C. If God be our Father, then lie will correct us in measure, Jer. xxx. 11., " I will correct thee in measure;" and that two ways : Ist, It shall be in measure, for the kind; God will not lay upon us more than we are able to bear, 1 Cor. x. 13. lie knows our frame, Ps. ciii. 11. lie knows we are not steel or marble, therefore will deal gently: he will not over-afllict; us the |)hysician that knows the temjRr of the body, will not give physic too strong for the; body ; nor will he give one drachm or scruple too much. God hath not only the title of a father, but the bowels of a fa- ther; he will not lay too heavy burdens on his children, lest their spirits fail before him. 2(/li/, He will correct in measure for the duration; he will not let the afllie- ti(tn lie on too long, Ps. cxxv. 3., " The rod of the wicked shall n<(t rest upon the lot of the righteous." It may be there, and not rest, Isa. Ivii. 16., " I will not contend for ever." Our heavenly Father will love for ever, but he will not contend for ever. The torments of the damned are for ever. Rev. xiv. 11., "The smoke of their tor- ment ascendeth up for ever and ever." The wicked shall drink a sea of wrath, but God's children only taste of the cup of affliction, and their heavenly Father will say, traiiseul calix, — let this cup pass awa}' from them, Isa. xxw. 10. A sting a-wing.
7. If God be our Father, he will intermix mercy with all our afflictions ; if he gives us wormwood to drink, he will mix it with honey. In the ark the rod was laid up, and manna; with our Father's rod there is al- ways some manna. " Asher's shoes were iron and brass, but his foot was di|)t in oil," Dent, xxxiii. 24. Afflicti<m is the shoe of brass that pinchetli ; but there is mercy in tho Hrtlirtion, tliere is the foot dipt in oil. When (iod afflicts the body, he gives peace
of conscience ; there is mercy in the afflic- tion. An affliction comes to prevent falling into sin ; there is mercy in an affliction. Ja- cob had his thigh hurt in wrestling, — there was the affliction ; but when he saw God's face, and received a blessing from tie an- gel, Gen. xxxii. 30., there was mercy in the affliction. In eveiy cloud a chihl of God may see a rainbow of mercy shining. As the limner mixeth dark shadows and liright colours together, so our heavenly Father mingles the dark and bright together, cros- ses and blessings ; and is not this a great happiness, for God thus to chequer his |)ro- vidences, and mingle goodness with t^eve- rity?
8. If God be our Father, the evil one shall not prevail against us. Satan is call- ed ' the evil one,' emphatically ; he is the grand enemy of the saints ; and that Ixith in a military sense, as he fights against them with his tem})tations, — and in a lorensical or law sense, as he is an accuser, and pleads against them ; yet neither way shall he jire- vail against (iod's children. As for his shooting his fiery darts, God will bruise Sa- tan shortly under the saints' feet, Rom. xvi. 20. As for his accusing, Christ is advocate for the saints, and answers all bills of in- dictment brouirht in aaainst them, (jod will make all Satan's temptations promote the good of his children. \sf, As they set them morea-praying, 2 Cor. xii. 8. Temptation is a medicine for security. 2(i/i/, As they are a means to humble them, 2 Cor. xii. 7., Lest I should be exalted above measure, there was given mc a thorn in the flesh. The thtirn in the flesh was a temj)tation ; this thorn was to prick the bladder of pride. 3r//y, As they establish them more in grace ; a tree shaken by the w'nid is more settled and rooted ; the blow ing of a temptation doth but settle a child of God more in grace. Thus the <'vil one, Satan, shall not prevail against the children of God.
9. If God he our Father, no real evil shall befal us, Ps. xei. 10.,." There shall no evil befal thee." It is not said, no trouble : but, no evil. God's children are privileged per- sons; they are jirivileged from the liurt «)f every thing, Luke x. 19., " Nothing shall by any means liurt you." The hurt and malignity of the affliction is taken away :
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OF THE PREFACE TO THE LORD'S PRAYER.