916.]
I. The privilege of God's people in seasons of deep distress —
They are at liberty to commit their every concern to God—
[Of whatever kind their trials may be, they may spread them all before the Lord, with a confidence that he will afford them effectual relief. They may even " cast all their care on God himself," in an assured hope that he will " undertake for them," and take upon himself the entire charge of all their concerns. They may commit to him the directing of their path, the supplying of their wants, " the keeping of their souls," not doubting but that, as their Creator, their Governor, and their Redeemer, he will be faithful to his own engagements, and execute for them whatsoever in his unerring wisdom he sees best for them ]
This is their most inestimable privilege —
[They are not left to bear their burthens alone : if they were, they would utterly sink under them. We see in the case of Job how difficult it is to support affliction ; (for even he at last cursed the day of his birth:) and daily experience shews us how unable any of us are, of ourselves, to bear up under the various trials of life. But we have a God to go unto ; a God who says, " Cast thy burthen upon the Lord, and he will sus- tain thee." As for spiritual trouble, we are no more able to endure it than Judas was, who, from a sense of guilt, took re- fuge in suicide. If " help were not laid upon One that is mighty," upon One who says to us, " Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest ; " what hope could any one of us enjoy ? But with such a Refuge, and such a Friend, we may well be satisfied : for " He is both a sun to enlighten us, and a shield to protect us ; and he will give both grace and glory ; and no good thing, either in time or in eternity, will he withhold from us," if we humbly and unfeignedly commit our cause to him.]
In Hezekiah's use of this privilege, we see,
II. The success that shall attend the exercise of it —
It is of little importance to inquire how far the application of a fig to Hezekiah's boil was an appro- priate remedy for his disorder. Whatever its operation was, it was God alone that rendered it effectual : and the same divine power can give success to any means which shall be used for our good, either in a temporal or spiritual view. The imminence of our danger is no
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