Your hand, O Lord," or rather tools in Your hand; which are "Your
"What then shall I do when God rises up? and when He visits, what shall I answer Him?"
And are we not also likely to offend our brethren? Either we have offended, or may offend; we need others to bear with us, and why should we not bear with them? Our rule is, What we would that men should do to us when we offend them, the same we should do to them when they offend us; for this is the law and the prophets. Matt. 7:12. Solomon appeals to our consciences: "For many times also your own heart has known that even you have cursed others." The penitent remembrance of former guilt would greatly help to curb the passionate resentment of present trouble. When the undutiful, rebellious son, in a story that I once read, dragged his father by the hair of the head to the house door, it appeased the anger of the old man to remember, that just so far he had dragged his father; and it seems to have silenced Adonibezek, that he was now treated no differently than he had treated others. Judges 1:7.
3. Men are God's hand; so it is said, Psa. 17:14: "From men which are Your hand, O Lord," or rather tools in Your hand; which are "Your sword." We must abide by this principle, that whatever it is that crosses us, or is displeasing to us at any time, God has an overruling hand in it. David was governed by this principle when he bore Shimei's spiteful reproaches with such invincible patience: "So let him curse, because the Lord has said to him, Curse David." Let him alone, for the Lord has bidden him. This consideration will not only silence our murmurings against God, the author, but all our quarrels with men, the instruments of trouble and vexation. Men's reproaches are God's rebukes; and whoever he is who affronts me, I must see, and say, that by this my Father corrects me. This quieted the spirit of Job, in reference to the injuries of the Chaldeans and Sabeans, though he dwelt as a king in the army; and his power and