Preached Auguft 17.1662. 117 di reCtion as at filch a time : as caul, when he was in difirefie , then he calls for the Ephod, and thus it is with .us under affli&ion , then we look, to God. Thirdly,God is with them in his preferving and hiding pre, fence : God is the Saints hiding place , their Shield, their Buckler, their Rock, their defence the Scripture-expreffione are many to hold out Gods proteCtion as tohis people:God bath a conliant care over them to preferve them and Cave them : oh but elpecially in a time of trouble: as the Mariner is never fo careful of the Chip as un- cle,' a aom;andGod is never Co careful of his Church and people,as under atiMion. Jeremy is in the Dungeon, now God Caves him. Da- niel is in the Den,nowGod Caves him : The three Children in fte Fire,now God Caves them : Peter is in prifon,now God Caves him The Mother never tends the child Co carefully, as when the child is lick; and Providence is never Co tender to the people ofGod, as un.. der a fuffering condition. Fourthly, God is with them in his comforting pretence : 2 Cor. 4. i. Who comforted) is in all our tribulation: and ufually we have molt ofconfolatioii fromGod, when we have moft of tribulation from without : as our fuffering do abound,fo our contolation doth abound much more : The child that is b eaten when it is well , is cherithed when it is ill : when perfons are lick, then you give them cordials : God gives the bell ofcomforts in the worft of times : when the burden is heavie upon the back , then the peace of conrcience is great within : the worfe it is without,. the better it is within; when wen difcover moil ofanger, thenGod di /covers moft of love. Fifthly, God is with fuch in his ftrengthening pretence, to ena- ble them, and to fupport them to undergo whatever he is pleafed to call themunto : this is the way ofour good and gracious God, he alwayes gives out firength as he layes on affilecon : he never leaves his children alone in this reipe& : he will be with them to fupport them : though it may be not to deliver, yet he will certainly be with them to rupport; the rod and the ruffthey go together, Pfal. 23.4. the affiiaing rod and the fupporting flaff: when one is upon the Saint to affliCt,then the other hand is underneath the Saint to fiip- port,Ifa.4teto. Iwill uphold thee, I willflrengthen thee, fear not, I will help theelyea," trill upholdthee with the right hand of my righteoufnefe. This David found, I cryed unto the Lord in my difireffe,heanfwered me, and firengthenedmein my inward man, 4-11.138.3. Oh whenmen affli &; God Cuppors3when men put the Chili ren of God into the deep waters,then God takes them by the chin,and holds them up that they (hall not fink and he drowned. Sixthly;
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