dust, and keeps silence before him, 2 Sam. xvi. 10. Who dare say, Wherefore hast thou done so ? The Turks, when they are cruelly lashed, are compelled to return to the judge that commanded it, to kiss his hand, give him thanks, and pay the officer that whipped them, and so clear the judge and officer of injustice. Silently to kiss the rod, and the hand that whips with it, is the noblest way of clearing the Lord of all injustice. The Babylonish captivity was the sorest, the heaviest affliction that ever God inflicted upon any people under heaven; witness that, Lam. i. 12. and Dan. ix. 12. &c. Yet, under those smart afflictions, wisdom is justified of her children, Neh. ix. 33. "Thou art just in all that is brought upon us; for thou hast done right, but we have done wickedly. Lam. i. 18. The Lord is righteous, for I have rebelled against him." A holy silence shines in nothing more, than in an humble justifying and clearing of God from all that which a corrupt heart is apt enough to charge God with in the day of affliction. God, in that he is good, can give nothing, nor do nothing, but that which is good: others do frequently; he cannot possibly, saith Luther in Psal. cxx. 5. A holy silence takes in gracious, blessed, soul-quieting conclusions about the issue and event of those afflictions that are upon us, Lam. iii. 27.-34. In this choice scripture you may observe these five soul-stilling conclusions. (1.) (And that more generally), That they shall work for their good, ver. 27. "It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth." A gracious soul secretly concludes, as stars shine brightest in the night, so God will make my soul shine and glister like gold, whilst I am in this furnace and when I come out of this furnace of affliction, Job xxiii. 10. "He knoweth the way that I take; and when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold." open Surely, as the tasting of honey did Jonathan's eyes, so this cross, this affliction shall open mine eyes; by this stroke I shall come to have a clearer sight of my sins, and of myself, and a fuller sight of my God, Job xxxiii. 27. 28. Job xl. 4. 5. chap. xlii. 1.—7. Surely this affliction shall issue in the purging away of my dross, Isa. i. 25. Surely, as ploughing of the ground killeth the weeds, and harrowing breaketh hard clods, so these afflictions shall kill my sins, and soften my heart, Hos. v. ult. chap. vi. 1. 2. 3. Surely, as the plaister draws out the core, so the afflictions that are upon me, shall draw out the core of pride, the core of self-love, the core of envy, the core of earthliness, the core of formality, the core of hypocrisy, Psal. cxix. 67. 71. Surely by these the Lord will crucify my heart more and more to the world, and the world to my heart, Gal. vi. 14. Psal. cxxxi. 1. 2.3. Surely by these afflictions the Lord will hide pride from my soul, Job xxxiii. 14.-21. Surely these afflictions are but the Lord's pruning-knives by which he will bleed my sins, and prune my heart, and make it more fertile and fruitful; they are but the Lord's portion, by which he will clear me, and rid me of those spiritual diseases and maladies, which are most deadly and dangerous to my soul. Affliction is such a portion, as will carry away all ill humours, better than all the benedicta medicamenta, as physicians call them, Zech. xiii. 8. 9. Surely these shall increase my spiritual experiences, Rom. v. 3. 4. Surely by these I shall be made more partaker of God's holiness, Heb. xii. 10. As black soap makes white cloaths, so do sharp afflictions make holy hearts. Surely by these God will communicate more of himself unto me, Hos. ii. 14. Surely by these afflictions the Lord will draw out my heart more and more to seek him, Isa. xxvi. 16. Tatianus told the Heathen Greeks, that when they were sick, then they would send for their gods to be with them; as Agamemnon did, at the siege of Troy, send for his ten counsellors. Hos v. 15." "In their afflictions they will seek me early," or, as the Hebrew hath it, they will morning me in times of affliction, Christians will industriously, speedily, early seek unto the Lord. Surely by these trials and troubles the Lord will fix my soul more than ever upon the great concernments of another world, John iv. 1.2.3. Rom. viii. 17. 18. 2 Cor. iv. 16. 17, 18. Surely by these afflictions the Lord will work in me more tenderness and compassion towards those that are afflicted, Heb. x. 34. chap. xiii. 3. As the Tyrian queen said. Evils have taught me to bemoan All that afflictions make to groan. The Romans punished one that was seen looking out at his window with a crown of roses on his head, in a time of public calamity. Surely these are but God's love-tokens, Rev. iii. 19. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Seneca persuaded his friend Polybius to bear his affliction quietly, because he was the emperor's favourite, telling him, that it was not lawful for him to complain whilst Cæsar was his friend. So saith the holy Christian, O my soul! be quiet, be still; all is in love, all is a fruit of divine favour; I see honey upon the top of every twig; I see the rod is but a rosemary branch; I have sugar with my gall, and wine with my wormwood ; therefore be silent, O my soul! And this general conclusion, that all shall be for good, had this blessed effect upon the church, ver. 28. * Some say, if a knife or needle be touched with a loadstone of an iron colour, it will cut or enter into a man's body without any sense of pain at all; so will afflictions, when touched with the loadstone of divine love. He sitteth alone, and keepeth silence, because he hath borne it upon him." Afflictions abase the loveliness of the world without, that might entice us; it abates the lustiness of the flesh within, which might else ensnare us; and it abates the Spirit in his quarrel against the flesh and the world; by all which it proves a mighty advantage unto us. (2.) They shall keep them humble and low, ver. 29. "He putteth his mouth in the dust, if so be there may be hope." Some say, that these words are an allusion to the manner of those that having been conquered and subdued, lay their necks down at the conquerors feet to be trampled upon, and to lick up the dust that is under the conquerors feet. Others of the learned look upon the words as an allusion to poor petitioners, who cast themselves down at princes feet, that they may draw forth their pity and compassion towards them. As I have read of Aristippus, who fell on the ground before Dionysius, and kissed his feet, when he presented a petition to him; and being asked the reason, answered, He hath his ears in his feet. Take it which way you will, it holds forth this to us, "that holy hearts will be humble under the afflicting hand of God." When God's rod is upon their backs, their mouths shall be in the dust. A good heart will lie lowest, when the hand of God is lifted highest, Job xli. 1-7. Acts ix. 1.-8. (3.) The third soul-quieting conclusion |