For we 242refilee,- I 65 God, nor endure to heare any (peak evil of him, but iemutt take Gods part, as lonathan Davie's, when Saul fpake bafely of him, and when itcannot be heard, will like him arife. and be gone. When affliaed, love can allow thee to groan,but not to grumble. Ifthouwilt eafe thy incumbred fpirit into Gods bofome by pray- er i and humbly wreftle with God on thy knees, love is for thee, and will help thee to the bell arguments thou canflufe to God; But if thouwilt vent thy diftempered paffions, and film a mu- tinous fpirit againft God, this flabs it to the heart. Secondly,we wrefile againft Providence,when uncorrigible un- der the varions difpenfations of God towards us. Providence has a voice,if we had an care ; mercies fhould draw, affliftions drive ; now when neither faire meanes nor foule do us good, but we are impenitent under both this is to wreftle againif God with both hands. Either of thefe have their peculiar aggrava- tions. One is againft love, and lo d if-ingenuous ; the ocher is ,agaieft the fmart of his rod, and therein-we flight his anger-, find are cruel to our felves in kicking againft the pricks. Mercy fhould make us afbarred, wrath afraid to fin. He that is not a- Ihamed, has not the fpirit of a man. He that inot afraid when finitteneis worfe then the beetle who Rands in aw of whip & fpur. Sometimes mercy (elpecially thefe outward mercies, which have a pleating relifh to the carnal part in a Chriftian) bath prov'd a fnare to the belt ofmerebut then afiliefionufet h to recover them; but when affliction makes men worfe,and they harden themfelves againft God, to fin more and more while the rod is on theme what is Ike to reclaim them ? few are made better by prof:- perity, whom afilftions make worfe. He that will fin, though he go(s in pain, will much more if that once be gone. But take heed of thus contefting with God. T here is nothing got by 'fcufiling with God, but blows,or worfe. If he fay he will affli& thee no more, 'tis even the worfl he can fay ; 'Lis as much as if he fhould fay he'll be in thy debt till another world, and there pay thee altogether. Butif he means thee mercy, thou shalt hear from him in fame fharper affliftion then ever. He bath wedges that can rive thee, wert thou a more knotty piece then thou art. Are thereyet the treatures ofwicked:mile, and the fcant meafure that abominable ? * faith God to /feat) what uncorrigible, though the Lord; voice cried) onto the Cityl bidding you hear-the 4 1\41 c '9. Y 3 rod,
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