Several Discourses Considering the Providence of God, Discourse · Part 2 · Sermon 27
SERMON XXVII.
Pſal. CVII. 43.
Whoſo is wiſe, and will obſerve theſe things: even they ſhall underſtand the loving-kindneſs of the Lord.
WE take notice in the world, that Wiſdom is not ſo much the daughter of ſtudy, as of experience. It is a practical habit, directing the ordering of mens converſations to their beſt advantage: which is not ſo well acquired from our poring on books, and making concluſions from connate principles, or maxims of others, as from the obſervation of what we ſee in the world. Hence we obſerve what Job ſaid, Job 12.12. with the Auncients is wiſdom. Elihu ſaid, Job 32.7. Days ſhall ſpeak, and multitude of years ſhall teach wiſdom. There muſt indeed be ſuppoſed a foundation in nature, and that is a good faculty of judgment, and a foundation in art; for wiſdom dwelleth with knowledg, but neither nature, nor art and ſtudy will make a morally wiſe man. Obſervation contributes more than either: and this is the reaſon that wiſdom is with the Auncients, and that multitude of years teacheth it. The reaſon of this is, the inequal diſtribution of reaſon to reaſonable creatures, and the prevalence of paſſion above it in the moſt of men; from this it is, that we can better conclude what is like to be done in the world, from what hath been done, than from any rational principles, which will tell us what one would think reaſonable men ſhould do. Spiritual Wiſdom likewiſe is much gained by obſervation: this is that which we call experience, by which we underſtand not always what our ſelves have felt, but what we have ſeen with our eyes, what we have remarked in Gods dealings. And the reaſon of this, is our imperfect underſtanding of what God hath revealed in his word, which lets us ſee, that we ſtand in need both of the Spirit, and of the Providence of God to be our interpreters; and the oneneſs and immutability of God gives us a far better advantage to gain wiſdom from the iſſues of his Providence, then the variable paſſions of men will allow us to gain from what we ſee in their actings, whoſe methods oft-times vaſtly differ one from another; ſo as the policies of one age, have no cognation with thoſe of another. The reaſon alſo of which is, becauſe there is a wheel within theſe wheels (though the fools and blind men of the world ſee it not) governing theſe ſenſible wheels, to the deſigns of his eternal counſels. Hence it is, that he who is wiſe, will obſerve; and he who would be wiſe, muſt obſerve the motions of Divine Providence; which though it hath many ſecret and unſearchable motions, yet alſo hath many certain and uniform motions, which will fall under the ſcience and underſtanding of the ſoul, that giveth up it ſelf to the ſtudy and obſervation of them. I have already offered to you twelve Obſervations upon the motions of Providence, I yet proceed, and ſhall at preſent offer you ſome further things chiefly relating to the motions of Divine Providence, in the executing of Divine Juſtice and Judgment, and that as well in the rewarding of the righteous, as in the puniſhment of the ſinner; Two great works of Divine Providence, about which indeed it is moſtly taken up: it goeth to and fro the world, doing this work every day; let us ſee how far we can track it, or make any judgment from the prints of its feet, where, or what we are like to meet with from it: meet it we muſt at every turn of our lives; our buſineſs is to make up a judgment, what we are like to meet with from it, whether it be like to ſay unto us, Haſt thou met me, O my friend! or as Ahab to Elijah, Haſt thou met me, O mine enemy! The next Obſervation I ſhall commend to you, is this:
Obſerv. 13. The reward of the righteous man, and alſo of the ſinner, is always certain and conſtant, though not always ſenſible and uniform? This muſt be true. Shall not the judg of all the earth do right? Gen. 18.25. It is in the nature of God to do juſtly, far ſooner ſhall a good tree bring forth corrupt fruit, than a righteous God do an unrighteous act. It is written in the Will and Promiſes of God, and in the threatnings which declare the Will of God againſt ſinners. Say ye to the righteous, that it ſhall be well with them, for they ſhall eat the fruit of their doings: Wo unto the wicked, it ſhall be ill with him, for the reward of his hands ſhall be given him, Iſa. 3.9, 10. Though a ſinner do evil an hundred times, and his days be prolonged: yet ſurely it ſhall be well with them that fear God, that fear before him: But it ſhall not be well with the wicked, neither ſhall he prolong his days, Eccleſ. 8.12. But it may be better for your edification, that I ſhould open the Obſervation in the branches of it. The ſubject of my diſcourſe you ſee is the vindicative and remunerative Juſtice of God, conſidered as in the hand of Actual Providence, I ſay of both.
1. That it is certain, both the one and the other is certain; for the ſinner that ſwears and drinks, and wallows in his beaſtly luſts, that lies and cheats, and oppreſſeth, and breaks Sabbaths, that murthereth, and committeth adultery, and lives in the violation of the Commandments of God, his Judgment is certain, his damnation ſleepeth not; the Providence of God ſhall moſt certainly meet him, as a Bear robbed of her whelps, to tear him in pieces, and there ſhall be none to deliver. On the contrary, for him that worketh righteouſneſs, that herein exerciſeth himſelf to keep a conſcience void of offence, both towards God, and towards men, that liveth an holy life and converſation, his reward is certain. The certainty of both theſe depends, 1. Ʋpon the immutable nature of God. The righteous God loveth righteouſneſs, and hateth iniquity, he cannot clear the guilty; he cannot but reward the righteous; as ſoon ſhall God ceaſe to be God, as the perſiſting ſinner go unpuniſhed, or the perſevering Saint be unrewarded. 2. It dependeth upon the irrevocable will of God. God hath ſaid it, the Lord hath ſpoken it, and it ſhall come to paſs. Heaven and Earth ſhall paſs away, before a word ſhall fail of all which the mouth of the Lord has ſpoken. 3. It dependeth upon the faithfulneſs of Divine Providence, in acting conformably to the Divine Nature, in the execution of the Divine Counſels, and in purſute of the Divine Will. Providence is Gods action in time, God cannot act contrary to himſelf, nor contrary to his revealed Will. But this is what none without great impiety can ſo much as doubt. But I added,
2. That both the puniſhment of the ſinner, and the reward of the righteous man is conſtant. This is not now a matter of ſo ſenſible demonſtration, but equally true with the other, Pſal. 7.11. The holy Pſalmiſt tells us, He judgeth the righteous, and is angry with the wicked every day. Anger in God ſignifieth nothing of paſſion, as it doth in us. It only ſignifieth Gods juſt will to puniſh ſinners, and the execution of this his juſt will and pleaſure. Now I take that phraſe, God is angry with the wicked every day, to be true in both ſenſes; not only that God hath an immutable will, purpoſe, and reſolution to puniſh reſolved and impenitent ſinners, but alſo that he is every day doing of it: and ſo he is every day rewarding the righteous man. But this will better appear in my Explication of the third thing, where I told you,
3. That neither the reward of the one, nor the puniſhment of the other are uniform, or always ſenſible. And indeed the notattending to this, is all that gives the leaſt advantage to the complaints of Job, David, Jeremiah and Habakkuk, concerning the proſperity of the wicked. God ſometimes puniſheth ſinners by temporary afflictions and judgments: theſe now are obvious to every eye, and incur into all mens ſenſes. All men take notice of mens being afflicted in their perſons, croſſed in their relations, in their eſtates, &c. But thus God doth not always puniſh the worſt of men.
2. He hath another way of puniſhing, and that more dreadful, that is, by ſpiritual judgments; ubi poenalis nutritur impunitas, a puniſhing them by ſuffering them to go unpuniſhed. God never more ſmartly threatned the ten Tribes, than when he told them by the Prophet, Hoſ. 4.14. I will not puniſh your daughters, when they commit whoredom, nor your ſpouſe when they commit adultery. He never ſpake more ſeverely, than when he ſaid, Why ſhould they be ſmitten any more, they will revolt more and more, Iſa. 1.5. Hence impenitency, hardneſs of heart: hence they bleſs themſelves in their ſinful courſes: this makes them ſhut their eyes, and ſtop their ears. This is indeed an inſenſible judgment; but as it is with the wounds of the body, the more ſecret they are, and inward, the worſe they are: ſo it is with judgments upon a man, the more inward and inſenſible, the more deſperate and dangerous is the caſe. The giving of ſinners up to a blindneſs of mind, (as in the caſe of the Iſraelites), Iſa. 6.9. to an hardneſs of heart (as in the caſe of Pharaoh), Exod. 4.21. to vile affections, (as in the caſe of the Heathen), Rom. 1.26. to a reprobate mind, &c. Theſe are of all other the greateſt puniſhment, one or other way God is angry with the wicked every day. Although he is not every day plaguing them with ſenſible judgments; yet when he is not doing this, he is letting them alone (as God ſpake concerning Ephraim, Ephraim is joyned to idols, let him alone) ſuffering them to go on in their own ways, by which means their hearts grow more hard and impenitent, more blind and inſenſible: and this is the reaſon that wicked men grow worſe and worſe, more vile in their affections, more ſottiſh and reprobate in their minds and judgments, more vile and abominable in their lives. And as the puniſhment of the ſinner, ſo the reward of the righteous man, though it be always certain and conſtant, yet it is not uniform, nor always ſenſible, eſpecially to others. The certainty of their reward ſtandeth upon the very ſame foundations, that the certainty of the ſinners puniſhment doth, and ſo doth the conſtancy of it: for as God is angry with the wicked every day, ſo God is well-pleaſed with the righteous every day; he can every day go to God, and ſay unto him, Thou art my father; God is every day well-pleaſed with him, and delighted in him. But I ſay, theſe rewards are not always uniform, our heavenly Father hath more than one bleſſing; ſometimes he bleſſeth him that worketh righteouſneſs after one manner, ſometimes after another, but he always bleſſeth them. Let me a little open to you the plenty of bleſſings, which our heavenly Father hath, and ſhew you how variouſly he rewardeth him that worketh righteouſneſs.
1. Sometimes ſome of his people ſhall be bleſſed with outward bleſſings. Abraham ſhall be a rich man, and have many flocks and herds. Joſeph ſhall be the ſecond man in Egypt. David and Solomon ſhall be great Princes. Mordecay ſhall be the man whom the King of Perſia ſhall delight to honour. Daniel ſhall be the firſt preſident. This is neceſſary that God may juſtifie his Promiſes of this nature: you have ſuch, Pſal. 128.1, 2, 3. and in many other Texts of holy Writ. They may be neceſſary to uphold the intereſt of God in the world. The world muſt ſometimes ſay, Verily there is a reward for the righteous. Gods own people ſhall ſometimes have healthy bodies, numerous families, plentiful comfort in their relations; many left hand-mercies, added to thoſe ſpiritual bleſſings, with which God hath bleſſed them all in Jeſus Chriſt.
2. Others now God doth not reward this way, but he rewardeth them in their ſouls and inward man: and indeed this is the conſtant reward of them that fear the Lord: and there is a variety in theſe too. God doth not meaſure out the ſame kinds, nor the ſame proportions unto all. Some are bleſſed with a quiet conſcience, poſſibly they have not extaſies of joy as others, but their hearts do not condemn them: and this is indeed the uſual reward of the man that worketh righteouſneſs: The work of righteouſneſs ſhall be peace (ſaith the Prophet), Iſa. 32.17. If God brings them to a ſick-bed, or into any other ſtrait, they can ſay with Hezekiah, 2 King. 20.3. I beſeech thee, O Lord, remember me now how I have walked before thee in truth, and with a perfect heart, that is, an upright ſincere heart; or with Nehemiah 13, 14. Remember me, O Lord, concerning this, and wipe not out my good deeds which I have done for the houſe of my God. And give me leave to tell you, this is a great reward, but to be delivered from the ſowre reflexions of a condemning conſcience: for as there is nothing more nauſeous and troubleſom to us, than the ſower recoilings of our ſtomack; ſo there is no greater torment to a mans life, than the recoilings of a guilty conſcience. Nothing is oft-times ſo great a torture to a ſinner as this, when he ſaith unto his conſcience, Is it peace? and his conſcience tells him, What peace? ſo long as thy drunkenneſs, thy whoredoms, thy lyes, and oaths and blaſphemies, thy cheating and cozening, thy oppreſſion and violence remain? There is no peace to the wicked (ſaith my God). On the other ſide there is nothing ſo refreſhing unto a ſpirit tired with the croſneſs of the world, than to find a peace within himſelf. Now this is the general reward of the righteous man, if he miſſeth raptures and extaſies of joy; yet he cometh not ſhort ordinarily of a quiet and ſerenity of a waky and awakened conſcience. I know there are hours of melancholy, and darkneſs, and deſertion, to which the beſt of Gods People are expoſed; but theſe are but rare examples in compariſon of thoſe multitudes of godly ones, that walk in ſome bleſſed view of their own ſincerity and uprightneſs. Some he rewardeth in their inward man, with raptures and extaſies of God: They know and are perſwaded that nothing ſhall ſeparate them from the love of God in Jeſus Chriſt; they defie death and hell, and challenge the fatal ſtrokes which others tremble at the thoughts of. They complain of time, and were it not for the Law of God in the caſe, would diſmiſs their ſouls of their priſon, and lye (like men waiting for a wind) longing for that happy gale, that ſhould carry their ſouls into the wide Sea of Eternity. But this is but the portion of a few, and ſcarce the abiding temper of them neither; but ſuch hours the People of God have had. Some again he rewardeth inwardly with ſtrength, confirmed habits of grace, and contentment with their portion, &c. Their outward man decreaſeth, but their inward man increaſeth day by day: they are poor in purſe, but rich in grace; they have but little, but they are content with what they have, and tell all the world they have enough. And let me tell you, that as puniſhments in the inward man, are the greateſt puniſhments; ſo theſe ſpiritual rewards are of all other the greateſt rewards, which is matter of eaſie demonſtration, if we will but allow our ſouls to be our nobler parts, and the Jewel to be better than the Cabinet. Whatſoever tends to the debaſing and ruining the ſoul, muſt be the greateſt evil; and whatſoever conduceth to its ennobling or felicity, muſt be the greateſt reward and good. Beſides this, ſpiritual judgments are the continual forerunners of ſuch as are temporal, and ſpiritual mercies draw after them, at leaſt a proportion and ſufficiency of the good things of this life. All theſe things ſhall be added unto you (ſaith our Saviour). 2 Chron. 25.16. God ſent a Prophet unto Amaziah, the King would not hear him; ſee what the Prophet ſaith, I know (ſaith the Prophet) that God hath determined to deſtroy thee: why? becauſe thou haſt done this, and haſt not hearkned unto my counſel: Spiritual judgments forerun temporal, you have it, Iſa. 6.10. When the Prophet asked how long? how long in ſeeing, they ſhould ſee, and not perceive; and hearing they ſhould hear, and not underſtand? God anſwereth, Ʋntil the cities be waſted without an inhabitant, and the houſes ſhould be left without men, and the land ſhould be utterly deſolate. In like manner ſpiritual rewards and mercies never go without ſomething of this life, if not a plenty, yet a ſufficiency, food convenient for Gods People. Finally, as ſpiritual judgments are the forerunners of eternal ruin: ſo ſpiritual rewards are the more certain forerunners of eternal ſalvation; they are the things which (as the Apoſtle ſpeaks) accompany ſalvation, and make men meet for the Kingdom of God.
3. But God ſometimes rewards his people with ſufferings. This you may think a ſtrange reward. But yet a reward it is, Chriſt promiſeth to the loſers for him, that they ſhould receive children, houſes, lands, with perſecutions; and the Apoſtles, Act. 5.41. rejoyced they were thought worthy to ſuffer ſhame for his name-ſake. God honoureth that man whom he calleth out to be a witneſs for him, and to carry his croſs after him. Job ſpeaketh of other afflictions, and cryeth out, Job 7.17. Lord, what is man that thou ſhouldſt magnifie him? that thou ſhouldſt ſet thine heart upon him? that thou ſhouldſt viſit him every morning, and try him every moment? What need we more than what the Apoſtle aſſureth us? Heb. 12. That whom the Lord loveth, he chaſteneth, and ſcourgeth every child whom he receiveth: Our light and momentany afflictions (ſaith the Apoſtle) ſhall work for us a far more eternal and exceeding weight of glory: and if we ſuffer with him, we ſhall alſo be glorified together with him, Rom. 1.17. This variety of rewards our heavenly Father hath. The rewards of the righteous from God are not uniform, but always certain and conſtant: one way or other, Gods Providence is always doing them good, and rewarding their righteous deeds: and this muſt neceſſarily be true upon the Apoſtles Hypotheſis, That all things ſhall work together for the good of them that love God. But I haſten to the Application.
Ʋſe 1. In the firſt place let me recommend this to your obſervation. Though there be ſuch a vaſt difference between good and evil in their own intrinſick natures, as might juſtly allure us into the embraces of the former, and ſcare every man from the purſuit of the latter; yet ſuch is our nature, that we ſtand in need of encouragements to the former by rewards, and by the terrors of the Lord to be ſcared from the latter; and there cannot be any thing more effectual with us to diſcourage ſin, and incourage goodneſs, than if we can effectually perſwade our ſelves, that the puniſhment of ſin is both certain and conſtant, and the reward of righteouſneſs is ſo alſo. This is the point I have endeavoured to demonſtrate, and you have heard that the reaſon of any ones preſumption of the contrary, is their looking at nothing as a puniſhment or a reward but what is ſenſible, than which we cannot be guilty of a greater miſtake, nor any of worſer conſequence, as to the malign influence it will have upon our lives, and (conſequently) upon our eternal ſtate. But conſider what hath been ſaid, and judg whether a man can do any thing to the greater ruin of himſelf, than to go on in an impenitent and reſolved courſe of ſinning againſt God. Poſſibly you do obſerve, that as to outward things it is much one with a profane ſwearer and blaſphemer, as with the man that reverenceth the glorious God, and feareth an oath, Eccleſ. 9.2. with the drunkard, as with him that is ſober; with the chaſt, as with the unclean; with the Sabbath-breaker, as with him that remembers to keep holy Gods day; nay the profane lawleſs ſinner is in greater honour and power than the other, richer than the other: and this incourageth thee to joyn with them. But poor creature! hath he that hath many bleſſings, but one curſe, think'ſt thou? Obſerve well that ſame proſperous ſinner, and tell me if every day he doth not grow worſe, if according to his paſtures, he be not filled with all the fruits of unrighteouſneſs, if he be not given up to a blind mind, an hard heart, vile affections, if thou doeſt not obſerve that his conſcience is ſeared, and branded with an hot iron, as it were, that he grows paſt feeling. If thou ſeeſt this, ſay not he is not puniſhed, he is puniſhed with a witneſs. Is a ſealing up to damnation no puniſhment? According to our law you know malefactors are firſt ſeared with an hot-iron, upon their next miſcarriage they are hanged. It is Gods method, when once a ſoul is ſeared with an hot-iron, given up to be paſt feeling, to damn him next without mercy. Look well upon the ſinner, and thou wilt diſcern God is angry every day with him, he is every day fitting for Hell flames, Is this no puniſhment? On the other ſide thou ſeeſt the man according to Gods heart, walking ſadly; he is plagued every night, chaſtned every morning, he is poor and needy, hungry and thirſty, in priſons, in deaths often, purſued by the falcons of the world, as a partridg upon the mountains, perſecuted on all hands. Thou concludeſt contrary to the Scripture, That he hath waſhed his hands in vain, and cleanſed his ſoul to no purpoſe: verily there is no reward for the righteous. But harken poor creature. Had Eſau's Father many bleſſings? and hath Jacob's God but one ſort? Thou ſeeſt his poverty and want, but doeſt thou ſee how he hath learned in all eſtates to be content, and hath changed his name into a quod vult Deus. And certainly godlineſs with contentment is great gain. A poor contented Lazarus, is an happier and richer man, than a diſcontented covetous Dives. Thou ſeeſt how he is afflicted every day, how full of troubles his life is; but thou doeſt not ſee the ſerenity of his ſpirit, the peace of his conſcience: his joy in the Holy Ghoſt, his glorying and rejoycing in tribulations, as his tribulations work patience, his patience experience, and his experience hope. Mark, ſirs, the upright men, conſider the juſt men, you will ſee their ends to be peace; yea in this life you will ſee them more indiſturbed by troubles, and inconcerned in the ruffles of the world than other men. The more you obſerve, the more you will be confirmed in this truth, that the Providence of God will certainly reward, yea is conſtantly rewarding him that worketh righteouſneſs.
Ʋſe 2. But ſecondly, what a trembling and terror ſhould this Obſervation ſtrike into the loins of every ſinner; what an engagement ſhould it lay upon them to repent, and turn from the wickedneſs of their way.! Each part of this Obſervation ought to be improved for this purpoſe. Impunity in ſinning, is a great encouragement to the ſinner: the heart of man ſtands bent to his luſts, and if he fancieth that he may eſcape the hands of Divine Juſtice, or that he doth eſcape, and thrive, and proſper in his wicked courſes, it wonderfully imboldneth him to go on; but if the vengeance againſt him be certain, if his iniquity will certainly find him out, that he may as well hope not to dye, as not to be thrown into Hell when he dyes; and if the wrath of God be already kindled againſt him, and God be already puniſhing him, What hope? what incouragement can he then have? Now this you have heard is the ſinners caſe. I remember when that great plague was began amongſt the Iſraelites, upon their murmuring againſt Moſes and Aaron, after the death of Corah, Dathan, and Abiram, Numb. 16.46. Moſes biddeth Aaron take a cenſer, and put fire therein from the Altar, and put incenſe thereon, and go quickly to the congregation (ſaith he) and make an atonement for them: for there is wrath gone out from the Lord, the plague is begun. Is here an impenitent ſinner before the Lord? one that hath been a drunkard, a ſwearer, a profane perſon, or that hath lived without God in the world, that bleſſeth himſelf with vain hopes or preſumptions, that he ſhall eſcape the Judgment of God, or may eſcape it; that his ſoul is at preſent free from fears, he thriveth, he proſpereth in the world, and his proſperity blindeth his eyes, that he cannot ſee the hell into which he is dropping, and ſo maketh no haſte to deliver himſelf from the wrath that is to come? To ſuch a one let me ſpeak, (oh that my counſel might be acceptable!) take thy cenſer, put fire thereon from the Altar, and put on incenſe, and go quickly, and make an atonement for thy ſoul. Theſe are indeed things not in thy power, but my meaning is, Betake thy ſelf quickly to the great work of repentance, which lyes not ſo much in tears and humiliation, as in the change of thy heart, in thy turning from the wickedneſs of thy way, breaking off from thy ſinful courſes. Betake thy ſelf unto the Lord Jeſus Chriſt. It is he who hath the golden cenſer, to whom is given much incenſe, Rev. 8.3. It is he, Rom. 5.11. By whom we muſt receive the atonement. Whatever you may think, wrath is gone forth againſt you, the plague in your ſouls is begun: you are in health, not ſick, not in pain as other men; not ſo croſſed in your eſtates and relations, as ſome other men; but for all this wrath may be gone forth againſt you, the plague may be begun within you. Let me examine you a little, do not you find that your mind is more blind, your underſtanding more dark, your affections more vile and ſenſual, your conſciences are more benummed and ſtupid? Is not the plague then began? Can there be more dreadful indications of Divine Wrath againſt you? The ax is laid to the very root of your tree; if you do not now bring forth better fruit, you will ſuddenly be cut down and caſt into hell-fire.
Again, What an incouragement to repentance is it, to hear, That he who worketh righteouſneſs, ſhall moſt certainly be rewarded, yea that he is rewarded every day? Thou that liveſt and goeſt on in a courſe of bold and preſumptuous ſinning, what peace haſt thou when thou lyeſt down, or when thou riſeſt up? Art not thou like a bankrupt in the world, or one who is much behind-hand, that cannot abide to look into his books? no more canſt thou endure to behold thy conſcience, or to call thy ſelf to an account; it may be thou haſt quietem ex ſomno, ſuch a quiet as a man in a dead ſleep hath. The man that worketh righteouſneſs, can call himſelf often to account, and when he hath done, lye down and ſleep in peace, either in a full aſſurance, or a good hope, at leaſt through grace, that God hath pardoned and accepted him. Let therefore my counſel this day be acceptable unto you, break up the fallow-grounds of your hearts, ſow unto your ſelves in righteouſneſs, believe that the work of righteouſneſs ſhall be peace, and the effect thereof quietneſs and aſſurance for ever.
Ʋſe 3. Finally, What an encouragement here is to the people of God under all Gods ſevere diſpenſations to them, to go on doing good. Do not deſame the God of Heaven, with ſaying or thinking that you cleanſe your hands in vain, nor that he taketh a long day to reward them that work in his work. Behold (ſaith our Lord) I come quickly, and my reward is with me, to give every one according as his work ſhall be. It will not be long before Chriſt will come with this great reward; but as he puniſheth the wicked, ſo he rewardeth alſo the righteous man every day: it may be he doth not reward thee with a long life, an healthful body, a plentiful eſtate, other accomodations of this life; his wiſdom ſeeth not theſe things fit for thee, he knoweth thy heart, thy temper; but haſt thou not a quiet conſcience, a ſerenity of mind? or art thou not ſtrengthened with might in the inward man? doth not Chriſt dwell in thy heart by faith? art thou not rooted and grounded in love, and able in ſome meaſure to comprehend with all Saints, what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and heighth, and to know the love of Chriſt, which paſſeth knowledg, that thou mayeſt be filled with all the fulneſs of God? Thou art (it may be) troubled on every ſide, but art thou diſtreſſed? thou art perplexed, but art thou in deſpair? thou art perſecuted, but art thou forſaken? thou art caſt down, but art thou deſtroyed? Thou beareſt about in thy body, the dying of the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, that the life alſo of Jeſus might be made manifeſt in thy body, 2 Cor. 4.9, 10. Is this no reward? It may be it is not the reward thou lookedſt for, but it is that reward which God ſeeth fitteſt for thee. It is not all that thou ſhalt have, when he ſhall come, whoſe reward is with him (and he telleth thee that will be quickly), thou mayeſt expect fuller and greater things; in the mean time thou haſt a viaticum, an enough for thy paſſage through the wilderneſs. The work of God is a wages to it ſelf, but God gives thee wages beſides; yea, and eye hath not ſeen, nor hath ear heard, nor can it enter into the heart of man to conceive, What great things God hath further prepared for them that love him; ſay not then, that thou ſerveſt God for nothing, and faint not, nor be weary of well-doing: for you ſhall reap if you faint not.