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thankful; to have a frame of heart suited to the dispensation, whatever it is. This is to bear chastisement: and wherever this is the language of the soul will be, "That which I see not teach thou me; I have done inquity, I will do no more." When an affliction is sanctified, it always begets godly fear and jealousy. A man is then most afraid of his own heart, lest that should deceive him; lest he should come out of the furnace unpurged, unrefined; lest the end of God's visitation upon him should be unattained. And this is well consistent with our believing all that God does is well done. Once more,
A soul may say in a becoming frame, and in the exercise of suitable affections, "It is well," and yet long, and pray, and wait from the trial. Submission to the will of God, under awful dispensations, is not inconsistent with earnest prayer for a gracious and speedy issue to these very dispensations. “It is well,” says this good-woman in my text; and yet how does she plead for the life of the child, ver. 28. “Did I desire a son of my lord? Did not I say do not deceive me?" As if she had said, "I asked it not, I could scarce believe it when it was promised me; God raised my expectations himself, he encouraged my hopes, and surely he will not go back from his own word." It was a wonderful act of faith; but the promises
