The Christians two chief lessons viz. self-denial, and self-trial. As also the privilege of…The Christians tvvo chiefe lessons viz. selfe-deniall, and selfe-tryall. As also the priviledge of…

Reason. 1 The Reason is taken from the Wisdom of God, and love of a father that sends all these. When a child will take no physic, they use to say, Look, it is your father that brings it, and will you not take that your father gives you? This is a great argument to prevail with the child to make him take the physic. So because afflictions come from their Father, it is a great argument to persuade the Saints; his wisdom orders them, therefore bear them. John 18.11.¹ Shall I not drink of the c•p which my Father gives me? There is the force of the argument. God prepares it, therefore drink it. So the Apostle reasons. Heb. 12.9.² Our fathers in the flesh corrected us, and we submitted: As who should say, We bo•e the afflictions of our fathers in the flesh, when they s•ew upon us in a passion, and they that we•e nearest, they sped worst; and shall we not rather bear, and be in subjection to the Father of spirits, and live? God would have us live. If the Patient be persuaded, the Physician hath skill, he will •e willing to receive the potions prescribed by him: so our Father is our Physician, and a father will […] the child nothing that shall […]; let us therefore submit to what ever God lays upon us, […] ⟨p. 70⟩[…] ⟨p. 71⟩⟨p. 72⟩whether sweet or sour, we must not only have cordials which are sweet, but bitter potions and pills; Doth God provide it, and shall not we take it? Isa. 38.15.³