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
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
to destroy and make an ende of him thereby for he could do that in a moment at once but let him rather thus thinke with himselfe and reason but of the word of God Now I know assuredly that the Lord loueth me indeede because hee purposeth to doe me good by all things euen by affliction according to his promise and therefore whereas I through the vntowardnes of my nature haue not profited sufficiently by his former chastisements according to his good meaning towards me he hath sent me a new fatherly correction thereby at the last to worke my further good and whereas I thorough the crookednesse and vntowardnesse of my sinnefull disposition doe not yet profit by them as hee would haue me therefore I see that in much mercie and louing kindnesse he continueth it that so I might get good by it at the last Wherein the Lord dealeth with vs like a wise and conscionable Physitian who purposing not so much to giue physicke vnto the sicke patient and to practise on him for his owne gaine as to cure him by those medicines that he applieth to him and so seeketh his health and recouerie if the first medicine will remooue the disease thē there he leaueth him and goes no further if not he ministreth an other medicine after that and it may be the third the fourth because he hath a care of him and seekes his health And if at any time he maketh any intermission in the course of his physicke and ceaseth to practise any further on him it is not because he meaneth to leaue him to giue him ouer but because of the patients weaknes that he might gather some further strength and haue a breathing time to that ende Euen so the Lord purposing according to his gratious promise to doe vs good by affliction and he hauing sanctified it by the crosse of Christ to that ende when by the first crosse we profit not as we ought thē either he letteth the same lie the longer vpon vs that it might do vs good at the last or els taking it away leaueth an other in stead of it to the same ende Which though hee doe not presently because we were not then able to indure yet sometime afterwards when it seemeth best to his heauenly wisdome Therfore the best thing for euery man is soone to profit vnder the crosse that God hath laid vpon him that so it might speedily be remooued and not to labour so much for the remoouing of it as for the fruit of it least it going away without profit and not working that in vs for which God did send it the Lord bring vpon vs some greater afterwards seeing it is his purpose thereby most assuredly to doe vs good Moreouer by this we know that whereas euery man naturally desireth that which is best for him and yet most men erre in the particulars they desiring that which is most pleasant profitable and honourable c. in this world which desires of theirs the Prophet expresseth in these words Psal 4 6. Many say who will shew vs any good By this I say we know that that thing indeede is best for vs at all times whatsoeuer it be which maketh most for the glorie of God for our owne saluation and for the edifying of our brethren which because the Lord worketh many times by afflictions as we haue heard and often more by them then by his benefits we must be perswaded that euē they are then best for euery man which though it be contrarie to mans reason yet it is agreeable to the word of God which we ought to beleeue Euen as when a mans bodie is greatly distempered with abundance of blood or ouerladen with superfluous and grosse humors or hath some member greatly putrified then and in these respects it is best for him to haue his blood taken away and his humors that his flesh may be abated and fall away yea it is best for him in these cases to be launced and cut to be seared and to haue a part cut off that the rest might be saued Which though they be grieuous in themselues yet at this time they are most profitable and to be desired Therefore when any affliction or calamitie doth befall vs let vs not be discontented therewith as with that that is hurtfull for vs neither be too impatient and wearie as of a thing that we would faine be ridde of but submitting our iudgements and wills to the iudgement and will of God reuealed in his word let vs quietly indure seeing that euen now the Lord giueth vs that not which we fondly desire as the best but which he knoweth to be and is indeede at this time the best Seeing then it is so for the further clearing of this truth what I pray you is the cause why not onely the wicked and vngodly who are not able to iudge of this matter by all the wit and reason that they haue but euen the very godly who beeing enlightened by the spirit of God ought to know this doctrine to be true and to beleeue it that they I say doe so grieuously complaine of their afflictions as those which are the worst for them that can be and as those that should not onely doe them no good but much hurt when as wee haue seene alreadie how many waies they worke their good and therefore are the best for them indeede Why did Iob seeing his afflictions were sent vnto him by God for his triall and for his good why did he so complaine of them Iob 6.2 Oh that my griefe were well waied and my miseries were laid together in the ballance for it would now be heauier then the sand of the sea therefore my words are swallowed vp For the arrowes of the Almightie are in me the venime thereof doth drinke vp my spirit and the terrours of God fight against me c. Why doth David also make so grieuous complaints in respect of the affliction that did befall him when he beginneth the Psalme thus lamentably O Lord Psal 38. ◠rebuke me not in thine anger neither chastise me in thy wrath for thine arrows haue light vpon me and thine hand lieth vpon me there is nothing sound in my flesh because of thine anger neither is there rest in my bones because of my sin My wounds are putrified and corrupt I am bowed and crooked very sore I go mourning all the day for my reines are full of burning and there is nothing sound in my flesh my heart panteth and my strength faileth and the light of mine eyes euen they are not mine owne c. If these afflictions of theirs did worke their good why did they thus complaine of them Truely it cannot be denied but that men for the most part doe more complaine of their afflictions then they ought to doe and are more full of murmuring and impatiencie vnder the hand of God then they should be and they doe not so comfortably beare their crosses
would not it is no more I that doe it but the sinne that dwelleth in me and therefore it shall not be laid vnto my charge and 25. for I my selfe in my minde serue the law of God though in my flesh I serue the law of sinne and therefore in the next chapter he breaketh out into this comfortable saying and auoucheth it most confidently that there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Iesus which walke not after the flesh Rom. 8.1 but after the Spirit And this communion and fellowship that herein we haue with Christ for the discharging of vs from the guilt of our naturall corruption we know by two infallible tokens the one is the Spirit of sanctification which we haue receiued from him whereby it commeth to passe that we walk not afrer the flesh any more but after the Spirit vers 11. For if the Spirit of him that raised vp Iesus from the dead dwell in vs he that raised vp Christ from the dead shall also quicken our mortall bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in vs 13. and therefore if we mortifie the deedes of the bodie by the Spirit we shall liue for as many as are lead by the Spirit of God they are the sonnes of God and thus this sanctification of ours which is in sinceritie and truth though in much weaknes and great imperfection proceeding from the Spirit of God is a sure token that we are partakers of the righteousnesse of Christ to the perfect iustifying of vs in the sight of God and to the taking away of all the remnants of sinne inhering dwelling in vs continually The second testimonie hereof is the Spirit of adoption which he giueth vs to assure vs of his fauour and to deliuer vs from our feares in measure and to teach vs chearefully and comfortably to pray vnto God as to our most merciful Father for he saith that this spirit of sanctification vers 15. is not the spirit of bondage to feare again which feare is wrought in vs by the sight of our sinnes through the ministery of the law but it is the spirit of adoption whereby we crie Abba Father that is it sealeth vp our adoption in our mindes and so openeth our mouthes in prayer vnto God and therefore he addeth that the same Spirit beareth witnes with our Spirits that wee are the children of God and if wee be children wee are also heires euen the heires of God and heires annexed with Christ Thus by the Spirit of adoption which is discerned by this most excellent operation of his that it causeth vs to pray in hope to God as to our father and to call him not once father after a faint manner but twise or thrise yea continually Abba father or father father we know that we haue our part in Christ for whose sake onely he is our father and so are by him deliuered from the guiltines of all the remnants of corruption sinne though they are in our flesh and dwell there continually as the Apostle saith and doe shew themselues both by vnbeleefe and by hindring vs frō doing of that good that we would and causing vs to doe that euill that we would not Another thing whereby our faith is assaulted and often weakened is the consideration of those manifold and grieuous afflictions which may and doe befal vs in this world whereby it might seeme vnto vs that our waies are not so acceptable vnto the Lord that we might haue comfort in them For answer vnto which hee sheweth that of what nature or kind soeuer they be they shall bee so farre from hindering vs from the fauour of God from our saluation as that in them wee haue Christ Iesus who went before vs in all our afflictions further then wee can and yet at the last came vnto glorie and therefore if we patiently abide as we haue not onely the Prophets and Apostles Martyrs and other holy men but euen Christ himselfe to be our fellow in them so we shall be fellowes with him like vnto him in glorie for he saith 16. If so be that we suffer with him we shall also be glorified with him And least that it might seem grieuous vnto vs to goe to so happie an estate through so grieuous painfull a way and so might thinke that the kingdome of heauen though it bee neuer so pretious in it self we should buie it too deerely he telleth vs assuredly that by considering the afflictions of this world on the one side and the felicitie of the kingdome of heauen on the other side and so casting vp the account of the one and the other hee hath found the totall summe of them both to bee so farre differing that all the afflictions of this miserable and wretched world indured by any and from the first houre of their birth vnto their last breath are not to bee compared in greatnesse or continuance vnto that glorie and happinesse that shall there be reuealed and bestowed vpon vs according to the expresse wordes of the text I count vers 18. or all things beeing well considered I gather that the afflictions of this present time are not worthie of the glorie that shall be shewed vnto vs. And as this glorie is thus great so it is most sure and certaine though we doe not presently enioy it and therefore we need not in any wise to doubt of it for all the other creatures of God besides man which are vnreasonable and dumbe haue in their kind a certaine sense and feeling of it for though they bee now subiect and that yet but for a time vnto this vanitie that is corruption and abuse which they are in yet by the instinct of nature they doe most earnestly as it were with their heads lifted vp and neckes stretched out that they might see a great way off looke for the reuealing of the sonnes of God that so they themselues also might then be redeemed from bondage into their glorious libertie and they shall not bee disappointed of their hope Therefore much more we that haue receiued the first fruits of the spirit should with greater patience in trouble abide the will of God a while and with more certaintie and earnestnesse of desire looke for an happy change of all our afflictions in that most glorious day Which the Apostle setteth out in much more patheticall and significant wordes then I haue expressed and therefore I could not passe them ouer for he saith and 19. The feruent desire of the creature that is of the whole frame of this world and of all things in it waiteth whē the sonnes of God shall bee reuealed 20. Because the creature is subiect vnto vanitie not of his owne will or natural inclination but by reason of him which hath subdued it vnder hope For though hee did by his curse vpon all the creatures which he had made for man shew how greatly he was displeased with the fall and
or howe to pray to God as we ought and yet then his Spirit doth stirre vp in vs though not many wel ordered speches or words yet those sighes and groanes which beeing vnspeakable and not felt of them in whom they are are well vnderstood and accepted of God because they proceede from his spirit whose meaning he knoweth granteth because it maketh request for the Saints according to the will of God Wherein we are first of all to cōsider that though wee haue receiued the spirit of God euen the spirit of adoption whereby we crie Abba Father which spirit teacheth vs to pray and by which wee haue many times called vpon God with great assurance and comfort both for and with our selues and others also yet there may be a time that very often wherein wee may be so dishorted by some great affliction and in such a case that beeing as it were astonished and ouercome with the greatnesse and strangenesse of it wee cannot well tel what to pray or what to aske of God And though prayer at such a time especially be our only refuge according to the saying of the Prophet Psal 50.25 Call vpon me in the day of trouble so wil I deliuer thee yet we cannot tell how to begin and what to say And so vnlike shall we bee vnto our Father and to that that wee haue beene in times past as though wee were not the same nay our estate may seeme to bee like vnto the wicked who are at their wits ende and know not how to pray vnto God at all For if we were asked then what we would haue we cannot make a direct answer and though we haue libertie to aske of God according to our neede yet wee cannot vse it for we cannot tell what to pray O what a wonderfull thing is this but yet most true and that which is to be found not in some fewe meane persons onely that are ignorant and haue not accustomed themselues to prayer but in the most excellent seruants of God euen the Apostles thēselues as Paul here bringeth himselfe in with the rest for an example and in this great infirmitie maketh himselfe like vnto the rest saying For we know not what to pray as we ought And though there be many excellēt praiers in the old new Testament by which wee might learne how to pray and especially wee haue a perfect forme of prayer prescribed by our Sauiour Christ to direct vs in all things needfull for vs yet in temptation wee aske those things many times which if we had them would bee hurtfull vnto vs and when wee doe aske that that is profitable and good yet euen then by prescribing vnto the Lord the time when the manner how and the meanes whereby wee would bee deliuered according to our owne minde wee pray with such impatience and distrust that it may be truely said of vs Wee cannot tell what to pray as wee ought This was the estate of that good King Hezekiah when he was sicke vnto death at what time beeing greatly pained in his body and sore troubled in his minde and out of all hope of life he turned his face vnto the wall and praied vnto the Lord but how hee doth expresse it in these words Like a Crane or a Swallow so did I chatter Esa 38.14 I did mourne as a doue that is in the bitternesse of his soule hee did not vse many words yea hee was altogether so confused that his prayer was like the chattering of birdes he knew not almost what to say Such was the perplexitie more then infirmitie of Dauid when as in his great afflictions in stead of praying he roared all the day long as hee saith of himselfe Psal 32.3 When I helde my tongue my bones consumed and vvhen I roared all the day so that sometimes he held his peace beeing betvveen hope and despaire and sometimes he vttered many desires but beeing carried avvay vvith the present feeling of his aduersitie they vvere more like the roarings of a vvilde beast then any vvell ordered prayer And at another time he saith Mine heart trembleth vvithin me Psal 55.4 the horrors of death are fallen vpon me feare and trembling are come vpon me and an horrible feare hath couered me in vvhich vvords hee shevveth in vvhat infirmity vveaknesse he vvas then fallen into for his prayers after vvhat manner they vvere framed hee declareth in these vvordes Vers 2. I mourne in my prayer and make a noise so that there vvas mourning and some kinde of noise and little else And another time hee expresseth his outvvard estate the inward affection of his mind and the maner of his prayer then after this sort Psal 102.3 My daies are cōsumed like smoak my bones are burnt like an herth mine heart is smitten and withered like grasse because I forgat to eate my bread for the voice of my groaning my bones doe cleaue to my skinne I am like a Pellican of the wildernesse and am like an owle of the desarts I watch and am as a sparrow alone vpon the house top Surely I haue eaten ashes as bread and mingled my drinke with weeping By which kind of speeches he sheweth how greatly his affliction did worke vpon him so that in them he did groane and weepe and cast out many fearefull cries but all things were so out of order in his praier that they were like the chattering of a Pelican and of a sparrow and the skreeks of an owle rather then any thing els if God had considered them in his iustice and so he might haue reiected them Thus wee see that these most excellent seruants of God in their greatest conflicts and agonies were so farre from beeing able to pray vnto God in any tolerable manner that in their own sense and feeling they did but roare crie sob and sigh weepe mourne and complaine and that also very confusedly euen like the Crane the Swallow the Pellican the Sparrow euen the shreeke Owle it selfe so distracted were they in thēselues and full of disorder and fallen into so many great disorders at once Therefore we may not iudge of our selues or of others by any one such accident or few particular cases least we should deceiue our selues saying I haue not the spirit of God for I cannot pray nor call vpon God in mine affliction and if I doe at any time it is not as I ought for this is that which Paul confesseth of himselfe of other the seruants of God and which wee haue seene in these two excellent Kings Hezekiah and Dauid that in affliction oftentimes we cannot tell what to pray as we ought But yet in this great vnfitnesse of ours we must not be like to the wicked who then giue ouer all prayer because they are vnfit for it and we are subiect vnto this temptation to put off praier because we see that we cannot pray as we ought and so wee are
farre aboue any father or mother insomuch as the Lord saith Can a woman forget her childe Esa 49.15 and not haue compassion on the sonne of her wombe though they should forget yet will not I forget thee though hee delighteth to heare vs pray to him as Christ himselfe witnesseth to his Church saying My doue shew me thy sight let me heare thy voice Cant. 2.14 for thy voice is sweete and thy sight comely yet when by the extremities of our miseries wee are so oppressed or distracted that wee cannot in any orderly manner pray vnto him as we ought yet he alloweth of the sighes sobs that we offer vp vnto him and granteth not so much our wordes which sometimes none or very fewe as the meaning of his spirit which is large and plentifull in vs. And hereupon it commeth to passe that the Lord in his iust mercie imputeth not vnto his seruants the manifold rebellions of their flesh or great complaints in their praier as hee did not vnto Iob nor to Dauid who were full of them as wee haue seene before because he hath respect vnto the meaning of his spirit in thē As the mother is not so much grieued or offended with the murmurings impatiencie and froward outcries of her poore sicke childe as she by the least token guesseth at the meaning of him and taketh that in good part and giueth to him accordingly What shall we say to these things Is it true indeede that the Lord will vouchsafe to looke vpon the low degree of his seruants and haue respect vnto poore sinnefull creatures who when they are fallen into the bottom of their iust deserued miserie and euen then can not pray vnto him one word aright and when they begin to speake vnto him euen then their tongue cleaueth to the roofe of their mouth that he will yet heare their sighs and their cries yea vndoubtedly he that of his great mercie will beare with such great weaknesse in men Matt. 12.20 that he will not breake a bruised reede nor quench the smoking flaxe he will of the like mercie heare not onely the well ordered prayers of his Church but euen the very cryings roarings of his seruants though they be like the Pellicans and the owles yea their mournings though they be like to the doues yea when they say nothing neither indeed can their very sobs and sighs which come frō the abundance of a troubled spirit and can not be expressed for he alloweth of the meaning of his Spirit which worketh these things in them and if they could thereby they are willing to performe better seruice vnto him and are sorie that they can not doe it What can be more comfortable vnto vs then this Therefore in all our necessities let vs goe vnto the Lord in Christ with great boldnesse and come vnto the throne of grace and though we can not vtter many wordes yet let vs speake vnto him for surely the acceptation of our praiers consisteth not in the multitude or well placing of our words but in the request and desire of our hearts and therefore if we can pray but two or three words say with the poore Publican Lord Luk. 18 1◠be merciful vnto me a sinner or with the Apostles Lord increase our faith 17.5 or with the man in the Gospel Lord I beleeue Lord help mine vnbeleef Mar. 9.24 or with the blind man Matt. 9.29 O son of Dauid haue mercy vpon me or with the theefe vpon the crosse Luk. 23 4◠Lord remember me in thy kingdome c. this short prayer proceeding from the Spirit of God in vs and offered vp in the mediation of Christ Iesus and in the vertue of his prayers shall be as well receiued of him when we can doe no better as if we had spent an whole houre in prayer Yea if we do but lift vp our minds vnto God and pray in our spirite though we vtter not one word as that godly woman Hannah the mother of Samuel did 2. Sam. 1.10 who beeing troubled in her minde praied vnto the Lord and wept sore but how did shee pray shee spake in her heart her lips did mooue onely but her voice was not heard The Lord will heare vs as he did her and giue her according to her desire as shee afterward confessed to Heli the Priest I praied for this child and the Lord hath giuen me my desire which I asked of him And so did Nehemiah pray vnto God for he waiting vpon the King of Babylon as hee sate at table and beeing sad in his presence more then he had wont to be the King demanded of him the cause he told him then hauing leaue of the King to ask what he would for the accomplishing of his desire it is saide that hee praied to the God of heauen that is Nehe. 2.4 he lifted vp his mind vnto God and desired him to blesse him in that enterprise of his and so he did So we if either we can not pray in words or waite opportunity of time and place and doe but sigh vnto him after an vnspeakeable manner the Lord will not refuse that because it proceedeth from his Spirit And as this may be no small comfort vnto vs in our affliction so the Apostle Paul in the next verse following doth for our further comfort shew what is the ende of all the afflictions of the children of God namely their benefit and good whē he saith Rom. 8 2◠Also we know that al things worke together for the best to them that loue God euen to them that are called of his purpose In which words he ministreth this soueraigne medicine against the contagion poison of all affliction telling vs that they come to the beleeuers not for their hurt but for their singular good especially seeing they befall them not by fortune or chance but by the speciall prouidence of God and that for the same ende who as he hath chosen them from euerlasting so in the same counsell of his he ordained that they should in their crosses bee like vnto his sonne Vers 29. For those whom hee knew before hee also predestinate to be made like to the image of his son that he might bee the first borne of many brethren and therefore hee calleth them in time iustifieth them by faith and by the crosse bringeth them to eternall glorie as he did his owne naturall sonne as it is said in the next words 30. Moreouer whom he predestinated them also he called whome he called them also he iustified and whome he iustified them also he glorified Whereupon he boldly concludeth that no affliction shall be able to hurt them seeing that the Lord is with them in the same meaning thereby to doe them good for he speaketh after a most confident maner What shall we then say to these things 31. If God be on our side who can be against vs as if he had
said seeing that God is with vs in all our afflictions by his prouidence and power and by the assistance of his holy Spirit none of them shall be able to doe vs any harme And the truth of Gods loue and meaning towards vs this way he confirmeth by a most excellēt proof when he addeth 32. Who spared not his owne Sonne but gaue him for vs all to death how shall he not with him giue vs all things also In which words he sheweth that we haue no cause to feare no not in any crosse that the Lord will not giue vs whatsoeuer is profitable for vs seeing that he hath not spared his owne Sonne to saue vs. Therfore when he saith All things worke together for the best to them that feare God it is most true whether we take it generally as the words may be expounded namely not onely prosperitie but aduersitie also not onely health but sicknes not onely libertie but imprisonment not onely honour but dishonour make for the best to those that loue God Or whether it be restrained to this particular purpose of his namely to affliction of what nature or kind so euer It is no doubt the intent of the Apostle to speake of this latter and to shew that all afflictions doe not onely not hinder the saluation of the godly but doe greatly further the same Which saying of his though it containeth an whole and entire matter by it selfe yet beeing inferred vpon the former wordes he seemeth therein to answer a secret obiection which might arise in mens mindes from thence namely that it seemeth many times that the Lord doth not heare the praiers of the afflicted because their afflictions be not onely not remooued according to their praiers but somtimes increased contrarie to their earnest desire Therefore wee must remember what hath beene alreadie said touching this matter namly how the Lord in graunting our requests looketh not so much to the particular things which we desire as to the meaning of his Spirit in vs and granteth that in turning our afflictions to our singular good wheras if they were presently remooued the Lord seeth that it would be far worse with vs though we imagine the contrarie For as if one in a burning feauer should in the middest of his fit impatiently desire to be washed with colde water and then the skilfull Physitian standing by beeing his friend also should giue him some wholesome conserues or other cooling thing hee should in denying that particular thing demāded graunt vnto his generall meaning which was that he might haue some thing giuen him that might do him most good though now beeing distēpered he was not able to iudge of it but did mistake one thing for an other and thought that to be best as to be plunged into the colde water which indeede is the worst So wee whatsoeuer we aske in our distresse by praier vnto God our meaning is and must be if it be ruled by Gods spirit that we would haue that giuen vnto vs which might procure our best good and further our saluation most of all Therefore if the Lord suffer our crosses to remaine and turne them to our good though we in particular praied for the cleane taking of them away hee fulfilleth both these promises vnto vs at once namely he giueth vs according to the measure of his spirit in vs and hee also causeth them to worke together for the best to those that loue God Thus then Paul besought the Lord thrice that is very often 2. Cor. 12.8 that the messenger of Satan might depart from him and yet the Lord suffered him stil to buffet the Apostle least he should bee exalted out of measure through the aboundance of reuelations that were giuen vnto him and the Lord gaue him this further answer that his grace should be sufficient for him to vphold and strengthen him and that the power of God should be seen in the Apostles weaknesse The Lord in denying this request of his did giue him according to the meaning of his spirit in him which was that the Lord would deale with him this way as it should make most for his owne glorie and for the furtherance of Pauls saluation and also did cause this affliction to worke together with other things for his best good for this did him more good remaining then if it had beene taken away for hereby he had more experience of his owne weakenesse and of the power of God then otherwise he could haue had And thus also the Lord hath verified from time to time vnto the rest of his seruants the truth of that promise of his which is vttered by the mouth of the Prophet Salomon Pro. 10.24 God will fulfill the desire of the righteous that is God will not onely blesse those that serue him but hee will bestowe those blessings vpon thē most of all which they especially desire and do most earnestly pray vnto him for according to that that is said in the Psalme Psal 145.19 Hee will fulfill the desire of them that feare him Which promises are so to bee vnderstood not that he will alwaies giue them euery particular thing that they aske for many times through ignorance or beeing distempered with some tēptation they aske that that is hurtfull and then God denieth them but he giueth them some other thing that is more profitable for them according to the generall meaning of the spirit of God in them And so doe parents vnto their little children whom they loue full dearely when they aske kniues and such hurtfull things in stead of them they in wisedome giue them some other thing that they shall delight in as much and so still their frowardnesse and giue them their desire in another kind Euen so the Lord fulfilleth the desire of his seruants by making an exchange when as they name one thing and he giueth them an other as good or better as it is saide in the Psalme Psal 21.4 He asked life of thee thou gauest him a long life euen for euer and euer where in the person of Dauid he sheweth how God dealeth with his Church they aske life of him and he giueth not onely that but eternall life as he did to Hezekiah but yet sometimes they that are weake and sicke and desire life they haue it not graunted but linger and pine away euen vnto death and so God taketh them into his blessed kingdome and giues them eternall life which is better then that life that they desired And thus did he deale with many of the Corinthians 1. Cor. 15.32 whō he did by death iudge and chastise in this world that they might be saued in the world to come And this was the case of his faithfull seruant Moses Deut. 3.25 who in the wildernesse desired earnestly of the Lord that he might goe ouer and see that good land that was beyond Iorden and that goodly mountain Sion and Lebanon but he would not heare him in
that and so caused him to goe vp into mount Nebo chap. 34 ◠vnto the top of Pisgah where he shewed him all the land and there he died and so entred into the kingdome of heauen and tooke possession of it for euer whereof this land was but a type figure and so the Lord denying him that particular euē to come into the land of Canaan gaue him that that was farre better whereby he was more confirmed in the same of God and in the truth of his couenant euen to enter into the kingdome of heauen and so gaue him according to the meaning of his Spirit But further touching this matter we are more generally to vnderstand that the Apostle saith not onely that the crosse shall turne to our good but that this shall be verified of all the crosses that euery way come vpon vs be they neuer so strange or vnlooked for whether it be sicknes pouertie imprisonment banishment losse of husband wife children father and mother friends and kinred losse of name and credit or any thing els as sorrow and griefe of minde and affliction of the spirit Which is wisely to be marked of vs least at any time we might be deceiued to think when the Lord shall lay his hand vpon vs as it pleaseth him that if it were some other affliction then that which now is come vpon vs we could haue some good hope in it but this is so great it toucheth vs so nearely that we can not possibly see how or which way it should bring vs any good And as the Deuill is readie to assault vs with this temptation so we by reason of our corruption are too prone to yeild vnto his perswasion therein and so by impatiencie to be wearie of the crosse as not able to looke for any good from it We therfore that wee might comfortably withstand this temptation of his besides that we must holde our selues fast to the words of the Apostle who saith that all things worke together for the best to those that loue God Gal. 1.9 he speaketh of all not of this or that against which if any yea an Angel from heauen should perswade vs we must hold him accursed We must cōsider that this good commeth frō all affliction not as though it were naturall proper vnto it for indeed it is otherwise that of it selfe it maketh men worse as the sunne hardeneth the clay and it driueth men from good as the rodde driueth the child away from the mother And this is that which Satan aimeth at in all men Iob. 1.11 as hee did in righteous Iob though he preuailed not when hee said of him to the Lord Stretch out thine hand touch all that he hath and see if he will not blaspheme thee to thy face And thus he preuaileth with the wicked in all crosses that come vpon them as wee see in the example of Pharaoh king of Egypt who by the ten plagues that God sent vpon him was made more hard hearted and waxed still worse and worse and would not heare the commandement of God to let the people of Israel goe But with the children of God it is not so the goodnesse of God towards them ouercommeth the malice of the deuill against them And as in the wildernesse the sting of the fierie serpēts were healed in the bodies of mē by looking vp to the brasen serpent Num. 21.8 so the venime and poison of all crosses is taken away in the children of God by vertue of the crosse of Christ so that contrarie to the nature of it it worketh good as also by the death of Christ 1. Cor. 15.55 the sting of death is taken away so that it cannot hurt any of his but doth them the greatest good beeing thereby made for them a passage into eternal life The which that it might not seeme strange vnto vs much lesse impossible namly that afflictiō hurtfull in it selfe to the wicked should work for the best to those that loue God wee must remember that euen men by their wisdome are able to make those things serue for the benefit of man which of themselues are most hurtfull vnto him For the Physition through his skill can cure a man by Gods ordinance and blessing and so make him stronger then hee was before by taking away some part of his blood euen that wherein the life consisteth and by taking away other humors so diminishing a great part of his flesh and the Chyrurgion by cutting and piercing the flesh with an hotte yron or eating it away with some corrasiues is able by these woundes and hurtfull things to preserue the state of the members of the bodie Then the Lord much more by that which in it selfe would hurt our soules is able to cure them and to doe them good And if the Apothecarie can so temper that which in it owne nature is poyson as the Vipers flesh so temper it I say with other wholesome ingredients and correct it with those that be cordiall that of it hee will make a most soueraigne Treacle and such an wholesome confection as shall expell poyson and driue it from the heart and so make that which of it selfe would cause death to bee a speciall preseruer of life Shall not the Lord by his infinite wisedome goodnesse and almightie power the Lord I say 2. Cor. 4.6 which caused the light to shine out of darkenesse contrarie to the nature of it and who calleth the things that bee not as though they were and so causeth thē to be and which bringeth good out of euill euen his owne glorie out of the sin of man shall not he bee much more able by the most grieuous crosses that can befall vs to worke the greatest good for vs that may be Therefore when we would looke for good from our afflictions and so be comforted in them patiently bearing them in hope of the blessed fruit that we shall reape by them wee must not so much looke to the things themselues how fit they bee for vs nor to our selues how wee bee fitted for them as to the truth of Gods promise made vnto vs concerning this matter so be sure that the Lord wil worke our good thereby because he that is true and al-sufficient hath said said it And this one perswasion no doubt should worke in vs great patience in all our afflictiōs yea it should make vs cheerefully and with our heads lifted vp not hanging down to beare them for how many grieuous things will naturall men indure willingly if they see that they will make for the bettering of their estate As what will not the sicke patiēt suffer at the hands of the Physitiō or Chirurgion by launcing purging fearing diet c. when he is perswaded that they will procure his bodily health should not a Christian man and woman much more indure hard things at the hands of God seeing he hath said that they shall procure the health of
â—7 before I was afflicted I went astray but now I keepe thy words so that by his affliction he was kept from going astray as he had wont to doe and was constrained in a reuerent feare to walke in the compasse of Gods holy law whereupon he concludeth thus by his owne experience 71. It is good for me that I haue beene afflicted that I may feare thy statutes Thus affliction was a sensible kind of teaching to cause him to liue after Gods statutes and not after the common course of the world Fourthly afflictions in the Scriptures are called trialls because that by them the Lord trieth vs and prooueth what is in vs not that he is ignorant of it for Dauid saith vnto God Psal 139 2. Thou knowest my sitting rising thou vnderstaÌ„dest my thoughts a farre off thou compassest my paths and my lying downe and art accustomed to all my waies for there is not a word in my tongue but loe thou knowest it O Lord. So that he hath full perfect knowledge of vs without any triall yet he trieth vs by affliction because thereby he would haue our selues and others throughly to know what is in vs and in what measure and that both in respect of the good and euill that is in vs which without the triall could not so well be knowne Which kind of triall serueth to this ende that if we haue receiued any good grace we might be thankefull to God for it and for the measure of it if not we might labor for it and if we haue any sinne in vs we might repent and striue against it if not we might take heede that wee fall not into it for the time to come and so euery way God might be glorified And thus speaketh the Apostle S. Peter of the afflictions of the church comparing them vnto fire whereby mettalls are tried wheÌ„ he saith Now for a season if neede require ye are in heauines 2. Pet. 2.6 through manifold tentations that the triall of your faith being much more pretious then gold that perisheth thogh it be tried with fire might be found vnto your praise and honour and glorie at the appearing of Iesus Christ Where the Apostle saith that if men by the fire will trie their gold to that ende that they might certenly know what is the value of it and yet it is but a thing that perisheth and therefore in no wise to be compared to faith and other most excellent graces of the spirit of God Then the Lord much more may make triall of them by affliction to the ende that all men may see them to be so pretious and so pure as they be and that they may be discerned from the hypocriticall and counterfeit shewes of vertue that are in the wicked and vngodly that so men might make sure reckoning of the one and not trust to the other so be deceiued by them Thus it is truly said that God did prooue Abraham Gen. 22.1 when he saide vnto him Take thine onely sonne Isaac whome thou louest and get thee into the land of Moriah and offer him there for a burnt offering vpon one of the mountaines which I wil shew thee and he did so and therefore the Apostle saith that by faith he offered vp Isaac when he was tried Heb. 11.17 so that this was a great triall vnto him to sacrifice his owne sonne whome he so loued and in whome he had receiued the promise But when he stretched forth his hand Gen. 22.10 and tooke the knife to kill his sonne the Lord said vnto him from heauen Lay not thine hand vpon the child neither doe any thing vnto him for now I know that thou fearest God seeing for my sake thou hast not spared thine onely son The Lord knew the obedience of Abraham before but he speaketh according to mens vnderstanding that now he by good proofe and triall knew it and made it knowne to Abraham himselfe and to all posteritie And thus our Sauiour Christ in the Gospel by a parable sheweth how it is knowne who haue receiued the seede of Gods word into good hearts and who into bad namely they that continue in the obedience of it in the time of temptation and triall and they that fall away saying They that are on the stones Luk. 8.13 are they which when they haue heard receiue the word with ioy but they haue no rootes which for a while beleeue but in the time of temptation goe away Thus though they seemed to beleeue for a time yet when they fall away in temptatioÌ„ by this triall it appeareth that the word of God was neuer throughly rooted in theÌ„ And by an other comparison also he sheweth how vpon triall it is manifest who are profitable hearers of the word of God and who are not for he that heareth the word of God Math 7.24 doth it is like a wise man which hath builded his house on a rocke and the raine fell and the floods came and the winds blew and beate vpon that house and it fell not for it was grouÌ„ded on a rocke But he that heareth the word and doth it not is like a foolish man which hath builded his house on the sand and the raine fell and the floods came and the winde blew and beat vpon that house and it fell and the fall of it was great Temptations therefore and trialls which are here compared vnto stormes and tempests will shew what is in all sorts of men and whether they haue beene profitable or vnprofitable hearers of the word of God and this is a speciall ende of them thus to lay open men both to themselues and to the world when as it shall appeare that in affliction vnder the crosse they are the same that they were before or they are not but farre vnlike After this manner were the Israelites tried and prooued in the wildernesse by the space of fourtie yeares in which time some of them prooued themselues murmurers some fornicators some idolatours some disobedient some faithfull and all this was by the seuerall afflictions and crosses that did befall them And thus also by the great afflictions that did befall Iob in one day as the losse of all his goods and children it appeared what great vprightnes and sinceritie and faithfull obedience was in him when as he saide Naked came I out of my mothers wombe Iob 1.21 and naked shall I returne thither the Lord hath giuen and the Lord hath taken it blessed be the name of the Lord. And in all this great losse he did not sin nor charge God foolishly For though Satan tooke him to be like other men and that he serued God more for his commodities sake because he blessed him then of conscience and therefore said and 1.9 Doth Iob feare God for nought hast thou not made an hedge about him and about his house and about all that he hath on euery side thou hast blessed the worke
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