A39658:298
The balm of the covenant applied to the bleeding wounds of afflicted saints First…
The balm of the covenant applied to the bleeding wounds of afflicted saints First composed for the relief of a pious and worthy family, mourning over the deaths of their hopeful children; and now made public for the support of all Christians, sorrowing on the same or any other account. To which is added, A sermon preached for the funeral of that excellent and religious gentleman John Upton of Lupton esq; by John Flavell, preacher of the gospel at Dartmouth in Devon.The balm of the covenant applied to the bleeding wounds of afflicted saints First composed for the relief of a pious and worthy family, mourning over the deaths of their hopeful children; and now made publick for the support of all Christians, sorrowing on the same or any other account. To which is added, A sermon preached for the funeral of that excellent and religious gentleman John Upton of Lupton esq; by John Flavell, preacher of the gospel at Dartmouth in Devon.
London: printed for J. Harris, 1688
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Contention is uncomfortable, though but with a Neighbour, worse with a near Relation; but a quarrel with God is destructive to all comfort in the World. Afflictions may disturb a good mans peace, but a mutinous Spirit against God, destroys and stabs it at the ⟨p. 162⟩very heart. What is the sin and torment of the Devils, but their rage against the Lord, and swelling against the methods of his Grace? He seeketh rest, but findeth none, Mat. 12.33. The peace of our Spirits is a choice Mercy, and might be maintained amidst all our Afflictions, were but our interest in his Promises, and the true level of his Providences cleared to us.
Contention is uncomfortable, though but with a Neighbour, worse with a near Relation; but a quarrel with God is destructive to all comfort in the World. Afflictions may disturb a good mans peace, but a mutinous Spirit against God, destroys and stabs it at the ⟨p. 162⟩very heart. What is the sin and torment of the Devils, but their rage against the Lord, and swelling against the methods of his Grace? He seeketh rest, but findeth none, Mat. 12.33. The peace of our Spirits is a choice Mercy, and might be maintain'd amidst all our Afflictions, were but our interest in his Promises, and the true level of his Providences cleared to us.
4. 'Tis irrational, and highly unjust, to give the cause, and quarrel at the effects. God hath righteously and inseparably linked penal with moral evils; sin and sorrow by the Laws of Heaven are tacked and united together; he that doth evil, shall feel evil, Gen. 4.7. We adventure upon sin, and then fret at Affliction: