A plain and familiar exposition of the eleventh and twelfth chapters of the Proverbs…A plaine and familiar exposition of the eleuenth and twelfth chapters of the Prouerbes…

Comfort to them that are tossed with the waves of troubles, and adversities by persecutions, temptations, and necessities, if searching their hearts they can find their uprightness, and trying their ways they prove to be righteous; there is no cause why they should call in question the state of their souls, or think their present case to be irrecoverable. If multitude or greatness of troubles were to make Gods favour doubtful, then few just men should have it certain: for he hath allotted them to all his children, and made as due provision for them of correction, as of food: and he that is always, and altogether without it, is not a son, but a ¹bastard. If it were not an usual thing for good men to be in afflictions, the scriptures would not so usually speak of their coming out of afflictions. Let no man therefore say in prosperity, I shall never be moved: so let no godly man say in adversity, I ²shall never be restored. The Lord taketh as little pleasure to be evermore afflicting his people, as a most tender-hearted parent doth to be always beating his children. And as an indulgent father cannot endure to see violence offered to the shedding of his sons blood in his presence: so neither will our God permit the wicked to spoil and oppress the godly continually in his sight.

Comfort to them that are tossed with the waues of troubles, and aduersities by persecutions, temptations, and necessities, if searching their hearts they can finde their vprightnes, and trying their waies they proue to be righteous; there is no cause why they should call in question the state of their soules, or thinke their present case to be irrecouerable. If multitude or greatnes of troubles were to make Gods fauour doubtfull, then few iust men should haue it certaine: for he hath allotted them to all his children, and made as due prouision for them of correction, as of foode: and he that is alwaies, and altogether without it, is not a sonne, but a ¹bastard. If it were not an vsuall thing for good men to bee in afflictions, the scriptures would not so vsually speake of their comming out of afflictions. Let no man therefore say in prosperitie, I shall neuer be moued: so let no godlie man say in aduersitie, I ²