4. This good is not to be determined by feeling, but by faith : Ps. Ixxiii. 1, ' Yet God is good to Israel, and to such as are of a clean heart.' God is good to his people, however, he seem to deal hardly with them : sense judgeth it ill, but faith saith it is good ; it seeth a great deal of love in pain and smart. There is such a difference be- tween faith and sense as there was between Elisha and his servant, 2 Kings vi. 15, 16 ; the servant saw the host of the enemies, but he did
^ There seems to be a mispriat in this sentence. — Ed.
256 SERMONS uroN rsALM cxix. [Ser. CXXXIII.
not sec the fiery cliaviots and horsemen thai were for his help ; Elisha, saw both, t^o believers see not only the bitterness that is in God's chastenings, but the sweet fruits in the issue. Faith can look at the pride and ])0\ver of wicked men as a vain thing, when they are in the height of their power and greatness : Job v. 15, ' I have seen the fool- ish taking root, but suddenly I cursed his habitation ;' that is, pro- phetically, not passionately; foretelling evil, not wishing it. When they were taking root, as themselves and other worldly men thought, I judged him unhappy, foretold his end and destruction. There is much of the spirit of prophecy in faith. AVhen others applaud, make little gods of them, he looketh through all their beauty, riches and honour: Ps. xcii. 7, ' When the wicked spring as the grass, and all the workers of iniquity do flourish, it is that they shall be destroyed for ever.' Grass will wither and dry up of its own accord, especially when there is a worm at the root. Their very prosperity, as it ferments their lusts, and hardeneth their hearts, is a means to draw on their destruction: Ps. xxxix. 5, 'Man in his best estate is vanity.' Then, Avhen they seem to have all things luidcr their feet, who could harm them ? so that none dare open the mouth, move the wing, or peep ; yet God can easily blast and whip them with an unseen scourge.
5. Good is of several sorts, temporal, spiritual, eternal.
[1.] Temporal good. Cross accidents conduce to that : Gen. 1. 20, * Ye thought evil against me, but God meant it unto good ; to bring- to pass as it is this day, and to save much people alive.' The Egy[)- tians and themselves liad wanted a preserver if Joseph had not been sold and sent into Egypt. If a man were to go to sea in a voyage upon which his heart was much set, but the ship is gone before he cometh, but after he heareth that all that were in the ship are drowned, then he would say, This disai)pointment was for good. As Crassus' rival in the Parthian war was intercepted and cut off by the craft of the barbarians, had no reason to stomach his being refused. Many of us have cause to say, Periissem nisi periissem — Ave had suffered more if we had suffered less. In the story of Joseph there is a not- able scheme and draught of providence. He is cast into a pit, thence drawn forth and sold to the Ishraaelites, by them sold into Egypt, and sold again. What doth God mean to do with poor Joseph ? He is tempted to adultery ; refusing the temptation, he is falsely accused, kept for a long time in ward and duress. All this is against him ; who would liave thought that in the issue this should be turned to his good ? that the prison had been the way to preferment, and that by the pit he should come to the palace of the king of Egypt, and exchange his parti-coloured coat for a royal robe ? Thus in temporal things we get by our losses, and God chooseth better for us than we could have chosen for ourselves. Let God alone to his undertaking, and he will manage our affairs better than we looked for.
[2.] Good spiritual : Heb. xii. 10, ' For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure ; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness.' What do we call })rofit ? The good things of this Avorld, and the great mammon which so many worship ? No ; some better thing, some spiritual and divine benefit, a participation of God's holiness. Then we profit when we grow in
VeR. 122.] SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. 257
grace and are more god-like, wlien we are more concerned as a soul than a body. It is a good exchange to part with outward comforts for inward hoHness. If God take away our peace, and give us peace of conscience, we have no cause to complain. If our outward wants be recompensed with the abundance of inward grace, 1 Cor. iv. 10, and we have less of the world that we may have the more of God, and be kept poor that we may be rich in faith, James ii. 5, 6 ; if we have a healthy soul in a sickly body, as Gains had, 3 John 2 ; if an aching head maketh way for a better heart, — doth not God deal graciously and lovingly with us ?