CHAP. XII. 6.] PRACTICAL OBSERVATIONS, 531
sions of sin. 8. The vigour of our minds, in the constant exercise of spiritual strength, is required hereunto. 9. Without this we shall be surprised, wounded, and at last destroyed by our enemy. 10. They that would abide faithful in their profession in times of trial ought constantly to bear in mind and be armed against the worst of evils that they may be called unto on the account thereof.
Ver. 5.—1. This is a blessed effect of divine wisdom, that the sufferings which we undergo from men for the profession of the gospel shall be also chastisements of love from God, to our spiritual advantage. 2. The gospel never requires our suffering, but if we examine ourselves we shall find that we stand in need of the divine chastisement in it. 8. When, by the wisdom of God, we can dis- cern that what we suffer on the one hand is for the glory of God and the gospel, and on the other is necessary to our own sanctifica- tion, we shall be prevailed with to patience and perseverance. 4 Where there is sincerity in faith and obedience, let not men despond if they find themselves called to suffer for the gospel when they seem to be unfit and unprepared for it, seeing it is the design of God by those sufferings, whereunto they are called on a public account, to purify and cleanse them from their present evil frames. 5. The want of a diligent consideration of the provision that God hath made in the Scripture for our encouragement to duty and comfort under difficulties is a sinful forgetfulness, and is of dangerous consequence to our souls, 6. Usually God gives to believers the most evident pledges of their adoption when they are in their sufferings and under their afflictions. 7. It is a tender case to be under troubles and afilictions, which requires our utmost diligence, watchfulness, and care about it. 8. When God’s chastisements in our troubles and afflictions are reproofs also, when he gives us a sense in them of his displeasure against our sins, and we are reproved by him, yet even then he requires of us that we should not faint nor despond, but cheerfully apply ourselves unto his mind and calls. 9. A sense of God’s displeasure against our sins, and of his reproving us for them, is consistent with an evidence of our adoption, yea, may be an evi- dence of it. 10. A due consideration of this sacred truth, namely, that all our troubles, persecutions, and afflictions, are divine chastise- ments and reproofs, whereby God evidenceth unto us our adoption, and that he instructs us for our advantage, is an effectual means to preserve us in patience and perseverance unto the end of our trials.
Ver. 6.—1. In all our afflictions, the resignation of ourselves unto the sovereign pleasure, infinite wisdom, and goodness of God, is the only means or way of preserving us from fainting, weariness, or neglect of duty. 2. Love is antecedent unto chastening. 3. Chas- tising is an effect of his love. 4, Unto chastisement is required that
532 SUMMARY OF DOCTRINAL AND [CHAP. XII. 7.
the person chastised be in a state wherein there is sin, or that he be asinner. 5. Divine love and chastening are inseparable. 6. Where _ chastisement evidenceth itself (as it doth many ways, with respect unto God the author of it, and those that are chastised) not to be penal, it is a broad seal set to the patent of our adoption. 7. This being the way and manner of God’s dealing with his children, there is all the reason in the world why we should acquiesce in his sove- reign wisdom therein, and not faint under hischastisement. 8. No particular person hath any reason to complain of his portion in chastisement, seeing this is the way of God’s dealing with all his children.
Ver. 7.1. Afflictions or chastisements are no pledges of our adoption, but when and where they are endured with patience. 2. It is the internal frame of heart and mind under chastisements that lets in and receives a sense of God’s design and intention towards usin them. 38. This way of dealing becomes the relation between God and believers, as father and children,—namely, that he should chastise, and they should bear it patiently.
Ver. 8.—1. There are no sons of God, no real partakers of adop- tion, that are without some crosses or chastisements in this world. 2. It is an act of spiritual wisdom, in all our troubles to find out and discern divine paternal chastisements; without which we shall never behave ourselves well under them, nor obtain any advantage by them. 3. There are in the visible church, or among professors, some that have no right unto the heavenly inheritance. 4. The joyous state of freedom from affliction is such as we ought always to watch over with great jealousy, lest it should be a leaving of us out of the discipline of the family of God.
Ver. 9, 10.—1. It is the duty of parents to chastise their children, if need be, and of children to submit thereto. 2. It is good for us to have had the experience of a reverential submission unto paternal chastiserments, as from thence we may be convinced of the equity and necessity of submission unto God in all our afflictions. 38. No man can understand the benefit of divine chastisement who under- stands not the excellency of a participation of God’s holiness. 4 If under chastisements we find not an increase of holiness in some especial instances or degrees, they are utterly lost; we have nothing but the trouble and sorrow of them. 5. There can be no greater pledge nor evidence of divine love in afflictions than this, that God designs by them to make us partakers of his holiness, to bring us nearer to him, and make us more like him.