thy judgment as the noon-day0." God may not indeed inter- pose precisely at the time, or in the manner, that our impatient minds may dictate: but, " though he tarry long, he will come at lastp ;" and in the event will surely shew himself " mighty to save." "Wait, then, on the Lord, every one of you; and be of good courage; and he will strengthen your heart: wait, I say, upon the Lord0-."]
As a further improvement of this subject, learn,
1. The benefit of trials —
[Trials of every kind are painful to flesh and blood : but they are, in reality, blessings in disguise. See the effect of them on the prophet's mind. Were they unserviceable to him ? Neither shall they be unprofitable to us. I will suppose that they are heavy: yet, if they bring you to God, and God
to you, tell me, Have you any cause to complain? God
deals with you as a skilful person does with a wheel and engine that is under his controul. He lets down upon it so much water as will accomplish his own purposes ; but whatsoever is superfluous, and would injure its movements, he turns off in another course. So does God deal with his people ; permitting the wrath of man to prevail against them so far as shall be con- ducive to their best interests, but restraining the remainder, which would counteract his views1. He has promised, that you shall not be " tempted above that ye are able ; but shall, with the temptation, have also a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear its." And, "if you lose father or mother, houses or lands, for his sake, you shall receive an hundred-fold more in this life, to supply their loss ; and in the world to come, eternal life1." To exchange the creature for the Creator, need never be to any a subject of regret.]
2. The blessedness of those who have the Lord for their God —
[The world know not where to go in a time of trouble: but the righteous have God himself for their refuge. Perhaps a person viewing the ungodly in their prosperity, and the poor persecuted prophet in his troubles, would be ready to envy the wicked, and to regard the persecuted saint as an object of compassion. But who that turns aside the veil, and beholds the saint in communion with his God, will be of that opinion ? Who that should see God attending to the supplications of his afflicted child, and giving his angels charge concerning him, and sending down the Comforter into his soul, and preparing for him a weight of glory proportioned to his trials, would not
0 Ps. xxxvii. 4 — 6. p Hab. ii. 3. i Ps. xxvii. 14.
r Ps. lxxvi. 10. si Cor. x. 13. * Mark x. 29, 30.