Thus a Christian mans diet is more sour than sweet: his physic is more aloes then honey: his life is more a pilgrimage then a progress: & his death is more despised then honoured. This if men would think of before, afflictions would be as welcome to the soul of man, asd afflicted Ruth was to the field of Boaz. But because we look not for them before they come, think not on Gods doing when they are come, and do desire to be happy both here and hereafter: therefore we can away with the name of Naomi, but in no case would we be callede Mara. Wef see the sea, not the whale: theg Egyptian, not the salvation: the hLions mouth, not him that stoppeth the Lions mouth. If we could see God in our troubles, asi Elisha did in his, then would we say: There are more with us, then there are against us. But because we do not, therefore at every assault of the Assyrians, we say, as the servant tok Elisha did: Alas master, what shall we do? and with the disciples: lCarest thou not master that we perish? Yet it is good for us to suffer affliction.m Blessed is ⟨image 5⟩the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life which the Lord hath promised to them that love him. It isa commanded by God,b practised by Christ, cyielded to by the Saints,d assigned by Gods providence, and good for us each way. We are Gods etrees, we shall grow better by pruning: Gods pomander, smell better by rubbing: Gods spice, be more profitable by bruising: and Gods conduits, we are the better by running. Let us suffer afflictions, they aref momentany in respect of time: gfavours, if we respect Gods love, and a means to bring us to the kingdom of God. If they did consume us, we might wish them an end: but they do purge us, let us be content. Theyh are Gods fan, we are Gods wheat: they are Gods bolter, we are Gods meal: they are Godsi flame, we are Gods bush: they are Godsk cords, we are Gods sacrifice: they are Gods furnace, we are Gods gold. The wheat will not be good without the fan, nor the meal without the bolter, nor the bush without the flame, nor the sacrifice without the cords, nor the gold without the furnace: they are trials, not punishments, if we be sons: punishments, not trials, if we be slaves. Let us then bear them, they lwill have an end: joym will follow: theyn show us our weakness: theyo move us to pray: theyp show we are in the path way to heaven:
Thus a Christian mans diet is more sowre thē sweet: his physicke is more aloes then honie: his life is more a pilgrimage then a progresse: & his death is more despised then honoured. This if men would thinke of before, afflictions would be as welcom to the soule of man, asd afflicted Ruth was to the field of Boaz. But because we looke not for them before they come, think not on Gods doing when they are come, and do desire to be happie both here and hereafter: therfore we can away with the name of Naomi, but in no case would we be callede Mara. Wef see the sea, not the whale: theg Egyptian, not the saluation: the hLions mouth, not him that stoppeth the Lions mouth. If we could see God in our troubles, asi Elisha did in his, then would we say: There are more with vs, then there are against vs. But because we do not, therefore at euery assault of the Assyrians, we say, as the seruant tok Elishah did: Alas maister, what shall we do? and with the disciples: lCarest thou not maister that we perish? Yet it is good for vs to suffer affliction.m Blessed is ⟨image 5⟩the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receiue the crowne of life which the Lord hath promised to thē that loue him. It isa commanded by God,b practised by Christ, cyeelded to by the Saints,d
- dRuth. 2. 8
- eRuth 1. 20.
- fJon. 1. 15.Ion. 1. 15.
- gExod. 14 11.
- hDan. 6. 16 22.
- i2. King. 6. 16.
- k2. King. 6. 15.
- lMar. 4. 38
- mJam. 1. 12. Job. 5. 17Iam. 1. 12. Iob. 5. 17
- aPro. 3. 11
- bMat. 4. 2.
- c2. Tim. 3. 12.
- dPsal. 119. 71.
- e
