\8th. Consideration, what is it makes the difference between a godly man, and an un- godly man in affliction, but only this, the godly man submits to God's will, the un- godly man will not submit : a wicked man frets and fumes, and is like a wild bull in a net. He in affliction blasphemes God, Rev. xvi. 9., " Men were scorched with gi'eat heat, and blasphemed the name of God." Put a stone in the fire, and it flies in your face ; stony hearts fly in God's face. A stuff that is rotten, the more it is rubbed, the more it frets and tears. When God afflicts the sinner he tears himself in anger, but a godly man is sweetly submissive to God's will ; this is his speech, " shall not I drink the cup which my Father hath given me ?" Spices, when they are bruised, send out a sweet fragrant smell : when God bruiseth his saints, they send out the sweet perfume of patience. Servulus an holy man, was long afflicted with the palsy, yet this was his ordinary speech, laudetur Dens, let God be praised : O let us say, " Thy will be done." Let us bear that patiently which God inflicts justly, else how do we show our grace ? What difference is there between us and the wicked in affliction?
19///. Consideration, not to submit to God's providential will, is highly provoking to God. Can we anger God more than by
quarrelling with him, and not let him have his will ? Kings do not love to have their wills opposed, though they may be unjust : how ill doth God take it, when we will be disputing against his righteous will ? It is a sin God cannot bear, Numb. xiv. 27., " How long shall I bear with this c\\\ con- gregation which murmur against me?" May not God justly say thus, how long shall I bear with this wicked person, who, when any thing falls out cross, murmurs against me ? v. 28., " Say unto them, as truly as I live, saith the Lord, as ye have spoken in my ears, so will I do unto you." God swears against a murmurer, " As I live ;" and what will God do as he lives ? V. 29., " Your carcasses shall fall in the wil- derness." You see how provoking a dis- contented quarrelsome spirit is to God, it may cost men their lives, nay their souls. God sent fiery serpents among the people for their murmuring, 1 Cor. x. 10. He may send worse than fiery serpents, he may send hell fire.
2Qth. Consideration, how much doth God bear at our hand, and shall not we be con- tent to be.ar something at his hand ? It would tire the patience of angels to bear with us one day, 2 Pet. iii. 9., " The Lord is long suffering towards us." How oft do we offend in our eye by envious impure glances ? in our tongues by rash censuring ? but God passeth by many injuries, he bears with us. Should the Lord punish us every time we offend, he might draw his sword every day. Shall God bear so much at our hands, and can we bear Avith nothinir at his hand ? Shall God be patient with us, and we impatient with him ? Shall he be meek, and we murmur? Shall he endure our sins, and shall not we endure his strokes ? Oh let us say, " Thy will be done." Lord, thou hast been the greatest sufferer, thou hast borne more from me, than I can iVom thee.
21.9^. Consideration, submitting our wills to God in affliction disappoints Satan of his hope, and quite spoils his design. The de- vil's end is in all our afflictions to make us sin. The reason why Satan did smite Job in his body and estate, was to perplex his mind, and ])ut him into a passion ; he hop- ed that Job would have been discontented.
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and in a fit of anger, not only have cursed liis birth-day, but curse his God. But Job lying at God's feet, and blessing him in af- fliction, disappointed Satan of his hope, and quite spoiled his plot. Had Job murmur- ed he had pleased Satan ; had he fallen in- to an heat, and sparks of his anger had flown about, the devil had warmed himself at this fire of Job's passion ; but Job quiet- ly submitted and blessed God ; here Satan's design was frustrated, and he missed of his intent. The devil hath oft deceived us ; the best way to deceive him, is by quiet submission to God in all things, saying, " Thy will be done."