help to multiply our faith tryed truth and tryed faith unto it sweetly agree and answer one another It were a course much tending to the quickning of the faith of Christians if they would communicate one to another their mutuall experiences this hath formerly beene the custome of Gods people Come and heare all ye that â—…re God and I will declare what he hath done for my soule And David urgeth this as a reason to God for deliverance that then the righteous would compasse him about as rejoycing in the experience of Gods goodnesse to him The want of this makes us upon any new tryall to call Gods care and love into question as if hee had never formerly beene good unto us whereas every experiment of Gods love should refresh our faith upon any fresh onset God is so good to his children even in this world that he traines them up by daily renewed experiences of his fatherly care for besides those many promises of good things to come he gives us some evidence and taste of what wee beleeve here that by that which wee feele wee might be strengthned in that wee looke for that so in both 1. sense of what we feele and 2. certainty of what we looke for we might have full support But yet we must trust God as he will be trusted namely in doing good oâ—… else we do not trust him but tempt him Our commanding of our soules to trust in God is but an Eccho of what God commands us first and therefore in the same maner he commands us we should command our selves As God commands us to trust him in doing good so should wee commit our soules to him in well doing and trust him when wee are about his owne workes and not in the workes of darknesse we may safely expect God in his wayes of mercy when we are in his wayes of obedience For Religion as it is a doctrine of what is to be beleeved so it is a doctrine according to godlinesse and the mysteries of faith are mysteries of godlinesse because they cannot be beleeved but they will inforce a godly conversation where my true impression of them is there is holinesse alwayes bred in that soule therefore a study of holinesse must goe joyntly together with a study of trusting in God faith lookes not onely to promises but to directions to duty and â—…eds in the soule a liking of whatsoever pleaseth God There is a mutuall strengthning in things that are good trusting stirres to duty and duty strengthens trusting by increasing our liberty and boldnesse with God Againe wee must maintaine in our soules a high esteeme of the grace of â—…aith the very try all whereof is more â—…ious then gold what then is the grace of faith it selfe and the promises which it layeth hold on certainely they transcend in worth whatever may draw us from God whence it is that the soule sets a high price upon them and on faith that beleeves them It is impossible that any thing in the world should come betwixt the heart and those things if once we truly lay hold on them to undermine faith or the comfort we have by it the heart is never drawne to any sinfull vanity 〈◊〉 frighted with any terrour of trouble till faith first loseth the sight and estimation of divine things and forgets the necessity and excellency of them Our Saviour Christ when hee would stirre up a desire of faith in his Disciples shewed them the power and excellency of the same great things stirre up faith and keepe it above and faith keepes the soule that nothing else can take place of abode in it when the great things of God are brought into the heart by faith what is there in the whole world thâ—… can out bid them Assurance of these things upon spirituall grounds over-rules both sense and reason or what ever else prevailes with carnall hearts CAP. XIX Faith to be prized and other things undervalued at least not to bee trusted to as the chiefe THat faith may take the better place in the soule and the soule in God the heart must continually be taught of what little worth all things else are as reputation riches and pleasures c. and to see their nothingnesse in the word of God and in experience of our selves and others that so our heart being â—…ed from these things may open it selfe to God and imbrace things of a higher nature otherwise baser things will be neerer the soule then faith and keepe possession against it so that faith will not be suffered to set up a throne in the heart There must bee an unloosing of the heart as well as a fastning of it and God helpes us in both for besides the word discovering the vanity of all things else out of God the maine scope of Gods dealing with his children in any danger or affliction whatsoever is to imbitter all other things but himselfe unto them Indeed it is the power of God properly which makes the heart to trust but yet the Spirit of God useth this way to bring all things else out of request with us in comparison of those inestimable good things which the soule is created redeemed and sanctified for God is very jealous of our trust and can endure no Idoll of jealousie to be set up in our hearts Therefore it behooves us to take notice not onely of the deceitfulnesse of things but of the deceitfulnesse of our hearts in the use of them Our hearts naturally hang loose from God and are soone ready to joyne with the creature Now the more we observe our hearts in this the more wee take them off and labour to set them where they should be placed for the more wee know these things the lesse we shall trust them But may wee not trust in riches and friends and other outward helps at all Yes so farre as they are subordinace to God our chiefe stay with reservation and submission to the Lord onely so far and so long as it shall please him to use them for our good Because God ordinarily conveyes his help and goodnesse to us by some creature we must trust in God to blesse every mercy wee in joy and to make all helps serviceable to his love towards us In a word we must trust use them in under God and so as if all were taken away yet to thinke God being al-sufficient can doe without them whatsoever hee doth by them for our good Faith preserves the chastitie of the soule cleaving to God is a spirituall debt which it oweth to him whereas cleaving to the creature is spirituall adultery It is an error in the foundation to substitute false objects either in Religion or in Christian Conversation for 1. in religion trusting in false objects as Saints workes c. breeds false worship and false worship breeds Idolatry and so Gods jealousie and hatred 2. In Christian Coâ—…versation false objects
disquiets and casts downe the soule very much is that inward conflict betwixt grâ—… and corruption this makes us most worke and puts us to most disquietment It is the trouble of troubles 〈◊〉 have two inhabitants so neare in one soule and these to strive one against another in every action and at 〈◊〉 times in every part and power in â—…e the one carying us upward higher â—…d higher still till we come to God the â—…er pulling us lower and lower furâ—…r from him This cannot but breed a â—…t disquiet when a Christian shall bee 〈◊〉 on to that which he would not and hinâ—…d from that which hee would doe or â—…led in the performance of it The â—…re light there is to discerne and life â—…f Orace to be sensible hereof and the â—…re love of Christ and desire from â—…ove to be like to him the more irkesome will this be no wonder then that 〈◊〉 Apostle cryed out O wretched man 〈◊〉 lam c. Here is a speciall use of Trust in the â—…e mercy of God in justification conâ—…ing all is stained that comes from 〈◊〉 it is one maine end of Gods leaving 〈◊〉 in this conflicting condition that 〈◊〉 may live and die by faith in the perâ—…st righteousnesse of Christ whereby 〈◊〉 God more then if wee had 〈◊〉 righteousnesse of our owne 〈◊〉 by likewise wee are driven to â—…e use of all the promises of Grace â—…d to trust in God for the perforâ—…ce of them in strengthening his owne party in us and not only to trusâ—… in God for particular graces but for hiâ—… Spirit which is the spring of all gracâ—… which we have through and frâ—… Christ who will helpe us in this fight untill hee hath made us like himselfe We are under the government of Grace sinne is deposed from the rule it had and shall never recover the right it had againe It is left in 〈◊〉 for matter of exeroise and ground of triumph Oh say some I shall never hold out as good give over at first as at last I 〈◊〉 such strong inclinations to sinne in me and such weaknesse to resist temptation that I feare I shall but shame the cause I 〈◊〉 one day perish by the hand of Satan streâ—… thening my corruption Why art thou thus troubled Trust in God Grace will be above Nature God above the devill the Spirit 〈◊〉 the flesh Be strong in the Lord the battell is his and the victory ouâ—… before hand If wee fought in our 〈◊〉 cause and strength and with our weapons it were something but as 〈◊〉 fight in the power of God so are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by that mighty power through faith 〈◊〉 salvation It lyes upon the faithfulâ—…e of Christ to put us into that posâ—…on of glory which he hath purchaâ—… for us therefore charge the soule â—…ake use of the promises and rely â—…n God for perfecting the good â—…ke that he hath begun in thee Corruptions be strong but stronger 〈◊〉 that is in us then that corruption 〈◊〉 is in us When wee are weake in â—…owne sense then are we strong in 〈◊〉 who perfecteth strength in our â—…nesse felâ—… and acknowledged Our â—…ptions are Gods enemies as well â—…rs and therefore in trusting to 〈◊〉 and fighting against them wee 〈◊〉 bee sure hee will take our part aâ—…st them But I have great impediments and maâ—… discouragements in my Christian course What is our impediments be Mounâ—…s faith is able to remove them Who â—…hou O Mountaine saith the Proâ—…t What a world of impediments â—…t there betwixt Egypt and the land 〈◊〉 Canaan betwixt the returne out of Babylon and Ierusalem yet faith removed all by looking to Gods power and truth in his promise The looking too much to the Anakims and Grants and too little to Gods omnipotency sâ—… the Israelites out of Canaan and pâ—… God to his oath that they should never enter into his rest and it will exclude oâ—… soules from happinesse at length if looking too much upon these Anakims within us and without us wee basely despaire and give over the field considering all our enemies are not onely conquered for us by our Head but shall be conquered in us so that in strength of assistance we fight against them God gave the Israelites enemies into their hands but yet they must fight it oâ—…r and what coward will not fight whâ—… he is sure of help and victory But I cary continually about mee a 〈◊〉 rupt heart if that were once changed I could have some comfort A new heart is Gods creature aâ—… hee hath promised to create it in us A creating power cannot only bring somthing out of nothing but contrary 〈◊〉 of contrary Where we are sure of Gods â—…h let us never question that power 〈◊〉 which all things are possible If our â—…rts were as ill as God is powerfull â—…d good there were some ground of â—…scouragement In what measure we â—…e up our hearts to God in that meaâ—… wee are sure to receive them betâ—… That Grace which inlargeth the â—…art to desire good is therefore given â—…hat God may encrease it being both a â—…rt and a pledge of further grace There is a promise of powring cleane â—…er upon us which faith must sue out Christ hath taken upoÌ„ him to purge his â—…se and make her fit for himselfe But I have many wants and defects to â—…supplyed It pleaseth him that in Christ all fulâ—…sse shall dwell from whose fulnesse â—…ce sufficient is dispensed to us anâ—…erable to the measure of our faith â—…hereby we fetch it from the fountain The more we trust the more we have When we looke therefore to our owne â—…nt we should look withall to Christs â—…nesse and his neernesse to us and take advantage from our misery to reâ—… upon his al sufficiencie whose fulnesse ours as himselfe is Our fulnesse wiâ—… our life is hid in Christ and distilleâ—… into us in such measure as his wisdoâ—… thinketh fit and as sheweth him to bâ—… a free agent and yet so as the blame fâ—… want of grace lyeth upon us seeing hâ—… is before hand with us in his offers oâ—… grace and our owne consciences will tell us that our failings are more from cherishing of some lust then from unwillingnesse in him to supply us with grace But God is of pure eyes and cannot endure such sinfull services as I performe Though God be of pure eyes yâ—… he looks upon us in him who is blame lesse and without spot who by vertue of his sweet smelling sacrifice appearâ—… for us in heaven and mingles his oâ—… with our services and in him will God be known to us by the name of a kindâ—… Father not onely in pardoning our defects but accepting our endeavouâ—… Wee offer our services to God not 〈◊〉 our owne name but in the name of oâ—… high Priest who takes them from us â—…ents them to his Father as stirred 〈◊〉 by his spirit and perfumed by
comfort to us by these things yet when they are gone he reserves the comfort in himself still and can convey that and more in a purer and sweeter way where hee plants the grace of faith to fetch it from him Why then should we weaken our interest in God for any thing this earth affords What unworthy wretches are those that to please a sinfull man or to feede a base lust or to yeeld to a wicked custome will as much as in them lyeth lose their interest in God Such little consider what an excellent priviledge it is to have a sure refuge to flye unto in time of trouble God wants not wayes to maintaine his without being beholding to the devill He hath all help hid in himselfe and will then most shew it when it shall make most for his owne glory If God be ours it is a shame to bee beholding to the devill that ever it should bee said Sathan by base courses hath made us rich God thinkes any outward thing too meane for his children severed from himselfe therefore he gives his Son the expresse â—…age of himselfe unto them For which cause David when he had even studied to reckon up the number of Gods choise blessings concludes with advancing of this above all yea rather happy â—…e they whose God is the Lord. If this will not satisfie the soule what can Labour therefore to bring thy soule to this point with God Lord if thou seest it â—…t take away all from me so thou leavest â—…e thy selfe whom have I in heaven but thee and there is none on earth that I deâ—…re in comparison of thee CHAP. XXXII Of improving our evidences for comfort in severall passages of our lives THat wee lose not any measure of comfort in this so sweet a priviledge wee must labour for skill to improve implead the same in the severall passages and occasions of our lives and let it appeare in the retaile that whatsoever is in God is mine If I am in a perplexed condition his wisdome is mine If in great danger his power is mine If I lie sighing under the burthen of sinne his grace is mine If in any want his all-sufficiency is mine My God saith S. Paul will supply all your wants If in any danger I am thine Lord save me I am thine the price of thy Sonnes blood let me not be lost thou hast given me the earnest of thy Spirit and set thy seale upon me for thy own let me neither lose my bargaine nor thou thine What is Religion it selfe but a spirituall bond whereby the soule is tyed to God as its owne and then singles out of God whatsoever is â—…eedfull for any occasion and so binds God with his owne covenant and proâ—…ise Lord thou hast made thy selfe to bee â—…ine therefore now shew thy selfe so and 〈◊〉 exalted in thy wisdome goodnesse and â—…er for my defence Towalke comfortaâ—…ly in my Christian course I need much â—…race supply me out of thy rich store I â—…d wisdome to goe in and out inoffensively â—…fore others furnish me with thy spirit I â—…ed patience and comfort thou that art 〈◊〉 God of all consolation bestow it on me In time of desertion put Christ beâ—…ixt God and thy soule and learne to â—…peale from God out of Christ to God in Christ. Lord looke upon my â—…aviour that is neere unto thee as thy â—…nne neere to me as my Brother and â—…ow intercedes at thy right hand for â—…e though I have sinned yet he hath â—…ffered and shed his precious blood to â—…ake my peace When we are in any â—…ouble let us still wait on him and lye 〈◊〉 his feet and never let him goe till â—…e cast a gracious looke upon us So if we be to deale with God for the Church abroad we may alleadge unto him that whatsoever provocations are therein and deformity in regard of abuses and scandals yet it is his Church his people his inheritance his name is called upon in it and the enemies of it are his enemies God hath engaged himselfe to the friends of the Church that they shall prosper that love it and therefore we may with a holy boldnesse presse him for a blessing upon the same So for our children and posterity we may encline God to respect them because they are under his covenant who hath promised to be our God and the God of our seed Thine they were thou gavest them me all that I have is thine these are those children which thou of thy rich grace hast given me They are thine more then mine I am but a meanes under thee to bring them into the world and to bee a Nurse unto thy children Take care therefore of thine owne children I beseech thee especially when I can take no care of them my selfe thou slumberest not thou dyest not I must Flesh and blood think nothing is cared for but what it seeth cared for by itselfe It hath no eyes to see a guard of Providence a guard of Angells It takes no knowledge that that is best cared for that God cares for Those that have God for their God have enlarged hearts as they have enlarged comforts They have an everlasting spring that supplies them in all wants refreshes them in all troubles and then runnes most clearely and freshly when all other streames in the world are dryed and stopt up Were we skilfull in the â—…t of faith to improve so great an interest what in the world could much dismay us faith will set God against all It should fill our hearts with an holy indignation against our selves if either we rest in a condition wherein we cannot truly say God is Our God or if when we can in some sincerity of heart say this that we make no better advantage thereby and maintaine not our selves answerable to such a condition What a shame is it for a Noble mans sonne to live like a beggar for a great rich man to live like a poore peasant to famish at a banquet to fall when we have so many stayes to lay hold on Whereas if we could make this cleare to our soules that God is ours and then take up our thoughts with the great riches wee have in him laid open in Christ and in the promises wee need trouble our selves about nothing but onely get a large vessell of faith to receive what is offered nay enforced upon us When we can say God is our God it is more then if we could say heaven is mine or whatever good the creature affords is mine Alas what is all this to be able to say God is mine who hath in him the sweetnes of all these things and infinite more If God bee ours goodnesse it selfe is ours If hee be not ours though we had all things else yet ere long nothing would be ours What a wondrous comfort is this that God hath put himselfe over to be ours That a beleeving soul may say with as great confidence and greater too
put up all our desires for all things we stand in need of in this right wee have to God in Christ who hath brought God and us together hee can deny us nothing that hath not denied us himselfe If he be moved from hence to doe us good that wee are his Let us be moved to fetch all good from him on the same right that he is ours The perswasion of this will free us from all pusillanimity lowlinesse and narrownesse of spirit when wee shall think that nothing can hurt us but it must break through God first If God give quietnesse who shall make trouble If God be with us who can be against us This is that which puts comfort into all other comforts that maketh any burthen light This is alwayes ready for all purposes Our God is a present and a seasonable help All evills are at his command to be gone and all comforts at his command to come It is but goe comfort goe peace to such a mans heart cheere him raise him Go salvation rescue such and such a soul in distresse So said and so done presently Nay with reverence be it spoken so farre doth God passe over himselfe unto us that he is content himselfe to be commanded by us Concerning the worke of my hands command you me lay the care and charge of that upon mee He is content to be out-wrastled and over-powred by a spirit of saith as in Iacob and the woman of Canaan to be as it were at our service Hee would not have us want any thing wherein hee is able to help us And what is there wherein God cannot help us If Christians knew the power they have in heaven and earth what were able to stand against them What wonder is it if faith overcome the world if it overcomes him that made the world that faith should bee Almighty that hath the Almighty himselfe ready to use all his power for the good of them to whom he hath given the power of himselfe unto Having therefore such a living fountaine to draw from such a center to rest in having all in one and that one Ours why should we knocke at any other doore we may goe boldly to God now as made ours being bone of our bone and flesh of our flesh Wee may goe more comfortably to God then to any Angell or Saint God in the second person hath vouchsafed to take our nature upon him but not that of Angells Our God and our Man our God-Man is ascended into the high Court of heaven to his and our God cloathed with our nature Is there any more able and willing to plead our cause or to whom wee may trust businesses with then he who is in heaven for all things for us appertaining to God It should therefore be the chiefe care of a Christian upon knowledge of what he stands in need of to know where to supply all It should raise up a holy shame and indignation in us that there should be so much in God who is so neere unto us in Christ and wee make so little use of him What good can any thing doe us if we use it not God is ours to use and yet men will rather use shifts and unhallowed pollicies then be beholding to God who thinkes himselfe never more honoured by us then when we make use of him If we beleeve any thing will doe us good we naturally make out for the obtaining of it If we beleeve any thing will hurt us we study to decline it And certaine it is if wee beleeved that so much good were in God we would then apply our selves to him and him to our selves whatsoever vertue is in any thing it is conveyed by application and touching of it that whereby we touch God is our faith which never toucheth him but it drawes vertue from him upon the first touch of faith spirituall life is begun It s a bastard in nature to beleeve any thing can worke upon another without spirituall or bodily touch And it is a Monster in Religion to beleeve that any saving good will issue from God if we turne from him and shut him out and our hearts be unwilling Where unbeleefe is it bindes up his power Where faith is there it is between the soule and God as betwixt the iron and the Loadstone a present closing and drawing of one to the other This is the beginning of eternall life so to know God the Father and his Sonne Christ as thereby to embrace him with the armes of faith and love as Ours by the best title he can make us who is truth it selfe Since then our happinesse lies out of our selves in God we should goe out of our selves for it and first get into Christ and so unto God in him and then labour by the spirit of the Father and the Sonne to maintaine acquaintance with both that so God may be Ours not onely in covenant but in Com◅anion hearkning what he will say to us and opening our spirits disclosing our wants consulting and advising in all our distresses with him By keeping this acquaintance with God peace and all good is conveyed to us Thereafter as we maintain this communion further with him wee out of love study to please him by exact walking according to his commands then we shall feele encrease of peace as our care encreaseth then he will come and s◅p with us and be free in his refreshing of us Then he will shew himselfe more and more to us and manifest still a further degree of presence in joy and strength untill communion in grace ends in communion in glory But wee must remember as David doth here to desire and delight in God himselfe more then in any thing that is Gods It was a signe of S. Pauls pure love to the Corinthians when he said I seeke not yours but you We should seeke for no blessing of God so much as for himselfe What is there in the world of equall goodnes to draw us away frō our God If to preserve the dearest thing we have in the world we breake with God God will take away the comfort we look to have by it and it will prove but a dead contentment if not a torment to us Whereas if we care to preserve communion with God we shall bee sure to finde in him whatsoever we deny for him honor riches pleasures friends all so much the sweeter by how much wee have them more immediately from the spring head We shall never finde God to be our God more then when for making of him to be so we suffer any thing for his sake Wee enjoy never more of him then then At the first we may seeke to him as rich to supply our wants as a Physitian to cure our soules and bodies but here wee must not rest till wee come to rejoyce in him as our friend and from thence rise to an admiration of him for his owne excellencies that being so high
are good but confidence in them is hurtfull and there is more of our owne in them for the most part to humble us then of Gods spirit to embolden us so farre as to trust in them Alas they have nothing from us but weaknesse and defilement and therefore since the fall GOD would have the object of our trust to be out of our selves in him and to that purpose he useth all meanes to take us out of our selves and from the creature that he only might be our trust Yea wee must not trust trust it selfe but God whom it relyes on who is therefore called our trust All the glorious things that are spoken of trust are onely made good by God in Christ who as trusted doth all for us God hath prescribed trust as the way to carry our soules to himselfe in whom we should only rely and not in our imperfect trust which hath its ebbing and flowing Neither will trust in God himselfe for the present suffice us for future strength and grace as if trusting in God to day would suffice to strengthen us for tomorrow but wee must renew our trust for fresh supply upon every fresh occasion So that wee see God alone must be the object of our trust There is still left in mans nature a desire of pleasure profit and of what ever the creature presents as good but the desire of gracious good is altogether lost the soule being wholy infected with a contrary taste Man hath a nature capable of excellency and desirous of it and the Spirit of God in and by the word reveales where true excellency is to bee had but corrupt nature leaving God seeketh it elsewhere and so crosseth its owne desires till the Spirit of God discovers where these things are to be had and so nature is brought to its right frame againe by turning the streame into the right current Grace and sinfull nature have the same generall object of comfort onely sinfull nature seekes it in broken Cisterns and grace in the fountain the beginning of our true happinesse is from the discovery of true and false objects so as the soule may cleerely see what is best and safest and then stedfastly rely upon it It were an happy way to make the soule better acquainted with trusting in God to labour to subdue at the first all unruly inclinations of the soule to earthly things and to take adâ—…antage of the first tendernesse of the soule to weede out that which is ill and to plant knowledge and love of the best things in it otherwise where affections to any thing below get much strength in the soule it will by little and little be so overgrowne that there will be no place left in it either for obiect or act God or trust God cannot come to take his place in the heart by trust but where the powers of the soule are brought under to regard him and those great things hee brings with him above all things else in the world beside In these glorious times wherein so great a light shineth whereby so great things are discovered what a shame is it to be so narrow hearted as to fixe upon present things Our aymes and affections should be sutable to the things themselves set before us Our hearts should be more and more inlarged as things are more and more revealed to â—…s Wee see in the things of this life as wisedome and experience increaseth so our aimes and desires increase likewise A young beginner thinkes it a great matter if hee have a little to begin withall but as he growes in trading and seeth further wayes of getting his thoughts and desires are raised higher Children thinke as Children but riper age puts away childishnesse when their understandings are inlarged to see what they did not see before we should never rest till our hearts according to the measure of revelation of those excellent things which God hath for us have answerable apprehension of the same Oh if we had but faith to answer those glorious truths which God hath revealed what manner of lives should we leade CHAP. XX. Of the method of trusting in God and the tryall of that trust LAstly to add no more our trusting in God should follow Gods order in promising The first promise is of forgivenesse of sinne to repentant beleevers next 2. of healing and sanctifying grace then 3. the inheritance of the Kingdome of Heaven to them that are sanctifyed 4. and then the promises of all things needfull in our way to the Kingdome c. Now answerably the soule being inlightned to see its danger should looke first to Gods mercy in Christ pardoning sinne because sinne onely divides betwixt God and the soule next to the promises of grace for the leading of a Christian life for true faith desires hea ling mercy as well as pardoning mercy and then to Heaven and all things that may bring us thither By all this wee see that it is not so easie a matter as the world takes it to bring God and the soule together by trusting on him It must be effected by the mighty power of God raising up the soule to himselfe to lay hold upon the glorious power goodnesse and other excellencies that are in him God is not onely the object but the working cause of our trust for such is our pronenesse to live by sense and naturall reason and such is the strangenesse and height of divine things such our inclination to a selfe sufficiency and contentment in the creature and so hard a matter is it to take off the soule from false bottomes by reason of our unacquaintance with God and his wayes besides such guilt still remaines upon our soules for our rebellion and unkindnesse towards God that it makes us afraid to entertaine serious thoughts of him and so great is the distance betwixt his infinite Majesty before whom the very Angels doe cover their faces and us by reason of the unspiritualnesse of our nature being opposite to his most absolute purity that we cannot be brought to any familiarity with the Lord so as to come into his holy presence with confidence to rely upon him or any comfort to have communion with him till our hearts be sanctified and lifted up by divine vigour infused into them Though there be some inclination by reason of the remainder of the image of God in us to an outward morall obedience of the Law yet alas we have not onely no seeds of Evangelicall truths and of faith to beleeve them but an utter contrariety in our natures as corrupted either to this or any other good When our conscience is once awaked we meditate nothing but feares and terrors and dare not so much as think of an angry God but rather how wee may escape and fly from him Therefore together with a deepe consideration of the grounds wee have of trusting God it is necessary wee should thinke of the indisposition of our hearts unto it especially
it lookes upon all things it hath or desires to have as comming from God and his free grace and power it desireth not onely wisdome but to be wise in his wisdome to see in his light to be strong in his strength the thing it selfe contents not this grace of trust but Gods blessing and love in the thing it cares not for any thing further then it can have it with Gods favour and good liking Hence it is that trust is an obsequions and an observing grace stirring up the soule to a desire of pleasing God in all things and to a feare of displeasing him Hee that pretends to trust the Lord in a course of offending may trust to this that God will meet him in another way then he lookes for Hee that is a tenant at curtesie will not offend his Lord hence it is that the Apostle inforceth that exhortation to work out our salvation with feare and trembling because it is God that worketh the will and the deed and according to his good pleasure not ours Therefore faith is an effectuall working grace it workes in Heaven with God it workes within us commanding all the powers of the soule it workes without us conquering whatsoever is in the world on the right hand to draw us from God or â—…n the left hand to discourage us it works against Hell and the powers of darknesse and all by vertue of trusting as it draweth strength from God It stirres up all other graces and keepes them in exercise and thereupon the acts of other graces are attributed to faith as Heb. 11. It breeds a holy jealousie over our selves lest we give God just cause 〈◊〉 stop the influence of his grace toâ—…ds us so to let us see that wee stand â—…ot by our owne strength Those that take liberty in things they either know 〈◊〉 doubt will displease God shew they want the feare of God and this want of feare shewes their want of dependancy and therefore want of trust dependancy is alwayes very respective it studieth contentment and care to comply this was it made Enoch walke with God â—…d studie how to please him when wee know nothing can doe us good or hurt but God it drawes our chiefe care to approve our selves to him Obedience of faith and obedience of life will goe together and therefore he that commits his soule to God to save will commit his soule to God to sanctifie and guide in a way of well pleasing Not onely the tame but the most savage creatures will bee at the beck of those that seede them though they are ready to fall violently upon others disobedience therefore is against the principles of nature This dependancy is either in the use of meanes or else when meanes failes us true dependancy is exactly carefull of all meanes When God hath set down a course of meanes wee must not expect that God should alter his ordinary course of providence for us deserved disappointment is the fruit of this presumptuous confidence the more wee depend on a wise Physitian the more we will observe his directions and bee carefull to use what hee prescribes yet we must use the meanes 〈◊〉 meanes and not set them in Gods room for that is the way to blast our hopes The way to have any thing taken away and not blest is to set our heart too much upon it Too much griefe in parting with any thing shewes too much trust in the enjoying of it And therefore he that uses the meanes in faith will alwayes joyne prayer unto God from whom as every good thing comes so likewise doth the blessing and successe therof where much indeavour is and little seeking to God it shewes there is little trust the Widdow that trusted in God continued likewise in prayers day and right The best discovery of our not relying too much on meanes is when all meanes faile if we can still relye upon God as being still where he was and hath wayes of his owne for helping of us either immediately from himselfe or by setting a worke other meanes and those perhaps very unlikely such as we thinke not of God hath wayes of his â—…ne Abraham never honoured God more then when he trusted in God for â—…son against the course of nature and when he had a son was ready to sacrifice him upon confidence that God would raise him from the dead againe This was the ground upon which Daniell with such great authority reprooved Baltbazar that he had not a care to glorifie God in whose hand his breath was and all his wayes The greatest honour we can doe unto God is when wee see nothing but rather all contrary to that we looke for then to shut our eyes to inferiour things below and looke altogether upon his Al sufficiency God can convey himselfe more comfortably to us when he pleaseth without meanes then by meanes True trust as it sets God highest in the soule so in danger and wants it hath present recourse to him as the Conyes to the Rockes And because Gods times and seasons are the best it is an evidence of true trust when we can waite Gods leisure and not make hast and so runne before God for else the more hast the worse speed God seldome makes any promise to his Children but he exerciseth their trust in waiting long before as David for a Kingdome Abraham for a sonne the whole world for Christs comming c. One maine evidence of true trust in God is here in the text wee see here it hath a quieting and stilling vertue for it stayes the soule upon the fulnesse of Gods love joyned with his ability to supply our wants and releeve our necessities though faith doth not at the first especially so stay the soule as to take away all suspitious feares of the contrary There be so many things in trouble that presse upon the soule as hinder the joyning of God and it together yet the prevailing of our unbeliefe is taken away the raigne of it is broken If the touch of Christ in his abasement on earth drew vertue from him certain it is that faith caÌ„not touch Christ in heaven but it will draw a quieting and sanctifying vertue from him which will in some measure stop the issues of an unquiet spirit the Needle in the Compasse will stand North though with some trembling A Ship that lyes at Anchor may bee something tossed but yet it stil remains so fastned that it cannot bee caried away by winde or weather the soule after it hath cast anchor upon God may as we see here in David be disquieted a while but this unsetling tends to a deeper setling the more we beleeve the more we are established faith is an establishing grace by faith we stand and stand fast and are able to withstand whatsoever opposeth us For what can stand against God upon whose truth and power faith relyes The devill feares not us but him whom
workes If I be a Father where is mine boâ—…r Speciall relations are speciall enforcements to duty 4. The spirit of God which knowes the deep things of God and the depths of our hearts doth reveale this mutuall interest betwixt God and those that are his it being a principall worke of the spirit to seale this unto the soule by discovering such a cleare and particular light in the use of meanes as swaieth the soule to yeeld up it selfe wholy to God When we truly trust wee may say with S. Paul I know whom I have trusted he knew both that he trusted and whom he trusted The spirit of God that reveales God to be ours and stirres up faith in him both reveales this trust to our soules and the interest we have in God thereby The Lord is my portion saith my soul but God said so to it first If instinct of nature teaches dammes to know their young ones and their yong ones them in the middest of those that are alike shall not the spirit of God much more teach the soule to know its owne father As none knowes what is in man but the spirit of man so none knowes what love God beares to those that are his but the spirit of God in his All the light in the world cannot discover the Sunne unto us onely it discovers it selfe by its own â—…eames So all the Angels and Saints 〈◊〉 heaven cannot discover to our soules â—…he love that is in the breast of God towards us but onely the spirit of God which sheds it into our hearts The spirit onely teaches this language to say my God It is infused onely into sanctified hearts and therefore oft-times meane men enjoy it when great wise and learned persons are strangers to it 5. The spirit when it witnesseth this to us is called the spirit of adoption and hath alwayes accompanying of it a spirit of supplication whereby with a familiar yet reverent boldnesse wee lay open our hearts to God as to a deere Father All others are strangers to this heavenly intercourse In straits they run to their friends and carnall shifts whereas an heire of heaven runs to his Father and tells him of all 6. Those that are Gods are known to be his by speciall love-tokens that â—…e bestowes upon them As 1. the speciall graces of his spirit Princes children are knowne by their costly jewels and rich ornaments It is not common gifts and glorious parts that set a character upon us to be Gods but grace to use those gifts in humility and love to the glory of the giver 2. There is in them a sutablenesse and connaturalnesse of heart to all that is spirituall to whatsoever hath Gods stampe upon it as his truth and his children and that because they are his By this likenesse of disposition wee are fashioned to a communion with him Can two walke together and not be agreed It is a certaine evidence that we are Gods in Christ if the spirit of God hath wrought in us any impression like unto Christ who is the image of his Father both Christs looking upon us and our looking upon Christ by faith as ours hath a transforming and conforming power 3. Spirituall comforts in distresse such as the world can neither give nor take away shew that God lookes upon the soules of his with another eye then he beholdeth others He sends a secret messenger that reports his peculiar love to their hearts He knowes their soules and feeds them with his hidden Manna the inward peace they feele is not in freedome from trouble but in freenesse with God in the midst of trouble 4. Seasonable and sanctified corrections wherby we are kept from being led away by the errour of the wicked shew Gods fatherly care over us as his Who will trouble himselfe in correcting another mans childe yet we oftner complaine of the smart wee feele then thinke of the tender heart and hand that smites us untill our spirits be subdued and then we reape the quiet fruit of righteousnesse Where crosses worke together for the best we may know that we love God and are loved of him Thriving in a sinfull course is a black marke of one that is not Gods 7. Then wee make it appeare that God is our God when wee side with him and are for him and his cause in ill times When God seems to cry out unto us who is on my side who Then if wee can say as those in Esay whereof one sayes I am the Lords and another calls himselfe by the name of Jacob and another subscribes with his hand unto the Lord it s a blessed signe Thus the Patriarchs and Prophets Apostles and Martyrs were not ashamed of God and God was not ashamed to own theÌ„ Provided that this boldnesse for God proceed not onely from a conviction of the judgement but from spirituall experience of the goodnesse of the cause whereby we can justifie in heart what we justifie in words Otherwise men may contend for that with others which they have no interest in themselves The life must witnesse for God as well as the tongue it is oft easier for corrupt nature to part with life then with lust This siding with God is with a separation from whatsoever is contrary God useth this as an argument to come out of Babylon because we are his people Come out of her My people Religion is nothing else but a gathering and a binding of the soule close to God that fire which gathers together the gold separates the drosse Nature drawes out that which is wholesome in meates â—…nd severs the contrary The good â—…hat is to be had by God is by cleaâ—…ing to him and him onely God loves 〈◊〉 ingenuous and full protestation if â—…alled to it It shewes the coldnesse of â—…he times wheÌ„ there is not heat enough â—…f zeale to separate from a contrary â—…ith God is a jealous God and so wee â—…all finde him at last When the day of severing comes then they that have â—…ood for him shall not onely be his but his treasure and his jewels There is none of us all but may some time or other fall into such a great extremity that when wee looke â—…bout us we shall finde none to help â—…s at which time we shall throughly â—…now what it is to have comfort from heaven and a God to goe unto If there be any thing in the world worth labouring for it is the getting sound evidence to our soules that God is ours What madnesse is it to spend all our labour to possesse our selves of the Cisterne when the fountaine is offered to â—…s O beloved the whole world cannot weigh against this one comfort that God is ours All things laid in the other ballance would be too light A Moath may corrupt a theefe may take away that we have here but who can take our God away Though God doth convey some
a grace wherâ—…y the soule resigneth up it self to God â—…n humble submission to his will because he is our God as David in extremity comforted himselfe in the Lord his God Patience breeds comfort because it brings experience with it of Gods owâ—…ing of us to be His. The soul shod and â—…enced with this is prepared against all â—…bs and thornes in our way so as wee â—…e kept from taking offence All troubles we suffer doe but help patience to its perfect worke by subduing the unbroken sturdinesse of our spirits when wee feele by experience wee get but more blowes by standing out against God 4. The Spirit of God likewise is a spirit of meeknesse whereby though the â—…ul be sensible of evill yet it modeâ—…tes such distempers as would otherwise rob a man of himselfe and together with patience keepeth the soul in possession of it selfe It stayes murmurings and frettings against God or man It sets and keepes the soul in tune It is that which God as hee workes so hee much delights in and sets a price upon it as the chiefe ornament of the soul. The meek of the earth seek God and are hid in the day of his wrath whereas high spirits that compasse themselves with pride as with a chain thinking to set out themselves by that which is their shame are looked upon by God a farre off Meek persons will bow when others break they are raised when others are pluckt down and stand when others that mount upon the wings of vanity fall these prevaile by yeelding and are Lords of themselves and other things else more then other unquiet spirited men the blessings of heaven and earth attend on these 5. So likewise contentednesse with our estate is needfull for a waiting condition and this we have in Our God being able to give the soul full satisfaction For outward things God knowes â—…ow to dyet us If our condition be not 〈◊〉 our minde he will bring our minde 〈◊〉 our condition If the spirit bee too â—…gge for the condition it is never quiâ—… therefore God will levell both Those wants be well supplyed that are made up with contentednesse and with â—…hes of a higher kinde If the Lordâ—…e â—…e our Shepheard we can want nothing This lifteth the weary hands and feeble â—…ees even under chastisement wherein though the soule mourneth in the sence of Gods displeasure yet it rejoyceth in his Fatherly care 6. But patience and contentment are â—…o low a condition for the soul to rest 〈◊〉 therefore the spirit of God raiseth it vp to a spirituall enlargement of joy So much joy so much light and so much hight so much scattering of darknesse of â—…pirit We see in nature how a little light will prevaile over the thickest clouds of darknesse a little fire wastes a great â—…eale of drosse The knowledge of God to be our God brings such a light of joy into the soul as driveth outâ—… dark uncomfortable conceits this light makes lightsome If the light of knowledge alone makes bold much more the light of joy arising from our communion and interest in God How can wee enjoy God and not joy in him A soule truely cheerefull rejoyceth that God whom it loveth should think it worthy to endure any thing for him This joy often ariseth to a spirit of glory even in matter of outward abasement if the trouble accompanyed with disgrace continue the spirit of glory rests upon us and it will rest so long untill it make us more then Conquerours even then when we seeme conquered for not onely the cause but the spirit riseth higher the more the enemies labour to keepe it under as we see in Stephen With this joy goeth a spirit of courage and confidence What can daunt that soule which in the greatest troubles hath made the great God to be its owne Such a spirit dares bid defiance to all opposite power setting the soule above the world having a spirit larger and higher then the world and seeing all but God beneath it as being in heaven already in its head After Moses and Micah had seene God in his favour to them how little did they regard the angry countenances of those mighty Princes that were in their times the terrours of the world The courage of a Christian is not onely against sensible danger and of flesh and bloud but against principalities and powers of darknesse against the whole kingdome of Sathan the god of the world whom hee knowes shortly shall be trodden under his feet Sathan and his may for a time exercise us but they cannot hurt us True beleevers are so many Kings and Queens so many Conquerours over that which others are slaves to they can overcome themselves in revenge they can despise those things that the world admires and see an excellency in that which the world sets light by they can set upon spirituall duties which the world cannot tell how to goe about and endure that which others tremble to think of and that upon wise reasons and a sound foundation they can put off themselves and be content to be nothing so their God may appeare the greater and dare undertake and undergoe any thing for the glory of their God This courage of Christians among the Heathens was counted obstinacy but they knew not the power of the spirit of Christ in his which is ever strongest when they are weakest in themselves they knew not the privy armour of proofe that Christians had about their hearts and thereupon counted their courage to be obstinacy Some think the Martyrs were too prodigall of their bloud and that they might have beene better advised but such are unacquainted with the force of the love of God kindled in the heart of his childe which makes him set such a high price upon Christ and his truth that he counts not his life dear unto him He knowes hee is not his owne but hath given up himselfe to Christ and therefore all that is his yea if hee had more lives to give for Christ hee should have them He knowes he shall be no looser by it Hee knowes it is not a losse of his life but an exchange for a better We see the creatures that are under us will be couragious in the eye of their Masters that are of a superiour nature above them and shall not a Christian be couragious in the presence of his great Lord and Master who is present with him about him and in him undoubtedly hee that hath seene God once in the face of Christ dares look the grimmest creature in the face yea death it selfe under any shape The feare of all things flyes before such a soule Onely a Christian is not ashamed of his confidence Why should not a Christian be as bold for his God as others are for the base gods they make to themselves 7. Besides a spirit of courage for establishing the soule is required a spirit of constancie
in himselfe out of his goodnesse would stoop low to us And we should delight in the meditation of him not onely as good to us but as good in himselfe because goodnesse of bounty springs from goodnesse of disposition he doth good because he is good A naturall man delights more in Gods gifts then in his grace If he desires grace it is to grace himselfe not as grace making him like unto God and issuing from the first grace the free favour of God by which meanes men come to have the gifts of God without God himselfe But alas what are all other goods without the chiefe good they are but as flowers which are long in planting in cherishing and growing but short in enjoying the sweetnesse of them David here joyes in God himselfe he cares for nothing in the world but what he may have with his favour and what ever else he desires hee desires onely that he may have the better ground from thence to praise his God §. 4. The summe of all is this The state of Gods deare children in this world is to bee cast into variety of conditions wherein they consisting of nature flesh and spirit every principle hath its owne and proper working They are sensible as flesh and blood they are sensible to discouragement as sinfull flesh and blood but they recover themselves as having a higher principle Gods spirit above flesh and blood in them In this conflicting state every principle labouring to maintaine it selfe at length by helpe of the spirit backing and strengthening his owne worke grace gets the better keeping nature within bounds and suppressing corruption And this the soule so farre as it is spirituall doth by gathering it selfe to it selfe and by reasoning the case so farre till it concludes and joynes upon this issue that the onely way to attaine sound peace is when all other meanes faile to trust in God And thereupon he layes a charge upon his soule so to doe is being a course grounded upon the highest reason even the unchangeable goodnesse of God who out of the riches of his mercy having chosen a people in this world which should be to the glory of his mercy will give them matter of setting forth his praise in shewing some token of good upon them as being those on whom he hath fixed his love and to whom hee will appeare not onely a Saviour but salvation it selfe Nothing but salvation as the Sunne is nothing but light so whatsoever proceeds from him to them tends to further salvation All his wayes towards them leade to that which wayes of his though for a time they are secret and not easily found out yet at length God will be wonderfull in them to the admiration of his enemies themselves who shall be forced to say God hath done great things for them and all from this ground that God is our God in covenant Which words are a stearne that rule and guide the whole text For why should we not be disquieted when we are disquieted Why should we not be cast downe when we are cast downe Why should we trust in God as a Saviour but that he is our God making himselfe so to us in his choisest favours doing that for us which none else can doe and which he doth to none else that are not his in a gracious maner This blessed interest and intercourse betwixt Gods spirit and our spirits is the hindge upon which all turns without this no comfort is comfortable with this no trouble can be very trouble some Without this assurance there is little comfort in Soliloquies unlesse when we speake to our selves wee can speake to God as ours For in desperate cases our soule can say nothing to it selfe to still it selfe unlesse it be suggested by God Discouragements will appeare greater to the soule then any comfort unlesse God comes in as ours See therefore Davids art hee demands of himselfe why hee was so cast downe The cause was apparant because there was troubles without and terrours within and none to comfort Well grant this saith the spirit of God in him as the worst must be granted yet saith the Spirit Trust in God So I have Why then waite in trusting Light is sowen for the righteous it comes not upon the suddaine we must not think to sowe and reape both at once If trouble be lengthened lengthen thy patience What good will come of this God will waite to doe thee that good for which thou shalt praise him he will deale so graciously with thee as he will deserve thy praise he will shew thee his salvation And new favours will stirre thee up to sing new songs every new recovery of our selves or friends is as it were a new life and ministers new matter of praise And upon offering this sacrifice of praise the heart is further enlarged to pray for fresh blessings Wee are never fitter to pray then after praise But in the meane time I hang down my head whilest mine enemies carie themselves highly and my friends stand aloofe God in his owne time which is best for thee will be the salvation of thy countenance he will compasse thee about with songs of deliverance and make it appeare at last that he hath care of thee But why then doth God appeare as a stranger to me That thou shouldst follow after him with the stronger faith and prayer hee withdrawes himself that thou shouldst bee the more earnest in seeking after him God speakes the sweetest comfort to the heart in the wildernesse Happily thou art not yet low enough nor purged enough Thy affections are not throughly crucified to the world and therefore it will not yet appeare that it is Gods good will to deliver thee Wert thou a fit subject of mercy God would bestow it on thee But what ground hast thou to build thy selfe so strongly upon God He hath offered and made himselfe to be My God and so hath shewed himselfe in former times And I have made him My God by yeelding him his Soveraignty in my heart Besides the present evidence of his blessed spirit clearing the same and many peculiar tokens of his love which I daily doe enjoy though sometimes the beams of his favour are eclipsed Those that are Gods besides their interest and right in him have oft a sense of the same even in this life as a fore-taste of that which is to come To the seale of grace stamped upon their hearts God super-adds a fresh seale of joy and comfort by the presence and witnesse of his Spirit And shewes likewise some outward token for good upon them whereby he makes it appeare that hee hath set a part him that is godly for himselfe as his owne Thus we see that discussing of objections in the consistory of the soule settles the soule at last Faith at length silencing all risings to the contrary All motion tends to rest and ends in it God is the center and resting place of the soule and here
that God is his then he can say his house is his â—…is treasure is his his friends are his Nothing is so much ours as God is ours because by his being ours in covenant all other things become ours And if God be once ours well may we trust in him God and ours joyned together make up the full comfort of a Christian God there is all to be had but what is that to me unlesse he be my God Al-sufficiency with propriety fully stayâ—…h the soule David was now banished from the Sanctuary from his friends habitation and former comforts but was he banished from his God No God was his God still When riches and friends and life it selfe cease to be ours yet God never loseth his right in us nor wee our interest in him This comfort that God is ours reacheth unto the resurrection of our bodies and to life everlasting God is the God of Abraham and so of every true beleever even when his body is turned into dust Hence it is that the loving kindnesse of the Lord is better then life because when life departs yet wee live for ever in him When Moses saw the people drop away so fast in the wildernesse and wither like grasse thou art our foundation saith he from one generation to another thou art God from everlasting to everlasting When wee leave the world and are no more seene here yet we have a dwelling place in God for ever God is ours from everlasting in election and to everlasting in glory protecting us here and glorifying us hereafter David that claimed God to be his God is gone but Davids God is alive And David himselfe though his flesh see corruption yet is alive in his God still That which is said of wily persons that are full of fetches and windings and turnings in the world that such will never breake may much more truly bee said of a right godly man that hath but one grand policie to secure him in all dangers which is to runne to his God as to his tower of offence and defence such a one will never bee at a desperate losse so long as God hath any credit because hee never faileth those that flye unto him and that because â—…s mercy and truth never fayles The â—…ry lame and the blinde the most shiftâ—…e creatures when they had gotten â—…e strong hold of Syon thought then â—…ey might securely scorne David and 〈◊〉 hoast because though they were â—…eak in themselves yet their hold was â—…rong but wee see their hold failed â—…em at length which a Christians will â—…ever doe But God seemes to have small care of â—…se that are his in the world those who â—…leeve themselves to be his jewels are â—…nted the off-scouring of the world â—…nd most despised We must know that such have a gloâ—…ious life in God but it is hidden with Christ in God from the eyes of the â—…orld and sometimes from their owne â—…ere they are hidden under infirmiâ—…ies afflictions and disgraces but yet â—…ever so hidden but that God someâ—…imes lets downe a beame of comfort â—…nd strength which they would not â—…ose to be freed from their present conâ—…ition though never so grievous God comes more immediatly to them now then formerly he was used nay even when God seems to forsake them and to be their enemy yet they are supported with such inward strength that they are able to make good their claim with Christ their head and cry my God still God never so departs but hee alwayes leaves somewhat behind him which drawes and keeps the heart to him Wee are like poore Hagar who when the bottle of water was spent fell a crying when there was a fountain close by but her teares hindered her from seeing it When things goe ill with us in our trades and callings and all is spent then our spirits droope and wee are at our wits end as if God were not where he was Oh consider if wee had all and had not God wee had nothing If we have nothing and have God we have enough for wee have him that hath all and more then all at his command If wee had all other comforts that our hearts can desire yet if God withdraw himselfe what remaines but a curse and emptinesse What makes heaven but the presence of God And â—…hat makes hel but the absence of God â—…t God be in any condition though â—…ver so ill yet it is comfortable and â—…lly wee finde more of God in trouâ—…e then when we are out of trouble â—…e comforts of Religion never come â—…l other faile Cordials are kept for â—…tings When a curtaine and a vaile â—…drawne betwixt us and the creature â—…en our eyes are onely upward to â—…d and hee is more clearely seene 〈◊〉 us In the divisâ—…on of things GOD beâ—…eaths himselfe to those that are his for their portion as the best portion he can give them There are many goodly things in the world but none of these are a Christians portion there is in him to supply all good and remove all 〈◊〉 untill the time come that we stand in need of no other good It is our chief wisdome to know him our holinesse to love him our happinesse to enjoy him There is in him to be had whatsoever can truly make us happy Wee goe to our treasure and our portion in all our wants we live by it and value our selves by it God is such a portion that the more wee spend on him the more wee may Our strength may faile and our heart may faile but God is our portion for ever Every thing else teaches us by the vanity and vexation wee find in them that our happinesse is not in them they send us to God they may make us worse but better they cannot Our nature is above them and ordained for a greater good they can goe but along with us for a while and their end swallowes up all the comfort of their beginnings as Pharaohes leane Kine swallowed up the fat If we have no better portion here then these things we are like to have hell for our portion hereafter What a shame will it be hereafter when we are stript of all that it should be said Loe this is the man that tooke not God for his portion If God be once ours he goes for ever along with us and when earth will hold us no longer heaven shall Who that hath his senses about him would perish for want of water when there is a fountaine by him or for hunger that is at a feast â—…od alone is a rich portion O then let 〈◊〉 labour for a large faith as we have a â—…rge object If we had a thousand times â—…ore faith wee should have a thousand â—…mes more increase of Gods blessings When the Prophet came to the widâ—…es house as many vessels as shee had â—…re filled with oyle wee are straitned in â—…or owne faith but not straitned in our God It fals out oft in
this world that Gods people are like Israel at the red â—…ea invironed with dangers on all â—…des What course have wee then to â—…ake but onely to looke up and wait for â—…he salvation of our God This is a breast full of consolation let us teach our hearts to suck and draw comfort from â—…ence Is God our God and will he suffer any thing to befall us for our hurt Will he lay any more upon us then he gives us strength to beare Will hee suffer any wind to blow upon us but for good Doth he not set us before his face Will a Father or Mother suffer a child to be wronged in their presence if they can help it Will a friend suffer his friend to be injured if he may redresse him And will God that hath put these affections into Parents and friends neglect the care of those hee hath taken so neere unto himselfe No surely his eyes are open to looke upon their condition his eares are open to their prayers a booke of remembrance is written of all their good desires speeches and actions hee hath bottles for all their teares their very sighs are not hid from him he hath written them upon the palmes of his hands and cannot but continually looke upon them Oh let us prize the favour of so good a God who though he dwels on high yet will regard things so low and not neglect the meane estate of any Nay especially delights to be called the comforter of his Elect and the God of those that are in misery and have none to flye unto but himselfe But wee must know that God onely thus graciously visits his owne children he visits with his choysest favours those onely that feare his name As for those that either secretly undermine or openly oppose the cause and Church 〈◊〉 God and joyne with his enemies â—…ch as savour not the things of God â—…t commit spirituall Idolatry and Aâ—…ltery with Gods enemies the world â—…d the devill God will answer these 〈◊〉 once he did the Israelites when in â—…eir necessity they would have forced â—…cquaintance upon him Goe to the gods â—…m you have served to the great men â—…hose persons you have obeyed for adâ—…antage to your riches to your pleaâ—…re which you have loved more then God or goodnesse you would not lose 〈◊〉 base custome an oath a superfluity a â—…hing of nothing for me therefore I will not owne you now Such men are more impudent then the devill himself â—…hat will claim acquaintance with God 〈◊〉 last when they have caried themselves as his enemies all their dayes â—…athan could tell Paul and Sylas they â—…ere the servants of the living God but â—…e would not make that plea for himselfe knowing that he was a cursed creature Miserable then is their condition who live in the world nay in the Church without God Such are in 〈◊〉 worse estate then Pagans and Iews for living in the house of God they are strangers from God and from the covenant of grace usurping the name of Christians having indeed nothing to doe with Christ. Some of these like spirituall vagabonds as Cain excommunicate themselves from Gods presence in the use of the meanes or rather like devils that will have nothing to doe with God because they are loath to be tormented before their time they thinke every good Sermon an arraigning of them and therefore keep out of reach Others will present themselves under the meanes and cary some savour away with them of what they heare but it is onely till they meete with the next temptation unto which they yeeld themselves presently slaves These shrowd themselves under a generall profession as they did who called themselves Iewes and were nothing lesse But alas an empty title will bring an empty comfort at last It was â—…old comfort to the rich man in flames that Abraham called him sonne Or to 〈◊〉 that Christ called him friend Or â—…o the rebellious Iewes that God stiles â—…em his people Such as our profession 〈◊〉 such will our comfort be True profession of Religion is another thing then most men take it to be it is made 〈◊〉 of the outward duty and the inward 〈◊〉 too which is indeed the life and â—…ule of all What the heart doth not 〈◊〉 Religion is not done God cares for no retainers that will â—…ely we are his livery but serve themselves What hast thou to doe to take his 〈◊〉 into thy mouth and hatest to be reforâ—…d Saul lived in the bosome of the Church yet being a cruell Tyrant â—…hen he was in a desperate plunge his â—…tward profession did him no good â—…d therefore when he was invironed â—…ith his enemies he uttered this doleâ—… complaint God hath sorsaken mee 〈◊〉 the Philistims are upon me A pittiâ—… case yet so will it be with all those 〈◊〉 rest in an outward profession thinking it enough to complement with God when their hearts are not right within them Such will at length bee forced to cry Sicknesse is upon mee death is upon me hell is before me and God hath forsaken me I would none of God heretofore Now God will have none of me When David himselfe had offended God by numbring the people then God counted him but plaine David Goe and say to David c. whereas before when hee purposed to build a Temple then goe tell my servant David When the Israelites had set up an Idoll then God Fathers them on Moses THY people which thou hast brought out of Egypt he would not owne them as at other times then they are MY people still whilest they keep covenant No care no present comfort in this neere relation The price of the Pearl is not known till all else be sold and we see the necessary use of it So the worth of God in Christ is never discerned till we see our lost and undone condition without him till conscience flyes in our faces and dragge us to the brink of hell thenâ—…ver â—…ver we taste how good the Lord is wee 〈◊〉 say Blessed is the people whose God is 〈◊〉 Lord. Heretofore I have heard of 〈◊〉 loving kindnesse but that is not a â—…sand part of what I see and feele â—…e joy I now appreheud is unutteraâ—… unconceiveable Oh then when we have gotten our â—…les possest of God let our study be 〈◊〉 preserve our selves in his love to â—…ke close with him that he may deâ—…t to abide with us and never forâ—…e us How basely doth the Scriptureâ—…ak â—…ak of whatsoever stands in our way 〈◊〉 makes nothing of them What is 〈◊〉 but vanity and lesse then vanity 〈◊〉 nations but as a drop of the bucket as 〈◊〉 dust of a ballance things not at all â—…siderable Flesh lookes upon them 〈◊〉 through a multiplying glasse making â—…m greater then they are but faith 〈◊〉 God doth sees them as nothing This is such a blessed condition as 〈◊〉 well challenge all our diligence in â—…ouring to be assured