I do not mean that they would avow all the former as their settled opinion, or expressly contradict the latter; but they act more agreeably to them than to these. As to God, themselves, other men, this world, and the world to come. Though they may not deny God's existence and supremacy; their entire dependance upon him, as to this life; and the importance of seeking reconciliation to him, and of devoting themselves to his service; yet they forget these truths, and act as if they disbelieve them. Though they know they must die sometime, and may die soon; though they admit the immortality of the soul, allow their responsibility to God, and perhaps will not dispute their danger, as fallen creatures, guilty before God, needing pardon and renovation; yet these things lie with little weight on their minds. Judging by their conduct, you might suppose they disbelieved them. Though we often see others in affliction, and know we are liable to the same; yet we seldom feel rightly for them, or discover a due spirit of sympathy, till we have had a taste of the cup of affliction ourselves, and hereby learn, not only our dependance on God, but even in various respects on our fellow-men, even those in lower stations in life. It would be easy to prove, by argument and by fact, the vanity of the world, and of the petty distinctions in which the men of the world pride themselves; but it is hard to bring home these truths to affect the conscience and heart, so as to hide pride from man, and cure the love of the world. Invisible realities ought to outweigh temporal shadows; nothing should so engage our anxiety as our future and eternal destiny; but multitudes have their attention engrossed by the cares of life, and the love of earthly things, so as to leave no room for the kingdom of God and his righteousness. Even those who have professedly admitted the truth, need to have its impression revived, and to be guarded against the delusive misrepresentations of the world, of Satan, and of their own treacherous and backsliding hearts. SECONDLY, God often employs afflictions as a means of correcting our mistaken ideas, and rectifying our foolish propensities. The original expressions are used in much the same latitude as the English. in to correct, is generally used for verbal correction; to convince of the truth, especially of a fault. P from to chastise, more usually denotes correction by punishment, or parental discipline; which Solomon assures us is not only consistent with love, but an evidence of it; and so we are told, "Whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth,” &c. "Behold happy is the man whom God correcteth. Therefore despise not thou the chastening of the Almighty.” Affliction is often the means of impressing our minds more deeply with a sense of our dependance on God, and our need of his favorable regard. Affliction tends to remind us of the evil of sin, of the power of God's anger, and the necessity of reconciliation to him. It tends to convince us that the world cannot make us happy; that " they build too low for bliss, who build below the skies." It tends to convince us that man, at his best estate, is vanity; that the petty distinctions in which so many pride themselves, are comparatively of little importance indeed. Ah! how easily can God strip us of our idolized enjoyments, or render them of no avail to our happiness. How often do riches "make to themselves wings and fly away," &c. How unable are they to profit in the day of wrath. How is the strength of the most robust turned into weakness, at the touch of the Most High. When God with rebukes doth correct a man for iniquity, he maketh his beauty to fade like a moth." Ps. xxxix. 11. Even the finest mental powers are easily thrown into disorder by the force of disease. Or the parents of a numerous family have to leave their substance to strangers. "Lo these things God often worketh with man, that he may withdraw man from his purpose, and hide pride from men." Affliction tends to convince us of our need of divine guidance and support; of the necessity of humbling ourselves under the mighty hand of God; of seeking an interest in the favor he beareth to his people; and of " laying up treasure in heaven, where neither rust nor moth can corrupt, nor thieves break through and steal." 66 THIRDLY, When this end is really answered, the man who has been most severely chastened, may well think himself happy. It is a happy thing to be deeply and practically convinced of our entire dependance on God; that all we receive is his gift; that he can continue or remove, bless or embitter it, at his pleasure; that every creature is that to us, and no more, which God makes it; that felicity cannot be derived from the world, but only from God himself; that his favor is better than life, and his displeasure worse than death. It is a happy thing to be made attentive to our own best interests; to feel the worth of the soul; to know our lost condition as fallen creatures; to be humbled in the dust before God, under a sense of the exceeding sinfulness of sin; to be made importunate for the blessings of salvation, a title to eternal life, and meetness for God's heavenly kingdom. It is a happy thing to feel our need of God; to be obliged to be constant and importunate in our applications to the throne of grace; especially for spiritual blessings, the comforts and aids of the Holy Spirit, and the earnests of future bliss. It is an advantageous thing to be kept from idolizing the world; to be constrained to make glorifying God our chief business; and to be excited to earnest concern for all our connexions and relations, that they may, in like manner, be prepared to exchange time for eternity. The man is happy whom God correcteth. For, if our hearts are rightly disposed to seek him as the all-sufficient God, he will not reject us; we shall find him all-sufficient indeed, for our eternal salvation, for our present support, and for an external change in our favor if it be really most for his glory. Though he may wound us sorely, by cutting convictions of sin; yet he will bind up the broken heart, by discovering his pardoning mercy. Though he may wound us sorely, by tearing away our idols; he will make us whole, by uniting our hearts to himself. "Though no chastening for the present be joyous, but grievous; nevertheless, it afterwards yields the peaceable fruits of righteousness to them that are exercised therewith." Though we should be afflicted as heavily as Job; yet God can restore to temporal prosperity, if it be his good pleasure. If affliction should continue till death; yet then sorrow and sighing shall flee away for ever. XVI. THE DEATH OF THE AGED BELIEVER. JOB V. 26. Thou shalt come to thy grave in a full age, like as a shock of corn cometh in his season. THE text is the language of Eliphaz, who in this chapter gives Job some very good advice, and some suitable encouragement; though he was mistaken in his implication, that Job's present affliction necessarily argued previous hypocrisy ; and too positively assumed it for a certain fact that a return to God would insure temporal prosperity. The simile in the text is very beautiful, and well adapted to illustrate the death of an aged saint; though it is far from being a fact that every saint has long life, or is equally happy and honorable in death. Yet, to every believer, death is a transition to a state of honor and happiness; and where grace has long and eminently influenced the life, there is a peculiar propriety in applying this comparison to illustrate the nature and circumstances of his removal. We cannot, from the general tenor of scripture confirm this doctrine, viz: That whoever is sincerely devoted to God shall undoubtedly prosper in this life, for a long period, and at last be visibly honored at his death, by God and man. But we may easily prove this doctrine; viz. That the aged believer, who after a holy and useful life, dies in faith, does come to his grave, like as a shock of corn cometh in, in his season. FIRST: The death of an aged believer, full of days and full of grace, is like the gathering in of a shock of corn, in his season, as it is a seasonable and expected event. So It is according to the usual course of God's providence, or agreeable to his stated rule, that if godly men are not removed sooner, they should be when they are in a full age. Abraham, Gen. xxv. 8. Isaac, xxxv. 29. David, 1 Chron. xxix. 28. God, indeed is not confined to a particular time. Some are removed at an earlier period, full of grace, though not of years; as Abijah. There is no certainty as to the precise time of cutting down God's corn. God has a right to choose which shock he will reap first. And it is best for us that it should be uncèrtain. But when old age is come, death will not long delay. gathered pretty soon. removes the first ripe fruit. When the corn is ripe, it will be But when it is fully ripe, it is evidently time to reap; it is a thing quite in season. SECONDLY: The death of an aged believer, is like a shock of corn coming in, in his season, as it is a desirable and happy event. It is not desirable in some respects, to us who are left behind, to part with such venerable friends; except when we see them first broken down by affliction, &c. But it is desirable to the believer himself, and a very happy event. It is desirable to the angels, and to the saints who are gone before. They will feast on the truth and goodness of God, as manifested to their newly glorified brethren. It is desirable to Jesus Christ, whose husbandry all the church is; that he may reap what he sowed in tears, and watered with his precious blood. It is his blessed will to have all his friends about him, and he must have it accomplished. THIRDLY: The death of aged believers, like the gathering in of corn in his season, is an event for which much preparation has long been making. He Christ himself died, that his death and resurrection might secure the happy death and resurrection of his people. sowed the heart with grace, that when it was ripe he might reap. He converted his people from the likeness of a barren waste, into that of a fruitful field and regulated all the seasons to ripen their graces. He commanded his beams of grace to shine upon them; and caused his Spirit to operate, like the wind and rain, to bring them to perfection. To this end God has employed both his providences and his ordinances; the labors of ministers, and of fellow-christians; and the believer's own prayers and endeavours have also been directed to this important end. FOURTHLY: The death of an aged believer, is like the gathering in of a shock of corn in its season, as it is an event for which he is actually ready. |