June 25

Who is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good? - 1 Peter 3:13.

WHATEVER difficulties there may be in the way of reconciling the providence of God with the promises of his word, this Scripture must be true notwithstanding all these. But let us see whether we cannot remove any such apparent contradictions. In attempting this, we may remark three things. The first regards the language of the apostle. A writer can hardly ever make use of a proposition, however just, general, and universal it may be, but it allows of and requires some exception and some qualification. And as to the sacred writers, they always express themselves very strongly upon the present subject, to make an impression thereby, regardless of qualifications and exceptions for the time. There are such qualifications and exceptions, but they are found in other places. Our Lord said to his followers, “Take no thought for the morrow;” and in the Book of Proverbs, prudence, forecast, and diligence are enjoined. “Look well to thy flocks and thy herds, for riches are not forever.” And we may observe that the sacred writers express themselves according to the common and natural and the proper appearances and operations of things, regardless of their accidental and occasional deviations. Thus, we read, the “wicked flee when no man pursueth;” that is, they often flee; their principles tend to cowardice. On the other hand, we read that the righteous is “bold as a lion.” He is not always so; but his principles lead to this, and demand this. So the apostle here tells us that the people of God may and ought to reckon on the divine protection.

The second thing regards the probability of their escaping harm; and we here observe,-First, That religion cuts off from good men many occasions of evil and injury. A meek temper, like wool, deadens the force of a blow. Who but a coward would strike one that he knew would not and could not strike again? Then we observe that, though men are depraved, there are yet in them the remains of reason and courage; the character and carriage of good men often excite respect in their enemies. “Why,” said Saul to David, “many times thou art more righteous than I.” Thus it was with Pharaoh, when he said to men he had repeatedly driven from his presence, “Entreat the Lord for me.” Thus Balaam said, “Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my last end be like his.” There is often something within wicked men that tells them that truth, and righteousness, and God, are on the side of those they are opposing. We may also observe that though they cannot like in good men any thing that is really spiritual, yet there are other things in them that they do like. They do not like their repentance towards God, and their faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ; yet they do like their honesty, and their diligence, and their morality. Even Hume, the deist, thought it was better for the common people to believe the Scriptures. And once more: though men hate religion, they do not always like to oppose it openly and directly. They know that this would bring upon them disgrace, especially in a religious country, and therefore they lay hold of something else,-something that is extraneous. But when Christians live and act as they ought, they furnish nothing for these men to lay hold of.

The third regards the alleviations of those evils which we allow may befall real Christians. They may suffer, but we observe nothing can befall them of this kind without the knowledge and permission of their God. All events are under his direction, and all hearts are in his hand. Christians may suffer, but the injury is only temporary. They may suffer, but the injury is only partial. It cannot reach any of their higher interests. Therefore our Saviour said, “Fear not them that are able to kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do.”