A guide to godlynesse or a Treatise of a Christian life shewing the duties wherein it consisteth, the helpes inabling & the reasons parswading vnto it ye impediments hindering ye practise of it, and the best meanes to remoue them whereunto are added diuers prayers and a treatise of carnall securitie by Iohn Douname Batcheler in Diuinitie and minister of Gods Word.

§. Sect. 3 That we must beare our af∣flictions with patience, and what things are required heereunto.

And these are the rules which are to bee obserued before afflictions be∣fall vs. In our afflictions, the mayne duty to be performed, is, that we beare them with patience, which is that passiue obedience whereby wee submit our selues vnto Gods will, with all meekenesse, humility, and contentation in all estates, bearing his fatherly chastisements quietly, constantly, and willingly, till hee deliuer vs, and giue vnto vs lawfull meanes to bee freed from our afflictions. So that if wee would rightly demeane our selues in the time of our troubles, wee must beare them with patience, vnto which is required, first, obedience, humility, and contentation, whereby wee meekely submit our selues vnto Gods good pleasure to bee chastized of him, and to beare that crosse which he imposeth, saying with Eli, It is the * 1.1 Lord, let him doe what seemeth good vnto him; and with Dauid, Heere I am, * 1.2 let him doe vnto me, as it seemeth good in his eyes; and with our Sauiour Christ; Not as I will, but as thou wilt. Secondly, that we beare our crosse * 1.3 quietly, with Dauid, not opening our mouthes to murmure and mutter, * 1.4 because it is the Lord that hath imposed it, and professing with Iob, that we will lay our hands vpon our mouthes, keepe silence, and speake no more. And * 1.5 howsoeuer we may and ought to grieue moderately in our afflictions, as being the chastizements of our heauenly Father, for our sinnes, which the Apostle telleth vs we must not despise, yet we must labour as much as may * 1.6 be, to be free from tumultuous passion, from repining against Gods pro∣uidence, or raging against the inferiour meanes of our afflictions, which are but as rods in his hands; imitating as neere as wee can the example of our Sauiour Christ, who was brought out as a sheepe to the slaughter, and as * 1.7 a sheepe before the shearer is dumbe, so opened he not his mouth. Thirdly, there is required constancy, whereby wee resolue to beare our burthen so long, till God who laid it vpon vs, doe put to his helping hand and take it off; that is, we must not vse vnlawfull meanes to shift it from vs, nor murmure against Gods prouidence whilest it lyeth heauy vpon vs, but hold out to beare it with all patience, till God giue vs lawfull meanes to be eased of it. Which that we may doe, we must, after one assault is past, prepare our selues for another, and like good Pilots in a storme, after wee haue broken many billowes, we are not to be secure, but still be in readinesse expecting

others, neuer ceasing our care and diligence till, we be safely arriued in the Hauen of rest. And this our Sauiour hath warned vs of, when hee saith, that he who will bee his Disciple, must take vp his crosse daily and follow him; * 1.8 And the Apostle Iames would not haue our patience, onely to begin well, but to haue her perfect worke and lacke nothing. Lastly, there is required to * 1.9 this patience, that we beare our afflictions willingly and cheerefully; not because we can doe no otherwise, but with all alacrity and readinesse, as * 1.10 being sent of God, who by his wisedome and power can; and in respect of his goodnesse and truth, will dispose of them for our good. And this our cheerefulnesse must shew it selfe in our readinesse to praise and mag∣nifie Gods Name: not so much in regard of the afflictions themselues (though in respect of that greater measure, which our sinnes haue deser∣ued, wee haue in our greatest afflictions iust cause to blesse God with Iob, * 1.11 and with the Church to acknowledge the mercies of the Lord, in that we * 1.12 are not vtterly consumed) as in regard of his wisedome, goodnesse, and truth, whereby he causeth them to worke together for the best, and to serue as meanes to further our saluation. And this the Apostle Peter requireth, that if any man suffer as a Christian, he should not be ashamed, but glorifie God * 1.13 on this behalfe. The which was practised by Paul and Silas, who when they * 1.14 were cast into the dungeon, and after they were cruelly whipped, put into the stockes, bore all with patience, and expressed their thankfulnesse by singing of Psalmes. Secondly, our cheerefulnesse must shew it selfe, by our spirituall reioycing and ioy in the holy Ghost; not in respect of our afflicti∣ons themselues, which in their owne nature, or as they are fruits of sinne, doe iustly bring with them griefe and mourning, but in respect of the fruits and benefits, which through Gods infinite wisedome and goodnesse, they bring vnto vs in this life and the life to come. And in this regard our Sa∣uiour willeth his Disciples to reioyce in their persecutions, because their re∣ward * 1.15 was great in heauen. The which they accordingly performed, reioy∣cing when they were beat at the commandement of the Councell, be∣cause they were thought worthy to suffer rebuke for Christs Name. Vnto * 1.16 which high degrees of patience, though wee cannot attaine in any per∣fection, yet must we labour and striue after them, and though wee cannot hit the marke of perfection, yet we must shoote as neere it as we can, being * 1.17 in the meane time sorry for our wants and infirmities; and vsing all good meanes whereby they may be supplied.

Notes

• * 1.1

  1. Sam. 3. 18.
• * 1.2

  2. Sam. 15. 26.
• * 1.3

  Mat. 26. 39, 42.
• * 1.4

  Psal. 39. 9.
• * 1.5

  Iob 39. 37.
• * 1.6

  Heb. 12. 6. Ier. 5. 3.
• * 1.7

  Esa. 53. 7.
• * 1.8

  Luk. 9. 23.
• * 1.9

  Iam. 1. 4.
• * 1.10

  Rom. 8. 18, 28. 2. Cor. 4. 17.
• * 1.11

  Iob 1. 21.
• * 1.12

  Ier. 3. 22.
• * 1.13

  1. Pet. 4. 16.
• * 1.14

  Act. 16. 25.
• * 1.15

  Mat. 5. 11, 12.
• * 1.16

  Act. 5. 41. Rom. 5. 3. 1. Thes. 1. 6.
• * 1.17

  Iam. 1. 5.