But there are many Predictions on Record in the Holy Scriptures replete with Comfort for the Children of God, in regard to the Afflictions they meet with in their Course through this World.

Many are the Afflictions of the Righteous, be they high, or low in Life. Job, and David, and Lazarus, and all the rest of God's People in every Age, and every Country, have found it so, in their own Experience.

But that is a comfortable Prediction in Rom. viii. 28. which fays, All Things (adverse and profperous) work (i. e. shall work,) together for Good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his Purpose.

And fo is that recorded in Ifa. xliii. 1, 2. where it is written, Thus faith the LORD, that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Ifrael, Fear not; for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy Name, thou art mine. When thou passsest through the Waters (i. e. of Afflictions) I will be with thee, and through the Rivers (of Calamities) they shall not overflow thee: (thou shalt not perish under them) when thou walkest through the Fire (through fiery Trials,) thou shalt not be burnt ; neither shall the Flame kindle upon thee; but thou shalt remain safe in all forts of Troubles.

Afflictions are intended as a Means to promote Holiness, and to keep the Children of God diligent, and faithful in their Obedience to him.

God promised his People many Blessings if they would forbear Idolatry, and keep his Sabbaths, and reverence his Sanctuary, and walk in his Statutes, and keep his Commandments: And he threatened to bring many Calamities upon them, if they would not hearken unto him, and would not do al lhis Commandments. Levit. xxvi. 7. and ver. 14.

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Our heavenly Father doth not afflict wi'lingly, nor (willingly) grieve the Children of Men. Lament. iii. 33. They are chastised only when it is needful.

The Apostle Peter having mentioned to the Saints, the Inheritance reserved in Heaven for them, and the Salvation revealed in the Gospel, fays, Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a Seafon, (if need be) ye are in heaviness through manifold Temptations. 1 Pet. i. 6.

And serious Christians have reason to be patient under their Troubles, and to fuppress every murmuring Thought, and remember, That whom the Lord loveth, ke correcteth, even as a Father the Son, in whom he delighteth. Prov. iii. II.

The Apostle says, Heb. xii. 6. Whom the Lord loveth, be chasteneth, and scourgeth every Son whom he receiveth: And the Pfalmist said, (Pfal. xcix. 12.) Blessed is the Man, whom thou chasteneth, O Lord, and teachest him out of thy Law.

When Divine Providence brings Afflictions on us, our heavenly Father is then teaching us, and we should learn the Lessons which he teaches; we should fee his Name, hear the Rod, and him who appointed it. Mich. vi. 9.

And the Children of God do find much Benefit by their heavenly Fathers chastening.

We know the Experience of the holy Pfalmist, from his saying to God, Before I was afflicted, I went astray; but now I have kept thy Word. Pfal. cxix. 67. and ver. 71. It is good for me that 1 have been afflicted, that I might learn thy Statutes. ver. 75. I know, O Lord, that thy Judgments are right, and that thou in Faithfulness haft afflicted me.

God's People in all Ages have the like Experience: through the Temptations of the World, and the Flesh, through the Enticements of Acquaintance, and the Remainder of indwelling Sin, Christians

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Christians often grow negligent of their Duties, and fall into sinful Compliances with Customs offenfive to the Holy God; till He brings some Afflictions upon them, and his Spirit by Means of them, awakens their Confciences to search their Hearts, to examine and amend their Ways.

O my Father which art in Heaven! Help me by thy Grace to walk so circumspectly, so diligently and chearfully before thee, in the Way of Obedience to all thy Commandments, that Afflictions may become less needful for me.

O that the Lord would guide my Way
To keep his Statutes still!
O that my God would grant me Grace
To know, and do his Will.

O fend thy Spirit down to write,
Thy Law upon my Heart;
Nor let my Tongue indulge Deceit,
Nor act the Liars part!

Make me to walk in thy Commands,
'Tis a delightful Road;
Nor let my Head, or Heart, or Hands,
Offend against my God.

Watts's Pfalms 11.

When Christians for a while go on in the Neglect of any known Duty, or in the Commission of any known Sin, they bring upon themselves the Character of BACKSLIDERS from God, and it is a great Mercy, when his Providences follow them with one Calamity after another, till their Consciences are awaken'd, and they are brought to confider the Evil of their Doings, and to repent of their Sins, and to feek the Forgiveness of them through Chrift Jefus.

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That is a comfortable Prediction in Isa. xxvii.

2. By this therefore shall the Iniquity of Jacob be purged, and this is all the Fruit (intended) to take away his Sin.

God's using all proper Means to cleanse his Children from their Iniquities, and to recover them to their Duty, when they have gone astray from the Way of it, is an Evidence of his Fatherly Love and Care of them.

O the Condescension of the holy God to such Offenders! Turn O backsliding Children faith the Lord. Jer. iii. 14. and in Hof. xiv. 4. 1 will heal their Backslidings, I will love them freely.

How does the Father of Mercies manifest his Compaffion and Love, to his tranfgreffing Children! He draws them with the Cords of Love.

And how should the Thoughts of the divine Loving-kindness, melt the Souls of Backfliders into Shame and Sorrow for their finful Departures from their God and Father.

How should every one of them think, and say, thus within themselves. How have I finned against the Lord; how great are the Provocations which I have been guilty of? My Father has been continually laying Obligations on me to love and serve him, and is always doing me good, and preferving me from numberless Evils; but how base has been my Behaviour? All the Instances of his Patience and Favour, shew the heinous Nature of my Sins : Sins committed against aftonishing Goodness, I have forfeited his Love: O holy God! May such a wicked Wretch as I have been call thee Father ? Thou mightest not only disinherit me, but justly doom me to Death eternal, for being a rebellius Son.

Have I then any Reason to think God will re

ceive me, if I return to him?

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Hark! O my Soul! He calls to thee, he says, Return unto me ye backsliding Children, and I will heal your Backslidings. (Jer. iii. 22.) And now, O my Soul, answer, Behold, I come unto thee, for thou art the Lord my God.

And may I not take encouragement to do so, from the Parable of the prodigal Son? He spent all the Substance his Father gave him in riotous Living; but when he had suffered fore Distresses, and was reduced to great Want, he resolved to return Home, and to humble himself, and to intreat his Father to receive him again into his Family, though it was but as one of his hir'd Ser

vants.

This Prodigal when he came to himself, when he came to be in a right Mind, and to a due Sense of his fad Condition, said, (Luke xv. 18. 19.) I will arise, and go to my Father, and will fay unto him, Father I have finned against Heaven and before thee, and am no more worthy to be called thy Son; make me as one of thy bir'd Servants.

He went, and his loving and forgiving Father, (when he was yet a great Way off) faw him, and had Compaffion, and ran, and fell upon his Neck, and kissed him. ver. 20.

He received his penitent Child, he was immediately reconciled to him, and rejoiced in his Converfion, and abraided him not with his past Sins.

And may I not hope that my heavenly Father will receive and forgive me? And be reconciled to me; for he is a merciful God, and deligheth in Mercy.

O gracious God, though thou mightest reject me with Abhorrence, though I am no more worthy to be called thy Son, yet for the Sake of the blessed Jesus, pardon my Sins, receive me again into thy