Object. But it seemetli to be contradicted by sense. They that love God most arc most calamitous, and have many afflictions.
Ans. 1. These belong to God's covenant, and are expressions of his good-will and faithfulness : Ps. cxix. 75, ' I know. Lord, that thy judgments are right] and that thou in faithfulness hast afflicted me.' God were not faithful nor merciful if he did not now and then take the rod in hand ; our need, our good requireth it : 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.' Dis- cipline is necessary for a child as food, winter as necessary as summer, rainy days as fair days, to curb the Avantonness of the flesh, and to withdraw the fuel of our lusts.
2. He useth to show mercy to people in their afflictions, to cause light to rise to them in darkness : 2 Cor. i. 5, ' For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ.' We are not capable of taking in spiritual comforts till we are separated from the dregs of worldly affections.
3, God will sanctify afflictions : Kom. viii. 28, ' All things shall work together for good to them that love God.' And he will finally deliver when the season calleth for it : 1 Cor. x. 13, ' There hath no temptation taken you, but such as is common to man ; but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above what you are able, but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that you may be able to bear it.'
Object But he dealeth more hardly with them than others ; he doth not punish the gross iniquities of his adversaries, when the lesser failings of his people are severely chastised.
YeR. 132.] SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. 379
Jns. It is meet 'judgment should begin at the house of God/ 1 Peter iv. 17, that it may be known God doth not favour any in their sins : Amos iii. 2, ' You only have I known of all the families of the earth ; therefore will I punish you for all your iniquities/ Their sins, though small, have more aggravations, being committed against clearest light, dearest love : Ezra ix. 13, ' And after all that is come upon us for our evil deeds, should we again break thy com- mandments ? ' Isa. xxvi. 10, ' Let favour be showed to the wicked, yet will he not learn righteousness.' God is jealous over his people, and careful to have them reclaimed from every evil course : 1 Cor. xi. 32, ' But when we are judged we are chastened of the Lord, that v^e should not be condemned with the world.' In the bitterness of the rod God discovereth the vileness of their sin ; for he will reclaim them when he sufifereth others to walk in their own way.
4. His enemies shall in time taste the dregs of the cup, whereof his own people taste a little : Ps. Ixxv. 8, ' For in the hand of the Lord there is a cup ; the wine is red, it is full of mixture, he poureth out of the same : but the dregs thereof all the wicked of the earth shall wring them out and drink them ; ' Jer. xxv. 29, ' For lo, I begin to bring evil on this city that is called by my name, and shall ye be utterly unpunished ? Ye shall not be unpunished, for I will call for a sword upon all the inhabitants of the earth, saith the Lord of hosts.' They shall have the bottom.
5. In the meantime God's people have his love, their sins are pardoned, they are admitted into communion with him ; and God's mercy and favour to his people must not be judged by temporal accidents : Ps. xvii, 14, 15, ' From men which are thy hand, 0 Lord, from men of the world, which have their portion in this life, whose bellies thou fillest with thy hid treasures ; they are full of children, and leave the rest of their substance to their babes. As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness ; I shall be satisfied when I awake with thy likeness.' Christ gave his purse to Judas, but his spirit to the other disciples.
Object. But God deserteth them ; his people complain of it : Isa. lix. 14, ' But Zion said, the Lord hath forsaken me, and my God hath forgotten me,' Yea, Christ himself, Mat. xxvii. 46, -'My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me ? '
Ans. 1. There is a distinct consideration of Christ, for he was to bear our sorrows : Isa. liii. 4, ' Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows ; ' to be forsaken for a while, that we might be received for ever.
2. God's people are mistaken ; the saints complain without a cause. Sense maketh lies of God : Ps. xxxi. 22, ' For I said in my haste, I am cut off" from before thine eyes ; nevertheless thou heardest the voice of my supplication Avhen I cried unto thee ; ' Ps. Ixxvii. 9, 10, ' Hath God forgotten to be gracious ? hath he in anger shut up his tender mercies ? And I said. This is my infirmity ; but I will remem- ber the years of the right hand of the Most High.' Tlie disciples had Christ near them when they knew it not : Luke xxiv. 16, ' Their eyes were liolden, that they could not know him.'