Thankfulnefs required in every condition. 3" upon that place) As Noah: Dove hovered over the water, and found no place for to reft her foot upon, untill flue re- turned to the Ark : So does the Spirit ofGod, as it were, hover over the fouls of men, it wanteth reft : and when it fees a foul that leers for the Truth, there it lights, there it refts, there the Spirit ofCod, and of glory refts. I ap peal to you : which will be molt comfortable, think ye, at the day ofJudgment ; thatye have beenperfecutedfor the Truth: or thatye have been a perfecutor of the Truth ? I knowyour Anfwer : When a Chriftian is under perfecution, he may lift up his voice, and fay ; I might have been ingag'd a- gainft the Truth : Ah ! I might have been a perfecutor of the Truth : but bleffed be God it is not fo. The Apoftles went away rejoycing, that they were accounted worthy to fuffer for the Name ofChrift. Surely therefore, there is matter ofpraifeand thankfgiving, even in this condition alfo, in this condition a Chriftian fhould be thankful : 'tis the will of God our Father we lhould be thankfull here. But fuppofe that a man' inward, andfPiritual condition be o- verclouded, andGod withdraw, and bide hisface from a Chrifli- an : fhall he ? canhe be thanful in this condition ? is it his du. ty to be than(ttl now ? Tes, For though God dowithdraw, though he dohide Az,fw. his face, and not thine upon a Chriftian : yet it may be light with him. Day may be,day though the Sun do not thine forth in bright-beams. And it may be day light, it may be day upon a Chriftian foul, though there be never a beam fhines. We are raved by faith, and not by feeling. Again, Though Chrift dothhidehis face,though he doth withdraw his Comforting pretence, he never withdraws his Supporting prefence from aChriftian fometimes more of that,when leaft of the other. Chrift deals by a Chriftian; as God dealt by Chrift in his agony, and on the Crofre : though God withdrew his Comforting prefence, fo as he cry'd out and faid,My Godany God why haft thoufcrfaken me? Mattb. Yet he had never more Of dods Supporting prefence : And 27. 46. k k 2 fo
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