ON HOSEA XIV. -VERSE 1, 2. 51 according to his wish, but to his real advantage, im- plying a direction unto all such prayers, " My grace is sufficient for thee," 2 Cor. xii. 9. When thou feelest a thorn in thy flesh, pray for grace in thy heart, the buffeting of Satan cannot hurt where the grace of God doth suffice ; so he directeth in time of plague and famine, to pray, and to seek his face, 2 Chron. vii. 14. to look more after his favour than our own ease ; to be more solicitous for the recover- ing of his love, than for the removing of his rod. This is a true character of a filial disposition. In the way of thy judgments, even in that way wherein wicked men fling thee off, and give thee over, and quarrel with thee, and repine against thee, even in the way of thy judgments do we wait for thee, and the desire of our soul is more to thy name, than to our own deliver- ance, Isa. xxvi. S. True disciples follow Christ more for his doctrine than his loaves, and are willing to choose rather affliction than iniquity. The grace and favour of God is life, Psal. xxx. 5. " better than life," lxiii. 3. and therefore must needs be the most sovereign antidote to preserve, and to bear up the soul above all other discomforts ; whereas if he be angry, no other helps are able to relieve us. Brass and iron can fence me against a bullet, or against a sword, but if I were to be cast into a fur- nace of fire, it would help to torment me ; if into a pit of water, it would help to sink me. Now our God is a consuming fire, and his breath a stream of brim- stone. Human remedies can never cure the wounds which God makes : where he is the smiter, he must be the healer too, Hos. vi. 1. All the candles in a country are not able to make day there, till the sun come : and all the contents of the world are not able to make comfort to the soul, till the Sun of righteousness E2
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