The Fountain of Life Opened

First, In all the evils of trouble and affliction that befall you, eye Jesus Christ in it all. And set your hearts to the study of these four things in affliction.

First, In all the evils of trouble and affliction that befal you, eye Jesus Christ in it all. And set your hearts to the study of these four things in affliction.

First, Study his Sovereignty and Dominion. For he creates and forms them. They rise not out of the dust: nor do they befall you casually. But, he raises them up, and gives them their commission, Jer. 18.11. Behold I create evil, and devise a device against you. He elects the instrument of your trouble. He makes the rod as afflictive as he pleaseth. He orders the continuance, and end of your troubles. And they will not cease to be afflictive to you, till Christ say leave off, it is enough. The Centurion wisely considered this, when He told him, Luk. 7.8. I have soldiers under me, and I say to one go, and he goeth; to another come and he cometh: meaning, that as his soldiers were at his beck and command, so diseases were at Christs beck, to come, and go, as he ordered them. Secondly, Study the wisdom of Christ in the contrivance of your troubles. And his wisdom shines out many ways in them. It's ⟨p. 220⟩evident in choosing such kinds of troubles for you. This, and not that; because this is more apt to work upon, and purge out the corruption that most predominates in you. In the decrees of your troubles. Suffering them to work to such an height, else not reach their end; but no higher, least they overwhelm you. Thirdly, Study the tenderness and compassions of Christ over his afflicted. O think if the Devil had but the mixing of my cup, how much more bitter would he make it! There would not be one drop of mercy, no, not of sparing mercy in it, which is the lowest of all sorts of mercy. But here is much mercy mixed with my troubles. There is mercy in this, that it is no worse. Am I afflicted, it's the Lords mercy, I am not consumed.