The Voice of One Crying in a Wilderness, Sermon 1

The Voice of One Crying in a Wilderness · Sermon 1

p. 1A VVelcome TO THE PLAGUE.

AMOS 4. 12.

—Prepare to meet thy God O Iſrael.

IN this Sermon of the Prophet, the Lord reckons up the many fearful Plagues wherewith from time to time he had aſſayed to reclaim this perverſe people, the ten Tribes of Iſrael, beginning at the 6th. verſe: But ſtill concludes the relation, p. 2with a doleful Epiphonema, yet have ye not returned unto me. It is not my buſineſs to enquire into the ſeveral Plagues, either the clear meaning of them, or the particular time when they took place or ended; nor into the impenitence and ſtubborneſs of the people; though many uſeful things might be obſerved from hence. But in the concluſion, becauſe none of theſe judgments had prevailed upon them, God reſolves to trouble himſelf with them no longer, but to deſtroy them utterly. All that he had done to them in the Land, had not prevailed; therefore now he will caſt them and carry them out of the Land, by the over-flowing ſcourge of an Aſſyrian captivity: This threatning he denounces in the ſecond and third verſes, I will take you away with hooks, and your poſterity with fiſh-hooks, &c. And after he had reckoned up the many calamities whereby he had ſought to bring them to repentance, but they repented not, and ſo had demonſtrated the equitableneſs of this final judgment, he reaſſumes the ſame threatning, and perſiſts in his former reſolution, verſ. 12. Therefore thus will I do unto thee; And then adds, Becauſe I will do thus unto thee, therefore prepare to meet thy God O Iſrael▪

p. 3Which words may either be underſtood Ironically, by way of deriſion of all their vain confidences and refuges; and then the Doctrine is, That there is no ſtanding before, nor ſtriving againſt, nor flying from God when he comes to execute vengeance: Which is an excellent truth, and of great uſe. Or elſe the words may be underſtood ſeriouſly by way of exhortation. The doubt ſeems to ariſe from the ambiguous meaning of the word [Meet] The word foreign ſignifies both to meet in a hoſtile manner, to aſſault, invade or grapple with, as a man meets his enemy; ſo it is uſed concerning David addreſſing himſelf to fight with Goliah, 1 Sam. 17. 48. He ran to meet the Phillſtin: And alſo to meet in a friendly, amicable manner, by way of communication, collocution, ſalutation or converſe. So it is uſed concerning Iſaac going to meet Rebekah, Gen. 24. 65. and concerning Gods meeting of Balaam to ſpeak with him, and impart his mind to him. Numb. 23. 4. If we take the word in the firſt ſenſe, then it is ſpoken by way of Irony or deriſion, and ſo the meaning of the words is contained in the Propoſition that I have laid down. If we take the words in the latter ſenſe, then it is ſpoken ſeriouſly by way of exhortation, p. 4and ſo the meaning of them may be wrapt up into this.

Doct. That it is the duty of Gods people to ſtudy a right behaviour towards him, and to converſe with him aright in the way of his judgments, in the time of their afflictions. And in this ſenſe I ſhall take them, and proſecute them. Beſides that general, unalterable godly frame and behaviour which Gods people owe to him as a ſtanding duty and indiſpenſable homage; there are ſome more eſpecial behaviours and tempers which they owe to him in ſpecial caſes, and are duties pro hic & nunc, as the ſeaſon requireth. Particularly, there are ſome ſpecial behaviours required at our hands in the time of our affliction: And theſe both 1. Towards ourſelves, as ſelf-examination, ſelf-judging, renewing of repentance, &c. 2. Towards men, meekneſs, compaſſion, inſtructing, warning, comforting, &c. 3. Towards God, as we ſhall ſee anon. An afflicted condition doth call for ſome more eſpecial tempers and behaviours towards our ſelves and others: But theſe I am not to ſpeak unto from this Text. It is the ſouls meeting God, behaviour towards him, converſing with him, that my Text leads me to treat of, and I ſhall not vary p. 5from it. In handling of which Poſition, I ſhall take this Method. 1. Premiſe ſome things needful to be known, concerning the ſouls converſing with God: For I ſhall retain the word [converſing] throughout my diſcourſe, as being a ſingle, yet a large and ſignificant word. 2. Shew what it is for a ſoul to converſe with God; and how it comes to converſe with him. 3. Prove the doctrine, That it is our duty to converſe with God in the way of his judgments. 4. Shew particularly, how we are to converſe with God in the time of afflictions. 5. Apply it.

1. I ſhall premiſe ſome things needful to be known, that tend to clear up my way to the following diſcourſe.

1. I premiſe, That it is the great duty of man to converſe with God. I have read that it was a common precept that the Jewiſh Doctors were wont to give to the people, that they ſhould ſingle out ſome one Commandment, and exerciſe themſelves very diligently in the obſervation of it, that therein they might make God their friend, and make him a kind of amends for the breach of many others. I doubt it is a Rule that too many Profeſſors live by, who not having the genuine and generous ſpirit of p. 6true Religion, do parcel out their obedience into ſome little ſhreds of homage and devotion; and inſtead of conſecrating their whole lives to God, do content themſelves with ſome circumſtantial and light obedience, and think themſelves people of great attainments, if they do but ſeverely tye up themſelves to hearing twice a week, and prayer twice a day, and a few other acts of more ſolemn Worſhip. Certainly this is a penurious and needy ſpirit, much unlike the generous ample, and free-born ſpirit of true Religion. The duty, the whole duty, the conſtant duty of man is to converſe with God; commended in Enoch by the name of walking with God, Gen. 5. 22. Where you may obſerve of him, that he did not only ſet out fairly with God, or take a turn or two with him, but he walked with him three hundred years together. The ſame God calls for from Abraham, under the ſame name, Gen. 17. 1. Walk before me, and be perfect. But it is not only the command of God that makes this a duty: If there had been no expreſs commandment concerning it, yet were it the duty of every man, neceſſarily flowing from his relation of a reaſonable creature. As man is a creature, ſo he muſt needs live p. 7upon God; and as a reaſonable creature, ſo he ought to live with him and unto him. Therefore hath God given unto man a noble rational ſoul, not only that he might talk and work, manage the creatures, and converſe with the world; but that he might converſe with the God of the world; that Infinite, bleſſed and glorious Being. This is the very end of mans Creation, as man, as a reaſonable creature: This was the end of his being created in the Image of God; and when he was fallen from this Image, this was the end of his Redemption by Chriſt Jeſus, that Heaven and Earth might be reconciled, and thoſe that were far off might be brought …igh; ſin is a ſinking of the ſoul down to ſelf and the creature: And redemption from ſin is nothing elſe but a recovery of the ſoul into a ſtate of favour and fellowſhip with God. So that whatever is expreſſed by Faith and Repentance, is contained in this one word, Converſe with God. It is the great, the neceſſary, and as I may ſay, the natural duty of the Reaſonable Soul.

2. It is the higheſt priviledge of man. The Prerogative of man above the beaſts is his Reaſon; and the Glory of reaſon is, that p. 8it is capable of knowing, loving, enjoying, and converſing with the Supreme and Infinite Good. The priviledge of Reaſon is not (as too many think) that it is capable of underſtanding Arts and Sciences; that it is capable of climbing up into the nature and courſe of the Heavens, and diving into the ſecret depths of the Earth, and Sea, and the creatures therein contained; but in converſing with the Infinite and Glorious God. How miſerably do vulgar ſouls abuſe this noble faculty, who exerciſe it only in diſcourſing, numbring, and ordering the poor con… cernments of the world and the body! Yea, certainly thoſe wiſe men, thoſe Scribes, thoſe Diſputers of this world, as the Apoſtle calls them, who cry up this faculty and glory ſo much in it, and yet do not exerciſe it about that high and eternal Being, do not converſe with God in pure affections, and God▪ like diſpoſitions and converſations, but expend thoſe vaſt treaſures of reaſon upon ſecrets in Nature, ſecrets in Art, ſecrets in State, or any other created Being, do enthrall their own ſouls, which they ſay are ſo freeborn, and captivate and confine that noble principle, which they themſelves do ſo much magnifie: For ſin is certainly the great and p. 9only ſhame and reproach of an immortal ſoul: And indeed theſe men, though they put their ſouls to ſomewhat a more noble drudgery, yet are really no more happy than the vulgar ſort, who ſpend the ſtrength of their ſouls about eating and drinking, plowing or ſowing, or keeping of Cattel. What difference, I pray you, in point of true happineſs is there, between Boys playing with Pins and Points, and old mens hugging of Baggs and Lands? The nobleſt Sciences, the greateſt Commands, the moſt enriching Traffiques are as very toys in compariſon of true happineſs, as the poor dunghil-poſſeſſions of vulgar men: And the wiſe, the rich, the learned, the honourable of the world, that take up with an employment in this world, and with a happineſs in themſelves, or in any creature, do as much diſgrace their own ſouls, and as truly live below their own faculties, as he doth that knows no higher good than food and rayment; no higher employment than to toil all his dayes in a ditch. For indeed, as to all things but converſing with God, man ſeems to be but equal, perhaps inferiour to the beaſts that periſh. Doth man eat, drink, ſleep, work? ſo do they. Doth man find any ſenſual pleaſure, which the p. 10beaſts do not ſenſate as well as he? Nay, the Gormand…z…ng Emperour envyed the Cranes long neck; and others have envyed the more able and permanent luſts of the brute beaſts, becauſe themſelves have been inferiour to them therein, and have enjoyed leſs ſenſual pleaſure than they. If any glory in their knowledge of natural and political things; I could inſtance in the ſtrong memory, great ſag…city, quick fancy, wonderful perceptions of many beaſts, and their ſtrange knowledge of many ſecrets which they never learnt by Books; no nor gathered gradually by Obſervations. And as for mans communications of his notions by words and phraſes, I doubt not to affirm, that there is ſomething like to be found in Beaſts and Birds: yea, that very beauty and flower of ſound, even Muſick (which ſome men magnifie ſo much) is more fairly and ſweetly uttered by the filly Bird that ſits ſolitary upon a bough, than by the Quiriſters of the Popes Cathedral. What ſolid Prerogative worth naming remains to man above his fellowcreatures, but his converſing with God, which we call Religion, and is indeed Reaſon rectified, ſanctified, exalted, and boyled up into its pure and primitive perfection! p. 11In ſo mnch that I have ſometimes thought, that I never heard a more reproachful word ſpoken concerning degenerate man, neither do I think that any thing can be ſpoken of him more ſhameful and diſhonourable, than what the Apoſtle ſaith of the Heathen, Epheſ. 2. 12.—Without God in the world. By converſing with God in the world, is man truly raiſed above the beaſts, and the godly man above all other men. Nay, hereby is the godly ſoul advanced to the dignity and glory of the Holy Angels, or at leaſt to a parity of happineſs: For it is this that is their perfection and glory, as we find it deſcribed in Mat. 18. 10.—They alwayes behold the face of God. And therefore our bleſſed Saviour doth affirm, that the Saints in the Reſurrection, who ſhall be raiſed above all creature-communion, to live upon God ſingly and entirely, ſhall be foreign, equal to the Angels of God, Luk. 20. 36. In a word, this is the moſt real Heaven, ſetting aſide all circumſtances of place, &c. the perfect and proper happineſs of a ſoul, to ſee God, Mar. 5. 8. to be like unto him, 1 John 3. 2. to converſe with the Father by the Son, as our Saviour bath told us, who …eſt knew it, John 17. 3. This is life eternal, to know thee p. 12the only true God and Jeſus Chriſt whom thou haſt ſent. By this it is that God dwells in the ſoul, and the ſoul in God (as we ſhall ſee hereafter) and the Kingdome of Heaven doth really enter into every Believer.

3. The natural man is utterly unwilling and unable to converſe with God. An earthly Mountain may as ſoon riſe up to Heaven by its own power and good will, as an earthly mind: And ſuch minds are all natural and unregenerate. Sin, as I hinted before, is a falling from God, a ſinking of the ſoul into ſelf, whether ſenſual ſelf, or ſpiritual ſelf, and a ſhriv…lling of it up into the creature, and the ſinful ſoul is alwayes (like a ſhadow) moving upon the ſurface of the Earth, and higher it cannot get, Rom. 8. 5. Would you know what is the principal object of a natural mans admiraration, inclination, and ambition? The Pſalmiſt will tell you, It is ſome created good, Pſal. 4. 6, 7. Will you know what is the diſpoſition of the natural man towards the ſupreme and uncreated good? The Apoſtle will tell you, It is Ignorance and Enmity, 1 Cor. 2. 14. Rom. 8. 7. The carnal mind is enmity againſt God. This high duty of converſing with God in a right p. 13manner is beſides the temper of the wicked man: never any ſuch man did perform it. It is a contradiction: A wicked man converſing with God, is as if one ſhould ſay, An ungodly man that is godly. But that's not all; This duty is not only out of the hands of a wicked man, but out of his reach too,—Neither can he know him, ſaith the Apoſtle to the Corinthians; and again to the Romans,—Neither can he be ſubject to him. Can two walk together, except they be agreed? ſaith the Prophet. Can man walk with God, converſe with God, except he be reconciled to him? And what agreement, but by a Mediator? What Mediator between God and man but Chriſt Jeſus, who … a Mediator, as the Logicians call a medium participationis, who is God man? In the word, ſome converſe with one thing in a world, and ſome with another, as I noted before; but all converſe principally and mainly with the creature, that are not regenerated by Grace, reconciled by Chriſt.

4. It is the duty of man in all ages of life, at all times, and in all places, and conditions, to converſe with God. It is a neceſſary, natural, certain, conſtant duty, ſpringing up out of the very nature and natural will of p. 14God, and out of the very nature and relation and capacity of the reaſonable ſoul, binding ſemper and ad ſemper, as the Schoolmen ſpeak, and admitting of no diſpenſation nor diminution. There is no time wherein it is not a duty, or wherein it is leſs a duty than at another time; however, we are apt to give to our ſelves many relaxations from it. The firſt fruits, nay, the very early buds of the tender ſoul, and of the ſpringing faculties; theſe are due to God, and ought to be dedicated to him, Eccleſ. 12. 1. Remember now thy Creator in the dayes of thy youth. Manhood is not allowed ſo to attend unto cares and exploits, nor old age to pains and griefs, as to neglect converſe with God: But whether young men build or plant, fight or ſtudy, or work, or marry, or manage the affairs of the houſe or of the field, all ſhould be undertaken and carryed on in away of converſe and fellowſhip with God: or whether old men ſit and muſe and meditate, or lye under the pains and grievances of decrepit age, ſtill it ought to be in the Lord. Neither doth this duty admit of interruption, no more than of ceſſation: There is no diſpenſation given us from this duty, as in no age, ſo in no hour of our life. As we p. 15cannot live a moment out of God, ſo neither ought we to live a moment without, God in the world. We ought continually ſo endeavour to walk in ſubſervience to and converſe with God, yea and as far as may be in a feeling converſe with him too. Holy David witneſſeth of himſelf that the fear of God was continually before his eyes, and that he did continually converſe with God; for ſo thoſe words may be underſtood, Pſal. 73. 23. I am continually with thee. The like is recorded of many other Saints both in the Old and New Teſtaments; concerning whom one may well ſay as the Queen of Sheba concerning the ſervants of Solomon, and with much better reaſon (1 King. 10. 8.) Happy are theſe thy ſervants (O Lord) which ſtand continually before thee! Neither is it the duty of ſome few men, that have the greateſt knowledge or the moſt leaſure. For it ſprings up out of the relation of a creature, and out of the very nature of the rational ſoul; ſo that no ſoul of man is exempted from it, however many ignorant and profane perſons live rather in a profeſſed independance upon God. Neither is it a duty only upon ſuppoſition of leaſure and freedom from worldly buſineſs, p. 16as ſome other things are, but is equally incumbent upon Prince and Peaſant, upon him that ſits in his cloſet, and upon him that ploughs in the field; yea they that go down unto the Sea in ſhips, ought to go up unto heaven in their hearts; and not only to converſe with the clouds (which they often do,) but above them too. A hand full of earth, and a heart full of heaven may well ſtand together: For as this duty juſtles out no honeſt buſineſs, ſo neither ſhould it ſelf be juſtled out by any. And as this high & excellent duty agrees to all ages and times and perſons, ſo it agrees to all conditions too: poor men do think that rich men may well do it, and rich men think that poor men had need to do it: proſperity thinks it hath better things to mind than a God; and adverſity knows it hath worſe things, but it muſt mind them: plenty is too full to entertain him, and poverty hath enough to do to bear up under its own burden: learning knows how, but will not; ignorance ſayes it would, but knows not how; but notwithſtanding all this ſhuffling, the obligation to this duty ceaſes not: None ſo high as to be above it, none ſo mean as to be below it: For rich and poor, high and low, learned and p. 17unlearned, Prince and peaſant, though they are divided amongſt themſelves by punctilioes and leſſer differences, yet they are united in one univerſal Being, meet in one and the ſame center, agree in the common capacity of reaſonable creatures. As religion hath an intereſt and a concernment in the whole of the converſation, (according to that of the Apoſtle, Phi. 3. 20. our converſation is in heaven) ſo alſo hath it a room in the converſation of every man in every capacity: No Relation, Condition, Action, Change is exempted from the powerful influence thereof: ſo the Apoſtle deſcribes himſelf, by his living in all good conſcience before God all along, Act. 23. 1. and by his exerciſing himſelf in this thing, to have alwayes a conſcience void of offence towards God and towards men, Act. 24. 16.

Now the fifth ſtep in order, would be, that It is more eſpecially the duty of Gods people to ſtudy to converſe with him aright in the way of his judgements, which is the Doctrine it ſelf, which I muſt not come to confirm, till I have ſhewed according to my promiſe in the ſecond place, what it is for the ſoul to converſe with God, and how it comes to converſe with him.

p. 18Not to name thoſe too low and improper notions that men ordinarily have of this high and ſpiritual matter, converſing with God, to ſpeak properly of it, is a compiex Act of the ſoul, whereby it entertains God into it ſelf, and renders it ſelf back again to him; receives impreſſions from him, and gives up it ſelf again to him; is firſt filled with him, and then empties it ſelf into him▪ You may conceive of it after the ſimilitude of a Plant, that is influenc't by the benign beams of the Sun; and in thoſe beams ſpreads it ſelf, and in the virtue and power of them grows up towards Heaven: or after the ſimilitude of a River, that is continually filled with the Ocean, and is continually emptying it ſelf into the ſame, foreign. This ſeems to be our Saviours elegant alluſion, Job. 4. 14. where he compares a divine and godly principle in the ſoul, to a well of water ſpringing out from God, and continually boyling and bubling up towards him—ſpringing up into eternal life. Or you may conceive of it after the ſimilitude of a Glaſs, which receives the image of him that looks into it, and reflects the ſelf ſame image that it receives. For indeed the brightneſs and beanty of holineſs wherewith p. 19a godly ſoul doth ſhine as a light in the world, is nothing but a reflection of that light and brightneſs wherewith the Father of lights ſhineth into it. And ſo the beſt of men have nothing of their own to glory in; for they behold God, but it is in his own light; they love him with a love which he hath ſhed abroad in their hearts; they are therefore like him, becauſe he hath ſtampt his own image upon them: And ſo they muſt needs acknowledge concerning all their acts of love, and communion, and delight; as David did in another caſe, Of thine own we offer unto thee. This is indeed the true and noble converſe and communion with God, wherein the life of a godly man is infinitely advanced above the life of all other men, and indeed doth nearly reſemble the life of Angels: Their life is deſcribed in the Holy Scriptures, by a ſeeing of God, a beholding of him face to face; which we muſt not underſtand of a naked idle ſpeculation, but of a real aſſimilation ariſing from the divine impreſſions made upon them; a beholding of him ſo as to be changed into his image. And ſuch is a godly mans life, ſpiritual life, his life of converſe with God, conſiſting in a participation of God, and of his Grace, and a holy p. 20recip…ocation or reflection of affections to him; which are indeed two diſtinct acts, though originally ſpringing from the ſame fountain; for the love wherewith the ſoul loves God, is it ſelf an efflux from him: For by loving us, he inſpires a love into us; and by influences from God we become God-like. But this converſe with God is not only by the impreſſions of goodneſs from God, and the reflections of love and delight towards him; but is alſo ſeen in the various acts of the ſoul, according to the various impreſſions which God maketh upon the ſoul, and ſuitable to the various occaſions of life; ſo we converſe with God by acts of fear, reverence, joy, confidence, ſelf-reſignation, and the like.

Now, becauſe we are in the body, and ſo cannot converſe with God ſo purely, ſpiritually and immediately, as the Angels in Heaven do, therefore it hath pleaſed God to appoint unto man wayes and means of converſing with him, wherein he ha…h promiſed to communicate himſelf to the ſoul, and ſo to draw forth reciprocal acts of communion, acts of love, fear, reverence, confidence, reſignation, dependance, and delight out of the ſame ſoul towards himſelf, Now theſe wayes or means may be p. 21reduced to three heads. Duties, Ordinances, and Providences; though indeed the two firſt might be contracted into one. Firſt, I will ſpeak a word or two of Ordinances, ſuch as the Word and Sacraments; for I ſhall name no more but thoſe two. The Preaching of the Word is a way in which God doth uſually meet the ſoul, to communicate Life, 1 Pet. 1. 23. Light. Pſal. 19. 8. Warmth, Luke 23. 32. Growth, 1 Pet. 2. 2. And the ſoul doth anſwer theſe impreſſions, as in the water face anſwereth face, by the acts of the acts of Faith, Love, Joy, Meekneſs, and holy Reſolution. So alſo the adminiſtration of the Sacraments is a way wherein God meetech the ſoul, and communicateth his Love, Sweetneſs, Fuln…ſs, Goodneſs, Strength and Vigour to the ſoul: and it reflects upon him in the acts of holy complacency and delight, chearfulneſs, thankfulneſs and dependence.

Secondly, Duties, theſe are alſo wayes of converſe with God; ſuch as Confeſſion, Petition, Thankigiving, Conference, Singing, Meditation, Obſervation, In all which God impreſſeth ſomething of himſelf upon the ſoul, and draws anſwerable affections of the ſoul unto himſelf, as might appear in the particular explication of them; but p. 22that would be too much a digreſſion. Only I will here note by the way, the miſtake of many low-ſpirited Chriſtians, who know no other converſe with God, than the bare performance of theſe things; this they count the very top-ſtone of a Chriſtians perfections, the very flower of the ſpiritual life. But alas, this is a groſs miſtake! There is ſure ſomething more ſweet, ſavoury, ſatisfactory in the ſpiritual life, than the dry duty: there is marrow in the bone, or elſe a holy ſoul could not cover it with ſo much ſervour. Converſe with God in duties, is a ſpiritual, favoury, filling enjoyment, diſtinct from the duties themſelves: This muſt needs be, except we will allow to wicked and hypocritical men the ſame dainties, that the moſt ſanctified ſouls do feed upon; and ſay, That the childrens bread is common to the Dogs, as well as them. The ſoul doth not converſe with God in duties barely when it prayes, or meditates; for even godly ſouls themſelves do many times find little converſe with God in theſe, viz. when he ſuſpends the influences of his graces, or their hearts are …logg'd or cloy'd with earthly objects, or otherwiſe indiſpoſed and ſhut up againſt him: It is not ſpeaking to God that brings p. 23the ſoul really nigh unto him, nor bare thinking of God that advances the ſoul into the excellent ſtate of feeling converſe with him. Even prayer it ſelf may prove many times an empty ſound, vox & praeterea …ihil; and meditation, that moſt excellent and genuine off-ſpring of the ſoul, may prove a poor dry and ſapleſs ſpeculation. It is not enough to ſet up the ſayls, but there muſt alſo be wind to fill them. But then doth the ſoul converſe with God in duties, when the dark places thereof become filled with his divine light, and the empty places thereof filled with his divine love, and the low and languiſhing affections thereof are raviſhed and revived with the powerful inſinuations of his Almighty Grace: when God draws, and the ſoul runs; he puts in his finger by the hole of the door, and the very bowels of the ſoul are moved for him, as it is deſcribed, Cant. 5. 4. Then doth the ſoul converſe with God in meditation and prayer, when the Spirit of God moves upon the face of the waters, when he kiſſes it with the kiſſes of his mouth; and the ſhaking ſoul finds it ſelf marvelouſly ſettled, the doubting ſoul eſtabliſhed, the frozen heart thawed, the benumm'd affections warmed, the ſcant p. 24and contracted capacity of it enlarged, and wonderfully widened, and its ſlow and ſluggiſh motions quickened into a lively and chearful compliance with, and purſuit of the ſupreme and ſelf ſufficient good: when the ſoul finds its leggs to run after that glorious object which is preſented to it, lifts up its hands to lay hold upon the ſtrength, the fulneſs, the faithfulneſs, the Chriſt of God; and bearing up it ſelf upon the wings of faith and love, flyes out to ſeek its reſt and happineſs; and no longer envyes the birds of the Altar, for it ſelf enters into the Holy of Holies, and thorough the arms of its Mediator, throws it ſelf into the very heart of God. In a word, and that ſhall be the Word of God, then doth a ſoul converſe with God in duties, when with open face beholding the glory of God, it doth not only admire it, but it ſelf is changed into the ſame image from glory to glory, i. e. from grace to grace, 2 Cor. 3. ult.

Thirdly, Providences: Theſe are another way wherein the ſoul converſes with God. Now by Providences, we mean in general, the whole work of God in governing the world, and all things therein. And ſo indeed a religious enlarged ſoul, a mind freed from particular pinching Cares, low p. 25and ſelfiſh ends, converſes with God in beholding and obſerving Gods ſetled courſe of governing the world. The whole Heavens, Earth, and Sea, and the admirable order kept up in them, do teach the knowledge of God, and draw up the contemplative ſoul into an obſervation and admiration of him in them; and the pious ſoul longs to find ſome impreſſions made upon it ſelf by all theſe, and to be affected with God therein: It is not content with a bare ſpeculation, but its meditation of God in theſe is ſweet to it, as Davids were, Pſal. 104. 34. Particularly, Gods Providence towards mankind, as it doth moſt livelily expreſs his infinite love, juſtice and wiſdom, ſo we ought to converſe with him therein, and in all the changes of any kind that befall man in the world, that befall all the Kingdoms of the world, the four great Monarchies of it, and all other ſubordinate Dominions; more eſpecially in all the mutations that befall the Church of God in the world, and all men of all ſects and ſorts therein, but moſt eſpecially our ſelves. Labour to conver…e with that infinite mind, wiſdom and underſtanding that ordains and orders all the changes that befall your ſelves. N…w our conve…ſing with p. 26God in the ſeveral changes that befall us in the world, is in general by endeavouring to ſerve the Providence of God in every change. The Providence of God ſerves it ſelf even upon wicked men, and upon all creatures that do leaſt underſtand it; but a godly man only knows how to ſerve the Providence of God in the things that befall him: He hath no private ſelfiſh intereſt of his own, but counts it his intereſt chearfully and faithfully to ſerve the will of God, to be what God would have him be, to be without that which God would have him to want, and to do what God would have him do. Every wicked ſoul in the world ſets up ſome trade for himſelf, and drives on ſome particular ſelf-intereſt diſtinct from God: But a godly ſoul counts it his greateſt honour and happineſs to be nothing in himſelf, nor for himſelf, but is wholly at the beck of his Creator; and looking upon all his intereſt as being bound up in God, is ſollicitous for nothing elſe but to ſerve the will of God in his generation: So the life of holy David is deſcribed, Act. 13. 36. David in his generation having ſerved the will of God, i. e. the Providence of God, ſay the Dutch Annotat. tranſlating the words in this order. A good man eying nothing p. 27but the great and bleſſed God in the world, and knowing that he was not made for himſelf, but for a higher good▪ is only ambitious to be ſubſervient to that Infinite and Soveraign Being; herein imitating his Bleſſed Saviour, who lived not to do his own will, but the will of him that ſent him, Joh. 6. 38. and again, to ſeek the glory of him that ſent him, John 7. 18. In a word, he looks upon himſelf, not as in himſelf, but in God, and labours to become foreign, wholly Gods, and to live in the world only as an inſtrument in the hands of him that worketh all things according to the counſel of his own will. That in general, for the converſing with God in all kind of changes in general. Now theſe changes are reduced to two heads, Proſperity and Adverſity. In the firſt of theſe it is our duty to converſe with God, and not with the creature comforts which we do enjoy from him, as one might ſhew at large. But I am to ſpeak of the latter, and to ſhew how we ought to converſe with God in that: But firſt I muſt demonſtrate, that it is our duty to do it, which was the third thing I promiſed, viz. To ſhew that it is the duty of Gods people to ſtudy to converſe with him aright in the way of his p. 28Judgments, in a time of affliction. And here, I hope, I need not be at pains to prove by Scripture, that beſides the general buſineſs of a Chriſtians life, ſome particular and more eſpecial behaviours are required of him in an afflicted ſtate; all will grant it ſure: Beſides, by that time I ſhall have declared what they are, I ſhall not need to prove that they are. Therefore for the preſent I ſhall content my ſelf to give in three or four Reaſons of it, and ſo paſs on. It is eſpecially the duty of Gods people to ſtudy to converſe with him aright in the time of afflictions.

1. Becauſe then eſpecially it is hard to do it: We are then very apt to be taken off from it, therefore we ſhould then eſpecially labour to purſue it, and perform it: We are then in eminent danger to be taken off from it; and that by theſe means.

1. Our ſenſes do ſet us on work to converſe with outward means, which, whilſt we attend upon too eagerly, we neglect and forget God. This might appear by an induction of particular afflictions; but that would be too long. I will only inſtance in one or two for explication. The ſickneſs and painedneſs of the body, calls out the mind to ſeek after, and converſe with Phyſicians; p. 29bodily wants call us to ſeek after bodily ſupplies, and ſo all kind of diſtreſſes call out the ſoul to ſeek creature-relief. Call upon the ſick and languiſhing Patient to call upon, and hang upon divine help, to converſe with God: alas, he hath enough to do to attend upon his pains and pangs; tell him of eaſe, of recovery, and he can hearken to you, for that's the news that he longs to hear. Call upon the poor pined beggar to ſeek relief of God, to converſe with him: Alas, he finds ſuch a faintneſs in his limbs, ſuch a gnawing of hunger, ſuch a reſtleſs appetite within himſelf, that he can groan out nothing, but Oh that one would give me bread to eat! In a word, the ſoul is more naturally addicted to mind its body to which it is joyned, than the God that joyned it to that body. Hence you may obſerve two things by the way, viz 1. The reaſon why ſo few perſons repent in time of ſickneſs; the ſenſe of ſickneſs drowns the ſenſe of ſin. 2. The reaſon why ſo few poor people who are ever more conflicting with the neceſſities of the body, do not at all mind the concernments of their ſouls: The exigencies and ſtraits of the body, do cry louder in their hearts than all the words and works of God. p. 30So that as health is the beſt time for repentance, ſo it ſeemeth that the beſt way to teach the poor, is to relieve them.

2. The corruptions of the heart are then moſt apt to make war againſt Heaven. This is the opinion of him who knows the temper of man too well, Job. 1. 11. Put forth thine hand againſt him, and he will curſe thee to thy face. And I am perſwaded that the Devil acts much by this obſervation; which makes him endeavour all he can to make many good men poor, thinking thereby to make them leſs good: though the wiſe and merciful God do wonderfully prevent him. For indeed the ſoul is ſo naturally tender of the body, that its loth God himſelf ſhould touch it; if he do, it is ready to fret and ſtorm, and flye in his face. Converſe with God! ſaith the wicked King, Why this evil is from the Lord; what ſhould I wait upon the Lord any longer! 2 King. 6. 33. There are many corruptions of the ſoul that are moſt ready to clamour againſt God in a time of affliction, as Fear, Anger, Ʋnbelief, yea and ſinful Self-love and Creature-love, an affection than can never be taught to converſe with God, yet will go crying after him, when he takes away any darling from p. 31it, as Phaltiel went crying after his Wife, or rather, crying againſt him; as Micah cryed againſt the men of Dan, ſaying, Ye have taken away my Gods, and are gone away, and what have I more? Judg. 18. 24.

3. Temptations do then come ſtrongeſt from without. Then it is the Devils time to play his game: What, put up this reproach! what, will you ſit down with this loſs! up and revenge thy ſelf. He that knows ſo well the temper of mans heart ſo ready to curſe God when he touches him, Job 2. 5. will not fail to touch the heart, and tempt it to curſe him indeed, Job 2. 9.—Curſe God and dye.

I have gone thorow the Doctrinal part of my diſcourſe upon theſe words, which was the thing I mainly intended. Many Inferences might be drawn from it. But I ſhall content my ſelf to forbid, and ſo as it were to remove out of the way, ſome things that hinder this great duty; and ſo ſhut up all with one word of Exhortation.

1. Converſe not with creature comforts, the poor, low, and ſcant enjoyments of this world: For ſo I may well call them, though they be never ſo high in the opinion of them that have them, and never ſo large as to p. 32the proportion that any one hath of them: They are low in compariſon of that high and ſup…eme good for which the ſoul was made; and ſcant as to any real happineſs or ſatiſfaction that they can poſſibly give. For indeed thoſe ſinful and ſenſual ſouls that take up their reſt and happineſs moſt in them, are not properly ſatisfied, but ſurfeited; not filled, but for the preſent glutted with them. There are many unlawful, and hurtful wayes of the ſouls converſing with created comforts: I will not run thorow them all, as not intending any large diſcourſe upon theſe heads. Converſe not with them, fondly delighting in them, and doating upon them: eſpecially take heed of this when God is ſhaking his Rod over any of them. Doth God ariſe and begin to plead with you in judgment, laying his hand upon any of theſe, and threatning to take them from you? Oh then hands off! touch them not. What an unſeemly, and indeed monſtrous fight is it to ſee a creature pulling & tugging againſt his Creator & maintaining his ſuppoſed right againſt Heaven its ſelf! Is it for a Heaven-born ſoul to ſtand gazing and doating upon, or paſſionately weeping over created friends, carnal liberty, corporal health, houſes made p. 33with hands, things below God, yea and below its ſelf too! Pore not too much upon them; value them only in God, and refer them freely to him. If you can ſay, you have any thing of your own, make much of it, and ſpare not: But give unto God the things that are Gods; and by that time you have done ſo, I think you need not dote upon what's left. We ought indeed at all times to enjoy all our creature comforts with hearts looſened from them: but if formerly our hearts have been too much joyned to them, it is time now to looſen them.

2. Converſe not with creature cauſes in a time of Affliction. This is a ſtrange kind of Atheiſtical temper, into which we are very prone to fall: I ſpeak properly, when I ſay [Fall;] for it is indeed a falling down from God in our hearts, in whoſe Infinite Eſſence all creature-cauſes are lapt up; and in whoſe hand the ſeveral ſucceſſes and events of them all do lie. Let a beaſt that judges by ſenſe, kick at the poor thorn that pricks him: But let rational ſouls fix upon the higheſt and ſupreme Agent, who in an infinite, powerful and skilful manner, uſes what creature he will, for what end he will, and ſends it of p. 34an errand which it ſelf knows not. Why do we run hunting Poor Partridge inſtruments upon the mountains of contemplation? Shall the noble faculties of an immortal ſoul ſpend themſelves upon ſuch an inquiſition? or is it juſt to purſue an innocent creature out of breath for being an inſtrument in the hand of God; to quarrel with the Sword, becauſe it ſuffered its ſelf to be drawn; or beat the Air, becauſe it is infected? This were indeed to go out with the King of Iſrael, with much warlike preparation, to catch Fleas. I deny not but that wiſe men may look into ſecond cauſes, and make many profitable Obſervations from them, both for preſent, and future; and all men may and ought to learn many wholeſome leſſons even from the inſtrument that afflicts them: But ſure I am, a godly man will not dwell upon theſe; he will not fix here, but readily reſolve all into an higher cauſe, and ſo falls to converſe with that: Much leſs will he blame or murmure at a poor harmleſs Arrow, that flew no further than it was ſhot, nor pierced no deeper than it was bidden. Yea, though the ſecond cauſe were a ſinful cauſe, a rational Agent, and ſo conſequently acted by malicious and evil principles; yet a godly p. 35ſoul knows how to diſtinguiſh upon him, and his action: he hates him as a ſinner; but comports well enough with him as Gods inſtrument: and though he condemns his action as it varies from Gods command, yet he approves of it as being ordered by Gods hand and counſel. David hated curſing, as much as any man; yet did he ſo eye the hand of God in every thing, and comply with it too, that there was a time when he ſaid concerning Shimei, So let him curſe. Concerning this I hinted ſomething before under another head. Therefore

3. Converſe not with creature-cures, creature-relief. Theſe may indeed be lookt out after, and ſafely made uſe of when they are found: Nay, I will add further, that they are to be ſought diligently, and uſed carefully. They that know the Infinite Soveraignty, Power and Wiſdom of God, will not tye him to means, much leſs to theſe or thoſe particular means: But on the other hand, they that underſtand Gods uſual and ordinate way of acting and governing, and upholding the world, will not tye him up from means; no, nor expect that he ſhould appear for their relief immediately and miraculouſly. Though if any one have a miraculous faith truly p. 36grounded upon ſome ſpecial and particular promiſe, I will not contend with him: only I would deſire to ſee his miraculous faith juſtified by ſome miraculous works, which I conceive do alwayes attend it. But the converſe with creature-cures which I forbid, is the immoderate ſeeking of them, or the inordinate uſing of them. To ſeek after means in themſelves unlawful, can never become lawful: But I ſpeak not of theſe. For, although ſome are come to that height of Atheiſm and abjuration of God, as to retain the Devil himſelf for counſelf in a time of ſtraits, as Saul did, and contract with the Prince of death for the preſervation of life in time of ſickneſs, as Ahaziah did: And I doubt very many do fall into acquaintance with that evil ſpirit, and receive aſſiſtance from him before they be well aware, by medling with unphyſical, unſcriptural, unwarrantable cures: yet the greateſt danger is not in theſe: in licit is perimus omnes, the greateſt danger is of miſcarrying about things in themſelves lawful. And that is chiefly by thoſe two wayes which I named but now. Take heed therefore of immoderate ſeeking after created helps. Be not anxious, perplexed, tormented in mind by a paſſionate p. 37deſire of any of theſe. Oh what a raging and unquenchable thirſt have many men after creature cures! They will move Heaven and Earth, and almoſt Hell too (with her in the Poet) but they will find out relief. Give me a Phyſician, or I dye, ſayes one; Give me trading, good Markets, a plentiful Crop, or I am undone, ſayes another. What man, is thy life lapt up in a pill, or incorporated into a potion? Is thy main happineſs in the abundance of theſe things here below? or wilt thou ſay to the wind, Blow here in this quarter, and nowhere elſe; tye up the ſupreme and free Agent to a form and method of working? Let not ſuch a prophane diſpoſition be found amongſt us. Again, if you have found out hopeful creaturecures, take heed of uſing them in an inordinate manner, laying ſtreſs upon them, looking earneſtly on them, as though they by their own power and proper virtue could make the lame to walk, or the ſick to recover. Eye not, much leſs depend upon the virtue of any created means as diſtinct from God. But acknowledge the powe…, and virtue, and goodneſs of every created Being▪ to be the power, and virtue, and goodneſs of God in that creature; and ſo p. 38conſequently uſe it in ſubordination and ſubſerviency to the ſupreme cauſe, who can at pleaſure let looſe or ſuſpend the influences and virtues of every ſuch means.

4. Converſe not with creature-loſſes in a time of affliction. The ſinful ſoul that hath ſtraggled off from God, and centred upon the creature, is alwaies intemperate and reſtleſs: If it be diſappointed in its converſe with creature-cures, and ſees that for all theſe, his comforts are …ut off, health, liberty, friends, are periſhed; then he falls to converſe with his loſſes, and ſpends the powers of his ſoul in diſcontents, complaints, and many diſmal paſſions. Oh then, alas, I am undone! What ſhall I do for the hundred talents! I am the only man that hath ſeen affliction; no ſorrow like unto my ſorrow: I ſhall go ſoftly all my dayes, for the joy of my heart is periſhed, the delight of my eyes is cut off. Thus Rachel wee… for her children, and will not be comforted: Rizpah attends the carkaſſes of her Sons, and will not be parted from them, 2 Sam. 21. It is a ſtrange thing that a ſoul ſhould live upon its loſſes: And yet how many do ſo! Their very ſoul cleaveth to the duſt, where their creature-comforts are interred; whoſe ſouls are ſo much p. 39bound up in the creature, that they will needs live and dye together with them. If God ſmite the Gourd, and make it to wither, Jonah droops, and will needs dye too, Jonah 4. 8, 9. If Joſeph be miſſing a while, Jacob will not be comforted; no, he will go down into the grave unto his Son mourning, Gen. 37. 35. Who would have thought to have heard ſuch words, from ſuch wiſe men, as a Prophet and a Patriach! Oh, the ſtrange and unbounded power which this unſeemly creature love hath obtained over the beſt of men! which makes me call him a happy man, almoſt more than a man, a compeer of Angels, who hath learnt to converſe with God alone. Well, converſe not with creatureloſſes; let not your ſoul take up its lodging by the carkaſſes of your created-comforts, with Riz…ah; dwell not upon the loweſt round of the ladder, but climb up by it to the meaning of God, and to ſome higher good, and more excellent attainment. They live to their loſs, who live upon their loſſes; who dwell upon the dark ſide of the diſpenſation: For every dark Providence hath one bright ſide, wherein a godly ſoul may take comfort, if he be not wanting to himſelf.

p. 405. Converſe not with fleſh and blood. By fleſh and blood, I ſuppoſe the Apoſtle means no more than men, Gal. 1. 16. And indeed, if we confer with men only for counſel, and repair to men only for comfort in a time of affliction, we ſhoot ſhort of the mark. But by fleſh and blood the Scripture elſewhere often means, man in this his animal ſtate, as he is in his corruptible, mortal body; as 1 Cor. 15. 50. and many other places. And in this ſenſe I ſpeak, when I ſay, Converſe not with fleſh and blood. Judge not according to your ſenſes; let not your own ſenſual appetite determine what is good or evil, ſweet or bitter: Conſult with rectified Reaſon, and not with brutiſh appetite; confer with Faith, and not with Fancy. Rectified Reaſon will judge that to be really good, which our ſenſual appetite diſtaſts: An enlightened mind will judge that to make for the intereſt of the ſoul, and its eternal happy ſtate, which ſenſe judges hurtful to the intereſt of the body, and its animal ſtate. It is not poſſible there ſhould be any order, nor conſequently any peace or reſt in that ſoul, where the inferiour faculties domineer over the ſuperior, and ſenſitive powers Lord it over the intellectual; and where raging appetite, p. 41and extravagant fancy muſt clamber up into the throne to determine caſes, and right Reaſon muſt ſtoop and bow before it.

Be admoniſhed to fly converſe with all theſe, if you would converſe rightly, purely, properly, comfortably with God, which is the higheſt office and attainment of created nature. Conſider what I have ſaid concerning this excellent and high employment; and awaken your ſouls, and all the powers of them to m…et the Lord God, and converſe with him aright in the way of his judgments. Converſe with God, with God in Chriſt, with God in his promiſes, with God in his attributes, and labour to do it not ſpeculatively, notionally, but really, practically, according as I have directed in the foregoing diſcourſe. Religion is not an empty, airy, notional thing; it is not a matter of thinking, nor of talking; but it hath a real exiſtence in the ſoul, and doth as really diſtinguiſh, though not ſpecifically, one man from another, as Rea on diſtinguiſhes all men from beaſts: Converſe with God is ſet out in Scripture, by living, and walking, and the like. Let me inculcate this thing therefore again, and preſs it upon you, and I ſhall finiſh all. As the way of glorifying God in the world, is not by a p. 42meer thinking of him, or entertaining ſome notion of his glory into our heads, but conſiſts in a real participation of his image, in a God-like diſpoſition, and holy converſation, according to that of our Saviour, Joh. 15. 8. Herein is my Father glorified, &c. So the way of converſing with God in his ſeveral attributes, is not a thinking often with our ſelves, and telling one another that God is juſt, wiſe, merciful, &c. though this be good: But it is a drinking in the virtue and value of theſe divine perfections, a working of them into the ſoul; and on the other hand, the ſouls rendring of it ſelf up to God in thoſe acts of Grace which do ſuit with ſuch attributes, as in water, face anſwereth face. I do not call bare performance of duties a converſing with God: Prayer and Meditation; &c. are excellent means in and by which our ſoul converſes with God; but communion with God is properly ſomewhat more ſpiritual, real, powerful and divine, according as I deſcribed it juſt now. As for example; The ſoul receives the impreſſions of divine Soveraignty into it, and gives up it ſelf unto God in the Grace of Self-denyal, and humble ſubjection. The ſoul receives the communications of divine Fulneſs and Perfection, p. 43and entertains the ſame with Delight and Complacency; and, as it were, grows full in it. Even as the communications of the virtues of the Sun are anſwered with life, and warmth, and growth in the plants of the earth: So a ſouls converſing with the attributes of God, is not an empty notion of them, or a dry diſcourſe concerning them, but a Reception of Impreſſions from them, and a Reciprocation to them: The effluxes of theſe from God, are ſuch as do beget reflections in man towards God. This is to know Chriſt, to grow up in him into all things according to that in 1 John 3. 6. Whoſoever ſinneth, hath not ſeen him, neither known him.

The ſecond Reaſon why we ought eſpecially to ſtudy to converſe with God in the time of afflictions is becauſe that is a time wherein we are moſt apt to think our ſelves excuſed from this duty, as if it were allowed us in our extremity to forget God, and mind our ſelves only. And that not only in reſpect of thoſe bodily ſtraits and diſtreſſes, which I named under the laſt head, but in reſpect of our own paſſions. When the afflicting hand of God is upon us, preſſing and grieving of us, and taking our beloved comforts from us, we are apt to p. 44indulge our own private and ſelfiſh paſſions, care, fear, ſorrow, complainings, &c. Yea, to think we are in ſome ſenſe allowed to indulge them. How willingly do we ſuffer our ſelves to be drawn into a converſe with our ſelves, to be contracted as it were into our ſelves, and ſuffer our ſelves to be carryed down the ſtream of our own paſſions, which at other times we ſhould think it were our duty to reſiſt! Even as the heart in naturals draws home to it in a time of danger, the blood that was diſperſed abroad in the body, as it were to defend it ſelf: ſo the heart in morals gathers home its powers and affections which were formerly beſtowed here and there, to employ them all about it ſelf in a time of ſore affliction. And we are apt to think our ſelves excuſable too in ſo doing: So that if God himſelf ſhould ask a diſtreſſed ſoul, as he did Jonah, Doſt thou well to be careful, fearful, ſorrowful, querulous, becauſe of theſe afflictions, loſſes, diſtreſſes that are upon thee? it would go nigh to give him the ſame anſwer, I do well to be ſorrowful; yea, and to refuſe to be comforted. There ſeems to be allowed us ſome natural affections in caſe of extreme affliction; which, how far they are lawful, p. 45I will not now diſpute. But ſure I am, that if ſuch be allowed us, they muſt not be wild extravagants, wandring without the bounds of Religion, and Conſcience, as if God had layd the reins upon the neck of the ſoul, and given it leave to indulge it ſelf in what paſſions it would for a certain time, as the Daughter of Jephtha was allowed to go whither ſhe would, wailing upon the mountains for two months. We are never allowed any paſſions or affections ſure, that do not comply with the will of God, and conſiſt with our ſubmiſſion thereunto. But whatever they are, I find, that under the pretence of thoſe, ſome men are apt to be carryed unto ſtrange inordinacies, and commit many paſſionate outrages; and indeed the beſt of men are too prone to ſuſpend and interrupt that lively and feeling converſe with God, which they ought to maintain even when they ſmart moſt.

3. Becauſe th…n is a time when there is more eſpecial uſe for, and need of ſuch converſe with God. And that (1) To give reſt to the ſoul. In proſperity men lo…ger God, and yet make a ſhift to find ſome kind of reſt in their pleaſures, friends, employments; ſome take comfort in their p. 46cups and companions; and indeed all are apt to fancy a contentment in creatureenjoyments. But in a time of great affliction, all theſe are gone, or at leaſt have no favour in them; and where ſhall the weary ſoul find reſt then? Then there's no ſhew of reſt but in God alone. When all other props fail, then either catch God here, or fall. There is now nothing left to give any ſettlement or contentment to the ſoul but God alone: And in him there is eaſe to the ſick, reſt to the weary, ſettlement to the ſhaking, contentment to the troubled Chriſtian. Therefore converſe with God in the day of greateſt affliction; which is the ſame counſel in effect with that of our Saviour, Mat. 11. 28. Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you reſt. (2) There is need of it, to give relief to the body alſo.

And ſo converſing with God in a right manner, is the beſt policy, the ſureſt way to recovery, and relief. See what a ſpeedy cure there is in it, Pſal. 34. 5, 6. They looked unto him and were lightned, and their faces were not aſhamed. This poor man cryed, and the Lord heard him, and ſaved him out of all his troubles. In vain is converſing with Friends, Phyſicians, Counſellors; in p. 47vain is all creature-converſe without this: No reſt to the ſoul, no eaſe to the body in a time of affliction, without converſe with God; ſo that a man in affliction eſtranged from God, ſtragling off from God, is altogether miſerable. In a word, ſeparate a ſoul from God, and in proſperity his enjoyments are low, and in adverſity the want of them is very bitter: ſo that there is good reaſon why a Chriſtian ſhould ſtudy to converſe with God in the way of his Judgments.—But the great Art is to know how. This therefore I now come to in the

Fourth place, to ſhew particularly, how we are to converſe with God in afflictions. Now there are two wayes of explaining this.

1. By ſhewing with what Attributes of God we are to converſe.

2. By what acts of the ſoul. But I ſhall bring both theſe into one.

1. We ought to converſe with the abſolute and unlimited Soveraignty of God, whereby he, as a free and ſupreme Agent, doth what he will, and none can ſay unto him, What doſt thou? Dan. 4. 35. This Job often eyes and owns: Particularly, Job 9. 12. He taketh away, none can hinder him, and p. 48who can ſay unto him, What doſt thou? This we muſt alſo eye often, and own heartily. This we may well argue from Gods creating of us: He that made us thus without any conſtraint, can he not, may he not make us otherwiſe, and alter us without reſtraint? So Job argues, chap. 1. 21. We may alſo argue it from the ſubordinate Soveraignty, and inferiour Supremacy of men: Even a Monarch among men doth whatſoever he pleaſeth, and who may ſay unto him, What doſt thou? Eccleſ. 8. 3, 4. Yea, a very Centurion hath a kind of Soveraignty in his ſphere, over as many as are under him; he ſaith unto one man Go, and he goeth; and to another, Do this, and he doeth it, Ma…. 8. 9. And ſhall we not then acknowledge a Soveraign Power, and independant abſolute Authority in the great and bleſſed God, over the whole Creation, the workmanſhip of his own hands? So the good Centurion argues, and infers, in the place laſt quoted. N…y, as the Apoſtle ſaith in one place, We have Fathers of our fleſh who uſe us at their pleaſure and we do not gainſay their Authority; we do not ſay to our Father, What begetteſt thou? nor to our Mother, What haſt thou brought forth? Iſa. 45. 10. Nay, if theſe ſimilitudes will p. 49not teach you, I will ſay to you, as God to the Prophet, Ariſe, go down to the Potters houſe, there I will cauſe you to learn this leſſon: He maketh and marreth his veſſels of Clay, as oft as he pleaſeth; And, are not ye in the hand of the Lord, as the Clay is in the hand of the Potter? Jer. 18. 6. I ſpeak the more to this, in as much as I find, that however men give God good words, and confeſs his Dominion over them and theirs, yet when it comes to it, that he touches them in any of their darling comforts, they are ready to clamour againſt him in their hearts, as if he did them ſome wrong; if not to curſe him to his face. Certainly there is ſome Atheiſtical opinion of propriety, that in ſome degree or other is apt to ſteal into the moſt devout minds: And ſure I am, we do not only barely offend, but we do our ſelves much hurt; we wound our own peace; we ſhake the ſettledneſs of our own hearts; we put our ſelves into briars: In a word, we both leſſen our creature comforts, and multiply our griefs, and aggravate our ſorrows, by calling things our own: If we had not taken them to be our own, it would not have troubled us to part with them.

Be ſure therefore to eye and own the p. 50abſolute and unlimited Soveraignty of God: But …hat's not all; it is not enough to believe it; we muſt converſe with it otherwiſe than by thinking of it or aſſenting to it. Then do we converſe with the Soveraignty of God,

1. When the powerful ſenſe of it doth ſilence quarrelling, yea murmurings, yea even diſputings in the ſoul. We may indeed modeſtly contend with men concerning their dealings with us; the Potſheard may ſtrive with the Potſheard of the earth; but it muſt not ſay to the Potter, Why haſt thou made me thus? A pacate and quiet frame of heart, is a real converſing with the Soveraignty of God. So did Aaron when he held his peace, Levit. 10. 3. and Job, when he attributed nothing unſeemly to God, Job 1. ult.

2. When the ſenſe of it doth ſuppreſs ſelfwill. This is an unruly luſt in the ſoul, foreign a Giant-like ſpirit warring againſt Heaven, and breeding bate continually. This is that which maintains a Meum and Tuum even with God himſelf, that …ets up intereſts (as the Jews ſet up Princes, Hoſea 8. 4.) but not by God, yea indeed in oppoſition to him. This is the ſeditious party in the ſoul, that is alwayes p. 51crying out, We will not have this man to rule over us: And when that darling intereſt which this proud rival hath ſet up, is touched of God, and ſmitten and blaſted from Heaven, it is ready to fret and ſtorm, yea, and to think it hath reaſon to be angry. If this Son of the bondwoman were caſt out, Abraham's Family would be all of a peece, all in order, and at reſt. If this undiſciplin'd and perverſe ſpirit were quite baniſhed; Oh what a calm day would it be in the ſoul! what fair and ſweet correſpondence would there be between God and his creature! for certainly this is the Jonah that raiſes the ſtorm, and makes the great deeps of the ſoul that they cannot reſt, but do perpetually roll and toſs, yea and caſt out mire and dirt continually. But alas, I doubt this ſpirit is not quite layd, no not in the moſt ſpiritual man: the beſt of men are ready to nouriſh and hatch up ſome darling, ſome private intereſt or other of their own, dinſtinct from God, and the grand intereſt of their ſouls, which God himſelf muſt not touch; ſome Gourd or other that the cold wind muſt not blow upon. He is a bleſſed man indeed, who doth ſo underſtand that he lives and moves in God alone; and is ſo overpowered with p. 52the ſenſe of the infinite goodneſs and holineſs of God, and the abſolute perfection of his divine will, as that he reckons it his greateſt perfection to be nothing in himſelf, nor have nothing of his own diſtinct from God, but only ſtudyes to be great in God, to be filled with God, to live to him, and for him; to enjoy all things as in and under him; who counts it his only intereſt to quit all ſelf intereſt, and particular ends, and to be freely at the diſpoſal of the higheſt mind, conformable to the higheſt good, chearfully compliant with the uncreated will. Potiphar had ſo committed all to Joſeph, in the ſenſe of his great faithfulneſs, that he knew not ought he had, ſave the bread that he did eat, Gen. 39. 6. But this ſimilitude is too low: A godly ſoul ſhould commit all its intereſt, its life and livelihood, and all to God in the ſenſe of his Soveraignty, and not know ought that he hath, no not his own life, but deſpiſe it in compariſon of uncreated life; as Job ſpeaks, Job 9. 21. Methinks the Soveraignty of God ſpeaks ſuch language to the ſoul, and in it, as Eli to Samuel, My Son, hide nothing from me, keep nothing back of all that thou haſt, and the pious ſoul ſhould not, with fooliſh Rachel, conceal any ſelfiſh p. 53intereſt, ſo as not to be willing to part with it, when its Soveraign Lord and Father comes to ſearch the tent; but (with alluſion to Amos 6. 10.) when God comes to ferret out all ſelf-intereſts, and ſhall ask, Is there any ſuch yet with thee? ſhould be able to anſwer boldly, No, there is none. Bleſſed is the man that is in ſuch a caſe; bleſſed is the man whoſe only intereſt it is to ſerve the will of the Lord! Well, improve the infinite Soveraignty of God to this end, and work it upon, and into your own hearts, that all ſelf-will may ſtoop to it: and let the main intereſt of your ſouls, be ſo planted and eſtabliſhed in your ſouls, that no other intereſt may be able to grow by it: Charm your own ſelf-will with ſuch ſevere reproofs, as this is; Either deny thy ſelf, O my ſoul, or deny thy ſelf to be a creature: either be wholly at Gods command, or call him not thy Soveraign.

3. When the ſenſe of it doth beget Revevence in the ſoul towards God. We ought not only to be ſubject to the Rod of God, but even to reverence him when he correcteth with it: and ſo not only to accept of the Rod, but to kiſs it too. And ſurely i… the Fathers of our fleſh correct us, and we give p. 54them Reverence, Heb. 12. 9. much more ought we to reverence the Soveraign Father both of fleſh and ſpirit. This is a devout act of the ſoul, whereby it, looks up and adores the Infinite and Soveraign Majeſty, and thinks equitable and honourable thoughts of him, even when he is in the way of his Judgments. And theſe are the proper acts of a ſoul converſing with Gods Soveraignty in the time of afflictions. When we are ſilent before him, ſubject unto him, and reverencing of him; then do we really and truly converſe with him as our Almighty and abſolute Soveraign. But Gods Authority and Prerogative, though it may ſilence, will ſcarce ſatisfie: ſuch a corrupt and rebellious paſs are our natures grown to. Therefore

2. Converſe with the perfect and infinite Righteouſneſs of God in the time of afflictions; that divine perfection whereby he renders to every man what is juſt and due, and no more. This we are to eye and own, and ſincerely to acknowledge, even in the time of our greateſt extremity, after the example of Daniel, chap. 9. 14. The Lordour God is righteous in all his works; and of the godly Levites, Neh. 9. 33. Thou art juſt in all that is brought upon us, thou p. 55haſt done right. Argue with Abraham, Gen. 18. 25. Shall not the Judge of all the Earth do right? Can Righteouſneſs it ſelf erre in Judgment? Shall the Timber ſay unto the Rule, Why haſt thou meaſured mee thu; or to the Line, thou art crooked? Are not my wayes equul? ſaith the Lord; Ezek. 18. 25. Are not the Lords wayes equal? let your ſouls ſay too. Be ye ſirmly perſwaded of the infinite and incorruptible Righteouſneſs and Equity of God; but that's not all; we do not then converſe with the Righteouſneſs of God, when we do believe it, or acknowledge it: a very Pharaoh may be brought to make ſuch a confeſſion, Exod. 9. 27. The Lord is righteous, and I and my people are wicked. But then do we converſe with the Righteouſneſs of God, in general, when the ſenſe of it doth give a rational ſatisfaction to the ſoul. And indeed, whereas the Soveraignty of God is, enough to ſilence, yet his Righteonſneſs had need to be called in to adminiſter ſatisfaction: The former is ſufficient to ſtop the mouth; but there is need of the latter to ſettle the heart. And indeed methinks it is a heart-ſettling conſideration. For, how can the intereſt of the creature be better ſecured than in the p. 56hands of a righteous God? Where can we venture all we have, better than in ſuch a cettain and ſteady bottom? How can we better truſt our ſelves, than on ſuch firm and even ground? We will truſt our ſelves far with an upright and righteous man: and if we hear of the miſcarriage of any intereſt of ours at any time, it doth mightily calm and ſatisfie our hearts, if we are aſſured that it was in the hands of a juſt and upright perſon: Much more rational and ſteady ſatisfaction may the Infinite Righteouſneſs of God adminiſter even in the time of the greateſt affliction, if it be duly wrought into the heart. But more particularly,

1. The powerful ſenſe of the Reghteouſneſs of God ſhould make us ſenſible and ſerious. It becomes us ſeriouſly to ponder, duly to weigh, and in good earneſt to lay to heart, all that is done to us by a righteous God. We uſe ſlightly to paſs by, and ſlightly to eſteem the words or actions of vain man: But it is not for nothing that the righteous God afflicts any man, in any meaſure, at any time. The voice of God, though it be not alwayes articulate, yet is alwayes ſignificant. Will a Lion roar for nothing? Surely every action of the p. 57righteous God hath a meaning in it. A hair falls not from our head, nor a Sparrow to the ground without him: Much leſs ſure do greater changes befall us withcut him. And in all things he is infinitely righteous. Oh how doth this call us to ſenſibleneſs and ſeriouſneſs! How ought all the powers of the ſoul to be awakened to attention, when the righteous God utters his dreadful voice! and the whole frame of the heart and life to be compoſed under his heavy hand! Now if ever, one would ſay of Laughter, It is mad: one would reckon trifling to be a kind of prophaneneſs, and judge that fooliſh jeſtings do almoſt border upon blaſphemy, formerly not convenient, now not lawful. For indeed a vain frothy, light, trifling ſpirit, in the day of affliction, is in a ſenſe a blaſpheming of the Righteouſneſs of God. As a conſequent of this,

2. It ſhould put us upon ſelf examination. Nature it ſelf had taught the Heatheniſh Mariners to enquire where the fault was in a ſtorm. Jonah 1. 7. Much more may the knowledge of Gods Infinite Righteouſneſs teach us: ſo may the holy Word too, that word in Lam. 3. 40. Let us ſearch and try our wayes, &c. and many others. Now p. 58do the faculties of the godly ſoul, being awakened, begin to caſt lots upon themſelves, to find out the guilty party: And certainly God hath a great hand in ordering theſe lots; he doth ordinarily ſhew unto man his ſin, even by the verdict of his own heart. Conſcience, I mean, is Gods Vicegerent in the ſoul; and though its true, this Judge is oft-times corrup…ed and bribed, or at leaſt over-ruled in proſperity; yet God inſtructeth it to ſpeak good ſenſe, and to ſpeak out, and ſpeak the truth in the time of affliction. I believe they hit the nayl upon the head, who cryed out one to another, Verily we are guilty concerning our Brother, Gen. 42. 21. Another cryes, Verily I am guilty concerning my Miniſter, concerning my People; guilty concerning my Wife, concerning my Children, concerning my Eſtate, my Time, my Talents; and it may be all true. I believe the Heathen was in the right, who lookt upon his hands and feet, and cryed out, Judg. 1. 7. As I have done, ſo God hath requited me: and the Babyloniſh Monarch harpt upon a right ſtring after he was come to his right wits again, Dan. 4. ult.—Thoſe that walk in pride, he is able to abaſe. God hath not given to our faculties any infallibility indeed, p. 59but he inables them to make good gueſſes; and I am verify perſwaded, doth many times lay the hand upon the right ſore, and order this ſecret Lottery from Heaven: So that that faculty, or that frame, or that action which ſtands convicted in the Court of Conſcience, is ſeldom held guiltleſs in the Court of Heaven.

3. It ſhould work us to Humiliation and Reformation; an heart broken, and a converſation healed of its breaches. By Humiliation, I mean, a heart broken purely, properly, and ſpiritually for ſin. I do not mean by it, an heart broken for loſſes and afflictions, and bowing down it ſelf heavily under the burden of its diſtreſſes: no, nor a heart broken for ſin, as viewing it only in the calamitous effects, and bitter fruits of it; which I doubt is the Humiliation of moſt. Many may ſay concerning their Humiliation, (to uſe the Prophets words in a different ſenſe, Zach. 13. 6.) Theſe are the wounds with which I was wounded in the houſe of my friends, by the loſs of my friends, the loſs of my health, the loſs of my goods; theſe tears that you ſee, theſe groans that you hear, are nothing but the ſcarr which the ſoar hath left behind it, and p. 60the wales which the Rod hath made. I doubt our very ſorrow for ſin, in a time of affliction, admits of a mixture of carnal ſelf and paſſion, and ſo of ſin too. But I mean, a pure, ſpiritual, proper ſorow, and hatred of ſin; which I know may be broached by ſharp afflictions, and have vent given to it by piercing the veſſel; but that is not the proper cauſe and ground of it. Moſes in his joy, had an eye to the recompence of reward, Heb. 11. 26. And ſo a Chriſtian in his ſorrow may have reſpect to the recompence of his ſin, I mean, his afflictions; but it is not primarily and principally cauſed by theſe: For though theſe dreadful ſhowers from Heaven ſhould ceaſe, yet the ſtream of his eyes, or at leaſt the fountain of his heart would not ceaſe iſſuing forth bitter waters. Though the Righteouſneſs of God do ſerve to give vent to godly ſorrow, yet it is the goodneſs and holineſs of God that gives it. Do we ſorrow for ſin, becauſe it ſpoiled us of our comforts, ſtript us of our ornaments? Then ſure we think there is ſomething in the world worſe than ſin, for which we ſhould bewail it, and hate it; and ſo conſequently, that there is ſomething better than God, for which we ſhould love him. Alas, how apt are we to p. 61run into a practical blaſphemy before we be aware! In a word then to decide this controverſie, Our afflictions, loſſes, diſtreſſes in the world, may poſſibly be as a Bucket to draw up this water of godly ſorrow; but they muſt not be the Ciſtern to receive and hold it. Serious and ſpiritual Humiliation is a real converſing with the Righteouſneſs of God. To meet God, is indeed to fall down before him; and to converſe with him, is to lie down under him. The truth of which temper is beſt evidenced by that excellent Commentator, the Life of a Chriſtian: This doth beſt declare the nature, and interpret the meaning of heart-Humiliation. He that breaks off his ſins, doth beſt make it appear that his heart is broken for them. If you would know whether there have been Rain in the night, look upon the ground, and that will diſcover. Oh my frie…ds, if the duſt be layd; if all earthly joys, contentments, pleaſures, concernments, be layd, you may conclude your ſorrow was a ſhower ſent into your ſouls from Heaven.

If you ſee a Boy both ſobbing and minding his Book, you may conclude he hath ſome right ſenſe of his Maſters ſeverity. Converſion to God, is the moſt proper and p. 62real converſing with him in the way of his Judgments: ſo he himſelf interprets in that complaint made, Iſa. 9. 13. The people turneth not to him that ſmiteth them, &c. That which happened to Moſes when he had been in the Mount with God, Exod. 34. 29. ſhould alſo be the condition of every good Iſraelite, when he hath been with God in the valley, the vale of tears, an afflicted ſtate; his face ſhould ſhine, his converſation ſhould witneſs that he hath been with God; the ſmell of this fire ſhould paſs upon his garments, his whole outward man. The ſpirit of mourning ſhould be demonſtrated by the ſpirit of burning. If God from Heaven ſet fire on the ſtanding Corn of our worldly comforts, we muſt anſwer him from within, and ſet fire on the ſtubble of our worldly luſts, and corruptions. Let me change our Saviours words therefore a little, Mat. 6. 18. and exhort you earneſtly; Thou Chriſtian, when thou faſteſt, when thou humbleſt thy ſoul for ſin, waſh thy face alſo, cleanſe thy outward converſation from all ſinful pollution, that thou mayeſt appear to be humbled indeed. And this ſhall be accounted as a true and real converſing with the Righteouſneſs of God in the time of affliction.

p. 633. Converſe with the Faithfulneſs of God. This attribute of God hath reſpect to his promiſes; and therefore it may be you will think ſtrange that I ſhould ſpeak of this in a diſcourſe of afflictions, as not having place there at all. Every one will readily acknowledge that Gods Soveraignty and Righteouſneſs do clearly appear in his Judgments; but how his Faithfulneſs can be exerciſed therein, they ſee not. What, faithful in puniſhing, in plaguing, in viſiting, in afflicting, diſtreſſing his creature, how can that be? Many will be ready to think rather, that God is not faithful at ſuch a time, when he denyes what he had promiſed to give, takes away what he had promiſed to continue; when he plagues David every morning, when he had promiſed him that the Plague ſhould not come nigh his dwelling; when he brings Abijah to the grave, whom he had promiſed, that his dayes ſhould be long upon the Land; and Job to the dunghill, to whom all the promiſes were made both of the life that now is, and of that which is to come. Is this faithfulneſs? Doth God fulfil his promiſes by fruſtrating them? Notwithſtanding all this, it ſeems that the faithfulneſs of God hath place in the afflictions of his people: p. 64For ſo ſaith David expreſly, Pſal. 119.75. I know that in faithfulneſs thou haſt afflicted me: if indeed faithfulneſs be taken properly in that place: Neither indeed need it ſeem ſo ſtrange as ſome men make it; for God hath promiſed his covenant-people, to viſit their iniquity with a Rod, Pſal. 89. 32. The Rod The Rod of a man; a fatherly chaſtiſement, as it is explained, 2 Sam. 7. 14. where this ſeems to be made a branch of the Covenant, and is underſtood by many as a promiſe. But if that be not a plain promiſe, I am ſure there is one in Pſal. 84. 11. No good thing will he with hold from them that walk uprightly: And if no good thing, then no correction neither; for that is often good and profitable for the people of God in this world for many excellent ends; which (conſidering the nature of man) cannot well be accompliſhed without it; as might appear in many particulars; but it is not needful to run out into them. God will take more care of his own people, than of the reſt of the world; and will rather correct them, than not reduce them. It is their main bappineſs that he takes care for, and he will in kindneſs take out of the way whatever hinders it, and give whatever may promote it. Gods thoughts are not as p. 65our thoughts: he judges otherwiſe of health, riches, liberty, friends, &c. than we do, We are apt to meaſure God by ourſelves, and our own affections, which is the ground of our miſtake in this buſineſs. We mind the things that pleaſe our fleſh, our ſenſes, our appetite, our fancy; but God minds the things that concern our ſouls, and their true happineſs. The Saints are much dearer to God, and much more beloved of him, than they are to themſelves; and therefore he will not give them what's ſweet, but what's meet; he will give them what makes for their real and eternal happineſs, whether they would have it or no. He loves them with a ſtrong and powerful love, and will not deny them any thing that is truly good for them, though they cry out under it; nor allow them any thing that is really hurtful, though they cry after it. So will a wiſe Father upon Earth do by his children, to the beſt of his skill and power; much more will God then, qui pluſquam patrium amorem gerit in ſuos, whoſe bowels are infinitely larger and ſtronger than thoſe of a Father. Now then, labour to converſe with the Faithfulneſs of God in the time of afflictions, which is by ſtudying the Covenant and the promiſes of p. 66it, and your preſent condition, and comparing them together, and obſerving how conſonant and agreeable they are, each interpreting other. As alſo by perſwading your hearts of the conſiſtency of afflictions with divine love and favour; and by ſtudying to reconcile the hand and heart of God together. But eſpecially converſe with it practically, by a holy eſtabliſhment and ſettlement of heart under all afflictions. For, whereas afflictions in themſelves are apt to beget a fearfulneſs, deſpondency, or at leaſt fluctuation in the ſoul, the lively ſenſe of Gods Faithfulneſs in inflicting them, will ſettle and ſuſtain it: It is a firm and conſiſtent thing, upon which the ſhaking ſoul may ſettle ſafely, and center it ſelf boldly.

4. Converſe with the Holineſs and unſpotted Purity of God. He is angry, and ſins not; he corects for ſin, without ſin. Fury is not in me, ſaith the Lord, Iſa. 27. 4. There is no paſſionate malicious temper in the pure and holy God; no revengeful appetite to feed upon the blood of his creature. He is of purer eyes than to behold the leaſt iniquity; and of a purer nature, than any way to miſcarry in any of his dealings or diſpenſations. Converſe then with this p. 67Infinite Holineſs of God: Keep up pure, equitable, honourable thoughts of him in your hearts. Take heed of fancying to your ſelves a God guilty of paſſion of partiality, or carryed away with ſuch weak and mixed affections as we our ſelves are. But more practically, converſe with Gods Holineſs in the time of afflictions, by laying even little ſins greatly to heart: little ſins, compared with Infinite Holineſs and Purity, ought to be matter of great and ſerious ſorrow to a ſenſible ſoul. Again, take heed of the leaſt miſcarriages under affliction, of departing from God in the leaſt. This I know is the great duty and care of every tender-hearted Chriſtian at all times. But I conceive we ought more eſpecially to preſs it upon our hearts in the time of affliction, becauſe we are then moſt apt to indulge ſome kind of humane paſſions, which we call natural affections; as if we had a licenſe to care and fear, and grieve, and complain, not only in an extraordinary, but even in an irregular manner. Oh let the ſenſe of Gods Infinite Purity, and perefect Holineſs, check and awe thoſe very natural affections, be they what they will, if they offer to exceed their bounds, and overflow their banks. But this I p. 68toucht upon before under another head, amongſt the Reaſons of the Doctrine. Therefore

5. Converſe with the Almighty Power of God. That God is Infinite and Almighty in Power, I need not undertake to demonſtrate. No man had read a leaf in Scripture, nor indeed turned over one leaf in the book of the creatures, that hath not learnt this. I need not ſure turn you to any particular mighty work of God: They that inſtance in his letting looſe the virtues of the creatures, in the caſe of the univerſal deluge, or binding up of their influences, as in the caſe of the three captive Jews, Daniel and Jonah, when he kept the fire from burning, and forbade the Lions to eat one, and the fiſh to digeſt another Prophet whom he had eaten, do make but a poor gueſs at Almightineſs, but a faint eſſay to deſcribe it. The Creation of the leaſt creature out of nothing, is an higher argument of Divine Power, than the command of the greateſt that is already created. Eye God duly in the notion of a Creator; yea, of a Creator of your own ſouls and bodies, and you have enough to fill you with everlaſting admiration, as David was filled, Pſal. 139. 14. I am fearfully and wonderfully p. 69made. But it is not enough to eye or acknowledge, or admire; we muſt yet do more, if we will rightly converſe with the Almightineſs of God, viz. by the acts of Reverence and Dependence.

1. Reverence that Almighty and glorious God in your hearts, who can bring quidlibet ex quolibet, any thing out of any thing; yea, out of nothing; yea, any thing to nothing in a moment. Reverence that power of God, that can pour contempt upon Princes; that can bring Job the greateſt of all the men of the Eaſt, to lye in the Aſhes, and make his Bed in the Dunghill; that can ſend home Naomi empty, who went out full and flouriſhing. Hath he done ſo by you, debaſed you when you were high, tumbled you down from the clouds, and rowled you in the duſt, emptied you when you were full, withered you when you were freſh and flouriſhing? Let not God loſe the glory of his Almighty Power; reverence that glorious hand of God.

2. Reſt upon the ſame Almighty God, who can alſo bring up the ſame Job from the dunghill, and ſet him with Princes, and fill empty Naomi with a famous off ſpring, throwing into her lap one of the Anceſtors of the Meſſiah, according to the fleſh. The p. 73ſame Power that cauſed your Sun to go down at midday, when you leaſt ſuſpected, can alſo cauſe it to riſe at midnight, when you leaſt hope. Dwell not upon creatureprobabilities, or improbabilities: but lift up thy ſelf believing ſoul, and be aſſured, that God can do what he will, and he will do what is good for them that love him, according to the dictates of unſearchable wiſdom and goodneſs. Thou that art rolled in the duſt, yet ariſe and roll thy ſelf upon thoſe Almighty Arms that brought thee thither, and are able to advance thee: As I have ſeen a child thrown by his Father off, and thrown down to the ground in a ſeeming diſpleaſure, yet clinging to the ſame hand, and will not let it go, till at length he riſe up again by it: a fit emblem of a child of God, whom his heavenly Father ſeems as if he had caſt off. The wounding hand of God is apt to amaze indeed, and to beget conſternation and aſtoniſhment. But remember, the ſame hand that wounds, can alſo heal; he that breaks us, can alſo make up all our breaches: let this beget confidence and dependence. God never wounds deeper, than that he can eaſily bind up the wound again; never throws his people ſo low, as that they ſhould be p. 71out of his reach, Take heed therefore of unſeemly deſpondencies; caſt not away your confidence, which ſhall have a recompence, if ye maintain it: A recompence I ſay; for that God that can recover the ſetting Sun, and exalt it in its beauty and brightneſs, and doth ſo every morning; that can cloath the forlorn and naked trees with leaves, and fruits; that can recoves the verdure of the withering graſs, and doth ſo every year; he can alſo cauſe light to ariſe to them that ſit in darkneſs, and in the ſhadow of death, Iſa. 9. 2.

He that could give unto Amaziah much more than that which he parted with at his command, 2 Chron. 25. 9. that could turn again the captivity of Job, and give him double for what he had taken from him, Job ult. 10. he can ſurely make his people glad according to the dayes wherein he hath afflicted them, and the years whenein they have ſeen evil, Pſal. 90. 15. He can redompence and reſtore to his penitent people the fruits which the Locuſts and the Caterpillars have conſumed, according to his promiſe, Joel 2. 25. He can recompence to his people the comforts of health and liberty, which ſickneſs hath conſumed; the comforts of friends and relations, which the p. 72duplicate page p. 73duplicate page p. 68duplicate page p. 69duplicate page p. 70duplicate page p. 71duplicate page p. 72grave hath devoured. He that hath made the Springs dry. (Jer. 51. 36.) can as eaſily make the parched ground to become a pool, and the thirſty land, ſprings of water, Iſa. 35 7. as you find both elegantly joyned together, Pſal. 107. 33, 35. He turneth water ſprings into dry grounds, & ſic viciſſim. Say not therefore with the captive Jews, Ezek. 37. 11. Our bones are dryed, and our bope is loſt, &c. For God can cauſe even thoſe dry bones to live. Say not with that low-ſpirited Courtier, 2 King. 7. 19. If the Lord ſhould make windows in Heaven, might ſuch plenty be in a Samaria? For he did accompliſh it, and yet not rain it from Heaven neither. But ſay with Job rather, Though he kill me, yet will I truſt in him, Job 13. 15. And with the three Worthies, Our God whom me ſerve is able to deliver us out of thine hand O King, Dan. 3. 17. So; he is able to deliver us out of thine band, O Enemy, O Priſon, O Sickneſs; yea out of thine hand O grave. If we deſpond, and be dejected both in mind and body at the ſame time, then is our condition indeed ſad and ſhameful: Nay, we do more reproach God by ſuch a temper in our affliction, than be reproacheth us in afflicting us. Make it appear Chriſtians, that though p. 73God have caſt you down, yet you do believe that he hath not caſt you off; and that you, although you be ſorely ſhaken by him, yet are not ſhaken off from him. Thus you ſhall g…orifie the Almighty Power of God in the day of your Viſitation.

6. Converſe w…th the Infinite and unſearchable Wiſdom of God: eſpecially with the Wiſdom of God in reſerence to his Judgments, and our aff…ctions. He is infinitly wiſe in reference to our affiictions. For, 1. He knows what, and what manner, and what meaſure of correction we ſtand in need of. 2. When, and how beſt to deliver us. 3. How to make the beſt uſe of all for our good.

Firſt, He knows what, and what manner, and what meaſure of correction we ſtand in need of. He is that wiſe Phyſician, that k…ows what humor is moſt predominant in the ſouls of his ſervan…s, and what is the moſt proper Medicine to purge it out: where the moſt corrupt blood is ſet led, and at what vein to let it out. He is infinitely knowing of the various tempers and diſtempers of his ſervants, and can apply himſelf ſuitably to them all. And as to the meaſure and degree, he is alſo infinitely wiſe, and exact. He doth weigh p. 74out the affl…ctions of his people to a grain for quantity, and meaſure them to a day and hour for duration. He did not miſs of his time, no not one day in four hundred and thirty years, Exod. 12. 41. So many years of bondage were determined upon the people, and after thoſe years were expired, the very next day, the hoſts of the Lord went up out of Egypt. And as for meaſure, he obſerves a certain proportion, as you may ſee in that full Tex, Iſa. 28. 27, 28. As the Husbandman uſes diſſering wayes of purging and cleanſing different ſorts of grain, beating the Fitches with a Staff, and Cummin with a Rod, becauſe they are a weaker ſort of grain, and will not endure hard uſage; but bruiſing the Bread Corn, becauſe threſhing will not ſuſfice, and he is loth to break it all to pieces with turning his Cart-wheels upon it. An elegant ſimilitude, whereby God inſinuateth his different waies of correcting his people, and obſerving a ſuitableneſs to their ſtrength and temper, when leſs would not do, and more would overdo. He muſt correct ſo far as to bruiſe; but will be ſure not to break and ſpoil. He that ſaith unto the proud waves of the ſwelling Sea, Hitherto ſhall ye come, and no further, p. 75Job 38. 11. hath the ſame command over theſe Me…aphorical waves, thoſe floods of affl…ction, which he lets looſe upon his people, and they cannot go an ſuch further th…n he hath appointed: He ſaith, Hitherto ſhall this Sickneſs, this Mortality, this Perſecution go, and no further; and even theſe ſtorms, and this Sea obey him. Now we converſe with this Inſtance of Divine Wiſdom, not only when we obſerve it, and acknowledge it; but

1. When it begets in us a friendly and charitable temper towards ſecond cauſeſ: When we are at peace with the whole Creation, even with enemies themſelves, and in perfect charity with thoſe very. Plagues and Sickneſſes that do arreſt us; rather admiring and del…ghting in their ſubſerviency to God, than at all maligning their ſevere influences upon us. A good man is ſo much in love with the pure and holy, and perfect will of God, that he deſnes alſo to fall in love with, at leaſt he is at peace with every thing that executes it, that ſerves the will of his heavenly Father. He ſees no reaſon in the world to fall out with, and fret againſt any, man, or any thing that is a mea…s to afflict him; but views them all as inſtruments in the hand p. 76of God, readily ſerving his will, and doing his pleaſure, and under this notion is charitably affected towards them all. Obſerve a little, and admire, how David was reconciled to the Rod, becauſe it was in the hand of his Father, and ſeems to kiſs it for the relation that it had to the Divine Will, 2 Sam. 16. 11. Let him alone, and let him curſe, for the Lord hath bidden him. This gracious ſoul is ſo wonderfully in love with the Will of God, that he could almoſt find in his heart to be reconciled to ſin it ſelf, if it do accompliſh it, and to be friends with the wrath of man; if it work the righteouſneſs of God. And if Dvvid can be ſo charitably affected towards a curſing Shimei, viewing him as an inſtrument in the hand of God; methinks we may be almoſt in love with any thing under that notion, and much rather ſay concerning a poor harmleſs Sickneſs, Let it alone, ſo let it put us to pain, for God hath ſent it. To this ſenſe may a devout ſoul draw the words of his Saviour concerning the Woman in Mat. 26. 10 Why trouble ye the Woman? ſhe hath wrought a good work upon me: Why do ye interrupt and diſturb this diſeaſe? Why do ye fret againſt this Perſecutor? Why do ye repine at this Priſon? it executes p. 77the will of my God upon me. What though theſe men pour out their venom in ſuch ahundance? What though this diſeaſe ſpend its influences upon my body ſo plentifully? There's no waſte in all this: there's need of juſt ſo much; God doth not laviſh out his Arrows in vain, nor ſhoot at rove…s, as Jonathan did, who couzened his Lad, making him believe he ſhot at a mark, when he ſhot at none. A ſoul over powered with the ſenſe of Gods Infinite Wiſdom in appointing, meaſuring, timing all afflictions, will eaſily be reconciled to a poor harmleſs creature, which is ſet on, and taken off at his pleaſure.

2. When it begets in us a holy Acquieſcency and reſting in God, which is oppoſed to a larger and diſorderly haſtening towards deliverance. Then do we indeed own and honour the skill of our Chirurgion, when we do quietly ſuffer the cor…o…ive plaiſters to lie on, and do not offer to pluck them off, notwithſtanding the ſmart they put us to. And ſurely he that believeth the Infinite Wiſdom of God, who knows what, and what manner and meaſure of correction we ſtand in need of, will not make haſte to be delivered from under his hand; but compoſeth himſelf p. 78quietly; as young Samuel layd himſelf down, and when he was called, anſwered chearfully, Speak Lord, for thy ſervant heareth.

A ſoul ſenſible of Gods Infinite Wiſdom in this particular, argues thus, Who am I poor worm, ſhallow creature, that I ſhould contend with Infinite Wiſdom about the time, or manner of my being in the world? Why did I not alſo undertake to appoint him the time and place of my being born? Shall I ſay it is too much, when Infinite Wiſdome thinks it is not enough? Ceaſe wrangling, ſoul, and be at reſt, for the Lord deals wiſely with thee. Such a ſoul ſo converſing with the all-wiſe God, dare freely refer all to him, venture all with him; if he ſmite him on the one cheek, he dare turn to him the other; if he take away his Coat, he dare offer him his Cloak alſo; if he take away his liberty, he dare truſt him with his life too; if he ſmite him in ſome of his comforts, he dare turn to him the reſt alſo; for he knows that Infinite Wiſdom cannot erre in Judgment, nor miſcarry in his diſpenſations.

Secondly, God knoweth when, and how beſt to deliver us. This neceſſarily follows upon the former. To him all times, p. 79and all things paſt, preſent, and to come, are equally preſent: In one ſingle act of underſtanding, he doth wonderfully comprehend both cauſes and events, ſickneſſes and cures, afflictions and deliverances. Let the Atheiſtical world cry, Theſe are they that are forſaken, whom no man careth for; there is no hope for them in their God, as their manner is to blaſpheme. Still the promiſe ſtands unrepealed in both Teſtaments, I will never leave you, nor forſake you: though the caſe be never ſo extreme and deſperate, ſtill the Apoſtles word holds good, 2 Pet. 2. 9. The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temprations. If all paſſages be blockt up, he will rather make a gap in the Sea, than his people ſhall not eſcape, Exod. 14. And this way and time of Gods delivering, is the moſt excellent, ſuitable, and certain, as might abundantly appear in many particulars: But that would be a digreſſion. In the general, be aſſured that Gods way is the beſt way of deliverance, and his time is alſo the beſt time. He that ſits as a R…finer of Silver, knows how, and when to take out the metal, that it be purified, and not hurt. Here I might enter into a large diſcourſe, and ſhew you how the p. 80judgment of man is ordinarily deceived, and his expectations diſappointed, which he had built upon creature-probabilities, when in the mean time the purpoſe of God takes place in a far better and more comfortable deliverance of his ſervants. But it may ſuffice to have hinted it only.

Our duty is to converſe with this Inſtance of Divine Wiſdom by the exerciſes of Patience and Hope. If God ſeem to tarry long, yet wait patiently for his appearance; for he will appear in the moſt acceptable time, and in the end ye ſhall conſider it, and acknowledge it. Take heed of limiting the Holy One of Iſrael, as that murmuring generation did, Pſal. 78. 41. Take heed of fixing of your deliverance to ſuch or ſuch a train and ſeries of cauſes which you have layd in your own heads, and of engaging God to act by your Method: If God be a wiſe Agent, its fit he ſhould be a free Agent too. Bear up Chriſtian ſoul, faint not when thou art rebuked of him; Caſt thy burden upon the Lord, and he will in due time, find out a way either of leſſening it, or removing it. You have heard of the patience of Job, and you have ſeen the end of the Lord, James 5. 11. Be you patient, and you ſhall ſee it too; a better p. 81end than ever you could have accompliſht by your own act or induſtry. In the mean time, cheriſh in your hearts a lively hope of an happy iſſue: For your lives and comforts are all hid in him, in whom alſo are bid all the treaſures of wildom and knowledge. As the conſideration of Infinite Wiſdom, in knowing how, and when beſt to deliver us, may ſettle our hearts that they do not riſe up as a ſoam upon the waters through impatience; ſo it may bear up our hearts, that they do not ſink within us, as a ſtone in the waters, through deſperation.

Thirdly, God knoweth how to make the beſt uſe of all for our good. I ſay, of all, both of the affliction, the manner and meaſure of it, of his delay, and of the ſeaſon which he chuſes to redeem us in. He can make Paul's impriſonment turn to his advantage, Phil. 1. 19. Job's captivity to redound to his far greater ſtate, Job ult. Joſeph's baniſhment, to make him great; and Manaſſeh's, to make him good. This is a large Theme, and therefore I dare not rifle into it particularly. Take all in one word from-the Apoſtle, Rom. 8. 28. All things do work together for good to them that love God. Whatever the promiſes be, the p. 82only wiſe God knows how to draw a happy concluſion from them. G…t a firm belief of this radica…ed in your hearts, and converſe with the Wiſdom of God in this Inſtance of it by the great Grace of Selfreſignation. The Soveraignty of God may well work us into a reſignation of our intereſts, and comforts, and concernments to him: But this Infinite Wiſdom of God ought in reaſon to work us into a reſignation even of our very wills unto him. Oh this debaſing of ſelf-will, this ſelf-reſignation is a noble and ingenuous act of a pious ſoul (for ſo I dare call him in whom it is found) whereby it honours God greatly in all that comes upon it. A godly ſoul, conſidering it ſelf ignorant of many things, burdened with many corruptions, and clogg'd with an animal body, ſenſes, appetite, fancy, which are alwayes calling for things inconvenient, if not unlawful, doth conclude it would not be good for it to be at its own finding, or caring, or carving: and duly eying that infinite mind and underſtanding, who in a wonderful, unaccountable manner, orders all things, and all events to the beſt and certain iſſue, is ſo maſtered by, and indeed enamoured with the ſenſe of it, that he renounces his p. 83own wiſdom, and throws out his own clamorous w…ll, and complyes readily with the all-wiſe God. This is truly to converſe with the Wiſdom of God, when we do out of choice refer our ſelves to it, and rowl our ſelves upon it. Every bare acknowledgment of Divine Wiſdom is not a proper converſing with it; but when the ſame is wrought into the ſoul, and the lively ſenſe of it doth ſo over-power the heart, that the will is prepared to cloſe readily with ſuch Methods as God ſhall pleaſe to uſe to accompliſh his own ends; then do we properly, and feeling…y converſe with God, under the notion of the Allwiſe God. But this of Self-reſignation I ſpoke ſomething to under the firſt head; and much of that which is ſpoken there, may be indifferently applyed hither. Therefore

7. Converſe with the unbounded Goodneſs, Love, and Mercy of God. God is infinitely and unchangeably loving and merciful to his people: he is good, ſaith the Pſalmiſt; and he is Love, ſaith the Apoſtle, 1 John 4. 8. Thoſe dreadful and terrifying apprehenſions which men have of the bleſſed and good God, as if he were ſome auſtere and ſurly Majeſty, given to paſſion p. 84and revenge, are apt to deſtroy that chearful and ingenuous converſe with him, which the creature ſhould maintain with its Creator at all times: But then are we moſt prone to entertain thoſe apprehenſions, and to harbour ſuch unſeemly notions of him, when he appears in the way of his judgments, when we take a view of him in the ruines of our comforts, the blood of our friends, the ſpoyl of our goods, and in the diſtreſſes of our lives. We are apt to frame notions of God according to what we find in our own diſpoſition, to fancy a God like unto our ſelves; and therefore we cannot eye an afflicting God, but we preſently conclude an angry God; as though the Eternal and Pure Being, were ſubject to paſſions and changes, as we are. Theſe apprehenſions being once drunk into the ſoul, it becomes unhinged preſently, and almoſt afraid to behold the face of love it ſelf, but flyes and hides it ſelf, as Adam in the Garden: or if the ſoul do converſe with God at all, it is as a City that is beſieged converſes with the enemy without, viz. ſending out to ſeek peace, and to obtain a ceſſation of Arms. And ſo a ſoul may beſtow much upon God, ſurrender up the Caſtle, give him all that he hath almoſt, not for any p. 85love that he bears to him; but as Joaſh gave Hazael a preſent of gold and precious things, to hire him to depart from him, 2 King. 12. 18. Oh then they will on and do any thing; yea, circumciſe their lives, as Zipporah circumciſed her Son, Exod. 4 25. to eſcape the hands of an angry God. Every one will converſe with God as an enemy in time of extremity; hang out a flag ſor peace, ſend preſents, pay a homage, ſend Embaſſadors to entreat his face: But few know how to converſe with the Goodneſs and Mercy of God, with him as their dear and only friend in a time of affl…ct…on, freely and chearfully. Now there ſeems to be a double account to be given of mens not converſing with the Goodneſs and Mercy of God in the time of afflictions.

1. Many cannot believe the Mercy and Kindneſs of God, when he is in the way of his Judgments. If it be ſo, why am I thus? cryes the poor ſoul, ſtrugling under its burden, and travelling in pangs to be delivered of its griefs. Thus unbelievingly argues Gideon (who was otherwiſe famous for ſaith) in the time of his bitter bondage under the Midianites, Judg. 6. 13. when an Angel from Heaven was ſent to aſſure p. 86him of the good will of God towards him, he could not entertain the news, nor believe the report, becauſe of the anguiſh of his ſoul, but cryes out, Oh my Lord, if the Lord be with us, why is all this evil befallen us? No, the Lord hath forſ…ken us; for he hath delivered us into the hands of the Midianites. The ſad ſoul is ready to cry concerning Chriſts gracious preſence, as the two Siſters concerning his perſonal preſence, John 11. 21, 32. Lord, if thou hadſt been here, my Brother had not dyed: Lord, if thou hadſt been here, if thou hadſt loved me, if thou hadſt had any delight in me, my Brother had not dyed, my Husband, my Wife, my Children had not dyed; I had not been thus plagued, afflicted, wounded, tormented as I am. Hence we have thoſe many complaints of the afflicted ſoul, up and down the Pſalms; Hath the Lord forgotten to be gracious? Is his Mercy clean gone? Hath he ſhut up his tender Mercies in anger? and many ſuch like. The ſmart of our ſenſes, is apt to pervert the judgment of our minds; and the ſenſe of bodily evils, is ready to deſtroy all ſenſe of the Infinite and Unchangeable Goodneſs and Love of God. Now this great evil ſeems to ariſe from theſe two cauſes, viz. our p. 87meaſuring of God and his Divine Diſpoſitions, by our ſelves and humane paſſions and affections, as I hinted before: And our meaſuring the Love of God too much by the proportion that he gives us of worldly proſperity. Woe to him in a day of diſtreſs, that was wont to judge of Divine Love by the things that are before him, as Solomon calls the things of this world, Eccleſ. 9 1. This, I ſay, is the temper, the infirmity of many in the time of afflictions: though indeed there be no reaſon for it. For why ſhould we conclude harſhly concerning Job upon the dunghill, any more than we would conclude charitably concerning Ahab on the Throne? Beſides, the Scripture teache…h expreſly, that the Love of God doth ſtand with correction, Pſal. 89. 33. I will viſit his iniquity, but my loving kindneſs w…ll I not take from him: Nay, it ſeems as if it could not well ſtand without it, Heb. 12. 6. Whom the Lord loveth, be chaſteneth, and ſcourgeth every Son whom he receiveth.

2. Others do indeed believe the Goodneſs and Mercy of God to them in a time of affliction, but either they cannot, or dare not, or will not converſe with it, nor take comfort in it. They remember God with p. 88the Pſalmiſt, Pſal. 77. 3. i. e. the Goodneſs, Bounty, Mercy of God (ſaith Mollevus) and yet at the ſame time are troubled; their hearts are unquiet, fluctuating, tumultuous within them. The ſoul is ſo impreſt with the ſenſe of ſin which it hath contracted from the conſideration of its ſufferings, that it dare not preſume to meddle with Mercy; but though this Mercy of God be its own, yet is ready to think that it is a duty to forſake its own Mercies, as though it heard God chiding it in the words of Jehu to Jorams ſcout, 2 King. 9. 18. What haſt thou to do with peace? What haſt thou to do with Mercy? turn ye behind me. An afflicted ſoul hath much adoe to believe it to be a duty to converſe with the Goodneſs and Love of God in a time of affliction. It eaſily agrees to converſe with the Juſtice, Holineſs, and Power of God indeed; but thinks it very improper, and unſeaſonable, if not unſafe, to converſe with his Mercy. It is ready to cry with Solomon preſently, In the day of proſperity rejoyce, but in the day of adverſity conſider: or with the Apoſtle, If any be afflicted, let him pray; if he be merry, let him ſing Pſalms. Converſing with the Goodneſs of God ſeems not to be a duty of this p. 89ſeaſon. I confeſs this is a high and hard duty. Every ſmatterer in Religion will cry out in his affliction, Thou art juſt and righteous, O Lord: But, Thou art good and merciſul: Bleſſed be the name of the Lord, is the voice of a Job only, Job 1. 21. But it is a duty, though a hard one; and affording much pleaſure and contentment to them that are exerciſed therein. That the kindneſs and benignity of God doth not fail, that his Love is not broken off from his people; no, nor ſuſpended neither, when he afflicts them moſt, is moſt certain. For, though he worketh changes, in and upon us, yet himſelf is eternally and unchangeably the ſame, Jer. 1. 17. And, though ſome of his dealings towards his people ſeem to be rough and ſevere, yet if we judge rightly of them, they are all Mercy and Truth towards them that keep his Covenant, Pſal. 25. 10. And that the people of God ought to converſe with this Divine Love and Mercy even in their greateſt afflictions, is as clear: To this purpoſe I might alledge the forequoted example of holy Job; and might enforce this Doctrine from the Apoſtles words, Phil. 4. 4. and Jam. 1. 2. Count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; and from p. 90many good Reaſons too, if it were needful. I know indeed that it is a hard thing to keep up a right frame towards, and converſe rightly with the Righteouſneſs, and Goodneſs of God at the ſame time; the one frame is ready to juſtle out the other. Sorrow is apt to contract the heart, and deſtroy the large and chearful temper of it: And joy doth dilate and enlarge it, and is ready to make it forget its grief: But, though it be hard, yet it is poſſible: Theſe two may well conſiſt in the ſame ſoul, according to that in Pſal 2. 11.—Rejoyce with trembling.

But how muſt we converſe with the Love and Mercy of God in the time of affl…ct…ons? I have partly prevented my ſelf in this already; but I ſhall ſpeak a little more diſtinctly of it. We do not then converſe with the Goodneſs and Mercy of God, when we barely think of it, or acknowledge it: But

1. When we believe and apply it, and take to our ſelves the comforts of it. When we look through the clouds that are round about us, and quite cover us, and by the eye of faith behold the Fountain and Father of Light: when we can look beyond the frowns that are …n his face, and the Rod that p. 91is in h…s hand, and ſee the good will that dwells in the heart of God towards us. More eſpecia…ly

2. When we do not only ſee and bel…eve it, but alſo draw vircue and influences down from it into our ſou…s, to eſtabliſh, ſettle, and ſa…isfie them. Not ſo much when we ſee it, as when we taſte it, when we feel t…e Sun of Righteouſneſs warm us, though it do not dazle us; and though we cannot perceive it to ſhine upon us, yet we find it to ſhine in us. We do then converſe with the Love and Mercy of God in an afflicted ſtate, when the ſame doth bear us up, not only from utter ſicking, but even from inordinate ſorrowing; when we draw a virtue from it in…o our ſouls to ſuſtain them, yea and to cheriſh them too. Thus Job comforts himſelf in his living Redeemer, Job 19. 25 and the Pſalmiſt in the Mercy of God, even when he was ready to ſlip, Pſal. 94. 18. 19. In the multitude of my thoughts within me, thy comforts delight my ſoul. In a word, we converſe with D… vine Goodneſs, when we are really warmed with it; and with Almighty Love, when we rejoyce in it, and can with holy venturouſneſs, and humble confidence, throw our ſelves into the very boſome of it: p. 92when we receive impreſſions of it from the Spirit of God, and are thereby molded into a temper fuitable to it, and becoming it. For then indeed do we moſt happily converſe with the Love and Goodneſs of God, when we for our part do live upon it; when we being aſſured of an intereſt in a loving and good God, do render up our ſelves alſo unto him, in the moſt beautiful and becoming affections of Love, Joy, Confidence, and holy Delight. This is an excellent frame; and, ſure I am, it is much for our intereſt, thus to converſe with God in the time of our afflictions. It is a high way of glorifying God, and bringing much credit to Religion: And indeed he that keeps up this frame, can be afflicted but in part; he ſcapes the greater half of the evil: For though it be never ſo ſtormy a time without him, a ſtorm upon his houſe, upon his goods, upon his relations, yea upon his own body; yet it is a calm day within; in the ſoul there is peace and tranquillity.

Laſtly (and indeed everlaſtingly too) we are to converſe with the Infinite, ſelfſufficient Fulneſs of God in a day of the greateſt extremity: that is, as if I ſhould ſay, not with any one ſingle Attribute, but p. 93with the very godhead of God, the immenſe perfection of God, the Allneſs of the Deity. Oh how ſeaſonably doth this bleſſed object preſent its ſelf to the ſoul in a time of afflictions, loſſes, mortalities, perſecutions, when we are moſt emptied of creature-enjoyments, and the emptineſs of them doth moſt appear! for upon theſe two doth our converſing with God much depend. I need not tell you how apt we are to live beſide God, when we have our fill of creature-delights; whilſt we can entertain our hearts with a created ſweetneſs, we ſooliſhly forget and neglect the ſupreme good. And ſo fond and unreaſonable is this affection, that no warnings, no precepts will ſerve the turn; God is forced to break that off from us, from which we would not be broken. Sure I am, the bleſſed and bountiful God envyes not his ſervants any of their creature-comforts or delights; but he loves them (as I ſaid before) with a ſtrong and powerful love, and will not ſuffer them to live ſo much to their loſſes, as they do, when they ſpend noble affections upon tranſitory things, in the everlaſting enjoyment of which they could never be happy. Now afflictions are a negative, if we ſpeak properly, even as ſin p. 94is; and whenever we are affl…cted in any kind, we are emp…ied oſ ſome created good, as poverty is nothing but the abſence of riches; ſickneſs the want of eaſe, of order, of health in the conſti…u…ion; reſtraint is the loſs of liberty, &c. So then it appears, that in a time of affliction, God is emptying of c…eature enjoyment; for indeed affl…ction it ſelf is little or nothing elſe but ſuch an emptying or deprivation. And that then the emptineſs of the creature doth moſt appear, I ſuppoſe all will grant. The ſick perſon looks upon his decayed ſtrength, and withering members, and is feelingly convinc't of the truth of the Scripture,—All fl…ſh is graſs. Another caſts about h…s eyes with Sampſon, and ſees heaps upon heaps, and cryes out like one that feels the weight of his own words, Childhood and youth are vanity: or alas how ſoon is the deſire of ones eyes taken away with a ſtroke! Another ſees his goods carryed away before his face; and his houſe on fire before his eyes, and then cryes out, that he hath a real proof of the yanity of thoſe things, which Solomon had long ago obſerved, Prov. 23. 5. Riches take themſelves wings and fly away as an Eagle towards Heaven. Whilſt we ſee the creatures ſtand, we will p. 95not believe but they are ſtable; whilſt we ſee them fair and flouriſhing, we cannot rightly lay to heart the withering nature of them: but when we ſee them cut down, we do then conclude they were but flowers; when we ſee them flitting, we conclude they are ſhadows: when God pours them our upon the ground, we are then convinced that they were unſtable as waters: To ſhew us what the beſt of our creature enjoyments are, God is forced to take them quite away, that they be no more.

Now then in ſuch a caſe, at ſuch a time, converſe with the Infinite, ſelf-ſufficient Fulneſs of God. Oh now it is ſeaſonable; now it is your duty; nay now it will be your greateſt policy! If that chanel, that creature-chanel be ſtopt, in which your affections were wont to run too freely; turn the ſtream of them into their proper chanel in which they may run freely, and neither ever meet with obſtruction, nor ever overflow. Let your ſoul grow up into acquaintance and union with God by creature-breaches and diſappointments. More particularly, converſe with the ſelfſufficient Fulneſs of God,

1. By the act of Creature-denyal. The eying of an infinite, abſolute, uncreated p. 96Fulneſs in a right manner▪ takes off the ſoul from all created objects, earthly things: even as the beholding of the Sun in its glory, dazles the eye to all things below. God becomes ſo great in the eye of the ſoul, that it cannot ſee the poor motes of worldly comforts. Give a ſoul a feeling taſte of the infinite ſweetneſs and fulneſs of the fountain, and its thirſt after the poor puddles of the world is preſently abated, if not perfectly quenched; according to that of our Saviour, Joh. 4. 14. Whoſoever ſhall drink of the water that I ſhall give him, ſhall never thirſt; that is, not after any other thing. Like unto which is that Goſpel promiſe, Iſa. 49. 10. they ſhall not thirſt, who do enjoy theſe ſprings of water. When this fountain is opened in the eye of the ſoul, and the ſoul begins to taſte of it, it longs to drink deeper of that indeed; but as for all other waters, waters of the Ciſtern, the ſoul looks upon them as not being, or at leaſt as being bitter, waters of Marah in compariſon; we do then truly converſe with the infinite, ſelfſufficient Fulneſs of God, when we look upon all created good with a noble diſdain, are content to part with it; or if we do ſtill enjoy it, are reſolved to enjoy it only p. 97in God, and ſo look upon it, and love it, only as a beam from the F…her of Lights; as a drop of the infinite Fountain of all Perfections. Tell me, Is it not a poor and low thing that many Profeſſors do, who acknowledge and magnifie the uncreated Goodneſs, the Fulneſs of God; and yet at the ſame time do covet and court the creature with all eagerneſs; and their worldlineſs is apparently too hard for their Religion? Methinks I hear God ſpeaking to ſuch ſeeming friends, as Dalilah to Sampſon, Judg. 16. 15. How can ye ſay, you love me, when your heart is not with me? To theſe mens hearts, methinks our Saviours Doctrine ſhould ſtrike cold, Mat. 6. 21. Where your treaſure is, there will your heart be alſo: And thoſe words of his beloved Apoſtle, 1 Joh. 2. 15. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. Let a man pretend and profeſs what he will; and in words magnifie the Fulneſs and Sufficiency of God as much as he will; if in the mean time his ſoul be bound up in the creature, ſuch a mans Religion is vain: nay, indeed his profeſſion of God becomes a real reproaching of him, and a blaſphemy againſt Reaſon it ſelf. Let your low eſtem of all p. 98created good in compariſon of the ſupreme good, your readineſs to quit your title to every creature comfort, and in the mean time your care to live beſide it, witneſs the true and honourable eſteem, the true and feeling ſenſe that you have in your hearts of the infinite and ſelf-ſufficient Fulneſs of God. For, however men may make a ſhift to cheat themſelves, God is not truly great in the ſoul, till all other things become as nothing; neither doth the ſoul rightly converſe with his Infinite Fulneſs, ſo long as any thing ſtands in oppoſition to it, or competition with it.

2. Converſe with the ſelf-ſufficient Fulneſs of God by the grace of Faith: I mean by that act of it, whereby we do intereſt our ſelves, and as it were wrap up our own ſouls in this Fulneſs, and make it our own. And herein there is no danger of a humble ſouls being too bold or venturous: For the Proclamation is full, and the Invitation free, Iſa. 55. 1. Joh. 7. 37. Rev. 22. 17.—Whoſoever will, let him take the water of life freely. What Seneca ſayes of the ſoul in regard of the divine original of it, may ſure be better ſaid of a godly ſoul, in reſpect of the Divine Nature, and qualities of it, illum divina delectant, p. 99nec ut alienis intereſt ſed ut ſuis; it doth not converſe with things divine, as with an others, but as its own. And indeed we cannot truly and comfortably converſe with the Infinite Perfection and Fulneſs of God, if we have no title to it: but then we converſe with God, when we converſe with our own God, not anothers: when the ſoul is able to ſay; All this Fulneſs of Power, Wiſdom, Goodneſs, is all mine in my head Chriſt Jeſus; for in him all this Fulneſs dwels, Col. 2. 9. and he dwelleth in me; in him are hid all theſe treaſures, Col. 2. 3. and my life alſo is hid with Chriſt in God, as theirs was in Col. 3. 3. You ſee then, that a ſoul cannot converſe with the Infinite Fulneſs and Self-ſufficiency of God, but by Chriſt; for it is in and by him that we receive of Divine Fulneſs, Joh. 1. 16. Hence was that of the devout Father, Tolle meum▪ tolle Deum; to which I may add, Tolle Jeſum, & tollis meum. The fulneſs of a fountain is nothing to me, except it be mine. There is bread enough in my Fathers houſe, ſayes the poor Prodigal, but for all that I periſh with hunger: ſo is there living waters evermore in this uncreated life, this infinite Spring of all Perfection; yet many ſouls are choakt with thirſt, becauſe p. 100the fountain is not theirs; it is a fountain ſealed, as Solomon ſpeaks in another caſe; The Well is deep, and they have nothing to draw with, as the Woman ſaid concerning another Well, Joh. 4. Therefore be ſure you get an intereſt in the Fulneſs and Sufficiency of God; or as Solomon ſpeaks in another caſe (Prov. 5. 15.) Drink waters out of thine own Well.

3. Converſe with the Self-ſufficient Fulneſs of God, by delighting your ſelves in it. Drink of this Fountain, yea drink abundantly ye beloved of God, Cant. 5. 1. yea, lie down by it, Pſal. 23. 2. yea bathe you ſelves wholly in it; Enter into the Joy of your Lord, lie down in his boſome, ſpread your ſelves in his Love and Fulneſs. The Beloved Diſciple leaning upon the breaſt of his Lord at Supper, was but a dark ſhadow, a poor ſcant reſemblance of a beloved ſoul, which by the lovely acts of Joy and Confidence, and Delight, layes it ſelf down in the boſome of Jeſus, and doth not feed with him, but feed upon him, and his Alſufficiency. Then do we converſe indeed feelingly and comfortably with the Infinite Fulneſs, when the ſoul is ſwallowed up in it, doth reſt in it, is filled with it, and centred upon it. Oh the noble and free-born ſpirit p. 101of true Religion, that diſdaining the purſuit of low and created things, is carryed out with delight to feed, and dwell, and live upon uncreated Fulneſs! Then is a ſoul raiſed to its juſt altitude, to the very height of its Being, when it can ſpend all its powers upon the ſupreme and ſelf-ſufficient good, ſpreading and ſtretching it ſelf upon God with full contentment, and wrapping up it ſelf entirely in him. This is the ſouls way of living above loſſes; and he that ſo lives, though he may often be a loſer, yet ſhall never be at a loſs. He who feeds upon created Goodneſs or Sweetneſs, may ſoon eat himſelf out of all; the ſtock will be ſpent, and (which is worſe) the ſoul will be dryed up, that hath nothing elſe to nouriſh it. But he that lives upon uncreated Fulneſs, is never at a loſs, though he loſe never ſo much of the creature: For who will value the ſpilling of a diſh of water, that hath a well of living water at his door, from whence he had that, and can have more as good, though not the ſame. Nay, to ſpeak properly, this is the only way to loſe nothing. For how can he be properly ſaid to loſe any thing, who poſſeſſes all things? And ſo doth p. 102he, I am ſure, who is filled with the Fulneſs of God. Be ſure therefore, that in the want, in the loſs of all things, you live upon the Fountain-fulneſs, delight your ſelf in the Lord, after the example of the Prophet Habakkuk, cap. 3. 17, 18.