oftheCovenant. 255· cipline of the covenant is fatherly cha!Hfement, which their fiate ofimperfell:ion in this iife makes neceifary to their welfare : and therefore it is fecured for .them in the covenant, Pfalm lxxxix. 30. If his children for.G1ke my law. . Ver. 32. Then wilt 1vifit · their tranfgreffion with the rod. Ver. 33· Ne- · verthelefs . Ver. 34· My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out ofmy Ups. • ~ It belongs to the promiffory part of the covenant, and particularly to the promife offanll:ification: for– afmuch as it is not vindiCtive, but medicinal; being an appointed means of advancing holin~fs in them. ' He chaflens for our profit, that we m_ay be parta- . kers.ofhis holinefs,' Heb. xii. 10. And thus it ferves to 'purge iniquity, and to take away fin,' Ifa. xxvii. 9· Namely, in that as a fire, melting down the paint and varnifh of th'e defiling objeCts in the world, in our fight, and as a looking-glafs !hewing us our pollution. it occafions and ~xci~tes us unto wafhing in the only . ]aver of the blood of Chrifl:, by fai~th. Now the ad.; minifiring of the difcipline of the covenant, is com– mitted unto Zion's King, John v. 22. ' The Father hath committed all judgment unto the Son.' Rev. iii.. 19. 'As many as I love, I rebuke and chafien.' And, as to th-e nature of it, it comprehends all manner of il:rokes upon their worldly fhbfiance, name, employ– ments, and relations; all manner of ~od.ily afHieti– ons, difeafes, and pains, incident to finful flefh ; e– ven natural death itfelf, 1 Cor. xi. 30, 32. And ge.. nerally, all outward firokes which ~my of the children of men are liable to, Ecclef. ix. ·2. ' All things are . alike to all.' Moreover, it comprehends fpiritud firokes, fuch as defertion, God's hiding his face from them, withdrawing the .J.ight of his countenance, their lofing fome meafure of their graces and comforts, woundings of fpirir, horrors of confcie'nce, whereby they 1nay be brought to the very brin}{ of defpair: fo that, howb~ it. th.e cafiing them into hell is not within. R the
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