2. But what may seem most strange is, that a person so eminent for piety, so laborious for God’s glory; so exemplarily religious, in the whole of his conversation; so useful to others: in a word, so entirely, and unreservedly devoted to Christ, should in the time of his greatest necessity, be so destitute of spiritual comfort. And it must be acknowledged, in great measure, to be a part of those _ways_, of which God giveth account to none. _His ♦judgments are unsearchable, and his ways past finding out. His way is in the sea, and his paths in the great waters; and his footsteps are not known._ And who shall say to God, “What dost thou?” “What I do thou knowest not _now_,” is indeed applicable to the general course of God’s providences; and to much of the experience of Christians in particular; and perhaps this is the best footing on which to rest the present case, namely the mysterious councils of God, with respect to his dealings with his servants: with him we are considering in particular. ♦ “judgment” replaced with “judgments” Who can account for that providence which left the life of so holy a person as _John_ the _Baptist_, in such infamous hands! Which permitted it to be sacrificed to the malice of an abandoned harlot, the petulancy of a vain girl, and the rashness of a foolish, perhaps drunken prince, who made a prophet’s head the reward of a dance? The same reasoning has weight, with respect to the treatment which he has permitted his most eminent servants in all ages to meet with. It is the fixed decree of heaven, concerning the righteous, that through much tribulation (outward or inward, or both) they must enter the kingdom of God. And the most part of ecclesiastical story, is in great measure no other than a comment on this great truth; which likewise receives abundant confirmation from numberless parts of holy scripture. There may be, for ought that can be known by us, a certain resemblance in some particulars, between his case of whom we speak, and that of _Job_ (see chapter ii. 3‒6.) But in both, and indeed in all resembling instances, the hand of the Lord is visibly seen; that he is pitiful, and of tender mercy, and afflicts his children only for their profit, that they might partake of his holiness. And we are well assured, that he will repay his servants in another world, for whatever they suffer in this: even ♦such as fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in their flesh. ♦ word “of” removed per Errata