7 S E R 1 1 / I 0 N S upon the _ Senn. XII. comfortable. Wicked men have comfort now when they want it not, and need it not, but in their greateft extremity they Apt it : Look as in Winter time, there are great Land Floods, when the rain and fearon of the year affordeih water enough, and no Land needs them, but in fummer, when there is the greateft drowth, then they appear not. Wicked men have comfort enough in the Creature,and too much for them, their hearts are merry now, and they are glutted with the delights of fenfe ; and they are 1h11 feeking new comforts. But in the time of extremity, when they moil need com- fort, thefe comforts are fpent, and leave them under anguilh and torment. But on the other fide, a Child of God, that abridgeth himfelf of the contentments of the dells, and toweth againft the currant and ftream of carnal nature, and 'expofeth himfelf to great loffes and inconveniencies for Chrifts fake, he had need of fome folaee to mitigate his forrows, and fweeten prefent difficulties. Now, what greater incouragement can there be, than to think how God will welcome us, with a well done, and well fuffered, good and faithful fervant? Matth. zs. it, 23. What comfort and joy, and peace will it be unto us, when we come to dye? Then we (hall fee the labour is not loft, the fufferings for Righteoufnefs fake were not in vain; the time we have fpent in holy converfe with God will be then fweet to us in the latl review : But the time fpent in fin and vanity, and idlenefs,and flefitly defigns,will be very grievous and tormenting : And though it be difficult to live in an exa& courfe of felf denying obedience, yet when we !hall have the approbation of God and Confcience, the forethought of which is a mighty folace to us nowp.carnalift will then with, Oh that I had pleafed God, as I have pleafed men, and my own finful heart. Oh would to God, I had lived better, ferved God and denyed my felf, a little while, that I might have enjoyedmy felf and my God forever. 2. It may be God feeth fit to exercife uswith a mean or an a lifled e/fate; either he will keep us low and bare, or elfe weak and fickly, or in difrepute and obfcurity, reje&ed by the World. As Jefus Chrift was reje&ed of men, or cenfured and traduced by men. And we haveno means to help our felves and vindicate out lnnocenc}r' Oh but if we may be accepted of the Lord at length, we have no reafon to complain. Mans day is nothing to Gods day, a Cor. q.;. $ut with me it is a very (mall thing that I fhould be judged ofyaa,&c.God will count me fat reward my innocent and fincere, tho imper- l'e& endeavours: God will be Glorifyed by his Servants,fometimes in an high,fometimes in a low and affli &ed Condition ; look as in a quire or confort of voices, he is com- mended that Pings well, whether he fings the bafe or the mean, or the treble, that is nothing, fo he fingeth his part well ; but he is defpifed and difallowed that fings amifs, whatever voice he ufeth : So doth God approve, accept and reward his people, that ferve and glorify him in any elate, whether it be high or low, rich or poor, eminent or ob- fcure. God puts us fometimes in one Condition, fometimes in another, but thofe that carry themfelves ill in their eftate, are'reje &ed by him and punifhed. 'Tis not riches or poverty, wealth orhealth; that God looketh after, but thole that carry themfelves well in either; which is a great folace to a gracious heart, and helpeth us to an indiffe- rency, for all temporal things, fo we may be approved by God at !all. As the Apofile, Phil. a. zo. So Chrifl be magnified in my body,wbether by life or Death. As a refolved Tra yeller taketh his way as he findeth it, fair or foul, fo it will lead him to his journeys end. a. That this muff be our work as well as our fcope ; and this deGgn mull be carryed on with the greateft ferioufnefs, as our great care and bufinefs, and with unwearyed induftry, as the main thing which we attend upon, as a matter of unfpeakable impor- tance, which mull not be forgotten and left undone, for 'tis in the Text, We labour. There is a double notion which is of great ufe to us inthe Spiritual life: Making Religi- on our bufinefs, and making Religion our recreation. It mutt be our bufinefs in oppofition toflightnefs; it muff btour recreation in oppofition to tedioufnefs, and wearifomenefs. The Word in the Text hath a fpecial fignification. We Ihould with no lefs earneftnefs, en- deavour to pleafe God, than they that contend for honour in the World ; we Mould make it our confiant imployment, that God may like us for the prefent; and take us home to him at length into his Blefled company and prefence : What is all the World to this t There area fort of men whofe hearts are upon God, and the life to come ; that . make it their firft care, and chiefeft bufinefs to feek him, and ferve him. Whole minds and hearts, whofe life and love, and cares, and labours, are taken up about the everlafiing World. But there are others who are plotting for preferment, gaping for Worldly greatnèfs, gratifying the delires of the flefh, feeking the favour of great ones, railing their Elate, Name and Family, they look no higher than this World, and think only of their fettlement upon earth, or lay ing deGgn for rifing here,and perpetuating themfelves, and
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