(5.) In all such cases there is an over- valuing of our worldly comforts and conveniences, and we look more to the loss and want of these things than the use and benefit we should get by the afiiiction ; whereas a christian should more regard the fruit of adversity than the trouble of it: Heb. xii. 11, 'No chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, bat grievous ; nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness to them that are exercised thereby.' And if God awaken him to more seriousness in religion, by his smart, loss, and want, his pleasure is more than the pain, and the gain than the want and loss.
[2.] There is something good and gracious in it. (1.) That he bringeth his complaint to God. He doth not complain of God, but to God. To murmur in our own bosoms, or to vent our dis- content to others, is in effect to slander God behind his back. There- fore his resolution to go to God is commendable : ' I will say unto God,' saith Job. This is to bring our complaint before his face.
(2.) It is good that it was grievous to him to be in the state of a condemned man. Not only to be counted a sinner, but as wicked, or one that was not sincere and approved of God, because his judgments seemed to put him in that number. To be accepted with the Lord, and approved of the Lord, is a christian's all.
(3.) That he desireth to know the cause, end, and use of his afflic- tions. This is good and holy if it be done —
{1st) Not to satisfy curiosity, but conscience; for sometimes we may be in the dark about the reasons of God's dealings with us ; as 2 Sam. xxi. 1, ' David inquired of the Lord,' concerning the famine, that he might know his duty.
(2d) By way of humble supplication, not by way of expostulation, as if we were innocent, and hardly dealt withal.
Boct 1. That open and free dealing with God in our bitterness and troubles is better than to smother and stifle our griefs, or vent them in discontent to others.
So Job saith here, ' I will say unto God,' &c. Thus David telleth us that he practised this open and free dealing with success : Ps. cxix. 26, ' I declared my ways, and thou heardest me ; ' that is, he opened his whole case to God, conflicts, distresses, hopes, supports, sorrows, dangers, hide nothing from him ; as a man will acquaint his bosom friend with all his condition, or as sick patients will tell the physician how it is with them. Now thus to do is —
1. Filial ingenuity ; for the Spirit of adoption worketh most in our addresses to the tlu'one of grace ; and there it betrayeth itself in a TrappTjaM, a telling God our mind : Heb, iv. 16, ' Let us come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need ;' Heb. x. 19, 'Having boldness to enter into the holiest ; ' Eph. iii. 12, ' In whom we have boldness and access with confidence.' Laying forth our whole estate and condition before him, sins to be pardoned, doubts to be resolved, miseries to be redressed, perplexities to be helped by his counsel, our weaknesses to be confirmed
64 SERMON UPON JOB X. 2.
by Ills strength, our griefs and fears, that he may pity ns and help us. Tell God of all; your temptations, passions; these you should distinctly lay open before him. Natural pride and self-love will not let us take shame upon ourselves, and guilt is shy of God; but the Spirit of adop- tion bringeth us to him with openness of heart.
2. There is in it candid simplicity. David's maschil, or psalm of instruction, viz. Ps. xxxii., shows us thus much ; for ver. 2, he men- tioneth ' guile of spirit,' which made him hang off from God. But then you find by the 5th verse, he had come to his ease sooner if he had sooner confessed his sin. We are in distress of conscience till this be done ; especially when trouble of conscience cometh upon us for some great sin, which God will cause to be manifested for his glory. Till we come to a clearness and openness of mind, we keep Satan's counsel. Moses had a privy sore, which he was loath to disclose, and pleadeth other things, insufficiency, want of elocution ; but carnal fear was the main; therefore God gently toucheth his privy sore : Exod. iv. 19, ' The Lord said unto Moses in Midian, Go, return into Egypt, for all the men are dead which sought thy life.' He never pleaded that ; but God knew what was the inward let. It is a mighty thing sincerely to open our hearts to God,
3. It argueth a man given to prayer when all our complaints run in that channel, and if we have any grievance and burden upon us, we bring it before the Lord.
But must we pray when we have a distemper upon us, and come to God with our raving passions ? I answer —