5. That we must not dote upon sensible consolation. The merciful nature of God should be a support to us, though we see nothing of the effects of it in the course of his dealings with us ; and we should believe his love when we do not actually feel it : Job x. 13, ' And these things hast thou hid in thine heart ; I know that this is with thee.' He fipeaketh of his favourable inclination to show pity to his creatures. We are not able always to reconcile his present dispensations with his gracious nature, nor our former experience of his goodness ; yet faith must not quit its holdfast, but we must see what is hid in God's heart, and comfort ourselves with concealed favour and mercy, when we cannot comfort ourselves with felt favour -and mercy. Tliough mercies be not visible and obvious to sense, yet the disposition and inclination is ever in God unchangeable and sure. A withdrawn God is a merciful God still.
6. That God can draw light out of darkness, and give light in darkness, and turn darkness into light. God can draw light out of darkness: Gen. i. 2, 3, 'The earth was without form, and void, and darkness was upon the face of the deep ; and the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters, and God said. Let there be light, and there was light' He can give light in darkness : Exod. x. 22, 23, ' And there was thiok darkness in all the land of Egypt three days ; and they saw not one another, neither rose any from his place for three days. But all the children of Israel had light in their dwellings ; ' Ps. xviii. 28, 'For thou wilt light my candle: the Lord my God will enlighten my darkness.' And he can turn darkness into light, that is, change and alter our condition : Isa. ix. 2, ' The people that have walked in darkness have seen a great light ; they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined ;' Eph. V. 8, ' Ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord.'
7. When you cannot interpret the promises of God by his providen- tial dealing with you, you must interpret his dealing by his promises : Ps. Ixxiii. IG, 17, ' When I thought to know this, it was too painful
58 SERMON UPON ISAIAH L. 10.
for me, until I went into the sanctuary of God ; then understood I their end.' His promises are as the light part of the cloud, his provi- dential dealings as the dark part of the cloud.
8. You must distinguish between a part of God's work and the whole entire frame of it. The taking of a watch asunder to mend it, an unskilful man, when he seeth every pin and wheel taken out, will think this is undoing ; but the skilful artist knoweth this is mending and repairing : Zech. xiv. 7, ' But it shall be one day, which shall be known unto the Lord, not day nor night ; but it shall come to pass that at evening-time it shall be light.' After the longest suspense there is comfort at the end.
9. That is not best for us which we think best : Mat. xvii. 4, 'It is good for us to be here.' We think it best to be at the top, and have an inspection over affairs, in ease, and in an uninterrupted prosperity. Peter was upon Mount Tabor, but Christ saw it fit to bring him thence, and expose him to the winnowings of Satan, and to penitential weeping, that is wholesome to the soul ; and afterwards to employ him in the labours of the gospel, and then to die a cruel death. Paul thought it best to be rid of the thorn in the flesh, but God thought not so: 2 Cor. xii. 9, ' My grace is sufficient for thee, for my strength is made perfect in weakness.' When we are lowest, we are most humble. God's thoughts are not as our thoughts.
10. That God's greatest severity to his people is consistent with his covenant love : Ps. Ixxxix. 32, 33, ' Then will I visit their transgressions with the rod, and their iniquity with stripes. Nevertheless my loving- kindness will I not utterly take from him, nor suffer my faithfulness to fail.' There is no contradiction between covenant kindness and hard dispensations ; they may be easily reconciled.
For the second point, that in dark and gloomy times our great duty is to trust in the Lord. This is prescribed here, and in other places commended to us : Isa. viii. 17, ' I will wait upon the Lord, that hideth his face from the house of Jacob, and I will look for him.' We should not give over seeking for a withdrawn God, but seek, and wait, and look for him. If you keep his place warm in your hearts by your estimation and affection, he will come again : Job xxxv. 14, ' Although thou say est thou shalt not see him, yet judgment is before him ; therefore trust thou in him.' Times may come when the saints may say they do not see, yea, they shall not see him ; yet they must resolve to lie at God's door till relief come. Trust then in him : Job xiii. 15, 'Though he slay me, yet I will trust in him.' Though they be under sad dispensations already, and look for sadder, yet they resolve to keep up their dependence, and will .not be beaten off from God by any rebukes of providence. No trouble, how great soever, is a warrant to quit our faith. Faith must not quit God when he seemeth to quit us, but must take him for a friend, and put a good construction upon his dealings when he showeth himself an enemy ; so that in a sinking, helpless, and hopeless condition this is a great remedy.