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to presume, never to despair; to be thank- SERMON ful for the goods which at present we enjoy, and to expect the evils that may succeed. Thou hast been admitted to partake of the feast of life. Its good things are distributed, in various portions, among the guests. Thou hast had thine allotted sharé. Complain not, when thy portion is removed. It is not permitted to any one, to remain always at the banquet.

II. WE are taught by the text, that both the goods and the evils which compose this mixed state, come from the hand of God. A little reflection may convince us, that, in God's world, neither good nor evil can happen by chance. If there were any one moment, in which God quitted the reins of the universe, and suffered any power to interfere with his administration, it is evident, that, from that moment, the measures of his government become disjointed and incomplete. who governs all things, must govern continually; and govern the least things as well as the greatest. He never slumbers, nor sleeps. There are no void spaces, no broken

X 4

must

He

SERMON

no

broken plans, in his administration XVI. blessings that drop upon us without his intention; nor any crosses that visit us, unsent by him. I am the Lord, and there is none else. I form the light, and create darkness. I make peace, and create evil. I the Lord do all these things*.

How it has come to pass, that this life should contain such a mixture of goods and evils, and that the mixture too should be of God's appointment, gives rise to a difficult inquiry. For how can any thing but what is good, proceed from the God of love? Can darkness issue from the source of light? or can it be any satisfaction to the Father of mercies, to behold the sorrows of creatures whom he has made -Here there was room for much perplexity, till revelation informed us, that the mixture of evils in man's estate is owing to man himself. Had he continued as God originally made him, he would have received nothing but good from his Creator. His apostacy and and corruption ened the gates of the tabernacle

of

Ifaiah, xlv. 6, 7.

darkness.

XVI.

darkness. Misery issued forth, and has ever SERMON since pursued him. In the present condition of his nature, that misery is partly punishment, partly trial. He is become incapable of bearing uninterrupted prosperity; and, by the mixture of evils in his lot, merciful designs are carried on for his improvement and restoration.

What the text leads us at present to consider is, the effect that will follow from imitating the example of Job, and referring to the hand of the Almighty, the evils which we suffer, as well as the goods which we enjoy. Such a reference of the distressful events of our life to the appointment of Heaven, not only is a duty which piety requires, but tends also to mitigate distress, and to suggest consolation. For to dwell, as is too commonly done, upon the instruments and subordinate means of our trouble, is frequently the cause of much grief, and much sin. When we view our sufferings as proceeding merely from our fellowcreatures, the part which they have acted in bringing them u, on us, is often more

grating

XVI.

sore.

SERMON grating than the suffering itself. The unreasonableness, perhaps, of an enemy, the treachery of a friend, the ingratitude or insolence of one whom we had much obliged, add weight to a load laid upon us by means so provoking. The thoughts of their malignity, or of our own neglect in guarding against it, serve to poison the Whereas, if, instead of looking to men, we behold the cross as coming from God, these aggravating circumstances would affect us less; we would feel no more than a proper burden; we would submit to it more patiently; and many resources would open to us, as shall in a little be shewn, from thinking of the hand that lays it on. Job, when despoiled of all his substance, thought of nothing but the Chaldeans and Sabeans who robbed him, with what violent passions would he have been transported, and with what eager desires of revenge tormented? Whereas, considering them as rods and instruments only in the divine hand, and receiving the correction as from the Almighty himself, the tumult of his mind subsided; and with respectful com

Had

posure

XVI.

posure he could say, The Lord The Lord gave; and SERMON the Lord hath taken away: Blessed be the name of the Lord! This leads me,

III. To consider the last, and most important iustruction, arising from the text; namely, that there are many reasons why we, who receive good from the hand of God, should receive with patience the evils which he is pleased to inflict. This is strongly conveyed by that interrogatory form of speech, in which the sentiment of Job is expressed: What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? In order to unfold all that is contained in this appeal made to every man's conscience, let us consider,

IN the first place, that the good things which God has bestowed, afford sufficient evidence for our believing, that the evils which he sends, are not causelessly or wantonly inflicted. Did we live in a world which bore the marks of a malicious or cruel governor, there might be reason for distrusting every step of his conduct. But in the world which we inhabit, we behold,

on