6a'. J• 3S Rem 5· r,~ 6tn. 17. 1 ~atnt.s fuffertngg>. Chap.16 Secb. then were expected before. As it is rerorted of .Araxag<ras, that when news came to hun ofthe death of his fon, and invas thought he would have been much troubled at it , he anfwered one\y thus, 1 kz~ewt~'" 1 btgat one mortal : !o when any troubles befal us , we fhould entertam them Wttn thcfe thoughts, 1 k.;ICW•1i'Y cor;ditivn n·as 1, be an afp_'iUcd c;ondttiou : / entrcdupo~ the ways of goditmjj upon th!Je urm~,_to be lVditiJg to bewail ajjlrUcd ,-ondttton, thzs H Gods ordmary way tolraras ht-' P' ople , rt :s Gods mercy th"t it is no ll'orfc, 1 cxptEfyetgrcaur tryals then thrje. . 2. Let us d"'Y. omfehm, and fo taks "P the crofs: where Seif1s renounced, thecrofs ts eafily born ; tt IS ~cif that makes the crofs pmch. Now there ISa fixfold Self that in this cofc muft be denied. 1. Self-opinion, we mufl: be willing to lie quietly under the truth, to be convinced and to be guided by it. 2. Seif-cam,rcls, and fe!f-reafonings we muft take heed of conferring with fkfh and bloocl , as it was the care of P""! m;~ mediauly 1 cot.ftrred r.ot Wtth jtefh and blood; furely if he had , he would have b~cn in danger. 3· :Oclf-excel/cncies, our parts, our• privilcdgcs, our credits, and all thofc things that are great in our own eyes, and that moke ns great in the eyes of the world. 4. Self-tvt!f, we muft not thirik it fo grievous a thing to have our wills croffed, we mull: not cxFe{t to have our conditions brought to ·our wills, and therefore it is our wifdome whatfoever our conditions be , that we bring our wiib nnto them. 5. Scif-comfons thofc who give liberty to thcmfelves to f1tisfie themfclve~ to the utmoil , although i~ bw ful comforts, they will be unfit to fuffcr hardfbip when God fhall call them therc– tmto. 1fear that net/z. (faidTcrtullian) that isufut to pearf.chams, that it rvzll dot "We it fcif to the[word. 6. Sclf-mds, we muft ay me at God, and not at our fclves in allour w.aies; and then how caly will it be for us to bear croifes, confideting that Gods ends do go on, though our ends be crolfed? 3. Be we furc to lay a good !ot.ndation in a thorow-work ofhumiliation : The feed that fell upon the llony ground withered,and although for a while it was received with joy, yet when tribulation and perfecution arofe, by and by he !Vas offended : Mark the expreffion, by and by, he was prefently offended, and all becaufe there was no deprh of earth, there was not a thorow-work of humiliation. Some think the burthens of . afflictions grcat,becaufe they never fe\t what the weight and burthen of fio meant; but that foul which conflantly txercifeth it felf in the work of humiliation for fin, which burthcns it fclf with the weight of its fins, and is willing to lye under fin for further breaking ofSpirit, that foul (I fay) will be able to endure croffes, and to fl:and under fore afflictions. 4 . Be we careful to preferve our inward peace with God and our own confciences. Ifvapours be not got into the earth,and ftirrc there, 2ll the ltorms and tempefis abroad can never make ;n earthquake; fo where there is peace within, all troubles and op– pofitions without cannot fhake the heart. Having peace wirh Cod, ~ >Ve glvry in mbu!atiom. We are not onely patient under them , but we glory in them. 0 then let that time that God gives us yet any refpitc from affii{tions be fpent in making up our peace with God, let us now labour to get clearer evidences , and deeper fcnfe of his love; then fhallwe fuffer any thing f<;>r God,O then we fhall go through fire and water, then fhall we triumph with the Apofllc, I am pcriwaded that mirh<r life, nor death, nor principalities~ nor powers, nor things prefem, nor thmgs to come jl;;~/! C'l/er be able to feparate me from the love of God in Chrift]ejiu. 5· Labour we to fee more into the fulnefs of all good in God. The Lord told A– braham that he was God aljitjfiwm, as the oncly means to fhengthen htm agamft whar– foever evils he was like to meet withal, in God is all the excellency, beauty, comfort, and good of the creature in a moft eminentand glorious manner, and God takes infinite delight in commun!Catmg htmfelf, mlettmg out hts goodnefs to hts.creature: and 1f fo, what is the lofs of any thing to me, when I fee where I can have It made up? what is any bitterncfs when I fee f~ch infinite fweetnefs to fweetcn all? when tem~efrscome upon mariners_ and they be m narrow feas whcr. they want fea-room, there IS danger, but if they have fea-room enough there is no fear; thus if v:e are acquainted with the infinite fulnefs of good in God, we fhould fee our fclve~ fafe tn the mtdft of all tempe!ls, we fhould feel our fpirits quiet under the fo.reft a·ffitctiOns. . 6. Do we humbly and cheerfully fubroit to our prefcntcondition whatfoever it is? Many call: about in their thoughts what they fhall do hereafter tf troubles fhould b~fall them, and yet in the mean time they negle{t the duties of their prefent condttwn; Surely if we would go on humbly and patiently in the performance of the dutt(S that God
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