632 Verf. 23. efn Expo lion upon the Book of J o s. Chap. 37. temptshim, nor doth any pallon .tranfport him to a dcfïre of ta- king undue revenge upon any ; h_ hach plenty of justice, and thereforecannot afllis, but when he fees great reafon ror it. Bid nit cur fin call for our afiliaion, were therenot Coma grear pto. vocation on our parr, or fomeproft to come tó us by it,w: fïsnuld nzvr hear of,norféelhisrod. The Apofllefaith (Heb.iz.¡, to.) ¡Fe have had Fathers ofour fleith,who for a few dayes chaier- e.lrte" after the'r own pleature, tüey to cafe ihemfelves, haveput us co pain, bu; the Lorddoth it for ourfrofit,that we might be par- takers of his holinef;. There is jut+ caufe ave fliould be affie ed, when we provoke God by fir, or when he would purge us from our fin, or make us more holy. And as it may be laid, god roil/ rot affiilii, becaufe he doch nor atliiLa us but when there is caufe for it , fo Thirdly, Bccaufe he doch not afnia us but when there is need (, Pet,I .6.) nor more than there is need ; we ¡lull not be oiThé}- ed an hour longer , nor have a grain oonore. of weight in the burden of our crofs,nor a drop more of gall and wormwood in the cupof our forrows than we have need of (Ifa.27. 7,S, g.) Hath {mitten him, as he fmote thole that ¡mote him? to meafure, when it (hooteth forth thou wilt debate with him. As if it had been laid, he half have no greater a meafure than is both ufeful and need- ful ; Firff, to humble hilt for his fin ; fecondly, to fubdue and mortifie his fn ; thirdly, he (hall have nomore than is needful to erercife his graces, his faith and patience ; no more, fcurthly, than is needful to make him thankful for deliverance, and fenfible of mercy when it comes. Thus, as God, who hash plentyofju- ftice, will not 4f1í& us, but when there is need, fo not more than is need. Fourthly, It may be faid, He will not affli, becaufe he doth not affli& us more than we canbear ; he tenderly confiders our ftrengrh,what we are able to Rand under,& how long we are able to{land under it;hewill not break our backs nor our hearts(unlefs by godly furrow for,or from frn)by affliEtion.God(fairh the Apolle ICor, l o. 13.) is faith{ul,who will-notfuffer you to be tempted above thatyou are able, bat will withthe temptation alfo make away toe f cape,that ye *sooty be able to bear it,Hence when it is Paid (Lam. 3. 33,)11e doth rot afflií`Fmil'inly, &c. it fol oaveth (verf. 34.) to crufh under his feet all the prifoners of the earth. The Lord makes many
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