Riches of mercy to men in misery, or, Certain excellent treatises concerning the dignity…

Or Thirdly, in case they need deeper humiliation, then they must look for affliction, David was humbled when Nathan came to him, but yet you may see Psalm. 51. (which was made a great while afterwards) that he had need to be more humbled, for there he complaineth that his bones were broken.

Or Fourthly, in case of scandal they may be afflicted lest the enemies of God should blaspheme, for this cause (saith Nathan to David) because thou hast given occasion ⟨p. 28⟩to the enemies of God to blaspheme, the sword shall not depart from thy house, so when the Saints fall into scandalous sins, in this case they must look for afflictions.

Or Lastly, to prevent an inward disease, and thus Saint Paul was afflicted, for when he was taken up into the third heaven, he had pride growing upon him, and began ¹to be exalted above measure, therefore the Lord sent a messenger of Satan to buffet him, and though he took it at the first somewhat amiss, yet when God had informed him that it was to heal a greater disease, he was well contented; in this case therefore God often afflicteth to prevent sin beginning, when his children begin to be stubborn, he teacheth them by affliction to be obedient. Christ himself learned obedience by affliction, so if his children begin to over-value earthly things, to delight over much in them, to wean them now from the world, and to teach them to know the vanity of the creature, he afflicteth them, still I say, either to bring them back to repentance, or to meet with them when they go about an evil enterprise, or to bring them to deeper humiliation, or when they fall into scandalous sins, or lastly to prevent a further sinning, except in these cases you are sure always to have mercy, for God is exceeding rich in mercy; And so much for this point.