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The miseries of life have been a fruitful theme to writers in all ages. Some have endeavoured to engage us in their contemplation for a wise and good end. Others have taken occasion from them to dispute the wisdom, justice, and goodness of God. Such notions, thus derogatory from the providence of God, tend, even in the best of men, if not timely eradicated, to weaken those impressions of reverence and gratitude which are necessary to add warmth to devotion and vigour to virtue. The teaching of Scripture is, that God is not to be charged with disregard of His creation. He created man for happiness, and this happiness was forfeited by a breach of the conditions to which it was annexed. Physical and moral evil entered the world together. To avoid misery we must avoid sin. Consider —

I. HOW FEW OF THE EVILS OF LIFE CAN JUSTLY BE ASCRIBED TO GOD. We must carefully distinguish that which is actually appointed by Him from that which is only permitted, or that which is the consequence of something done to ourselves, and could not be prevented but by the interruption of those general laws which we term the course of nature or the established order of the universe. If we examine all the afflictions of mind, body, and estate by this rule, we shall find God not otherwise accessory to them than as He works no miracles to prevent them, as He suffers men to be masters of themselves, and restrains them only by coercions applied to their reason.

1. In making an estimate of the miseries that arise from the disorders of the body, we must consider how many diseases proceed from our own laziness, intemperance, or negligence; how many the vices or follies of our ancestors have transmitted to us.

2. Nor are the disquietudes of the mind less frequently excited by ourselves.

(1)  Pride is the general source of our infelicity.

(2)  Immoderate desires.

(3)  Undue solicitude about future events which gives rise to harassing fears and anxieties.

3. Poverty is not always the effect of wickedness — it may often be the effect of virtue; but it is not certain that poverty is an evil.

II. HOW FAR A GENERAL PIETY MIGHT EXEMPT COMMUNITY FROM THOSE EVILS. A community, in which virtue should generally prevail, of which every member should fear God with his whole heart and love his neighbour as himself, where every man should labour to make himself "perfect even as his Father which is in heaven is perfect," would find these evils practically non-existant.

III. HOW MUCH IN THE PRESENT CORRUPT STATE OF THE WORLD PARTICULAR MEN MAY, BY THE PRACTICE OF THE DUTIES OF RELIGION, PROMOTE THEIR OWN HAPPINESS.

(John Taylor, LL. D.)

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KJV: Howbeit thou art just in all that is brought upon us; for thou hast done right, but we have done wickedly:

WEB: However you are just in all that is come on us; for you have dealt truly, but we have done wickedly;