a grievous infirmity it was. Such questions as his arise,
1. From impatience —
[There is great impatience in the mind of man, yea, even of good men, and especially under any dark and mysterious disspen- sation. We are apt to think that God is, as it were, bound to hear us, and to interpose, either for the solution of our difficul- ties, or the removal of our trials, as soon as we call upon him. We cannot wait his leisure. Like Saul, we think he has for- gotten us; and, that our enemies will crush us, before he can eome to our relief". Thus David was exercised, as he himself tell us : " I said in my haste, I am cut off from before thine eyes°." To such a degree was he agitated on one occasion, that he declared, it was altogether in vain that be had served God: *' Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocencyP." And, as for all that God's saints had spoken from the beginning of the world respecting the grace and mercy and ticielity of God, he did not hesitate to pronounce it all a downright falsehood : " 1 said in my haste, all men are liars^." The prophet Jeremiah too cast reflections even upon God him- self, as having deceived him by false promises; "Thou hast deceived me, and 1 was deceived^" Alas! what a root of bitter- ness is an impatient spirit ! and how greatly does it aggravate the calamities under which we suffer ! 8urely we should leave times and seasons, whether of trial or consolation, unto God, and say, " Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him%"]
2. From unbehef —
[This is the great source of all our disquietude. If we truly believe that God ordered everything with infallible wisdom, and unbounded goodness, and an inviolable fidelity, we could never be put into such a consternation as is expres^ed in our text. We should rather lie as clay in his hands ; and leave him to fashion us according to his will, and to put us into as many suc- cessive furnaces as he sees fit, and to accomplish his own pur- poses in his own way. We should have it fixed as an immu- table principle in our minds, that though " clouds and darkness may be round about him, justice and judgment are the basis of his throne:" and under the influence of this faith, we should adopt the language of the prophet Habakkuk, and say, " Al- though the fig-tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat ; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stall ; yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation*."]
Happily
" 1 Sam. xiii. 12, 13. " Ps. xxxi. 22. p Ps. Ixxiii. 13, 21.
*> Ps. cxvi. 11. "^ Jer. XX. 7. * Job xiii. 15.
* Hab. iii. 17, 18.