ZEPH. Il.i,2,3. in the midjl of thee, whm I jhatt have executed Jt.dgmmts, And therefore you had as good give Glory to ·him before·hand, as .!eremy fays, Chap. 1~· r6. Befol'e be 'cailje dark11e{s; for God will be glorified either on you or by you, for he made all things for bimfelf. All things are by him, therefore for him; and if therefore he get nothing by you, nor you pay your rent, look to be tUrn'd out. Are you fuch Vines that bring forth fruit to 1t felt; as Hoj: r o. 1, fo as God gets nothing done for him, eats not of the Tree he plartted, he flubs it 11p, why .. cumbers it the ground? Efpecially look to your felves when God's Ax is lifted up, and laid to the Root of the Tree; now down with all unprofitable ones, nor only thofe that do not bring forth ~ruit, but that do not bring forth fruit to God, Rom.7· 4· that bnng not forth frmt mtet for htm that drejjeth fhem, a11d raitJs 01J them; as He6. 6.7. he thatdoth not is mgh to curjing,. and fo to burning; But now, a Soul that 1s a frmrful Soul, and defires tn all thtngs to glonfie him, and to bring forth much fruit, and that to him, it were not for his profit to do it; nay, God fl1ould be a lofer if he lhould cur him off, as Veut,2o.I 9· What, cut down a Tree that is full of fruit, and that not ripe yet? No, he will not. God will not jdt his People for 11011ght, and not increafe his wealth by their price . as they plead Pfa/.44· I 2. He may get more by them, and let them fiand. Nay; fee what God fays, 'Pjat.9 r, when thoufands fait 6,rjides thee, f5Jc. why, fays God, vtr. 14. Becaufe he bath Jet his lovf 11po11 mf, therefore wilt I delrv_tr him. · Yet Fifthly, Pray to him, and call upon him, and keep communion \Vith him, which indeed is more efpecially and particularly put for to feek bim l and is the next condition required in that .Pfal. 9I, ri· Hefbatt call up011 mf; and I wit/ an(wer him, which hath three parts, firfi, ~ writ h with him i11 trot16te, .fc– condly,deliver, and thirdly, ho11ottf hitJI. He will anfwer thee, firfr, by being with thee in thy 'trouble, manifefiing his prefence; and what if thou beefi in the fiery Ftmltlce with the Three Children, if God and Chrifi walk with thee. Now thou hafi his Promife as well as rhoy, I wilt 6e witk thee in the fire, I{ai.4~.2, and in waters; be with thee as a friend, bemoaning thee,and bearing the burthen with thee, which is a great eafe to a man. Ifai.6 l·9· be with ihec, and render thee, and vifit thee, if lick, or in prifon, &c. to bring thee Cordials and refrelhmenl!, asPfa/.4"1· tomake thy bfd i11 thy jicktufs; and jlm1ghthm thff whmlangtlif;itrg. And as he will be with thee, fo he will plot to deliver thee, and not tcfi till he hath done it; and nor only {o, but bring i\lee. our, as Jvfeph, our of prifori into greater honour, or as Vuniel, our of the Lions Den. And this he would do, if men would feek him, and prderve communion, and be much with him, as the Church did I(ai,26. 8, 9· in the night.(ou<~htbim, tl!Jd · fought him u.rly, when hu ]t1dgmmts art i11 the Earth. Whm I awake, fays 'David, I am j/itt with thee, Pjat. I~ 9· I8. yea, and all the day long he kept communion with him, Pja/.7~·2~. I am contimtal!y with thee, and do walk as in thy prefence, and dare rtor luffer my heart to go far from thee; for I am not able to fubf1fi unlefs thou holdefi me by thy right hand, efpecially not then wheri waves of trouble come; theri, unlefs he hold thee, ·how wilt thou do, as 'Peter, if Chrifi had not put forth his hand, Therefore keep nigh him, fiill have him by the hand; for the Lord fays v.27. Thofe that are jar from thee fh.>IJ pm/b; elfe when troubles come, I am in a miferable cafe. P[a/,2 2. 11. Oh 6e not far t from me, for trou61f is 11ear,. for there is none to help, none elfe; and therefore If thou wouldefi not have h1m far off thee, then walk not aloof off him no\V. b~, :ris good, fays 'David, v. 28. of the fame 7l Pjiztm, to ~raw ~~~~b to God> thiS IS my befi and only way for fafety; and therefore feek,h1m at1d tollow him hard, as V r.vid, !'fal.6~.8.My Sottlfotlowethh,lrd after thee,as one not willing to lofe light of htm; follow him up and down, give him ilo refi night nor day. 'Tis not enough to trufi him and fear him, but pour out your hearts before him. P(a/.62.8. For be IS a rejitgefor ui, And to firenghrhen their Faith an'd quicken thm Prayers, I have heard !t fpoken again and again, that Power belongs to· !urn, and Mercy belongs to h1m; that he 1s able, and merciful, and therefore \Vil– ling to do abundantly above all wi: c'an ask or think · and therefore 'tis noi in vairi fo feek him, and to rrufl him;. ' Ancl
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