SERMON VI.

THE RODS OF AFFLICTION.

JOB V, 17, 18.

"Behold, happy is the man whom God correcteth: therefore despise not thou the chastening of the Almighty: for he maketh sore, and bindeth up: he woundeth, and his hands make whole."

In this chapter we are told that "man is born to trouble, as the sparks fly upwards." He is born in sin, and sin and sorrow are inseparably connected with each other, either as a punishment against the wicked, in a way of wrath and vengeance, or else as a chastisement of the righteous, in the way of loving correction for their eternal good. Under this view of the case, we who are believers in Christ should remember, that whatever comes, comes in love. The words of scripture are, "thy loving correction shall make me great."1 "I have chosen thee in the

1 Ps. xviii, 35. Translation of the book of Common Prayer.

furnace of affliction."

"It is good for me that

I have been afflicted." There is a great degree of natural wantonness and levity in the mind of man; he is not impressed with a sense of those things which are of eternal importance; he is a thoughtless, light-minded, inconsiderate creature, whence the force of the expression, "in the time of adversity consider."

Why, it may be asked, does not God punish the wicked more speedily than he does? Because they are awfully left, like the Amorites of old, to fill up the measure of their iniquity, while the erring children of God are punished in a way of mercy and compassion. They have, as St. Paul says, "forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto them as unto children; "4 and they are therefore chastised for their good, that their disobedience may be subdued, that they may be the better for correction so deserved, and be brought low for their future advantage. But we must not forget this exhortation "my son despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him;" nor ought we to be disheartened when the rod is upon us. It is in our Father's hand, and its infliction is

2 Isa. xlviii, 10. 3 Ps. cxix, 71.

4 Heb. xii,

5.

directed by eternal love.

We have no right to repine at God's providences; our only business is to watch them, and to be obedient and submissive to the trials we are called upon to sustain.

He

What a wonderful expression is this, "whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth."5 He knows very well, that if we were without chastisement, we should lose our greatest mercies. "scourgeth every son whom he receiveth;"5 all is meant for our good, to bring us to everlasting glory. This is the object of the scourge in time.

What consolation there is in the words of St. Paul, "if ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is there whom the Father chasteneth not? but if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons." Hereby we are given to understand, that our salvation will be under the management of infinite love and infinite wisdom, till we are brought safely through all our dangers, to regions of joy and gladness whence "sorrow and sighing shall flee away." Trials hover around us in this gloomy world, like the noisome birds of night; but as soon as the eternal day of glory breaks upon 6 Heb. xii, 7, 8.

5 Heb. xii, 6.

the soul, they will fly away, and never shall they trouble us any more. "Blessed," saith St. James, "is the man that endureth temptation; for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him." It is the Lord's pleasure that many of his people should be afflicted, that they may glorify him even in the fiery furnace.

God has three rods of affliction :

I. For the mind,

II. For the body,

III. For the estate, or outward circumstances. These are the rods of affliction; and whichsoever God applies, praised be his name, if it be in his hand, it will be wisely administered.

I. When we are under the first rod, it will be profitable to ask ourselves, why is the mind made the subject of affliction? Here I have to deal with Him who is all mind! It is an evil state, when we are not solemnly concerned about the frame of our minds. I desire to be infinitely more attentive to what passes within, than to what passes without, and daily to mark my inward thoughts. We should attend well to the exhortation, "keep thy heart with all diligence, for out of it are the issues of life." If the 8 Prov. iv, 23.

7 James i, 12.

Lord permits his rod to light upon my mind, and at the same time in love and mercy visits me with an increase of holy believing in Jesus Christ, and with more enlightened views of his love and grace to me through that believing, I then, even in sorrow, carry a heaven of joy within me, in a heart thus sweetly and eminently blest by a wisely chastising God. What a heaven do we live in, when we live in the " peace of God that passeth all understanding, keeping our hearts and minds through Jesus Christ our Lord!" I cannot be happy outwardly, but as I am happy inwardly. Let me be surrounded with the most melodious music; let me be decked in robes of gorgeous magnificence; let me live in the highest state of splendour the mighty men of earth enjoy, can these make me happy, if my mind is miserable? I once heard of a person who was very rich, but so miserable that he attempted to destroy himself; and when asked the reason, he declared that his mind was so wretched, that notwithstanding his wealth, life was insupportable. God gave me a mind, but that mind never can be happy, but as it is the recipient of good from God. When I enjoy such a mind, I partake of heaven, and find the Lord's ways to be ways of pleasantness,