The practice of piety directing a Christian how to walk, that he may please…

5. God sendeth afflictions, to demonstrate unto the world, the trueness of his Children's love and service. Every Hypocrite will serve God whilst he prospereth and blesseth him,¹ as the Devil falsely accuseth Job to have done; but who (save his loving Child) will love and serve him in adversity, when God seemeth to be angry and displeased with him? yea, and cleave unto him most inseparably, when he seemeth (with the greatest frown and disgrace) to reject a Man, and to cast him out of his favour? yea, when he seemeth to wound and kill as an enemy: yea, then to say with Job: Though thou Lord kill me, ²yet will I put my trust in thee. The loving and the serving of God, and trusting in his mercy in the time of our correction and misery, is the truest note of an unfeigned Child and Servant of the Lord.

5. God sendeth afflictions, to demonstrate unto the world, the trueness of his Childrens love and service. Every Hypocrite will serve God whilst he prospereth and blesseth him,¹ as the Devil falsly accuseth Job to have done; but who (save his loving Child) will love and serve him in adversity, when God seemeth to be angry and displeased with him? yea, and cleave unto him most inseparably, when he seemeth (with the greatest frown and disgrace) to reject a Man, and to cast him out of his favour? yea, when he seemeth to wound and kill as an enemy: yea, then to say with Job: Though thou Lord kill me, ²yet will I put my trust in thee. The loving and the serving of God, and trusting in his mercy in the time of our correction and misery, is the truest note of an unfeigned Child and Servant of the Lord.

1. 1Job 1. 9, 10.
2. 2Job 13. 15.