sinne of man yet he would giue them hope to be restored and therefore he addeth 21. For the creature also shall be deliuered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious libertie of the sonnes of God For we know that euery creature groaneth with vs also and trauaileth in paine together vnto this present as a woman with child not onely with exceeding sorrowe but with hope of a comfortable deliuerance in time And not onely the creatures but we also which haue the first fruits of the Spirit euen we doe sigh in our selues waiting for the adoption euen the redemption of our owne bodies that is our last restoring when as our adoption shall be fully accomplished in soule and bodie Which condition of ours in affliction though grieuous for a time but most happie in the ende that we might not refuse to vndergoe with the rest of the creatures and our brethren sisters he calleth vs to consider the wise order which God hath appointed in sauing of vs which is by hope vers 24. for he saith We are saued by hope but hope that is seene is not hope for how can a man hope for that he seeth but if we hope for that we see not we doe with patience abide for it Therefore we must not imagine so soone to inioy all happinesse as we beleeue it but be content to want all things for a time that hoping for them with patience long-suffering we might come to them at last vnlesse we will goe about to inuert this excellent order which the Lord hath determined and appointed to be in sauing vs which is by trayning vs vp in the hope and expectation of all things promised for a season But now because the hope that is deferred is the fainting of the heart as Salomon saith that is Prou. 13.12 it maketh a man sick at the very heart to be long deferred of that that we desire and hope for therefore we might feare both in respect of our own weaknes and also the greatnes together with the long continuance of affliction that we should not with patience vnder the crosse continue to hold out happily vnto the ende he further addeth for our singular comfort that the Spirit which we haue receiued whereby we are sanctified and wherby we pray to God as to our Father shall performe this office also vnto vs that it shall helpe to beare the burden of our affliction with vs and so though we be neuer so weake yet being supported by the power of it we shall bee able to endure them well enough Rom. 8 2◠for hee saith Likewise the spirit also helpeth our infirmities So that it shall be all one with vs as with a young childe vpon whose shoulder the father laying a heauie burden which of it selfe were able to presse him downe to the ground hee should so put his hand vnder it that hee should beare the whole waight almost and stresse of it himselfe and so he should make him carry it Now if the earthly father wil not of his naturall affection ouerlade the poore childe then wee neede not to feare but that the Lord our spiritual father will so increase our strength according to the measure of our afflictiōs that we shall find this promise to be true by experience That his holy spirit shall helpe our infirmities And thus Dauid commendeth the mercie of God vnto vs Ps 103.13 That as a father hath compassion on his childrē so hath the Lord compassion on thē that feare him he knoweth whereof we be made he remembreth that we be but dust where hee rendreth this one reason of the merciful dealing of God towards vs euen the knowledge that he hath of our weake and fraile estate which thing as it is most comfortable to consider so we shall finde it to be most true by experience because our Sauiour Iesus Christ hath praied for vs as himselfe witnesseth in the Gospel vnto his heauenly father that he would giue vs a comforter that might abide with vs for euer Iob. 14.16 euen the spirit of truth whom the world cannot receiue And the blessed Apostle confesseth of himselfe that he was partaker of the fruit of this praier for beeing in many afflictions that were able to haue ouercom him yet by the power of Gods spirit he did hold out happily in them 2. Cor. 4.5 saying Wee are afflicted on euery side yet are wee not in distresse we are in doubt but we despaire not we are persecuted but not forsaken we are cast downe but wee perish not Euery where we beare about in our bodie the dying of the lord Iesus that the life of Iesus might also be made manifest in our bodies for we which liue are alwaies deliuered vnto death for Iesus sake that the life also of Iesus might bee made manifest in our bodies Where he compareth the miserable estate and condition that the faithfull and more specially the Ministers are in vnto a continuall dying and the vertues of the spirit of God in them vnto life which oppresseth that death he rendreth this reason why the Lord doth thus often afflict his seruants namly vers 7. That the excellencie of that power might be of God and not of vs that is that all men might perceiue howe they stood not by mans power but by the singular vertue of God in that they die a thousand deaths but neuer perish and so in many daungers as hee defendeth them so in much weakenes he vpholdeth them and his Spirit helpeth their infirmities And this grace of God also vpholding him in great weaknesse against most dangerous temptations he acknowledgeth in an other place for when he felt himselfe so sore troubled with them to his continuall grief as if he had had a pricke thrust into chap. 12.7 his flesh and the messenger of Satan did so molest him as though he had beene most shamefully buffetted on the face for which he besought the Lord thrise that is very often that it might depart from him he receiued this answer from God vers 9. My grace is sufficient for thee for my power is made perfect through weaknes So in this spirituall combate the Spirit of God did vphold him against the temptations of Satan and of his own corruption and so he concludeth that when he was weake then was he strong that is in his greatest weaknesse he felt the power of God vpholding him and so shall wee if wee waite vpon him For the Apostle sheweth that this which hee found by experience in himselfe by the goodnes and mercie of God belongeth to all the rest of the faithfull when he writeth thus to the Corinthians 1. Cor. 10.13 God is faithful which will not suffer you to bee tempted aboue that you be able but will euen giue the issue with the temptation that you may bee able to beare it where he saith The God that would haue vs tempted for our good wil by
his spirit so strengthen vs that wee shall be able to beare them and haue an happie issue out of them And if there were no Scripture to prooue it our owne experience might tell vs the truth of it for if wee haue obserued any thing wee may remember that many times wee haue beene brought very lowe and haue vndergone such hard brunts that wee thought we should neuer haue beene able to haue borne them Neither indeede should we but that there was another thing in vs farre aboue our selues which did helpe vs and caused vs both to indure and to ouercome those things which we thoght wee should haue fainted in the middest of them and so we may boldly say with this holy Apostle Blessed be God 2. Cor. 1.3 euen the father of our Lord Iesus Christ the father of mercies and God of all comforts which comforteth vs in all our tribulations that we may be able to comfort them that be in affliction with the comfort wherwith we our selues are comforted of God For as the sufferings of Christ abound in vs so our consolation aboundeth through Christ Thus the Lord increaseth the comforts of his Spirit in his seruants according to their afflictions so that they doe not onely equall them but also exceede them in time and so beeing supported by the Spirit they are able to beare them And this promise of God that his Spirit shall help vs in our infirmities is so much the more worthie to be considered of vs because it is so generall that it shall helpe vs not in some few onely but in all our infirmities whatsoeuer for he speaketh indefinitly and not limiteth the promise to any one So that there can be no weakenesse in vs so great or infirmities so many vpon vs in which the Spirit shal not streÌ„gthen vs euen to the bearing of the greatest crosse that God shall lay vpon vs as we haue seene it in the Apostle before who said that God did comfort him in all his tribulations and his consolations in Christ did abound euen as his sufferings did abound But in the meane season Paul giueth vs to vnderstand that the afflictions of Gods children are oftentimes so great that they farre passe any strength that is in vs to beare theÌ„ and that we are not able to doe it of our selues yea that we are very weak of our selues and subiect to many infirmities though we haue receiued the Spirit of sanctification and of adoption for the same Spirit doth not cleane ridde vs of them whiles wee are in this world but doth onely help vs in them according to the expresse words of the Apostle Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities In so much that he confesseth not onely of other the faithfull but also of the Apostles and of himselfe in whose name he speaketh and ioyneth himselfe with them that they were not able to haue vndergone so many and great things as they did being fraile men like vnto vs but that they had the Spirit helping them in their infirmities for hee doth not say that the Spirit helpeth your weaknes but vs that are the strongest and helpeth vs in our infirmities then no man must thinke to be free from them it is and must be sufficient for vs that the Spirit doth helpe vs in them The truth of which may likewise appeare in the great complaint of Dauid Iob and the rest of Gods seruants who though they did patiently beare many great things yet not without the bewraying of many great infirmities in themselues for Iob though he be commended vnto vs as a most tried patterne of all patience yet how many and great infirmities appeared in him it is euident when he thus cried out against himselfe Let the day perish Iob 3.3 wherein I was borne and the night when it was said there is a man child conceiued let that day be darknesse let not God regard it from aboue neither let the light shine vpon it and why died I not in the birth or why died I not when I came out of the womb why did the knees preuent me and why did I sucke the breasts and many more such bitter wordes proceeding from great weaknesse he vttered against himselfe And Dauid though he was a man after Gods own heart 1. Sam. 13.13 and did beare many afflictions vnder Saul with great patience 1. Sam. 13.13 yet in many Psalmes he bewraieth great infirmities Psal 31.22 I said in mine hast I am cast out of thy sight he acknowledgeth his infidelitie to be such that he did rashly say that God had cleane forsaken him and in an other place he speaketh thus of himselfe I saide in my feare 116.11 All men are lyars that is he said in his temptation that Samuel the Prophet when he told him that hee should bee King of Israel did not speake it from God by the spirit of prophesie but of his owne head and so did but lie and dissemble with him Therefore we are not to imagine of such a portion of Gods Spirit that might swallow vp all our infirmities and cleane ridde vs of them for then we should be no men but it must be sufficient that we are aided with the strength of it so that we finally fall not downe and lie stil vnder the heauie burden of affliction yeilding to our infirmities and so ouercome of them so that there is a â—â—xt thing as it were in vs namely our owne infirmities to humble vs and the strength of Gods Spirit to inable vs to beare our afflictions So that hauing so strong and so able an helper to beare with vs the burden we may be comforted with hope of induring the greatest thing that may befall vs in this world though continuing vpon vs neuer so long Not indeed alwaies in that manner that we ought and doe desire but so as it may be acceptable vnto God and so farre forth as his holy Spirit shall helpe vs in our infirmities for though there be nothing in vs but infirmities yet there is helpe for vs from the Spirit of God And that we might euen in our infirmities by the helpe of the Spirit of God beare all afflictions as we ought the Apostle further addeth that the same Spirit shall likewise stirre vs vp in all necessities of ours to pray vnto God for helpe and for his grace and to make our moane vnto him as to our father and we shall be heard of him therin Rom. 8.26 saying For we know not what to pray as wee ought but the Spirit it selfe maketh request for vs with sighes which cannot be expressed but he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the meaning of the Spirit for he maketh request for the Saints according to the will of God Where we see both what great infirmities we be subiect vnto and also how the Spirit of God helpeth vs in the same For sometimes through the greatnesse of our miserie we know not what to say
of his hands and his substance is increased But stretch out now thin hand and touch all that he hath to see if he will not blaspheme thee to thy face and then the Lord said vnto Satan Loe all that he hath is in thine hand and thereupon Satan destroied in one day all that he had and yet he continued in his vprightnes and was the same man that he was before by this great triall it appeared that that was true that the Lord had saide of him before that hee was an vpright and iust man indeede and one that feared God vers 10. and eschewed euill for all these great afflictions could not make him to fall from his former course And thus lastly by triall appeared the great weakenes of the Apostle S. Peter and the rest of the Disciples who though as a most resolute man he had said Mat. 16.13 Though al men be offended by thee yet will I neuer bee offended and then Iesus said vnto him Verily this night before the cocke crowe thou shalt denie me thrice Peter said to him againe Though I should die with thee I wil in no case denie thee and so said also all the disciples 47. yet when they saw a great multitude with swordes and staues from the high Priest and Elders of the people and Iudas with a kisse betraied him into their hands and so they tooke him led him away then all the Disciples fledde And whereas there seemed to be a little more courage in Peter then in the rest 58. for hee followed Christ though a farre off so came into the high Priests hall and sate downe with the seruants to see the ende yet when he saw greater danger like to ensue he was charged to be one of Christs Disciples at the voice of a maide he grew to be so timerous and fearefull that hee sware and forsware with cursing and banning denying Christ 74. euen that euer he so much as once knewe the man Neither himselfe nor any other would haue thought that so much weakenes should haue broake out from him before he came to this triall but thereby it was laid open Therefore if it bee good for vs not to be ignorant of our selues as indeede hath beene thought to bee a point of greatest wisdome for a man throughly to know himselfe that so he might not be deceiued with an ouerweening of himselfe if it be good I say for any man to see his wants weaknesses that he may be humbled by them and seek to haue them supplied if it be good to know certainely that we haue receiued such such graces of the spirit of God in that measure that wee haue that so wee may be thankfull to God for them comforted in our selues ouer them Then seeing that affliction and the crosse bringeth forth all this fruit at once and by triall wee finde what faith hope loue patience obediēce c. is in vs and what not insomuch that whatsoeuer we seemed to be before to our selues and to others yet now we know certainly that wee are thus and thus and no otherwise it cā not be denied but that affliction worketh much good vnto vs and wee ought vpon experiēce to say that we know it to be so euen as the Apostle doth here We knowe that all things worke together for the best to those that loue God Which also wee may so much the more cōfidently say when we shal see omitting to speake of many moe vses that the crosse hath that last and greatest of all which is spoken of in the verse following in these words For those whom he knew before Rom. 8.20 he also predestinate to bee made like to the image of his sonne that he might be the first borne of many brethren where he sheweth this one ende of the crosse namely that thereby wee might bee made like vnto Christ in his sufferings But before we come to that we must remember that hitherto we haue seene that there is great vse of affliction and that it worketh much good and therefore wee must consider that in euery crosse besides the present bearing of it the Lord offereth great cōmoditie vnto vs and worketh it in vs thereby according to the words of the Text All things worke together for the best to those that loue God So that as in all other things there is not onely the present possession enioying of them but there is the vse and comfort of them insomuch that men may haue great store of goods and possessions and yet haue no vse of them as Salomon by his great wisdome obserued and set it downe in the booke of the Preacher saying There is one alone Eccles 4.8 and there is not a second which hath neither sonne nor daughter yet is there none ende of his trauaile neither can his eie bee satisfied with riches neither doth he thinke for whom doe I trauaile and defraud my soule of pleasure Euen so many haue great and long crosses vpon them but make no good vse of them neither doe labour after the fruit of them but God worketh by them their good in those that bee his Seeing then afflictions are common both to the good and the bad and God layeth them vpon them both alike and they must beare them whether they will or no the one must labour for the good which the Lord offereth to them therby which the other not once so much as looke after of which dutie of theirs when Gods children are somewhat more carelesse of then they should then no doubt the Lord in wisdome and in mercie continueth his rod vpon thē longer yea and often increaseth thē because his purpose is to doe them good thereby and so herein dealeth with them as a most louing and tender father as indeede he is who spareth not the rod vntill his childe bee thereby humbled and brought to the confession and amendment of his fault because his purpose is by his fatherly correction to doe him good Wherein parents often put a difference betweene their children and their seruants for often they let their seruants alone and leaue them as incorrigible when they will not profit by words or a few stripes as not caring for them because they purpose not alwaies to be troubled with thē but their children because they see that they cannot cast off naturall affection from them therfore they leaue them not after once or twice correction but still follow them with the rodde till they amend So the Lord when he spareth the wicked in their sinnes and reserueth them for a further and more heauie iudgement at the last correcting his owne children in the meane season againe and againe he sheweth that his purpose is thereby to doe them aboue all other much good Therefore let no man in the continuance of his afflictions though long and grieuous be too much discouraged as though the Lord were continually angrie with him or had a purpose
readie to fret and storme and impatiently to beare them much more shall we thinke them to be for our hurt rather then for our good If Iob when he lost all if he had looked vnto the violence and robberie of the Chaldeans Iob 1.15 and Sabeans who spoiled him or to the malice of the Deuill who set them a worke and had gone no further he must needes haue had a number of reuenging thoughts against them and he could no waies haue put it vp at their hands but wheÌ„ he considered of the prouidence of God working by them in wisdome and mercie beyond that that flesh and blood could conceiue and was resolued of this that the Lord had taken all away that made him patiently to beare all and to giue thanks vnto God and not to vtter one foolish word vers 22. or to offend with his mouth Gen 37.24 And this made Ioseph patiently to put vp those iniuries and wrongs that were offered vnto him by his bretheren when as first of all they cast him into an emptie pit that there he might perish and afterwards they drew him out of it and solde him to the Ishmaelites who brought him into Egypt Where afterwardes he beeing aduanced vnto great honour when in the time of famine his brethren came thither to buie corne and he at their second comming made himselfe knowne vnto them saying Come neere I pray you to me 45.4 I am Ioseph your brother whome ye sold into Egypt but he staieth not there for then he might in some great heat of affection haue expostulated the matter with them and haue don theÌ„ some harme seeing he had power in his hands but he addeth further for their comfort and to shew what staied him Be not sad v. 5. neither grieued with your selues that ye sold me hither for God did send me before you for your preseruation for now two yeares of famine haue been thorough the land and fiue yeares are behind wherein shall be neither earing nor haruest wherfore God sent me before you to preserue your posteritie in this land and to saue you aliue by a great deliuerance Now theÌ„ you sent me not hither but God who hath made me a father vnto Pharaoh and lord of all his house and ruler throughout all the land of Egypt Where we see how he turneth his eyes from his brethren and looketh vnto God saying it was not they that sold him but God that sent him thither and that for the good of them all and this made him so patiently to beare it And thus the Lord though he detesteth such sinnes as these in men yet he often vseth them to his glorie which when men can wisely consider of and discerne the one from the other it will make them quietly to beare great things at the hands of men because they stay not in them but cast vp their eyes vnto God whereas if they should onely looke vnto men and goe no further they know that they in their doings mean them no good but hurt and knowing that they haue deserued no such measure at their hands they would be like the dogge that bites the staffe wherwith he is beaten and considers not of him that striketh him therefore in all afflictions let vs beleeue that we haue to deale with God so shall we be patient and comfortable vnder the same And this is that no doubt that staied the old man Heli the Priest when he heard that message from the Lord by Samuel which otherwise would haue beene a great deale more vncomfortable vnto him as appeareth by his words and answer that he gaue vnto him For wheÌ„ he told him that God would iudge his house for euer 1. Sam. 3. â—3 for the iniquitie which he knew because his sonnes ranne into a slaunder and he staied them not then he answered 18. It is the Lord let him doe what seemeth him good This faith that he knew that all things should fall out not according to the will of man but of God was that that gaue him hope of a good issue of all those troubles in the ende and so it must doe to vs. For this is all one as if the sicke patient should haue a Phisitian to deale with him who were his father his brother or his friend who should not onely prescribe the quantitie of all the ingredients for his medicine knowing well the qualities and working of them but should also make the confection himselfe bring it vnto him and minister it with his owne hands of whose fidelitie and care towards him and desire of his health because he doubteth not one whit that would make him most willing to receiue it though very bitter and vnpleasant and though at the first he found it in the working somewhat churlish yet he would hope to receiue some good by it in the ende knowing who made it and brought it vnto him And after this manner and vnder this very comparison our Sauiour Christ speaketh of his owne afflictions and did most willingly indure the crosse which others would haue put off from him because it was that that his father did lay vpon him For when Iudas and the rest came with weapons to take him Ioh. 18 â— Peter hauing a sword drew it out laid about him hoping to haue rescued him out of their hands and striking at the head of one of the seruants of the high Priest cut off his right eare 11. Then Iesus saide vnto Peter Put vp thy sword into the sheath shall I not drinke of the cuppe which my father hath giuen me Wherein he sheweth not onely what made him so patient and what caused him to stay Peter euen the will of his Father but thereby he doth also teach vs that whensoeuer any crosse doth befal vs it is that portion and cuppe which God our father in great wisdome and mercie hath mingled for vs and therefore we should not feare any hurt by drinking of it but rather take it willingly and hope that it shall work our good according to his meaning towards vs and as he hath promised in his word If when the child hath offended his father he should say to one of his seruants in his anger Take him out of my sight and punish him so and so this would be more grieuous and fearefull a great deale vnto an ingenuous child then if the father should take correction of him himselfe because he was better perswaded of the goodnes of his father towards him then of the seruants and so might looke for more mercie from the one then from the other Euen so it may minister vnto vs no small comfort in all our afflictions that we beleeue that in theÌ„ we are vnder our fathers hand and he himselfe dealeth with vs and that he hath not in his displeasure deliuered vs to any other to be tormented by them Againe if one that were blinde offending his father should be suddenly taken away