Use S. It should teach us likewise this, that ive judf/e not amiss of the (jeneratioa of the righteous, wlien we see God much humhliiiff them. When we see him follow them with siclmess, with troubles and disgraces in the world, perhaps with terror of conscience, with desertions, be not dis- couraged. If he be thy friend, censure him not ; add not affliction to his affliction. Is not his affliction enough ? Thou needest not add to* thy un- just censure, as Job said to his friends. The more we are afflicted of God, the more good he intends to woi'k to us. The end is to bring us from our- selves to trust in him.
It is a wicked disposition in men that know not the ways of God. They are ignorant of the ways that he takes with his children. When they see men that are Christians, that they are humbled and cast down and troubled, they think they are men forsaken of God, &c. Alas ! they do not know God's manner of dealing. He casts them down that he may raise them up. They ' receive the sentence of death' against themselves, that he may comfort them after, that he may do them good in their latter end. Let this therefore keep us from censuring of other men in our thoughts for this hard course which God seems to take with them.
Use 4. And let us make this use of it, when we are in any grievance, and God follows us still, Jet us mown and lament the stuhhor)iness of our hearts, that tvill not yield. God intends to draw us near to him, to trust in him. If we would do this, the affliction would cease, except it be for trial, and for the exercise of grace, and for witness to the truth. When God afflicts, sometime for trial and for witness, there is a spirit of glory in such a case, that a man is never afflicted in mind. But, I say, when God follows us with sickness, with crosses, with loss of friends, and we are not wrought upon, let us censure our hard hearts, that force God to take this course.
And 'justify God in all this,' Job i. 22, et alibi. Lord, thou knowest I could not be good without this, thou knowest I would not be di-awn without this ; bring me near to thyself, that thou mayest take away this heavy hand from me. The intemperate man that is sick makes the physician seem cruel. It is because I set my aiiections too much on earthly things, that thou foUowest me with these troubles. We force God to do this. A phy- sician is forced to bring his patient even to skin and bone. An intemperate patient sometimes, that hath surfeited upon a long distemper, he must bring him to death's door, even almost to death, because his distemper is so set- tled upon him, that he cannot otherwise cure him. So it is with God, the physician of qui* souls. He must bring us woncbous low. We are so prone,
* Qu. 'to it?'— Ed.
142 COMMENTARY ON
BO desperately addicted to present thinf;;s, to trust to them, and to be proud of them, and confident in them, that (iod must deal as a sharp physician. He must bring us so low, or else we should never be recovered of our per- fect health again, and all is that we might tnist in God.
Observe we from hence another point, that
Doctrine. God in all ovlwanl ihini/s tluit are ill, intends the /jood of the soul.
He takes liberty to take away health, and liberty, and friends, to take away comforts. But whatsoever he takes away, he intends the good of the soul in the first place. And all the ills that he inflicts upon us, they are to cure a worse ill, the ill of the soul ; to cure an unbelieving heart, a worldly, proud, carnal heart, which is too much addicted to earthly things. We see here how God dealt with St Paul. All was to build up his soul in trust and confidence in God, all was for the soul.
The reason is ; other things are vanishing, the soul is the better part, the eternal part. If all be well with the soul, all shall be well other- wise at last. If it be well with the soul, the body shall do well. Though God take liberty to humble us with sickness, and with death itself, yet God will raise the body and make it glorious. A good soul will draw it after it at last, and move God to make the body glorious. But if the soul be naught, let us cherish and do what we will with the body ; both will be naught at last.
This life is not a life to regard the body. We are dead in that while we live. ' The sentence of death' is passed. We must die. We are dying every day. ' The body is dead because of sin,' Kom, viii. 10. We ai-e going to our grave. Every day takes away a part of our hfe.
This is not a life for this body of ours. It is a respite to get assurance of an eternal estate in heaven. God takes our wealth, and liberty, and strength, &c., that he may help our souls, that he may work his own blessed work in our souls, that he may la}^ a foundation of eternal happiness in our souls.