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FLAVEL'S TOUCHSTONE

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Publishing Committee · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jun 17, 1858

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 12, No. 5.

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FLAVEL'S TOUCHSTONE.

CHAPTER V.

Showing what trial is made of men's hearts by Adversity.
Section I. That ADVERSITY is adapted to try men's hearts none can doubt who have either studied the Scriptures or observed human experience. When the dross of corruption and the rust of hypocrisy had nearly eaten out the heart of religion among the Jews, God said, "I will melt them and try them;" accordingly they were cast into the furnace of affliction and tried.
Prosperity multiplies professors, but adversity brings them to such a test that the precious are separated from the vile. Job was tried by adversity, and although some dross was discovered, he came forth as gold. By adversity is brought out to view not only the hypocrisy and corruption of the wicked, but also the sincerity and holiness of the righteous; it manifests the faith and patience of the saints.
In discussing this topic it will be necessary to inquire what effects are common both to the sound and unsound, and what are peculiar to each, from the trial of adversity.
Section II. The following particulars relating to adversity may apply both to saints and sinners.
1. Both may entertain fears of adversity when they perceive its approach. While impending judgments cause sinners in Zion to tremble, and fill hypocrites with fearfulness; saints also, though for different reasons, may be agitated with concern and apprehension.
2. When the cup of affliction comes, the holy as well as the sinful may receive it with reluctance. The wicked will, indeed, ever loathe and resent it; and though accompanied by a thousand mitigations to the righteous, they also may shrink from it.
3. Troubles, disappointments, and pain may sometimes produce impatience in saints as well as in sinners. Flesh and blood can hardly endure anguish and privation with composure. But if in such circumstances grace is not always so powerful in God's people as to overcome the propensity to disquiet, it will restrain them from such indulgence as the wicked allow.
4. The ungodly as well as the godly may be driven to their closets and their knees by their adversity; the former perhaps for the first time, the latter with increased punctuality and engagedness.
I need not detail the different motives of saints and sinners when in similar conditions their external appearance and conduct is in some respects alike; I therefore pass on to those things which are peculiar to each.
Section III. Here, in the first place, let us consider the discoveries made by adversity of the hearts of unsanctified men.
1. An unsanctified man is not easily made to recognize and acknowledge the hand of God in the calamities and troubles which have befallen him. He is prone to refer them to some natural cause, or to suppress the idea of any producer of them, or to charge them to the malice or negligence of men. Thus the creature bounds his horizon; and he contrives to secure his conscience from alarm.
2. Unsanctified men are not apt in seasons of adversity to retire into their closets, to search their hearts, to ascertain what they have done, to repent of their wickedness, and submit themselves to God. Afflictions rarely lead them to self-examination; they do not choose to think that they have done anything to occasion their troubles.
3. A man destitute of real religion, if left to his own choice, would prefer sin to affliction, and really consider it less evil; he can contemplate the defilement of his soul with composure, rather than suffer the loss of his goods, his pleasures, or his present ease; and thus the unsoundness of his heart is discovered. The saints, on the contrary, will never, knowingly, consent to the commission of sin, if it might prevent ever so much personal suffering or loss.
4. Unregenerate men in adversity will turn from creature to creature in pursuit of comfort and relief, instead of leaving all creatures and repairing to God for support; and when all their creature-comforts fail they sink in despondency.
5. An unsanctified man never comes out of the furnace of affliction purified, humbled and made better than when he was cast into it; the fire does not consume his dross, but the more he is afflicted the worse he becomes. The reason is plain; afflictions themselves cannot purify men's souls, and those which come upon the wicked are not sanctified to them. Think of this, ye that have had numberless afflictions of one kind or other, but have derived no benefit from any of them!
Section IV. The reader may now be desirous to know what effects adversity has upon sincere humble Christians: but before I proceed, let it be observed that they realize these effects, not so much while the trial continues, as after it is past, when they have opportunity for calm reflection. The fruits of sanctified affliction are lasting, and they affect the Christian's whole temper and deportment: still some particular effects may be mentioned, which are produced in all upright hearts.
1. Every real Christian, in time of affliction and adversity, will make God his refuge and look to him for comfort and relief. "I found," saith David, "sorrow and trouble, then called I upon the name of the Lord."
2. The people of God particularly recognize his providence in all their adversities and troubles, whatever instruments may intervene. And this apprehension of the divine agency is fundamental to that communion with God which saints in affliction maintain, and to the holy submission and heavenly composure which they feel.
3. Christians are heartily disposed to justify God in the severest afflictions which come upon them, as well as in all his other dealings: the scripture proofs of this are so numerous that it would be superfluous to quote them. They may receive treatment from men which they are conscious they do not deserve; but if God should add condemnation to affliction, they would vindicate not only his character and government, but his dispensations to them.
4. Good men in adversity examine themselves, and endeavor to ascertain why they are afflicted; to find what they have done or neglected, on account of which God contendeth with them. Their prayer is "That which I see not teach thou me; show me if there is any evil way in me."
5. Every real Christian deliberately chooses to continue in adversity, rather than to be delivered from it by any sinful means. Christians are not insensible to pain, but rather than sin against God, they can cheerfully submit to privations and sufferings.
6. The people of God fail not to bless him for sanctified afflictions; esteeming the happy effects of them on their own minds more highly than deliverance from them. If their affections are weaned from this world, if their sinful propensities are mortified,if they are advanced in the divine life, and made more meet for heaven by adversity they never think it too great or too long continued.