A supplement to the several discourses upon various divine subjects

2. How should we bewail original sin, the first fall of man. 'Tis a great slighting of God not to take notice either of his judicial, or fatherly proceedings. As we are to lament any particular sin more especially when the judgments of God, which bear the marks of that sin in their foreheads, are upon a nation or person, so, though we are to bewail the sin of our nature at all times, yet more signally when the strokes of God, the remembrancers of it, are most signally upon us. A Child doth more particularly think of his fault when he is under the correcting rod for it. We should scarce think of original sin, if we did not feel original punishment. All the pains of sin should be considered as Gods Sermon to us, and we should under them be afflicted with that sin, as we may suppose Adam and Eve were, when they first heard the punishment denounced in Paradise, when they had a sense of the flourishing Condition they had lost for a slight temptation. To turn sorrow for pain into sorrow for our first sin, is to spiritualize our grief, and sanctify our passion.

2. How should we bewail original sin, the first fall of man. 'Tis a great slighting of God not to take notice either of his judicial, or fatherly proceedings. As we are to lament any particular sin more especially when the judgments of God, which bear the marks of that sin in their foreheads, are upon a nation or person, so, though we are to bewail the sin of our nature at all times, yet more signally when the strokes of God, the remembrancers of it, are most signally upon us. A Child doth more particularly think of his fault when he is under the correcting rod for it. We should scarce think of original sin, if we did not feel original punishment. All the pains of sin should be considered as Gods Sermon to us, and we should under them be afflicted with that sin, as we may suppose Adam and Eve were, when they first heard the punishment denounc'd in Paradice, when they had a sense of the flourishing Condition they had lost for a slight temptation. To turn sorrow for pain into sorrow for our first sin, is to spiritualize our grief, and sanctify our passion.

3. What an argument for patience under punishments is here? The continuance of them doth not hinder our Salvation. Shall a living man complain, a man for the punishment of his sin? For such a punishment that doth not hinder his eternal welfare, but by the grace of God, and the exercise of Faith, rather promote it? God promised as well as threatened: both his mercy and righteousness directs him to that which is most for his honour and our good. Let us not by any impatience charge infinite wisdom with blindness or unrighteousness. They were punishments at first, but by Faith in Christ, the deportment of a judge is changed into that of a Father. Drusius hath an observation,