we will make him the supreme object of our regard in all. At some times he gives health, and affluence, and honour, to see whether we will suffer these things to draw away our hearts from him, or whether we will improve them all for him. At other times he lays affliction upon our loins, to see whether we will retain our love to him, and bless him as well when he takes away as when he gives. At some times he permits us to be sorely tempted by Satan, and by the corrupt propensities of our own hearts, to prove whether we will prefer the mainte- nance of a good conscience to any of the gratifications of sense. At other times he permits persecution to rage against us, that it may appear whether we will sacrifice our interests, and life itself, for him. In fact, every change of circumstance is sent by him, precisely as the command respecting the sacrificing of Isaac was sent to Abraham : by that command " God tempted him ; " and by every circumstance of life he tempts us, to " prove whether we will obey his commandments or no."]
3. To instruct us —
[We are apt to imagine that the happiness of man is greatly dependent upon earthly prosperity; and that the loss of tem- poral comforts is an irreparable evil. But God would teach us, that this is altogether a mistake. By loading us with all that this world can give, he shews us how insufficient earthly things are to make us happy : and, by reducing us to a state of want, or pain, or trouble of any kind, he leads us to himself, and then shews us how happy he can make us, though under circum- stances the most painful to flesh and blood. This is a great and valuable lesson ; most honourable to him, most beneficial to us : it elevates us completely above this lower world ; and, in proportion as it is learned, enables us to live on God alone. When Satan tempted our Lord to distrust his heavenly Father's care, and to " command the stones to be made bread," our Lord reminded him of the lesson which was here recorded for the good of the Church ; namely, that it was the blessing of God upon bread, and not the bread itself, that could do us good ; and that that blessing would as easily produce the effect without means as with them. Thus he teaches us that, in having God, we have all ; and that, without him, we have nothing.']
4. To do us good at our latter end6 —
[If our state were never diversified, we should have but one set of graces called forth into action : but, by experiencing alterations and reverses, we are led to exercise every kind of grace : and by this means we grow in every part, just as the members of the body grow, when all are duly exercised f.
« ver. 16. f Col. ii. 19. 1 Pet. ii. 2.