Affliction

 Sorrow and trouble may revive inward trouble. Affliction in itself is a part of the law's curse, and may revive something of bondage in the hearts of God's children, which is good and useful so far as it quickeneth us to renew our reconciliation with God. Spirits entendered by religion are more apprehensive of God's displeasure under afflictions: Numbers. 12:14, 'If her father had spit in her face, should she not be ashamed?' If it humble under the mighty hand of God, it is well; but when it filleth us with perplexities and amazement, like wild bulls in a net, or produceth uncomely sorrow, roaring like bears, or mourning as men without hope, it is naught.

. Let us take notice how affliction worketh. There is a double extreme, slighting the hand of God, or fainting under it, Hebrews. 12:5; we must beware of both. There must be a sense, but it must be kept within bounds; without a sense there can be no improvement; to despise them is to think them fortuitous. They come from God; their end is repentance, their cause is sin. Two things men cannot endure to have despised, their love and their anger. When David's love was alighted, he vowed to cut off all that pertained to Nabal; and Nebuchadnezzar, when his anger was despised, commanded the furnace to be heated seven times hotter. Nor fainting, for that excludeth God's comforts. God hath the whole guiding and ordering the affliction, and while the rod is in his hand there is no danger. He is a wise God, and cannot be overseen; a God of judgment, by whom all things are weighed, 1 Samuel. 2:3; every drachm and scruple of the cross; a just God, and will punish no more than is deserved: Job 34:23, 'He will not lay upon man more than is right.' As well no more than is meet, as no more than is right. He is a good God, does only what our need and profit requireth: 'For he doth not afflict willingly, nor grieve the children of men,' Lamentations. 3:33.

 It is the property of a gracious soul to delight in God's commandments.