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boils; when Heman, and when the church in the Lamentations were deprived of the consolations from God, when the Comforter, who would relieve their souls, was far from them; when David also was cursed by Shimei, and turned out of doors by his own son; can you think that in all these there was no feeling? Had there been none, there could have been no profit by any of the dispensations. Unless we realize our trials indeed, what are we the better for them? This would be to despise the chastening of the Lord, to be above correction. to be smitten and not grieve, is one of God's sorest judgments, and always argues a soul ripe for ruin: this “well” does not suppose us insensible of the evil of afflicting.
Though we believe all that befals us is well, this does not forbid our inquiring into the reasons of God's providential dispensations, and a searching out the cause for which they come upon us. Every rod hath a voice in it, and the “man of understanding will hear it,” and “see the name of God in it," Micah vi. 9. what God intends by it, what is his ends and design in it; for he does not afflict willingly, nor grieve the children of men, Lam. iii. 33. There is a “need be " in every dispensation that befals us: 1 Pet. i. 6. “Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season"(if need be) “ye are in heaviness through
