OP SPIRITUAL MINDEDNESS. 187 hies of mind thereon, are a season calling for the same duty. Suppose aman is left alone in his trials for the professionof the gospel, as it was with Paul when all men forsook him, and no man stood by him. Sup- pose him to be brought before princes, rulers, or judges, that are filled with rage, and armed with power against him, all things being disposed to affect him with dreadand terror. It is the duty of such a one to call off his thoughts from all things visibly present, and to fix them on the omnipresence and omniscience of God. He sits amongst those judges, though they acknowledge him not; he rules over themat his pleas- ure; he knows the cause of the oppressed, and justi- fies them whenever the world condemns; and can de- liver them when he pleaseth. With the thoughts hereof did those holysouls support themselves, when they stood before the fiery countenance of the bloody tyrant on the one hand, and the burning fiery furnace on the other, Dan. iii. 14. ' Our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king ; but ifnot, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.' Thoughts of the presence and pow. er of God, gave them not only comfort and support- ment under their distress, when they were alone and helpless, but courage and resolution to defy the tyrant to his face. And when the apostle was brought before Nero, that monster of cruelty and villany, and all men forsook him, he affirms that the Lord stood by him, and strengthened him. 2 Tim. iv. 17. He refreshed him- self with thoughts ofhis presence, and had the blessed . fruit of it. Wherefore, on such occasions, when the hearts of
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