety, as it is an Atheiſtical debaſing of Divine Providence: Cicero (himſelf) acknowledges, that it was ignorance of the Cauſes of things, that brought in the names of Nature, Chance, and Fortune; as if all things were either from themſelves (which is called Nature or Chance) or only ſo diſpoſed by Fortune, (this fictitious goddeſs) and not by the true God, that orders all, from the higheſt Angels to the loweſt worms. Auguſtine argues excellently; How can this goddeſs [Fortune] be ſometimes good, and ſometimes evil? Is it (ſaith he) becauſe when ſhe is evil, ſhe is no more a Goddeſs, but is turned ſuddenly into a malignant Devil? De Civitat. Dei, lib. 4. cap. 18.
Sir Walter Rawleigh calleth Fortune, the God of Fools; a Goddeſs which is moſt reverenced (when good) but moſt reviled (when bad) of all other Poetical Gods or Goddeſſes: though Heſiod (who told the birth and beginning of all thoſe counterfeit Deities) hath not a word of Fortune; yet after Homer had made her the Daughter of Oceanus, or of the Sea (as if ſhe had her Ebbings and Flowings like it) ſhe grew ſo great with the blind world, as to be accounted Omnipotent; inſomuch as all the concerns of Men (even from the higheſt Prince, down to the loweſt Peaſant) were but [Fortunae ludus & ludibria] the very ſport and paſtime of Fortune, toſſing them like a Tennisball up and down, hither and thither at her pleaſure; abaſing Wiſdome, by making the poſſeſſors of it miſerable; and advancing Folly, (for, Fortuna favet fatuis, Fortune favours fools) by making the owners of it proſperous and ſucceſsful. This made the great (but ignorant) Demetrius cry out, Oh Fortune, thou haſt exalted me, and thou (the ſame) now goeſt about to deſtroy me, A…rel. Vict. de Pertinace. Yet among all the Philoſophers, I finde Plato moſt Divine in this point, ſaying, Nothing ever came to paſs under the Sun, whereof there was not a juſt preceding Cauſe.
7. But Philip M…lancton ſaith more plainly, [Quod Poetae Fortunam, id nos Deum appellamus] that which the Heathen Poets call Fortune, we know 'tis no other than God and his Providence, as Exod. 21. 13. [God hath delivered him into his hands,] that is, Divine Providence gives up ſome men to be ſlain, for ſome ſecret ſin, (neither repented of, nor puniſhed by the Magiſtrate) by ſome extraordinary caſualty: the Hebrews therefore uſe the name of God, where others uſe Fortune, becauſe what men think to be done by Fortune, is indeed done by the Providence of God: though a man be killed at unawares, as Deut. 19. 5. or by an errour or miſtake, Numb. 35. 11. yet it is Gods Providence that it ſhould be ſo; for he is the Lord of our lives, and we are guilty of death by ſin, Rom. 6. 23. whereby we make frequent forfeitures of our lives; and 'tis therefore the Lords great mercy that we are not (ever and anon) deſtroyed, Lam. 3.22. [Homo proponit, Deus diſponit] man purpoſeth to knock down a tree, but God diſpoſeth of his ſtroke, ſo that he knocks down a man: the very ſlipping of the Axes head from the helve or handle, is the work of God: [diſponit Deus membra, & pulicis & culicis] God orders the very bitings of gnats and flyes, ſaith Auſtin: even Lottery is guided by Providence, Prov. 16. 33. as in the finding out of Achan, Jonathan, Jonah, and Matthias; and in dividing the land of Canaan to the Tribes of Iſrael, Gen. 49. 13. &c. So that you may not attribute to Chance (as if things were of themſelves) or to Fortune, as if ſhe ordered your good or evil; if it were ſo, then there could be no order in things, but all confuſion; whereas, you behold a bleſſed harmony in all things, ſave onelyonly in the corrupt actions of men, which yet the wiſdom of God orders to his own glory. How can that exact and regular motion of the Sun, (giving heat and light to, and making Summer and Winter ſo orderly in all parts of the world) be aſcribed by any ſottiſh heart to blind Fortune, the Axel-tree whereof is infinitely too weak for the leaſt motion of the world to be turned upon it? As bad as thoſe Aſſyrians were, yet did they aſcribe their afflictions (not to Fortune) but to the god of the Land, 2 Kin. 17. 26.
8. The fourth diſcovery of the Hearts deceitfulneſs in adverſity, is, your impatiency and wearineſs under Gods afflicting hand: oh, how weak are our hearts to endure tribulation! Ezekiel 16. 30. Solomon ſaith, If we faint in the day of adverſity, our ſtrength is ſmall, Prov. 24. 10. Man hath no tryal of his ſtrength, till he come into trouble; faintneſs then diſcovers weakneſs, and weakneſs then cauſeth wearineſs and impatiency: [As is the man, ſo is his ſtrength] ſaid they to Gideon; rotten or weak boughs do break, when weight is layd upon them, and ſo do earthen veſſels when ſet empty to the fire; unſound lungs cannot abide the froſt-air, but a Joſephs bow will abide in ſtrength, though many Archers ſhoot at him, and both hate and hit him, yea, and ſorely grieve him, Gen. 49. 23, 24. being ſtrengthened by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob: but alas, how ſoon are we crying out of wearineſs (becauſe of our weakneſs) in running a while with the footmen of leſſer troubles, Jerem. 12.5. although God calls us not, (for he calls none but his champions) to run with the Horſemen of greater Tryals: hence affliction is called our infirmity, Prov. 18. 14. becauſe of our natural imbecility to bear it, as well as to free our ſelves from it: we cannot ſo much as bear words (much leſs wounds) for Chriſt; and if we ſo ſtartle▪ at a reproach for the Truth, ſurely we ſhould never (as one ſaith) fry with a fagot.
9. The fifth diſcovery of the hearts deceitfulneſs in Adverſity, is, you will be very apt to reſtrain prayer in it, as Job 15. 4. Alas, when the body is out of frame, (by diſtempers, or by external diſtreſſes) the ſpirit alſo ſympathizes, and will (often) be out of frame with the body; and the weakneſs of the fleſh many times (according to that in Matth. 26. 41.) over-…ometh the willingneſs of the ſpirit: A man at …uch a time hath work enough to bear the bur…en of his own affliction, therefore death-bed Repentance is ſaid to be very ſeldome true Repentance; [ſera poenitentia rarò eſt vera] late Repentance is rarely true, ſaith Auguſtin; yet [nun-quam ſerò, ſi ſeriò] 'tis never too late, ſo there be but a real and a ſerious frame of Spirit: but alas, [there] is all the danger; for penitent words may at ſuch a time be onelyonly ſqueezed from us, by preſſing and oppreſſing pain, when ſuch words flow not naturally from a living principle within: you may howl upon your bed▪ you may brawl and murmure, (which is as the howling of a dog (and no better) unto your God, Hoſ. 7. 14.) and not pray one prayer in the Holy Ghoſt, Jude v. 20. all that time; your Spirit (which is the lending part) will have then work enough to ſuſtain the infirmities o… the fleſh, (which is the borrowing part) Prov▪ 18. 14. Hereupon, Job is charged by hi… friends, [for caſting off fear, and for reſtrainin… prayer before God] Job 15. 4. 'tis true, Jo… might poſſibly omit his ſtated times of prayer (which he obſerved day by day continually, Jo… 1.5.) through the bitterneſs of his grief, an… the unreaſonableneſs of his foe-friends, (whic… diſcompoſed his ſpirit for Prayer) but that h… ſhould altogether refrain and reſtrain prayer i… his miſery, was but a meer cavil againſt th… good man, who could not be ſo bad, as to fo… …ear all prayer himſelf, and diſcourage othe… from it too; this would have been a foul fa… indeed: for while prayer ſtands ſtill, the whole trade of godlineſs ſtands ſtill; and to caſt off prayer, is to caſt off God, Jer. 10. 25. yet as domeſtick diſcords may hinder prayer, 1 Pet. 3.7. ſo may bodily diſtempers.
10. The ſixth diſcovery of the Hearts deceitfulneſs in afflicton, is, that the Soul of man many times will chooſe Iniquity rather than affliction, as Elihu layeth to Jobs charge, Job 36. 21. [take heed] be very wary for time to come, becauſe of thy natural proneneſs to it; 'tis with the hair of corrupt nature, and the ſtrong byaſs thereof may carry you down the hill before you be aware: [regard not iniquity] turn not your face (as the Hebrew word ſignifies) towards iniquity, by way of approbation, as men do uſually turn their faces towards that which they like and love; or give not ſo much as a leering look towards ſin, Pſal. 66. 18. [for this thou hoſt choſen] rather than to bear thine affliction (or thy poverty) patiently; that is, thou wouldſt rather be a ſinner, than a ſufferer, and wouldſt better be a wicked, than a poor man; this is a bad choice, for there is more evil in the leaſt ſinning, than in the greateſt ſuffering, inaſmuch as the latter is a phyſical (or natural) evil, and comes from an Holy God; but the former is a moral evil, and ever comes from the curſed devil: Therefore ſhould you not do the leaſt evil, though it would procure the greateſt good. Hence the antient Martyrs would not accept of deliveranc upon ſinful terms, Hebr. 11. 35. and they would not do ſo much as to caſt in one ſingle grain of Frankincenſe to an Idol, although thereby they might have ſaved their own precious Lives, well knowing that God ſtood in no need of their lye for his glory, Rom. 3. 7, 8. Sin is the greateſt evil, (as God is the greateſt good) ſo it can never be (in it ſelf) a matter or object of free choice. [Quas non oportet Mortes praeeligere] ſaith Zuinglius, What Deaths ought not a man rather to make choice of, what torments not rather undergo, yea into what deepeſt gulf of Hell (it ſelf) muſt he not rather enter, than wittingly and willingly to ſin againſt God? Daniel chus'd rather to be thrown to the Lions, than to violate his Conſcience, and ſo to have that lion (through guilt) roaring againſt him in his own boſome. The Armenian Mouſe (ſome ſay) will chuſe rather to dye, than to be defiled with any filth; inſomuch that if her hole be beſmeared with dirt, her choice is rather to be taken than to be polluted: Oh that you may imitate that little creature, ſo devoted unto cleanneſs, as to part with her liberty (yea life) rather than with her purity.
11. The ſecond thing is the Remedy againſt the treachery of your heart in Adverſity. Solomon bids you, In a day of affliction conſider, Eccleſ. 7. 14. that is, you muſt (when you are alone) ſit down, pawſe and ponder thoſe things.
The firſt thing for you to conſider (as a good Help and Remedy is, Who is the Authour of your Adverſity: It ſprings not out of the duſt, Job 5. 6. There is no evil in the City which the Lord hath not done, Amos 3. 6. Now could you but make a believing uſe of the Soveraignty, Juſtice, and Graciouſneſs of this Lord of yours (from whence your Affliction cometh as his Meſſenger) this would wonderfully hedge in your treacherous Heart from deceiving you: As you muſt believe that your Lord is too kinde to do you harm, and too juſt to do you wrong; So likewiſe that he hath a Soveraign Power and Authority over you, and is not bound to give an account of any of his matters unto you, Job 33. 13. Oh conſider, that while the rod lies on your back, yet 'tis ſtill in a Fathers hand; He is called [Pater Miſericordiae] a Father of Mercy, but never [Pater Vindictae] a Father (though he be called a God) of Vengeance: For although thoſe whom God loves he chaſtens, yet God doth not love to chaſten; He afflicts not willingly, (or from his heart, Hebr.) Lam. 3. 33. It goes as much againſt the heart with Him, as againſt the hair with you; hence Acts of Juſtice are called ſtrange Acts with God, Iſai. 28. 21. therefore cample not againſt God, whoſe Will alone is the ſupreme Reaſon of all; and 'tis not only Right, but 'tis alſo the Rule of all Right, Rom. 9. 20. Jer. 12. 1.
12. The ſecond helpful Conſideration is, What is the End, as well as, Who is the Authour. This Father of Spirits never chaſtens his Children for his own pleaſure, as fathers of the fleſh often do …venting their choler, and diſburthning themſelves of that diſpleaſure, which (perhaps without cauſe) they have conceived againſt their children, Hebr. 12. 10. But the Lord never doth ſo; for Fury is not in him, Iſai. 27. 4. He is a God, and not man, Hoſ. 11. 8, 9. Man is an angry, vindictive Creature; but God is full of Compaſſion, abundant in Goodneſs, and ſlow to Anger, Exod. 34. 6. Nahum 1. 3. Yea, a None-ſuch God for a none-ſuch ſinner, Mic. 7. 18. Though God may do with his own what he pleaſeth, yet doth he never over-do with them; 'tis a pain to him to be puniſhing of them, In all their Afflictions he is afflicted, Iſa. 63.9. He therefore never corrects for his own pleaſure, but for our profit; the ground always is diſpleaſed Love, and the end is always fuller embracements: You may not pore upon the matter of your Adverſity, more than upon the end of Gods inflicting Affliction; his end is always a gracious end unto a gracious Soul; 'tis to do you good in the latter end, Deut. 8. 16. and to make you more a partaker of his Holineſs, Hebr. 12. 10. and of the peaceable fruits of Righteouſneſs, verſ. 11. to wit, increaſe of Grace, an heart left in a better frame than 'twas found in, which is call'd [a coming out as Gold,] Job 23. 10. A Phyſician gives his Patient phyſick that makes him ſick, purges him even unto a leanneſs, and bleeds him, [uſque ad deliquium animi,] until he ſwoon away; yet theſe are not the end of his undertaking, but 'tis to recover a more healthful ſtate, with better blood and nobler ſpirits: accordingly may God deal with you, when he findes you under a ſurfet of proſperity; The cup your Father gives you, drink it, John 18. 11. that bitter potion brings ſweet health.
13. Conſider thirdly the Meaſure of it, as well as its End and Authour: Your God will certainly correct you in meaſure, Jerem. 30. 11. you ſhall not have one laſh more than needs; yea he will ſuit your burden to your back, and your ſtroke to your ſtrength. The Jews (with their Whip of three cords) would rather give the Offender one laſh too few, than one too many, that they might not exceed the number of forty ſtripes (which were limited them by the Law, Deut. 25. 3.) as appears in Paul's caſe, 2 Cor. 11. 24. They are Baſtards and not Sons, that have not any ſtripes, Hebr. 12. 7, 8. But there was never any ſon that had too many of them: God had one Son only, (to wit, Chriſt) [ſine flagitio] without the guilt of ſinning; but he never had any Son (no not Chriſt himſelf) [ſine flagello] without the whip of ſuffering: The Jews (alſo) fitted their whip to the ſtrength or weakneſs of the perſon corrected; even ſo doth God, 2 Sam. 7. 14. [beſhebet Anaſhim, Hebr.] Virgâ ſenum, aut hominum debilium: [I will …haſten him with the rod of men,] the word ſignifies of old and weak men; or ſuch as are ſickly, who cannot ſtrike hard; and God will not do ſo, though he can; though he will be faithful to your ſoul, yet will he not be cruel to your body; for 'tis but chaſtizing with rods, not ſcourging with Scorpions; 'tis to break your ſin, but not your ſoul, therefore he doth it in meaſure, 1 Cor. 10. 13. and only by peck-peck, (as the Hebrew ſignifies) Iſai. 27. 8. not whole buſhels at once; he will ſtay the rough wind, that his tender plant may not be blown down; you ſhall not have the whole weight of his mighty hand upon you, either to cruſh you to pieces, or to grinde you to powder.
14. The fourth helpful Conſideration is, What is the cauſe or occaſion of your Affliction: This was it that puzzell'd Job, (as before) Job 10. 2. You muſt labour to ſpell out Gods minde in every trouble, that (by his Providence) befals you, and hear the voice of his rod, Micah 6. 9. never being ſatisfied with dumb croſſes; they have always a voice, if you have but an ear; they are not dumb, if you be not deaf. God many times points out to Man his very ſin by the rod, and writes his ſin upon his very puniſhment; Judg. 1. 7. that Lord of Bezek had learnt ſo much ingenuity, as to acknowledge Gods art of Juſticing in a moſt exact way of Retaliation; his puniſhment did (to an hair) correſpond with his ſin. The Apoſtle tells you, that unworthy communicating was the ſin, which was the procuring cauſe of the great Mortality at Corinth, 1 Cor. 11. 30. for God will be ſanctified of all that draw nigh to him, Levit. 10. 3. Sin is ever the occaſion of Sickneſs and Suffering, when poſſibly it may not be the immediate and particular cauſe; and Sin is the cauſe in general, when this or that particular ſin is but the occaſion. Job's Affliction was not for a puniſhment of this or that particular ſin, but for the trial of his Grace, and to evidence unto Satan, that he was no Hypocrite; yet did he acknowledge to God, [I have ſinned, what ſhall I do unto thee, O thou preſerver nf men?] Job 7. 20. He puts himſelf into the hands of his Juſtice, in hope of his Mercy: he confeſſes his Malady (to wit, his ſinning, to be the juſt occaſion of his ſuffering) and ardently enquires after a due Remedy: yet this good man deſired further to know (not ſo much to ſatisfie his Curioſity, as his Conſcience) why he was ſo afflicted, whether for ſin or for trial; and if for ſin, he begg'd of God to Make him know his tranſgreſſion and his ſin, Job 13. 23. to wit, that particular ſin which thou chiefly ſtrikes at.
15. Afflictions have a voice, (as above) and ſay to the afflicted, as the Lord ſaid to Joſhuah, [Ʋp, and ſearch, Iſrael hath ſinned.] Joſh. 7. 10, 11. And as the Mariners ſaid to Jonah, [What evil haſt thou committed, what good haſt thou omitted?] Jon. 1.8. Something ſurely is amiſs, that God would have amended. It is therefore meet to be ſaid unto God (and that with a Surely) [I have born chaſtiſement, I will not offend any more,] and though yet I be in the dark, and know not the right and particular cauſe wherefore I am afflicted, [That which I know not, teach thou me,] Job 34.31, 32. Alas, men are very apt to miſtake themſelves herein, and (like the Child Samuel) when God calls one way, to run another way, 1 Sam. 3. 4, 5, 6, 8, 9. Yea the Devil alſo deals with the afflicted, juſt as the wretched Jews did with Chriſt, when they did blind-fold him, and bid him prophecy who ſmote him, Luke 22. 64. Thus Satan holds his black hand before the eyes of mens Underſtanding, and then bids them prophecy who ſmote them, and for what. Hence it is, that in our Afflictions we many times grope like blinde men, only gueſſing at this cauſe, and at that, but ſeldome hitting upon the right; and therefore God muſt be ſought unto for direction herein, and beſought alſo graciouſly to point out the ſin he ſtrikes at: This Job had done once, Job 10. 2. and again, Job 13. 23, but Elihu would have him to do it yet better, as he tutor'd him, Job 34. 31, 32.
Laſtly, Conſider theſe few following Directions. (1.) When you have thus ſought and beſought the Lord for Inſtruction herein, Obſerve at what door doth your Conſcience (awakened by the Word) lay your Affliction; for God keeps his Petty-Seſſions in the Court of Conſcience, and therein you may hear his Voice. (2.) Labour to have as deep a ſenſe of Spiritual Evil, as of Temporal: A blind eye may bring you to Chriſt for Cure and Comfort, when a blind Soul will not do ſo. (3.) In your Adverſity forget not Divine Promiſes, as in your Proſperity you may not be mindful of Divine Threatnings. (4.) Let your minde be above your means in Adverſity, as it ought to be below them in Proſperity. (5.) Let not your cuſtome of being delivered from this or that particular Danger, encourage you more than Gods promiſe of Deliverance from all evil. (6.) Be not more prone to ſpeak of your Miſeries, than of your Mercies; of your Loſſes, than of your Gains (as moſt men commonly do;) for if ſo, it plainly ſhews, you would rather have your ſelf pitied for the former, than your God praiſed for the latter. (7.) 'Twill qualifie your Sufferings, to take notice how many do ſuffer more pains for eternal Pains, and for Damnation, than you have yet done for everlaſting Life and for Salvation. (8.) It may likewiſe comfort you to know, that Chriſt by his Croſs hath taken away the Curſe of your Croſs, though not the croſs it ſelf; which if he had done, then, as the Croſs (indeed) would have done you no hurt, ſo neither could it have done you any good; whereas how many Saints have bleſt the Lord for their ſanctified Afflictions, and they would not have been without them for a world, Pſal. 119.71.75. (9.) Know, that Miſery, ('tis true) may be your Condition, yet (if you be truely godly) it ſhall never be your portion; 'tis Mercy (not Miſery) that is the portion of all the Veſſels of Mercy. (10.) Know alſo, that your God (who chaſtens you) will ſoon ſay, [It is enough, &c.] 2 Sam. 24. 15, 16. 'Tis an excellent Note that Vatablus makes upon this place, underſtanding [by the appointed time] the evening of the firſt day, which (if ſo underſtood) doth mightily commend the Mercy and Gentleneſs of God, who, for three days of Peſtilence threatned, ſends it but one day onelyonly; and then his bowels yern, Hoſ. 11. 8. and he cryes even then ['tis enough,] he cannot finde in his heart to go thorough with deſtroying-work; for he is a God, and not man, yea ſuch a God as None is like him for pitty and pardons: He may [indeed] afflict, yea, he muſt do ſo; but he will not do ſo [for ever,] 1 Kin. 11. 39. No, he quickly repents him of the evil, and leaves a bleſſing behinde him, Joel 2. 14. (Laſtly,) Let God vindicate his own Holineſs, who, though he pardon ſin, yet will not patronize it, no not in his own Children, 2 Sam. 7. 14. Pſal. 89. 30. 32, 33. yet Paul may be happier in his chains of Iron, than King Agrippa was in his chains of Gold: Oh that a bitter life may make you look for a better life!