An exposition with practical observations continued upon the eighth, ninth and tenth chapters of…An exposition with practicall observations continued upon the eighth, ninth and tenth chapters of…

1. Because of the smart of it. Afflictions are grievous and painful to flesh and blood. They grieve and pain the outward man, while the inward man takes pleasure in them. I (saith Paul) take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in persecutions, in necessities, in distresses for Christs sake (2 Cor. 12.10.) that is, my spirit doth, for no affliction (not that for Christs sake) is joyous for the present, but grievous to the flesh. For, as the Spirit would not do those evils of sin, which the flesh would and doth (The evil which I would not that I do, was Pauls cry, Rom. 7.19.) So the flesh would not endure those evils of sorrow, which the Spirit would and doth. And as a believer delights in the Law of God, after the inward man, when corruption is vexed and troubled at it; so a believer delights in the rod of God, after the inward man, when corruption is most impatient and unquiet under it. Hence the Apostles counsel to the dispersed Jews, Rejoice when ye fall into divers temptations (Jam. 1.) that is, into divers afflictions; the flesh hath it's sense, and feels smart; but the Spirit is armed with faith, which overcomes the smart. Affliction were not so much as a rod, if it did not make us smart; and we are not so much as Christians, if we cannot bear the smart with patience, or overcome it with faith.

1. Because of the smart of it. Afflictions are grievous and painfull to flesh and bloud. They grieve and pain the outward man, while the inward man takes pleasure in them. I (saith Paul) take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in persecutions, in necessities, in distresses for Christs sake (2 Cor. 12.10.) that is, my spirit doth, for no affliction (not that for Christs sake) is joyous for the present, but grievous to the flesh. For, as the Spirit would not doe those evils of sin, which the flesh would and doth (The evil which I would not that I doe, was Pauls cry, Rom. 7.19.) So the flesh would not endure those evils of sorrow, which the Spirit would and doth. And as a believer delights in the Law of God, after the inward man, when corruption is vext and troubled at it; so a believer delights in the rod of God, after the inward man, when corruption is most impatient and unquiet under it. Hence the Apostles counsell to the dispersed Jews, Rejoyce when ye fall into divers temptations (