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PSAL. CXIX. 75.
I know, O Lord, that thy Judgments are right, and that thou in faithfulneſs haſt afflicted me.
WHether we reckon this Pſalm to David, the ſweet Singer of Iſrael, or to ſome other holy Man of God as the Penman thereof; it is paſt all queſtion that the Divine Spirit was the Inditer of it, and we have reaſon to judge it worthy of ſo great an Author, becauſe full of moſt rich and excellent matter. You may obſerve in it the Deſcription of a godly man, whoſe Picture is curiouſly drawn, and to the Life, in his Graces, and holy duties, and ſore afflictions, and manifold Experiences, and ſweet Conſolations. But paſſing by the Conſideration of the whole, I ſhall confine my Diſcourſe, and for the preſent engage your Meditations to theſe words which I have been directed to, as a Subject very proper upon this ſad and ſolemn Occaſion. In which we plainly ſee the Friendly happy agreement between a moſt wiſe and holy God, and an humbled afflicted Saint, under and about thoſe dark Providences and ſmarting Diſpenſations, which are ordered out unto him; when there is not only a Rod but a Scorpion in the hand of the former, and multiplyed yea deep wounds on the back of the latter. The holy Prophet doth here ſpeak as a man lying under the Judgments of God, and exerciſed with Afflictions, a Child dear to his Father, and over him, yet under his frown; but in this very caſe far from quarrelling the Rod, and contending with his Father about it, he humbly ſubmits, and ſweetly quiets himſelf, freely making this ingenuous and thankful Acknowledgment: I know O Lord, that thy Judgments are right, and that thou in Faithfulneſs haſt afflicted me. The terms in the Text are ſo obvious and very eaſie, not needing that much time ſhould be ſpent in their Explication. Therefore all that I ſhall ſay to that purpoſe, will be no more than this.
The word Judgment is variouſly uſed in the ſacred Scripture, and particularly in this Pſalm; frequently we are to underſtand by it the Law of God, his Statutes and Commandements; theſe are the Judgments of his mouth, which in and concerning all things are right, there is nothing perverſe in them, but as Silver tried in a Furnace of Earth ſeven times, free from all droſs. Rom. 7.12. The Law is holy, and the Commandment holy, juſt and good. Now if any Perſon be inclined thus to underſtand the word in this place, he ſhall have my leave ſo to do, I will not contend with him about it. Yet in my apprehenſion, it ſeems much more ſuitable to the Mind and Scope of the Prophet in this Place, to underſtand by Judgments thoſe troubles and calamities which the Lord is pleaſed to order out to the Children of Men, while they tabernacle in Fleſh, and are paſſing thorough this vale of tears. Thoſe Providences of God, which have an angry aſpect and frowning Countenance, whether they be penal and acts of revenge, and ſo inflicted upon wicked men his Enemies, or only caſtigatory and corrective, and ſo laid upon good Men and Women his Children, are Judgments. Thus 1 Pet. 4.17. The time is come that judgment muſt begin at the Houſe of God; and if it firſt begin at us, what ſhall be the end of them that obey not the Goſpel of God? If there be ſuch ſufferings for Gods Subjects and Favourites, how will he handle Rebels? So again obſerve that place in the 1 Corinth. 11.32. If we would judge our ſelves, we ſhould not be judged; but when we are judged, we are chaſtened of the Lord, that we ſhould not be condemned with the World. And ſuch Diſpenſations may very fitly be called Judgments on a twofold Account.
Firſt, Becauſe they are rectoral and judicial acts, they are acts of Government, put forth by God as holding the Reins in his hand, as ſitting in the Throne judging right and rendering unto men according to their Works. Even when they are ordered out to the Saints themſelves, not only for probation, or the Exerciſe of their Graces, but likewiſe for their ſins; there is not only a deſign of Love in the Bowels of them, and mercifull Purpoſes carrying on, but there are Characters and Marks of diſpleaſure ingraven upon them; for though God is ſo gracious that he will not caſt off his Children for ſin, yet he is ſo holy that he will not bear with ſin in his Children, but they ſhall feel he is offended; if they tranſgreſs, they ſhall ſuffer; if they will break the Hedge, ſome of the Thorns ſhall ſtick in their ſides, Pſal. 89.30, &c. If his Children forſake my Law, and walk not in my judgments: if they break my Statutes, and keep not my Commandments, then will I viſit their tranſgreſſions with the Rod, and their Iniquity with Stripes. This he threatned, notwithſtanding he promiſeth in the very next words, that his loving kindneſs he will not utterly take from him, nor ſuffer his faithfulneſs to fail: He will not break his Covenant, nor alter the thing that is gone out of his lips.
Secondly, They may well be called Judgments, upon the Account of Gods ordering them out in infinite Wiſdom. In wrath he remembers Mercy, and doth all as becomes him to do it. He knowes what is beſt to be done, and how much his Children bear, and what the Providence will iſſue in, and how the Phyſick will work. Iſa. 30.18. The Lord is a God of Judgment, bleſſed are all they that wait for him. His Judgments are with judgment: This good man readily ſubſcribed to it; O Lord, thy judgments are right, ſuch as they ſhould be, there is not any ſuch thing in them that can be mended, and therefore nothing that ſhould be quarrel'd.
And he doth not ſtop here, though it is good for one in trouble to come to this, but he goeth on, thou in faithfulneſs haſt afflicted me: Theſe Diſpenſations do ſpeak thee both a righteous Judge, and a cordial Friend; in what thou haſt done, thou haſt been true to thy gracious Word, and to my chief Intereſt; though Fleſh grumbles, and ſaith there is ſeverity in this ſtroke, yet my Faith ſpeaks better of my God, and tells me there is his Love in it. He hath done nothing but what he might do to me, and what He hath done doth really make for me. Though my Spirit be not right, nor my Duties right, nor my Carriage right, yet his Judgements are right.
And He doth not ſpeak this at random, as one that had a mind to be talking, though it be he did not know what; nor doth he ſpeak it with any heſitancy or miſgiving of Mind leſt it ſhould afterward be found otherwiſe, but with the greateſt aſſurance, confidence and alacrity imaginable, that he might work a belief in others who ſhould hear of it. I know, ſaith he, I know very well what I ſay: I know the thoughts that I have of my God and his dealings with me, they are not vain and miſtaken thoughts, but highly rational and well grounded: But you may ask, How did he come to know this? I anſwer, two wayes.
Firſt, By the Word of Truth: Which ſpeaks plainly, Deut. 32. He is the rock, his work is perfect, for all his wayes are judgment, a God of truth, and without iniquity, juſt and right is He.
Secondly, He knew it by other Saints Experiences and his own. Both my Predeceſſors and my Contemporaries have been able to make an honourable Report of God, and ſo am I, Pſal. 119.67. Before I was afflicted I went aſtray, but now have I kept thy Word. And again in the 71 Verſ. It is good for me that I have been afflicted, that I may learn thy Statutes. Theſe words do afford us ſeveral Truths worthy of our conſideration and repeated Thoughts. I will only name them.
Firſt, Many of thoſe Afflictions which come upon the Saints, are the Judgments of God upon them. I do not ſay all are ſo, but many. Probably the ſtroke of God upon you of this Congregation, is a Judgment. I do not take upon me poſitively to determin it, but it will be no prejudice to you to look upon it under that Notion, and carry accordingly, humbling your ſelves under the hand of God, and learning Righteouſneſs. Is there not a Cauſe? Find it out if you can, and beg that God would lead you into the knowledge of it, Job 10.2. I will ſay unto God, Do not condemn me, ſhew me wherefore thou contendeſt with me.
Secondly, The deareſt of Gods Saints are within the reach of his Judgments, and may be exerciſed by them. As he will to their comfort gloriouſly manifeſt the love, ſo when occaſion requires he will uſe the Authority of a Father. If his Children will be ſinfully deaf to Doctrine, he will open their Ears to Diſcipline, and by it. Thoſe that will not be pliant to the Word, ſhall feel the Rod. He hath ſuch a Love to them, and Care of them, that he will be ſure to whip them (though he doth not willingly) rather than loſe them.
Thirdly, The adminiſtrations of God to his People, in his judging and afflicting them, are ever managed with unſpotted Righteouſneſs and Faithfulneſs. Reproach ſhall never cleave to his Majeſty. He will neither give his Glory to another, nor in the leaſt ſtain and blemiſh it himſelf. He can do nothing but what is right, and he will do nothing to his People but what is good. It is impoſſible for him to do any thing which ſhall violate the Law of Equity, and no leſs impoſſible is it for him to do any thing which is inconſiſtent with his own everlaſting Covenant, or their Intereſt and good.
Fourthly, God doth and will ſatisfie his People about this: They ſhall be able to ſay, I know it; they ſhall both ſee and feel it. Juſtice and Faithfulneſs ſhall be ſo plainly impreſs'd upon his Diſpenſations, and in ſuch legible Characters that they ſhall run and read them. In order hereunto God hath been pleaſed to do much in his Word, and he will do more by his holy and almighty Spirit, who dwelleth with them, and will be in them, and make all effectual upon them. But none of theſe things ſhall be the Subjects of the following Diſcourſe, any further than as they will fall in under the handling of that Doctrin which I intended for, and which with the Bleſſing of God will prove to your advantage, and that is this:
Doct. Ʋnder the moſt afflictive Providences, the Children of God ought to preſs on to, and be expreſſive of a full ſatisfaction of Soul concerning the Righteouſneſs and Faithfulneſs of God in them.
We ought to be ſatisfied, and have reaſon ſo to be, of that I ſhall ſpeak in the doctrinal part: We ought to expreſs that ſatisfaction, of this in the Application. The Text we have before us doth afford a very ſufficient and ſolid Foundation for us to build ſuch a Concluſion upon. We find this holy man had been met with by God in the way of his Judgments, and exerciſed with Afflictions, but we do alſo find that the Lord and his Servant were Friends notwithſtanding that, and perfectly agreed; this clearly appears by the honourable Teſtimony he gives concerning God, and his ſmart dealing with him. He did not only put his mouth in the duſt, as one that had not a word to ſay againſt God, but he opened it with wiſdom, as one that had enough to ſay for God, and to his praiſe: I know that thy judgments are right; in the Original it is (as the Margin of our Bibles tells you) Righteouſneſs, Righteouſneſs it ſelf; they can be no more charged with being wrong or unjuſt, than light can with being dark, or ſweetneſs it ſelf with being bitter: And though thou haſt afflicted me, and doſt ſtill, I own it was and is in Faithfulfulneſs. So that here was no ſuch thing as a quarrel, no ſuch thing as an Objection, no finding of any fault, but juſtifying of God, and an humble acquieſcence in his Will and the Product thereof. Now here I would have this in the firſt place in a ſpecial manner taken notice of: That it is Gods Purpoſe and fixed Reſolution, that which his Heart is very much ſet upon, to have all things clear'd up and ſet to right between him and his People whom he dearly loves, and hath ſet apart for himſelf, and for an intimate and everlaſting communion with Him in the other and better World. It is his unalterable Will, that there ſhall be a mutual ſatisfaction; He will have a full ſatisfaction concerning them, and they again ſhall have a full ſatisfaction concerning him.
Firſt, God will have a full ſatisfaction concerning his People. I ſay, God is immoveably reſolved upon that, He will have ſatisfaction: But, alas! a poor Soul will ſay, I cannot give it him. Job 9.2, 3. How ſhould man be juſt with God, if he ſhould contend with him? he cannot anſwer him one of a thouſand. Not one mercy of a thouſand, they have been ſo ill improved, not one ſin of a thouſand, they are ſo foul, hainous and crying. But be not diſcouraged at that, for ſince the Beſt of men are not able to make ſatisfaction, He himſelf hath been graciouſly pleaſed to make Proviſion, and to find out a way for the doing of it, and hath to that end and purpoſe laid help upon one that is mighty, that ſo his righteous and holy Law may not quarrel, but be anſwered in all its demands; and that none of his glorious Attributes may have cauſe to complain, but whatever Objections may be raiſed and brought in againſt them upon account of the Corruption and vitiouſneſs of their Natures, or the ſinfulneſs and Irregularities of their Hearts and Carriages, may receive a full anſwer, and ſo all Obſtructions and rubs which lay in the way of their Happineſs may be removed. And ſo he hath found a full, and will take an eternal ſatisfaction in that which his only begotten and moſt dearly beloved Son, and our moſt gracious and bleſſed Redeemer the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, did freely undertake, and fully perform in a way of active and paſſive Obedience; from that Sacrifice of himſelf which our High-Prieſt did once for all offer up, God hath ſmelt a ſweet ſavour of reſt, ſo that in Him he is now and for ever well-pleaſed with them. He can now cloſe with them, and with delight embrace them with his Arms, and lay them in the Boſom of his Love. Mark the Language of his Grace, which is poured out of his Lips, and how ſweetly he calls to them: Iſa. 1.18. Come now and let us reaſon together, ſaith the Lord, though your ſins be as Scarlet, they ſhall be as white as Snow, though they be red like Crimſon, they ſhall be as Wooll. And now the Devil is caſt down, who is the great Accuſer of the Brethren, that would make it his buſineſs to accuſe them day and night before God in his Temple, God will not give an Ear to him. He had as good ſit ſtill, only his Hatred and Malice againſt you is ſo great that he cannot. Well, Chriſtians, look to it that you do not liſten to Satans Temptations, and you may be ſure, your Father will not liſten to his Accuſations. He is ſatisfied concerning you by his Son, and in him you are accepted. You are not ſatisfied with your ſelves, not with the Frame of your Hearts, but would have them more ſpiritual, holy and heavenly; nor with your Duties, but would have them more according to Goſpel rule: You would ſerve God better, and be more with him, yet in, thorough and by the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, God is ſatisfied concerning you, and with you, ſo that he reckons you his Jewels, his Portion and Inheritance; and in this you have reaſon to rejoyce: And then further
Secondly, It is the Will of God concerning his People, that they ſhould likewiſe have a full ſatisfaction concerning him, and all his Diſpenſations, as they have had: Pſal. 22.2, 3. O my God, I cry in the Day-time and thou heareſt not, and in the Night-ſeaſon, and am not ſilent, but thou art holy, O thou that inhabiteſt the Praiſes of Iſrael: And ſo Aſaph acknowledged in the 77th. Pſalm, That God's way was in the Sanctuary, a moſt holy way, though at that time it was a myſterious and abſtruſe way: His way was in the ſea, and his path in the great waters, and his footſteps were not known: And God takes this well at their Hands, he hath his Book of Remembrance for ſuch, Malachy 3.16. and it is that he doth expect from all his People, and will bring them to.
That he expects it from them, is clear from his expoſtulating with them, as in Ezek. 18.25. Hear, O Houſe of Iſrael, is not my way equal? are not your ways unequal? and ſo in Iſa. 40.27, 28. Why ſayeſt thou, O Jacob, and ſpeakeſt, O Iſrael? my way is hid from the Lord, and my judgment paſſed over from my God: Haſt thou not known, haſt thou not heard, that the everlaſting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the Earth, fainteth not, neither is weary, there is no ſearching of his underſtanding: And thus he dealt with the tachy Prophet Jonah, who was ſo much off the Hooks upon the ſparing of Nineveh, and the Withering of the Gourd, in the ſhadow whereof he had ſo exceedingly rejoiced; the Lord was pleaſed to ſpeak to him more than once, Jonah 4.4. Doſt thou well to be angry? And again, Ver. 9. Doſt thou well to be angry for the Gourd? Have I been ſo merciful to Nineveh, and to thy ſelf too, Jonah, and wilt thou be froward with me? Doſt thou well to be Angry? Have I done amiſs? Have I given thee any Cauſe? God would have all his People pleas'd with what he doth, and in Order to that, ſatisfied; and they have reaſon to be ſo, becauſe it is he that doth it: Were there no more, that ſhould in our Eſteem be enough alone. David counted it ſo in Pſal. 39.9, 10. though he was almoſt conſumed with the blow of God's Hand, yet he was dumb and opened not his mouth, becauſe He did it.
And as God would have this in his People, and doth expect it from them, ſo he is able to effect it and bring it to paſs: He that hath found out a way to ſatisfie himſelf concerning his Peoples bad Actions, ſo that there ſhall be no abiding breach between him and them upon that ſcore, what is it that he cannot doe? He that hath done that in which lay the greateſt difficulty, cannot be poſed and non-plus'd by the leſs, viz. the ſatisfying of his People concerning his Diſpenſations of Providence and carriages towards them; as in blaſting their Eſtates, and making them melt as ſnow before the Sun; in breaking to pieces their Relations, and making them to ſit ſolitary and alone; in taking away their Comforts, and rendering their Lives bitter, and a burden to them; in putting out that Light in which they had rejoyced for a ſeaſon, ſmiting their faithful Shepherd who had fed them with ſound Knowledge and Underſtanding. Theſe things and all others, God hath made Proviſion for, and will ſatisfie his People about; though he condeſcends therein to them, not being reſponſible to his Creatures, Dan. 4.35. He doth according to his Will, both in the Army of Heaven, and among the Inhabitants of the Earth, and none can ſtay his hand, or ſay unto him, What doſt thou? Yet thus he lays by Majeſty (as it were) and ſtoops to duſt and aſhes: thus he will deal with them, after he hath dipt his Pen in Gall, and written bitter things againſt them, at which they are troubled, yea ſtartled.
The next thing I ſhall do, is to ſhew you, how neceſſary this is for us, though it be altogether Mercy, Grace throughout in God: For there are apt to be in good men under dark and afflictive diſpenſations very undue and unbecoming Thoughts and Motions, a filthy ſcum ariſing. Poſſibly you have found in your ſelves ſomething of that nature under the late Providence, which at preſent you may think proper and right, what you are very well able to juſtifie; juſt as it was with Jonah in his extravagant Heat, his Paſſion had ſo blinded his Eyes, and conquer'd his Reaſon, that he told God to his Face, (Jonah 4.9.) I do well to be angry, even unto death: But when theſe very Perſons are returned to themſelves, their furious heat is abated, and they afterward become more compoſed and ſedate, and enjoy a due calmneſs of ſpirit, and thereupon come to reflect on themſelves, they will ſee cauſe to bluſh before God, to condemn themſelves, and to be aſhamed of their words and actions. I will give you an Inſtance or two.
Firſt, In ſuch Caſes they are very forward to enter the Liſts, and Diſpute with God: When his ways are out of their ſight, his Providences ſo many Riddles and Myſteries that they cannot Interpret; when the Hand of God comes near to a Man, and toucheth him to the quick, bleeding him in a Maſter-Vein, and taking away from him that which was the deſire of his Soul, and the Delight of his Eyes. There are irregular and unchild-like Workings in him, though at another time you would not have thought there had been any ſuch thing in the Man, but let God have us'd him at his Pleaſure, let God have tumbled and toſſed him up and down as he would, he would ſtill have fallen upon a ſquare, and when this and that and the other was gone, he would have poſſeſſed his Soul in Patience; but alas we find it with him as with Water that hath for ſome time been in a Glaſs, while it ſtands ſtill it looks pure and clear, but if one ſtir and ſhake it, then that filth riſeth which lay before at the bottom undiſcern'd, and now 'tis all over diſturb'd and roil'd: So here, the Chriſtian hath had ſome Diſappointment or Loſs, ſomething or other by which his Spirit is wounded, and that puts him quite out of Humour, and now he thinks himſelf able to deal with God, and, as I ſaid, would argue the Caſe with him. Thus it was with the Weeping Prophet, Jerem. 13.10. Indeed he laid down this as an Eternal Truth, that would not admit of any queſtion; Righteous art thou, O Lord: Yet he thought there were ſome things that he might Animadvert upon, and be bold to diſcourſe with God about: Let me talk with thee of thy Judgments; Yes, do ſo, Jeremy, but when thou doſt, ſet a Watch before the door of thy Lips, and have a Care thou doſt not tranſgreſs. Well, he turns Queſtioniſt; Wherefore doth the way of the wicked proſper? Wherefore are all they happy that deal very treacherouſly? And Afflicted Job went beyond him, and roſe too high, Job. 23.3, 4, 5. O that I knew where I might find him, that I might come even to his ſeat; I would order my Cauſe before him, and fill my Mouth with Arguments: I would know the VVords which he would anſwer me, and underſtand what he would ſay unto me: But know it is far more becoming of Man, and profitable for him to deal with God in a way of humble Submiſſion and fervent Supplication than in a way of Diſpute, for in this way God will certainly be too hard for Man, and teach him better Manners, as he did Job, whom he brought upon his Knees, and made throw down his Weapons, and cry Peccavi, Job. 40.4. Behold I am Vile; both really ſo, and in mine own Eyes, VVhat ſhall I anſwer thee? I will lay my hand upon my mouth, and ſo for the future Seal up my Lips, as one that do not know what to ſay, and have already offended in ſaying I did not know what. Let all the Earth keep ſilence before him, but vain Man would be Wiſe. And ſo
Secondly, There is apt to be even in good Men themſelves ſomething of a Tumultuous and Diſcontented Spirit, riſing up againſt God becauſe of his Providences, forming in their Minds very unworthy and unbeſeeming Thoughts of him: Exceeding diſhonourable Thoughts, which do wretchedly reflect upon God and Religion; this we ſee too too plainly in Holy Aſaph, Pſal. 73. He firſt looked abroad round about him, and there ſaw the Ungodly of the World free from thoſe Troubles with which many better than themſelves were exerciſed, and filled with all manner of Delights, Proſpering and Flouriſhing, increaſed in Riches, and having more than Heart could Wiſh; then he turn'd home, and conſider'd how Matters ſtood there, and he found himſelf roughly handled, Being plagued all the day long, and chaſtened every morning; and upon this he was almoſt ready to run with the Herd, to throw up all, and caſt Dirt in the Face of Godlineſs, by laying down this Vile Aſſertion, Ver. 13. Verily I have cleanſed my heart in vain, and waſhed my hands in innocency: Only God was graciouſly pleaſed ſeaſonably to ſtep in with his preventing Kindneſs, and to Recover him again, and bring him to his right Mind, by making him to ſee and conſider the tendency of ſuch a ſpeech, Ver. 15. If I ſay I will ſpeak thus, behold I ſhould offend againſt the generation of thy Children. By this you ſee what need good Men have of a Corrector.
Now in the next place my Buſineſs will be to ſhew, That before God hath done with his People, He will ſo Anſwer all their Objections, ſo clear up Matters to them, ſo open and explain the abſtruſe Riddles of his Providence, that they ſhall be well ſettled in their Minds, and both able and ready to profeſs themſelves very well ſatisfied about that which God hath done; for the Proof whereof there is no need of carrying you any further than the Text, where the Pſalmiſt doth with all his Heart juſtifie God; I know O Lord that thy Judgments are right, and that thou in faithfulneſs haſt afflicted me: And when theſe two things are once ſet before the Chriſtian in a juſt light, namely the Juſtice or Righteouſneſs of the Diſpenſation, and the Faithfulneſs of God in it, the ſweet Satisfaction of his Soul muſt neceſſarily reſult from it: And there is enough plainly laid down in the Sacred Scripture to ſatisfie as to both theſe, any one that is acquainted with it, and would be ſatisfied, and hath not a mind to quarrel: As I ſhall, through the Divine Aſſiſtance and Bleſſing make to appear, beginning firſt with the Righteouſneſs of God's Judgments, or ſmarting Diſpenſations, which, if I be not greatly miſtaken, will be evident to him that will give himſelf time and leave to Conſider theſe few things.
Firſt, The Abſolute Sovereignty and Power of God: This doth carry a great deal of Strength along with it, and is alone ſufficient to ſilence Diſputes, and to make a Man put his Mouth in the Duſt, let the thing which God hath done be what it will. It muſt be granted that all Men are accountable, both thoſe that are under the Law, and thoſe that made it. The Actions of Men are to be weighed in a juſt Ballance, and judged of by Reaſon and according to Law: To affirm any Man to be altogether above a Law, is to make him more than a Man: But who ſhall ſay, What doſt thou, to him who hath unqueſtionable right to do whatſoever he pleaſeth both in Heaven and in Earth? All Perſons and Things are in his Hand, and as much at his diſpoſe as Clay is in the Hand of a Potter, of which he can make a Veſſel of Honour or of Diſhonour. As God at his own time called the World out of Nothing, and eſtabliſhed the Earth upon the Floods, ſo He can at his own time (as He hath of late up and down) cauſe tremendous and depopulating Earthquakes, and at laſt burn it up and all the Works therein. As when He pleaſed He did raiſe Man out of Duſt, ſo when He pleaſeth He can ſay Ʋnto Duſt thou ſhalt return. At his own Pleaſure he ſends Labourers to work in the Vineyard, ſome at the ſixth Hour of the Day, ſome at the ninth, and ſome at the eleventh: So, at his own Pleaſure he ſaith to this Man, and to that, and to the other, I have no more Work for you to do: When He ſees good, He Calls ſuch an one to his Service, he hath a Job for him, and when he ſees fit, he ſaith, Now you ſhall take your reſt, thou haſt been faithful in thy little, now enter into the joy of thy Lord: All things are and ſhall be as God will have them; and Rom. 9.20. Who art thou, O Man, that replieſt againſt God? or Anſwereſt again, and Diſputeſt with him? It was in this that the ſtrength of that Argument lay, which Elihu brought for the quieting of Job's diſturbed Spirit, and the putting a deſirable end to that over hot Controverſie which had been between him and his three Friends, when he Interpoſed, endeavouring to bring things to a good and amicable Iſſue, he laid all the weight upon this bottom. Job was at a perfect loſs, his Heart did not reproach him, but all along he had the Teſtimony of his Conſcience that He was not wicked, but had ſincerely and induſtriouſly endeavoured to walk in his Integrity, and thereupon he wondered that ſuch ſevere Strokes ſhould be Orde'rd out to him: On the other ſide his three Friends were Nonplus'd too, and could not tell how to look upon Job as a godly Man, but an Hypocrite, Unmask'd ſince he was ſo exerciſed, humbled and emptied; Elihu then comes to untie the Knot which had been too hard for them, and reſolved all into the Sovereignty of God, Job 33.12, 13. I will anſwer thee, that God is greater than Man, why doſt thou ſtrive againſt him? for he giveth no account of any of his Matters: He is too great for that, infinitely too high to be brought to the Creatures Barr: And when Elihu had proſecuted the Argument, and with much holy Wiſdom managed the part of a Moderator, God himſelf ſeconded him, and went on after the ſame manner that his Servant had done, inſtructed by his Spirit, Job 40.2. Shall he that contendeth with the Almighty inſtruct him? he that reproved God, let him anſwer it: And Ver. 8, 9, Wilt thou diſanull my Judgment? wilt thou condemn me that thou mayeſt be righteous? haſt thou an Arm like God? or canſt thou thunder with a Voice like him? and you may ſee that when this Holy Man Job had heard and been better informed than before concerning this great Truth, he made haſte and delayed not to reſolve upon an humble ſilence: I have heard of thee by the hearing of the Ear; i. e. I have formerly had ſome Notices given me of God, I have had Teachings from my Parents and Inſtructors, but now mine Eyes have ſeen thee; I have had from thee farther and much clearer Diſcoveries of thy Self, and Power and Glory, than ever I had from Man, and now inſtead of Contending with thee, I abhor my ſelf, and repent in duſt and aſhes, Job 42.5, 6. and before that in the 40 Chap. 4, 5. Ver. Behold I am vile, what ſhall I anſwer thee; I will lay my hand upon my mouth: Once have I ſpoken, but I will not anſwer; yea twice, but I will proceed no further; Or, as it is in the Original, I will not add, not a Word more, not a Syllable more: There hath been too much already abſurdly ſpoken by me againſt thy Wiſe and Holy Providences, who haſt ſuch a Sovereign Authority, and unlimited univerſal Right to do whatſoever thou wilt, for that the good Man did acknowledge and ſubſcribe to, Job 42.2. I know that thou canſt do every thing; nothing that is evil, every thing that is good; every thing that is not a contradiction in it ſelf nor to him, nothing that is unworthy of him; every thing that doth become him: He can do every thing for us, and every thing with us that he pleaſeth. God will not do all that he can, but He can do all that he will: He hath Power to do it, yea and he hath Authority too, and therefore every thing that he doth muſt needs be right, becauſe he hath a right to do what he pleaſeth. There is none that can give Law to God, only He is a Law to himſelf.
Secondly, Conſider God in all thoſe lighter or heavier Afflictions, with which he doth exerciſe the Children of Men, yea his own Children; he muſt of neceſſity be juſtified and acknowledged right, becauſe he doth not in any of them exceed the demerit of their ſins: He cannot but do right in all things, that doth wrong in nothing. We do indeed meet with this Pathetical Expreſſion in Job 23.2. Even to day is my Complaint bitter; It is bitter to me; for thô it gives me Eaſe, yet it is not what I like; I do not love to be always Complaining, and I find it is bitter to you, you do not reliſh it, you do not love to have your delicate tender Ears thus grated, yet, ſaith he, My ſtroke is heavier than my groaning: If theſe Groans pierce your Ears, there are Sorrows that wound my Heart; if my Groans be great, my Burden is much greater; if my Complaint be very bitter, I am ſure the blow which God hath given me is very ſmart: You think my Patience is very ſmall, but you are not ſenſible of my Pain, you do not feel that which I feel: But mark this, though Job did ſay, his Stroke was greater than his Groans, yet he doth not ſay that it was greater than his Sins; No, No, the Sins of an Hour deſerve all the Afflictions of a Life, and more too: There is more evil in the leaſt ſin than there is in the greateſt Affliction: There is good in Affliction, but none at all in Sin. See what Zophar ſaid to Job, Job 11.6. Know that God exacts of thee leſs than thy Iniquities deſerve; God hath taken away thy Servants, and thy Cattle, and thy Children, and ſuffered Satan to ſmite thee with Boyls from the Crown of the Head to the Sole of the Foot, and hither thou art come from great Honour and Eſtate to a Dunghil, but as good a Man as thou art and thinkeſt thy ſelf to be, thine Iniquities deſerve worſe than all this. Iniquity for certain deſerves Affliction, but in this Life God never Orders out to any ſo many and ſo great Afflictions as their Iniquities do deſerve. The leaſt Mercy is more than all our Earnings amount to, and the greateſt Affliction leſs than our leaſt Sin deſerves. David complained in Pſal. 38. That God's Arrows ſtuck faſt in him, and his Hand preſſed him ſore: But his ſins made deeper Wounds in his Conſcience than thoſe Arrows did in his Fleſh, and accordingly he cryed out in the 4th. Verſe, that his Iniquities were gone over his Head, and as an heavy burden they were too heavy for him: The Hand of God did ſorely preſs him, but his Iniquities did preſs him a great deal worſe. The Condition into which ſinning and God provoking Jeruſalem had been brought, and in which it lay for the ſpace of ſeventy Years, was exceeding deplorable: You muſt needs account it ſo if you ever took Notice how it is ſet out by the Prophet Jeremiah in his Lamentations: Yet Holy Ezra humbly and ingenuouſly acknowledged to the Glory of God, Ezra 9.13. That he had puniſhed them leſs than their Iniquities. My Friends, it is a very proper Courſe for you, and for others under Affliction, firſt to take a ſerious View of your Sins, looking upon them through the Glaſs of Chriſt's Blood, for ſo you will ſee them to be out of meaſure finful, and after that turn your Eyes upon your Afflictions, and behold their Face in the Glaſs of your ſins, and then you will ſee them to be very moderate, and that the Divine Contendings with you are in meaſure. Whoſoever he be that doth really ſee into the Demerit of ſin, cannot but preſently diſcover much of the Mercy which is in the Affliction; and it muſt be granted that thoſe Afflictions can be no other than right which are Merciful Afflictions.
Thirdly, Conſider God in his depriving his People of their Comforts, and taking away from them their pleaſant things, and how grievous ſoever this Diſpenſation is to them, God cannot but therein be right, becauſe He takes from them nothing but that which was his own. Job was ſtript to his very Skin, and that too was not left whole; he then looked to what would be at laſt, that as he came Naked into the World, ſo he ſhould go Naked out, but ſtill he did not quarrel: How came that about? See Job 1.21. The Lord hath given, and the Lord hath taken, bleſſed be the Name of the Lord. God hath taken away your Eſtates, how came you to have them? were they not of his beſtowing? Remember then the ſame Hand that hath now caſt you down, did before lift you up. God hath now Written you Childleſs, but conſider that he made you Parents; it was His Wooll and his Flax, his Gold and his Silver, and your Children were more his than your own: God hath now taken away your Husband, and your Father, and your Paſtor, but He gave him firſt, and when He gave him you knew He did not give him to you for ever. You knew when you came together, and while you lived together, it would be only for a ſeaſon, and you muſt part again. When God gave him to you, it was with the Reſervation of his own Intereſt, which muſt always be kept entire. God did not part with, nor in the leaſt diminiſh his own Right when he put him into your Hands: He gave him to you, but it was for a time. The truth is he did only lend him to you, in his Pity and Love he ſent him to you, that he might be an Helper to your Faith and Joy, and promote your Progreſs in that way of Truth and Holineſs which leads to Heaven and Glory. You knew that it was God's Intention, his fixed and unalterable Reſolution to ſend for him home as ſoon as he had finiſhed that which was given him to do: And what Reaſon can be aſſigned why He or any other Faithful Miniſter or Godly Chriſtian ſhould ſtay here after his Work is done? It would be an irkſom and tedious thing for an holy Soul to live in the World and be Idle, to live and have nothing to do: Shall I not do with my own as I pleaſe? ſaid the Maſter to that Labourer who quarrell'd with him about his Pay: And may not the great God much more ſay ſo? What, ſhall I ask your leave? Is it fit that I ſhould adviſe with you what I ſhall do with, and how I ſhall diſpoſe of that which is mine own? Miniſters are Stars, with which I have beautiſied the Firmament of the Church, which is a lower Heaven; theſe I have made and appointed to give Light unto the World, and I will ſet them in what Orb I pleaſe, and when they have ſhined there, and ſcatter'd their benign Influences as long as I ſee good, I will place them in another; and when they have done all that which it is my Pleaſure ſhould be done by them, I will take them up to an higher Sphere, even that of Heaven, where they ſhall ſee my Face in Righteouſneſs, Contemplate my Glory, and be Satisfied with my Love and Likeneſs. But once more
Fourthly, Let us View thoſe Judgments or Afflictions which God Orders out to his People in all the Circumſtances of them, and we ſhall find they are right throughout. Here I might be very large, but will Contract.
His Judgments are right as to the Principle from which God acts in the Ordering them out, and as to the End at which he aims, and as to the Means of which he makes Uſe, and as to the Meaſure of their Sufferings, how much they ſhall bear, and as to the Time how long they ſhall continue. God is ſo exact in theſe and all other things that can poſſibly be named, that there is not the ſmalleſt Failure: That which they ſaid of our dear Lord Jeſus while he was here on Earth, we may moſt truly affirm of God, He hath done all things well. Were the World to begin again, all his Providences ſhould be as they have been, becauſe nothing in them can be mended. I will give ſome light touches and ſhort hints upon thoſe things which I have named, and ſo paſs on.
There are Judgments and dark Providences which God Orders out to Churches and particular Saints, but the Principle from which in them God acts, is a Principle of Love, and that is not only right but ſweet: He Loves them while he afflicts them, and he afflicts them becauſe he Loves them, Revel. 3.19. As many as I love I rebuke and chaſten. Poſſibly his Love is not plainly impreſs'd upon the Rod, ſo that thou canſt run and read it, at preſent it is conceal'd, but it will break out and ſhew it ſeif in due time. Ephraim was as a Bullock unaccuſtomed to the Yoke, impatient and unruly, and as ſuch he was Chaſtiſed, the Whip ſmarted, and the Goad pricked him, yet he was God's dear Son and pleaſant Child, and his Father reſolved to have Mercy upon him. God hath taken this and that from you, Moderate your Grief, for He will not take his loving kindneſs from you. The Rod may ſmart and put you to Pain, but it is the Hand of Divine Love which lays it on.
As God is right in the Principle from which he acts, ſo He is in the End at which he aims, for that is exceeding gracious, Heb. 12.10. He chaſtens us not for his own pleaſure but for our profit, that we may be partakers of his holineſs: He aims not at the Weakening of our Bodies and Eſtates, but the Mending of our Souls; not that we might be made the poorer by it, but the better: And as this is his End, ſo it ſhall be attained, Rom. 8.28. We know that all things ſhall work together for good to them that love God: They have done it hitherto, and ſo they ſhall for the future: It is clear from conſtant Experience: We know it: Good is in the Heart and Purpoſe of God, and all things ſhall be ſubſervient to it, all ſhall make their Contributions. This late Providence, the Death of your Worthy Paſtor was for good, for certain it was good for him; to him to live was Chriſt, and therefore to him to dye muſt needs be gain, unleſs Paul were miſtaken, Philip. 1.21. That you will eaſily grant, viz. He is no loſer by leaving of the World, and of You, becauſe he is gone to Heaven, He is where He would be, where He knows more, and enjoys more, and is better than he could here, had he lived Methuſelah's Age; and this ſhall work for good to you alſo: But you do not ſee how that ſhould be. It is very likely you are dim-ſighted, and ſee but a little way; and let this be enough for you, (as indeed it is at preſent) that though you do not ſee, God doth, who is Wiſer than you. And then
God is right as to the Means which he uſeth: Thoſe that he makes Choice of and employs, are the beſt that could be in the Caſe: Or, if they be not ſo in themſelves, he both can and will make them ſo; if they be too Weak, he will Impower them; and if they have no Virtue of their own, he will Infuſe ſome into them, as in the Sound of Rams-Horns, before which the Walls of Jericho fell; or if they be contrary, he will reconcile them. One would think Clay and Spittle are enough to put out ſeeing Eyes, but when he pleaſeth he can temper them into ſo Sovereign a Remedy as ſhall give Sight to one that was born Blind.
Further, God is right as to the Degree and Height of the Suffering: When angry with his Children, He ſtirs not up all his Wrath; No, No, He Contends with them in meaſure: He never maketh too great a Rod, nor gives his Patient too large a Doſe, but weighs out every thing, ſo that there ſhall not be one Drop of Gall too much in the Cup: He is faithful, who will not ſuffer you to be tempted above what you are able: Full out as much, but no more. If need be you are in heavineſs, no more than need, no longer than need. And ſo
God is right as to the Time; when Trouble ſhall come, and when it ſhall go, when it ſhall begin, and when ceaſe. He doth every thing in Seaſon. In the Fulneſs of Time He ſent his Son into the World, and ſo He ſends Affliction. Death comes to reap his Corn when it is White to the Harveſt, and He puts every one of his Children to Bed at their Hour. When his Faithful Servants have Finiſhed their Work, then he takes them to their Reſt, and lays them at perfect Eaſe in the Boſom of Abraham, or rather his own. They ſhall not out-live it, nor ſhall they dye before it is done. I hope I have ſaid enough to ſatisfie you about the Perfect Righteouſneſs of God in his Judgments, and that may well ſilence you.
There is another thing in the Text which this Holy Man ſaith He did know, and that is, the Faithfulneſs of God in afflicting him. And if the other doth ſilence, this may well quiet and delight the Afflicted Saint: And truly we have all of us reaſon to be ſatisfied about this, that though God often is an Afflicting God, yet He always is a Faithful God, and it is in his Faithfulneſs that he doth Order out Afflictions to them. Now this will appear if you Conſider theſe two things, God is Faithful to his Covenant, and to his Peoples Intereſt.
Firſt, In afflictive Providences God is Faithful to his own Covenant: Inſtead of running Croſs to it, he acts in a Wiſe Purſuance of it. He never runs Croſs to it, for while the Saints are here, the Covenant doth not put any of them out of the reach of Afflictions, Galat. 4.1. The Heir as long as he is a Child differs nothing from a Servant, though he be Lord of all; but may have as courſe Fare and as hard Uſage; ſo may one of thoſe that are Heirs of God and Glory. Indeed we are aſſured, there is no Condemnation to them that are in Chriſt Jeſus: And that Security is matter of great Joy; but tho' by laying hold upon Chriſt and the Covenant they are free from Condemnation, yet they may expect Probations whenſoever God pleaſe, and Correction when they deſerve and need it. As we before intimated, God hath reſerved unto himſelf a Liberty and Power of Viſiting his Children's Iniquities with the Rod, and their Tranſgreſſions with Stripes.
But not running Croſs to the Covenant is not all, it is too little, for in afflictive Providences upon good Men, God acts in purſuance of his Covenant, for by that he ſtands Obliged to be not only a Sun to them for refreſhing, and a Shield for defence; not only to give them Grace in the way, and Glory in the Country, but alſo to withhold no good thing from them that walk uprightly: Now Reaſon and Experience tell us that Phyſick is good, wholſome and neceſſary, ſometimes as well as Food; and Purges, tho' ſtrong, and make Heart-ſick, are good as well as Cordials, and bitter things are good as well as ſweet, Pſal. 119.71. It is good for me that I have been afflicted: Many an holy and gracious Perſon cannot ſay, It is good for me that I am afflicted. Poor Creature, his Spirit is ſo diſorder'd by the bitterneſs of the Affliction, that he cannot at preſent taſte the ſweetneſs of that good it doth him, but ſooner or later every ſuch an one ſhall ſay, It is good for me that I have been afflicted. While God is Plowing upon their Backs, and making long his Furrows, they conclude it is very ſtrange Work, but when they once come to reap the Harveſt, they ſhall moſt freely, and with thankfulneſs acknowledge to his Glory, that it was very good Work.
Secondly, In afflictive Providences God is moſt true and faithful to his Peoples Intereſt: Though they be and often are Sufferers, yet it is to be Charged upon themſelves, and not upon God, if they be loſers: It is his gracious Will that they ſhould not loſe but gain by their Sufferings, and that their Gains ſhould not only compenſate and equal their Loſſes, but likewiſe much exceed them: From the Thorns that prick and wound them, and let out ſome of their Blood, they ſhall gather the peaceable Fruit of Righteouſneſs, Heb. 12.11. When the Lord leads his People into a Waſte and howling Wilderneſs, he makes for them a right way, though there was none before; poſſibly it is ſteep, ruggid and troubleſome, however it is right; and walking in it undefiled, they ſhall be brought to a pleaſaut Place, a good Land, a City of Habitations. When God is ſtripping you of this and that, and the other Delight, He is thereby fitting you for a more Noble Enjoyment, a more Valuable Good, yea, for thoſe Bleſſings which run parallel with the Line of Eternity. This is all the Fruit to take away your ſin, and to prepare you for a more intimate Communion with him here, and a plenary endleſs Fruition of him in the other World, 1 Cor. 3.22. All things are yours, whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the World, or Life, or Death, or things preſent, or things to come, all are yours: O the Riches of a Believer! all his, Miniſters, Ordinances, Providences, thoſe that look pleaſantly upon you, and thoſe too that have a terrible Aſpect, all are yours, your Friends, your Servants, all imployed for the promoting of your Holineſs, and thereby your Happineſs; the good Man in the 73d. Pſalm, was pained, grieved, and pricked in his reins, but upon his going into the Sanctuary, and Conſulting with the Divine Oracles, his Pains abated and went off, ſo that He quickly ſound all well; 23, 24. Nevertheleſs I am continnally with thee; and though evil be with me, I will not fear it ſo long as I am with thee; thou holdeſt me by my right hand, whereby I am ſafe from ſinking into utter ruine; thou ſhalt guide me with thy Counſel, and ſo whatever I may loſe by the way, I ſhall not be quite loſt my ſelf; and afterward receive me unto glory, and if thou receive me, its no matter who rejects me, and however things go with me at the preſent, I am ſure they will be perfectly well at laſt; For the ſufferings of this preſent life are not worthy to be compared with the glory which ſhall be revealed, Rom. 8.18. No, not to be mentioned the ſame day, becauſe theſe are but light Afflictions, and ſhort, but for a moment, and yet they work for real Saints a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. Thus you have ſeen that all God's Judgments are right, wherefore he deſerves to be juſtified, and that he is Faithful in Afflicting his Children, therefore it becomes them to be ſatisfied: He will Correct them, that he may not Loſe them; He will Judge them, that he may not Condemn them with the World. We have finiſhed the Doctrinal part, and ſhall now proceed to the Uſe, which will be by way of Exhortation, dividing it ſelf into two Branches.