522 BAXTER'S FAREWELL SERMON. God "bring forth as light, and our judgment as the noon-day ; " Psalm xxxvii. 6. Our eclipse will vanish when the sun returneth, and our sins no longer interpose : and though all our inquiries and complainings have not brought us out of the dark, yet God is the Lord who showeth us light;" (Psalm cxviii. 27.) and in his light we shall see light;" Psalm xxxvi. 9. Say then, O distrust- ful, trembling Christian, "Why art thou cast down,.0 my soul? and why art thou thus disquieted within me? Hope thòu in God, .for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance and my God ; " Psalm xlii. 5..11. and xliii. 5. Though now you "go mourning because oftheroppression of the enemy, God will send out his light and truth, and they shall lead you, and bring you to his holy hill and tabernacle ; and then you shall go with praise to the . altar of God, even of God your exceeding joy ;" Psalm.xlü.2 4. Use 2. Learn, then, how to behave yourselves in the absence of your Lord, till his return. If you ask me how : Ans. 1. Be not content and pleased with his absence. You must bear' it, but not desire it. Else you are either enemies, or children that have run themselves into such guilt and fears, that they take their fatherfor their enemy. 2. Nay, be not too indifferent and}nsensi- ble of your Lord's departure. Love is not regardless of the com- pany of our beloved. Hp may well 'take' it ill, when you can let him go, and be as merry without him as if his absence were no loss to you. If you care no more for him, he will make you care, before you shall:fedl the comforts of his presence. Such contempt is the way to a worse forsaking : call after him till he return, if he hide his fade. 3. Turn not aside to the creature for content, and seek not to make up the, loss of his presence with any of the de- ceitful comforts of the world. Let him not sed you take another in his stead, as if riches, or power, or worldly friends, or fleshly pleasure, would serve your turn instead of Christ. Ifonce you come to this, he may justly leave you to your vain contents, and let them serve your turn as long as they can, and see howwell they will supply his room. O, see that no idol be admitted into his place till Christ return. 4. Be not imboldened, by his absence, to sin. Say not, as the evil servant, in your hearts1 'My Lord delayeth his coming,' and sò begin to smite your fellow-servants, and to eat, and drink with the drunken, lest your " Lord comein a day when you look not for him, and cut you asunder, and appoint your portion with the hypocrites : there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth ; " Matt. xxiv. 48-51. Because Christ cometh not to, judge the wicked as soon as they have sinned; they are imboldened, to sin more fearlessly; and because sentence against an evil work is not speedily executed, therefore the hearts
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