Use 1. And here let all such be admonished hoiv they provoke God's children to cry in their prayers ayaiiist them. For it is better for the wicked that they had all the creatures in heaven and earth against them than the poor saints ; for a few of these will more prejudice them than all the world besides.
Come we now to the grounds of practice hence to be observed.
Use 2. Again, Doth God order all ' for the best' to them that love him ?
Let us not then except against any evil that shall hefcdl us; for this our present cross shall turn to our future comfort. It is the saints' happiness, that their best is in working still, till they be complete in heaven. But the wicked and men of the world, their worst is always in contriving. Their life is bad, their death is worse ; and after death it is worst of all with them. God himself, and all under him, work continually for the good of his children. Their best is last. Their light groweth on clearer and clearer ' as the light, until the noonday,' Prov. iv. 18. But the worldly grow worser and worser every moment. To them that fear God, sin and sorrow, their very worst, is by God's mercies best for them ; whereas all the best of the wicked by abuse turns to their worst.
Use 3. Observe here the excellency of the saints' comfort, above all other comforts whatsoever. The nature of it is this : it must be stronger than the grievance of which it is a cordial. And the reason of spiritual comfort must be more forcible than any carnal reason can be to undermine it. Now what stronger consolation can a man have than to be assured that all things, without exception, shall work together for his good!? But this is not all, "What a sweet refreshment is it when the soul can say, God will either stop me from falling into sin, outwardly by aifiictions ; or else subdue my corruptions inwardly by his Spirit, that I shall not be overthrown by them. He will never suffer me to rot in my sins, but when I do fall, will raise me up again. It bears up a Christian's heart, that rather than we shall continue in an evil way, God will send some Nathan or other to rouse us out of our security.
Therefore to all thy comforts add this, that God will not only save thee at last, but turn all things to the best whilst thou art here. This is the highest strain of consolation. It is far stronger to refresh and quicken us than any grievance can be to afflict us. It maketh evil things, in com- parison, to seem good ; as, ' Moses counted the rebukes of Christ greater * Cf, Note, Vol. III. page 9.— G.
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riches than the treasures of Egypt,' Heb. ix. 2G. He made more choice of ' affliction' than he did of the world's glory. If God be with us, who can be against us. If he be our shepherd, we are sure to lack nothing. There is such a force of comfort in salvation, that we will rather choose outward evils than to enjoy outward good things. Moses, by faith, seeing that outward affliction and shame were knit to salvation, chose these, and refused dignity and ease.
How ought this to stay the soul under all its heavy pressures ! Why should not I be patient in sickness, in poverty, in disgraces ; or why should I despair at the hour of death ? Am I not under the hand of my God, working my good out of every evil ? It is the subtilty of our arch-enemy to drive us to a stand, that we may doubt of our conditions, and say with Gideon, ' If the Lord be with me, and that I am his child, why is it thus with me ?' Judges vi. 13. How is it that all this sorrow and misery hath befallen me, and lieth so heavy upon my soul ? But our comfort here is, that God who turneth all things to our best is stronger than Satan.
Use 4. Again, Considerbir/ all tliiiujs conduce unto our goods, though in appearance never so opposite, this comfort ariseth, that if God do so work this or that, then I must believe against belief; I must stand firm against contraries, my faith must answer his manner of working, and believe that God can bring me to honour by shame, and to heaven by hell-gates. For if it be his course of dealing, first to cast down and then to lift up, by dis- grace to bring his servants to glory, then in all my extremities I must rest upon God, who is never nearer unto his, to succour them, than when he seems to be furthest off. When he means to give victory he suffers us to be foiled first, and when he intends to justify a poor sinner he will con- demn him first. Let us therefore hope against hope, and desire God in our distresses to ojDen our eyes that we may see our consolations.
Hagar had a well by her when she was ready to perish for thirst, and yet she saw it not ; and Ehsha's man had angels to defend him when the Aramites* compassed him about, but perceived not the same. So 'the angel of the Lord continually pitcheth his tent about the godly,' though they are not aware of it ; yea, God is then nearest to us when^we are in most straits. Cordials are kept for faintings. When Christ went to cast the devil out of a child, he then most raged and tare him. So likewise Satan and wicked men most rage when they are nearest to their end and destruction. In thy gi-eatest danger, never rest on thy friends, but on the Lord, who never standeth nearer and firmer to us than when we are most perplexed and know not what to do. A distressed soul seeth oft no comfort in outv/ard things, and therefore retireth unto God, in whom it finds whatsoever may make it happy. ' Our strength may fail, and our heart may fail,' Ps. xxiv., but God is our portion for ever. When we are weak, then we are strong ; and when we are most cast down in ourselves, we are nearest to God's helping hand. This carriage of the Almighty ought to establish our faith.