Moses his choice with his eye fixed upon Heaven, discovering the happy condition of…

Lastly, let us not only be contented under Gods ¹afflicting hand, but labour to thrive under it, to improve all our afflictions that befall us; Certainly, there is a blessing in every Ordinance of God, if we have wisdom and care to draw it forth, to make it our own; and so in this way of God towards his people, it is indeed a gracious work, to get our hearts lye quietly under affliction, but it is too low a work for a Christian to rest there, he must look to improve every affliction for his advantage. By improving them we make our Benonies, our Benjamins; that is, the sons of our sorrow, the sons of our right hand. Although waters in the Sea be salt, yet if they be raised up to the Heavens, and sent down again, then they are sweet; so though afflictions be brackish, yea brine-salt, yet a spiritual heart can spiritualize them, and make them sweet, and wholesome. ⟨p. 94⟩Afflictions are great opportunities for spiritual advantage, if we have hearts to improve them; and the loss of an affliction is a great loss. S. Augustine in his second book of the City of God, cries out against such, who did not profit by Gods judgement; You, says he, have lost the profit of the calamity: he speaks ²of it as a great loss to them, that it was over, and they had got nothing by it: As it is a sign of great wickedness, to turn blessings into curses; so it is a sign of great grace, to turn curses into blessings. By this improvement we shall not only get water, but honey out of the rock.

Lastly, let us not onely be contented under Gods ¹afflicting hand, but labour to thrive under it, to improve all our afflictions that befal us; Certainly, there is a blessing in every Ordinance of God, if we have wisdom and care to draw it forth, to make it our own; and so in this way of God towards his people, it is indeed a gracious work, to get our hearts lye quietly under affliction, but it is too low a work for a Christian to rest there, he must look to improve every affliction for his advantage. By improving them we make our Benonies, our Benjamins; that is, the sons of our sorrow, the sons of our right hand. Although waters in the Sea be salt, yet if they be raised up to the Heavens, and sent down again, then they are sweet; so though afflictions be brackish, yea brine-salt, yet a spiritual heart can spiritualize them, and make them sweet, and wholesom.