Helps for Faith and Patience in Times of Affliction, Part 3 · Section 5
The Application.
Firſt, For Information.
1. If the ſerious minding of, and believing looking unto inviſible eternal things, will much ſupport Chriſtians under the Troubles of this Life, it follows then, that there is a great neceſſity that Chriſtians ſhould have a diſtinct ſaving knowledg of inviſible eternal things, for without ſuch a knowledge of them, they cannot mind them, nor ſet their Hearts upon them. John 17. 3. This is life eternal, to know thee the only true God, and Jeſus Chriſt, whom thou haſt ſent. Col. 2. 2, 3. We know thoſe things but confuſedly, and therefore we mind them but confuſedly. This Saving Knowledge is a New Covenant-Mercy: God promiſeth that his People ſhall be all taught of him, and that they ſhall all know the Lord; Jer. 31. 33, 34. John 6. 45. Eph. 4. 21. Our Duty is then, to lay hold on God's Covenant, and humbly to beſeech him to teach us by his Spirit, and to enlighten our Underſtandings; as Paul prays, Eph. 1. 17, 18.
2. Hence appears the Neceſſity of Faith, and full perſwaſion of the verity, reality, and excellency of thoſe inviſible eternal things. It is a full perſwaſion of a Better Good than the Creature, and of a Better Countrey, of a Better Subſtance, of a Better Place than this World is, and of Better Company, Better Friends than can be enjoyed here, that will make us ſet our Thoughts on work upon them, and that will ſupport under the loſs of thoſe worſe things.
While we have thoſe better things in our Eye, we ſhall not be much troubled about the worſe; the better will ſwallow up the worſe, if we firmly and heartily believe them, and have good ground to hope, through Grace, that we have Title to them; as Heb. 11. 25, 26. The belief of a better Reſurrection, and of a better Life than this, will ſupport us under the Troubles of this: Heb. 11. 35.
3. Then there is alſo a neceſſity lies on us of having an Intereſt in thoſe inviſible eternal good things; in God, in Chriſt, in the Promiſes, and in the Purchaſed Inheritance. An abſolute neceſſity lies on us all, of getting an intereſt in Jeſus Chriſt, Real Union with him, for only hereby we come to have an Intereſt in all thoſe eternal Bleſſings: If Chriſt be ours, All is ours; not elſe. 1 Cor. 3. 22, 23.
Oh, this, this is the one thing neceſſary, That we make ſure our Intereſt in God, and in his Covenant by Jeſus Chriſt: This, and this alone, will ballance all our Loſſes. Take ſpecial notice of thoſe two Texts, 1 Sam. 30. 6. 2 Sam. 23. 5.
Let us try our Intereſt in Chriſt by thoſe few Scriptures, Rom. 8. 1, 9. There is no condemnation to them that are in Chriſt Jeſus, who walk not after the fleſh, but after the ſpirit. If any man have not the spirit of Chriſt, the ſame is none of his. 2 Cor. 5. 17. If any man be in Chriſt, he is a new Creature; all old things are paſt away; behold, all things are become new. Gal. 5. 24. They that are Chriſt's, have crucified the fleſh with the affections and lusts thereof. Gal. 2. 20. Chriſt liveth in me.
4. Hence we may know the true cauſe and ground of Diſcouragement and Deſpondency under our Troubles, to wit, our want of Faith in, and our not minding of eternal inviſible things. They that believe not the Crown, can never comfortably bear the Croſs: The way to forget our Miſery, is ſeriouſly and believingly to remember and conſider our Felicity. Rom. 8. 17. The ſufferings of this life are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed in us.
Our Burdens would not be ſo heavy as they are, if our Hearts were more heavenly than they are: If we could get more above, and converſe more with God, our Troubles would not be ſo troubleſome as they are. Nil ſentit in Nervo, cum anima ſit in Coelo. Oh, let us pray for more acquaintance with God, and thereby good, all good, ſhall come unto us. Let us cry out with the Divine Poet,
O ſhew thy ſelf to me,
Or take me up to thee.
Converſe with God and Chriſt will ſweeten every bitter Cup, and lighten every heavy Burden.
5. Hence alſo we may inferr the Neceſſity of Patience under all our Afflictions, which are deſigned to prepare us for Glory, and that no otherwiſe, than as we do by Faith and Patience live in the expectation of that Glory. Rom. 2. 7. To them, who by patient continuance in well-doing, ſeek for glory, and honour, and immortality, eternal life: Heb. 10. 36. Unleſs we patiently bear our Troubles, they are not like to produce thoſe bleſſed effects; it is only through Faith and Patience that we inherit the Promiſes.
6. The Miſery of all Unbelievers then is very great, whatever they poſſe's in this World, for they muſt needs meet with Troubles alſo in this Life, and muſt meet with the King of Terrors at laſt: And what poſſibly can ſupport them, having no intereſt in God and Chriſt, and no good grounds of hope, that they ſhall enjoy thoſe inviſible eternal good things hereafter? Part they muſt with all viſible temporal good things, and that for ever, and cannot look on God, and Glory, and Heaven as theirs, becauſe not regenerated, not united to Chriſt, not effectually called: ſurely their caſe is moſt ſad, for then alſo all their vain hopes and groundleſs confidences ſhall periſh.
7. The miſchief of Earthly-mindedneſs alſo appears hence: Inordinate minding earthly things, whether Friends or Foes, Eaſe or Pain, Loſs or Gain, &c. this very much hinders our Comfort and Support: Oh, pray againſt it, watch againſt it.
Now to take us off from this inordinate minding of theſe Earthly things, let us take theſe Helps.
1. Let us urge and preſs the expreſs Command of God upon our Hearts, Col. 3. 1, 2. Set your affections upon things above, and not upon things below. Let this ſway with us: It is as much our Duty as any other, and there is as much Divine Authority in this Command as in any other, and as much of the Power of Religion and Truth of Grace lies in the Practice of this, as of any other Duty; and by the conſciencious performance of this Duty, we do as much evidence the ſincerity of our Love and Obedience, as by any other.
2. If we be true Chriſtians, we are of an high, noble, heavenly extraction and original, begotten and born of God; Jam. 1. 17, 18. John 3. 3, 5. born from above, Heaven-born, therefore we ſhould mind heavenly things. As is the heavenly, ſuch are they that are heavenly.
3. If we be true Chriſtians, we have an inviſible eternal Life in us; Chriſt is our Life, and our Life is hid with Chriſt in God; Col. 3. 3, 4. We have inviſible eternal Principles of Life in us, Chriſt formed in our Hearts: Phil. 4. 19. The incorruptible Seed of God in us, the Spirit of Jeſus in us, the Divine Nature in us; all which diſpoſe and encline us to look upwards, and to mind inviſible and eternal things.
4. Your Hopes are grounded and fixed on inviſible eternal things, 1 Cor. 15. 19. If our hope were only in this life, we ſhould be of all men moſt miſerable. Our hopes are not here, we hope for what we ſee not; Rom. 5. 2. 2 Pet. 1. 13. 1 John 3. 3. It is inviſible glory, the glory that is to be revealed at the Coming of Chriſt, That when Chriſt ſhall appear, you may appear with him in glory, and may ſee him as he is, and may be like him. You hope for infinitely better things than this World can afford; Tit. 2. 13, 14. Phil. 3. 21. You look for the Coming of Jeſus in glory, who ſhall make your vile bodies like unto his glorious body; and then you that look for ſuch things in Heaven, ſurely you ſhould have your Converſations in Heaven.
5. Your Actings and Workings here in this life, are for inviſible ends and purpoſes, not to be ſeen of Men, not to have your Reward here, but you ſeek Honour, and Glory, and Immortality, and Eternal Life; Rom. 2. 7, 8. Your ſowing here is to reap Life everlaſting; Gal. 6. 8. It is an inviſible, incorruptible Crown, an everlaſting Kingdom, an Heavenly Inheritance, that you are ſeeking: 1 Pet. 1. 4, 5. You labour not for that meat which periſheth, but for that which endureth to everlaſting life: John 6. 27. You are ſeeking a City which hath foundations, and travelling home to your Father's Houſe; therefore needs muſt your thoughts and affections be ſet upon things above.
6. Let us conſider, that all our beſt Friends and deareſt Relations are above, inviſible and unſeen to us here below. There is our Heavenly Father, there our dear Redeemer, ſitting at his right hand; there are all our pious Friends and dear Relations that dyed in Chriſt; there they are together praiſing and enjoying God.
7. If you be true Chriſtians, you have enlightned Minds, Eyes of Faith, Spiritual Underſtandings given you, to diſcern and apprehend thoſe inviſible eternal things; 1 Cor. 2. 9, 10. you are ſpiritual perſons.
8. You eſteem, value, and love thoſe heavenly things moſt and beſt, if you be true Chriſtians; your Hearts are in Heaven, for there is your Treaſure; 1 Pet. 1. 8.
9. You have inviſible Supports, Influences, and Experiences, a Well of Living Water ſpringing up in you, unto eternal life, John 4. 14. which no others but you have; and from thoſe ſpiritual Principles, which the Spirit of Chriſt plants in his People, good thoughts and heavenly Meditations are continually bred and fed.
10. You are in Heaven already, in Chriſt your Head; Epheſ, 2. 6. Riſen with Chriſt: And this Heavenly-mindedneſs the Apoſtle makes the true evidence of our being riſen with Chriſt; Col. 3. 1, 2. If ye then be riſen with Christ, ſeek thoſe things which are above: Set your affections on things above: And it is the very diſtinguiſhing Character of one in Chriſt: Rom. 8. 1. They that are in Chriſt, walk not after the fleſh, but after the spirit.
Second Ʋſe, by way of Exhortation to all Chriſtians.
Would you have ſweet Support under all your Diſcouragements and ſinking Troubles, then ſtedfaſtly and fixedly look upon inviſible eternal things: Labour to live in the believing views and proſpects of, and in a ſerious, hearty minding, and meditating upon inviſible eternal things.
Oh, that we could draw off our Thoughts and Affections from viſible temporal things, and that we could ſet them upon things above: Oh, what Peace and Sweetneſs ſhould we find in our Spirits?
Q. But how ſhall we be able to do this?
A.
I. By looking to God in all our Mercies.
II. By reſigning up our Wills to God in all our Miſeries.
III. By aiming at Communion with God, and Conformity to him in all our Actions.
I. Let us look to God in all our Mercies. He is the God of our Lives, and of all the Comforts of Life: The power, vertue, and comfort of all created good, comes from the Created good, even GOD alone, for in him we live, and move, and have our being. This Health, Eaſe, Liberty, Relations, Reſt, Sleep, that we have, and all thoſe comfortable Accommodations that we enjoy, are from the Lord. It was truly ſaid of one, That many love the Creature, in oppoſition to God; Most love it in competition with him, and almoſt All love the Creature in a way of ſeparation from him. But more particularly let us labour,
1st, To look unto, and acknowledge with Heart and Tongue, that our Heavenly Father in Chriſt is the Author and Giver of all the Mercies we enjoy. When we have Health, Eaſe, Liberty, Reſt, or any other Mercy, we ſhould look to him from whom they come, and to him through whom they come; we ſhould eye the hand of a Father, the heart and love of a Father, and conſider alſo, that all theſe Mercies come to us through the Blood of a Redeemer; this will make every morſel, every drop and crumb to be ſweet and pleaſant to us. A Dinner of green Herbs, Barley-bread, and cold Water, with the Love of God, will be ſweet.
Q. But when ſhall we know, that we have theſe from the Love of God, and with the Love of God?
Anſ. Then we may conclude, theſe outward Mercies come from the Love of God to us, when we are truly thankful for the leaſt Mercy we receive, and are ſtirred up to love God more, and to be more careful to ſerve, pleaſe, and truſt God the more.
Let us look thorough our viſible Comforts, to the inviſible giver of them, and to that eternal Love from whence they come; 1 Chron. 29. 12, 13, 16. It is our great evil, that we love the gifts of God for themſelves, and not for the giver of them: if we could ſee and taſte Divine love and goodneſs in our Relations, Health, Eſtate, &c. Oh, how ſweet would they be unto us? But this is our Folly and Fault, we overlook and forget God, and look no further than our viſible, ſenſible, temporal Comforts; even when we ſpeak of God with our Mouths, our Hearts are but too far from him: Our Hearts hang looſe from him, and lye at too great a diſtance from him; our Hearts are not engaged with Love, and Deſire, and Delight in him, nor enlarged after him, and ſo we miſs the Comfort and Sweetneſs which we might find in him.
To delight in the God of Mercy more than in the Mercies of God, is a true Chriſtian frame, and an high pitch of Grace, and a ſpecial way of enjoying ſweet Communion with God; a thing wholly ſtrange to moſt, and experienced but by few.
Q. But how ſhall I know when I do this?
Anſ. 1. By real, practical, hearty acknowledgment and owning God's Propriety in all our Mercies. Theſe Relations, Friends, this Health, Eaſe, Liberty, Safety, &c. theſe are all the Lords; as Jacob ſaid, Gen. 33. 5. Theſe are the things that the Lord hath graciouſly given me. We ſhould always look on God as the proper owner of us and them; and all that we have, are but lent to us, and we are but Tenants at his will.
2. By labouring to draw up our Hearts and Loves to God, by thoſe Mercies we receive from God, to make them as Cords and Bands of Love, to draw our Hearts nearer to God, and to bind our Hearts faſter and cloſer to God by them; to make thoſe Mercies as ſteps, to raiſe up our Souls higher towards God, in all the ways of obedience and holy confidence, we ſhould pant and pray thus: Oh, that this Creature-comfort may draw my Heart nearer to God, and not lye as an Idol between my Heart and God; oh, that this temporal Bleſſing may raiſe my Heart ſome degrees higher towards God; oh, that it may help me to advance God more: Oh that it may not divide my Heart from God, nor make me forgetful of him, nor hinder me in my Duty to him; but, oh that every Mercy I receive from God, may endear God to me, and engage my Heart more to him. Such pantings and breathings of Soul ſhould be in us, then we ſhall enjoy God in our Mercies, and then they will be ſweet unto us.
3. By labouring to uſe and improve all our Mercies for God; our Health, Eaſe, Liberty, Eſtate and all for God; to lay all out for his Service. If we have any Talent, let it be improved for God; if any Candle of Comfort lighted in our Habitation, let it burn for God; if any Eaſe after Pain, any Strength after Weakneſs, lay it out for God; Let us be thinking and ſtudying what uſe and ſervice we can put our Mercies to for God. Let us ſpend Time, Health, Strength, and all for God.
4. By labouring to be willing to part with all our outward Mercies when God calls for them.
As we ſhould deſire and wiſh for no Comfort otherwiſe, than as we may have it with the love of God, and as it may help us, and not hinder us in our way to God; ſo likewiſe, we ſhould not deſire the continuance of any outward Comfort, any longer than with the Love of God; and when he is pleaſed to call for them, willingly to ſurrender them to him: This is not to love any thing above God, nor in competition with him, nor in ſeparation from him. 1 John 2. 14, 15. For he that loveth any thing in the world otherwiſe, the love of the Father is not in him. And in ſo doing we evidence, that we love the God of Mercies more than the Mercies of God: And this way we may enjoy and maintain much ſweet communion with God here in this Life; namely, by our hearty acknowledgment of God our Father in Chriſt, to be the Author of all our Mercies; looking to his Love in them; owning his Propriety in them all; making them as Cords of Love, to draw up our Hearts to God; uſing them for God, and willing to part with them at his call. This is to look to God in all our Mercies.
Secondly, Let us labour to look unto, and live upon God, in every Creature-comfort that we enjoy. Not only look unto God in our Mercies, as was ſaid before in the other particular, but let us labour to aſcend higher; and that is, let us labour and learn to live upon God and his Love in thoſe Mercies.
Let this be minded by us: That it is not the Creature, but God in the Creature, that we muſt love and live upon. The Creature ſhould not content us, without ſome ſenſe of God's Love in it. If we have Health, Wealth, Liberty, Friends, we ſhould put this Queſtion to our ſelves; Do we enjoy God's Love with theſe? A great Queſtion, yet ſeldom ask'd. It is ſurely the Love of God in a Mercy, that doth ſanctifie and ſweeten the Mercy to us; as is evident in that famous Inſtance of Hezekiah, Iſa. 38. 17. Thou haſt in love to my ſoul delivered me from the pit of corruption. Then Deliverance is ſweet, when it comes from God's Love to our Souls.
Q. But how may we know that?
A. As Hezekiah did; For, ſaith he, thou haſt cast all my ſins behind thy back. When Pardon of Sin comes with a Mercy, 'tis a Mercy indeed, a double Mercy. Note, When a Soul-mercy comes with a Bodily Mercy, a Soul-mercy, with Eaſe, Recovery, &c. then that outward Mercy comes from the Love of God indeed. And thus many times our Lord Jeſus diſtributed his Mercies in the days of his Fleſh upon the Earth, healing Souls and Bodies together, forgiving their Sins, and curing their Diſeaſes all at once.
Q. But how ſhall we know that our Sins are forgiven as well as our Trouble removed?
Anſ. 1. When the Soul is ſtirred up to ſuitable praiſing of God, as in Hezekiah, ſo in David, Pſal. 103. 1, 2, 3. the ſenſe of God's Mercies to them enlarged their Hearts with Thankfulneſs.
2. We may know that our Sins are forgiven us, if thoſe Conditions are wrought in us, unto which forgiveneſs of Sins is promiſed, and thoſe are chiefly Repentance and Faith: Acts 3. 19. Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your ſins may be blotted out, when the times of refreſhing ſhall come from the preſence of the Lord. Acts 10. 43. To him (namely, to Jeſus) do all the Prophets witneſs, that through his name, whoſoever believeth in him, ſhall receive remiſſion of ſins. Now, if after Mercies God gives us Hearts to repent and believe, we may certainly conclude that thoſe Mercies come to us from the love of God.
We follow hard in our Prayers, and Deſires, and Endeavours after earthly Mercies, when we want them; whereas our Souls ſhould follow hard after God in them: Pſal. 63. 8. & 31. 23. In every Ordinance, Priviledge, Duty, Providence, in every Enjoyment, it is the Love of God in it, that our Souls ſhould thirſt after; as David did, Pſal. 63. 1, 2, 3, My ſoul thirſteth for God, for the living God: So Pſal. 84. 1. Thee, thee, Lord, my ſoul longeth for. He longed for God's Ordinances too, but chiefly, for God in them. So ſhould we cry, Health, and Eaſe, and Liberty, and Deliverance with thy ſelf, Lord, and with thy Love: Peace and Plenty with thy Love, Lord, not without it. Better be without theſe Mercies than without the Love of God in them: Jude 21. Keep your ſelves in the love of God: Gal. 2. 20. Pſal. 62. 10. If riches (Friends, Eaſe, &c.) encreaſe, ſet not your hearts … them, but on God in them.
To look through, and beyond, and above a Mercy, unto the God of that Mercy, is a Mercy in that Mercy, and a choice one too; for none but God's Choſen ones can do it: And ſo to do, argues much Grace and much Communion with God. Col. 3. 1, 2. Let us look up, look up to God in all our Mercies: Stay not on the Mercy, be not content with the outward Mercy, for that is but the Shell, but look up to God, and long to ſee and taſte his Love in it, for that is the Kernel, his Love in Chriſt; feed on that by Faith, Love, Meditation.
O, let us labour to have God in all our Thoughts; for, to look to, love, and live upon Creature-comforts meerly, barely, only, is but to live upon Huſks, Aſhes, Wind and Vanity; theſe are no Bread for the Soul; Iſa. 55. 2. Pſal. 143. 6. I ſtretch forth my hands unto thee; my ſoul thirſteth after thee, as a thirſty land.
When we taſte and ſee the earthly Comforts we have, if we can alſo taſte and ſee the Love of God in them, we enjoy a double ſweetneſs, an outward and an inward, a viſible and an inviſible ſweetneſs: Oh, what ſweetneſs then may we taſte? for both Faith and Senſe are fed at once. And we may further know, that any Mercy comes to us in Love, when our Souls are the better for that Mercy, more endeared to God, and more enlarged after God.
3. We muſt labour to uſe and enjoy all our Mercies for God, for his Honour and Service, as was hinted before. This is God's end in giving them, and it ſhould be ours in uſing them. 1 Cor. 10. 31. Whether ye eat or drink, or whatever ye do, do all to the glory of God. This great End ſhould always be minded by us.
We ſhould judge all that good that leads us nearer to God, and all that evil that draws us farther from him: Prov. 16. 4. The Lord hath made all things for himſelf. We have loſt moſt of our Comforts for want of this, to wit, our not enjoying them in God, and for God, and God in them: We feed on them, but not on God in them; and this provokes God to remove them, and to take away our beſt outward Mercies from us; even his Goſpel, for our not uſing it, and not improving it for God, and for contenting our ſelves barely with it, without God in it: Bare Ordinances, bare Duties, without God in them, are but dry Breaſts, without Milk, which Souls may lye upon all their days, and ſtarve and periſh notwithſtanding, if they meet not God in them.
But now, if we thus eye and look unto God, and ſeriouſly mind the inviſible eternal God, we ſhall hereby be ſweetly ſupported under all our Troubles. For,
1ſt, This will take out the gall and wormwood of our Troubles, which is our inordinate love of the Creature; for there is no immoderate Sorrow for the loſs of any thing, but of that which was inordinately loved: So that if God had had our Hearts and Affections, when we had our Creature-Comforts, he will have them much more then they are removed; for God remains the …ime ſtill, every way as full, and as All-ſufficient … ſupply and ſupport us: So that if we had lived …on God the Fountain when we had the Ciſterns, … ſhall live more immediately upon him when the …ſterns are broken, and ſhall then have our Comforts more pure, and more refreſhing.
And this is not all; but if we be truly gracious, … will grieve us to the very Heart, when our earth… Comforts are gone, that we ſet our Hearts ſo much upon them, that we minded and loved them …o much, and lived ſo much upon them, and that …e lived ſo little upon God in them, and enjoyed … little of God and his Love in them; and this …ill be the Sting and Burthen of our Souls then. …ut now, to live on God and his Love in our …njoyments, will prevent this Trouble of Troubles, …nd ſupport us under all our Troubles, becauſe our God, and his Love, which we lived upon before, remain ſtill. God is everlaſting, and his Love unchangable. The Foundation remains; the …pring of all our Mercies remains. But, woe and …as! what Strangers are we to this living upon God, and his Love in Chriſt? David lived en…rely upon God, Pſal. 73. 24, 25, 26. Whom have …in Heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that deſire beſides thee. My fleſh and my heart faileth, but God is the ſtrength of my heart, and my portion for ever.
2dly, By this we may begin our Heaven upon Earth out of Heaven, even in the Hell of the Troubles and Miſeries of this World; for this is the …ery Happineſs of Heaven, to be continually with God, and to live upon God, that God may be all in all, 1 Cor. 15. 28. This is Heavens Happineſs, to live upon that infinite Fountain of goodneſs, and to live with God. And ſo far as we can thus live upon God by Faith, Love, Meditation, Holy Confidence and Dependance, Holy Reſignation of our ſelves and all our concerns to him, ſo far we are entred into Heaven, and Heaven is entred into us already: The kingdom of Heaven is within you, ſaid our Lord. And, what ſupport will this be to us in all our Afflictions!
3dly, This is the way to loſe nothing of all our Earthly Comforts; for, what we loſe in the Creature, we ſhall find in the Creator. If we enjoyed God in the Creature, in Relations, Friends, Eſtate, Liberty, Health, &c. we may enjoy him as well when theſe Creature-comforts are gone, and it may be better than before, for the Fountain it ſelf is purer than the Streams.
All the little good, the ſmall comfort, the ſlender and ſhort ſatisfaction, the little mixed ſweetneſs, that we have in or from any Creature, comes not from the Creature it ſelf, diſtinct from God, for then all that enjoy the Creature would have that Comfort and Content, the bad as well as the good; which we know is not ſo; for many have had large Portions of the beſt of the Creatures, that have had no comfort or contentment in them: Solomon himſelf is a Witneſs.
But that very little Comfort or Content that any one hath in the Creature, it is diſtilled and derived to him through the Creature from God, and from him alone. It God put ſweetneſs into any Creature-comfort, and bleſs it to us, it ſhall be ſweet to us: If He convey any goodneſs or content to us through any Creature-chanel, we ſhall have it, not elſe: But if he put bitterneſs into any Creature-comfort, and with-hold his Bleſſing, it will yield us no content at all.
This is a moſt experienc'd Truth, That it is God's Love, his Bleſſing in a Mercy, that is The Mercy; and it is that only which brings any Comfort or Content to us that have it.
What Content had Ahab in his Kingdom, or Haman in his Honour? Surely none at all. Prov. 10. 22. The bleſſing of the Lord it maketh rich, and he adds no ſorrow with it. The Bleſſing of the Lord maketh the Poor in this World rich, and with this Bleſſing comes no Sorrow, as there doth with all other Bleſſings. This is the Bleſſing that goes with The Bleſſing, the inward Bleſſing that goes with the outward Bleſſing, whether little or much, the love of God is in it to his People; and that maketh rich, that contents the Soul, and yields ſweetneſs to it; and this Contentment is the Bleſſing, without which Godlineſs it ſelf is not Gain. Now, when the outward Bleſſing is gone, the Creature-bleſſing gone, the inward Bleſſing may be continued; the Love of God, and inward Contentment may be continued; when the Cabinet is worn out, the Jewel may be as good as ever: And if this continue with us, namely, the Bleſſing which is the Love of God, if that remain towards us, when the outward Bleſſing is taken away, we have no cauſe of Diſquietment. But this remains always to the true Chriſtian; for it is God's Covenant, which cannot be broken. Pſal. 89. 34, 35. My lovingkindneſs I will not utterly take from him, nor ſuffer my faithfulneſs to fail: My covenant will I not break, &c.
Oh, that we could look more at the inviſible eternal Bleſſing, the ſure Mercies of David, in all our outward Bleſſings, which remains when all the viſible temporal things are gone. Yea, further, this inviſible everlaſting Bleſſing doth not only remain with us, when all other Bleſſings are gone, but (which is wonderful) then, even then, our everlaſting Father doth uſually communicate and manifeſt more of his Love (which is the Bleſſing indeed) to the Souls of his People, than when they had the enjoyment of their outward Bleſſings. When had Ezekiel and John ſuch glorious Viſions of God, but in Captivity and Exile? When God brings his People into the Wilderneſs, then he ſpeaks comfortably unto them, then he ſpeaks to their Hearts, Hoſ. 2. 14. as in the Wilderneſs, in the abſence of Creature-comforts, the Spouſe leans on her Beloved, Cant. 8. 5. fixeth her Loves and Deſires moſt intimately and heartily upon him; ſo, even then, her Beloved manifeſts moſt of his tender love to her; and when the World frowns, he ſmiles upon her.
So that this looking up to God in all our Enjoyments, living upon Him, and enjoying all in him, and for him, will wonderfully ſupport us under all our Trouble, becauſe by this means we ſhall loſe nothing, but what we loſe in the Stream, we ſhall find in the Fountain; what we want in the Creature, we ſhall find in God; yea, and in all our loſſes for Chriſt and his Truths, we are aſſured to have an hundred fold; Matth. 19. 29.
So much for the firſt Counſel, Look to God in all our Enjoyments.
II. The ſecond Counſel: Reſign up your wills entirely to the will of God in all your Afflictions. It is an Argument of an excellent Spirit, when all Selfreſpects are drowned in the Will of God, and there is nothing loſt therein, for our beſt ſafety is in the Will of God; our Happineſs is more in God than in our ſelves, and His Will is infinitely better than ours.
We may be ſure of this, that a man ſhall never have ſetled Peace and Comfort, until he have cordially committed and reſigned up all his Will and Way, all his Concerns, and Intereſts, and Ends to the holy Will of God. Pſal. 37. 5, 7. Commit thy way unto the Lord: truſt alſo in him, and he ſhall bring it to paſs. Reſt in the Lord, and wait patiently for him. Prov. 16. 3. Commit thy works unto the Lord, and thy thoughts ſhall be eſtabliſhed.
It is the difference of Wills, Ends, and Intereſts that begets all the Stirs and Troubles in the Hearts of Men. GOD will have his Will, and Man will have his: It is the communion of Wills, Hearts, Intereſts, and Ends, that is that fellowſhip that a Creature hath with its Creator.
It is the Intereſt and Honour, the Dignity and Duty, the Comfort and Quiet, the Heaven and Happineſs of a Rational Creature to be what God will have him be, to do what God will have him do, to want what God will have him want, and to ſuffer what God will have him ſuffer; to be wholly at the diſpoſe of God, as our Lord was; Not my will, but thine be done.
This is true Chriſtianity indeed, true Self-denial, Matt. 16. 24. To be no more our own, nor at our own diſpoſe, but to be entirely at the Will of God, is the way to true Comfort: Pſal. 142. 5. Thou art my refuge, and my portion in the land of the living.
Now, if we would thus look unto the inviſible God, and reſign up our wills to his will in all things, in order to our ſupport and comfort in all our Afflictions, we muſt carefully obſerve theſe things:
1st, We muſt really look unto, and heartily own God's abſolute Dominion over, and his Propriety in all things: He is the Lord and Owner of all his Works; Job 9. 12. He taketh away, who can hinder him? who durſt ſay to him, What doeſt thou? Iſa. 45. 9. He is the Potter, we are the Clay; He is the Creator of all things, and therefore the true, only, and rightful Owner of all things: Ezek. 18. 4. All ſouls are mine, ſaith God; and all Creatures are his. Hoſ. 2. 9. And we are none of our own, 1 Cor. 6. 20. Whether as Creatures or Chriſtians, our Souls, Bodies, Goods, all are God's, upon all accounts: If we did not look on thoſe earthly Comforts too much as our own, we ſhould not grieve too much for the loſs of them.
Now, we own God's Dominion and Propriety in all things, when we thankfully receive any Creature-comfort from him, and ſilently ſubmit to his diſpoſe of them. Pſal. 39. 9. I was dumb, ſaith David; and quietly ſurrender them up to God when he calls for them; as Eli, 1 Sam. 3. 18.
2ly, We muſt really and heartily look unto and own God's Righteouſneſs in all his Diſpenſations towards us, though never ſo hard, bitter, and pinching to the Fleſh, yet God is righteous in all. By terrible things in righteouſneſs wilt thou anſwer us, O God of our ſalvation. Dan. 9. 14. Righteous art thou, O Lord. Pſal. 145. 17. The Lord is righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works.
Now we own God's Righteouſneſs in all our Afflictions, when we diligently enquire to find out the why and the wherefore of all God's dealings with us: We ſhould reaſon thus; The righteous God afflicts me; then certainly I muſt enquire after the Cauſe, and the End: Lam. 3. 40. Let us ſearch our hearts, and try our ways. God is righteous, we have deſerved this Affliction. Hereupon we muſt ſearch for our Sins, confeſs them, hate them, turn from them; and then this Conſideration ſetleth and ſatisfieth our Minds under God's correcting Hand: It is the righteous God that ſmites.
3ly, We muſt look unto and own the Faithfulneſs of God in his Chaſtiſements of us: When He blaſts our Earthly Hopes, kills our Creature-comforts, takes away our dear Relations, deprives us of Health, Eaſe, Liberty, Name, Eſtate; yet He is faithful; Pſal. 119. 75. In faithfulneſs thou haſt afflicted me. God hath put chaſtiſement for Sin into his Covenant, Pſal. 89. 31, 33. and hath promiſed to with-hold no good thing from his People, Pſal. 84. 11. Now God ſees and knows that Chaſtiſements are good for his People, and ſhall work for their good, therefore in very faithfulneſs he doth correct them, to perform his Promiſe, and fulfil his Covenant. Oh, that we could ſeriouſly look to this Faithfulneſs of God, and believe, that while He is afflicting and chaſtiſing us, He is but making good his faithful Promiſes to us, it would mightily ſupport and uphold us: But this is our Unhappineſs, that in Affliction we are apt to judge the quite contrary, and to think rather that God is executing his Threatning upon us, and that breeds Trouble to us. Little do we think, that when God ſtrips us of this or that outward Mercy, and lays his correcting Hand upon us, that now He is in all theſe Afflictions but performing his Promiſes to us, that He is doing us good by theſe, and accompliſhing all his ſweet, good, and gracious ends upon us; and that by theſe Afflictions He is preparing us for that far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. Oh, could we but believe this, and act our Faith upon God's Faithfulneſs, it would help us cheerfully to bear all our Afflictions. Lord, encreaſe our Faith.
4ly, We muſt look unto and own the infinite Mercy and tender Compaſſions of the inviſible eternal God, in all our Afflictions: God is the Father of Mercies, a God of tender Mercies, of tender Bowels, his Mercy endureth for ever; His tender Mercies are over all his Works, and much more over his ſpecial Workmanſhip, his own Children, whom He hath begotten and formed for himſelf: He is gracious and merciful, Exod. 34. 6, 7. Plenteous in Mercy; His Mercies are a great depth; Fury is not in Him towards his poor Children, Iſa. 27. 4. but Pity and Compaſſion; Pſal. 103. 13. His Compaſſions fail not, Lam. 3. 22, 23, 24. There is no revengeful Paſſion in the moſt holy God; it is He that puts Bowels of Mercy and Compaſſion into his Creatures, and then ſurely He is full of Mercy himſelf: He is rich in mercy, and of great love, Epheſ. 2. 4. and full of Mercy. The Lord taketh pleaſure in them that fear him, in them that hope in his mercy, Pſal. 147. 11. Behold, the eye of the Lord is upon them that fear him; upon them that hope in his Mercy; Pſal. 33. 18. Let us act Faith on the Mercy of God.
5ly, We muſt look unto and own the Omnipotency and All-ſufficiency of the inviſible eternal God, Gen. 17. 1. I am the almighty God, Rev. 1. 8. The only Creator of all things out of nothing; He can create Salvation and Deliverance; Iſa. 4. 5. & 57. 19. God being All-ſufficient, can never be at a loſs, nor to ſeek of ways to help his People in diſtreſs. He hath infinite ways of his own for helping us, either immediately from himſelf, or by raiſing up other means (and thoſe it may be very unlikely, yea, contrary) to deliver us. God is moſt honoured by us when we ſee nothing, but rather all contrary to that we look for, Refuge failing, Friends, Fleſh, Heart failing, then, to ſhut our Eyes to all Creature-helps, and look altogether on God's All-ſufficiency, and only relye on that. God can convey himſelf more comfortably to us, when He pleaſeth, without means, than by means.
This our eying and owning God's Almightineſs and All-ſufficiency, will work in us an holy awe and filial fear of Him: Who would not fear ſuch a God? Luke 12. 5. And alſo it will breed an holy confidence in him: Pſal. 9. 10. They that know thy name will put their truſt in thee: for thou, Lord, haſt not forſaken them that ſeek thee. O my Soul, look up to God's All-ſufficiency, He can in a moment turn thy Darkneſs into Light, thy Sorrow into Joy; He can make dry Bones live; He that breaks can bind up; He that takes can give.
This is the beſt way to glorifie God in the day of our Viſitation; to truſt in him, and relye upon him; though He kill all our Comforts, yet to believe He can ſupply He can provide; as ſaid Abraham, ſo Pſal. 107. 33, 35. Whatever our caſe be, let us take heed that we deſpond not, nor caſt away our confidence, but reſt upon God's Allſufficiency. Truſt in the Lord for ever, for in the Lord Jehovah is everlaſting strength, Iſa. 26. 2, 3. Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whoſe mind is ſtayed on thee, becauſe he truſteth in thee.
6ly, Let us eye and own the infinite Wiſdom of the inviſible eternal God: He that ſends and orders all our Afflictions, is the Wiſe God, the Only-wiſe God, the very Fountain of all Wiſdom; 1 Tim. 1. 17. He ſhews his Wiſdom not only in his general Providence governing the whole World, but in all his ſpecial Providences towards his People, and that in reſpect of their Afflictions. For,
1. God knows beſt how to order our Afflictions to us, and that (1.) as to Time, when to ſend them; (2.) as to Kind, what ſort of Affliction to ſend; (3.) as to Meaſure, how much to ſend; (4.) as to Duration, how long to continue them: Rev. 2. 10. and to what end and purpoſe. He is a moſt wiſe God.
2. He knows beſt how to ſupport and comfort his People under all their Afflictions, and when to comfort them; He knows their Frame; He knows their Souls in Adverſity; He knows their Need and their Strength; and hath regard to all this. 2 Cor. 1. 4. He is the God of all conſolation.
3. He knows beſt when to deliver; even then, when it ſhall make moſt for his own glory, and his Peoples greateſt good; 2 Pet. 2. 9. and ſurely that muſt be the beſt time.
4. He knows beſt how to make Afflictions work moſt for our good; how to bleſs them, and to make them Bleſſings to us, that we may have cauſe to bleſs him for them.
Now, we eye and own the Wiſdom of God in our Afflictions, when by the conſideration of it we are kept from maligning and fretting at the Inſtruments or Cauſes of our Afflictions, ſaying in our Hearts and Tongues, Let Shimei curſe, let Enemies perſecute and plunder, &c. All theſe are but Swords, Staffs, Rods in our moſt wiſe and loving Father's Hand: Theſe Loſſes, Sickneſſes, &c. do but execute the Will and Wiſdom of God; and when we make no haſte to get out of our Troubles, nor uſe any unlawful means, but quietly and contentedly referr all to the Holy Will and Wiſdom of God; and when we can wait with Patience upon God, and ſtay his time, and hope in Him only for an happy iſſue; reſigning up our Wills to his Will and Wiſdom, to do with us, to diſpoſe of us, and of all our Comforts, as He pleaſeth: By ſo doing we ſhall be ſweetly ſupported under all our Troubles. Lord God, of thy abundant Grace, and by thy Almighty Power, work in us this bleſſed frame, and keep us in it till Death, that thou maiſt be glorified by us.
7ly, and laſtly, Let us eye and own the love and goodneſs of God in all our Afflictions: We are apt to look moſtly to the Anger and Diſpleaſure of God in our Troubles, which indeed we ought to be ſenſible of, and deeply affected with, becauſe we have ſinned againſt Him, and therefore ought we patiently to bear the effects of his indignation, Mic. 7. 9. and to humble our ſelves under his mighty Hand, to repent of, and turn from our evill ways, Lam. 3. 40. This we muſt do, but this is not all our Duty; but we muſt alſo look up to the love of God, and to his goodneſs, from which our Afflictions come; Pſal. 89. 33. Heb. 12. 6. Whom the Lord loveth he chaſtneth: Pſal. 25. 10. All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth.
For, as our Afflictions have a bad Cauſe, as bad as may be, even our Sins. Lam. 3. Wherefore doth the living man complain, a man for the puniſhment of his ſins? Yet they proceed from a good Root, even the Love of God: As many as I love, I rebuke and chaſten, ſaith our loving Lord Jeſus, Rev. 3. 19. He loves when he takes, as well as when he gives. He takes in love; and this believed and conſidered, will very much ſweeten every bitter Cup: The believing conſideration, that the love of our Father, the love of the Mediator is in every Affliction; that every Cup that comes to us, paſſeth firſt through his Hands, who loved us, and gave himſelf for us, (for through him are all things) this conſideration will ſupport us: Lord, encreaſe our Faith.
So much of the ſecond Counſel, viz. To reſign up our Wills to the Will of God in all our Miſeries.
III. The laſt Counſel to Chriſtians, in order to their ſupport and comfort in their Afflictions, is this:
Aim at Communion with God, and Conformity to him in all your Actions: Look unto the inviſible eternal God, and labour for Communion with him, and conformity to him. It is conformity to God that fits us for communion with him. The more conformity to him, to his holy Nature, and to his holy Will, the more communion we ſhall have with him; and the more we are like him, the more will he manifeſt himſelf unto us; and the more we obey him, the more fellowſhip we ſhall have with him. John 14. 21, 23.
And alſo, the more communion we have with him, & the more communications we have from him, the more conformable we ſhall be to him, and the more we ſhall be like him; 2 Cor. 3. 18. Communion with God will transform and change us into his Image more and more; and the more we have of his Image, the more pleaſure will he take in us, and the more delight will he take to communicate himſelf to us: The more holy, heavenly, humble, meek, patient, loving, merciful, peaceable we are, the more like him we are; and the more we are like him, the more of his love and likeneſs will he continually work in us, and manifeſt unto us. This is the Life of true Religion; this is to live the Life of God, to live in communion with him, panting and longing after conſtant Influences and Communications of his Life, Spirit, Love, Grace, Peace, and Comfort from him; and giving up, ſurrendring up of our Hearts and Souls to him, ſpending our beſt thoughts, deſires, affections, hopes, truſt, joy, and delight upon him.
Always minding, that it is God in Chriſt that we muſt thus look unto and mind, in all theſe particulars; God in Chriſt, not God ſingly conſidered, but God in Chriſt; for, God cannot be comfortably thought upon out of Chriſt our Mediator, in whom alone he is well pleaſed: No Communion with God, but in Chriſt; no Communication of any good from God to us, but in Chriſt, and by his Spirit. It is the inviſible eternal God by the inviſible eternal Son of God, and through the inviſible eternal Spirit, that we muſt make all our Addreſſes unto, and expect all Communications of good from.
It is Chriſt alone that muſt bring God and the Soul together: In Chriſt we are reconciled to him, even by the Blood of his Croſs; 2 Cor. 5. 19. Col. 1. 21. And being reconciled to God by him, we have Peace with God, and then have Communion with him.
In Chriſt, God's Nature becomes lovely to us, and ours to God, otherwiſe there is an utter Enmity betwixt his pure and our impure Nature. Chriſt hath made up the vaſt gulf between God and us; He drank of the brook in the way, Pſal. 110. laſt.
Aim at, and thirſt after Communion with God in Chriſt, in all your receipts of Mercies from him, and in all your returns of Duty to him: Pray and pant, that all that you receive from him may come to you from his Love in Chriſt. Oh, that this Mercy, that this Affliction, may proceed from God's Fatherly Love in Chriſt Jeſus! ſo in all your Approaches to God, in Ordinances and Duties, pray and pant after Communion with God in Chriſt; Oh, that I may meet with God in this Ordinance, and in this Duty! without which we ſhould not be ſatisfied in any.
Ordinances and Duties, and all outward Bleſſings, are but viſible temporal things; we muſt look beyond them and above them, unto God in Chriſt, for the inviſible eternal love, and grace, and bleſſing of God in them. So holy David, Pſal. 63. 1, 2, 3. That I may ſee thy power and thy glory, ſaith he. And Verſ. 8. My ſoul followeth hard after God; to ſee God's power, and love, and grace in Ordinances. So Pſal. 42. 1, 2. My ſoul thirſteth for God, for the living God. This is the marrow and fatneſs of God's Ordinances, and this is that will ſatisfie the Soul; therefore this is the thing that our Souls ſhould long and breath after, that we may have ſights, ſweet ſights of the inviſible eternal God in Chriſt, in Ordinances and Duties, and taſts of his love and goodneſs in them.
And if we have Communion with God in our Mercies, we ſhall be able thankfully to receive them and fruitfully to improve them for God: And alſo, we ſhall be enabled patiently and comfortably to bear all our Afflictions, and profitably to improve them.
Now, if we would have Communion with God in Chriſt, we muſt look well to theſe things, viz.
1st, We muſt labour to be pure in Heart, for ſuch as are pure in Heart, and they only, ſhall ſee God; God in his Son, God in his Ordinances, in his Providences, and in Glory at laſt. If we regard Iniquity in our Hearts, God will not hear our Prayers, nor afford us any Communion with him. Mat. 5. 8. A pure Heart is a new Heart, an Heart purged by the Blood of Chriſt from the guilt of Sin, and purified by his Spirit; Acts 15. 9. An Heart renewed and ſanctified; a ſingle, ſincere, and upright Heart, that hath pure Principles planted in it, the Spirit of God, the Fear of God, the Love of God, Faith in God and Chriſt, Chriſt formed there, the Image of God ſtamped there, the Kingdom of God ſet up there: Theſe are the true Principles of Purity of Heart and Life; and alſo an Heart ſet and bent by the Rules of God's pure Word, that pure Rule; and that acteth for pure ends to pleaſe God, to bring Glory to him, to do good to others, and to enjoy God in our Salvation: Such may expect ſweet Communion with God, 2 Cor. 6. 16, 17. the Lord God Almighty will walk and dwell with ſuch.
2ly, We muſt labour to be poor in Heart, poor in Spirit, Mat. 5. 3. broken in Heart, contrite in Spirit, Iſa. 57. 15. O, the wonderful condeſcenſion of the high and lofty one, who dwelleth in the Heavens! that He ſhould ſtoop ſo low, as to dwell in the broken Heart, to revive ſuch Hearts, ſuch Spirits; O, the Revivings of God, they are Soul-ſatisfying things: The Conſolations of God are not ſmall: Happy indeed are thoſe Souls in whom the great and glorious God dwells; Bleſſed Souls that are the Temple of the holy God, Habitations of God by the Spirit; 1 Cor. 3. 16. Eph. 2. 22. Iſa. 66. 2. To the man will God look that is poor, and of a contrite Spirit; and God's looks on ſuch are ſweet looks, Love-looks; ſuch ſhall have much communion with God and Chriſt, for Chriſt was ſent to bind up the broken hearted, Luke 4. 18.
What a comfortable ſupport is this to a poor afflicted Chriſtian, that is poor in this World, deſtitute of Friends and earthly Comforts, reſtrained and ſhut up in Priſon, or otherwiſe confined to Chamber or Sick-bed, and withal, is poor in Spirit, is content in this condition? Yet now, in this his deſolate condition, he may have Communion with the great God; he may enjoy the bleſſed and ſweet Company of the Lord Jeſus by day and by night, even when Lover and Friend is put far from him; even then his God is near him, his everlaſting Father is with him, his dear Lord and Redeemer, his …eet Saviour and loving Husband is with him; Pſal. 25. 15, 16, 17. Pſal. 102. 17. He will regard …e prayer of the deſtitute, and not deſpiſe their prayer. He will never leave them, nor forſake them. Yea, He will then ſpeak moſt comfortably to their poor Souls, Hoſ. 2. 14. He will ſpeak to their Hearts; He knows their Souls beſt in Adverſity, and their Souls know him beſt then: Jeſus Chriſt will then …hew them his Love, and manifeſt it unto them, and ſupport them.
3ly, If we would have Communion with God …n every condition, we muſt labour to be upright in Heart: Pſal. 125. The Lord is nigh unto them that call upon him in truth; they ſhall have Communion with him: He loveth truth in the inner parts; He that walketh uprightly ſhall dwell in God's tabernacle, and abide in his holy hill, Pſal. 15. 1, 2. God hates Hypocriſie: Oh, the guile and falſhood of our hearts, let us bewail it, and cry to God with David, Make my heart ſound in thy statutes.
4ly, Be heavenly in heart, be heavenly-minded; ſuch ſhall have ſweet Communion with God; ſuch as have their Converſation in Heaven, have converſe with God, Phil. 3. 20. We muſt be very watchful, that the World do not lye too near our hearts, nor lodge too long in our hearts, for that will ſteal away our hearts from God, and hinder our Communion with him: We muſt take heed, that our hearts be not at any time over-charged with the Cares of this Life, but let us labour to keep the World and our Hearts aſunder; for thoſe things that are viſible and temporal, will darken our ſight of God, if we let them into our hearts; and they will drive God out of our hearts, if we entertain the inordinate love of them.
Covetouſneſs is Idolatry, becauſe it ſets up the Creature for a God in the Heart; 1 John 2. 14, 15. He that loveth the world, the love of the Father is not in him. Keep a ſtrong Watch then againſt this preſent evil World, and ſuffer it not to get into your Hearts, if you will maintain your Communion with God in Chriſt.
5ly, Be much in the acting of Faith, Love, Hope, Joy in the Lord: Be much in praiſing God: By the exerciſes of theſe graces we enjoy God, and God communicates himſelf to us. Oh, labour to live in the lively exerciſe of Faith: Chriſt dwells in the Heart by Faith; Eph. 3. 17. Gal. 2. 20. Labour to believe the Love of God in Chriſt to your Souls, in giving his Son to be a Sin-offering for us: John 3. 16. 2 Cor. 5. 21. And this believing it will warm and enflame your Hearts with Love to God again, and ſo you may enjoy much ſweet Communion with God and Chriſt; John 14. 21, 23.
In the Actings of our Love to God we ſhall meet with more Manifeſtations of God's Love to us. Where and when we open our Hearts to God and Chriſt, and give them our Loves, there and then will God and Chriſt open their Hearts to us, and give us their Loves; Cant. 1. 2, 3. & Cant. 7. 10, 11. There is a mutual Manifeſtation of Love to each other; no Love is loſt between Chriſt and his Spouſe: If any man open to me, (ſaith Chriſt) I will come in unto him, and ſup with him, and he with me; Rev. 3. 18. Now, by the exerciſe of Faith and Love, we open to Chriſt; he is always ready to come in: Open your everlaſting doors, that the king of glory may come in, Pſ. 24.
6ly, Be very watchful: Watch, and keep your hearts with all diligence, Prov. 4. 23. Take heed; let not the World nor Vain Thoughts lodge there. Take heed of wandring from God; watch your words, watch your ſteps; take heed, grieve not, quench not, reſiſt not the Holy Spirit, for by him God communicates himſelf to your Souls; carefully obſerve all his Motions, and ſtill beg his aſſiſtance in all your Duties, and reſt upon his Aid, without which you can do nothing.
7ly, And laſtly, If we would maintain our Communion with God, (which is our Heaven upon Earth) we muſt look well to our whole Converſation, that that be ordered aright, for to ſuch God will ſhew his ſalvation, Pſal. 50. 23. God looks for a well-order'd Converſation, a Life order'd by the Rule of his Word, ſetting narrow Steps to our Feet, looking ſtraight on, not turning aſide to the right or left hand, Prov. 4. 25, 26, 27. nor wickedly departing from his way, Pſal. 18. 21, 22, 23. but to be righteons, juſt, honeſt, ſaithful, upright, charitable in all our dealings with Men, and carefully performing all our Duties to GOD and Man in ſingleneſs and integrity of Heart. This is a well-order'd Converſation.
Alſo, in our Converſation, we muſt mind two things:
1. That we have no fellowſhip with the unfruitful Works of Darkneſs, Epheſ. 5. 11. that is, no more than need; no intimate Familiarity and Communion with them, leſt thereby we loſe our Communion with God; no more Communion with the Wicked than Piety, Charity, and Neceſſity will allow. Too many have loſt Communion with GOD, by their too intimate Communion with the Wicked. Away from me, ſaith holy David, all ye workers of iniquity.
2. That we break not Fellowſhip with, nor withdraw Communion from the People of God, from thoſe that bear his Image, although differing from us in ſome circumſtances. In the Communion of Saints we may have Communion with God; Pſal. 16. 2. God is among his People, he walks in them, and dwells in them. Our Love muſt be not only to thoſe of our own Opinion, but to all Saints and profeſſing Chriſtians, and muſt hold Communion with all thoſe with whom we may charitably judge, that Chriſt holds Communion; were this well minded, it would do much to heal our ſad and ſinful Breaches; Heb. 10. 24, 25.
And thus we have ſeen, how that our looking unto inviſible eternal things, eſpecially unto God in Chriſt, and maintaining our Communion with them, we may be ſweetly born up, and comfortably ſupported under all our Troubles.
O Moſt holy, moſt merciful, moſt gracious Lord God, Father Almighty, and my moſt loving and tender-hearted Father in my moſt dear and ſweet Redeemer Jeſus Chriſt; I render Thee my moſt humble and hearty Thanks and Praiſe, for lengthning my days, and for ſupporting me with thy Special Goodneſs, in this poor Work; for giving me ſometimes hours, ſometimes half-hours, and ſometimes days of ſome Strength and Eaſe, between thoſe many ſad and painful Diſtempers upon me, ſince I began it. And I moſt humbly beſeech thee to write theſe Truths on my Heart, and keep them there, that by the aſſiſtance of thy good Spirit they may be effectual to ſpiritualize, raiſe, and fix my poor, cold, dead, carnal Heart upon thy bleſſed Self in Chriſt; and be pleaſed to vouchſafe me ſweet, ſenſible, and conſtant Communion with thy ſelf in Chriſt, for thy Mercies ſake, that thereby I may glorifie thee in this my day of thy Viſitation, and may be throughly ſanctified by, and comfortably ſupported under all my Troubles. Amen.
TO ALL MY Chriſtian Friends IN DARTMOƲTH, Or elſewhere; That deſire to know the true ſtate of their never-dying Souls: In order to their making clear and ſure their Intereſt in the Lord Jeſus; Grace and Peace.
BEfore I had finiſh'd the foregoing Treatiſe, there came to my hands, by God's good Providence, ſome Papers of very great concernment to all our Souls for Eternity, being the Concluſion of a Diſcourſe by that Eminent, Learned, and Pious Servant of the Lord Jeſus, Mr. John Flavel, whoſe Works praiſe him, and of whoſe Preſence and Labours, we that knew him by Face or Works, have continual cauſe to lament our Loſs; which Diſcourſe was from 2 Cor. 13. 5. concerning Self-examination about a Man's Intereſt in Chriſt: Which Papers when I viewed and reviewed, I bleſs God, I felt ſo much power in the Contents of them, and ſo much ſweetneſs, that I thought not fit to eat my Morſels alone, but was ſtrongly impreſt to make them publick, which here by the conſent of his dear Relations, I preſume to do, hoping it will awaken thoſe that did hear thoſe cloſe-trying Truths, to be more exact in their trying Work, and may alſo excite others to due diligence in that ſo profitable and too much neglected Duty of Self-examination. Thoſe Characters in this will help us againſt Self-deceiving: Do not read only, but pray earneſtly for the Spirit's help, and do no longer delay this Work, leſt thou be cut off before thy Work be done, and what will become of thee then? That this, with all other Helps to thy Soul in the way to Heaven, may do thee good, is the unfeigned Prayer of thy unfeigned Friend,
James Bardwood.