VI. VII VIII. IX. X. XL XII. XIII. Osefions, andCafes of Confcience about 41i5iions. Chap.7c 3. 3. To worfhip God fpiritually, to make Chrifi his joy, and to laydown all confidence in the fleth. 3. Hereby they are made helpful to all For t. We cannot pity others till experience bath taught us. 2. We will not be ferviceable till atlii&ion hath hum bled and broken us. 3. Weknownot how to comfort others till out (elves have beenwounded and healed : But when we have learned by experience, we can make our plaifler ferve another man, andcomfort him in the fainatPit`Iion with the fain confolation, a (.0r. r... . See D-. Harris's Davids comfort,p. 56. Quell. Whydoth god fii r holy irmen to be af¡üEEled ? Anfw. Saint Chry foJlomc hath fet downeiuht Reafons, to which more may be J added. Fiat, becaufe otherwife they would grow proud of their gifts and gra- ces. Secondly, lea others fhould over-value them, and account them Gods ra- ther then men. Thirdly, that Gods power might thebetter appear in their weaknefle. Fourthly, that their patience might be manifeiled, and made exemplary, as in Job. Fifthly, to minde and allure us of the Refurreilion. For if man fuffer not any that hath taken pairiesfor him to go away unrewarded: much lefle will God ftffer fuchas have endured fo much forhim, togo awayuncrowned, Rom. S. [7. Sixthly, For the confolation ofothers, when they fee that all things fall a- like to all. Seventhly,Thar we may thebetter imitate them in their vertues,when by their fufferim s we fee that they were Partakers of the fame nature with our felves. Lighthly,that we may be enabled to judge aright who are indeed happy, and who are truly calamitous and miferable. Ninthly, for the clearing of his own juf ice, as in David. Tenthly, for purging out corruption by the rod of correelion. Eleventhly, ro wean them from the world by embittering it to them ; as in theProdigal. Twelfthly, to prevent finne by hedging up the way with thornes, Hofea z. 6. Thirteenrhly, CO make them flie to God, as the childe to the mother when its flighted. See Stock on c.illal. ch. 3. p.236. Qef}. But whatfrail wefay toextraordinary affliction ? o fnfw. They are no good proofs of a bad perfon or condition, as in Job, &c. Obj. But would God fo affliöl me if Iwere his childe ? Anfw. So? How fo? .10170 croffed in achilde as never man was: fo ungrateful: fo unna- tural? vinfw. Yea, except David: Eli : and yet they were beloved. Obj. Oh, but I have facha beat to my husbandas never woman had? Anfw. Yea, Abigail. Obj. Oh, but my ellate is fobroken, that l amworth nothing? Anfw. So was Davids at Zikjag : So Naomies, andyet beloved. Obj. Oh, but I havefoldall, and now want bread? Anfw. So did the widow ofSarepta, z Kings+ r. So Neh. `ç. 2. &c. and Lam.5.6, ro. Obj. Oh, but my body isfmitten too ? c6.-(-14"-244, Aefiv,
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=