ed in this,
"His heart is fixed trusting in the Lord." He hath committed his soul to
him, and why may he not his body? He hath nothing but his promise for
eternal salvation, and may not that same suffice for temporal? He careth
for me, saith faith, why then should we both care about one thing? He hath
given his Son for me, the most precious gift which the world cannot match,
and will he not with him give all these lesser things? And thus the
believer encloseth himself within the Father's love and providence, and is
fixed, not fearing evil tidings, for what tidings can be evil, seeing our
Father hath the sovereign disposing of all affairs, and knoweth what is
best for us? Present dispensations often shake men, and drive them to and
fro, their feet slip, and are not established, "Thou didst hide thy face,
and I was troubled." But if you trusted in God, and considered what is in
him to oppose to all difficulties and calamities, you would say, "I shall
not be moved, though the floods lift up their voice." If you believed his
love, would not this sweeten all his dealing? He maketh all work together
for good. Sovereignty, righteousness, and mercy, are sure and firm ground
to stand upon in all storms. You may cast anchor at any of those, and lie
secure. "It is the Lord, let him do what he pleaseth." This was enough to
quiet the saints in old times. Should he give account of his matters to
us? Shall the clay say to the potter, why is it thus? His absolute right
by creation maketh him, beyond all exception, do what he pleases, but
beside this, he is pleased and condescendeth to reason with us, and give
account of his matters, to testify to our conscience that he is righteous
in all his ways. It was the ground of Jeremiah's settling, Lam iii. "It is
of the Lord's mercy that we are not consumed." It should have allayed and
stayed Job. Know this, thou art punished less than thy iniquities deserve.
Who will set a time to plead with him? Shall any be found righteous before
him? And this might stop all men's mouths, and put them in the dust to
keep silence, seeing he hath law to do infinitely more than he doth, why
should not we rather proclaim his clemency, than argue him so very hard?
If to both those you shall add the consideration of his mercy, that all
his paths are mercy and truth unto you, even when he correcteth most
severely, so that you may bless him as well for rods as for meat and
clothing, and count yourself blessed when you