The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment

so that you see it's no such strange thing, neither to one that is gracious that they shall get good by their affliction: Luther hath such an expression in his Comment upon the 5. Chap. of the Galatians; in the 17. verse in his Comment upon that place saith, A Christian becometh a mighty worker and a wonderful creator, that is (saith he) to create out of heaviness joy, out of terror comfort, out of sin righteousness, out of death life, and brings light out of darkness. It was Gods prerogative and great power, his creating power to command the light to shine out of darkness; now a Christian is partaker of the divine nature, so the scripture saith, Grace it is part of the Divine Nature, and being part of the Divine Nature it hath an impression of Gods Omnipotent ⟨p. 35⟩power that is, to create light out of darkness, to being good out of evil, now by this way a Christian comes to be content. God hath given a Christian such a virtue, as can turn affliction into mercies, can turn darkness into light; if a man had the power that Christ had when the water pots were filled, he could by a word turn the water into wine; if you that have nothing but water to drink, yet if you had a power to turn it into wine then you may be contented: Certainly a Christian hath received this power from God, to work thus miraculously; it is the nature of grace to turn water into wine, that is, to turn the water of your affliction, into the wine of heavenly consolation. If you understand this in a carnal way, I know it will be ridiculous for a Minister to speak thus before you, and many carnal people are ready to make such expressions as these to be ridiculous, understanding them in a carnal way: Just as Nicodemus in the 3. of John, What can a man be born when he is old, can be enter the second time into his mothers womb and be born? So when we speak of grace that it can turn water into wine, and turn poverty into riches, and make poverty a gainful trade, saith a carnal heart, Let them have that trade if they will, and let them have water to drink, and see if they can turn it into wine: Oh take heed thou speakest not in a scornful way of the ways of God; grace hath the power to turn afflictions into mercies.

so that you see it's no such strange thing, neither to one that is gracious that they shall get good by their affliction: Luther hath such an expression in his Comment upon the 5. Chap. of the Galatians; in the 17. verse in his Comment upon that place saith, A Christian becometh a mighty worker and a wonderful creator, that is (saith he) to create out of heavinesse joy, out of terrour comfort, out of sin righteousnesse, out of death life, and brings light out of darknesse. It was Gods prerogative and great power, his creating power to command the light to shine out of darknesse; now a Christian is partaker of the divine nature, so the scripture saith, Grace it is part of the Divine Nature, and being part of the Divine Nature it hath an impression of Gods Omnipotent