Afflictions are sweetened, Mercies are magnified sins are aggravated, sinners are humbled and melted by no consideration more, then by the grace of the Covenant, that we have to do with a God who is pleased to be called ours; when he smites us, this is our Comfort, the rod is in the hand of a Father, he may visit with stripes, but he will not break his Covenant, Psal. 89.32-34. when he loadeth us with mercies, this is our joy, that they are all appendices to Christ, and rays, and Emanations of the Covenant, Rom. 8.32. Jer. 32.41. If he hear us, if he answer us, if he be gracious unto us, we shall weep no more, though he give us bread of adversity, and water of affliction, Isai. 30.18-20. when we review our sins, and set our selves seriously to turn to God, this makes us loath our selves, this fills our faces with shame, and our hearts with sorrow, that we have done it against a God in Covenant, who is pacified towards us, Ezek. 16.62, 63. It is great presumption for aliens and strangers to despise Gods authority, or abuse his bounty, but for an adopted people, whom he hath selected in a peculiar manner to be his own, and set apart for himself, for whom he reserveth the choicest of his mercies, ⟨p. 8⟩to whom he revealeth the secrets of his love, for these to sin, not only against Precepts and Benefits, but against the Bowels of a Father, the blood of a Saviour, the grace of a Comforter, the Covenant of life, the Charter of Salvation, this is that which should greatly abase us in our own eyes, that we should thus requite a Father, Deut. 32.6. The Lord calls Heaven and Earth to be amazed at it, Hear O Heaven, and give ear O Earth, for the Lord hath spoken, for I have nourished and brought up children, adopted them into my family, brought them into my Land, advanced them unto my favour, vouchsafed my presence with them, set up my Name and glory among them, and yet they have rebelled against me, Isa. 1.2. Be astonished O ye heavens, and be ye horribly afraid, be very desolate, for my people who have heard my voice out of Heaven, whom I have taken from the midst of another Nation, by temptations, by signs, by wonders, by war, by a mighty hand, by a stretched-out arm, and by great terrors, who have been the Fountain of all their blessings, and the glory in the midst of them, have changed their glory for vanity, and their Fountain for broken cisterns, Jer.
Afflictions are sweetned, Mercies are magnified sinnes are aggravated, sinners are humbled and melted by no consideration more, then by the grace of the Covenant, that we have to doe with a God who is pleased to be called ours; when he smites us, this is our Comfort, the rod is in the hand of a Father, he may visit with stripes, but he will not break his Covenant, Psal. 89.32-34. when he loadeth us with mercies, this is our joy, that they are all appendices to Christ, and rayes, and Emanations of the Covenant, Rom. 8.32. Ier. 32.41. If he hear us, if he answer us, if he be gracious unto us, we shall weep no more, though he give us bread of adversity, and water of affliction, Isai. 30.18-20. when we review our sinnes, and set our selves seriously to turn to God, this makes us loath our selves, this fills our faces with shame, and our hearts with sorrow, that we have done it against a God in Covenant, who is pacified towards us, Ezek. 16.62, 63. It is great presumption for aliens and strangers to despise Gods authority, or abuse his bounty, but for an adopted people, whom he hath selected in a peculiar manner to be his own, and set apart for himself, for whom he reserveth the choisest of his mercies, ⟨p. 8⟩to whom he revealeth the secrets of his love, for these to sinne, not only against Precepts and Benefits, but against the Bowels of a Father, the blood of a Saviour, the grace of a Comforter, the Covenant of life, the Charter of Salvation, this is that which should greatly abase us in our own eyes, that we should thus requite a Father, Deut. 32.6. The Lord calls Heaven and Earth to be amazed at it, Hear O Heaven, and give ear O Earth, for the Lord hath spoken, for I have nourished and brought up children, adopted them into my family, brought them into my Land, advanced them unto my favour, vouchsafed my presence with them, set up my Name and glory among them, and yet they have rebelled against me, Isa. 1.2. Be astonished O ye heavens, and be ye horribly afraid, be very desolate, for my people who have heard my voice out of Heaven, whom I have taken from the midst of another Nation, by temptations, by signs, by wonders, by war, by a mighty hand, by a stretched-out arm, and by great terrors, who have been the Fountain of all their blessings, and the glory in the midst of them, have changed their glory for vanity, and their Fountain for broken cisterns, Ier.
