The History of the Reformation of the Church of Scotland

The Prophet meaneth, that such as in the time of quietness, did not rightly regard God, nor his judgements, were compelled by sharp corrections to seek God, yea, by cries and dolorous complaints, to visit him. True it is, That such obedience deserveth small praise before men, for who can praise, or accept that in good part, which cometh as it were of mere compulsion; and yet rare it is, that any of Gods children do give unfeigned obedience, until the hand of God turn them; For if quietness and prosperity, make them not utterly to forget their duty, both towards God and man, as David for a season, yet it maketh them careless, insolent, and in many things unmindful of those things that God chiefly craveth of them; which imperfection espied, and the danger that thereof might ensue, our heavenly Father visiteth the sins of his children, but in the rod of his mercy, by the which they are moved to return to their God, to accuse their former negligence, and to promise better obedience in all times hereafter; as David confesseth, saying, Before I fell in affliction, I went astray, but now will I keep thy Statutes.

The Prophet meaneth, that such as in the time of quietnesse, did not rightly regard God, nor his judgements, were compelled by sharp corrections to seek God, yea, by cryes and dolorous complaints, to visite him. True it is, That such obedience deserveth small praise before men, for who can praise, or accept that in good part, which cometh as it were of meer compulsion; and yet rare it is, that any of Gods children do give unfained obedience, untill the hand of God turn them; For if quietnesse and prosperity, make them not utterly to forget their duty, both towards God and man, as David for a season, yet it maketh them carelesse, insolent, and in many things unmindefull of those things that God chiefly craveth of them; which imperfection espied, and the danger that thereof might ensue, our heavenly Father visiteth the sins of his children, but in the rod of his mercy, by the which they are moved to return to their God, to accuse their former negligence, and to promise better obedience in all times hereafter; as David confesseth, saying, Before I fell in affliction, I went astray, but now will I keep thy Statutes.

But yet for the better understanding of the Prophets mind, we may consider how God doth visit man, and how man doth visit God, and what difference there is, betwixt the visitation of God upon the reprobate, and his visitation upon the chosen.