but why speake I of these things by which my affections became
bitter unto mee, and my selfe though I was well yet suffered in
my friends, being as all members of one body25;
II cor.1.7
but my hope is stedfast that as I have ben
partakers
of the\ir/ sufferings so I shall be also of the consolation;
which in sum sort I then was in there recoverry, and now more fully calling to
mind
these comforttable places of Scripture
psa. 9o4 Blessed is the man whom thou chastisest O
Lord, and teachest in
thy laws
,
psa. 119 It is good for mee that I have
bene afflicted that I may learne thy Statutes
,
lam. 3.27 It is good for a man to beare the
yoke in his
youth
pro. 6.33 26corrections for instruction
are the way* of life
heb. 12.6.10 whom the Lord loveth he
chasteneth. and that for
our profit that wee might be partakers of his holinesse,
II Cor. 4.17 our light affliction which is but
for a moment,
causeth unto us afarre most excellent and an eternall weight of glory:
and Saint paul saith
II Cor. 11.30 if I must needs rejoyce I will rejoyce of
mine infirmities:
I pet. 4.
13
but much more shall wee rejoyce when
I cor. 15.54 death shalbe swallowed up into victory
by
reve 5.6 9 verses that Lambe which hath so dearely bought us
;
Upon Consideration of these yeeres
psal. 143.2 not as one
[s]aith
not child
Blotch on the paper between 'not' and
'child'.
of a day old
Enter not into jugment with thy Servant O Lord for no flesh is righteous in
thy sight
, I find them altogether corrupt and my best actions are impure before thee,
yet
S Aus 27
thou O my King hast allowed of the
Charracter of
humility in the stature of Childhood saying I cor. 4.4 if I knew nothing by my
selfe yet
were I not thereby justified.
job 9.20 if I should goe about to justify my selfe I
should
therein be found a sinner
psal 19.12 who can tell how oft he offendeth cleanse mee
O Lord from my secret faults;
I \have/ considered of my praying when I was a yong Child unto thee, and
thought
it better not to have done it, because that I uttered a vocall kind of Servis
talking like a parrit rather of custom then devotion, and littel better after
more
of devotion then of knowlege; speaking words too
wonderfull for mee28;
yet upon consideration I thinke better of
of such us the Kingdome of God, as these yeares increast so my sinnes were the greater both in wayte and number, esspeshally as I had the more knowlege to doe better; yet I know ignorrance shall not excuse \me/
25. This concept occurs in several places in the
Pauline letters, including
Ephesians 4:25,
I Corinthians 12:12, and
Romans
12:5
.
26. Proverbs 6:23 in KJV.
27. The quotation is from the Confessions Book I,
chapter 19, p. 60 in Watts' translation.
28. Quotation from Job 42:3