5. This Good is not to be determined by the Judgment of sense, but by the Judgment of Faith, not by present feeling, but future profit. That which is not good may ⟨p. 124⟩be a means to good. Affliction for the present, is not pleasant to natural sense; nor for the present, is the fruit evident to spiritual sense; but it is good, because in the issue it turneth to good, Rom. 8. 28. All things work together for good to them that love God, &c. While God is striking, we feel the Grief, and the Cross is tedious; but when we see the end, we acknowledge it is good to be afflicted, Heb. 12. 11. No affliction for the present seems joyous but grievous nevertheless afterwards it yields the peaceable fruits of righteousness to them that are exercised therein. A Good, present, is the cause of Joy; and an Evil, present, is the cause of Sorrow: But there are two termini diminuentes, terms of abatement, [Greek or Hebrew], and [Greek or Hebrew], present sense, and the conceits of the sufferer. When we are but newly under the affliction, we feel the smart, but do not presently find the benefit; but within a while, especially in the review, it is good for me. It is matter of Faith under the Affliction, it is matter of Sense afterwards. Gods Physic must have time to work. That which is not good, may be good; though it be not good in its Nature, it may be good in its Use; and though for the present we see it not, we shall see it. Therefore good is not to be determined by Feeling, but by ⟨p. 125⟩Faith. The Rod is a sore thing for the present, but the bitter Root will yield sweet Fruit. If we come to a Person under the Cross, and ask him, What is it good to feel the lashes of Gods correcting hand? to be kept poor, sickly, exercised with losses and reproaches, to part with Friends and Relations, to lose a beloved Child? he would be apt to Answer No. But this poor Creature after he hath been exercised, and mortified, and gotten some renewed Evidences of Gods Favour; ask him then, Is it good to be afflicted? Oh yes, I had been Vain, Neglectful of God, wanted such an Experience of the Lords Grace. Faith should determine the case when we feel it not.
5. This Good is not to be determined by the Judgment of sense, but by the Judgment of Faith, not by present feeling, but future profit. That which is not good may ⟨p. 124⟩be a means to good. Affliction for the present, is not pleasant to natural sense; nor for the present, is the fruit evident to spiritual sense; but it is good, because in the issue it turneth to good, Rom. 8. 28. All things work together for good to them that love God, &c. While God is striking, we feel the Grief, and the Cross is tedious; but when we see the end, we acknowledge it is good to be afflicted, Heb. 12. 11. No affliction for the present seems joyous but grievous nevertheless afterwards it yields the peaceable fruits of righteousness to them that are exercised therein. A Good, present, is the cause of Joy; and an Evil, present, is the cause of Sorrow: But there are two termini diminuentes, terms of abatement, 〈non-Latin alphabet〉, and 〈non-Latin alphabet〉, present sense, and the conceits of the sufferer. When we are but newly under the affliction, we feel the smart, but do not presently find the benefit; but within a while, especially in the review, it is good for me. It is matter of Faith under the Affliction, it is matter of Sense afterwards. Gods Physick must have time to work. That which is not good, may be good; though it be not good in its Nature, it may be good in its Use; and though for the present we see it not, we shall see it. Therefore good is not to be determined by Feeling, but by ⟨p. 125⟩Faith. The Rod is a sore thing for the present, but the bitter Root will yield sweet Fruit. If we come to a Person under the Cross, and ask him, What is it good to feel the lashes of Gods correcting hand? to be kept poor, sickly, exercised with losses and reproaches, to part with Friends and Relations, to lose a beloved Child? he would be apt to Answer No. But this poor Creature after he hath been exercised, and mortified, and gotten some renewed Evidences of Gods Favour; ask him then, Is it good to be afflicted? Oh yes, I had been Vain, Neglectful of God, wanted such an Experience of the Lords Grace. Faith should determine the case when we feel it not.
