SE R M 0 N I. ~od; for Gud is i11 bea'Ven, and tbou upon earth ; the gre~tefi di!l:ancc in nature is but lmp<.>r;c& dlfcove~y how much we are beneath God; 't1s the effeCt of grace to rep a~ ~ent tllc divine betng a~d g lory fo to rhe foul, th~t in the moft ~ocial duties it may har:e tmpreff:ons o~ fear; Pfa l. 2... 1 r. Serve :be Lord n:1tb fear, a11~ re;oyce with trembling. We ~~~~;'~~~:r tl;~f~;:~n~di~~i~~':;~r~~~.\t~~: ~~~no~ ~~; r~~~. ~~,~~~~~:~e ~~~ t~1n~~~ Tuet;·t~ft~;~:~t'b~i~~~nf~~';;o~~~~~ t~~e ft~ar;[eGf~~softd ~~~t~;~;~ [%~,t;:~:~~1 ments are Joyncd toge~her;_ Ecclef_ 1 2. 13. T his IS the prtEpoftus which governs our actions accordmgto Gods \nll ; th1s 1s a watchful Ccnunel againfl: t he moll: pleafant temptattons; 1t ktlls delight 111 fin , _(by wluch the mtegrity of moll: men is loll:;) for dehgl!t cannot dwell With fear; tlus ts the guard and fecurity. of the loul in the days of trouble; the fear of Gocl countermioes the fear of men; this curs off bafe and unworthy comp!yings ; therefore the J..ord brings this as an Antidote againil the bafe fear of men; If;;~';,:~: ',t/';;~,•;: ::::;; a~';:ap;"!:,;1t~e~~:J'~t. "{.~;:~.'t;t:,:"t1;;; ftr~:~;;~ fortb tbe /leavens> m1d laid tbe foundations of 'the eartb? This exalts a Chriflian above humane frailt~ , and makes him delpife the thtcatnings of the world , whereby many are ternfied from the~r confl:ancy. It IS the moll: unrealonable thmg to be Cowards to men and fearlej) of God. . Men have but finite power, and fo they cannot do that hurt they would ; and they are under the Divine providence> and therefore are diGblcd from doing that hurt, which othcrwife they could do; but the power of God i~ abfnlutc and unconfined; therefore our Saviour prefTes with vehemency upon his DiC ~~~l~~~·'r:!:~·i~~~~~o8is ~b1:· ;;o~:}J;; r::~:'bo~ua~d}o:~~bh:t;;eH~t ~r:;~ %: ~~:~: 1:~~ ::~ punin1 for ever, therefore when duty an:rJife cannot fl:and together, he that fl ies the danger by delivering up his foul, exchanges the pain of a moment for the torments of Eternity: Au}liu upbraids the folly of luch; They fear the Prifon, butthey fear not Hell; .they fear tempora.f torment, but tbry fear not t11e paim of Uf19uencha!Jle fre; t/;q fear tbe fir}/ but not tbe jecond deat/;; 3· Defendance, 10 relpecr of his All-lufiiciency to fupply our wants; and Omnipotencr to fecure. us from dangers. Firfr, his AH-fufficiency can fupply our wants; he is the Sun> Fountain and Mine of all that is good; from hence the Prophet glories in God, Habbak. 3· 17, 18 . Alt/;ougb the fig·tree (hall not bloifom, neither foal/ fruit be in the V1nes; the labour of the Olives (hall fail, and the fields foal! )'ie!d no meat; tbe Flock (hall be cut off from tbe fold, and tbere foal/ be no herd in the }/ails; yet !will rejoyce in the Lord, ! will joy in the God ofmyfalwtion. He exprelfes not only thi ngs for delight, as the fruit of the Vine and fig-tree, but things for neceflity, as tbe meat of tbejie!d, and the flocks of the}laU, and the utter failing of thcle together ; for otherwife the want of one might be fupplied by the enjoyment of another. Now in the abfolute lofs of thefe lupports and.comforts of life, the Prophet !:1\v all things in God; want of all outward tltings is infi nitely recompene'd in the prefence of God : The Sun needs not the glimmering light of the Stars to make d•y; God without t he aflifiance of the Creatures can make us really happy; 10 the enjoying of him we have all t!ungs, and that to the grcatefl: advantage. The things of this world deceive our ex pcCbt~ons, and draw forth our corruprwns; but in God we enjoy them more refinedly; and more fatisfyingly; t he dregs of fin and farrow being removed ; by polfeiling God there is no burden which we are not able to bear, bt1t he takes it away, our wants, wealmefS"and fufferings; and there is no excellency of his which we are ab le to enjoy, but he conveys to us, his grace, his ~!or)~· There is true riches in his favour, true honour in his approbation, true pleafure mhis peace. He is the treafure_ and triurripl~ of the foul. Lam. 3· 24. Tbe Lord is my portio11, faith mJ' foul, therefore wrll l hope in hrm : He is fuch a eortion, that all temporal crolfe1 cannot hinder its influence on us, and Ius mAuxtve preience makes heaven ; he ts a por· tion that cannot be loll:, he infeparably abides with the foul. The real belief and application of this will keep a Saint in an holy independency on earthly things; ~he fl~mes which !hall burn the W?rld, ' cannot touch Jus portz011; he may fiand upon ItS rumes, and f.1y , I ba'Ve lojl11othmg. . Moreovcr,this will keep the foul upright in tl~c cour[e of obechence; for all th~ e~or· bi.ta;-Jcies and f\rervings from the Rule proceed from the apprehenfions of fome plrti~ui:lr good in the Creatt~l:C> which. draws men afid~. Thofe who want the ~ ig ht of fai th ( "hieh J,!covcrs Gods All-fuilicJency)only odmtre prdent and fenfible t hmgs ; and to obtain thcfe they dep_urt from God; but the more eagerly they fcek after the£< tern- : ' · poral
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