The Christian silenced under God's discipline

WHY DOES GOD ALLOW SUFFERING AMONG HIS PEOPLE? HOW CAN WE FIND COMFORT AMIDST DIFFICULTIES?

The path to heaven has always been a thorny one, but “it is through many tribulations that we must enter the kingdom of God” (Acts 14:22). Certainly, not all afflictions are of the same nature, nor are they measured in the same proportion for every saint, but every heart knows its own bitterness, and all believers, more or less, are led to experience the chastening rod of their Heavenly Father. “The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the Lord” (Prov. 16:33).

However, whatever the nature, magnitude, and number of personal trials, the best remedy we can apply is to let “patience have its perfect work” (Jas. 1:4), to joyfully submit to the hand of God and say, “The cup that the Father has given me, shall I not drink it?” (John 18:11). When we submit in this way, affliction will cease to be affliction, because it has produced its intended purpose.

Then we will learn, like the apostle, to be content in whatever state we are in, and with the comforting persuasion that all things will work together for our good (cf. Phil. 4:11; Rom. 8:28). The efforts of the pious author of this popular little volume are eminently aimed at achieving this desirable goal. And it can truly be said that in many cases his labor has not been in vain in the Lord. Purity of style is not to be expected in a book written so many years ago, but to adopt the language of Dr. Doddridge: "Where the matter is so remarkably excellent, the wise and pious reader will not be excessively solicitous about the style." And for the few antiquated expressions that occur, the serious reader is asked to make due allowance, considering the time in which the author lived. This work, which has received so much public acceptance, has gone through almost 50 editions since its first publication, and its last printing has been completely sold out at some time and lately much sought after. And it is humbly hoped that a new edition [for us who speak Spanish, it would be the first translation and edition of the book into our language] may still be of service to the Church of Christ, especially at a time when we are threatened with national calamities, in addition to those of a private nature.

John Ball (c.1770-1811)

Pages: 390
Dimensions: 22.9 x 15.6 cm
ISBN: 9786125034557