bled if he give us the pardon of our sins, and wash our conscience in his own blood, it is no matter what men may say against us. For "Blessed is the man that maketh the Lord his trust, and respecteth not the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies." Is not God able to bear you out in his work? Look off from providence to the covenant. Providence is a deep mystery; we shall not be able to understand it, until we gather principles by faith from the covenant. "He hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee," Heb. xiii. 5. God overrules all for good. Rom. viii. 28. Look off from things temporal, to things eternal. "For our light affliction, that is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen for the things which are seen, are temporal; but the things which are not seen, are eternal," 2 Cor. iv. 17, 18. "For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed in us."

2. For counsel. A christian should not be troubled so much about what he should suffer, as what he should do, that he may do nothing unseemly to his calling and hopes, but be kept blameless to the heavenly kingdom. Now the word of God will teach him how to carry himself in dangers, to pray for persecutors, (fire is not quenched with fire, nor evil overcome with evil) how to keep himself from unlawful shifts and means, how to avoid revenge, lying, flattery, yielding against conscience, fainting under trouble, or waxing weary of well doing; it will teach him not to fight against Satan, or his instruments with their own weapons, for so we shall be easily overcome. The ungodly

shall not be so wise to contrive mischief, as the believer, instructed by the word, to carry himself under it. "Through thy commandments thou hast made me wiser than mine enemies," Psalm cxix, 98. Malice and policy shall not teach them to persecute, so as God's word shall instruct him to behave himself in the trouble.

our hearts

A cursory

The word must not be slightly read, but must be exercised in the meditation of it. reading will not work upon us so much as serious thoughts. In all studies, meditation is both the mother and nurse of knowledge, and so it is of godliness, without which, we do but know truths by rote, and hearsay, and talk one after another, like parrots. But when a truth is impressed upon our hearts by deep meditation, then it worketh with us, and we feel its power. Musing makes the heart to burn, Psalm xxxix. 3; serious thoughts are the bellows that blow it up. In a sanctified heart, the seeds of comfort come to maturity by meditation; by constant meditation our affections are quickened, this turns the promises into marrow. "My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness,-when I meditate on thee in the night watches," Psalm lxiii. 5, 6. It gives more than a vanishing taste, which mere professors only have.

In all your troubles then, learn this method, to cure them by gracious means ;-by prayer and meditation. Meditation on the word of God will tell you that we are "born unto trouble, as the sparks fly upward," Job v. 7 ; and therefore we should no more think it strange to see God's children molested here, than to see a shower of rain fall after sunshine, or that night shall succeed the day. "Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial, as though some strange thing happened unto you," 1 Peter iv. 12. It were strange if it were otherwise.

"We must through

Our waymark is many tribulations. much tribulation, enter into the kingdom of God," Acts xiv. 22. Afflictions too, though in themselves legal punishments, fruits of sin, yet by the grace of God, they are medicinal to God's people. "When we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world," 1 Cor. xi. 32. We never advance more in christianity, than under the cross. "They verily for a few days chastened us, after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness," Heb. xii. 10. "It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes," Psalm cxix. 71.

Rather, then, endure the greatest calamities, than commit the smallest sin. "Choose rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season," Heb. xi. 25. A meek suffering, con

duces much to God's glory. 1 Peter iv. 14. Your aim should be to do nothing unworthy of his presence and the truth you profess.

in you,

Mine is an unchanging love,
Higher than the heights above;
Deeper than the depths beneath,
Free and faithful, strong as death.

Thou shalt see my glory soon,
When the work of grace is done;
Partner of my throne shalt be,
Say, poor sinner, lov'st thou me ?

Lord, it is my chief complaint,
That my love is cold and faint;
Yet I love thee, and adore,

O! for grace to love thee more.

XXIII. If Christ loved us when he washed us in his own blood, then no slaying providences can separate us from the same love: so that we may, considering the matter aright, say, he loved me when he hurried me hither and thither; when he brake my bones, emptied me from vessel to vessel, made me as the mire of the street. Yet his blessing, once bestowed, can never be revoked; nor his eternal love change. Though his paths are in the deep, and his ways and judgments past finding out, while he maintains in our souls a cry after him, which is the voice of his own spirit interceding in us; he hath not forgotten, to be gracious nor caused his bowels to cease from yearning towards us. Sin only makes outward burdens intolerable. Outward troubles declare the venom of sin, and tend to open the ear to instructions; and so both of them send the souls of the redeemed to the atonement of Christ's blood for healing, and into his bosom for refuge. Certainly his promises are as good now as they were before the storm arose upon us; and the covenant of grace and love, and goodwill smiles as much as ever; and when the cloud is

blown over and gone, we shall see it. Now to justify God's truth, and submit to his wise hand; to maintain good and honorable thoughts of him, and all his dealings, when so many things from without and also from within do war against it; this is like the faith of God's elect, and doth in some blessed measure betoken the knowledge of what God is in himself, and what he is eternally to us, and that the seed of God remaineth in us. Let us leave ourselves in his hands, trusting in him for wisdom and strength, to carry us through. to him, Lord, heal us and purge us. He will do it, and all will be well. Let us hold on in prayer, "for the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak and not lie; though it tarry, wait for it, because it will surely come, it will not tarry," Hab. ii. 3.

Say

XXIV. The name of God, and what is in God, should be foundation sufficient for faith to rest upon in the utmost extremity of distress. The name of God, that is, God's attributes, and Christ's righteousness do sufficiently and fully answer all our wants and fears; all objections and distresses we can have, or can be in; whatsoever our want or temptation be, He hath a name to answer it. For example-to take that his name in pieces, mentioned Exodus xxxiv. 5, 6; consider every word in that his name, and every word answers to some temptation that may assault us.

First, art thou in misery and great distress, he is MERCIFUL; The LORD merciful. The LORD, therefore able to help thee, and merciful, therefore willing.

Yea, but secondly, thou wilt say I am utterly unworthy, there is nothing in me to move him to it; well, therefore, he is GRACIOUS. Now grace is to show mercy freely. Yea, but I have sinned against him long, for