[However severely God may see fit to chastise his people, there are two things which he gives them for their support ; namely, a sense of his presence with them in their affliction, and the prospect of a happy issue out of it. They may, by reason of his dispensations, " sit for a time in darkness : but he will be a light unto them." They may, like St. Paul, be " troubled on every side ; yet shall not be so distressed" as not to know what to do : they may be " perplexed ; but shall not be in despair :" they may be " persecuted ; but shall not be for- saken ; and cast down, but shall not be destroyed11." He will " hide them, as it were, in his pavilion," or rather, as it is yet more beautifully expressed, "in the secret of his presence;" so that, though in the fire, they shall not be burned; and though in the lion's den, they shall not be hurt. Besides, when his dispensations have produced their desired effect, he, as a refiner watching over the vessels which he has put into the furnace, will take them out, and shew that they have been puri- fied by means of it, and have lost nothing in it but their dross. Under our afflictions the ungodly are ready to triumph over us, and to conclude, that God is visiting us in anger for some iniquity, which, though hidden from men, has been seen by him : but he will appear for us in due season, and " bring forth our righteousness as the noon-day." Thus he did for David, under all his persecutions from Saul : thus he did also for his only dear Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, when he raised him from the dead : and thus he will do for all who put their trust in him. If we only " humble ourselves under his mighty hand, he will in due season lift us up, to our greater comfort, and to the everlasting honour of his own name.]
3. An assured expectation of final victory —
[Even in this life the enemies of his people are often put to shame, and constrained, as Job's friends were, to confess that they had erred in judgment respecting us. But O ! what shame will seize them in the last day, when they shall see those whom they once despised and persecuted for their religion, openly acknowledged by their Lord as good and faithful servants ; and they themselves be bidden to depart from his presence, and to take their portion in the lake that burnetii with fire and brim- stone ! Then will " their day come;" and " the righteous shall see it : they shall sit as assessors with Christ in judgment, and shall approve of the sentence denounced against them. Such is the honour reserved for all the saints. " No weapon that is formed against them shall prosper ; but every tongue that rises against them in judgment shall they condemn1." Sooner or later will justice be administered both to the friends and ene- mies of Jehovah ; and that which is spoken by the prophet, be
k 2 Cor. iv. 8, 9. ' Isai. liv. 17.