Divine Conduct, or The Mystery of Providence

It is a sure sign afflicting Providences are sanctified when they purge the heart from sin, and leave both heart and life more pure, heavenly, mortified, and humble than they found them. Sanctified afflictions are cleansers, they pull down the pride, refine the earthliness, and purge ⟨p. 241⟩out the vanity of the Spirit. So you read, Dan. 11. 35. it purifies and makes their Souls white: Hence it's compared to a furnace which separates the dross from the pure metal, Isa. 48. 10. Behold I have refined thee, but not with Silver: I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction. But for wicked men, let them be never so long in the Furnace, they lose no dross, Ezek. 24. 6. How many Christians can bear witness to this truth! After some sharp affliction hath been upon them, how is the earthliness of their hearts purged! they see no beauty, taste no more relish in the world than in the white of an Egg. Oh how serious, humble, and heavenly are they, till the impressions made upon them by afflictions be worn off, and their deceitful lusts have again entangled them! And this is the reason▪ why we are so often under the discipline of the rod. Let a Christian (saith a late writer) be but two or three years without an affliction, and he is almost good for nothing: he cannot pray, nor meditate, nor discourse at that rate he was wont to do: but when a new affliction comes, now he can find his tongue, and come to his knees again, and live at another rate.

It is a sure sign afflicting Providences are sanctified when they purge the heart from sin, and leave both heart and life more pure, heavenly, mortified, and humble than they found them. Sanctified afflictions are cleansers, they pull down the pride, refine the earthliness, and purge ⟨p. 241⟩out the vanity of the Spirit. So you read, Dan. 11. 35. it purifies and makes their Souls white: Hence it's compar'd to a furnace which separates the dross from the pure metal,