WHether we reckon this Psalm to David, the sweet Singer of Israel, or to some other holy Man of God as the Penman thereof; it is past all question that the Divine Spirit was the In­diter of it, and we have reason to judge it worthy of so great an Author, because full of most rich and excellent matter. You may observe in it the Description of a godly man, whose Picture is curiously drawn, and to the Life, in his Graces, and holy duties, and sore afflictions, and manifold Experiences, and sweet Consolations. But passing by the Consideration of the whole, I shall confine my Discourse, and for the pre­sent engage your Meditations to these words which I have been directed to, as a Subject very proper upon this sad and solemn Occasion. In which we plainly see the Friendly hap­py agreement between a most wise and holy God, and an humbled afflicted Saint, under and about those dark Provi­dences and smarting Dispensations, which are ordered out unto him; when there is not only a Rod but a Scorpion in the hand of the former, and multiplyed yea deep wounds on the back of the latter. The holy Prophet doth here speak as a man lying under the Judgments of God, and exercised with Afflictions, a Child dear to his Father, and over him, yet under his frown; but in this very case far from quarrelling the Rod, and contending with his Father about it, he humbly submits, and sweetly quiets himself, freely making this inge­nuous and thankful Acknowledgment: I know O Lord, that thy Judgments are right, and that thou in Faithfulness hast af­flicted me. The terms in the Text are so obvious and very easie, not needing that much time should be spent in their Explica­tion. [Page 2]Therefore all that I shall say to that purpose, will be no more than this.

The word Judgment is variously used in the sacred Scripture, and particularly in this Psalm; frequently we are to understand by it the Law of God, his Statutes and Commandements; these are the Judgments of his mouth, which in and concerning all things are right, there is nothing perverse in them, but as Silver tried in a Furnace of Earth seven times, free from all dross. Rom. 7.12. The Law is holy, and the Commandment holy, just and good. Now if any Person be inclined thus to understand the word in this place, he shall have my leave so to do, I will not con­tend with him about it. Yet in my apprehension, it seems much more suitable to the Mind and Scope of the Prophet in this Place, to understand by Judgments those troubles and ca­lamities which the Lord is pleased to order out to the Children of Men, while they tabernacle in Flesh, and are passing tho­rough this vale of tears. Those Providences of God, which have an angry aspect and frowning Countenance, whether they be penal and acts of revenge, and so inflicted upon wicked men his Enemies, or only castigatory and corrective, and so laid upon good Men and Women his Children, are Judgments. Thus 1 Pet. 4.17. The time is come that judgment must begin at the House of God; and if it first begin at us, what shall be the end of them that obey not the Gospel of God? If there be such sufferings for Gods Subjects and Favourites, how will he han­dle Rebels? So again observe that place in the 1 Corinth. 11.32. If we would judge our selves, we should not be judged; but when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the World. And such Dispensations may very fitly be called Judgments on a twofold Account.

First, Because they are rectoral and judicial acts, they are acts of Government, put forth by God as holding the Reins in his hand, as sitting in the Throne judging right and render­ing unto men according to their Works. Even when they are ordered out to the Saints themselves, not only for proba­tion, or the Exercise of their Graces, but likewise for their sins; there is not only a design of Love in the Bowels of them, and mercifull Purposes carrying on, but there are Characters [Page 3]and Marks of displeasure ingraven upon them; for though God is so gracious that he will not cast off his Children for sin, yet he is so holy that he will not bear with sin in his Chil­dren, but they shall feel he is offended; if they transgress, they shall suffer; if they will break the Hedge, some of the Thorns shall stick in their sides, Psal. 89.30, &c. If his Chil­dren forsake my Law, and walk not in my judgments: if they break my Statutes, and keep not my Commandments, then will I visit their transgressions with the Rod, and their Iniquity with Stripes. This he threatned, notwithstanding he promiseth in the very next words, that his loving kindness he will not utterly take from him, nor suffer his faithfulness to fail: He will not break his Covenant, nor alter the thing that is gone out of his lips.

Secondly, They may well be called Judgments, upon the Account of Gods ordering them out in infinite Wisdom. In wrath he re­members Mercy, and doth all as becomes him to do it. He knowes what is best to be done, and how much his Children bear, and what the Providence will issue in, and how the Physick will work. Isa. 30.18. The Lord is a God of Judg­ment, blessed are all they that wait for him. His Judgments are with judgment: This good man readily subscribed to it; O Lord, thy judgments are right, such as they should be, there is not any such thing in them that can be mended, and there­fore nothing that should be quarrel'd.

And he doth not stop here, though it is good for one in trouble to come to this, but he goeth on, thou in faithfulness hast afflicted me: These Dispensations do speak thee both a righteous Judge, and a cordial Friend; in what thou hast done, thou hast been true to thy gracious Word, and to my chief Interest; though Flesh grumbles, and saith there is severity in this stroke, yet my Faith speaks better of my God, and tells me there is his Love in it. He hath done nothing but what he might do to me, and what He hath done doth really make for me. Though my Spirit be not right, nor my Duties right, nor my Carriage right, yet his Judgements are right.

And He doth not speak this at random, as one that had a mind to be talking, though it be he did not know what; nor doth he speak it with any hesitancy or misgiving of Mind lest [Page 4]it should afterward be found otherwise, but with the greatest assurance, confidence and alacrity imaginable, that he might work a belief in others who should hear of it. I know, saith he, I know very well what I say: I know the thoughts that I have of my God and his dealings with me, they are not vain and mistaken thoughts, but highly rational and well grounded: But you may ask, How did he come to know this? I answer, two wayes.

First, By the Word of Truth: Which speaks plainly, Deut. 32. He is the rock, his work is perfect, for all his wayes are judg­ment, a God of truth, and without iniquity, just and right is He.

Secondly, He knew it by other Saints Experiences and his own. Both my Predecessors and my Contemporaries have been able to make an honourable Report of God, and so am I, Psal. 119.67. Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now have I kept thy Word. And again in the 71 Vers. It is good for me that I have been afflicted, that I may learn thy Statutes. These words do afford us several Truths worthy of our consideration and repeated Thoughts. I will only name them.

First, Many of those Afflictions which come upon the Saints, are the Judgments of God upon them. I do not say all are so, but many. Probably the stroke of God upon you of this Con­gregation, is a Judgment. I do not take upon me positively to determin it, but it will be no prejudice to you to look up­on it under that Notion, and carry accordingly, humbling your selves under the hand of God, and learning Righteous­ness. Is there not a Cause? Find it out if you can, and beg that God would lead you into the knowledge of it, Job 10.2. I will say unto God, Do not condemn me, shew me wherefore thou contendest with me.

Secondly, The dearest of Gods Saints are within the reach of his Judgments, and may be exercised by them. As he will to their comfort gloriously manifest the love, so when occasion requires he will use the Authority of a Father. If his Children will be sinfully deaf to Doctrine, he will open their Ears to Discipline, and by it. Those that will not be pliant to the Word, shall feel the Rod. He hath such a Love to them, and Care of them, that he will be sure to whip them (though he doth not willing­ly) rather than lose them.

Thirdly, The administrations of God to his People, in his judg­ing and afflicting them, are ever managed with unspotted Righte­ousness and Faithfulness. Reproach shall never cleave to his Majesty. He will neither give his Glory to another, nor in the least stain and blemish it himself. He can do nothing but what is right, and he will do nothing to his People but what is good. It is impossible for him to do any thing which shall violate the Law of Equity, and no less impossible is it for him to do any thing which is inconsistent with his own everlasting Covenant, or their Interest and good.

Fourthly, God doth and will satisfie his People about this: They shall be able to say, I know it; they shall both see and feel it. Justice and Faithfulness shall be so plainly impress'd upon his Dispensations, and in such legible Characters that they shall run and read them. In order hereunto God hath been pleased to do much in his Word, and he will do more by his holy and almighty Spirit, who dwelleth with them, and will be in them, and make all effectual upon them. But none of these things shall be the Subjects of the following Discourse, any further than as they will fall in under the handling of that Doctrin which I intended for, and which with the Blessing of God will prove to your advantage, and that is this:

Doct. Ʋnder the most afflictive Providences, the Children of God ought to press on to, and be expressive of a full satis­faction of Soul concerning the Righteousness and Faithful­ness of God in them.

We ought to be satisfied, and have reason so to be, of that I shall speak in the doctrinal part: We ought to express that sa­tisfaction, of this in the Application. The Text we have be­fore us doth afford a very sufficient and solid Foundation for us to build such a Conclusion upon. We find this holy man had been met with by God in the way of his Judgments, and exercised with Afflictions, but we do also find that the Lord and his Servant were Friends notwithstanding that, and per­fectly agreed; this clearly appears by the honourable Testi­mony he gives concerning God, and his smart dealing with [Page 6]him. He did not only put his mouth in the dust, as one that had not a word to say against God, but he opened it with wisdom, as one that had enough to say for God, and to his praise: I know that thy judgments are right; in the Original it is (as the Margin of our Bibles tells you) Righteousness, Righteousness it self; they can be no more charged with being wrong or unjust, than light can with being dark, or sweetness it self with being bitter: And though thou hast af­flicted me, and dost still, I own it was and is in Faithfulful­ness. So that here was no such thing as a quarrel, no such thing as an Objection, no finding of any fault, but justify­ing of God, and an humble acquiescence in his Will and the Product thereof. Now here I would have this in the first place in a special manner taken notice of: That it is Gods Purpose and fixed Resolution, that which his Heart is very much set upon, to have all things clear'd up and set to right between him and his People whom he dearly loves, and hath set apart for himself, and for an intimate and everlasting com­munion with Him in the other and better World. It is his unalterable Will, that there shall be a mutual satisfaction; He will have a full satisfaction concerning them, and they again shall have a full satisfaction concerning him.

First, God will have a full satisfaction concerning his People. I say, God is immoveably resolved upon that, He will have satisfaction: But, alas! a poor Soul will say, I cannot give it him. Job 9.2, 3. How should man be just with God, if he should contend with him? he cannot answer him one of a thou­sand. Not one mercy of a thousand, they have been so ill im­proved, not one sin of a thousand, they are so foul, hainous and crying. But be not discouraged at that, for since the Best of men are not able to make satisfaction, He himself hath been graciously pleased to make Provision, and to find out a way for the doing of it, and hath to that end and purpose laid help upon one that is mighty, that so his righteous and holy Law may not quarrel, but be answered in all its de­mands; and that none of his glorious Attributes may have cause to complain, but whatever Objections may be raised and brought in against them upon account of the Corruption [Page 7]and vitiousness of their Natures, or the sinfulness and Irregu­larities of their Hearts and Carriages, may receive a full an­swer, and so all Obstructions and rubs which lay in the way of their Happiness may be removed. And so he hath found a full, and will take an eternal satisfaction in that which his only begotten and most dearly beloved Son, and our most gracious and blessed Redeemer the Lord Jesus Christ, did free­ly undertake, and fully perform in a way of active and pas­sive Obedience; from that Sacrifice of himself which our High-Priest did once for all offer up, God hath smelt a sweet savour of rest, so that in Him he is now and for ever well-pleased with them. He can now close with them, and with delight embrace them with his Arms, and lay them in the Bosom of his Love. Mark the Language of his Grace, which is poured out of his Lips, and how sweetly he calls to them: Isa. 1.18. Come now and let us reason together, saith the Lord, though your sins be as Scarlet, they shall be as white as Snow, though they be red like Crimson, they shall be as Wooll. And now the Devil is cast down, who is the great Accuser of the Brethren, that would make it his business to accuse them day and night before God in his Temple, God will not give an Ear to him. He had as good sit still, only his Hatred and Malice against you is so great that he cannot. Well, Chri­stians, look to it that you do not listen to Satans Tempta­tions, and you may be sure, your Father will not listen to his Accusations. He is satisfied concerning you by his Son, and in him you are accepted. You are not satisfied with your selves, not with the Frame of your Hearts, but would have them more spiritual, holy and heavenly; nor with your Du­ties, but would have them more according to Gospel rule: You would serve God better, and be more with him, yet in, thorough and by the Lord Jesus Christ, God is satisfied con­cerning you, and with you, so that he reckons you his Jew­els, his Portion and Inheritance; and in this you have reason to rejoyce: And then further

Secondly, It is the Will of God concerning his People, that they should likewise have a full satisfaction concerning him, and all his Dispensations, as they have had: Psal. 22.2, 3. O my [Page 8]God, I cry in the Day-time and thou hearest not, and in the Night-season, and am not silent, but thou art holy, O thou that inhabit­est the Praises of Israel: And so Asaph acknowledged in the 77th. Psalm, That God's way was in the Sanctuary, a most ho­ly way, though at that time it was a mysterious and abstruse way: His way was in the sea, and his path in the great wa­ters, and his footsteps were not known: And God takes this well at their Hands, he hath his Book of Remembrance for such, Malachy 3.16. and it is that he doth expect from all his Peo­ple, and will bring them to.

That he expects it from them, is clear from his expostula­ting with them, as in Ezek. 18.25. Hear, O House of Israel, is not my way equal? are not your ways unequal? and so in Isa. 40.27, 28. Why sayest thou, O Jacob, and speakest, O Israel? my way is hid from the Lord, and my judgment passed over from my God: Hast thou not known, hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the Earth, fainteth not, neither is weary, there is no searching of his un­derstanding: And thus he dealt with the tachy Prophet Jo­nah, who was so much off the Hooks upon the sparing of Nineveh, and the Withering of the Gourd, in the shadow whereof he had so exceedingly rejoiced; the Lord was pleas­ed to speak to him more than once, Jonah 4.4. Dost thou well to be angry? And again, Ver. 9. Dost thou well to be angry for the Gourd? Have I been so merciful to Nineveh, and to thy self too, Jonah, and wilt thou be froward with me? Dost thou well to be Angry? Have I done amiss? Have I given thee any Cause? God would have all his People pleas'd with what he doth, and in Order to that, satisfied; and they have reason to be so, because it is he that doth it: Were there no more, that should in our Esteem be enough alone. Da­vid counted it so in Psal. 39.9, 10. though he was almost con­sumed with the blow of God's Hand, yet he was dumb and open­ed not his mouth, because He did it.

And as God would have this in his People, and doth ex­pect it from them, so he is able to effect it and bring it to pass: He that hath found out a way to satisfie himself con­cerning his Peoples bad Actions, so that there shall be no [Page 9]abiding breach between him and them upon that score, what is it that he cannot doe? He that hath done that in which lay the greatest difficulty, cannot be posed and non-plus'd by the less, viz. the satisfying of his People concerning his Dis­pensations of Providence and carriages towards them; as in blasting their Estates, and making them melt as snow before the Sun; in breaking to pieces their Relations, and making them to sit solitary and alone; in taking away their Comforts, and rendering their Lives bitter, and a burden to them; in putting out that Light in which they had rejoyced for a sea­son, smiting their faithful Shepherd who had fed them with sound Knowledge and Understanding. These things and all others, God hath made Provision for, and will satisfie his People about; though he condescends therein to them, not being responsible to his Creatures, Dan. 4.35. He doth ac­cording to his Will, both in the Army of Heaven, and among the Inhabitants of the Earth, and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What dost thou? Yet thus he lays by Majesty (as it were) and stoops to dust and ashes: thus he will deal with them, after he hath dipt his Pen in Gall, and written bitter things against them, at which they are troubled, yea startled.

The next thing I shall do, is to shew you, how necessary this is for us, though it be altogether Mercy, Grace through­out in God: For there are apt to be in good men under dark and afflictive dispensations very undue and unbecoming Thoughts and Motions, a filthy scum arising. Possibly you have found in your selves something of that nature under the late Providence, which at present you may think proper and right, what you are very well able to justifie; just as it was with Jonah in his extravagant Heat, his Passion had so blinded his Eyes, and conquer'd his Reason, that he told God to his Face, ( Jonah 4.9.) I do well to be angry, even unto death: But when these very Persons are returned to them­selves, their furious heat is abated, and they afterward be­come more composed and sedate, and enjoy a due calmness of spirit, and thereupon come to reflect on themselves, they will see cause to blush before God, to condemn themselves, and to be ashamed of their words and actions. I will give you an Instance or two.

First, In such Cases they are very forward to enter the Lists, and Dispute with God: When his ways are out of their sight, his Providences so many Riddles and Mysteries that they can­not Interpret; when the Hand of God comes near to a Man, and toucheth him to the quick, bleeding him in a Master-Vein, and taking away from him that which was the desire of his Soul, and the Delight of his Eyes. There are irregu­lar and unchild-like Workings in him, though at another time you would not have thought there had been any such thing in the Man, but let God have us'd him at his Plea­sure, let God have tumbled and tossed him up and down as he would, he would still have fallen upon a square, and when this and that and the other was gone, he would have possess­ed his Soul in Patience; but alas we find it with him as with Water that hath for some time been in a Glass, while it stands still it looks pure and clear, but if one stir and shake it, then that filth riseth which lay before at the bottom un­discern'd, and now 'tis all over disturb'd and roil'd: So here, the Christian hath had some Disappointment or Loss, some­thing or other by which his Spirit is wounded, and that puts him quite out of Humour, and now he thinks himself able to deal with God, and, as I said, would argue the Case with him. Thus it was with the Weeping Prophet, Jerem. 13.10. Indeed he laid down this as an Eternal Truth, that would not admit of any question; Righteous art thou, O Lord: Yet he thought there were some things that he might Animadvert upon, and be bold to discourse with God about: Let me talk with thee of thy Judgments; Yes, do so, Jeremy, but when thou dost, set a Watch before the door of thy Lips, and have a Care thou dost not transgress. Well, he turns Questionist; Wherefore doth the way of the wicked prosper? Wherefore are all they happy that deal very treacherously? And Afflicted Job went beyond him, and rose too high, Job. 23.3, 4, 5. O that I knew where I might find him, that I might come even to his seat; I would order my Cause before him, and fill my Mouth with Argu­ments: I would know the VVords which he would answer me, and understand what he would say unto me: But know it is far more becoming of Man, and profitable for him to deal with God in [Page 11]a way of humble Submission and fervent Supplication than in a way of Dispute, for in this way God will certainly be too hard for Man, and teach him better Manners, as he did Job, whom he brought upon his Knees, and made throw down his Wea­pons, and cry Peccavi, Job. 40.4. Behold I am Vile; both re­ally so, and in mine own Eyes, VVhat shall I answer thee? I will lay my hand upon my mouth, and so for the future Seal up my Lips, as one that do not know what to say, and have already offended in saying I did not know what. Let all the Earth keep silence before him, but vain Man would be Wise. And so

Secondly, There is apt to be even in good Men themselves something of a Tumultuous and Discontented Spirit, rising up against God because of his Providences, forming in their Minds very unwor­thy and unbeseeming Thoughts of him: Exceeding dishonoura­ble Thoughts, which do wretchedly reflect upon God and Religion; this we see too too plainly in Holy Asaph, Psal. 73. He first looked abroad round about him, and there saw the Ungodly of the World free from those Troubles with which many better than themselves were exercised, and filled with all manner of Delights, Prospering and Flourishing, increas­ed in Riches, and having more than Heart could Wish; then he turn'd home, and consider'd how Matters stood there, and he found himself roughly handled, Being plagued all the day long, and chastened every morning; and upon this he was almost ready to run with the Herd, to throw up all, and cast Dirt in the Face of Godliness, by laying down this Vile Assertion, Ver. 13. Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocency: Only God was graciously pleas­ed seasonably to step in with his preventing Kindness, and to Recover him again, and bring him to his right Mind, by ma­king him to see and consider the tendency of such a speech, Ver. 15. If I say I will speak thus, behold I should offend against the generation of thy Children. By this you see what need good Men have of a Corrector.

Now in the next place my Business will be to shew, That before God hath done with his People, He will so Answer all their Objections, so clear up Matters to them, so open and [Page 12]explain the abstruse Riddles of his Providence, that they shall be well settled in their Minds, and both able and ready to profess themselves very well satisfied about that which God hath done; for the Proof whereof there is no need of carry­ing you any further than the Text, where the Psalmist doth with all his Heart justifie God; I know O Lord that thy Judg­ments are right, and that thou in faithfulness hast afflicted me: And when these two things are once set before the Christi­an in a just light, namely the Justice or Righteousness of the Dispensation, and the Faithfulness of God in it, the sweet Sa­tisfaction of his Soul must necessarily result from it: And there is enough plainly laid down in the Sacred Scripture to satisfie as to both these, any one that is acquainted with it, and would be satisfied, and hath not a mind to quarrel: As I shall, through the Divine Assistance and Blessing make to appear, beginning first with the Righteousness of God's Judgments, or smarting Dispensations, which, if I be not greatly mista­ken, will be evident to him that will give himself time and leave to Consider these few things.

First, The Absolute Sovereignty and Power of God: This doth carry a great deal of Strength along with it, and is alone sufficient to silence Disputes, and to make a Man put his Mouth in the Dust, let the thing which God hath done be what it will. It must be granted that all Men are accountable, both those that are under the Law, and those that made it. The Actions of Men are to be weighed in a just Ballance, and judged of by Reason and according to Law: To affirm any Man to be altogether above a Law, is to make him more than a Man: But who shall say, What dost thou, to him who hath unquestionable right to do whatsoever he pleaseth both in Heaven and in Earth? All Persons and Things are in his Hand, and as much at his dispose as Clay is in the Hand of a Potter, of which he can make a Vessel of Honour or of Dishonour. As God at his own time called the World out of Nothing, and established the Earth upon the Floods, so He can at his own time (as He hath of late up and down) cause tremendous and depopulating Earthquakes, and at last burn it up and all the Works therein. As when He pleased He [Page 13]did raise Man out of Dust, so when He pleaseth He can say Ʋnto Dust thou shalt return. At his own Pleasure he sends Labourers to work in the Vineyard, some at the sixth Hour of the Day, some at the ninth, and some at the eleventh: So, at his own Pleasure he saith to this Man, and to that, and to the other, I have no more Work for you to do: When He sees good, He Calls such an one to his Service, he hath a Job for him, and when he sees fit, he saith, Now you shall take your rest, thou hast been faithful in thy little, now enter into the joy of thy Lord: All things are and shall be as God will have them; and Rom. 9.20. Who art thou, O Man, that repliest against God? or Answerest again, and Disputest with him? It was in this that the strength of that Argument lay, which Elihu brought for the quieting of Job's disturbed Spi­rit, and the putting a desirable end to that over hot Contro­versie which had been between him and his three Friends, when he Interposed, endeavouring to bring things to a good and amicable Issue, he laid all the weight upon this bottom. Job was at a perfect loss, his Heart did not reproach him, but all along he had the Testimony of his Conscience that He was not wicked, but had sincerely and industriously en­deavoured to walk in his Integrity, and thereupon he wonder­ed that such severe Strokes should be Orde'rd out to him: On the other side his three Friends were Nonplus'd too, and could not tell how to look upon Job as a godly Man, but an Hypo­crite, Unmask'd since he was so exercised, humbled and emp­tied; Elihu then comes to untie the Knot which had been too hard for them, and resolved all into the Sovereignty of God, Job 33.12, 13. I will answer thee, that God is greater than Man, why dost thou strive against him? for he giveth no account of any of his Matters: He is too great for that, infinitely too high to be brought to the Creatures Barr: And when Elihu had pro­secuted the Argument, and with much holy Wisdom mana­ged the part of a Moderator, God himself seconded him, and went on after the same manner that his Servant had done, instructed by his Spirit, Job 40.2. Shall he that contendeth with the Almighty instruct him? he that reproved God, let him answer it: And Ver. 8, 9, Wilt thou disanull my Judgment? wilt thou [Page 14]condemn me that thou mayest be righteous? hast thou an Arm like God? or canst thou thunder with a Voice like him? and you may see that when this Holy Man Job had heard and been better informed than before concerning this great Truth, he made haste and delayed not to resolve upon an humble silence: I have heard of thee by the hearing of the Ear; i. e. I have for­merly had some Notices given me of God, I have had Teach­ings from my Parents and Instructors, but now mine Eyes have seen thee; I have had from thee farther and much clearer Discoveries of thy Self, and Power and Glory, than ever I had from Man, and now instead of Contending with thee, I ab­hor my self, and repent in dust and ashes, Job 42.5, 6. and be­fore that in the 40 Chap. 4, 5. Ver. Behold I am vile, what shall I answer thee; I will lay my hand upon my mouth: Once have I spoken, but I will not answer; yea twice, but I will proceed no fur­ther; Or, as it is in the Original, I will not add, not a Word more, not a Syllable more: There hath been too much already absurdly spoken by me against thy Wise and Holy Providences, who hast such a Sovereign Authority, and unlimited universal Right to do whatsoever thou wilt, for that the good Man did acknowledge and subscribe to, Job 42.2. I know that thou canst do every thing; nothing that is evil, every thing that is good; every thing that is not a contradiction in it self nor to him, nothing that is unworthy of him; every thing that doth be­come him: He can do every thing for us, and every thing with us that he pleaseth. God will not do all that he can, but He can do all that he will: He hath Power to do it, yea and he hath Authority too, and therefore every thing that he doth must needs be right, because he hath a right to do what he pleaseth. There is none that can give Law to God, only He is a Law to himself.

Secondly, Consider God in all those lighter or heavier Afflicti­ons, with which he doth exercise the Children of Men, yea his own Children; he must of necessity be justified and acknowledged right, because he doth not in any of them exceed the demerit of their sins: He cannot but do right in all things, that doth wrong in nothing. We do indeed meet with this Pathetical Expressi­on in Job 23.2. Even to day is my Complaint bitter; It is bit­ter [Page 15] to me; for thô it gives me Ease, yet it is not what I like; I do not love to be always Complaining, and I find it is bitter to you, you do not relish it, you do not love to have your de­licate tender Ears thus grated, yet, saith he, My stroke is hea­vier than my groaning: If these Groans pierce your Ears, there are Sorrows that wound my Heart; if my Groans be great, my Burden is much greater; if my Complaint be very bit­ter, I am sure the blow which God hath given me is very smart: You think my Patience is very small, but you are not sensible of my Pain, you do not feel that which I feel: But mark this, though Job did say, his Stroke was greater than his Groans, yet he doth not say that it was greater than his Sins; No, No, the Sins of an Hour deserve all the Afflictions of a Life, and more too: There is more evil in the least sin than there is in the greatest Affliction: There is good in Affliction, but none at all in Sin. See what Zophar said to Job, Job 11.6. Know that God exacts of thee less than thy Iniquities de­serve; God hath taken away thy Servants, and thy Cattle, and thy Children, and suffered Satan to smite thee with Boyls from the Crown of the Head to the Sole of the Foot, and hither thou art come from great Honour and Estate to a Dunghil, but as good a Man as thou art and thinkest thy self to be, thine Iniquities deserve worse than all this. Iniquity for certain deserves Affliction, but in this Life God never Or­ders out to any so many and so great Afflictions as their Ini­quities do deserve. The least Mercy is more than all our Earn­ings amount to, and the greatest Affliction less than our least Sin deserves. David complained in Psal. 38. That God's Ar­rows stuck fast in him, and his Hand pressed him sore: But his sins made deeper Wounds in his Conscience than those Ar­rows did in his Flesh, and accordingly he cryed out in the 4th. Verse, that his Iniquities were gone over his Head, and as an heavy burden they were too heavy for him: The Hand of God did sorely press him, but his Iniquities did press him a great deal worse. The Condition into which sinning and God pro­voking Jerusalem had been brought, and in which it lay for the space of seventy Years, was exceeding deplorable: You must needs account it so if you ever took Notice how it is set [Page 16]out by the Prophet Jeremiah in his Lamentations: Yet Holy Ezra humbly and ingenuously acknowledged to the Glory of God, Ezra 9.13. That he had punished them less than their Ini­quities. My Friends, it is a very proper Course for you, and for others under Affliction, first to take a serious View of your Sins, looking upon them through the Glass of Christ's Blood, for so you will see them to be out of measure finful, and after that turn your Eyes upon your Afflictions, and behold their Face in the Glass of your sins, and then you will see them to be very moderate, and that the Divine Contendings with you are in measure. Whosoever he be that doth really see into the Demerit of sin, cannot but presently discover much of the Mercy which is in the Affliction; and it must be grant­ed that those Afflictions can be no other than right which are Merciful Afflictions.

Thirdly, Consider God in his depriving his People of their Comforts, and taking away from them their pleasant things, and how grievous soever this Dispensation is to them, God can­not but therein be right, because He takes from them nothing but that which was his own. Job was stript to his very Skin, and that too was not left whole; he then looked to what would be at last, that as he came Naked into the World, so he should go Naked out, but still he did not quarrel: How came that about? See Job 1.21. The Lord hath given, and the Lord hath taken, blessed be the Name of the Lord. God hath taken away your Estates, how came you to have them? were they not of his bestowing? Remember then the same Hand that hath now cast you down, did before lift you up. God hath now Written you Childless, but consider that he made you Parents; it was His Wooll and his Flax, his Gold and his Silver, and your Children were more his than your own: God hath now taken away your Husband, and your Father, and your Pastor, but He gave him first, and when He gave him you knew He did not give him to you for ever. You knew when you came together, and while you lived together, it would be only for a season, and you must part again. When God gave him to you, it was with the Reservation of his own Interest, which must always be kept [Page 17]entire. God did not part with, nor in the least diminish his own Right when he put him into your Hands: He gave him to you, but it was for a time. The truth is he did only lend him to you, in his Pity and Love he sent him to you, that he might be an Helper to your Faith and Joy, and promote your Progress in that way of Truth and Holiness which leads to Heaven and Glory. You knew that it was God's Inten­tion, his fixed and unalterable Resolution to send for him home as soon as he had finished that which was given him to do: And what Reason can be assigned why He or any other Faithful Minister or Godly Christi­an should stay here after his Work is done? It would be an irksom and tedious thing for an holy Soul to live in the World and be Idle, to live and have nothing to do: Shall I not do with my own as I please? said the Master to that Labourer who quarrell'd with him about his Pay: And may not the great God much more say so? What, shall I ask your leave? Is it fit that I should advise with you what I shall do with, and how I shall dispose of that which is mine own? Ministers are Stars, with which I have beautisied the Firmament of the Church, which is a lower Heaven; these I have made and appointed to give Light unto the World, and I will set them in what Orb I please, and when they have shined there, and scatter'd their benign Influences as long as I see good, I will place them in another; and when they have done all that which it is my Pleasure should be done by them, I will take them up to an higher Sphere, even that of Heaven, where they shall see my Face in Righteousness, Contemplate my Glory, and be Satisfied with my Love and Likeness. But once more

Fourthly, Let us View those Judgments or Afflictions which God Orders out to his People in all the Circumstances of them, and we shall find they are right throughout. Here I might be very large, but will Contract.

His Judgments are right as to the Principle from which God acts in the Ordering them out, and as to the End at which he aims, and as to the Means of which he makes Use, and as to the Measure of their Suffer­ings, how much they shall bear, and as to the Time how long they shall continue. God is so exact in these and all other things that can possibly be named, that there is not the smallest Failure: That which they said of our dear Lord Jesus while he was here on Earth, we may most truly affirm of God, He hath done all things well. Were the World to begin again, all his Providences should be as they have been, because nothing in them can be mended. I will give some light touches and short hints upon those things which I have named, and so pass on.

There are Judgments and dark Providences which God Orders out to Churches and particular Saints, but the Principle from which in them God acts, is a Principle of Love, and that is not only right but sweet: He Loves them while he afflicts them, and he afflicts them because he Loves [Page 18]them, Revel. 3.19. As many as I love I rebuke and chasten. Possibly his Love is not plainly impress'd upon the Rod, so that thou canst run and read it, at present it is conceal'd, but it will break out and shew it seif in due time. Ephraim was as a Bullock unaccustomed to the Yoke, impatient and unruly, and as such he was Chastised, the Whip smarted, and the Goad pricked him, yet he was God's dear Son and pleasant Child, and his Father resolved to have Mercy upon him. God hath taken this and that from you, Moderate your Grief, for He will not take his loving kindness from you. The Rod may smart and put you to Pain, but it is the Hand of Divine Love which lays it on.

As God is right in the Principle from which he acts, so He is in the End at which he aims, for that is exceeding gracious, Heb. 12.10. He chastens us not for his own pleasure but for our profit, that we may be parta­kers of his holiness: He aims not at the Weakening of our Bodies and Estates, but the Mending of our Souls; not that we might be made the poorer by it, but the better: And as this is his End, so it shall be at­tained, Rom. 8.28. We know that all things shall work together for good to them that love God: They have done it hitherto, and so they shall for the future: It is clear from constant Experience: We know it: Good is in the Heart and Purpose of God, and all things shall be subservient to it, all shall make their Contributions. This late Providence, the Death of your Worthy Pastor was for good, for certain it was good for him; to him to live was Christ, and therefore to him to dye must needs be gain, unless Paul were mistaken, Philip. 1.21. That you will easily grant, viz. He is no loser by leaving of the World, and of You, because he is gone to Heaven, He is where He would be, where He knows more, and enjoys more, and is better than he could here, had he lived Me­thuselah's Age; and this shall work for good to you also: But you do not see how that should be. It is very likely you are dim-sighted, and see but a little way; and let this be enough for you, (as indeed it is at present) that though you do not see, God doth, who is Wiser than you. And then

God is right as to the Means which he useth: Those that he makes Choice of and employs, are the best that could be in the Case: Or, if they be not so in themselves, he both can and will make them so; if they be too Weak, he will Impower them; and if they have no Vir­tue of their own, he will Infuse some into them, as in the Sound of Rams-Horns, before which the Walls of Jericho fell; or if they be con­trary, he will reconcile them. One would think Clay and Spittle are enough to put out seeing Eyes, but when he pleaseth he can temper them into so Sovereign a Remedy as shall give Sight to one that was born Blind.

Further, God is right as to the Degree and Height of the Suffering: When [Page 19]angry with his Children, He stirs not up all his Wrath; No, No, He Contends with them in measure: He never maketh too great a Rod, nor gives his Patient too large a Dose, but weighs out every thing, so that there shall not be one Drop of Gall too much in the Cup: He is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above what you are able: Full out as much, but no more. If need be you are in heaviness, no more than need, no longer than need. And so

God is right as to the Time; when Trouble shall come, and when it shall go, when it shall begin, and when cease. He doth every thing in Season. In the Fulness of Time He sent his Son into the World, and so He sends Affliction. Death comes to reap his Corn when it is White to the Harvest, and He puts every one of his Children to Bed at their Hour. When his Faithful Servants have Finished their Work, then he takes them to their Rest, and lays them at perfect Ease in the Bosom of Abraham, or rather his own. They shall not out-live it, nor shall they dye before it is done. I hope I have said enough to sa­tisfie you about the Perfect Righteousness of God in his Judgments, and that may well silence you.

There is another thing in the Text which this Holy Man saith He did know, and that is, the Faithfulness of God in afflicting him. And if the other doth silence, this may well quiet and delight the Afflicted Saint: And truly we have all of us reason to be satisfied about this, that though God often is an Afflicting God, yet He always is a Faith­ful God, and it is in his Faithfulness that he doth Order out Afflictions to them. Now this will appear if you Consider these two things, God is Faithful to his Covenant, and to his Peoples Interest.

First, In afflictive Providences God is Faithful to his own Covenant: In­stead of running Cross to it, he acts in a Wise Pursuance of it. He never runs Cross to it, for while the Saints are here, the Covenant doth not put any of them out of the reach of Afflictions, Galat. 4.1. The Heir as long as he is a Child differs nothing from a Servant, though he be Lord of all; but may have as course Fare and as hard Usage; so may one of those that are Heirs of God and Glory. Indeed we are assured, there is no Condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus: And that Securi­ty is matter of great Joy; but tho' by laying hold upon Christ and the Covenant they are free from Condemnation, yet they may expect Proba­tions whensoever God please, and Correction when they deserve and need it. As we before intimated, God hath reserved unto himself a Liber­ty and Power of Visiting his Children's Iniquities with the Rod, and their Transgressions with Stripes.

But not running Cross to the Covenant is not all, it is too little, for in afflictive Providences upon good Men, God acts in pursuance of his Co­venant, for by that he stands Obliged to be not only a Sun to them [Page 20]for refreshing, and a Shield for defence; not only to give them Grace in the way, and Glory in the Country, but also to withhold no good thing from them that walk uprightly: Now Reason and Experience tell us that Physick is good, wholsome and necessary, sometimes as well as Food; and Purges, tho' strong, and make Heart-sick, are good as well as Cor­dials, and bitter things are good as well as sweet, Psal. 119.71. It is good for me that I have been afflicted: Many an holy and gracious Person can­not say, It is good for me that I am afflicted. Poor Creature, his Spi­rit is so disorder'd by the bitterness of the Affliction, that he cannot at present taste the sweetness of that good it doth him, but sooner or la­ter every such an one shall say, It is good for me that I have been afflicted. While God is Plowing upon their Backs, and making long his Fur­rows, they conclude it is very strange Work, but when they once come to reap the Harvest, they shall most freely, and with thankfulness acknowledge to his Glory, that it was very good Work.

Secondly, In afflictive Providences God is most true and faithful to his Peoples Interest: Though they be and often are Sufferers, yet it is to be Charged upon themselves, and not upon God, if they be losers: It is his gracious Will that they should not lose but gain by their Sufferings, and that their Gains should not only compensate and equal their Losses, but likewise much exceed them: From the Thorns that prick and wound them, and let out some of their Blood, they shall gather the peaceable Fruit of Righteousness, Heb. 12.11. When the Lord leads his People into a Waste and howling Wilderness, he makes for them a right way, though there was none before; possibly it is steep, ruggid and troublesome, however it is right; and walking in it undefiled, they shall be brought to a pleasaut Place, a good Land, a City of Ha­bitations. When God is stripping you of this and that, and the other Delight, He is thereby fitting you for a more Noble Enjoyment, a more Valuable Good, yea, for those Blessings which run parallel with the Line of Eternity. This is all the Fruit to take away your sin, and to prepare you for a more intimate Communion with him here, and a plenary endless Fruition of him in the other World, 1 Cor. 3.22. All things are yours, whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the World, or Life, or Death, or things present, or things to come, all are yours: O the Riches of a Believer! all his, Ministers, Ordinances, Providences, those that look pleasantly upon you, and those too that have a terrible Aspect, all are yours, your Friends, your Servants, all imployed for the pro­moting of your Holiness, and thereby your Happiness; the good Man in the 73d. Psalm, was pained, grieved, and pricked in his reins, but upon his going into the Sanctuary, and Consulting with the Divine Oracles, his Pains abated and went off, so that He quickly sound all well; 23, 24. Nevertheless I am continnally with thee; and though evil be with [Page 21]me, I will not fear it so long as I am with thee; thou holdest me by my right hand, whereby I am safe from sinking into utter ruine; thou shalt guide me with thy Counsel, and so whatever I may lose by the way, I shall not be quite lost my self; and afterward receive me unto glory, and if thou receive me, its no matter who rejects me, and however things go with me at the present, I am sure they will be perfectly well at last; For the sufferings of this present life are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed, Rom. 8.18. No, not to be mentioned the same day, because these are but light Afflictions, and short, but for a moment, and yet they work for real Saints a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. Thus you have seen that all God's Judgments are right, where­fore he deserves to be justified, and that he is Faithful in Afflicting his Children, therefore it becomes them to be satisfied: He will Correct them, that he may not Lose them; He will Judge them, that he may not Condemn them with the World. We have finished the Doctri­nal part, and shall now proceed to the Use, which will be by way of Exhortation, dividing it self into two Branches.