318 Chap. 9. An Expofition upon tbeBoek of 1 OB. Verf.23` fetf in the Lord his God( a Sam.3o.6.)Yet fometimesGod teems to think of us leafl, when we think ofbim moil. A foul complaining may be over- whelmed, inflead of being helped. Now, he that po`l,,ratiores layes on further affliélions, flights and laughs at the former. And n,ear,itri :e this is the full way,in which it may bemade out, howGod laughs femperinmifa- at the tryall of .the innocent. When they complain, he cloth not Tiù retiquir or prefently..relLivethem, nay, he layes heavier burdens of of liE.}ion flmedertderet. upon them, and makes themmore matter of complaining, blore they have aray matter of rejoycing. Secondly thus,The Lord is faid to laugh. in regard of the plea- fare He takes in the fruits, elf is and iffues of thole troubles, Dews ex 'err' wherewith his people are exercifed : He laugheth, not at the affli- rum (onium,fc Ilion it felf, but at the effeas and fuccefs of it : he knows the ¡nowt can - fli£iunon te- iffue will be matter ofhigh contentment to himfelf, and benefit to ' em capitvo- the Saints. He laughs at their tryal, .becaufe he knows they will hptatem honour him in their tryals.Hc laughs not becaufe they are.pained, but becaufe himfelf is glorified. Asa father who puts a child up- on a very hard task,which yet he is affured the child is able to go thorow with, takescontent to fee him fweat at it, to pant and .blow at it : Or,as a Commander in war, rejoyces when he puts]:a party, of whofe valour and skill he is confident, upon fome dan- gerous fervice : though he knows many ofthem muti bleed for it, and fbrne ofthem (perhaps) dye for it, yet it plcafes him to fee fuch engaged in it.Thus God laughs at the tryals and moll defpe- rateadventures of the innocent, for he fees theyare men who will bide a tryal, they will neither fbrinkin the wetting, nor will their fpirits confumein the burning. And thus a believer is exhorted to laugh at his own tryal, My breth e /(faith the Apotlle James,Ch. 1.2.)count it all joy wbenye fallinto divers temptations or tryals. The more tryals, the more joyes.And thusone believer may laugh and rejoyceat the tryal of another, becaufehe knows that the tryal ofour faith, being much moreprecious then ofGold thatperifheth,though it beryedwithfire, (hall befound untopraife, andhonour, and glory,at the appearing of f efìas Chrifl, a Pet, a. 6,7. Hence obferve, Firl1,The Lordmay bear himfelftoward his own people in their af:etùn,ss ifhe mocks at their afftielions. As he laughs at wicked men in earnefl,and bath them in derili- on fo he puts out an appearance of derilion in what he doth to his own people. Seccn:d-
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