seeing thou hast not withheld thy Son, thine only Son from me.

God delights to call forth his champions to meet with great temptations, to make them bear crosses of more than ordinary weight; as commanders in war put men of most valour and skill, upon the hardest services. God sets some strong furious trial upon a strong christian made strong by his own grace; and by his victory, makes it appear to the world, that though there is a great deal of the counterfeit coin of profession in religion, yet some there are, that have the power, the reality of it, and that it is not an invention, but there is truth in it, that the invincible grace, the very Spirit of God dwells in the hearts of true believers, that he hath a number that do not only speak big, but do indeed and in good earnest despise the world, and overcome it by his strength. Some men take delight to see some kind of beasts fight together; but to see a christian mind encountering some great affliction and conquering it, to see his valour, in not sinking at the hardest distresses of this life, nor the most affrightful end of it, the cruelest kinds of death, for his sake, this is (as one said) dignum deo spectaculum, this is a combat that God delights to look upon, and he is not a mere beholder in it; for it is the power of his own grace that enables and supports the christian in all those conflicts and temptations.

Through manifold temptations.] This expresses a multitude of temptations, and those too of divers kinds, many and manifold. It were no hard condition to have a trial now and then, with long ease and prosperity betwixt; but to be plied with one affliction at the heels of another, to have them come thronging in by multitudes and of different kinds, uncouth, unaccustomed evils, such as a man hath not been acquainted with before, this is that which is often the portion of those that are the beloved of God', Deep calleth unto deep, at the

i Psal. xlii. 7.

noise of thy water-spouts; all thy waves, and thy billows are gone over me.

Ye are in heaviness.] This the Apostle blames not, but aims at the moderating of it. Seek not altogether to dry up this stream, but to bound it, and keep it within its banks. Grace doth not destroy the life of nature, but adds to it a life more excellent, yea grace doth not only permit but requires some feeling of afflictions. There is an affected pride of spirit in some men, instead of patience; suitable to the doctrine of the Stoicks (as it is usually taken) they strive, not to feel at all the afflictions that are on them; but this is to despise the correction of the Lord, which is alike forbidden, as fainting under it. We should not stop our ears but hear the rod, and him that hath appointed it, as the Prophet speaks'. Where there is no feeling at all, there can be no patience. Consider it as the hand of God, and thence argue the soul into submission". I was dumb, I opened not my mouth, because thou didst it. But this heaviness is mitigated, and set as it were within its banks, betwixt these two considerations, 1. The utility, 2. The brevity of it. The profitableness, and the shortness of it.

To a worldly man great gain sweetens the hardest labour; and to a christian, spiritual profit and advantage may do much to move him to take with those afflictions well that are otherwise very unpleasant, though they are not joyous for the present; yet this allays the sorrow of them, the fruit that grows out of them, that peaceable fruit of righteousness".

A bundle of folly is in the heart of a child, but the rod of correction shall beat it out, saith Solomon. Though the children of God are truly (as our Saviour calls them) the children of wisdom; yet being renewed only in part, they are not altogether free from those folliès that call for this rod to beat them out, and sometimes have such a bundle of Heb. xii. 5. 1 Micah vi. 9. m Psal. xxxix. 9. n Heb. xii. 11.

follies as require a bundle of rods to be spent upon it, many and manifold afflictions.

It is not an easy matter to be drawn from, nor to be beaten from the love of this world, and this is that which God mainly requires of his children, that they be not in love with the world, nor the things of it; for that is contrary to the love of God, and so far as that is entertained, this is wanting. And if in the midst of afflictions they are sometimes subject to this disease, how would it grow upon them with ease and prosperity? When they are beaten from one worldly folly or delight, they are ready through nature's corruption, to lay hold upon some other, being thrust out from it at one door, to enter at some other: and as children unwilling to be weaned, if one breast be imbittered, they seek to the other; and therefore there must be somewhat to drive them from that too. Thus it is clear, there is need, yea great need of afflictions, yea of many afflictions, that the Saints be chastened by the Lord, that they may not be condemned with the world.

Many resemblances there are for illustration of this truth, in things both of nature and of art: some common, and others choicer; but these are not needful. The experience of christians tells them, how easily they grow proud and secure and carnal with a little ease, and when outward things go smoothly with them; and therefore what unhappiness were it for them to be very happy that way?

Let us learn then, that in regard of our present frailty there is need of afflictions, and so not promise ourselves exemption, how calm soever our seas are for the present; and then for the number and measure and weight of them, to resign that wholly into the hands of our wise Father and physician, who perfectly knows our mould and our maladies, and what kind and quantity of chastisement is needful for our cure.

Though now for a season (if need be) ye are in

1 Cor. xi. 32.

heaviness.] The other consideration that moderates this heaviness, is its shortness: because we willingly forget eternity, therefore this moment seems much in our eyes; but if we could look upon it aright, of how little concernment is it, what be our condition here? If it were as prosperous as we could wish or imagine, it is but for a little season; the rich man in the Gospel talked of many years, but, Thou fool, this night shall thy soul be required of thee, was the longest period. The many years are quickly drawn to a very great abatement, and if full of pains and griefs, those do help to put an end to themselves, and hasten to it. Then well might St. Austin say, Hic ure, cæde, modò ibi parcas, use me here as pleaseth thee, so as that hereafter it may be well with me.

Wherein.] This word, though it cannot fall amiss, being referred to any particular, to which interpreters have appropriated it, yet it is rather to be taken as relative to the whole complex sense of the preceding verses, concerning the hope of glory. In this thing ye rejoice, that ye are begotten again; that there is such an inheritance, and that you are made heirs of it; that it is kept for you, and you for it; that nothing can come betwixt you and it, to disappoint you of possessing and enjoying it, though there be many deserts and mountains and seas in the way, yet you are ascertained, that you shall come safe thither.

This is but one thing, but the cause of your grief is temptations, and manifold temptations, yet this one thing weighs down all that multitude; the heart being grieved in one thing, naturally looks out for its ease to some other; and there is usually somewhat that is a man's great comfort, that he turns his thoughts to, when he is crossed and afflicted in other things: but herein lies the folly of the world, that the things they chuse for their refuge and comfort, are such as may change themselves, and turn into discomfort and sorrow; but the godly man (that is, the fool in the natural man's

eyes) goes beyond all the rest in his wise choice in this. He rises above all that is subject to change, casts his anchor within the vail. That in which he rejoiceth is still matter of joy unmoveable and unalterable, though not only his estate, but the whole world were turned upside down, yet this is the same, or rather in the Psalmist's words, Though the earth were removed, and the greatest mountains cast into the sea, yet will not we fear. When we shall receive that rich and pure and abiding inheritance, that salvation that shall be revealed in the last time, and when time itself shall cease to be, then there shall be no more reckoning of our joys by days and hours, but they shall run parallel with eternity. When all our love that is scattered and parcelled out upon the vanities amongst which we are here, shall be united and gathered into ore, and fixed upon God, and the soul filled with the delight of his presence.

The sorrow was limited, and bounded by these considerations we spoke of; but this joy, this exultation, and leaping for joy (for so it is) is not bounded, it cannot be too much; its measure is to know no measure. The afflictions, the matter of heaviness, are but a transient touch of pain; but that whereon this joy is built is most permanent, the measure of it cannot exceed, for the matter of it is infinite and eternal, beyond all hyperbole. There is no expression we have can reach it, much less go beyond it; itself is the hyperbole, still surpassing all that can be said of it. Even in the midst of heaviness itself, such is this joy that can maintain itself in the depth of sorrow; this oil of gladness still swims above, and cannot be drowned by all the floods of affliction, yea it is often most sweet in the greatest distress. Then the soul relishes spiritual joy best, when it is not glutted with worldly delights, but finds them turned into bitterness.

For application. In that we profess ourselves christians, we all pretend to be the sons of God,

P Psal. xlvi. 2.