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rejoicinjif in God in those calamities which come from God's immediate hand : Hab. iii. 17, 18, ' Although the fig-tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines, the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat, the flocks shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls ; yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation.' Surely famine and desolation come from God, and come as a punishment ; ' Yet I will rejoice in the Lord.' This spiritual rejoicing is not irreverence, but an honour to God when we are satisfied in him though all creature comforts and means of subsistence are blasted ; and we show that we have comfort enough in God, that is out of the reach of trouble, and this can support us when all things beneath God fail : Job v. 22, * At destruction and famine shalt thou laugh.' Stupidity and carnal mirth are very unseasonable, but to live above the creature and with- out the creature is an high point of faith and love to God ; and to rejoice in him when all outward causes of rejoicing cease, is so far from being a sin, that it is an eminent duty. Our better part and happiness is out of the reach of trouble, though it be never so grievous.
[2.] We must distinguish between the sense of afiliction and sup- port under it ; for we must neither slight it nor faint under it : Heb. xii. 5, ' My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him.' These are the two extremes. The sense of our condition is necessary, that we may not slight the aflBic- tion ; and the support, that we may not faint under it. Both may and must stand together ; for in all worldly cases ' we must weep as if we wept not,' 1 Cor. vii. 30 ; and again, ' Sorrow not as those without hope,' 1 Thes. iv. 13, and so be without all comfort. In short, the sense is necessary for improvement, the support to make trouble easy.
(1.) If we have not a sense, we cannot make a right use of our suf- ferings and afflictions, but our hearts will be more hardened in sin. God is their author, repentance is their end, and their cause is sin : Lam. iii. 39, ' Wherefore doth a living man complain, a man for the punishment of his sins ? ' And therefore, though we be not to droop and languish under our afilictions, yet we must consider the righteous providence of God ; and the smart of his displeasure must awaken us to repentance, otherwise the affliction is frustrated, and you leave the thorn in your foot, which caused your first pain and soreness. If you do not repent of your sins, and no cure is wrought, if you still let out your hearts freely to the world, and the prosperities and delights thereof, this is the highway to security and carelessness of soul con- cernments.
(2.) You must not faint and despair, as if all joy and comfort in God were lost. For —
(Ist.) We are not utterly undone as long as we have God for our portion: Lam. iii. 24, 'The Lord is my portion, saith my soul, there- fore will I hope in him.' Though the creature be blasted, he is alive still, and should be the joy and delight of our souls ; for then we are tried, whether he be so or no.
(2d.) God is a loving Father when he corrects. Our chastisements are effects not only of his justice, but mercy ; it is a rod in the hand of our Father wherewith we are scourged: John xviii. 11, 'The cup
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■vvliich my Fatlier hath given me, shall I not drink it ? ' and so it is an act of love and kindness to us.
(3d) Our Father hath mercy enough to turn it to our benefit : Heb. xii. 10, ' They verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure, but he for our profit, that we may be partakers of his holi- ness.' And shall we mourn for that which is for our benefit? If we rejoice in God and holiness it will not be so. If God will stir us up to more humility, contempt of the world, confidence in himself, and to place our delight in him alone, shall we be dejected and displeased, as if some great wrong had been done us ?
(4^7i.) If this afffiction fits us for everlasting happiness, there is cause of joy still left : 2 Cor. iv. 17, ' For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.' One that must have eternal glory, and eternal glory pro- moted by such a means, should not grudge at a little suffering and affliction, which is the common burden of the sons of Adam.
2. Prejudice. Christ hath pronounced those blessed that mourn for sin : Mat. v. 4, ' Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be com- forted ; ' how then can we rejoice evermore ?