“It is good, yes, Lord, it is all good; too often have we said, ‘we will be as the heathen, to serve wood and stone.’  Often hast thou chastened, often have we confessed, often resolved that we would walk more softly, more tenderly, more circumspectly before thee.  But, alas, when thy hand is removed, when thou healest us, and restorest to us health, comfort, and our pleasant things, we wax fat and kick, nestle in our comfort, abuse thy gifts, and lose sight of the giver.  Alas, Lord, thus it must ever be with us, when we keep not near to thee; we cannot walk one step alone without stumbling.  Thou knowest these naturally wicked hearts, that they are deceitful above all things; they betray us before we are aware.  Blessed, ever blessed be our God for his well-ordered covenant.  Blessed for the discipline of it.  O Lord, we are again in the wilderness, and under thy chastising rod:  for weeks past, we have ‘eaten no pleasant bread;’ thy rod is still suspended over our pleasant, our dear child; the streams of life ebb, he sickens, he dies, if thou interfere not.  But the issues of death are in thy hand, and our eyes are towards thee.  In vain are all means, all medicines, if thou impart not the healing virtue.  Thy weeping servants seek the healing virtue from thy waters, thy seas, thy pure air.  All nature is in thy hand and ministers thy pleasure; to some conveying health, to some disease.  An herb to be boiled in simple milk, as the figs for Hezekiah’s boils, has been proposed, O let this prove the appointed means, or direct and point out that which thou wilt bless, and let our hearts and tongues give the glory to thee.

“We deserve this bereavement; but, Lord, what do we not deserve?  Even according to the constitution of the covenant of grace, and consistent with thy pardoning, saving mercy, and all thy long-suffering, wert thou to take vengeance on our inventions, by exercising all thy threatened chastisements, should we ever be out of the furnace?  But even in this view, thou never hast dealt with us as our iniquities deserved.  ’He will not always chide, neither will he keep his anger for ever.’  Thou hast, in thousands of instances, ’cast our sins behind thy back, into the midst of the sea; blotted them out, to remember them no more for ever.  Thy ways are not as our ways, nor thy thoughts as our thoughts,’ We may plead, ’Deal not with us as we sin; but according to the multitude of thy mercies blot out our transgressions.  Pardon our iniquity, for it is great.’  Affliction is appointed, but it is ‘in measure, when it shooteth forth.’  O debate with it, and according to thy promise, ’stay thy rough wind in the day of thine east wind.’  Lord, say it is enough, give the blessing, and by this measure shall iniquity be purged, and the fruit be to take away sin.  All means are alike in thy hand, and any measure.  In holy sovereignty and consummate wisdom thou afflictest, and in thy hand afflictions yield the peaceable fruits of righteousness:  the