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how to glorify God in the affliction, Dan. iii. &vi. and how to be kept from sinning under the affliction, than how to get out of the affliction; then certainly your affliction is in love. Where God smites in love, there the soul makes it his work how to glorify God, and how to lift up God, and how to be a name and an honour to God. The daily language of such a soul under the rod, is this, Lord, stand by me that I sin not, uphold me that I sin not, Joshua vii. 7, 8, 9, 10. strengthen me that I sin not. He that will not sin to repair and make up his losses, though he knew assuredly that the committing of such a sin would make up all again, he may conclude that his affliction is in love.

I have read of a nobleman, whose son and heir was supposed to be bewitched; and being advised to go to some wizard or cunning man, (as they are called,) to have some help for his son, that he might be unwitched again: he answered, O by no means! I had rather the witch should have my son, than the devil; his son should suffer, rather than he would sin him out of his sufferings. He that will not break the hedge of a fair command, to avoid the foul way of some heavy affliction, may well conclude, that his affliction is in love. Christians! what say you when you are in the mount, do you thus bespeak the Lord? Lord, take care of thy glory, and let me rather sink in my affliction, than sin under my affliction? If this be the bent and frame of thy heart, it is certain the affliction that is

upon thee, is in love. The primitive times afforded many such brave spirits, though this age affords but few.

3. If you enjoy the special presence of God with your spirits in your affliction, then your affliction is in love, Psal. xxiii. 4, 5, 6. Isa. xliii. 2. "When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burnt, neither shall the flame kindle upon thee*" Hast thou a special presence of God with thy spirit, strengthening of that, quieting of that, steeling of that, satisfying of that, chearing and comforting of that? Psal. xciv. 19. In the multitude of my thoughts, that is, of my troubled, intricated, insnarled, intertwined, and perplexed thoughts, (as the branches of a tree by some strong wind are twisted one within another, as the Hebrew word properly signifies,) thy comforts delight my soul. Here's a presence of God with his soul; here are comforts and delights that reach the soul; here's a cordial to strengthen his spirit. When all things went cross with Andronicus, the old emperor of Constantinople, he took a psalter into his hand, and opening the same, he lighted upon Psal. lxviii. 14. "When the Almighty scattered kings, they shall be white as snow in Salmon;" which scripture

8 The bush, which was a type of the church, consum. ed not all the while it burned with fire, because God was in the midst of it.

was a mighty comfort and refreshment to his spirit. Now you are to remember, that Salmon signifies shady and dark; and so was this mount, by the reason of many lofty fair spread trees that were near it, but made lightsome by snow that covered it: so that to be white as snow in Salmon, is to have joy in affliction, light in darkness, mercy in misery, &c. And thus God was to the psalmist as snow in Salmon, in the midst of his greatest affictions. When Paul would wish his dear son Timothy the best mercy in all the world, the greatest mercy in all the world, the most comprehensive mercy in all the world, a mercy that carries the virtue, value, and sweetness of all mercies in it, he wishes the presence of God with his spirit, 2 Tim. iv. 22. "The Lord Jesus Christ be with thy spirit." In point of honour, in point of profit and pleasure, in point of safety and security, and in point of comfort and joy, it is the greatest blessing and happiness in this world, to have the presence of God with our spirits especially in times of trials, 2 Cor. iv. 16. "For

which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward manis renewed day by day." By the outward man you are to understand, not merely our bodies, but our persons, estates, and outward condition in this world; and by the inward man you are to understand, our souls, our persons, considered according to our spiritual estate! Now, when the inward man gains new strength by every new trouble, when as trou

bles, pressures, afflictions, and tribulations are increased, a Christian's inward strength is increased also, then his afflictions are in love; when the presence of God is with our inward man, cheering, comforting, encouraging strengthening, and renewing of that, we may safely conclude, that all these trials, though they are never so sharp and smart, yet they are in love.

I have read of a company of poor Christians that were banished into some remote parts; and one standing by, seeing them pass along, said, That it was a very sad condition those poor people were in, to be thus hurried from the society of men, and to be made companions with the beasts of the field. True, said another, it were a sad condition indeed, if they were carried to a place where they should not find their God; but let them be of good cheer, God goes along with them, and will exhibit the comforts of his presence whithersoever they go. The presence of God with the spirits of his people, is a breast of comfort that can never be drawn dry; it is an everlasting spring that will never fail. Well, Christian, thou art under many great troubles, Heb. xiii. 5, 6, many sore trials, Is. xl. 29, 30, 31. But tell me doth not God give into thy soul such cordials, such supports, such comforts, and such refreshments that the world knows not of? O then certainly thy affliction is in love.

4. If by your afflictions you are made more conformable to Christ in his virtues, then cer

tainly your afflictions are in love. Many are conformable to Christ in their sufferings, that are not made conformable to Christ in his virtues by their sufferings. Many are in poverty, neglect, shame, contempt, reproach, &c. like to Christ, who yet by these are not made more like to Christ, in his meekness, humbleness, heavenliness, holiness, righteousness, faithfulness, fruitfulness, goodness, contentedness, patience, submission, subjection. Oh, but if in these things you are made more like to Christ, without all peradventure your afflictions are in love. If by afflictions the soul be led to shew forth or to preach forth the virtues, of Christ, as that word im ports, in that 1 Pet. ii. 9. then certainly those afflictions are in love; for they never have such an operation, but where they are set on by a hand of love. When God strikes as an enemy, there all those strokes do but make a man more an enemy to God; as you see in Pharaoh, and others: but when the strokes of God are the strokes of love, Oh! then they do but bring the soul nearer Christ, and transform the soul more and more into the likeness of Christ. If by thy afflictions thou art made more holy, humble, heavenly, &c. they are in love. Every afflicted Christian should strive to be honoured with that elogy of Salvian. An excellent disciple of a singular master. But,

5. If by outward afflictions thy soul be brought more under the inward teachings of God, Job xxxiv. 31, 32. doubtless thy afflic

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