A spiritual antidote against sinful contagion in dying times a cordial for believers in dying times with a corrosive for wicked men in dying times / at first written as a letter to private friends in daily expectation of death by the plague, and afterwards printed for more public good.

DUTY X.

IMprove Afflictions. If God put you into the Furnace, let it be for the Brightning of your Graces, and for the purging away of your sin, that you might be more humble, holy, heaven∣ly; not so passionate as before; not so unprofit∣able under; not so unthankful for the means of Grace as before.

The great improvement of Affliction, will be in getting a sanctified use thereof; be not so de∣sirous to have them removed, as to have them sanctified. A carnal heart would have them re∣moved, but a gracious Soul would have them sanctified: Wicked men would have the Rod removed, but godly men would desire first to learn the Lesson God is teaching them thereby. And Afflictions are sanctified, and so improved, when

1. You are by them more weaned from the World, and more mortified thereto; when you are not so much taken with the pleasures and pro∣fits thereof.

2. When you are more diligent to finde what is amiss in your Soul, and are more sensible of your sin, and more humbled for it.

3. When you learn obedience by the things you suffer, and walk more close with God. That though before you went astray, yet since you have learned to keep Gods commands. When you say to God, shew me wherein I have done foolishly, I firmly resolve to do so no more.

4. When Heaven is more in your eye, and aim, and you make God more the ultimate end in all your actions, and do more resolvedly seek his glory, and more cordially chuse him for your treasure, and esteem him as your chiefest joy.

5. When God by them makes you more will∣ing to die; not so much to be freed from the Affliction it self, the fruit of sin; but from sin, the cause of your Affliction.

6. When God by them hath taught you more patiently to bear greater afflictions now, then you could lesser convictions formerly; and will∣ingly wait Gods time of deliverance, and not dare to use any indirect and unlawful means to get from under Gods afflicting hand.

7. When God hath taught you by your Af∣fliction, to set an higher price upon the Mercy, that by your Affliction you are deprived of; and more thankfully to enjoy it, and more carefully improve it for God then before you did, if he give it to you again. If God visit you with sick∣ness, he teacheth you to see what a mercy Health is; and that when you are restored, you spend

your strength in filling up the duties of your place, more then you did before.

8. When God teacheth you by your Afflicti∣ons, to serve God more chearfully, and more willingly then you could before in your Prospe∣rity; and do God more service with a little health, then before you did with more. And if God make you meaner in the World, you honor him more with your little, then you did when you had a full and a plentiful estate.

Notes

• Improve∣ment of Afflicti∣ons.
• Eight Signs of Sanctifi∣ed Affli∣ction.