sìISCOLIISt ÍL 083 And besides all these, we are attached and tied down, to many other uneasinesses, while we dwell'on earth. This world is a fair theatre of the wisdom and power ofGod, taut it is hung round and replenished a-ith temptations to fallen man, proper for a state of trial ; soft and flattering temptations, that by the senses are ever drawingaway the soul from God and heaven, and breaking in upon its divine repose and joy; and while We are surrounded witha thousand dangers, we cannot be said to dwell in perfect peace: The follies and crimes of others afflict the soul ofa good man, and put him to pain, as the righteous soul ofLot was vexed in Sodomfrom day to dar, with their untaw- ful deeds ; 2 Pet. ii. 8. The greater vexations, and the little teazing accidents of life that attend us, disturb the sacred rest of the saint, and ruffleor wound his spirit. And the best .of men on this account are sometimes ready to cry out with David ; Psal. cxx. 5, 6. IVoe is me that Isojourn in Meshech, anddwell in the tents of Kedar: My soul hath longdwelt with them that Batepeace. O that I hadwings lice adove,for then would Ifly away, and he at rest ; Psal. lv. 6. Andsometimes Gad himselfis absent from thesoil that longs after him ; he hides hisface, and then whocan behold it? We are smitten with a sense of sin, and the conscience is restless. We wander from thing to thing in much confusion of spirit ; we go from providences toordinances, from one word in the bible to ano- ther, from self-examinationand inward guilt to the bloodofChrist, and the mercy of the Father ; and it may be outward sorrows fail ou us at the same time,. guilt and judgment attend us at once : Thedeep of affliction calls to the deep of sin at the noise of the floods of divine anger ; Psal. xlii. 7. We are kept in the dark for a season, and we see not the light ofhis countenance, nor know our own interest in his love. Ifego forward, as Job did, but he is not there; and backward, but we cannot perceive hita, 8fc. All the comfort that a good man bath at such a season, is to ap- peal to God, that he knoweth the way that I take; when he hat/a tried me, I humbly Lippe I shallcomeforth as gold ; Job xxiii. 8n g, 10. But the spirits of thejust made perfect, are in peaceful and joy- ous circumstances. They know God, for they see his face ; they know that they love him, for they feel and enjoyit as the warm- est and sweetest affection of their hearts : and they are-sure God loves them too ; for every moment they taste his love, and live upon it in all the richvarieties of its manifestation. O what un- known and endless satisfactions of mind arise from the full assu- rance ofthe love of God ! What tongue can express, or what -heart can conceive the sacred pleasure that fills every soul in hea, ven, under the, immediate impressions of divine love 1 When the poor trembling doubting believer,that knew,himself tobe infinitely
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