(2.) His work within us ; he doth by his Spirit renew and sanctify us, and make us more like God ; and so we are fitted for the vision and fruition of him. This sanctifying Spirit is said to be ' shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Lord,' Titus iii. 6 ; and Christ is said to be ' ascended far above all heavens, that he might fill all things,' Eph. iv. 10. Our sun in his glory doth continually send down his beams and influences on earth, even the Spirit of the Father, to be the constant agent in the hearts of his people, to renew and heal their natures. Now by this short view you see he hath done all things well in the business of our redemption.
3. In the works of providence. His goodness is exemplified in the acts of daily providence : Ps. xxxiii. 5, ' He loveth righteousness and judgment, the earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.' There is no part of the world we can come into, but it is filled with the bountiful effects of his goodness to men. If he correct us, it is in a fatherly manner ; if he suffer us to be tempted, it is not beyond what we are able to bear ; if he afflicteth us with evil, it is for our good ; if he de- prive us of any comforts, yet he will not wholly leave us comfortless : John xiv. 18, 6p<f)dvov<;, ' I will not leave you comfortless, I will come to you.' If he cut us off by death, it is to free us from all other calamities, and bring us the sooner to our final happiness in heaven. In short, he is not severe upon all our failings, heareth those that seek to him in their troubles, delivereth the afflicted, succoureth the tempted, bindeth up the broken-hearted ; and the short issue of all is, ' He doth all things well.'
Use 1. Let us give God this glory : Hitherto thou hast done all things well which thou hast done ; others have found it so : Ps. xxii. 4, 5, ' Our fathers trusted in thee : they trusted, and thou didst deliver them ; they cried, and were delivered ; they trusted in thee, and were not confounded.' Never did any of his people address themselves to God in vain ; all his people have had long experience of his mercy and fidelity ; after humble, constant, importunate addresses, they received what they sought for. Now you must come in also with your attestation : Lord, thou hast done all things well. So the saints often do : Ps. xxii. 10, ' I was cast upon thee from the womb ; thou art my God from my mother's belly.' So Moses: Deut. xxxii. 4, 'He is the rock ; his work is perfect/ So David : Ps. cxi. 3, ' His work is honourable and glorious.' We were made and redeemed to declare the goodness of the Lord and his mighty works. Man is the mouth of the creation, by whom all the creatures praise God for his wise ordering of all things ; it is the business of our lives : ' I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the Lord,' Ps. cxviii. 17. In heaven we shall
SERMON UPON MARK VII. 37. 369
give him this praise, Lord, thou hast done all things well ; there we shall know as we are known. It is necessary for us —
1. That we may entertain a good opinion of God when he seemeth to deal hardly with his people, and may check temptations of doubting of his providence : Ps. lxxiii. 1 , ' Truly God is good to Israel, even to such as are of a clean heart.' We must hold fast this conclusion, that it be not wrested out of our hands.
2. It is very necessary to breed patience and humble submission under our personal afflictions : Ps. cxix. 71, 'It is good for me that I have been afflicted.' There was a certain Jew called Gamzu, because, whatever beset him, he was wont to say, ' Gamzu, this also shall be for good.' So let us say, This is good and that too ; nothing is bad that cometh from a good God.
3. That we may hope and depend on God that it will be so for the future. Our heavenly Father doeth all things well, therefore he will give light in darkness, comfort in trouble, and life in death ; nothing raiseth our trust so much as to be persuaded that God loveth us and careth for us, and will do all things for the best. Christ urgeth no more but this to suppress our distrustful cares : Mat. vi. 32, ' Your heavenly Father knoweth you have need of all these things.' You have a father that is not ignorant and unmindful of you. What he will do Christ saith not, but that must be left to his fatherly love.
4. God expecteth from you the glory of his works. Not that God is affected with praise, but it doeth you good, and increaseth your love and esteem of him, to observe how he guideth all things for good : Kom. viii. 28, ' All things shall work together for good to them that love God.'