Dr.jacomb's afternoonSermon. So carry your (elves, that it may be with you as it was with Pa- niel, they had nothing againft him, laving in the matter of his God-, Bauknot any duty for fuffering : Choofe the, greateff of fuffer. ing, before the leaf} of fin. In -a word ; So walk as it becometh the Golpel ; And finally, I fpeak to you, as the Apoftle fpake to them, Phil. 2. r6. Holding forth the word of life, that Imay rejoyce in the day of chrift, that I hare not run in lain, nor laboured in vain. The third ufe is for comfoi tto all thole that do confcientiou fly endeavour in all things to pleafe God : the comfort lies in this;you may fuller, but when ever you fuffer, the Father will not leave you alone : pleatingof God does not fecure a man from fuffering from men ; fometimes it rather expofes a man to fuffer from men : But now, though it does not prevent inhering, yet it takes away the fling and venom offuffering : it makes it to be like Sampfons Lion, when it was (lain he foundnothing but honey in the belly of it ; 0h ! theprefence of God in a time of affii&ion is exceeding pre- cious, it turns gall into honey, thorns into rofes. Be riot troubled in your thoughts about what you may undergo. If God be,with you all will be well ; if God comes when the crofs cometh, the weight of it (hall never hurt you : what is a prifon when God is there ? My Brethren, though efface leave you, relations leave you, all your comforts leave you ; fo long as God cloth not leave you, it will be well : therefore do not fear, be not dejeEted, or difcou- raged. Ifa. 43. 1, 2. Fear not, 0 Jacob; why fo ? when thou Keil =through the water, I will be with thee: we have more reafon to be afraid of profperity with Gods abfence, then of adverfity with Gods prefence. A good 'God will make every condition to he good: it is not a prifon but a pallace.where God is, they that do the things that pleafe God, whatever condition they may be brought to, the Fatherwill not leave them alone. Milliliters may leave you, the means of graceand Ordinances in a great meafure may leave you, your creature enjoyments and comforts may leave you, but here is a God that will never leave you : oh blefs his holy name. Fourthly, Is this pleating of God a duty of fo great importance and benefit ? Then be tender and charitable in judging of thole that do differ from you and others upon this account, becaufe they dare not difpleafe God. I may in this caution, aim at my felf, and others ofmy brethren in the work of our Miniffry : but I am not here at prefent to take my laft farewel ; I hope I may have a little further opportunity of fpeaking toyou ; but if not, let me require this of you, to pals a charitable interpretation upon our laying down
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