Now that which I earnestly desire in your behalf, and hope likewise you do in your own, is that you may draw nearer to God, and be more conformable to his command by these afflictions; for if our afflictions be not sanctified, that is, if we make not an holy use of them by purging out the old leaven of our ingenerate corruptions, they are but judgments to us, and makes way for greater plagues: Joh. 5.14. And therefore the chief end and aim of God in all the afflictions ⟨p. 2⟩which he sends to his children in love, is, that they may be partakers of his holiness, and so their afflictions may conduce to their spiritual advantage and profit, Heb. 12.10. The Lord aims not at himself in any calamities he lays on us, (for God is so infinitely all-sufficient▪ that we can add nothing to him by all our doings or sufferings) but his main aim is at our Melioration and Sanctification in and by them. And therefore our duty in every affliction and pressure, is thus to think with our selves: How shall we carry and behave our selves under this cross, that our souls may reap profit by it?1 This (in one word) is done by our returning and drawing nearer to the Lord, as his holy Apostle exhorts us. This in all calamities the Lord hath a special eye unto, and is exceeding wroth if he find it not.
Now that which I earnestly desire in your behalfe, and hope likewise you doe in your owne, is that you may draw nearer to God, and be more conformable to his command by these afflictions; for if our afflictions be not sanctified, that is, if we make not an holy use of them by purging out the old leaven of our ingenerate corruptions, they are but judgments to us, and makes way for greater plagues: Ioh. 5.14. And therefore the chiefe end and ayme of God in all the afflictions ⟨p. 2⟩which he sends to his children in love, is, that they may be partakers of his holinesse, and so their afflictions may conduce to their spirituall advantage and profit, Heb. 12.10. The Lord aymes not at himselfe in any calamities he layes on us, (for God is so infinitely all-sufficient▪ that we can adde nothing to him by all our doings or sufferings) but his maine ayme is at our Melioration and Sanctification in and by them. And therefore our duty in every affliction and pressure, is thus to thinke with our selves: How shall we carry and behave our selves under this crosse, that our soules may reap profit by it?1 This (in one word) is done by our returning and drawing nearer to the Lord, as his holy Apostle exhorts us. This in all calamities the Lord hath a speciall eye unto, and is exceeding wroth if he finde it not.
- 1James 4.8.Iames 4.8.
