It is thus also that he hath dealt with us — [" How oft have we provoked him, and grieved him by our
transgressions11!" yet on every fresh occasion he has
shewn himself " slow to anger and of great kindness." Let every one think with himself how many seasons there have been, when, in heart at least, if not in act, we have exceeded our usual measure of wickedness, and when he might have cut us off, so to speak, with advantage, and made us signal monu- ments of his displeasure Yet he has borne with us,
and not suffered his whole displeasure to arise. He has, thus far at least, " forgiven us;" and, in answer to the intercessions of our great High Priest, he has spared the barren fig-tree, revoking the order for its removal, and renewing, for its pre- servation, all the means which have hitherto been used in vain. Of this his mercy we are all living monuments : from time to time he has said concerning us, " How shall I give thee up1? " " Wilt thou not be made clean ? when shall it once bek ? " Yes, we must all bear witness for him, that the only reason of our not having been long since " consumed, is, because his com- passions fail not."]
See, then,
1. What improvement we should make of afflictive providences —
[What the Jews professed to do, we should do in reality
God sends afflictions for this end and, if they
h ver. 40. ' Hos. xi. 7—9. k Jer. xiii. 27.