Robert Traill (The Throne of Grace), Works 1:205-206:
Grace helps in affliction, by enabling the afflicted to believe, that there is love in the afflicter. He saith it, Rev. 3:19, As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten; and he can make us believe it. Nothing but his mighty grace can do it. Nothing is liker anger than affliction, especially when severe. Nothing is more difficult to believe, than that which, to all our sense and reason, is ruining to us, should be in love in him that doth it. Who can believe this without the help of grace? and how great must that help be, that enableth a man to believe so unlikely a thing?
Grace helps in affliction, by enabling the afflicted to believe, that there is love in the afflicter. He saith it, Rev. 3:19, As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten; and he can make us believe it. Nothing but his mighty grace can do it. Nothing is liker anger than affliction, especially when severe. Nothing is more difficult to believe, than that which, to all our sense and reason, is ruining to us, should be in love in him that doth it. Who can believe this without the help of grace? and how great must that help be, that enableth a man to believe so unlikely a thing?
