the duty of a Christian lies most in two points.
First in doing, or in active obedience.
Secondly in suffering, or in passive obedience, and there is as much of God, as much of grace, as much of holiness, yea I may say much more held out in bearing and in suffering, then there is in acting or in doing.
But you will say, what is it to bear, that you make it so difficult a matter to bear chastisements? How must chastisements be born? or what is it to bear them?
I will answer the question under two heads. First, Negatively, To bear chastisement is not
First, meerly to finde or feel it upon our shoulders as a burthen which pincheth or presseth us; so a beast may bear.
Secondly, it is not a bearing meerly because we cannot help it, or be rid of our burden, for so the worst of men may bear; they bear the greatest burthens that God layeth upon them, because they cannot avoid them, nor ease themselves of them.
Thirdly, It is not a bearing stoutly, or slightingly, to make no∣thing of it; so proud men bear, men of unsubdued spirits unto God, and his word, regard not what they bear, nor what God doth to them.
Fourthly, It is not a bearing them sowrly or sullenly; for so discontented persons bear; yea, so the devil beareth the burthen which the hand of God hath laid upon him.
Fifthly, Nor is it a bearing chastisement faintly or dispondingly; so weak believers bear. To bear and faint, is not the bearing of faith. Neither of these are the bearing of chastisement which E∣lihu intends in this counsel, when he saith, It is meet to be said unto God, I have born chastisment. Thus ye see the Negative, what the bearing of it is not?
Secondly, I answer affirmatively, To bear a chastisement as an act or work of grace, is
First to bear it sensibly; that is, feeling the weight of the hand of God, and tasting the bitterness of that cup of sorrow which he giveth us to drink.
Secondly, 'Tis a bearing of it submittingly, humbly, patiently, laying our selves down at the foot of God, and saying, as Eli did, Let him do what seemeth him good; or as David, (2 Sam. 15.26.) Behold, here I am, let him do to me as seemeth good unto him. We