God's anger

4. Delight the soul; which is the last circumstance, ⟨p. 70⟩the effect of all. All Gods war is for peace: Pacem habet voluntas, bellum necessitas. We should never have felt such a conflict, if God had not intended us such a conquest. Sin disquiets the heart; yet through his grace, this disquiet breeds repentance, repentance procureth forgiveness, forgiveness restoreth peace, and peace delights the soul. The sharpness of the trouble advanceth the sweetness of the joy: as Christs sufferings abound, so his comforts superabound. Every penitent tear that falls from the eye, springs up a flower of comfort. Look how full the vessels were of water, so full doth our Saviour render ¹them of wine. In hell are all sorrows without any comforts: in heaven are all comforts, without any sorrows: on earth, good and bad, sweet and sour, miseries and mercies, sorrows and comforts are blended together. If here were nothing but sorrows, earth would be thought hell; if nothing but comforts, it would be thought heaven. But that we may know it to be, as indeed it is, neither heaven nor hell, but between both, and the way to either; we have a vicissitude of troubles and delights. That as of old they painted King Solomon; because learned men were divided in their opinions of him; some casting him to hell, others advancing him to heaven: therefore a third moderate sort painted him half in heaven, and half in hell: so the Christian, in regard of his sorrows, seems half confounded; and in respect of his comforts, half saved. But as indeed, Solomon after all his ⟨p. 71⟩errors found mercy; so the Christian after all his sorrows shall find comfort. His beginning may seem troublesome, his proceeding not delightsome, but his later end is peace. Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright; for the end ²of that man is peace. His heart was troubled, his soul shall be delighted.

4. Delight the soul; which is the last circumstance, ⟨p. 70⟩the effect of all. All Gods warre is for peace: Pacem habet voluntas, bellum necessitas. Wee should never have felt such a conflict, if God had not intended us such a conquest. Sin disquiets the heart; yet through his grace, this disquiet breeds repentance, repentance procureth forgiveness, forgivenesse restoreth peace, and peace delights the soul. The sharpenesse of the trouble advanceth the sweetnesse of the joy: as Christs sufferings abound, so his comforts superabound. Every penitent tear that falls from the eye, springs up a flower of comfort. Look how full the vessells were of water, so full doth our Saviour render