Repentance of Sin should be the effect of Affliction on Men. The End of every Affliction in Sum, is the same that the End of every Mercy is; we may say of it, as in Rom. 2. 4. O man, it leads thee to Repentance. God spoke by his Ten Judgments unto Egypt, as well as by his Ten Commandments unto Israel. Every Affliction cries this in our Ears, O Repent, Reform, Return to him that Smites thee. We read of a gracious person, who upon having a Child taken away by Death, said in 1 King. 17. 18. My sins are brought unto Remembrance. This is that which perhaps all thy Sickness, all thy Reproach, all thy Poverty, and all thy Bereavements are sent upon; God would have thee to remember some Sin with Grief and Shame, ⟨p. 42⟩and Wherein thou hast done Iniquity, to do it no more. It was a black brand set upon a bad Man, in 2 Chron. 28. 22. In the time of his Distress, did he Trespass yet more against the Lord. Shall God Prune thee and Cut thee, and no good Fruit be found upon thee after all? Shall God Prick thee and Lance thee, and all thy bad Blood be still running in thy Veins? Then indeed, these things are Against thee. Jeroboam's withered Hand was Against him, because it rectified not his naughty Heart. There hardly ever was a more lamentable sight in this World, than, A Thief on a Cross continuing to dishonour the Lord Jesus Christ. Art thou Afflicted? Then take the course which the Church propounded in Lam. 3. 40. Let us search and try our ways. O now, First Petition thy God; Lord, show me wherefore thou contendest with me! And then Examine thy self, Wherein have I transgressed and exceeded? Endeavour to find out what Controversy there may be between God and Thee; let thy impartial Conscience, the Preacher in thy Bosom, inform thee, Whether thou hast not Overvalued, or Undervalued the things which thy Affliction is in the privation of; Whether thou hast not injuriously procured unto some other person, an Affliction like that which ⟨p. 43⟩thou thy self now Smartest under; or Whether no Circumstance of thy Affliction, as the Time of it, the Place of it, do loudly proclaim Gods quarrel in it. enquire thus, and immediately comply with what the Lord shall Require. Let thy Dead Friends cause thee to Repent of thy Dead works; thou Mournest over a lost Child, or a lost Name; O be concerned about a lost Soul that is lodging in thee. Ask thy self, What have my past Behaviours been?
Repentance of Sin should be the effect of Affliction on Men. The End of every Affiction in Sum, is the same that the End of every Mercy is; we may say of it, as in Rom. 2. 4. O man, it leads thee to Repentance. God spoke by his Ten Iudgments unto Egypt, as well as by his Ten Commandments unto Israel. Every Affliction cries this in our Ears, O Repent, Reform, Return to him that Smites thee. We read of a gracious person, who upon having a Child taken away by Death, said in 1 King. 17. 18. My sins are brought unto Remembrance. This is that which perhaps all thy Sickness, all thy Reproach, all thy Poverty, and all thy Bereavments are sent upon; God would have thee to remember some Sin with Grief and Shame, ⟨p. 42⟩and Wherein thou hast done Iniquity, to do it no more. It was a black brand set upon a bad Man, in 2 Chron. 28. 22. In the time of his Distress, did he Trespass yet more against the Lord. Shall God Prune thee and Cut thee, and no good Fruit be found upon thee after all? Shall God Prick thee and Lance thee, and all thy bad Blood be still running in thy Veins? Then indeed, these things are Against thee. Ieroboam's withered Hand was Against him, because it rectify'd not his naughty Heart. There hardly ever was a more lamentable sight in this World, than, A Thief on a Cross continuing to dishonour the Lord Iesus Christ. Art thou Afflicted? Then take the course which the Church propounded in Lam. 3. 40. Let us search and try our ways. O now, First Petition thy God; Lord, shew me wherefore thou contendest with me! And then Examine thy self, Wherein have I transgressed and exceeded? Endeavour to find out what Controversie there may be between God and Thee; let thy impartial Conscience, the Preacher in thy Bosom, inform thee, Whether thou hast not Overvalued, or Vndervalued the things which thy Affliction is in the privation of; Whether thou hast not injuriously procured unto some other person, an Affliction like that which ⟨p. 43⟩thou thy self now Smartest under; or Whether no Circumstance of thy Affliction, as the Time of it, the Place of it, do loudly proclaim Gods quarrel in it. enquire thus, and immediately comply with what the Lord shall Require. Let thy Dead Friends cause thee to Repent of thy Dead works; thou Mournest over a lost Child, or a lost Name; O be concerned about a lost Soul that is loding in thee. Ask thy felf, What have my past Behaviours been?
