The day of affliction and death is evil, and in what respects 2/4

 (3.) The day of affliction makes the discovery of much evil to be in the heart, which was not seen be­fore.  Affliction shakes and roils the creature; if any sediment be at the bottom, it will appear then. Sometimes it discovers the heart to be quite naught that before had been seeming good.  These suds wash off the hypocrite’s paint; natura vexata prodit seipsam —when corrupt nature is vexed it shows itself.  And some afflictions do that to purpose.  We read of such as are offended when persecution comes, they fall quite out with their profession, because it puts them to such cost and trouble; others in their distress, ‘that curse their God,’ Isa. 8:21.  It is impossible for a naughty heart to think well of an afflicting God.  The hireling, if his master takes up a staff to beat him, throws down his work and runs away, and so doth a false heart serve God.  Yea, even where the person is gracious, corruption is oft found to be stronger, and grace weaker, than they were thought to be.  [In the case of] Peter, who set out so valiantly at first to walk on the sea, the wind doth but rise and he begins to sink; now he sees there was more unbelief in his heart than he before suspected.  Sharp afflictions are to the soul as a driving rain to the house; we know not that there were such crannies and holes in the house, till we see it drop down here and there.  Thus we per­ceive not how unmortified this corruption, nor how weak that grace is, till we are thus searched, and made more fully to know what is in our hearts by such trials.  This is the reason why none have such humble thoughts of themselves, and such pitiful and for­bearing thoughts towards others in their infirmities, as those who are most acquainted with afflictions. They meet with so many foils in their conflicts, as make them carry a low sail in respect of their own grace, and a tender respect to their brethren—more ready to pity than censure them in their weaknesses.

(4.) This is the season when the evil one, Satan, comes to tempt.  What we find called the time of ‘tribulation,’ Matt. 13:21, we find in the same parable, Luke 8:13, called the time of ‘temptation.’  Indeed they both meet; seldom doth God afflict us, but Satan addeth temptation to our wilderness.  ‘But this is your hour,’ saith Christ, ‘and the power of darkness,’ Luke 22:53.  Christ’s sufferings from man, and temp­tation from the devil, came together.  Esau, who hated his brother for the blessing, said in his heart, ‘The days of mourning for my father are at hand, then will I slay my brother Jacob,’ Gen. 27:41.  Times of affliction are the days of mourning; those Satan waits for to do us a mischief in.

(5.) The day of affliction oft hath an evil event and issue; and in this respect proves an evil day indeed.  All is well, we say, that ends well; the product of afflictions on the Christian is good; the rod with which they are corrected yields the peaceable fruits of righteousness, and therefore they can call their afflictions good.  That is a good instrument that lets out only the bad blood.  ‘It was good for me that I was afflicted,’ saith David.  I have read of a holy woman who used to compare her afflictions to her children.  They both put her to great pain in the bear­ing; but as she knew not which of her children to have been without—for all the trouble in bringing forth —so neither which of her afflictions she could have missed, notwithstanding the sorrow they put her to in the enduring.  But to the wicked the issue is sad, (a.) In regard of sin; they leave them worse, more impeni­tent, hardened in sin, and outrageous in their wicked practices.  every plague on Egypt added to the plague of hardness on Pharaoh’s heart.

He that for some while could beg prayers of Moses for himself, at last comes to that pass that he threatens to kill him if he come at him any more.  O what a prodigious height do we see many come to in sin, after some great sick­ness or other judgment!  Children do not more shoot up in their bodily stature after an ague, than they in their lusts after afflictions.  O how greedy and raven­ous are they after their prey, when once they get off their clog and chain from their heels!  When physic works not kindly, it doth not only leave the disease uncured, but the poison of the physic stays in the body also.  Many appear thus poisoned by their af­flictions, by the breaking out of their lusts afterward. (b.) In regard of sorrow; every affliction on a wicked person produceth another, and that a greater than itself, the greatest comes the last, which shall rive him fit for the fire.  The sinner is whipped from affliction to affliction, as the vagrant from constable to cons­table, till at last he comes to hell, his proper place and settled abode, where all sorrows will meet in one that is endless.