Pbil.4.6, 7. ~piritual PerfoElion. The belief of this is the reafon of thofe Commands ; Be cartf ul for not bin~, bu 1 in every thing by Prayer and Thankfgzvmg, let .JOilf requefts be mtrde known to God : Lfnd the Peace of God tl'.at _pajJes underfla'!~ing, fbalt luep J.~ur Hearts and Minds, tbro11gh Jej 11 s Chri.ft. An unbehevmg Heart anuctpares futu re Evtls , cxafpera tes preftnt Evils, and makes !harp reflechcns on paft Evils. It makes Men dead with Fear, drunk widj Sorrow, mad with Oppreffion. Faith in the gracious Providence of God, frees us from vain fears, fad prognollicks, and the. mi ferable perplexities .t hat torment the Mmds of Men. Mufing on our Mifenes .is hke chcwmg a bitter Ptll , t hat is read il y [wallowed by refignatton to the bleffed Wtll of God, the R ule of Goodnels. Faith in· lig&tens us to confider things with a refri6ed Judgment, and no t with the parti al ity of the Paffions. In the Churches extremit}', when the confpir ing Enemies are grea t in number and power, Faith raifes the droopi•g Spirits, If God be for "' , w/;o can be againjl us? When .Antigonus was ready to ingage in a Sea -fight with PtolomJ's Armada, and the Pilot cried out, H ow mtlnJ Art they more tht~n we ! The couragious King replied, 'Tis true, if JOU count their numbers ; br1t {or how many do JOu val11e me ? One God is All.fufficient againft all the combin'd Forces of Earth and Hell. We are therefore commanded to ct~ft all o11r &Are on him; for he cares /orru. 'Tis very dilbonourable ro God to diftruft him in doing our Dury : For it proceeds either from a jea loufie of his Goodnefs, or low thoughiS of his Power; as if he were unable and un. willing to fave us. A prudent ufe of Means is requifite, otherwife we do not null but tempt his Providence: There is a vicious Carelefnefs, and a vertuous Care; but diffident and anxious Cares, as if all things run at random without rhe ordering of our Heavenly Father, is not only fruitlefs, but pernicious. The .~poftle telis the believing Hebrew;, Ye ;~~;~~~[:;~;~n~JU:i~a~fa[~,~~foi~::~~i:t~~;;iiP~~ile~ '';;t/;f~';:;JtS;r;;;~; Faitb, of God's prefence with them to fupport and relieve them in their Sorrows, and of a perfefr and gracious deliverance out of them. God will llwrtly put an end to the Malice of the Wicked, and the Patience of the Saints. In the next State, when he has clear'd our fight, we jhall j•flifie his Wifdom, and difcover that all Events were divinely ordered, and are beautiful to admiration. Now in the Churches diftrefs we arc apt to fay with Gideon, If the Lord be with '"• wby thm ;, all tbis befallen us? But then we !hall turn the current of our wonder upon our Ignorance and Infidelity; that notwithftanding the Evidence of the Word, and the Experience of the Saints, prove that God turns all Temporal Evils to their Spiritual Good, yet we are unbelieving. CHAP,
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