I. Scripture-light the most sure light ... delivered in three sermons on 2 Pet.…

Answ. No: For did not Jonah bring himself into his Affliction by his sin, and yet when did God more fully appear to him, than when he was in the Whales Belly? Did not David bring himself into his Affliction by his sin? he sinned in the matter of Uriah, and the Lord said, The Sword shall never depart from thy House: and what was the Sword of Absalom, but an Affliction which dropped out of that Threatening, brought upon him by his sin: and yet when was Davids heart in a better frame? If (saith he) the Lord have any pleasure in me, he will bring me back to the Ark again; if not, let him do with me, what seemeth good in his Eyes. And when did God more fully appear to David, than under this Affliction? for he prayed, The Lord turn the Counsel of Ahithophel ⟨p. 278⟩into folly; and God heard him presently. And if ye look into Deut. 4. you shall find a standing Promise made for your Comfort in this matter; verse 25. If you shall corrupt your selves, and make a graven Image, or the likeness of any thing, and shall do evil in the sight of the Lord, to provoke him to anger; I call Heaven, and Earth to witness against you this day, That you shall soon utterly perish from the Land; ye shall not prolong your days; the Lord will scatter you among the Nations, and you shall be left few in number among the Heathen, and there you shall serve gods, the work of mens hands. But if from thence, thou shalt seek the Lord thy God, thou shalt find him; if thou seek him with all thine heart, and all thy soul. 1. Here was a great Affliction, to be driven out into another Country. 2. This Affliction was caused by their great sins. 3. Yet the Promise is, That, if from thence, from this valley, and bottom, they did seek the Lord, he would show mercy to them: And all this in the times of the Law; and is not God as gracious now in the times of the Gospel, as then in the times of the Law? And what though you cannot find out what the particular sin is, it is good to search; but sometimes it is better for a poor soul that it is not discovered: For if I be under an affliction for some particular sin, and find it out, then I am once humbled for it, and go no further: but if I find it not out, I search, and search, and so am humbled continually for many sins; and therefore I say, it is sometimes better that the particular sin is not discovered.

Answ. No: For did not Jonah bring himself into his Affliction by his sin, and yet when did God more fully appear to him, than when he was in the Whales Belly? Did not David bring himself into his Affliction by his sin? he sinned in the matter of Ʋriah, and the Lord said, The Sword shall never depart from thy House: and what was the Sword of Absolon, but an Affliction which dropped out of that Threatening, brought upon him by his sin: and yet when was Davids heart in a better frame? If (saith he) the Lord have any pleasure in me, he will bring me back to the Ark again; if not, let him do with me, what seemeth good in his Eyes. And when did God more fully appear to David, than under this Affliction? for he prayed, The Lord turn the Counsel of Achittophel