no, 'it is your iniquities that hath separated between you and your God,' this we learn from the Scriptures without us. Second, but there is a further discovery made to us from within, the Spirit of the Lord convinceth us of sin, and shews us effectually, that it is our sins that have made a breach between God and us, and have provoked him to hide his face from us, and to shut up his bowels against us; therefore if we would draw nigh to God, and have him draw nigh to us, and lift up the light of his countenance upon us, we must not hug and embrace our sins, but we inust love what God loves, and hate what God hates, and submit to the sceptre and government of Christ, who is of right our sovereign Lord, as well as our Saviour. But those mine enemies (saith he) that will not that I should reign over them, bring them forth and slay them before me.' This is that testimony which the Spirit of the Lord is ready to give you, when you are convinced of your sins, and have a sight and sense of them; you must when you shall have a call from God by his Spirit, do as Paul did, who was not disobedient to the heavenly vision. You must not consult with flesh and blood, but with full purpose of heart cleave to the Lord, for if you continue in sin after conviction, you will grieve the holy Spirit of God, whereby you might be sealed to the day of redemption, and then a curtain of darkness will be drawn between God and your souls; this is according to the testimony of the Holy Scriptures, 'My spirit shall not always strive with man.' Though the loving kindness of God is exceeding great, yet it is many times withdrawn, when it meets with ungrateful entertainment from the sons and daughters of men, when they grieve the holy Spirit of God, and live in those sins which by the light in their own consciences they are condemned for. When you are condemned in yourselves (under self condemnation) how can you ever expect to be jus : tified by Christ? I testify to you on God's behalf, those persons that are condemned here, shall be condemned hereafter; and those that are now justified, shall be hereafter glorified; the same God that justifieth, condemneth also. Those that do well, shall be answered with a well done; and those that do evil, shall suffer evil, and be sentenced to the vengeance of eternal fire, and the wrath of God shall come upon them, to the uttermost. O blessed are they that believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and live righteously, soberly, and godly, in this present evil world, and escape the pollutions of it, and are holy in all manner of conversation; who so live, that the light of Christ in their own consciences doth not condemn them. They have no cause to despond at all though the Lord may hide his face. from them for a moment, they have enough to stay their souls upon; the Lord will be nigh to them when trouble is near, and lift up the light of his countenance upon them. If thou art not condemned by the light of Christ within, though thou art in a low and desolate state, in a helpless condition, be not discouraged, there is help laid upon one that is mighty, that is able to save to the uttermost, all that come unto God by him. O my Friends, if we have no stock of our own to trade with, or depend upon, let us covet and seek after the unsearchable riches of Christ, and let us rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh. Art thou poor and destitute, and hast nothing of thine own to rely upon? O keep in thy state of poverty, there is blessing pronounced to that state, Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven; he that is so poor as to have nothing at all, he that is stript of all, and hath nothing to live upon, he hath enough to live upon, he hath enough if he be rich in faith, for he is heir of the kingdom, and shall enjoy an inheritance with the saints in light. There are many that are poor in this world, and have nothing morrow. at all, and know not what they shall subsist on by toThis is an emblem of that condition, that the Lord is bringing his people into; they have no stock of their own to live upon. No, not so much as may serve for a present supply. This is the lesson that they are to learn, to live by faith upon Divine Providence, for the just shall live by faith. The Lord God is a sun and a shield, he will give grace and glory, and no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.' It concerns you highly to be a believing people, to live by faith and not by sight; and to walk worthy of the Lord in all well-pleasing: You must lay aside all props, and wholly depend upon the Lord, for he will never fail you nor forsake you. I have an exercise upon my spirit, and my soul is in travail for a people that are afflicted, shaken and tossed, as in a tempest, this very day: I would not have such despond, nor be disquieted, nor their souls cast down within them; but hope in God, who will be a present help in trouble. O let such lay hold on that precious promise left upon record, that they might have strong consolation: 'Isa. liv. 11, 'O thou afflicted and tossed with a tempest, and not comforted; behold I will lay thy stones with fair colours, and lay thy foundations with sapphires.' You know there is no foundation upon the sea (where the tossing is) for a man to build on, and in a tempest or storm there is no comfort; but God hath graciously promised to those that are so afflicted, tossed and shaken, as in a tempest, that 'he will comfort such, and lay their foundation with sapphires.' If you keep yourselves from selfcondemnation, and sinning against the light of Christ within you, you shall enjoy this privilege and blessing promised. He that feeds the young ravens that cry to him, and clothes the lillies of the field, that toil not, neither do they spin; yet Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. He will take care of such as cast their care upon him: Therefore trust in him, and depend upon him, without whose providence a sparrow falls not to the ground. He will provide for those that love and fear him, and hope in his mercy, and he will give them all things richly to enjoy. The fear of Ged is an excellent grace, and a rich treasure. 'O fear the Lord, ye his saints, (saith the royal Psalmist,) for there is no want to them that fear him : The young lions do lack and suffer hunger, but they that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing: The angel of the Lord encampeth round about those that fear him, and delivereth them.' The providence of God will surround them, and salvation shall be for walls and bulwarks round about them, and his almighty arm will uphold and defend them. There is no time to be without fear; I would have you put it home to yourselves: Consider how many hours in the day, and how many minutes in every hour, you have been without this holy fear of God. They that are one minute without this fear, do break that holy precept that commandeth us to fear always: Such persons lay themselves open to the enemy: Blessed are they that fear always. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.' This is that which will make us careful to please him, and fill us with a holy dread, lest we should offend him. Those that fear the Lord, he will encompass them with his favour as with a shield, he will speak peace to them at their down lying, and fill them with the joy of his salvation at their up-rising. It is our great duty to love the Lord with all our hearts, with all our souls, with all our mind, and with all our might, and to fear the Lord not with a servile fear, but with a filial (child-like) fear, that is a concomitant of love, such a love as is ambitious to serve him, and will constrain us to keep his commandments. To such as are in a state of poverty, humility and holy fear, he Lord will dispense his blessings, and multiply |