A treatise of the divine promises in five bookes : in the first, a generall description of their nature, kinds, excellency, right use, properties, and the persons to whom they belong : in the foure last, a declaration of the covenant it selfe .../ by Edvvard Legh ...

2. To qualifie them if they doe come. GOD will qualifie Afflictions to his children.

He will correct them.

• 1. In great wisedome, which is seene in two things:

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  • 1. In the meetnesse of correction, Heb. 12.9, 10. Furthermore wee had fathers of our flesh, which corrected us, and wee gave them reve∣rence: shall wee not much rather be in sub∣iection to the father of spirits and live? For they verily for a few daies chastened us after their owne pleasure; but hee for our profit, that wee might be partakers of his holinesse. Earthly Parents oft correct their children after their owne pleasure to satisfie their will: but GOD our hea∣venly Father in great wisdome considereth,* 1.1 with what correction, and when to cha∣stize his, so as may be most for their profit, yea the best profit,

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  • to repaire his image of holinesse in them.
  • 2. In the just measure and continuance there∣of,* 1.2 Ier. 46.28. & 30.11. Esay 27.7, 8. 1 Cor. 10.13. they shall not be tempted above their strength, GOD will not lay more on man then is meet, that he should enter into iudge∣mēt with God, Iob 34.23 Affliction is mo∣mentany, CHRIST comforts his Disciples with the shortnesse of afflictions, Ioh. 16.16. GOD will not keepe his anger for ever, Ier. 3.12. Ezek. 16.42. Micah 7.18. nor cast off for ever, Lam. 3.31.* 1.3 David had great ex∣perience of this, as he often professeth, Psal. 30.5. Psal. 103.9. The rod of the wicked shall

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  • not rest upon the lot of the righteous Psalme 125.3.
• * 1.42. In love and tendernesse, GOD compareth him∣selfe to a Father, Psal. 103.13, 14. to a Mother, Esay 49.15, 16. I will not execute the fiercenesse of mine anger, for I am GOD and not man, He∣sea 11.9. and in the 8. verse he saith,* 1.5 His heart is turned within him, his repentings are kindled toge∣ther. GOD there imi∣tates parents (saith Theo∣doret) when any misery is upon a child, their bowels yearne more. There is an ex∣cellent expression in Iudg. 10.16. His soule was grieved for the misery of Israel. He doth not afflict willingly, nor grieve the children of men, Lam. 3.33. Judgement is called

• his Strange worke, Esay 28.21. which wee in∣force him unto. At{que} dolet quoties cogitur esse ferox. In all their afflicti∣ons hee is afflicted, Esay 63.9. Affliction cannot separate from his love, Rom. 8.35, 39. He preser∣veth their teares (as pre∣tious liquor) in his bottle, Psal. 56.8. See Psal. 116.15. Psal. 31.7. Psal. 38.9. Psal. 145.8, 9.

Notes

• * 1.1

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 nocumenta, documenta. Schola cru∣cis, schola lu¦cis. Detrimen∣ta Corporum, incrementa virtutum. Gregory.
• * 1.2

  Psal 119.75.
• * 1.3

  Esay 10.25. & 26 20. Ch. 54.7, 8. Chap 57.16.

  Hos. 6.2. Heb 10.37. 1 Pet. 1.6. & 5.10.
• * 1.4

  God hath the wisdome of a Father, and the bowels of a Mother.
• * 1.5

  Ier. 31.21. A child ne∣ver sits so much on his mothers lap, and in her bosome, as when sick; so the Spouse being sick of love, that is, in some mi∣sery, Christ stayeth her with fl••gons, comforts her with apples; his left hand is under her head, and his right hand doth embrace her, Cant. 2.5, 6.