YV2 NO FAIN AMOItTG THE BLESSED. DISC. IXe pleasure to the hand of God who smites us, and be bet- ter composed to endure the plins which he inflicts upon us for our trial and improvement in grace. Innocence and piety, and a peaceful conscience, are an admirable defence to support the spirit against the overwhelming efforts of bodily pain : But when inward reproaches of mind, and a racking conscience join with acute pain in the flesh, it is double misery, and aggravated wretched- ness. The scourges and inward remorse of our own hearts, joined to the sorrows of nature, add torment to torment. How dreadful is it when we are forced to confess, " I have procured all this to myself by intem- perance, by my rashness, by my obstinacy against the advice of friends, and rebellion against the commands of God !" Probably it was such circumstances as these, that gave the soul of David double anguish, " when his bones waxed old, through his roaring all the day long, when day and nightthe hand of God was heavy upon him, and his moisture was turned into the drought of summer : when he. complained unto God, thy arrows stick fast in me, and thy hand presseth me sore : There is no soundness in my flesh, because of thy anger ; nor any rest in my bones, because of my sin. My iniquities are gone over my head as a heavy burden, they are too heavy for me. Deep calls unto deep at the noise of thy water- spouts, all thy waves and thy billows are gone over me." The deep of anguish in my flesh calls to the deep of sorrow in my soul, and makes a tremendous tumult within me. "My wounds stink, and are corrupt, because of my- foolish- ness : I am feeble and sore broken I have roared by reason of the disquietness of my heart ;" nor could he find any rest or ease till he acknowledged his sin unto God, and confessed his transgressions, and till he had some comfortable hope that God had forgiven the ini- quity of his sin. See this sorrowful scene exemplified in a very affecting manner in Ps. xxxii. and xxxviii. Happy is the man that walks closely with his'God in the days of health and ease, that whenever it shall please his heavenly Father to try hirn with smarting pain, he may findsweet relief from a peaceful conscience, and humble appeals to God concerning his own sincerity and watch fulness.
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