Seasonable truths in evil-times in several sermons / lately preached in and about London

Sixthly, in suffering times we are very apt to comply and correspond with our enemies, and with Gods enemies; and to use unworthy shifts to get out of trouble: as Abraham did; Say, thou art my sister. 'Tis true, she was his sister; but she was his wife: and it was an unworthy shift for such a man as Abraham was.

Seventhly, in suffering times we are very apt to tempt the Lord, and to limit the holy One of Israel; and to say, Can God provide a table now? Can God provide a table for me in this wilderness? Thus there's a great deal of dross cleaves to all our sufferings, and therefore no wonder that a great deal of suffering comes to little.

And on the other side, that a little suffering may amount to much. I can give no other reason of it but this; God hath a very gracious allowance for his people. As we use to say; We bear with children when it is their weaning time. Truly our suffering-time is our weaning-time: And God saith, Bear with such a one, 'tis his weaning-time. You have beard of the patience of Job. Why I have heard of Jobs impatience. True; but God did not measure Job in hi• wallops, but when he was cold. As we do not measure milk when it wallops and seethes, but when it's cold: so God doth not measure Job in his passion, but when he was off the fire, when he was cool. You say, the best Gold must have its allowance; if it want a Grain or two, it must have its allowance. So all the suffering people of God must have their allowance: and God hath a very great allowance for his suffering people; and therefore ⟨p. 48⟩this is all the reason that I can give, why a little suffering shall go a great way. So then, put all together, and you have the Doctrine cleared in all the particulars of it.