[b]Charging God with wrongdoing
(Thomas Watson, "A Divine Cordial" 1663)
"It is the Lord's will. Let Him do what He thinks best."
1 Samuel 3:18
One who genuinely loves God, interprets all His dealings
in the best sense. Though He afflicts sharply--the soul
takes all well. This is the language of a gracious spirit:
"My God sees what a hard heart I have, therefore He
drives in one wedge of affliction after another--to break
my heart. He knows how full I am of the cancer of
covetousness, or the swelling of pride, or the fever of
lust--therefore He gives me bitter remedies, to save my
life. This severe dispensation is either to mortify some
corruption--or to exercise some grace. How good is God,
who will not let me alone in my sins--but smites my body
to save my soul!" Thus genuine piety puts a good gloss
upon all God's afflictive dealings. It is Satan who makes
us have high thoughts of ourselves, and hard thoughts
of God. "Take away everything he has--and he will
surely curse You to Your face!" Job 1:11
"Then Job fell to the ground in worship and said, 'Naked
I came from my mother's womb, and naked I will depart.
The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the
name of the Lord be praised.' In all this, Job did not sin
by charging God with wrongdoing." Job 1:20-22