[2.] The other special reason is to show his love to his people ; because they are his people, he will reclaim them, and will not alto- gether lose them, whereas he lets others walk in their own ways. That sharp afEictions may proceed from love appeareth from that of the apostle : Heb. xii. 6, ' Whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.' And that it is to reclaim them appeareth by that, 1 Cor. xi. 32, ' But when we are judged, we
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are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world ; ' that being amended by our stripes, we may be kept from those punishments which shall light on the wicked to all eternity. So that it is an argument of his paternal love to his children and servants, when, to promote their repentance, he dealeth thus sharply with them, permitting them to be persecuted and troubled in the world.
Use 1. It informs us that God may be angry with his people. He was so with jMoses : Dent. iv. 21, ' The Lord was angry with me for your sakes.' With David : 1 Chron. xxi. 7, ' And was displeased with this thing, therefore he smote Israel.' The Lord was displeased with David for numbering the people. So again, 2 Sam. xi. 27, ' But the thing that David had done displeased the Lord.' God's anger is the offence taken, and his will to punish. Their sins are a great offence to him, a greater in some respects than the sins of others. If the igno- rant world, who know him not, and are strangers to him and his grace, dishonour his name and transgress his laws, they do but according to their kind. He expecteth better things from you, whom he hath owned and adopted into his family, and embraced with the bowels of his tenderest mercies. Others run blindfold against God ; you with open eyes strike at him, therefore it is a greater offence to him, and grief to his Spirit. His anger also implieth his will to punish. Though you be not vessels of wrath, as the reprobate, nor children of wrath, as all were in their unregenerate condition, yet you may be children under wrath. And it is a dreadful thing to be under God's anger ; it is dreadful in itself, and it is dreadful in the effects. It may cost you dear here in this world ; you may lose much of the comfort of your pilgrimage and sweetness of your service by your folly ; for God will make you know ' what an evil and a bitter thing it is to forsake the Lord,' Jer. ii. 19, that the smart of the correction may teach you more wisdom.
2. It teacheth us a lesson of circumspection and watchfulness, that we fall not into God's displeasure. Good men may profane and pol- lute their best engagements for God with such excesses of 2)assion as may be very provoking to him. Therefore christians had need always live with the yoke of Christ upon their necks, and his bridle in their mouths. Such a strict course may be tedious at first, but use and the pleasure of holiness maketh it easy. You are in danger, not only of obvious temptations, but sins that we little think of ; therefore we need always to stand upon our guard, lest the faults of an hour may cost you many days' mourning. Well, then, let your eyes be in your head, and look right on : Prov. iv. 25, 26, ' Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee : ponder the path of thy feet, and let thy ways be established.' As he that would not stumble had need look to his way. Our end and our rule must always be before us. You are in apparent danger when your passions will not allow you season to deliberate, and reason to consider what you are a-doing ; nay, sin already hath too much surprised the heart.
3. It teacheth us a lesson of self-reflection. When God denieth you many privileges and favours which are useful to your service, is it not because of some sin of yours which hath brought this evil upon you ? Have you borne the name of God up and down in the world with
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honour, and sanctified him in the eyes of the people, as yon ought to do ? Lara. iii. 39, 40, ' Wherefore doth a living man complain, a man for the punishment of his sins ? let ns search and try our ways, and turn again unto the Lord.' Surely we have no cause to complain of God, since all the evils we suffer we procure to ourselves ; it is sin hath exposed us to manifold annoyances and afHictions. There is a cause, and a narrow search will show us for what cause, and then our afHiction will not be so hitter as repentance will he sweet and lovely to us.
4. It teacheth us a lesson of patience and humble submission. "We should look up to the hand of God in all punishments, corrections, and trials, as David did on Shimei's cursing : 2 Sam. xvi. 11, ' Let him alone, and let him curse, for the Lord hath bidden him.' He looked upon God as the supreme cause, correcting him for his sins, against whom he was not to repine ; not that Shimei had any command from God so to do, but was only permitted by his providence. We must not look to the stone, but to the hand that casts it ; and this should breed humility and patience in us. If we had not provoked God to anger, to cast us into these troubles, they would never have come. Therefore we must accept the punishment of our iniquity : Micah vii. 9, * I will bear the indignation of the Lord, because I have sinned against him.' When God is angry, we must humbly stoop under his afflicting hand without repining.