The YI'lay to Tranquility. 3 6-1 ink, at leafì with force paffion, and all came but from perplexity,anddißurbance of fpirit, and in that manner he rather added to her grief than eafed her; So labs friends you fee what they faid, they prefently judged him in that cafe, as one that God had raft offfor hypocrifie, and for his pride,and covetoufnefs,or for force one thing or other, and therefore it was thus with him Nay, Chrift himfelf, the cen- lure ofall men was thus much concerning Chrift himfelf ; We didefleemhimJtrick- ID. u;. 4. en, fmittenof God, andafflüïed. The intentof the phrafe is, asone fmitten for his town ill, as if God had now manifefted that he did not acknowledgthem to be fo ¡holy and righteous. So thus you fee the inclination in the heart of man, to un- charitable judging of thofe that God bath cart down , and fifers to be exercifed under many afflictions, and troubles ; Let us learn then fpiritual wifdom ; let us learn love,and fpiritnal mercy,to judge more favourablyof the irate of thofe whom we fee troubled in spirit. Many times God infeebleth, and diftreffeth the fpirits of fervants, to abate the prideofmen, that nonemight exalthimfelf before God; Nay,in thevery thing wherein they have excelled, inthe fame thing he fometimes abafeth them : you fee Abraham he is called the Father ofthe faitful: his excellency was his faith, yet faithful Abraham is detefed in Scriptureofmuchunbelief inforce particulars, Who would think that he fhould expofeSara, ashe did to lave himfelf ? that he fhould do it,that was called the Father of the Faithful? you have heard (faith the Apoffle fames, of the patience oflob, the very excellency of lob was his patience : who would think that ever patient Yob thould utter fuck things as he did,fometime,even curling the very day ofhis birth ? David a manofa chearful fpirit,a man full of the praifes ofGod, a manwondrous large, when he comesto fpeak ofthe gloryofGod at feveral times. Aman would have thought him ofan invincible fortitude, and courage , yet neverthelefs you (hall have David fo cafe down , as that he thinks the Lord had forgotten him,and thattheLordwould thewno mercy upon him,that the Lord had hid himfelf from him, and that he would never regard him more i who would think that ever David, that abounded fo in the cbmf°orts ofthe fpirit fometimes, thould befo drjeedat fticls times as tIs1 were, when hewas in fucha conflil ? Why doth Goddo this 2 Sod (biers his To thew thus much, that thevery belt of his fervants in the chiefoftheir excel- :arvants to be lencies ase dependant on him fill, they have nothingof themfelves, or from them- to inward dì ft felves. Therefore they (hall fometimes feem to want that they have, that the very re(i,aadwhy, having, and ufng of it, maybe afcribedto his glory. Then let usnow reafon thus, when we fee the fervants ofGod in trouble, exercifedunder difquiet ; Let uscon- clude, nowGod is glorifyinghimfelf. This theApoflle infers, Hewill refoyeein his infirmities, becaufe the power of Chrift ismanifefledby ir. For our felves, it fhould teach us (according to the intent ofthis place) above all things to labour, that ourhearts maybe kept in that blefted plight of fpiritual joy, thatwe maybe ftrengthned with freenefsof heart to ferve Cod inour inward man; Let not your hearts be troubled. How thould this be done? TheText tellsus here (and fo I comebriefly to thefecond thingobfer'vable in the Text, the means) youbelieve in god (faith he) believe alfainme. As the words areread in the tranflation, they teem to be utteredby way ofcon. ceffion, as much as ifChrift had faid,fince you already believe in God,nowbelieve in me. TheSyriachkerns to exprefs it otherwife,and forender it by way ofcom. mand, and to make here an intimation oftwoduties, as a helpof quieting theheart, and fo it. reads it ; I et not your heartsbe troubled believe inGod, believeato in me, propounding a twofold obje&,where-about faithfhodld be exercifed,that the heart may be difquieted in the time of any trouble.' The firft is God, confdered in theTrinity ofperfons,in theunityofEffence. The fecond is Chrift, Mediatour, God, and Man. Now, faithhe, believein God, that is thefirft, reflupon God. Aaa a Then ': i
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