For first, their troubles are but trials; now is there any hurt in a trial, or perturbation in a probation? Troubles try their graces, and their corruptions too. Trouble tries grace that it may be honoured, and corruption that it may be mortified; there is no hurt in all this: rather it is a most happy condition, which makes grace conspicuous: whereby a mans best side, his inside (wherein his glory lies, The Kings Daughter is glorious within) is turned outward. That Scripture (Dan. 11. 33, 34, 35.) is very pregnant to the point in hand; where the Prophet foretelling troublesome times, saith, They that understand amongst the people shall instruct many, yet they shall fall by the sword, and by flame, by captivity ⟨p. 117⟩and by spoil many days: They that understand, that is, godly men shall fall by these judgements, some of them by the sword, they shall utterly be cut off; some by flame, they shall be burnt to ashes: others by captivity and by spoil, their estates shall be plundered, their persons imprisoned. How doth this answer the justice of God (will carnal reason object) that it shall be thus ill, with the righteous, to whom the Lord promiseth it shall be well? Yes, well enough. For it followeth, Now when they shall fall, they shall be holpen with a little help, and some of them of understanding shall fall, (that is, by captivity, and by spoil) to try them, and to purge them, and to make them white. Here are two remarkable ends, why They of understanding, fall into these evils. First, for probation, to try them. Secondly, for cleansing and purgation, to purge them and make them white. Gold is never wronged, by being tried. A spotted garment, a distempered body, are not damnified by washing, or by purging. To be freed from filth without, and bad humours within the body, is more then a common favour. How high an act of favour then is it, to have ill humours and filthy spots washed, purged out of the soul? Such base humours a good man may have, as call for these strong working pills, Spoiling and Captivity, to cast them out. Now those men of understanding have no more hurt intended them by God, when they fall into spoilers hands, then when a diseased body falls into a Physicians hand, or when a defiled garment falls into a Fullers hand; sc. to purge and make them white. Affliction is a cleanser.
For first, their troubles are but trials; now is there any hurt in a triall, or perturbation in a probation? Troubles try their graces, and their corruptions too. Trouble tryes grace that it may be honour'd, and corruption that it may be mortified; there is no hurt in all this: rather it is a most happy condition, which makes grace conspicuous: whereby a mans best side, his inside (wherein his glory lies, The Kings Daughter is glorious within) is turned outward. That Scripture (Dan. 11. 33, 34, 35.) is very pregnant to the point in hand; where the Prophet foretelling troublesome times, saith, They that understand amongst the people shall instrust many, yet they shall fall by the sword, and by flame, by captivity ⟨p. 117⟩and by spoyle many dayes: They that understand, that is, godly men shall fall by these judgements, some of them by the sword, they shall utterly be cut off; some by flame, they shall be burnt to ashes: others by captivity and by spoile, their estates shall be plundered, their persons imprisoned. How doth this answer the justice of God (will carnall reason object) that it shall be thus ill, with the righteous, to whom the Lord promiseth it shall be well? Yes, well enough. For it followeth, Now when they shall fall, they shall be holpen with a little helpe, and some of them of understanding shall fall, (that is, by captivity, and by spoile) to try them, and to purge them, and to make them white. Here are two remarkable ends, why They of understanding, fall into these evils. First, for probation, to try them. Secondly, for cleansing and purgation, to purge them and make them white. Gold is never wrong'd, by being tryed. A spotted garment, a distempered body, are not damnified by washing, or by purging. To be freed from filth without, and bad humours within the body, is more then a common favour. How high an act of favour then is it, to have ill humours and filthy spots washed, purged out of the soule? Such base humours a good man may have, as call for these strong working pils, Spoyling and Captivity, to cast them out. Now those men of understanding have no more hurt intended them by God, when they fall into spoilers hands, then when a diseased body fals into a Physitians hand, or when a defiled garment fals into a Fullers hand; sc. to purge and make them white. Affliction is a cleanser.
