destruction. But God assures us, that " he does not afflict willingly, or grieve the children of men" without necessity. There is, if I may so speak, a " needs be" for themg; some evil to be corrected, or some good to be administered. Earthly parents are sometimes led by caprice, and " correct their chil- dren for their pleasure :" but God never does it but "for our profit, that we may be partakers of his holiness11."
As for our trials issuing in our destruction, the very reverse is God's intent in sending them : he sends them " to humble us, and to prove us, and to do us good at our latter end1." Did he intend " to cast us off for ever," he would rather say, "They are joined to idols: let them alone k." But it is not so that God deals with his people. " He will not cast off his people, because it hath pleased him to make them his people1." " He will visit their transgression with the rod, and their ini- quity with stripes : but his loving-kindness will he not utterly take from them, nor suffer his faithfulness to fail : for once has he sworn, by his holiness, that he will not lie unto David," the great Head and Representative of all his people™.]
2. In accordance with our hopes — [What does the afflicted soul desire but this, that " though God cause grief, yet will he have compassion ? " This is what God does in the midst of the very chastisements he inflicts. " His soul was grieved for the misery of Israel," even when for their iniquities he had delivered them into the hand of their enemies". Nor will he measure out his compassion ac- cording to our merits, but " according to the multitude of his own mercies." Nothing less than this, indeed, will satisfy the afflicted soul : nor, indeed, will any thing less satisfy our com- passionate God, who " in all our afflictions is himself afflicted ; and who, in his love and in his pity, will effect our complete redemption0." The entire view of his dealings with us may be seen in his conduct towards his people of old : " Many times did he deliver them : but they provoked him with their coun- sel, and were brought low for their iniquity. Nevertheless, he regarded their affliction when he heard their cry : and he re- membered for them his covenant, and repented according to the multitude of his mercies?" " In a little wrath, he may hide his face from us for a moment ; but with everlasting kindness will he have mercy upon usq."] Application —
Let us endeavour,
1. To get just views of the Divine character —
s 1 Pet. i. 6. h Heb. xii. 10. " Deut. viii. 16.
k Hos. iv. 17. ' 1 Sam. xii. 22. m Ps. lxxxix. 32—35.
n Judges x. 16. ° Isai. lxiii. 9. p Ps. cvi. 43 — 45. «". Isai. liv. 7 — 10.