Sometimes, indeed, where there is no malicious intention, God pardons some breakings out of flesh and blood, endeavouring to help ourselves in danger, so far as not to take advantage of them to desert us in trouble ; as in David, who escaped from Achish by counterfeiting, 1 Sam. xxvii. 10 ; and this yields a double ground of thankfulness, partly for God's overlook- ing our miscarriage, and partly for the deliverance itself. Yet this indul- gence of God will make the soul more ashamed afterward for these sinful shifts ; therefore, it must be no precedent to us. There can neither be grace nor wisdom in setting upon a course wherein we can neither pray to God for success in, nor bless God when he gives it. In this case God most blesseth where he most crosseth, and most curseth where the deluded heart thinks he blesseth most.
Chapter XXYII. — In our worst condition we have cause to praise God ; still ample cause in these days.
' I shall yet praise him, or yet I ivill praise God;' that is, however it goeth with me, yet, as I have cause, so I have a spirit to praise God. When we are at the lowest, yet it is a mercy that we are not consumed. We are never so ill but it might be worse with us. Whatsoever is less than heU is undeserved. It is a matter of praise that yet we have time and opportunity to get into a blessed condition. ' The Lord hath afflicted me sore, but he hath not delivered me to death,' saith David, Ps. xviii. 18.
In the worst times there is a presence of God with his children.
1. In moderating the measure of the cross, that it be not above their strength.
2. In moderating the time of it, ' The rod of the wicked shall not rest long upon the lot of the righteous,' Ps. cxxv. 3. God limits both measure and time.
3. He is present in mixing some comfort, and so allaying the bitterness of a cross.
4. Yea, and he supports the soul by inward strength, so as though it faint, yet it shall not utterly fail.
5. God is present in sanctifying a cross for good, and at length, when he hath perfected his own work in his, he is present for a final deliverance of them. A sound-hearted Christian hath always a God to go to, a promise to go to, former experience to go to, besides some present experiences of God's goodness which he enjoys. For the present he is a child of God, a member of Christ, an heir of heaven. He dwells in the love of God in the cross as well as out of it. He may be cast out of his happy condition in the world, but never out of God's favour.
Obj. If God's children have cause to praise God in their worst condition, what difference is there betwixt their best estate and their worst ?
Ans. Howsoever God's children have continual occasion to praise God, yet there be some more especial seasons of praising God than others ; there be days of God's own making of purpose to rejoice in, wherein we may say,
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* This is the day which the Lord hath made, let us rejoice therein,' Ps. cxviii. 24. And this I think is chiefly intended here. David comforts himself with this, that however it was now with him, yet God would deal so gi'aciously with him hereafter that he should have cause to bless his name.
Though in evil times we have cause to praise God, yet so we are, and such are our spiiits, for the most part, that affliction straitens om* hearts. Therefore, the apostle thought it the fittest duty in affliction to pray. ' Is any afflicted ? let him pray,' saith James ; ' is any joj-ful ? let him sing psalms,' James v. 13 ; shewing that the day of rejoicing is the fittest day of praising God. Eveiy work of a Christian is beautiful in its o^vn time. The graces of Christianity have their several offices at several seasons. In trouble, prayer is in its season, ' In the evil day call upon me,' saith God, Ps. xci. 15. In better times praises should appear and shew themselves. When God manifests his goodness to his, he gives them grace with it to manifest their thankfulness to him. Praising of God is then most comely, though never out of season, when God seems to call for it by renewing the sense of his mercies in some fresh favour towards us. If a bird will sing in winter, much more hi the spring. If the heart be prepared in the winter- time of adversity to praise God, how ready will it be when it is waiined with the glorious simshine of his favour !
Our life is nothing but as it were a web woven with intei-minglings of wants and favom's, crosses and : blessings, standings and fallings, combat and victory, therefore there should be a perpetual intercourse of praying and praising in om' hearts. There is always a gi'ound of communion with God in one of these kinds, tiU we come to that condition wherein all wants shall be supplied, where indeed is only matter of praise. Yet praising God in this life hath this prerogative, that here we praise him ' in the midst of his enemies,' Ps. ex. 2. In heaven all will be in concert with us. God esteems it an honom' in the midst of devils, and wicked men, whose Ufe is nothing but a dishonour of him, to have those that will make his name, as it is in itself, so gi'eat in the world.