374 GOD THÉ ONLY REFUGE FOR THE SAINT IN TROTJELE. application to God, and if our souls are in bitterness let' us vent it to him. The second doctrine which may be' raised, by compar- ing the-first part of the verse with the second, (" thou contendest with me, ") may be the following, viz. Doc. 2. That a fúll persuasion that it is God's own hand which afflicts a saint, does. not afright him from seeking to his Father. Though he looks at God as one who at present uses his rod towards him, yet he looks at God too as the fittest person he can apply to. We find David frequently does this: when he complains and mourns before the Lord under the chastisement of his hand, he does not fly from his God, but draws nearer to him, A child of God well knows that it is in vain to cry unto creatures when God afflicts him ; for they must all say there is `nothing of help or consolation in them : there is nothing in them can give them ; for if God hide his face who can speak peace ? . There is nothing in any creature, but as God's wisdom shall see fit to make creatures the instruments of his own dispensations towards us ; and therefore.we can receive no mercy from them, but as God ordains and per rtiit3 it. This a child ofGod well knows, and so applies to the first cause. It is God alone sets us low, and he- alone can raise us high again. " I kill, says God, and I make alive, it is my prerogative todo both." In the faith of this, a child of God flies tohis father, thoughhis father' afflicts him. It is the character Of a sinner, and one that is far off from God, that he knOws not God, and has no true faith in him, but runs further from God, when God from heaven strikes him. So that rebellious kingof old, Jehorarn the son, of Ahab, when he had been,long under the correcting hand of God, said, " I Will wait for the Lord no longer, for this evil is of the Lord." But this is quite different from the character of holy Job, who flies to God, and resolves to " trust in him though he slay him." Doc. 3. Every child of God knows that God can chargehimwith much guilt, though the eye ofman can- not see him guilty. " Iwill say unto God, Do not con -. demnme." Job therefore well knew he had something justly con,..
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