3. That good is not always the good of the flesh, or the good of outward prosperity ; and therefore the good of our condition is not to be deter- mined by the interest of the flesh, but the welfare of our souls. If God should bestow upon us so much of the good of the outward and animal life as we desire, we could not be said to be in a good condi- tion if he should deny us good spiritual. We should lose one half of the blessings of the covenant by doting upon and falling in love with the rest : the flesh is importunate to be pleased, but God will not serve our carnal turns. We are more concerned as a soul than a body : Heb. xii. 10, ' He verily for our profit, that we may be partakers of his holiness.' Certain it is God will chasten us for our profit. What do we call profit? The good things of this w^orld, the great mammon which so many worship ? If we call it so, God will not ; he meaneth to impart to us spiritual and divine benefit, which is a par- ticipation of his own holiness. And truly the people of God, if they be in their right temper, value themselves not by their outward enjoy- ments, but their inward, by their improvement of grace, not the enjoyment of worldly comforts: 2 Cor. iv. 16, 'For this cause we faint not, but though our outward man perish, our inward man is renewed day by day.' A discerning Christian puts more value upon holiness wTought by affliction than upon all his comforts. So that though affliction be evil in itself, it is good as sanctified.
4. A particular good must give way to a general good, and our personal benefit to the advancement of Christ's kingdom. The good of the church must be preferred before our personal contentment. Paul could want the glory of heaven for a while, if his continuance in the flesh were needful for the saints : Phil. i. 24, ' To abide in the flesh is more needful for you.' We must not so desire good to our- selves as to hinder the good of others. All elements will act contrary to their particular, for the conservation of the universe. That may be good for the glory of God which is not good for our personal con- tentment and ease. Now tlie glory of God is our greatest interest ; if
YeK. 71.] SERMONS UPCX PSALM CXIX. 255
it be for tlie glory of God that I should be in pain, bereft of my com- forts, my sanctified subjection to the will of God must say it is good. John xii. 27, 28, there yru have expressed the innocent inclination of Christ's human nature, ' Father, save me from this hour ; ' and the overruling sense of his duty, or the obligation of his office, ' But for this cause came I to this hour.' We are often tossed and tumbled between inclination of nature and conscience of duty ; but in a gracious heart the sense of our duty and the desire of glorifying God should prevail above the desire of our own comfort, ease, safety, and welfare. Nature would be rid of trouble, but grace submits all our interests to God's honour, which should be dearer to us than anything else.
5. This good is not to be determined by present feeling, but by the judgment of faith. AfHiction for the present is not pleasant to natural sense, nor for the present is the fruit evident to spiritual sense, but it is good because in the issue it turneth to good : Kom. viii. 28, ' All things work together for good.' While God is striking we feel the grief, and the cross is tedious, but when we see the end, we acknow- ledge it is good to be afflicted: Heb. xii. 11, 'Xo affliction for the present seemeth joyous, but grievous ; but afterwards it yieldeth the peaceable fruits of righteousness.' A good present is the cause of joy, and an evil present is the cause of sorrow ; but there are two terms of abatement : the sorrow is from the present sense, and the conceit of the sufterer. When we are but newly under the affliction, we feel the smart, but do not presently find the benefit ; but within a while, especially in the review, it is good for me ; it is matter of faith under the affliction, it is matter of sense after it. Good physic must have time to work. That which is not good may be good ; though it be not good in its nature, it is good in its seasonai)le use, and though for the present we see it not, we shall see it. Therefore good is not to be determined by feeling, but by faith. The rod is a sore thing for the present, but the bitter root will yield sweet fruit. If we come to a person under the cross, and ask him. What ! is it good to feel the lashes of God's correcting hand, to be kept poor and sickly, exercised with losses and reproaches, to part with friends and relations, to lose a beloved child ? sense will complain. But this poor creature, after he hath been exercised and mortified, and gotten some renewed evidences of God's favour, ask him then is it good to be afflicted ? Oh, yes ! 1 had else been vain, neglectful of God, wanted such an experience of the Lord's grace. Faith should determine the case when we feel it not.