A commentary or, exposition upon the divine second epistle general, writtenA commentary or, exposition vpon the diuine second epistle generall, written

4 Think thy crosses meant for thy blessings: punishments are good for none but the Patient, to them only they are signs of favour. David not only concludes thus;^u By this I know thou favourest me, because mine enemy triumphs not over me: but also thus; Because thou hast afflicted me, therefore I know thou lovest me. If ye be without chastisement, then are ye bastards, and not sons, Hebr. 12.8. This only frees us from bastardy; or rather secures us, for indeed Adoption frees us. Whom God smites not, he loves not, Aug. Let the Christian understand; God his Physician, tribulation his physic: being afflicted under the medicine, thou criest, Non audit medicus ad voluntatem, sed ad sanitatem; The Physician hears thee not according to thy will but thy weal. Thou canst not endure thy malady, and wilt thou not be patient of the remedy? Let it not be true of us, that Nec mala nostra, nec remedia ferre possumus. A man is sick of a Pleurisy, the Physician lets him blood, he is content with it: the arm shall smart, to ease the heart. The covetous man hath a Pleurisy of riches; God lets him bleed by poverty: let him be patient, it is a course to save his soul. These are not in vindictam, sed in medicinam: Pereat voluptas carnis, ne amittatur eternitas salutis. ^xWhen we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world. We speak for the flesh, as Abraham did for Ishmael; O that Ishmael might live in thy sight! No, God takes away Ishmael, and gives Isaac: He withdraws the pleasure of the flesh, and gives delight to the soul. God threatens not to punish the wicked: I call it a threatening, for promises come from mercy, but that is a grievous punishment.^a Why should you be stricken any more? Let me have none of that mercy! Art thou afflicted, why complainest thou? that which thou sufferest, is not thy damnation, but thy castigation. Refuse not the rod, as thou wouldst embrace the inheritance, Nec attendas quam poenam habeas in flagello, sed quem locum in Testamento. Regard not so much what portion thou hast in the punishment, as what interest thou hast in the Covenant. He that knows he shall reign in heaven, will patiently suffer upon earth.