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VVE commonly say, that a rod now and then is as good for children as their meat, and God knows that it is so for his; should he spate his rod, and should his soul spare them for their crying, he should spoil his children.
1 Pet. 1.6. For a season (if need be) ye are in hea∣vinass. If God do not correct us for his own pleasure (as it is certain he doth not; for judg∣ment is his strange act, neither doth he willing∣ly afflict the children of men) then surely it is for our profit. We read in Psa. 55.19. Because men have no changes (viz. from prosperity to adver∣sity, but the mountain of their bappiness stands strong) therefore they fear not God. And ano∣ther Text saith, Put them in fear, that they may know themselves to be but men. (As if men, but for Gods terrifying them by affliction, would conceit themselves to be more than men.) It is tendered as a reason why the Moabites were so wicked, because they had no affliction (at leastwise of a long time.) Jer. 48.11. Moab hath been at ease from his youth, and he hath setled on his ••ees, and hath not been emptied from vessel to vessel, neither hath he gone into captivity: therefore his ••aste remained in him, and his sent is not chan∣ged: Agur gives this reason why he prayed a∣gainst riches, Prov. 30.9. Lest I be full and deny thee, and say who is the Lord? David himself saith, Psal. 119.67. Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now have I kept thy word. Believe these passa∣ges of Scripture, and judge afflictions needless if you can. Wind, (to which actions may be compared) may do some hurt; but if there were no winds the aire would putrifie, and there would be no living in it. Standing waters, as some moats and lakes, and such like (to which persons alwaies in prosperity may be compared) how unwholsome and unuseful are they? As it is necessary that the Sea (and some other wa∣ters) should ebbe as well as flow, and that the
Moon should sometimes decrease, or wane, as well as wax and increase at other times: so for us to have our ebbs as well as our tides our wanes as well as our waxings.
It is a hard thought of God, that he should make us drink bitter and loathsome potions, when we need them not. We cannot finde in our hearts to use our children so, nor yet to correct them (so much as gently) when we think there is no occasion for it. Oh that we should think more meanly of God than of our selves; or more highly of our selves than of the great and ever blessed God. Do we hear him crying out, Hos. 11.8. How shall I deliver thee up Ephraim, how shall I make thee as Admah, and Zeboim, my heart is turned within me, &c. And shall we think he will do such things where there is no need? Take heed of charging God with hypocrisie, who is truth it self. Far be it from us to say, Afflictions are not needful, because our partial selves do not see how needful they are. When will our children confess that they want whipping? spare them till then, and you shall never correct them. Had Paul no need (yea he saith he had) of a messenger of Sathan to buffet him, lest he should be lifted up with the abundance of revelations? we have not his re∣velations, yet are we not as proud as he either was, or was in danger to have been? Some hum∣ble servants of God have said they never had that affliction in all their lives which they did not first or last finde they had need of. He that wants no correction is better than any of those worthies we read of in Scripture; and he that thinks himself so, I am sure hath need of it to
humble him. Read the third chapter, and see how many lessons afflictions do teach us, and then judge if there be none of them you have yet to learn, at leastwise better and more per∣fectly than you have yet done. Can nothing profit us but that which pleaseth us? Physici∣ans know that bitter drinks in many cases are more profitable (though loathsome) than those which are most pleasant.
O Lord, why am I so childishly averse to that which is so needful for me? If those to whom I commit the care of my body, do coun∣sel me to bleed or purge, or to be cupt or sca∣rified, and do advise me to it as necessary for my health, I submit to it, and why do I not submit to thee when thou orderest me un∣pleasant things, which yet are more need∣ful for me? Are not frosts and nipping weather as necessary to kill the weeds, as warm Sun∣shine to ripen the corn? Though no chastening be jo••ous for the present, but grievous, yet if it worketh the peaceable fruits of righteousness (Heb. 12.11.) I desire not only to be patient under it, but also thankful for it.