A Third Consideration

The consideration of the abundance of mercies that God bestows and we enjoy. It is a speech of Luther (says he) the Sea of God's mercies should swallow up all our particular afflictions. Name any affliction that is upon you, there is a Sea of mercy to swallow it up. If you pour a pail full of water on the floor of your house it makes a great show, but if you throw it into the Sea there is no appearance of it. So afflictions considered in themselves we think they are very great, but let them be considered with the Sea of God's mercies we do enjoy, then they are not so much, they are nothing in comparison.

Consider the abundance of mercies that God bestows on us and that we enjoy. Luther said it well: the sea of God's mercies should swallow up all our particular afflictions. Name any affliction you are under — there is a sea of mercy large enough to swallow it. If you pour a bucket of water on the floor of your house, it makes a noticeable mess. But throw that same bucket into the ocean, and it disappears completely. In the same way, afflictions considered on their own can seem very great. But set them against the sea of God's mercies we actually enjoy, and they are not so much — they are nothing by comparison.