in c ontritiin g an' lievers fuffer are always proportioned to their ftrength. Chap. t 4 They are not the fudden eruptions of Anger, but deliberateDifpenfations.David deprecates God's Judg- ment as 'tis oppofed to Favour, Enter not into judg- ply. ment with thy Servant, OLord ; and Jeremiah delires Gods Judgmentas 'tis oppofed toFury, Correa me, O 1,1.. 10.24. Lord, in thy lodgment, not in thyFury. 'Tis thegraci- ous Promife of God to Davidwith refpea to Solomon, 2 g, 24. if commit Inirsity 1 willchaflen himwith the rodofmen, and with theflripes ofthe Childrenofmen ; that is,Cha- ftife him moderately: For in the Bile ofthe Scriptare,as things are magnified by the Epithet Divine, or ofGod;. a the Cedars of God, that is, very tall ; and Ninive is called the City ofGod, that is, verygreat : So to figni- fie things that are in a mediocrity, the Scripture ufes the Epithet humane, or of Men. And according to the Rule of Oppofition, the Rod of God isanextraordina ry. Afiiaion which deftroys the Sinner ; 'tis filcha Pu- nifhment asa man canneither infli, t, nor endure : But the Rod of Men is a moderate Correftion,that Both not: exceed the ftrength of thePatient. But every purely vindiaivePunifhment which the Law pronounces, is in proportion to the nature oftheCrime, not the ftrength, ofthe Criminal. 3. They are diftinguifht by the intention and endof God in infliaing them: t. InChaftifements God primarily defigns the pro- 12. ria. fit of his People, That they may bepartakers ofhis Holi- nef. When they are fecure and carnal, He awakens. Confcience by the (harp voice of the Rod ; to reflex: upon Sin, to make them obfervantfor the future, to render their Affe&ions more indifferent to the World, and ftronger towards Heaven. The alpoffle exprefhes -Lg . ti. p. the natureofChaflifements, When we arejudged, we are infirnátedby theLord: They are more lively. Leffons than 6 ;"r0 thofe 171
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=