Ver. 3 i. the Sib Chapter to the O O M AN S. felves'ppon earth, where moth and ruff Both corrupt,and where thieves breall through and fled: hut lay up your felves treafures in heaven, where neither moth and rug doth corrupt, and where thieves do not breakthrough nor /teal: for where your treafure is, there will your heart bealfo. Otherwife we cannot deal with you, for 'tis a vain attempt to hope to reconcile Chrillianity with your carnal affe &ions; but if you be fuch, tho the feelings of nature be not altogether quenched in you, you will not be greatly moved, as long as your main happinefs is Cafe; that is, while Gods love to you is not leffened, while your communioq with him is as free as it was before; while you lofe no degree of grace, and your hopes of glory fuffer not any Eclipfeyfor yourfolid happinefs lieth in thefe things; other things are but appendages to fweeten our Pilgrimage; and tho a Chriftian bath a value for his natural comforts ; yet'tis a value and an efteem that is fubordinated to higher en- joyments, that he hash fomething of value to efleem as nothing for Chrift. 2. Temporal proteflion and profperity is not excluded from the compafs and latitude of this priviledg, but includedfo far as God feeth fit ; So far as it is good to have peace and liber- ty; heretofore the bleffings of Gods pretence was vifibleand fenfible 5 as they obferved of Abraham, Gen. 21. 22. God iswith thee in all that thoudofi. So'tis promifed to Ifaac, Gen. 26. 3, I will be with thee, and blefi thee. To Jacob, Gen. 35. 3. God was with me in the way that I went. To Mofes, Exod. 3.17. I will be with thee. To Ifrael, Deut. 2. 7. The Lordtby God hash been with thee. Jofh. r. 5. 1 was with Molt-fond I will be with thee. To David, 2 Sam. 6. i8. So that we cannot fay, that he will not own and bleb us in the courfe of his Providence; but communion with him, and the enjoyment of his graci- ous prefence, is that which the godly delire molt, Exod. 33.5. If thy pre.'èncego not along with us, carry us not up hence. 3. Though temporal bappinefs be not altogether excluded, there muff be tryal5 For there is no crowning without (hiving, nor can a reward be expe&ed for .fitting 11111, 2 Tim. 2. 5. He mull firirie: According to the laws of the exercife, to put in for the prize in the Olympick Games, and to refute torun or wret le,was ridiculous ; fo'tis to think of Hea- ven, and do nothing for it, or run no hazzard for it ; partly, bt"caufe we need of betions, that the inner man may be renewed,and we be more prepared,difpofitively fitted for glo- ry, being weaned from the world, and mortifying the flefh, 2 Cor. 4. 16. For which caul we faint not, but though our outward man pee ifh, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. 1 Pet. 1. 6. Wherein ye greatly rejoice, tho now for a feafon, if need be, ye are in heavneli through manifold temptations. We fuffer, to quicken us in our drouzinefs, and refine us from our drofs ; partly, to conform us to Chrift, that we may overcome the world; he overcame it by fuffering,to (hew us that by fuffering wefhall overcome it, which is a no- bler vittory, than if we had overcome it by the fword, Rom. 8.37. Nay in theft things we are mare than conquerors. 'Tis for the honour of God, that it should be known that God hath a people that love him, and are dearlybeloved by him. 4. In there eryals God is with us, and fo if he lave you not from afilfions, he willfave you in and by afiliions. How is God with us in deep and preffing afllitions ; partly, in brideling the rage of men ; if you be in your enemies hand, your enemies are in Gode hand; whatever power they have,is given them from above, John 14. a1. and they cannot do any thing, but as God permitteth; partly by the effelts of his internal Government. 1. Supporting them, Pfal. 138. 3. In the day when I cried, thou anfweredfi me, and firength. nedfi me with firengsh in my foul. 2 Cor. 12. 9. And he faid unto me, My grace is fiifflcient for thee. Phil. 4. 13. 1 can do all things through Chrifi which firengthneth me. If we have his fpporting prefence, tho we have not his delivering pretence, 'tis enough. Second- ly,. His comforting pretence, Pfal. 91. 15. 1 will be with him in trouble: God is molt with his of hilted people, (as the blood runneth to the wronged part ) as the mother is with the tick child, even to the envy of the reft ; then we are moti prepared for the comforts of his fpirit, being refined from the dregs of fenfe. Thirdly, His fanllifying pretence ; Bleffing the of hi &ion for an increafe of Grace, Heb, 12. 10. But they verily for a few days chafined us after their own pleafure, but he for our pre,. fit, that we might be partakers of his bolinets. Now thefe experiences (hew, that he is flill with us. U S E, is Information. a. It informeth.us of the mifery of snicked men, in the general ; by parity of reaÇon, if God be againfl us,'tis no matter who is for us 9 how Coon are all things blatted, when God is again(t apeople? they make little reckoning of Gods help, or fecuting their Weak.
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