344 The Profit ofAffliEliorls, or, The Analyfis ent in order to their poffeffìon of the purchafed inheritance; as the Scripture.abun- of the Chap- dandy treateth of, fo atoff frequentlydin the Epitle, -and more efpecially, in the to; tc sr, and rz. Chapters. In the latter end of the tenth Chapt. you havethe Apoffle there,firft dogmatically handling the do&rine of Faith, asThe neceffary means to attaineverlafting life, and as the principal conducement to the poffc7ion of glory, and to the faving of the foul ; Thelull fha(1 live by Faith. In the beginning of theeleventh Chapter, he fheweth the abfolute neceflity of Faith, to an acceptable walking, and well- pleafing of God ; For without faith ( verse 6. ) it is imptble to pleafe God : and the w hole Chapter is further (pent in letting down the glorious Examples, ofAbel, and Enoch, and Noah, andAbraham, and the reffof the Elders, eminentfor theirFaith, by which (faith he) they received agoodreport : All whom, did worthily in their daycs, and arenow become famous to poffert y ; ffanditwgout to this day, as fo many living voyces, callingupon us to became Mowersofthem, that we might together with them, beat length made par- takers of theglorious inheritaizee ofthe Saints in light. The Apoffle, have fpoken much to thispurpofe, goeth on, to that other grace we fpake of; fo neceffary to the conffitutionof a Chriftian, and to the enabling of him to a well and faithful managing ofhis Cailing,and condition,and that is Patience. Propounded by way of exhortation in the firff part of this twelfth Chapter ; and urged with refpe& to-the neceffary ules of it, both concerning duties done, and affli&ionstè be endured, in the verfes following. Firff with refpe& to duties,which the ApoRle propoundethunderthe Metaphor ofrunning in a race (for fuck is the courfe of a Chriffian life; which the Saints of God are called to the finifhing of) Let us run the race that is fitbefore us ; andrun with Patience. Secondly; it is urged with refpe& to fufferings, and that of two forts, frommen, fromGod. From men, from whom the faithful are to make account of fufferings in divers kinds,in fhame and derifion,in proud and infolentcontradi&ions,and (according to their power and opportunity) in bloody perfecutions, To. have notyet refifledunto blood, verf.4. FromGod: and here the Apoftleismore large,urginghis exhortation to Patience, and a quid applying ofour felves to God,according to all theRates and conditions he is pleafed to bringus unto,and according to all his feveral adminihrations towards ' us ; very ftrongly, labouring to faflen it in the hearts of the Saints ofGod, as a nail in a fareplace ; firh alledging that fame paffàge ofSolomon in the Proverbs ; My Son,defpafe not thou the chaflening ofthe Lord. Andthenhe further frengtheneth his exhortation by invincible arguments.(I dobut touch upon thefe things,haftening on to the mainthing I intend ; onlydefiring to give you a plain, and brief Analyfis 'ofthis Scripture,with the context of it.)TheApohle (I fay) driveth on this exhor- tation by fhrength of argument ; And that fiat ofall,by propounding to the godly, that whereas the Lord is plea- fed, to exercife themwith affiietions4, to make them drink many times ofacupof bittcrnefs, yet they have reafon to be quiet andpatient, becaufethis way the Lord ! giveth a proof of his love to his children: and thofe thatare wifeand godly,will be glad ( they have reafon fo to be) that God (hould take filch a courfe withthem,as; whereby he may give them a dcmonffration ofhis dear love and affe&ion: Now; herein the Lord evidenceth his love and affe&ion to his people;for allthe affli&ions and chaftifcments that he excrcifeth them withal,flow fromhis love,and are asfruits' thereof, For (faith he) whom the Lord loveth, be chafleneth, andfcourgetbeveryfon whom he receiveth, verf. 6. Secondly, he propoundeth it to their confideration as a courfe wherein the Lord giveth an evidence of his peoples adoption : For , what fon se he whom the Father, chafleneth not ? But if ye be without chaffifement, whereof all bis children are par-) takers, then are yebeards andnotfont, veri 78. Now the godly Mould beglad,1 to havethe Lord take filch a courfe with them, and fo to order out his adminiffrati-! ons
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