----·--···--···- - -------- 91 Book lll. JL.oolttng unto 'jjefu.s. Chap 1 .Seer. 2. -----~--~----------- t,hat is held forth to us in this phrak I will be.as a God to thee: 0 fweer~ the greatefil: Prom1fe that ever WJS made ; Chnft-God is more than Grace p 1 Holinefs, Heaven, as the Husband is more excellent than the Marriage-rob· ;oon, lets, Rings ; rhe Well and Fountain of Lif~ is of more excellency rhan the 'rlre race. ~hrift jefus the objeCtive bappi~efs, is _far above a created and formal beatitud~ 11:~~~~ dTuerh from h1m. 0 my faults not rlus worthy of thy mmofl confideration'? Bur of tlusmore rn rhe next. 0 . Confider Jef;win 'tharpromife made to .Mofes and the !fi'aeliw, 1., the L;rd thy God that bronght theeo~<tof the Land of Egypt, out of ;he hortfe of bondage. Much hath. be~n far.d ra thtsPromJfe b~fore as matter of thy conhaera uon ; bur to contrac'l it conlrder rn rhrs Promtfe the fufficrency and propriety. 1. Here is fufficier.cy : ir is ; prom1fe of mfimte worth, an ht~ rreafure, a ncb po£feffion, an overflowing bleflin whJCh none can rtghrly _value; 1t rs no lefs than rhe great, 1nd mighty, and infinit~ God ; 1f we had a promrfe of an hundred worlds, or of ten heavens, this is morerhan all; he1ven indeed is beautiful, but God is more beautiful · for be is the God of hea. ven: and ben~e it is that the Saints in heaven are nor farisfied without their God . iris a fweer exprefi1on of Berna-rd, As whatfocver we $ive unto thee, L ord, tmle(s we' givc our[elves~ cannotfatufie thee; fo whatfoev~r thou g.veft unto IM, Lord, 1<11/efs tho11 givejl t~y felf, tt can~otfatt,Jie"': andhenc~ 1t IS, thar_as God dorb·make rhe Saints his pot– non, fo God rs the pomon and mbentan~e ef hts Saints. Confider the grearnefs, the goodnefs, rhe all-fuffioency of th1s prom1fe, I am the Lord thy God! No queflion but Mofes had many other rich promifes from God, but he could nor bt farisfied wirhour Exod 33 11 - Godhimfelf: If thy prefmce be not with us, bringm not hence. And no wonder for · · ·, without God all things are nothing; bur in the want of all other things, God hi~felf is infiead of all: It ,-,Gods alone Prerogative to be all tmivcrfalgood. The things of this world can but help in this or that particular thing : as bread againft hunger, drink again{! rhirft , doatbs againft cold and nakednefs, houfe again{! wind and weather, riches againfl poverty, phyfick againfi ficknefs, friends again!t folirarinefs: but God is an allfufficienr good; he is all in all both to tho inner and outward man : Are we guilty of lin? there is mercy in God to pardon us. Are we full of infirrriities? there is Grace in God to heal us. Are .we firong in Corruptions ? there is power in God to fubdue them in us. Are we difquiered in Confcience ~ there is that Spirit in Godrhat -is the Comforter, that can fill us with joy unfpeakable and glorious: And for our outward man all our welfare is laid up in God, he is the God of ow life, Pfal.f2.8. he is theftrength of ourlife,PfaL27· I. heisa q~tick_ning Spirit; I Cor.t5·45· Which, though it be in regard of the inner man, yet there iris fpoken of rh~ardman, which the Lord lhall quicken after death, and dorh now keep alive by his mighty power ; for in hcls 17 .>B. himwe live,andmove, and have our being. • , ' 0 my Soul, that thou wouldfi bur ruminate, and meditate, and confider this prornue in all thy wants and difcomenrs: when means fail, and tile•ftteam runs no more, 0 that thou wouldefi rhen go to the Fountain, where rhe :water" run fweerer, and more Gcn. 4 ,_,6. fure : for as (oftph faid to Pharaoh, Iti< not in me, G'odjhallgiva JJha>'t~!la mumfwcr of peace : So may Silver and Gold, and fuch things fay to thee, irtisnot in us: God fhall give enough our of himfelf: have God, and have all : want G.Od., and rhete is no content in the enjoyment of all: It was the Apollles cafe : ~' having nothing, 2 Cor. 6 • 10 • and yet poj[effing all things: Surely he lived ro <?od, and enjoyed (Jod, .and he was an all-fufficienr good unto him : God may be enJoyed m any condition, '? the meandl, -as well as the greateft, in the poorefi as well .as r_henchefi: God wtll go 1nro a wtldM· nefs,into aprifon with his people, and tl\ere·he ·Will ma~eup all rhat they are cut lhon of: rhy difcontents therefore arife not. from the want of outward means~ ~nt from want of inward tellowfhip wirh God: rf rh~u doft not find a !offiCien:cy, rt rs becaufe thou doll: nor enjoy him who is thy a.ll-fuffic~ent good : 0 lhr up _Faith , and confide: rhe Covenant, think ferioully on tbls Promrfe1 I arn God a/1-fu.ffic.ent: I '"" the Lora thy God. . . . h G. d' 2. Here is the PrQpiiety of Saints, the Lord thy God. 0 what rs thrs, t ar o IS thy Go4? ' Heaven ana Earth, Angels and,Meri rnay fland dl:on!01ed ar ir: Wl1at? that the Great'a!)<! Mighty <:}ud, Cod Almighty, and God Alllfufficrem Owuldbe called thy Hcb. 11.16, G•d1 It is obfervable 'what the Apollle fpeaks, God ls rt!Jt ajhamed •tO be called thetr God; W<;>uld nor a Ptirtt~ be ~fhamed rti t~lka Begga~:, ;ti Ru?agare, a bafe and adulre· rous ~oman to be nis wl~e'? Bur we _afe ~or~~\than ·:(o;·• 1and God 1s better t~~~
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