and He can if he will; and will do it in their greatest extremities, when it is most for his glory-his people's comfort, and the confusion of his own, and their enemies. Never let them, then, despair of themselves or of the church of God. Paul salutes the Philippians from the church in Cæsar's house, Phil. iv. 22, a place (in appearance) little fitter for a church, than hell itself; what, though things seem to them past recovery, when they are at the worst, then are they nearest mending. When the task of brick was doubled by Pharaoh upon Israel, then came Moses to work out their deliverance, Exodus v. 11. When the Jews heard news of their liberty to return from captivity, they "were as those that dreamed," Psalm cxxvi. 1; they could not suddenly believe it, it seemed so strange a thing in that their hopeless state.

Let us learn then, from this dealing of God with his people, in the midst of all extremities, to plead with God the extremity we are in; "Help, Lord, for vain is the help of man," is a prevailing argument. Plead the malice of enemies-the presumption of those that fear not God—and that he only can give issue from death when he will. Let us hope against hope-in misery, look for mercy-in death, for life—in guilt, for forgiveness; learn to wrestle with God, when he seemeth thy enemy; oppose to God his former dealings, his nature and his promises. Be of Jacob's resolution, "I will not let thee go, except thou bless me." Whatever we are stripped of, let us not forsake our own mercies. This one word, "I despair," takes away God and Christ at once. We must remember, our sins are the sins of men, but his mercy is the mercy of God; who will never leave us, but be with us, while we are with him. The people of the world leave a man when they can have no more use of him. Satan leaves his sworn vassals at their wits

end, when he hath brought them to the extremity of danger. But blessed be for ever our gracious God, then of all other times he is nearest to help us, when we stand most in need of him. He was never nearer to Jacob, than when heaven was his canopy, and a stone his pillow -never nearer Paul, than when in the dungeon, Acts xvi. 25. A christian is not alone, when left alone, nor forsaken, when forsaken; God and his angels can supply the want of all other comforts. Is it not the greatest comfort to a christian when God, passing by means, comes immediately himself unto him, and comforts him by his Spirit; for in defect of second causes, comforts are ever sweetest; therefore, in all extremities, let us wait and hope still for mercy, "If the vision stay, wait, for it will come,” Hab. ii. 3.

Here is the chief difference between the child of God, and one destitute of grace. For the child of God in extremity recovers himself; while the unconverted in any extremity sinks down with despair. The christian can rest on God's mercy in Christ, when other props are taken away.

But for spiritual extremities, oftentimes the strongest feel them with the quickest sense; for God herein respects not always sins past; neither more nor less measure of grace, as in Job's case, who could, without much distemper of soul, endure extremities both of body and state; but when God wrote bitter things against him, presently, he begins to sink, but begins only, for when he was at the worst, he stays himself upon his Redeemer, Job xix. 25, to the glory of God's grace. Thus, sometimes God makes his children triumph whom he sets as champions in defiance of Satan. They in weakness think they shall utterly fail and perish, but their standing out in the greatest conflicts, shows to the contrary. The

author of their safety is the Lord; no less than an almighty power is necessary to deliver them. For such is our inclinableness to join with temptation-such the malice and strength of our enemy,—so many are the fears, and so cunningly spread in everything are the snares we deal withal, that whatsoever delivereth us, must be above Satan and our own evil hearts-more wise-more powerful-more gracious to preserve us, than any adverse power can be to draw us to evil works. In which case, well said Moses, when God in his wonted glorious presence refused to go along with them, "If thou go not with us, carry us not hence," Exod. xxxiii. 15. Beloved, our lives are such as stand in need of perpetual deliverance. Our state here is wavering. The church lives always in tents, and hath never hope of any rest until the day of triumph; therefore, after "forgiveness of sins," we are taught by infinite wisdom to pray, "lead us not into temptation;" because though sins past be forgiven, yet we are in danger to be led into temptation let no one promise a truce to himself, which God promises not; if Satan and our corruptions join, we cannot be quiet; after sins of youth, we are in danger of sins of riper age; for though by grace, sin in some sort be subdued, yet, until it be wholly mortified, there will be some stirring up, until that which is imperfect in us be abolished.

It is the duty, as well as the privilege of the christian, also to reason with God from former experience to future; yea, it is a binding argument with God. He loves to be sued (Ezek. xxxvi. 37) and pressed from former mercies, and suffers them to be bonds unto him. Men act otherwise, because their fountain is soon drawn dry. But God is a spring that can never be exhausted. As he was able to help in former time,

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so is he also for the time to come. He is always, "I AM, Jehovah"-always where he was, his arm is not shortened; what he hath done heretofore, he can do now. We should, therefore, register God's favors (which is the best use we can put our memories to), and make them so many arguments to build upon him for time to come, as David said, "The Lord that delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, will deliver me out of the hand of the Philistine." O, were we but acquainted with this kind of reasoning with God, how undaunted should we be in all troubles! We should be as secure for the time to come, as for the time past, for all is one with God: we do exceedingly wrong our own souls, and weaken our faith, by not taking notice of God's favors. How strong in faith might old men be, that have had many experiences of God's love, if they would take this course! Every former mercy should strengthen our faith for a new one; as conquerors, whom every former victory encourages to a new conquest. So former favors should animate us to apply to God afresh: let us ask him to keep us from occasions of sin, or to minister strength if occasions be offered to give us opportunities of doing good, and to give us a heart to avail ourselves of those opportunities. It is he that preserves us from evil works, by planting the graces of faith and of fear within us, whereby we are preserved; and by peace which keeps our souls from despair, and rebellious thoughts; yea, he preserves us from evil works, through faith, unto his heavenly kingdom. In a word, God preserves his children by making them better-by weakening their corruptions by his Spirit, and stirring up in them a clear sight and hatred of sin-by chaining up Satan, our great enemy, until he have given us strength to encounter him.

What a mercy it is, though little thought of, that God letteth not loose Satan upon us every moment; how should this stir us up to thankfulness and entire dependance upon God! This is a marvellous point of comfort, that the Israel of God may say, The gates of hell may set themselves against the church, but shall not prevail, Psalm cxxix. 1, 2. We neither live nor die at man's appointment: our lives are not in our own hands, or Satan's, or our enemies', but in God's; they shall do no more, they shall do no less than God pleases, who is our life, and the length of our days. God may give way for awhile that the thoughts of many may be revealed, and that his glory may shine the more in preserving his children, and confounding his enemies. But he will put an end in his own time, and that is the best time. There is a day of "Jacob's trouble," when his enemies say, "This is Zion, whom no man seeketh after," Jer. xxx. 7, 17. But God sets bounds both to the time of his children's trouble, and to the malice of the wicked. Their rod shall not rest OVERLONG upon the back of the righteous, Psalm cxxv. 3. God will put a hook into the nostrils of these leviathans, and draw them which way he pleaseth. God delivers also the ungodly from dangers, not out of any love to their persons, but because he hath some base service for them to undertake, to exercise the patience of his children, and vex others that are better than themselves, which is not fit for godly men to do; they are only God's rod, and their deliverance is no preservation, but a reservation to worse mischief. But God delivers his own-graciously, not only from danger, but from the sin they are subject to fall into to their great danger, Heb. xii. 1. It is not ill to suffer ill, but to do ill; for doing ill makes God our enemy, suffering ill doth not; doing ill stains and defiles