3. Afflictions they are expurgatory; these evils work for good, because they work out sin; and shall I be discontented at this? What if I have more trouble, if I have less sin? The brightest day hath its clouds, the purest gold its dross, the most refined soul hath some lees of corruption. The Saints lose nothing in the furnace, but what they can well spare, their dross; is not this for our good, why then should we murmur? I am come to send fire on the earth*. Tertullian understands it of the fire of affliction. God makes this like the fire of the three children, which burned only their bonds, and set them at liberty in the furnace: So the fire of affliction serves to burn the bonds of iniquity; By this therefore shall the iniquity of Jacob be purged, and this is all the fruit, to take away his sin*. When affliction or death ⟨p. 158⟩comes to a wicked man, it takes away his soul; when it comes to a godly man, it only takes away his sin; is there then any cause why we should be discontented? God steeps us in the brinish waters of affliction, that he may take out our spots. Gods people are his husbandry*; the ploughing of the ground kills the weeds, and the harrowing of the earth breaks the hard clods; Gods ploughing of us by affliction, is to kill the weeds of sin, his harrowing of us, is to break the hard clods of impenitency, that the heart may be the fitter to receive the seeds of grace; and if this be all, why should we be discontented?
3. Afflictions they are expurgatory; these evills work for good, because they work out sinne; and shall I be discontented at this? What if I have more trouble, if I have lesse sin? The brightest day hath its clouds, the purest gold its drosse, the most refined soule hath some lees of corruption. The Saints lose nothing in the furnace, but what they can well spare, their drosse; is not this for our good, why then should we murmure? I am come to send fire on the earth*. Tertullian understands it of the fire of affliction. God makes this like the fire of the three children, which burned onely their bonds, and set them at liberty in the furnace: So the fire of affliction serves to burne the bonds of iniquity; By this therefore shall the iniquity of Iacob be purged, and this is all the fruit, to take away his sinne*. When affliction or death ⟨p. 158⟩comes to a wicked man, it takes away his soule; when it comes to a godly man, it onely takes away his sinne; is there then any cause why wee should be discontented? God steeps us in the brinish waters of affliction, that hee may take out our spots. Gods people are his husbandry*; the ploughing of the ground kills the weeds, and the harrowing of the earth breaks the hard clods; Gods ploughing of us by affliction, is to kill the weeds of sinne, his harrowing of us, is to break the hard clods of impenitency, that the heart may be the fitter to receive the seeds of grace; and if this be all, why should we be discontented?
- *Luke 12 94.
- *Isa 27. 9
- *1 Cor. 3. 9.
