Sermon 83

Psalm 119:75. I know O Lord that your judgments are right, and that in faithfulness you have afflicted me.

We have need all to prepare for afflictions, for we are to take up our cross daily: now to help you to a right carriage under them, these words well considered will be of some use to you, they are the confession of an humble soul abundantly satisfied with God's dispensations. In them observe, 1. A general truth or point of doctrine concerning the equity of God's judgments, your judgments O Lord are right. 2. A particular application or accommodation of this truth to David's case and person, in faithfulness you have afflicted me. 3. His sure and firm persuasion of both, I know. Let us explain these branches and parts of the text as they are laid forth.

1. The general truth, the Lord's judgments are right. In which proposition there is the subject, and the predicate. The subject or things spoken of are the Lord's judgments. The word is often put in this Psalm and elsewhere for God's statutes, or precepts, or righteous laws, and in this sense some take it here, and make out the sense thus: Lord I know that your judgments, namely your precepts are holy, just, and good; and this persuasion is not lessened in me, though you have sharply afflicted me. I have as great a value and esteem for your Word as ever. But rather by the Lord's judgments are meant the passages of his providence, as the latter clause shows; those judicial dispensations whereby he does punish the wicked, or correct his children. And let it not seem strange that the troubles and afflictions of the godly should be called judgments; for though there be no vindictive wrath in them, yet they are called so upon a double reason: partly, because they are acts of God's holy justice, correcting and humbling his people for sin, according to the sentence of his word; thus it is said (1 Peter 4:17), that judgment shall begin at the house of God: where the trials and troubles of the godly are plainly called judgments. And partly, because the Lord judiciously measures and directs them as the state of his children requires, and their strength will bear: so it is said (Jeremiah 10:24), Correct me but in judgment. The first notion implies God's justice, the second his wisdom. And mark it is said distinctly in the text, your judgments, O Lord; his enemies might unjustly persecute him, but your judgments, so far as the Lord has a hand in it, all was just and right: this is the subject or thing spoken of. Secondly, here is the predicate or what is said of it, are right, the Hebrew Tsedec, the Septuagint [in non-Latin alphabet] are righteousness itself, your dispensations are wholly made up of perfect justice; how smart soever they be, they are right as to the cause, right as to the measure, right as to the end. The first of these respects concerns God's justice, the two other his wisdom. First, right as to the cause, they never exceed the value of their impulsive; (Job 34:23), He will not lay upon man more than is right, that he should enter into judgment with him. God never afflicts his people above their desert, nor gives any just occasion to commence a suit against his providence. Secondly, right as to the measure, not above the strength of the patient. In his own people's afflictions it is so; (Isaiah 27:8), In measure when it shoots forth, you will debate it; he stays his rough wind in the day of the east wind. God deals with his own with much moderation, meting out their sufferings in due proportion. So (Jeremiah 30:11), I will correct you in measure. Thirdly, right as to their end and use. God knows how to strike in the right vein, and to suit his providence to the purpose for which it is appointed: the kind of the affliction is to be considered as well as the measure, the Lord chooses that rod which is most likely to do his work. Paul had a thorn in the flesh, that he might not be exalted above measure (2 Corinthians 12:7). He was a man inured to dangers and troubles from without, these were familiar to him, therefore he could the better bear them; but God would humble him by some pain in the flesh, which should sit near and close.

2. The particular accommodation of it to David, in faithfulness you have afflicted me. Pray mark, in the general case he observes justice, in his own faithfulness. The Book called Midrash Tillim refers these words to David's flight from Absalom, when he went to Mount Olivet weeping; it was an ill time then with David, he had no security then for his life; being driven from his house and home, he went up Mount Olivet, going and weeping (2 Samuel 15:30). Then when so great and sore trouble was upon him, then he says, I know that in faithfulness you have afflicted me. Mark the emphasis, he does not barely acknowledge that God was faithful, though, or notwithstanding he had afflicted him, but faithful in sending them. Affliction and trouble are not only consistent with God's love plighted in the covenant of grace, but they are parts and branches of the new covenant administration. God is not only faithful notwithstanding afflictions, but faithful in sending them. There is a difference between these two, the one is like an exception to the rule, quoe firmat regulam in non exceptis: the other makes it a part of the rule, God cannot be faithful without doing all things that tend to our good and eternal welfare: the conduct of his providence is one part of the covenant engagement: as to pardon our sins, and sanctify us, and give us glory at the last, so to suit his providence as our need and profit requires in the way to heaven. It is an act of his sovereign mercy which he has promised to his people to use such discipline as conduces to their safety. In short, the cross is not only an exception to the grace of the covenant, but a part of the grace of the covenant. The meaning is, God is obliged in point of fidelity to send sharp afflictions (Psalm 89:32), I will visit their transgression with the rod, and their iniquity with stripes. Sharp rods and sore stripes not only may stand and be reconciled with God's loving kindness and truth, but they are effects and expressions of it; it is a part of that transaction, namely his covenant love.

3. The third thing to be explained is his sense of these truths, I know. Knowing implies clearness of apprehension, and firmness of persuasion; so that I know, is, I fully understand, or else I am confident or well assured of this truth. But from where had David his knowledge? How knew he all God's judgments to be right? Not from the flesh, or from natural sense; no, the flesh is importunate to be pleased, will persuade us the contrary. If we consult only with natural sense, we shall never believe, that when God is hacking and hewing at us, he intends our good and benefit, and that when sore judgments are upon us, his end is not to destroy, but to save; to mortify the sin, and save the person: sense will teach us no such thing, but will surely misinterpret and misrepresent the Lord's dealings. For the peace of God is a riddle to a natural heart (Philippians 4:7). From where then had David his knowledge? Partly from the Word of God, and partly from his own observation and particular experience.

1. From the Word of God; for it is a maxim of faith that God can do no wrong, that he is righteous in all his ways, and just in all his works (Psalm 145:17). And again (Deuteronomy 32:4), he is the rock, his work is perfect, for all his ways are judgment and truth, and without iniquity; just and right is he. These are undeniable truths revealed in the Word of God, and must satisfy us, whatever sense says to the contrary: the causes and ends of God's particular judgments are sometimes secret, but they are always just (Psalm 97:2). Clouds and darkness are round about him, but righteousness and truth are the habitation of his throne. Therefore when we see not the reason of God's particular dispensations, we must believe the righteousness and goodness of them.

2. David knew by his own observation and particular experience: he had much studied his own heart, and considered his own ill deservings, and soul distempers, and therefore saw the Lord's discipline was necessary for him. We should better understand God's work, and sooner justify him both in point of justice and faithfulness, if we did use more observation, and did consider what need and profit there is of affliction. Tribulation works experience (Romans 5:4-5). We see what need there was of affliction, and how seasonable the Lord's work was. This is a more sensible way of knowledge than the former; faith is a surer ground, but spiritual observation has its benefit. Natural conscience does represent our guilt, but experience shows God's faithfulness, how seasonably God took us in our month, and suited his providence to our present condition.

Doctrine. That it would much quiet the minds of the people of God about all the sad dispensations of his providence, if they would seriously consider the justice and faithfulness of them.

So did David silence all his murmurings when the hand of God was sore upon him; so should we silence all our murmuring, all our suspicions of God's dealing, when we are under the cross. I know the Lord does nothing unjust, but is faithful; he will not retract his covenant-love, and I know his covenant-love binds him to lay on us seasonable affliction and correction. I shall do two things,

First, illustrate the point by some considerations.

Secondly, show that there is much of justice and faithfulness in all the troubles and afflictions of God's people.

Consider. 1. We are not only to grant in the general that God's judgments are right, but that he has in faithfulness afflicted us. So does David when the stroke of God was heavy upon himself. Many will assert the righteousness of God when they speak to others in their afflictions, but do not indeed justify him in the afflictions that come upon themselves. We are hasty to censure, but backward to humble our own souls before God: they will give him the praise of his justice when he chastens others, but think God deals harshly and rigorously with them, when his scourge is upon their own backs. Such a difference is there between knowledge speculative and experimental; between that conscience which we have in others' concernments, and that knowledge which self-love gives us in our own. David here does not only own the general truth, but sees God's faithfulness when the stroke lighted upon himself. So (Job 4:3-5) you shall see this was objected to Job, that he could comfort others; but now the hand of God was upon him, his soul fainted. They that stand upon the shore may easily say to those that are in the midst of the waves and conflicting for life or death, Sail thus. When we are well, we give counsel to the sick; but if we were so, how would we take it ourselves? So can we say patiently all is just, and keep silence to God?

Consider. 2. We must not only grant this truth that God is faithful, when at ease, but when under the sharpest and smartest discipline. We use to praise God in prosperity, but we should bless him also when he seems to deal hardly with us; speak good of God when under the rod. When we view a cross at a distance, or in the doctrinal contemplation of this truth, we say that God may exercise us with the greatest evil, and that we need these methods to bring us to heaven: but when afflictions come thick, and near, and close, and we are deprived of our nearest and dearest comforts, credit, liberty, health, life, children, then we have other thoughts. It is more easy to speak of trouble than to bear it. We read of Jesus Christ that he learned by experience (Hebrews 5:8). He had an actual experience by the things he suffered: and he says, now is my soul troubled (John 12:27). There is a vast difference between the most exact apprehension in the judgment, and the experimental feeling of it in the senses: the one may be without so much vexation as the other will produce. Though Christ understood perfectly what his sufferings should be, and had resolved upon them, yet when he came to feel it, his very righteous soul was under perplexity, as a glass of pure water may be tossed and shaken. Affliction is another thing to present sense and feeling, than it is to guess and imagination. Much more does it hold good in us, for we have not such a perfect foresight of sufferings as Christ had. We suppose they may be avoided, or shifted off one way or other. I speak this that we may not depend upon our present resolutions when out of trouble, but labor to be more prepared than usually we are, that when trouble comes upon us, we may glorify God.

Consider, point 3: this acknowledgment must be the real language of our hearts, and not by word of mouth only: thus we must give to God the praise of his truth and righteousness. We tip our tongues with good words, and learn such modesty in our language, as to say God is just, and do not rave against his providence in wild and bold speeches, but justice and faithfulness must be acknowledged not with the tongue so much as with the heart. It's the language of the heart which God looks after. When the soul keeps silence to God, and a due and suitable impression is left upon it, of his justice by a meek and humble submission (Micah 7:9): I will bear the indignation of the Lord, for I have sinned against him. When God is angry, and chastises for sin, we must stoop humbly under his afflicting hand, bear it patiently and submissively, for the rod is dipped in our own guilt, that stops our mouths and checks repinings; so seeing his faithfulness; it makes us accept the punishment of our iniquities (Leviticus 26:41), that is, yield to it, as a man would to a bitter potion, or a medicinal preparative for his health; so to afflict, is as a means to get rid of sin, which would be the bane of the soul.

Consider, point 4: it's not enough to acknowledge justice, but we must also acknowledge faithfulness; not only his just severity in the punishments of the wicked, but his fidelity and love in the correction of his children: it's not enough that we justify God, and forbear to murmur against his afflicting us, but we must see his love and faithfulness in it, and that he performs his covenant-love. His wisdom and justice suppress murmurings; his love and faithfulness give hope, and comfort, and courage: the one concerns the honor of God, he rights himself by his just judgments; the other concerns our benefit and eternal welfare. Faithfulness is to us, and for our good. Pharaoh could own justice (Exodus 9:27): The Lord is righteous, but I and my people are wicked. But it's a higher thing to own faithfulness; that supposes faith, as the other does conviction. Guilt will sooner fly in our faces, and extort from us an acknowledgment of God's justice, than we can own the grace of the new covenant; especially when carnal sense and smart seems to speak the contrary. The sight of his justice checks murmurings, the sight of his faithfulness checks fainting and discouragement. God's dispensations are just with respect to the sentence of the law, faithful with respect to the promises of the gospel. In short, the cause of all affliction is sin, therefore justice must be acknowledged; their end is repentance, and therefore faithfulness: the end is not destruction and ruin, so they might be acts of justice as upon the wicked; but that we may be fit to receive the promises, such to whom God will perform the promise of eternal life, and so acts of faithfulness.

Consider, point 5: faith must fix this as a ground, not once to be questioned, much less to be doubted of or denied, that God is just, upright and faithful in all his dealings, though weak man is not able to conceive the reasons of them. His justice may be dark, as when he permits us to the will of wicked men, who afflict us without a cause, and lay on without any mercy and pity, and God seems to befriend their cause, at least does not restrain them, nor give check to their fury: we are apt to be tempted to thoughts of rigor and injustice in God's dispensations, but we must consider not men's dealing, but God's; it's unjust as to men, but we have no cause to be angry with God, and complain of God, as if he did not do right. No, though we do not see the reason of it, yet it's just. God's judgments are a great deep, we should believe the righteousness and goodness of God in the general (Psalm 36:7), before we can find it out. The people of God have maintained their principle, when they have been puzzled and entangled in interpreting God's providence (Jeremiah 12:1): Righteous are you, O Lord, when I plead with you; and (Psalm 73:1): Yet God is good to Israel. In all such cases it's best to acknowledge our own ignorance, and rather accuse ourselves of blindness, than God of injustice. This is a fixed truth, that God is righteous, though we cannot so clearly make it out. And sometimes we are tempted to doubt of his fidelity and truth, when we feel nothing but the smart of the rod: the benefit is future, not an object of sense, but faith; and it must be evident to faith, before it's evident to feeling (Hebrews 12:11): No affliction for the present seems joyous, but grievous; but afterwards it brings the quiet fruit of righteousness. When all is sharp and hard to sense, faith can see all is for our profit, for our good. Here is nothing repugnant to God's truth, nothing but what is necessary to make good his truth. Faith must determine it to be, when sense will not find it so. God's works are misexpounded when we go altogether by present sense, whether internal or external: many times we know not what God is about to do, as Christ told Peter (John 13:7): What I do you do not know now, but you shall know hereafter. That which the Lord is doing tends not to ruin and wrath, though through our ignorance and mistake we so interpret it. Alas, no wonder we are in the dark, when we so judge of his work, who is wonderful in counsel, and excellent in working; who will not always satisfy our sense and curiosity, but chooses such a way as will most suit his intent. But ever in all such cases faith must determine that God is just and faithful, and will cast all things for the best, though we see it not; we must assent by faith, when we cannot find it by sense internal or external; I know in faithfulness you have afflicted me.

Secondly, I am to show you, and prove to you, that there is much of justice and faithfulness to be observed in all the afflictions which come upon us.

1. There is much of justice in all God's judgments. I prove it from God's nature (Psalm 119:137): "Righteous are you, O Lord, and upright are your judgments." His work is as his being is, holy and righteous; all his providences carry a fittingness and becomingness with his nature. We presume it of a righteous man that he will do righteous things; and shall we not believe so of the holy God? We cannot be infallibly persuaded of a righteous man, for a righteous man may leave his righteousness, because the creature is mutable; and the most righteous and innocent man has mixed principles, and his rule is without him, and sometimes he may hit it, and sometimes swerve from it: but God is unchangeable, his will and nature is the supreme reason and measure of all things; his acts are accordingly, he cannot err. A carpenter who has a line in his hand, may chop right or miss; but if we could suppose a carpenter, whose hand were his rule, he would always hit right. We may be confident the Judge of all the earth will do right, his righteousness and the righteousness of men differ infinitely more than a candle differs from the sun (Zechariah 3:5): "The righteous God in the midst of you will do no iniquity." God will not, yes, he cannot, it is contrary to his nature. Abraham might seek to wriggle out of danger by a shift, Noah might fall into drunkenness, Lot pollute himself with incest, Moses trip in his faith, David destroy his innocent servant Uriah, Jonah fall into fear and rash anger, the angels may depart from their rule, if the divine goodness should cease to support them for a moment; but it is impossible that God who is holiness and righteousness itself can err and fail in any of his actions.

2. God never afflicts or brings on judgment without a cause; "For this cause many are sick" (1 Corinthians 11:30); there is something done on the creature's part before punishment is inflicted. If we consider God as a Lord dispensing grace, he acts sovereignly, and according to his own will and pleasure: "Even so, Father, because it pleases you" (Matthew 11:27); for he may do with his own as he pleases; it is no wrong to show his grace to some, and pass by others: but if we consider God as a Judge, he never punishes without a foregoing cause on the creature's part. God who is arbitrary in his gifts, is not arbitrary in his judgments: there is a rule of commerce between him and his creatures stated, and set forth, and allowed and appointed by him, and consented to by us: the directive and counseling part is the rule of our obedience, and the sanction or comminatory part is the rule of his judicial process. In acts of grace, and in dispensing with the violations of his law, he sometimes makes use of his prerogative, but not in punishing, there he keeps to his law; and therefore it is that the saints do give him the honor of his justice (Daniel 4:7): "O Lord, righteousness belongs to you, but to us confusion of face: for we have sinned, and done wickedly, and have rebelled in departing from your precepts." (Nehemiah 9:33): "You are just in all that is brought upon us; for you have done right, but we have done wickedly": all our trouble is the penalty of his broken law justly inflicted on us. In short, the breach is first on our part, there is some violation of his law, or contempt of his grace; but God loves us first, there he has the precedency; he begins in all acts of grace, but the reason of his judicial dispensations is first with us. We are first in the offence, and provide fuel for his wrath before it breaks out upon us.

3. When there is cause given, God does not presently take it, but gives sinners time in his process against them, and does not presently execute the sentence of his Word till they are found incorrigible. He gives them warning before he strikes; he woos and solicits by many kind messages to return to their duty, and speaks to them sometimes in the rough, sometimes in the still voice. He brings his judgment to light every morning, as the prophet speaks (Zephaniah 3:5); he does so delight in mercy, and is so tender of the workmanship of his hands, especially his own people, that he never proceeds to severity as long as there is some way untried to reclaim them, not yet made use of. As one that would open a door, and knows not the key; he tries key after key, one dispensation after another, he does not take the sinner at first word, but follows him with frequent warnings of his danger, with offers of advantage if he returns; yes, at last he is loath to give them up to severe judgments, even then when he can scarcely without imputation to his holiness forbear any longer (Hosea 11:8): "How shall I give you up? I am God, and not man." Such expostulations and speeches are very frequent in the prophets; and all these speeches do abundantly justify God when he judges: he would gladly hold off the extremity of judgments deserved by them; the Lord makes a stand, and would gladly be prevented before he proceeds to his strange work.

4. The judgments inflicted are always short of the cause, surely they never exceed the value of it (Ezra 9:13): "You have punished us less than we have deserved." God does not exact the whole debt of sinners which they owe to his justice. It was a heavy stroke that then lighted upon Jerusalem. Was their wound but a scratch, or affliction little? Doleful and sad ruin was brought upon that place, the city and the temple burnt to ashes, the people carried captive to a strange land, yet "you have punished us less than we have deserved." They were in Babylon, they might have been in Hell; our reward is always more than our desert, but our punishment is always less than our desert. We count it a favor if forfeiture of life be punished with banishment, or if a sentence of banishment be commuted into a fine, or the fine be mitigated and brought lower; and shall we think God deals rigorously with us? When he lays on some heavy cross, he might have cast us into Hell, and laid his hand upon us forever. See (Job 11:6): "O know therefore that God exacts of you less than your iniquity deserves." We have low thoughts of sin, and therefore have grievous apprehensions of God's judgments. We do but sip of the cup, when God might make us drink of the dregs of it.

Secondly, I am to prove that the godly may discern much of faithfulness in their afflictions; this will appear to you by these considerations.

1. In the Covenant of Grace God has promised to bestow upon his people real and principal mercies; those are promised absolutely, other things conditionally. God does not break his Covenant if he does not give us temporal happiness, because that is not absolutely promised, but only so far forth as it may be good for us; but eternal life is promised without any such exception to the heirs of promise. Eternal promises and threatenings being of things absolutely good or evil, are therefore absolute and peremptory; the righteous shall not fail of the reward, nor the wicked escape the punishment; but temporal promises and threatenings being of things not simply good or evil, are reserved to be dispensed according to God's wisdom and good pleasure, in reference and subordination to eternal happiness. It is true, it is sad (1 Timothy 4:8), that godliness has the promise of this life, and that which is to come; but with this reference, that the less give place to the greater; if the promises of this life may hinder us in looking after the promises of the life to come, God may take the liberty of the Cross, and withhold these things, and disappoint us of our worldly hope. A man lying under the guilt of sin may many times enjoy worldly comforts to the envy of God's children, and one of God's children may be greatly afflicted and distressed in the world, for in all these dispensations God looks to his end, which is to make us eternally happy.

2. This being God's end, he is obliged in point of fidelity to use all the means that conduce to it, that he may attain his eternal purpose in bringing his holy ones to glory (Romans 8:28); all things shall work together for good to them that love God. Good, what good? It may be temporal, so it falls out sometimes, a man's temporal good is promoted by his temporal loss (Genesis 50:20); "You thought evil against me, but God meant it for good": they sold their brother a slave, but God meant him to be a great potentate in Egypt. It may be spiritual good (Psalm 119:71), "It is good for me that I have been afflicted"; but to be sure eternal good to bring about his eternal purpose of making them everlastingly happy. And in this sense the Apostle says, all things are yours (1 Corinthians 3:22), ordinances, providences, life, death, all dispensed with a respect to their final happiness or eternal benefit: not only ordinances to work internal grace, but providences as an external help and means; for God having set his end, he will prosecute it congruously and as it may agree with man's nature by external providences as well as internal grace. See (Psalm 125:3): "The rod of the wicked shall not always rest upon the back of the righteous": God has power enough to give them grace to bear it, though the rod had continued; and can keep his people from iniquity, though the rod be upon them; but he considers the weakness of man's nature, which is apt to tire under long afflictions, and therefore not only gives more grace, but takes off the temptation. He could humble Paul without a thorn in the flesh (2 Corinthians 12:7), but he will use a congruous means.

3. Among these means, afflictions, indeed sharp afflictions are some of those things which our need and profit requires: they are needful to weaken and mortify sin (Isaiah 27:9), "By this shall the iniquity of Jacob be purged"; to increase and quicken grace (Hebrews 12:10), "But he chastens us for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness." Without this discipline we should forget God and ourselves; therefore that we may return to God he afflicts us (Hosea 5:6), "In their afflictions they will seek me early"; and come to ourselves (Luke 15:17), "The Prodigal came to himself." Afflictions are necessary for us upon the former suppositions, namely, that God has engaged himself to perfect grace where it is begun, and to use all means which may conduce to our eternal welfare, that we may not miscarry and come short of our great hopes (1 Corinthians 11:32): "When we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world." The carnal reprobate world are left to a looser and larger discipline. Brambles are not pruned when vines are. New creatures require a more close inspection than others do. Self-confidence, and spiritual security is apt to grow upon them; therefore to mortify our self-confidence, to awaken us out of spiritual sleep, we need to be afflicted, and also to quicken and rouse up a spirit of prayer. We grow cold and flat, and ask mercies for form's sake (Isaiah 26:16): "Lord, in trouble have they visited you, they poured out a prayer when your chastening was upon them." And that we may be quickened to a greater mindfulness of heavenly things, the best of us when we get a carnal pillow under our heads are apt to sleep secure; God will not let us alone to our ruin, but afflicts us that we may be refined from the dregs of the flesh, and that our taste and relish of heavenly things may be recovered, and that we may be quickened to a greater diligence in the heavenly life. Look, as earthly parents are not faithful to their children's souls when they live at large, and omit that correction which is necessary for them (Proverbs 29:15): "The rod and reproof give wisdom, but a child left to himself brings his mother to shame." The mother is mentioned, because they are usually more fond and indulgent, and spare many times, and mar the child; but our heavenly Father will not be unfaithful, who is so wise, that he will not be blinded by any passion; has such a perfect love, and does so fixedly design our eternal welfare, that he rebukes that he may reform, and reforms that he may save.

4. God's faithfulness about the affliction is twofold, in bringing on the affliction, and guiding the affliction.

1. In bringing on the affliction, both as to the time and kind, when our need requires, and such as may do the work (1 Peter 1:6): "You are in heaviness for a season, if need be." When some distemper was apt to grow upon us, and we were straying from our duty (Psalm 119:67): "Before I was afflicted, I went astray." Some disappointment and check we meet with in a way of sin, which is a notable help in the spiritual life where God gives a heart to improve it.

2. As to guiding the affliction both to measure and continuance, that it may do us good and not harm; (1 Corinthians 10:13) God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above what you are able to bear, but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that you may be able to bear it. Violent temptations are not permitted where the Lord sees us weak and infirm: as Jacob drove as the little ones were able to bear; so when the temptation continued is like to do us hurt, either God will remove it, (2 Thessalonians 3:3) Faithful is the Lord, who will establish and keep you, [in non-Latin alphabet], from the evil; the persecutions of unreasonable men are there intended; or else support them under it, (2 Corinthians 12:9) My grace is sufficient for you.

Use 1. Is to check and reprove diverse evils which are apt to grow upon our spirits in our troubles.

1. Murmuring and repining thoughts against God's Providence. Why should we murmur and complain since we justly suffer what we suffer, and 'tis the Lord's condescension that he will make some good use of these sufferings to our eternal happiness, that we may be capable of everlasting consolation. His justice should stop murmurings, (Lamentations 3:39) Therefore does a living man complain, a man for the punishment of his sins? If he complain, he can complain of none but himself, that evil choice he has made for his own soul, which it may be he would never have thought of but upon this occasion. His punishment here carries no proportion with his offence; 'tis punishment in the singular number, sins in the plural; one punishment for many acts of sin: and a living man on this side Hell, what is this to everlasting torments? Life cannot be without many blessings to accompany it; while living we may see an end of this misery, or have time to escape those eternal torments which are far worse. The form of the words shows why we should thus expostulate with ourselves, Therefore does a living man complain? Why do we complain? God has not cut us off from the land of the living, nor cast us into Hell, 'tis the punishment of sin, and 'tis far less than we have deserved. Again, the faithfulness of God checks murmurings; God knows what way to take with us to bring us to glory; therefore trust yourselves in God's hands, and let him take his own methods; Commit your souls to him in well-doing, as to a faithful Creator, (1 Peter 4:19). He is [in non-Latin alphabet], as he is a Creator he does not love to destroy the work of his hands; as he is faithful in his covenant he will take the best and safest course to bring you to Heaven.

2. Let it check immoderate sorrow and unbecoming dejection of spirit; he is just in the afflictions of his people, but yet so that he is also faithful; he is a Father when he beats, and indulges when he smiles, and when he frowns. Afflictions do not make void our adoption, they rather increase our confidence of it, (Hebrews 12:5). Whatever we do upon other reasons, we should not suspect his love because of our afflictions. God's strokes do not make void his promises, nor does he retract his gift of pardon when he chastises. Mere crosses and troubles are not an argument of God's displeasure, but acts of his faithfulness; so that we have reason to give thanks for his discipline, rather than question his love. In the book of Job 'tis made a mark of his love, as in those words which are so frequent, (Job 7:17-18) Lord, What is man that you are mindful of him? That you chastise him every morning, and try him every moment? We are not only beneath his anger, but unworthy of his care, as if a prince should take upon him to form the manners of a beggar's child; 'tis a condescension that the great God should deal with us, and suit his providences for our good.

3. This should check our fears and cares, his judgments are right and full of faithfulness; he will bear us through all our trials, and make an advantage of them; and perfect that grace which he has begun, and finally bring us to eternal glory. The Lord's faithfulness in keeping promises is often proposed as a strong pillar of the saints' confidence; (1 Corinthians 1:9) Faithful is God, by whom you are called. (1 Thessalonians 5:24) Faithful is he that calls you, who also will do it. He dispenses all things with respect to our eternal welfare. But I am afraid of myself, I have provoked the Lord to leave me to myself; but the Lord will pardon weaknesses when they are confessed; (1 John 1:9) If we confess our sins, he is just and faithful to forgive them, speaking to reconciled believers; and when we fall, the Lord has ways and means to raise us up again, that we perish not: by checks of conscience, (2 Samuel 24:10) And David's heart struck him when he had numbered the people: (Psalm 119:59) I thought on my ways, etc. By the Word, as Nathan roused up David, You are the man. God that foresaw all things, has ordered them so, that nothing shall cross his eternal purpose and promise made to us in Christ.

Use 2. Let us acknowledge God's justice and faithfulness in all things that befall us; for motives consider,

1. 'Tis much for the honor of God, (Psalm 51:4) that under the cross we should have good thoughts of God, and clear him in all that he says and does; see love in his rebukes.

2. 'Tis for our profit; 'tis the best way to obtain grace to bear afflictions, or to get deliverance out of them. When God has humbled his people, exercised their grace, he will restore to them their accustomed privileges, he waits for the creature's humbling; (Leviticus 26:41-42).

For means; 1. You must be one in covenant with God, for to them the dispensations of God come marked not only with justice as to all, but faithfulness; (Psalm 25:10) All the ways of the Lord are mercy and truth to them that keep his covenant.

2. You must examine yourselves; the Lord complains of the neglect of this, that when they were in affliction they would not consider; (Jeremiah 8:6) No man said, What have I done? If you would consider, you would see cause enough to justify God; (Lamentations 3:39-40) Therefore does a living man complain? Let us search and try our ways, and turn to the Lord.

3. You must observe Providence, and your hearts must be awake and attend to it (Psalm 107:43): "Whoever is wise, and will observe these things, even they shall understand the loving kindness of the Lord." (Ecclesiastes 7:14) "In the day of adversity consider."

4. You must be such as value not your happiness by the increase or decrease of worldly comforts, but by the increase or decrease of grace in your souls (2 Corinthians 4:16): "For this cause we faint not, because though our outward man perish, yet our inward man is renewed day by day." If you value yourselves by your outward condition, you will still be entangled; you should more highly esteem of and be more solicitous about the welfare of your souls in a time of affliction than of all things else in the world: and you will more easily submit and more wisely consider of his doing, and the better understand your interest. When the main care is about your souls, you will value other losses the less, as long as your jewel is in safe hands.

5. You must resign your souls to God entirely without exception, refer yourselves to his methods, and let him take his own way to bring you to everlasting glory. When you do with quietness of heart put yourselves into God's hands, as being persuaded of his love and faithfulness; you will be the sooner satisfied in God's providence, seeing he does all things well. The Apostle bids them (1 Peter 4:19): put your souls in Christ's hands, and hold on your duty with courage and confidence, cheerfully and constantly. You have no reason to doubt but Christ will take the custody and charge of the soul that is committed to him (1 Timothy 1:12): "I know whom I have believed, that he is able to keep that I have committed to him." Venture your souls in this bottom, he has power to keep it, he has pawned his faithfulness in the promise.