[3.] Our eternal good. Heaven will make amends for all that we endure here. This mainly is intended in Rom. viii. 28, ' All things shall work together for good to them that love God.' And then in the 29th and 30th verses, he presently bringeth in the golden chain, ' Whom he did predestinate, them he also called ; and whom he called, he justified ; and those whom he justified, them he also glorified,' 8o 2 Cor, iv. 17, ' This light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory ;' it shall either hasten or secure our glorious estate. A man may lose ground by a temptation, his external good may be weakened, his soul sutt'ereth loss ; but this warneth him of his weak- ness, and quickeneth him to stand upon his watch, and to look up more to Christ for strength against it. Or he may be cut off, and perish in the affliction ; but then his glorious estate cometh in possession.
6. That may be good lor the glory of God which doth not conduce to our personal benefit ; and the glory of God is our great interest, John xi. 27, 28, ' Now is my soul troubled, and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour ; but for this cause came I unto this hour, Father, glorify thy name. Then there came a voice from heaven, saying, I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again.' There was the innocent inclination of his 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 inclinations of nature and con- science of duty ; but in a gracious heart it prevaileth above the desire of our own comfort and satisfaction: the soul is cast for any course that God shall see fittest for his glory. Nature would be rid of trouble, but grace submitteth all interests to God's honour ; that should be dearer to us than anything else ; were it not selfishness and want of zeal, that would be our greatest interest.
SERMON CXXXIV.
Be surety for iliy servant for good: let not the proud oppress me. —
Vkr. 122.
Use, It inforraeth us what reason there is to pray and wait with sub- mission to the will of God. God will answer us according to our trouble, not always according to our will. He is wiser than we, for
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258 SERMONS UPON PSALM cxix. [Seu. CXXXIV.
he knoweth that our own will would undo us. If things were in our own hands, we would never see an ill day, and in this mixed estate that would not he good for us. Bat all weathers are necessary to make the earth fruiti'ul, rain as well as sunshine. We must not mis- take the use and efficacy of prayer. We are not as sovereigns to govern the world at our pleasure, but as sup})licants humbly to submit our desires to the supreme Being. Not to command as dictators, and obtrude any model upon God, but to solicit as servants : ' Do good in thy good pleasure to Zion,' Ps. li. 18. If we would have things done at our pleasure, we should be the judges, and God only would have the place of the executioner. Our wills would be tiie supreme and chief reason of all things. But this God cannot endure ; therefore beg hmi to do good, but according to his own good pleasure.
1. Let us submit to God for the mercy itself, in what kind we shall have it, whether temporal, spirit ual, or eternal. If God see ease good for us, we shall have it , if deliverance good for us, we shall have it, Ps. cxxviii. 2 ; or give us strength in our souls, or hasten our glory. We should be as a die in the hand of providence, to be cast high or low, as God pleaseth : 1 Sam. iii. 18, •' It is the Lord ; let him do what seemeth him good.'
2. Let us submit for the time. Tliough Jesus loved Lazarus, yet he abode still two days in the same place when he heard he was sick, John xi. 6. It is not for want of love if he doth not help us presently, nor want of power. Christ may dearly love us, yet delay to help us, even in extremity, till a fit time come, wherein his glory may shine forth, and the mercy be more conspicuous. He doth not sligiit us, though he doth delay us ; he will choose that time which maketh most for his own glory. Submit to God's disj)ensations, and in due time you shall see a reason of them.
3. Let us submit for the way and means. We know not what God is a-doing : John xiii. 6,7,' Then cometh he to Simon Peter, and Peter saith unto him, Lord, dost thou wash my feet? Jesus an- swered and said unto him, What I do thou knowest not, but thou shalt know hereafter.' No wonder we are much in the dark, if we consider, first, that the worker of these works is ' Wonderful in counsel and excellent in working,' Isa. xxviii. 29 ; infinitely beyond politicians, whose projects and purposes are often hidden from us ; therefore much more his. Secondly, That the ways of his working are very strange and imperceptible, for he maketh things out of nothing : Ptom. iv. 17, * And calleth those things that be not as though they were ;' one contrary out of another, as light out of dark- ness, 2 Cor. iv. 6, meat out of the eater, enemies catched in their own snare. Thirdly, That his end in working is not to satisfy our sense and curiosity : Isa. xlviii. 7, ' They are created now, and not from the beginning, even before the day when thou heardest them not, lest thou shouldest say, Behold, I knew them;' Isa. xlii. 16, 'I will bring the blind by a way they knew not ; I will lead theni in paths that they have not known.' He chooseth such a way as may leave enemies to harden their hearts ; Micah iv. 12, * But they know not the thoughts of the Lord, neither understand they his counsel; for he shall gather them as the sheaves into the floor.'