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ESSAY VII.

ON AFFLICTION, AND THE WALK OF FAITH.

For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; while we look not at the things that are seen, but at the things that are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen ure eternal. 2 Cor. 4. 17, 18.

THE moment Adam fell from God, sin entered into the world, and death by sin. Death, though in embryo, was sown in ten thousand forms. Part of the curse entailed on Adam, the tiller of the ground, and in him on all his posterity, was-" In sorrow shalt thou eat thereof all the days of thy life."*

Sorrows of the mind, afflictions of

*We all partake of this part of the curse; for, whatever the exterior may be, sorrow is the principal ingredient in the cup of man, and it is the love of Christ alone

various kinds, disease, and death, are all included: for man is born an heir to trouble. The Scriptures are very copious on the subject of affliction, seeing that we are appointed thereunto, and propose the only means of relief; and not only of relief, but of even surmounting it: yea more, of filling the mind with some substantial good, at the same time that sorrows and afflictions abound.

I believe there is not a text of Scripture more mistaken than this of Paul's to the Corinthians: a mistake, if not of the first importance, yet such as deprives the Lord's people of one of their chief supports; a mistake which gratifies the great enemy of our souls, by diverting our attention from the principal point, and keeping the mind dwelling on its state of suffering. Perhaps it may not be the case with others, but I

that makes the bitter draught go down sweetly. We all, as the members of his mystical body, feel it in a great measure; but HE, our glorious Head, felt it in full measure. He carried our sorrows. He was a Man of sorrows.

have never yet heard this passage of Scripture properly explained, nor even the both verses, which make but one sentence, quoted at the same time; which separation entirely destroys the sense and meaning of the apostle, making it still a greater error, by usually saying work out for us. The general`acceptation of these words, at least as far as I have heard, is this:-When one believer complains to another that afflictions abound, the answer is-" Well, these light afflictions work out for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory." Here he stops. A few years longer, a little more patience, and you will be at the end of the journey; heaven will be yours; for these light afflictions, you know, work out eternal glory.

Until I was taught the truth of it in experience, I used to think there was a'very great inconsistency in these words; but now I consider them as "apples of gold in pictures of silver."* The blessing that is here

Prov. 25.

enjoyed by faith is so great, that when known, I trust it will prompt others above all things to walk by faith, and not by sight.

The blessing here wrought is an eternal weight of glory, and that, in the present state in an especial manner, in a season of affliction. It is wrought in the mind by faith; or, more properly, in believing; namely, "while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen." To lock not at the things which are seen is certainly what the apostle means, when he says, "We do not walk by sight;" and to look at the things which are not seen, must, of course, be to walk by faith: therefore it is fully expressed in another part of this Epistle, "We walk by faith, and not by sight;" and it is the same as if he had said "When we are enabled in the season of affliction to walk by faith, and not by sight, there is an eternal weight of glory wrought in the soul;" whereas, the state of

* 2 Cor. 5.

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glory, the kingdom of glory, is a kingdom prepared for us before we were the subjects of affliction-before we had a beingeven before the foundation of the world; a house where there are many mansions, places prepared for us, wrought for us without the aid of affliction, and without respect to our faith, whether it be strong or weak, whether it be in exercise or not. And lest it should be thought a bold expression, or questioned how it can be eternal in a time state, he says, That sense, or sight, views things only as they appear to the eye, looking no further than the affliction itself; not discerning the Father's love, not hearing him say, "As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten," nor looking at or unto Jesus, but at the present sufferings, or things temporal. But the things that faith apprehends are eternal; the blessed prerogative of faith in the present state being to have to do with eternal things. Faith apprehends the Father to be at perfect peace with his dear

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