Beyond a doubt, it is " God who causes grief" —
[It is remarkable that the prophet does not merely affirm this (though that would be an ample security for the truth of the position); but he takes it for granted ; " Though he cause grief (which it must be acknowledged he does), yet will he have compassion." To this truth the whole Scripture bears record. God expressly asserts it : "I form the light, and create darkness : I make peace, and create evil : I the Lord do all these thingsb." Yea, so plain and undeniable is this truth, that the Prophet Amos appeals to us respecting it: " Is there evil in the city, and the Lord hath not done it c ?" Whatever we may imagine, " affliction comes not forth of the dust, neither doth trouble spring from the ground d :" but, whoever be the instrument that brings it upon us, God is in reality the Author of it ; all creatures being only " as the axe or saw in the hands of Him that uses it," for the effecting of his own purposes e.]
It is no less our duty than our privilege to ac- knowledge this —
[It is our duty : for we are not to conceive of any thing as left to chance. This would be no better than Atheism. In fact, no man can for a moment indulge such a conceit, but through a total ignorance of God ; leading him to ima- gine, that to attend to such numerous and minute concerns would be a trouble to God : whereas, He is as able to order every thing in heaven and earth, as he was to create the uni- verse at first. And surely to have such a view of him, is an inestimable privilege; because, if nothing be done but by a God of infinite wisdom and goodness, nothing can be done which shall not issue in his glory and his people's good. Whoever, then, be the immediate agent, it is our wisdom to trace every thing to the first great Cause of all ; even as Job did, when, under all his complicated afflictions, he said, " The Loi'd gave, and the Lord hath taken away : blessed be the name of the Lordf!"]
On this truth depends,
II. The consolation that is provided for us under it —
This is stated, as it were,
1. In answer to our fears —
[When our trials are heavy and accumulated, we are ready to fear that they are sent in anger and ivill issue in our
b Isai. xlv. 7. c Amos iii. 6. d Job v. 6.
e Isai. x. 15. f Job i. 21.