found that his faith was really there by his keeping God’s Word in the time of his affliction. AFFLICTION—blessed THE bow of trouble shot David like an arrow towards God! It is a blessed thing when the waves of affliction wash us upon the rock of confidence in God alone, when darkness below gives us an eye to the light above. AFFLICTION God’s Seal AFFLICTION is the seal of the Lord’s election. I remember a story of Mr. Mack, who was a Baptist minister in Northamptonshire. In his youth he was a soldier,