In A Treatise on Afflictions, Thomas Case (1598–1682) generously applies a soothing salve to the wounds of God’s suffering saints. He begins by compassionately illustrating twenty lessons God teaches his children in affliction. He then proceeds to show the advantages wrought by affliction in the lives of languishing believers. He shows why deliverance from suffering should not necessarily be the believer’s primary goal when dark days come, and explains why suffering may sometimes seem to last longer than it should. The author shows from Scripture how affliction and instruction go hand-in-hand in the life of the child of God.

This work rings true to the suffering reader because it was written while the author was imprisoned in the Tower of London alongside Thomas Watson, Christopher Love (who was beheaded), and others.

Originally titled Correction, Instruction or The Rod and the Word, this classic treatise has been carefully prepared for the benefit of a new generation of Christian readers. It includes a biographical preface by James Reid, and has Scripture references from the English Standard Version (ESV®) embedded in the text as hyperlinks—no wireless connection is needed.

Contents and Outline:

1. What Lessons God Teaches by Affliction
   1. Compassion
   2. How to prize mercies
   3. Self-denial and submission
   4. Humility and meekness
   5. Discovers unknown corruption
   6. Teaches how to pray
   7. Acquaintance with the Word
   8. Necessity of sound evidence for heaven
   9. What a bitter thing to grieve his Spirit
   10. Draws the soul into sweet communion with himself
   11. The exercise and improvement of grace
   12. Excellency of the life of faith
   13. God takes us off from self-confidence
   14. God makes himself known
   15. The duties of a suffering condition
   16. The fruits and advantages of a suffering condition
   17. The one thing needful
   18. Time redemption
   19. To estimate the sufferings of Christ
   20. To prize and long for heaven
2. The Nature or Properties of Divine Teaching
   1. An inward teaching
   2. A clear, convincing teaching
   3. Experimental teaching
   4. Powerful teaching
   5. Sweet and pleasant teaching
   6. Abiding teaching
3. How Affliction Lieth in Order to Instruction
   1. By correction God takes down pride
   2. Affliction is the forge wherein he softens the iron heart
   3. By chastisement man is made more attentive to God
   4. By affliction God opens the eye of the soul
4. The Grounds and Demonstrations of the Point
   1. The lessons themselves which God teaches
   2. The nature and properties of divine teaching
   3. A teaching chastisement the fruit of distinguishing love
   4. A teaching chastisement a branch of the covenant of grace
   5. A teaching chastisement the purchase of Christ’s death
   6. A teaching chastisement the result of the offices of Christ
5. Use of Information
   1. Affliction is not enough to evidence a happy man
   2. Affliction is not enough to conclude a man miserable
   3. Deliverance out of trouble is not enoughto make a happy man
   4. How to judge of affliction
   5. They may be blessed whom the world counts miserable
   6. Is chastisement a blessing when accompanied with instruction?
   7. A suffering condition is not so formidable as flesh and blood represent it
   8. The reason why God keeps his people so long under the rod
   9. What unteachable creatures we are by nature
   10. How much gracious hearts are in love with the Word
6. Use of Exhortation
   1. To those who are not in affliction
   2. To such as are yet in affliction
   3. To such as are come out of affliction
   4. To parents and governors

Paperback (ISBN 9781466499614), $8.99; e-Book (ISBN 9781105188336), $2.99. 119 pages. Available from these e-tailers:

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