each PERSON diftincily, 2 2 I When (a) a child is abufed abroad in the ftreers by ill-angers, he runs with fpeed to the bofom of his father; there hemakes his complaint, and is comforted: In all the hard (b) cenfures, and tongué-perfecutions which the faints meet withal in the ftreets of the world, they may runwith . their moanings unto their Father, and be comforted. As one whom his euò- ther comforteth, fo will I comfortyou, faith the Lord, Ífa. lxvi. 13. So that the foul may fay, If Ihave hatred in the world, I will go where I am fure of love : though all others are hard to me, yet my Father is tender, and full of cotnpaflion : I will'go to him, and fatisfy my felf in him t hereI am ac- counted vile, frowned on, and rejeâed, but I have honour and love with him, whofe kíndnefs is better than life it felt. There I !hall have all things in thefountain, which others havebut in thedrops : there is in myFather's love, every thing clefirable there is the fweetnefs of all mercies in the ab- frrart it Pelf, and that fully and durably. Evidently then, the faints are themolt miftaken men in the world. If they fay, (b) come and have fellow(hipwithus; are not men ready to fay ; Why, what are you? a forty company of (e) feditious, faâious perfons: be it known unto you, that we defprfe your feilowfhip; when we intend to leave fellowship with all honett men, and men of worth, thenwill we come to you. But alafs! how are men miftaken? truly, their fellowfliip is with the Father, let men thinkof it as they pleafe, theyhave clofe, fpiritual, heaven- ly refrefhings in the mutual communicationof love with the Father hitn- felf. How toey are generallymifconceived,the apoftle declares, 2 Cor. vi. 8, g, so. As deceived, andyet true, as unknown, yet well known, as dying and behold we live, as chaflened, and not killed, as forrowful, yet always re- joyeing, as poor yet snaking many rich, as having nothing, yet polfe/ng all things. And as it is thus in general, fo in no one thing more than this, that theyare looked on as poor, low, defpicabicperfons, when indeed they are the only great and noble perfonages in the world. Confider the company they keep, it is with the Father, who is foglorious? the merchandife they trade in, it is love, whatfo precious? Doubtlefs they are the excellent on the earth, l'fal xvi 3. Further; this will diCcovera main difference between the faints and empty profeffors, as to the performance of duties and fo theenjoyment of out- ward privileges, fruitlefs profelfors often walk hand in hand with them, but now come to their ferret retirements, andwhat a difference is there? There the faints hold communion with God; hypocrites for the moltpart, with the world and their own lulls, with them they converfe, and communicate; they hearken what they will fay to them, and make provifion for them: when the faints are fweetly wrapt up in the bofom oftheir Father's love. It is oftentimes even almoft impoffrble that belivers Ihould in outward appearance go beyond them whohave very rotten hearts : but this meat they have which others know not .òf, this refrefhment in the banquetinghoufe, wheyein others have no Ihate; in the multitude of their thoughts, the comforts ofGod their Father refrefh their fouls. Now then (to draw towards a clofe of this difcourfe) if thefe things be fo, what manner of men ought we to in all manner of holy conver- fation? even our God is a confuming fire. What communion is there be- tween light and darknefs ? Shall fin and luft dwell in thofe thoughts which receive in, and carry out love, from and unto the Father? Holinefs becom- eth his prefence for ever. An unclean fpirit cannot draw nigh untohim i (a) Ifs, suoi au. (0) 'guayuC, ,oO av i>.t430 , Pleb xi. 36. O,,,B,ou, , 9ear5 físnr Heb. x 33. a John. i. 3. (o) Aft xvii. 6, xxrii z. Kkk an
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