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The disposition mentioned in the text deserves special attention

I. Illustrate the disposition here spoken of

The careless and

cast blame on God

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ungodly world are ever ready to

1. On account of their sins

way

[They give the rein to every evil thought and desireexpose themselves to every kind of temptationlay innumerable stumbling-blocks in their own

And thus become enslaved by vicious lusts and appetites→→→ Against these iniquities God denounces his judgmentBut the slaves of sin continue hardened in their evil waysThey condemn even God himself as the author of their sins

This was the conduct of Adam immediately after the fallAnd it is too often imitated by his guilty descendants—] 2. On account of their sorrows

[Sorrow is entailed on all as the punishment of the first transgression

But most of the afflictions which men suffer are brought on them by their own folly

Some involve themselves in distress through sloth or intemperance

Others ruin themselves by imprudence and extravaganceBut all under their calamities "fret against the Lord"— They are full of invectives against those that have been the more immediate occasions of their trouble

They consider their lot as hard and severe

And thus do they reflect on Providence rather than on themselves

Cain, the first-born of Adam, indulged this malignant spiritNor are there any sons of sorrow who do not follow his example-]

Nor are believers themselves wholly free from this disposition

[They watch and pray against their besetting sin

Yet are sometimes brought under the power of it→ On these occasions they are tempted to fret against the Lord

They are ready to expostulate with him like those of old

* Gen. iii. 12. He obliquely condems God for giving the woman

to him.

Numb. xvi. 11, 41. e Gen. iv. 13, 14.

Isaiah Iviii. 3.

They forget how justly they might have been eternally for

saken

And that the remaining power of their sins is the consequence both of former habits, and of present neglects— Under afflictions also they feel too much proneness to mur

mur

What sinful impatience did the holy Elijah manifest!— Even Job himself preserved not wholly a becoming temper-]

This disposition however is most hateful in the sight of God

II. The evil of it

It betrays the most deplorable ignorance

[God is not, nor can be, the author of sin

He maintains in all things the character given of hims Hence St. James shews the folly of casting blame on GodNor can God punish any of us more than our iniquities de

serve

Hence the expostulation of the prophet is unanswerable— Besides, to fret against God is not the way to interest him in our behalf

Nor will it tend to the peace and composure of our own spirits

It is as unprofitable to us as it is unjust towards him— True wisdom would teach us to humble ourselves in his presence

And to renew our supplications with greater earnestnessThis conduct is as sure to succeed, as the other is to fail of success-]

It manifests the most obstinate impenitence

[Both sins and sorrows ought to produce humilityWhen they increase our rebellion, our state is almost desperatel

How awfully does such a temper characterize God's enemies!m

And make us resemble those that are consigned over to perdition!"

Surely nothing more heinous can be laid to our charge-
Nor any thing more speedily fit us for destruction-]

It evinces the most consummate arrogance
[To fret and murmur is, in fact, to reprove God-

e 1 Kings xix. 4. h James i. 13, 14. ! Isaiah i. 5.

f Job vii. 15, 16.
i Lam. iii. 39.
Rev. xvi. 9.

Deut. xxxii. 4.
Prov. xxviii. 13.
Matt. viii. 12.

God himself considers it as a direct attack upon himoAnd can any thing be more presumptuous in such worms as we?

St. Paul reprobates this impiety with holy indignationPAnd every one who allows himself in it, must answer it at his peril-]

We conclude with suitable ADVICE

1. Let us search into the occasions of our sins and

sorrows

[We may be surprised into sin by a sudden temptation— But may trace our fall to preceding unwatchfulnessNor can we expect God to keep us, if we neglect to keep ourselves

We are rarely earnest enough in using the means of safetyWe are too backward to meditation, prayer, and fastingOur afflictions also may have come without any misconduct on our part

But who has not merited them by his sins?

Men should only be considered as instruments in God's hands

And the consideration of his will should silence every murmur-]

2. Let us always be careful to justify God

[We may not always be able to account for his dispensations

But we should not on that account doubt the equity of themWhatever we suffer, we should not "charge God foolishly"—

Under the darkest dispensations we should say as the Psalmists

If we wait we shall see the wisdom of many things which now seem utterly inexplicable

We may rest assured that David's assertion shall be verifiedt-]

3. Let us see what improvement may be made of our troubles

[There is no rod which has not a voice to us—

Our very sins may be permitted, in order to humble us— And to make us more thankfully cleave to the SaviourOur trials, of whatever kind, are to purge away our dross― And to fit us for our eternal rest

To view them in this light will greatly compose our minds Instead of fretting against the Lord, we shall be thankful to

him

And instead of increasing our misery, we shall make it a mean of joy-].

• Mal. iii. 13, 14.

2 Sam. xvi. 10.

P Rom. ix, 20.

Ps. xxii. 2, 3.

9 Ps. xvii. 13, 14.

Ps. li. 4.

CCCCV. A WORD IN SEASON.

Isaiah 1. 10, 11. Who is among you that feareth the Lord, that obeyeth the voice of his servant, that walketh in darkness, and hath no light? Let him trust in the name of the Lord, and stay upon his God. Behold, all ye that kindle a fire, that compass yourselves about with sparks: walk in the light of your fire, and in the sparks that ye have kindled. This shall ye have of my hand, ye shall lie down in sorrow.

OUR blessed Lord was thoroughly furnished for the great work he had undertaken: he had "the tongue of the learned to speak a word in season" to every character. In the days of his flesh he encouraged the weary and heavy-laden with most affectionate invitations: but against the proud and persecuting Pharisees he denounced the heaviest woes. Thus also he did in the

passage before us. It is in his name that the Prophet speaks; it was he "who gave his back to the smiters," and encountered all his enemies with a full assurance of final success: and he it is who, in the text, proclaims I. Comfort to the desponding

There are some of God's people, who, notwithstanding their integrity, walk in a disconsolate and desponding frame

[For the most part, the ways of religion are ways of pleasantness and peace; though there may be found some exceptions to this general rule-Not but that real and unmixt religion must of necessity make men happy: but there are some, whose views of divine truth are clouded, whose souls are harassed with the temptations of Satan, and who are at the same time too much under the influence of unbelief, who are not happy; notwithstanding they truly "fear God, and conscientiously obey his voice, they are in darkness and have no light;" at least, their hope is so faint and glimmering, that it scarcely affords them any support at all-If we were not able to assign any reason for the divine conduct in this particular, it would be quite sufficient for us to know, that God never suffers his people to be "in heaviness through manifold temptations," except when he sees some peculiar "necessity" for such a dispensation towards them-]

a 1 Pet. i. 6.

But to them is directed the most encouraging advice

[Let not such persons say, "The Lord hath forsaken and forgotten me:"b let them not conclude, that because their hemisphere is dark, it shall never be light; (for "light is sown for the righteous," though it may not instantly spring up) but "let them trust in the name of the Lord, and stay upon their God" The name of the Lord is a strong tower, whither they may run, and in which they may find safety-In the most distressing circumstances let them "encourage themselves in the Lord their God:"e and if he appear to frown, still let them say with Job, Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him -And whenever disquieting thoughts arise, let them chide their unbelief, as David did;s and determine, if they perish, to perish at the foot of the cross, pleading for mercy in the name of Jesus-]

To persons, however, of a different description the Lord changes his voice; and speaks

II. Terror to the secure

While some are disquieted without a cause, there are others causelessly secure

[To "kindle a fire and compass ourselves with its sparks" seems a natural and obvious expression for seeking our own ease and pleasure: and this may be done, either by selfpleasing endeavours to "establish a righteousnesss of our own, instead of submitting to the righteousness of God;" or by giving up ourselves to worldly occupations and carnal enjoyments-Now they, who find all their satisfaction in one or other of these ways, are very numerous; while they who serve God in sincerity, but walk in darkness, are comparatively very few and so persuaded are they, for the most part, of the happy issue of their conduct, that they will scarcely listen to any thing which may be spoken to undeceive them But, how numerous or confident soever they may be, their state is widely different from what they apprehend--]

To them God addresses a most solemn warning

[Sometimes, when the obstinacy of men renders them almost incorrigible, God speaks to them in a way of ironyHere he bids them go on in their own way, and get all the comfort they can; but warns them withal what doom they must assuredly expect at his hands-Precisely similar to this is his

Isai xlix. 14.

e 1 Sam. xxx. 6.

e P's. xcvii. 11.
f Job xiii. 15.

d Prov. xviii. 10.
Ps xlii. 11.

This is strongly intimated in the text, "Who is, &c.? Behold, all

ye, &c."

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