This fact may be clearly seen in the amazing history of our dear Lord. God permitted Satan to go out of his limitted bounds, and to use his utmost influence to destroy the Prince of Life. He urged that blood-hound, Herod, to murder the Babes of Bethlehem, in hopes of destroying the Saviour of guilty man. While he preached the gospel, wrought miracles, and was working out a righteousness for his dear people, Satan stirred up the Scribes and Pharisees, the Jews and Priests, to vent all the malice of their hearts against him, and so hold him up to public contempt; and in his last conflicts, we may see the malice of men and devils, by all the calumny and reproach, with a load of inconceivable sorrow with which they loaded the immaculate Lamb of God. The malice of the Priests and Doctors of the Law, the weakness of Pilate, and the rage of an easy persuaded populace—herein we see the malice of Satan: he thought evil against the Saviour, but God meant it for good, and effected only what he had before determined to bring about. The intentions of the enemy, and the designs of Jehovah, were infinitely remote; the God of all grace meant to glorify all his sublime perfections, by the obedience, sufferings, and conquests of the Saviour—the magnifying his holy law, the satisfying his own justice, and the redemption of his Church; the overthrow of Satan’s empire, and the downfal of sin and death—Thus God meant it unto good.
We may trace this subject still further, and take a view of the sufferings of the martyrs in every age, from the days of righteous Abel, to the last saint who may be called to seal the truth with his blood. Those who loved the Saviour, and loved not their lives unto death, endured every species of persecution, for the love they bore to truth, having felt its power, and enjoyed its reality, were opposers of Satan’s kingdom, and Satan aimed to extirpated them from the earth: but the more the truth has been opposed, the more the church has been oppressed, the more it has ever prospered: what their enemies aimed at, was to degrade the religion of the Son of God, to abolish the gospel, and to ruin immortal souls; but in this they have ever failed, and ever will, because God has meant the sufferings of his people, and the malice of their enemies, to good. The history of the experience of saints, in all ages, prove the same, as may be seen in the trial of Abraham, when called to sacrifice his Son; and by faith he obtained this name, the Father of the faithful, and the Friend of God. In the deep trials, and accumulated afflictions of Job, Satan plotted against him, to destroy him—he traduced him as an hypocrite before God, though he was the most sincere man then living; he extended his malice to the ruin of his family, in order to provoke him to curse God. He stirred up his wife for the same tremendous purpose, and then set his brethren to accuse him of hypocrisy, of living in some secret sin, alledging that such uncommon trials never befel a real saint, as befel Job; but this was judging after the flesh, for which the Lord afterwards reproved them; and though they were good men, yet they did not speak the thing that was right, concerning God or his servant Job. Yet these things were all meant by infinite wisdom for good; to answer God’s own gracious purposes, to shew Job the desperate evil of his own heart, and the insufficiency of his own righteousness, to justify him before God.
The oppression of the Israelites in Egypt, was intended to break the backs and the hearts of God’s people, but God intended to get himself a glorious name in their deliverance, and the overthrow of their enemies. When Korah, Dathan, and Abiram conspired against the Priesthood, this was a sore affliction to Moses and Aaron; their aim was to degrade the priestly office, and to bring the Lord’s own servants into contempt amongst the people; this was permitted, as God intended to over-rule it, that his servants might be more fully confirmed in their office, to honor his own sacred institutions, and to give a public testimony of his approbation of his own servants. This was for good to them. The hand of the Lord was soon known among his servants, and his indignation towards his enemies. The history of David is another instance of this truth: Satan stirred up Saul to hunt him as a Partridge upon the mountains; Absalom and Ahithophel to plot against his life and his kingdom, with almost innumerable foes all his reign. Satan well knew that the Messiah was to come of the seed of David, and it was at him he aimed, in all the afflictions of David: but God meant it unto good, to answer many valuable ends. The Holy Spirit kept up his mind in great spirituality, and he was then enabled to compose many blessed Psalms, which were, doubtless, a peculiar blessing to the Saviour, on earth, and has been a choice treasure to his tried family ever since.
We might proceed to illustrate this subject by a cloud of witnesses, but you have the sacred pages in your hands, and can read them for yourselves. I might mention the history of Naomi and Ruth, of Mordecai and Esther, and many more, but shall only remark, that the falling out of brethren, and the divisions made in churches, though designed by Satan, to put a stop to the spread and force of truth, yet, it has frequently been found to bring about some gracious purpose of God, and the dissemination of the very truth Satan aimed to stop in its progress. This truth is found also in the daily experience of God’s children; and however numerous their foes, and complicated their trials, it is the work and wisdom of their faith to look above them, to the gracious purposes of God, in covenant love and wisdom, who is working all things after the counsel of his will. It is true, the designs of God may be hid from the believer’s view for a time, and the trial may be long, dark, and distressing, yet, faith can rest upon this truth, The Lord hath his ways of grace and mercy, in the whirlwind and in the storm; and though in common trials we may be able to read God’s designs, and to trace the footsteps of the flock, in our painful experience, yet there are cases to be found amongst the Lord’s people, of an extraordinary nature, wherein we can only exclaim with the Palmist, Thy way, Oh God, is in the sea, thy paths in the mighty waters, and thy footsteps are not known. Deep in unfathomable mines. Yet, as grace teaches, and faith gathers strength, notwithstanding all our rebellion, self-will, unbelief and carnal sense, suspicion, doubts, and fears, we are brought to stand still, and watch till the Lord unfolds the mystery. But
Unbelief is sure to err,
And scan his work in vain,
God is his own interpreter,
And he will make it plain.
Every thing that may befal the grace-taught christian, from his new birth, till his glorification, is designed to do him good; yea, from his infancy to his death, when called out of darkness into marvelous light. Satan begins to display his envy and malice in a more terrible way, if the good work is begun by a storm from Sinai, in a deep law-work on the soul; he will endeavour to drive the poor sinner to black despair; and if the work of God in the heart, is by more gentle means, he will try to distress the soul, because the work has not been, in all respects, like that which may be in another soul. But even these, and every future temptation, God means for good; they shew us the malice of Satan, they drive us as prisoners of hope to the strong hold for strength, and make us well acquainted with his devices. When God hides his face, he only means to shew us what we are without Christ; and when any saint is permitted to fall into sin, God means to over-rule that fall, to humble the soul, and shew it the need of divine keeping every moment. Sin, as daily felt within, and as perpetually trying the believer, is to shew us our daily need of the Atonement, applied to the conscience; and our daily infirmities shew us our need of a better, yea, of an infinitely meritorious righteousness, wrought out by the dear God-Man Mediator, and imputed to all that believe in him, for their complete justification before God. The reluctance which we often find to prayer, and every other sacred duty, is meant to shew us our need of quickening, and renewing grace; and the accusations of the enemy are meant to shew us our need of an advocate with the Father. God means that every loss and cross, every trial, reproach, and mortification, whether deserved or not, shall wean us from the world, beckon us home, and make us sit loose from every undue attachment to the creature; and every grief, occasioned by the loss of those who are dear to our hearts, is to shew us our need of that ever-living, ever-loving, and everlasting Friend, even Jesus. The prevalence of error, is to stir up our zeal, to shew the reality of our attachment and affection to Christ and his cause. All this blessed work is carried on by the power of God the Holy Spirit, in the hearts of those who are loved with an everlasting love, chosen in Christ Jesus, redeemed by his blood, kept by his powers and called by his grace. Well may the apostle mark it down as a branch of spiritual knowledge to the Church, in these words—And we know that all things work together for good, to them that love God, and are the called according to his purpose.
By way of concluding these general remarks, which are only designed to stir up the mind by way of remembrance, and not merely to inform you (because you already know these things) I would take this opportunity of making only a few general observations on my late affairs—which may, indeed, be very uninteresting to others, but it more especially relates to the little circle of my own friends, to whom God has made me useful, and who esteem me only for the truth’s sake. I cannot, I do not expect any others to notice it, except as usual, to turn it into ridicule, and go on to hold it up, as well as myself, to contempt; but this I am so inured to, that I regard it not, and though they ever intended much evil against me, I am fully persuaded that God means it for good.
In the first place, I would bow my knees to the God of all grace and mercy, and adore him for his stupendous love and condescension, his power, his faithfulness and truth, which have been so long and so conspicuously manifested to me, during the whole of this long and heavy affliction—the health of body, the kind and miraculous providences, which have been so abundantly bestowed upon me—the comforts and multiplied favors which have been showered upon one so unworthy as I am, and while deprived of the means of providence, I look back with holy wonder, rapture, and surprize, at the wonder-working hand of my good God and Father; but above all, for the aboundings of his grace in my soul, through the gracious teachings and leadings of his Holy Spirit, that he has more than ever led me to see the evil, the infinite evil there is in sin, the depth of human depravity, the justice of God in the damnation of sinners—his patience, kind forbearance, long sufferings and amazing mercy. These subjects have deeply affected my heart, and, I hope, yea, I am sure, have overcome, melted me into godly sorrow, and deep humility. The glorious plan of salvation has more than ever been opened to my wondering view, and the ever gracious Almighty Spirit has made me savingly acquainted with the person, the love, and the work of the dear Redeemer, with the stability of his everlasting covenant, and the eternal transactions of the Holy Three; before all worlds, concerning the complete salvation of guilty man.
I bless, praise, and adore the Lord the Holy Spirit, that he has ever thus visited my soul with his quickening, renewing, reproving, and consoling influences; that in the place of my captivity he has again and again assured my soul of her part and lot in himself, in the love of the Father, and in the doing and dying of the Saviour; which has produced evangelical repentance, increasing hatred to sin, fervent love to God, and willing and cheerful obedience to his laws; that he has supported my spirit in the deep affliction, and brought me near to himself; subdued what was wrong, and led me to see wherein I have erred; chastened, scourged, afflicted, tried, and brought me low; taught me many important lessons for my future benefit, and glorified his own grace in my soul, and has at last led me to say, he has done all things well, praise ye the Lord.
In the second place, as is my duty to do, I make this public acknowledgement of my gratitude, for the special, long, unwearied, and unreserved kindness of my friends, to me, during this severe trial, which has lasted above three years. The support of myself, the support of my children, and the ability afforded me for the relief of some hundreds, during my confinement, and which relief and support has been owing to the affection and sympathy of many females, from the very best and noblest motives, also from some gentlemen in the fear and love of God—men, whose conduct and characters are agreeable to the word of God, who have accompanied their generosity with many prayers for the sanctification of my troubles, and which prayers have, I believe, been answered to my felicity, and, I trust, the future joy of their hearts, as influenced by that holy charity that rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth. Nor do I forget their kind exertions in the support of the cause of God and truth, within these walls, though wrecked with dissentions, and injured by many, who shall be nameless here, as I hope to forgive every injury I have received.