he kisses the rod, and blesses the hand that smites him ; and sees nothing but mercy, where an ungodly man would have noticed nothing but severity and wrath. Thus " he enjoys a light in the midst of darkness11;" and realizes the parable of Samson ; " Out of the eater he brings forth meat, and out of the strong he brings forth sweet."]
2. How they elevate the soul —
[Behold the prophet, how he soars above self, and rises superior to all the dictates of sense/ He forgets, as it were, his trials, in the contemplation of his mercies ; and overlooks the chastisement, by reason of the love from whence it pro- ceeds. This is a nobility of mind to which no philosopher ever could attain, and an elevation of sentiment which nothing but divine grace could ever inspire.]
3. How they honour God —
[Here the darkest dispensations are acknowledged, as the fruits of a wisdom that cannot err, of a love that knows no bounds, of a fidelity that can never change. Methinks, if there were no other end for which afflictions were sent, this were sufficient to reconcile us unto all ; for if they lead to such dis- coveries of God, and such an ascription of praise to him, they more than compensate for all the pain that they occasion during the pressure of them on our minds.]
Address —
1. To those who know but little of affliction —
[A slight and superficial religion may satisfy you at pre- sent ; but you will find it of little service when you come into trouble: nothing but deep piety will support you then. If you would be prepared for trials, you must get a sense of your own exceeding sinfulness, and of the wonderful mercies vouchsafed to you through the sufferings of the Son of God. Then the heaviest trials will appear light, yea, as nothing in comparison of your deserts, and nothing in comparison of the obligations conferred upon you.]
2. To those who have been brought into deep waters —
[Look not on your afflictions as tokens of God's wrath, but rather as expressions of his love. There is a need for them, else they never would have been sent; and if they operate to purify your souls from dross, you will have reason to be thankful for them to all eternity. Be not, then, so
* Mic. vii. 8, 9.