The whole-armour of GodThe vvhole-armor of God

Yet are not outward temporal judgements,¹ whether public or private, always to be simply accounted evils, but many times to be reckoned and accounted in the number of Gods blessings. For^a God oft inflicteth them on his children, and that in love, for their good. They are indeed grievous, and irksome to the flesh, but many times profitable to the soul: an heavy burden they are, but they bring forth a good & precious fruit: wherefore in regard of them, we must wholly refer our selves to Gods will, as^b Christ did in his bitter agony. If God be pleased to preserve us from them, or being fallen upon us, to remove them, we are to account this preservation and deliverance,⁴ a blessing and favour of the Lord, and to be thankful unto God for it. But otherwise if it please the Lord to lay any cross upon us, or when it lieth on us, still to continue it, we are also to take this as a token of love, and to be thankful. The reason is evident. For God being very wise, & knowing what is best for us (even much⟨p. 407⟩ better then we our selves) & withal being a loving & tender father,⁵