Sil.
It is sundry and manyfold. It concerneth eyther [ 1] God, Satan, others, or our selues. Concerning God first, wee haue experience of his great might, in that he can vphold vs, 2 Cor. 12, 9. Secondly, of singular mer∣cie, in that he will sustaine and strengthen our mindes. Thirdly, of his meruailous wisedome, in that when hee hath exercised and tried his children, he knoweth how to rid them out of it, 2 Pet. 2, 9. Secondly, concerning Satan, wee haue experience first of his malice and sub∣tilty in tempting and seeking to hurt and destroy vs. [ 2] Secondly, of his vnablenesse to harme them whom God will preserue. Thirdly, of his subiection to God, that he is at his becke for the time and measure of tempting, both how long, and how farre to tempt. Thirdly, con∣cerning [ 3] other men in our afflictions, wee haue experi∣ence of the godly, for they doe manifest vnto vs in our afflictions, their sound Christian loue, by their counsel, prayers, and other duties, as Onesiphorus to Paul, 2 Tim. 1, 16. Also the wicked make knowne their hatred to vs in our afflictions, as Alexander the Coppersmith vnto Paul. Neuters and indifferent ones, do also bewray their vnconstant and vnstable mindes, and the rottennesse of their friendship, as they that forsooke Paul, 2 Tim. 1, 15 Fourthly, the faithfull concerning themselues in their afflictions, they haue experience both of their corrupti∣ons, and of their graces. For their afflictions open vnto them the peruersenesse of their Nature, which before was hid from them, as in Iob. 5. Also their weaknes, how vnable they bee to beare, and how apt to faint vnder burthens, Psal. 116, 11. and moreouer, they haue expe∣rience by their afflictions of their loue to God, and of their faith and trust in God, as also of their meckenesse towards men, and of their fortitude and courage. And lastly, it wil leade them by the hand to another experi∣ence