Ver. 3 i. the 8th Chapter to the R O MANS. 321 3. 'Upon this ground they defie the creature, Pfal. 77. r. The Lord is my light andfalva- tian; whom /hull l fear ? the Lord is the firength of my life; of whom fhall I be afraid ? So Pfal. 118. 6., The Lord is on my fide, 1 will not fear what man can do unto me. It argu- eth great Pufdanimity to yeild to temptation when God is with us, and for us; and to doubt of the futii deny of his prote&ion: For they muft.firft prevail agairít God, before they can againft yon. 2 Will yáu believe the judgment of your own Reafon? Then confider what is man, and what is God ; and fee the one againft the other,,his' Wifdom againft their Policy, his Power againit their Weaknefs, his Love and Mercy againft their Malice and Cruelty: What do we believe God to be, and Man to be ? Man, compared with God, is a forty, feeble, worthlefs thing, a puff of wind,or a pile of duct, nothing, lefs than nothing, and vanity. S .rely God is infinite in wifdom, power and goodnefs 5 Man a poor creature, that in point of wifdom would give any thing to know futurity, and the event and rue- eels of his enterprifes 5 and is often cut off in the midlt of his defigns, Pfal. 146. 4. Ile returneth to his earth, in that very day his thoughts perifh: leaveth his projehhs and contri- vances, Prat 2. 12. And yeperi(h from the way ;. while in the courfe and heat of their undertakings. We do not tell you what is in the other world, what is matter of Faith, but what is obvious and fenfible here. in point of Power: how fain would men do more than they could, but that they are in the chains of Providence, and under the re- Itraints of God's invinciblepower ? 'Tis in their thoughts to cut off r deftroy s but there is an higher powerthat difpofeth of all circumftances : all is in your Father's hands. So his love ami mercy againft their malice and cruelty, Pfal. 76. 10. Sereÿ the wrath of man flaall pra,fe thee : The remainder of wrath (halt thou re/Train : the f}utlration of tha_ir at- tempts; God often ordereth this, 4.. Ha much it concerneth us to be in filch a condition, that we can fop, God is with us. Then you need not delire the belt things in the world, nor fear the worlt : But when can we fay; God is: with us? Three things are necrffary.. 1. That the perfon, be right, that hebe renewed by the Spirit of God, and be reconciled to his,: For called and juttified are the Priviledges between the two Eternities in the Con- text, and the lure Evidence of our Intereft in both : Then God raketh us into his fie_ cial charge and proration; when regenerated by the Holy Ghoft, and reconeiled'by she Blood of Chrilt: For the New Creation are his Family, James t. r8. Of his own will begat be no, with. the word of truth, that we fhould be a kind c f jyrfl fruits`of his creatures. Titus 2. 14. Who gave himfelf for ur, that he might redeem as fromall iniquity and purifie ;intahimfelf a peculiar people, zealous of good works. There are the peculiar people. With others God is no more prefent than he is with the reft of his creatures, in a way cfcom- mon prefervation. Therefore if you would be certain of God's favour, and that your peace is made with -him, you mule look .to this, That you be in anefiate of pleating God, that you are.fanbhified by the Spirit, and being juftified by Faith in Chrift, are at peace with God, Rom. g. 1. If you be renewed, and God reconciled; you need fear nothing, The Evidence of both, and fo of our Interelt in his Providence, isour unfeigned dedi- cation to God: For if we be for both, God wi.l be for us. If you have given an hearty confeneto his Covenant, then: you (hall have the priviledges of it he will be your Sun and Shield, and then weneed fear nothing. 2. As to our Caufe it mull be good. Take God's fide againft Satan and his ínflruments, 2 Chron. 15. 2. The Lord is with you while you be with him; and if ye feee(hiets ; 'he will be found of you. 2 Chron. r3.9, -tó. With them are golden calves, and with seo is the Lord our God. God is there where his Ordinances and Worfhip are kept up in their power and purity: If his People warp and decline, he is againft them. When his Pea.- ple had erred in the matter of the Calf, Exod, 33. 3. 1 will not go up in the midfi of thee , le.{E 1 confume thee in the way. Therefore, left God depart, we mull be ten- der. 3. Our Converfation mull be holy : For wilful fin and guillinefs breed fears of Ged's difpleafure. 'Tis our tins that give our enemies advantage againft us, Judges 3. t a. And the Lord flrengthned Eglòn, the king of Moab, again fl IJrael, becaufi they had done evil in the fight of the Lord. We read often in Scripture, that their lhadow was gone from them, Numb. 14. 23. Becaufe you are turned away from, the Lord, the Lord will not be with you. We banifh_ away God's prefence from us, becaufe.he cannot with honour own filch a People, Amos g. 14. Seek good, And not evil, f the Lord, the God of hops, All' be with you. If after we have devoted our felves to God, we retain our former fins; we lofe the mercy and comfort Of his favqurable prefence: We do but dream of 9 5 God
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