He hath given me his Son as the great pledge of his love: what then will he think too dear for me? Will he not with him give me all things? His Son came purposely to reveal the Father's unspeakable love and purpose to save us. Shall I not trust him that hath proclaimed his love and reconciliation by such a messenger from heaven? He hath given me the Spirit of his Son, even the spirit of adoption, which is the surest character of his child, the witness, pledge, and earnest of heaven, the name and mark of God upon me, 'holiness to the Lord :' yet shall I not believe his love, and trust him? He hath made me a member of his Son, and so far already united me to him: will he not take care of the members of his Son? Will he lose those that are given him? Is not Christ to be trusted with his members? obliges us in all things that are God's part; and for our souls as well as for our bodies: yea, to trust him with the greatest of our concerns, is our greatest duty; supposing we be careful about our own part, viz. to use the means and obey his precepts. To dispose of a departing soul, is God's part, and not ours. O how much evil is in this distrustful, self-providing care! If I did but know what I would know about my soul and myself; and if I might but choose what condition it should be in, and be the final disposer of it myself, O what satisfaction and joy would it afford me! Is not this to be partly a God to myself? Is he not fitter to know, choose, and dispose of me, than I am? I could trust myself easily, even my wit and will, in such a choice, if I had but power. Cannot I trust God and my Redeemer without all this care, fear, and trouble, and all these particular inquiries? If you are convoying your child in a boat, or coach, by water, or by land, and he at every turn be cry-freely beloved; dearly bought! For whom so ing out, O father, whither do we go? Or, what shall I do? Or, I shall be drowned or fall,' is it not rather his trust in you than the particular satisfaction of his ignorant doubts, that must quiet and silence him? Be not then foolishly distrustful and inquisitive: make not thyself thy own tormentor, by an inordinate care of part: angels shall not lose their joy nor ministhy own security. Be not cast down, O depart-tration. ing soul, nor by unbelief disquieted within me: trust in God, for thou shalt quickly, by experience, be taught to give him thanks and praise, who is the health of my countenance, and my God. I am his interest, and the interest of his Son : much is suffered and done, that he is pleased to call us his peculiar treasure. May I not trust him with his dear bought treasure? He hath stated me in a relation to angels, who rejoiced at my repentance, and to the heavenly society, which shall not miss the smallest He is in covenant with me; even the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost: he hath given me many great and precious promises: shall I fear lest he will break his word or covenant? My Saviour is the fore-runner, entered into the holiest, and there appearing and interceding for me this after he had conquered death, and O what clear reason; what great experience do command me to trust him, absolutely and implicitly to trust him, and to distrust myself! He is essential infinite perfection, power, wis-risen again to assure me of a future life, and asdom and love: there is in him all that should invite and encourage rational trust, and nothing that should discourage it. There is nothing in any creature to be trusted, but God in that creature, or God working in and by it. Distrust him, and there is nothing to be trusted. Not the earth to bear me, nor the air to breathe in, much less any mutable friend. I am altogether his own, his own by right, and his own by devotion and consent: shall I not trust him with his own. He is the great benefactor of all the world, that gives all good to every creature, not by constraint, nor by commutation, but as freely as the sun gives forth its light: shall we not trust the sun to shine? He is my Father and special benefactor; and hath taken me into his family as his child: and shall I not trust my heavenly Father? cended into heaven, to show us whither we must ascend; and that after these comfortable words, 'Say to my brethren, I ascend to my Father, and your Father, to my God and your God. Shall I not follow him through death, and trust such a guide and captain of my salvation? He is there to prepare a place for me, and will take me to himself: and may I not confidently expect it. He told a malefactor on the cross that he should be that day with him in paradise, to tell believing sinners what they may expect. The church, by the article of his descent into the separate state, hath signified their common belief that his separated soul had its subsistence and operation, and did not sleep or perish, to tell us the immortality of separated souls. His apostles and other servants have on earth served him with all these expectations. The spirits of the perfected just are now in possession of what I hope for. I am a follower of them, who by faith and patience have attained the promised felicity. May I not trust him to save me, who hath already saved millions in this way, when I could trust a ferry-man to pass me over a river, that had safely passed over thousands before me, or I could trust a physician who cures all that he undertakes of the same disease? I must be at his disposal whether I will or not. I shall live while he will, and die when he will, and go whither he will. I may sin and vex my soul with fears, cares, and sorrows, but I shall never prevail against his will. my pride and over-valuing of this world, and to lead all my studies to the most necessary things, and as a spur to excite my soul to seriousness, and especially to save me from the supine neglect and loss of time. O what unspeakable mercy hath a life of constant but gentle chastisement proved to me? It urged me against all dull delays, to make my calling and election sure, and to make ready my accounts, as one that must quickly give them up to God. The face of death and nearness of eternity, did much convince me what books to read, what studies to prefer and prosecute, what company and conversation to choose; it drove me early into the vineyard of the Lord, and taught me to preach as a dying man to dying men. It was divine love and mercy which made sacred truth so pleasant to me, that my life hath been, under all my infirmities, almost a constant recreation and delight, in its discoveries, contemplation, and practical use. How happy a teacher have I had! What excellent help, and sweet illumination! How far beyond my expectation hath divine mercy encouraged me in this sacred work! How congruously did he choose every place of my minis Therefore there is no rest for souls but in the will of God: that will created us, and that will did govern us, and that will shall be fulfilled on us. It was our efficient and our governing cause, and it shall be our end. Where else is it that we should rest? In the will of men, or angels, or in our own wills? All creatures are but creatures: our own wills have undone us they have misgoverned us, and they are our greatest enemies, our disease, our prison, and our death, till they are brought over to the willtration and habitation to this day, without my of God. Till then they are like a foot out of joint; like a child or subject in rebellion. There is no rectitude, or health, no order, no peace or true felicity, but in the conformity of our wills to the will of God. Shall I die in distrustful striving against his will, and desiring to keep up my own before it? own forecast or seeking! When, and where, since he first sent me forth, did I labour in vain? How many are gone to heaven, and how many are in the way, to whom he hath blessed the word, which, in weakness, I did, by his grace and providence, deliver! Many good Christians are glad of now and then an hour's time to meditate on God's word, and recreate themselves in his holy worship; but God hath allowed and called me to make it the constant business of my life. My library hath afforded me both profitable and pleasant company and help, at all times, whenever I would use them. I have dwelt among the shining lights, which the learned, wise, and holy men of all ages have set up, and left to illuminate the world. How many com What abundant experience have I had of God's fidelity and love? After all this shall I not trust him? His undeserved mercy gave me being; it chose my parents; it gave them a tender love to me, and desire of my good; it taught them to instruct me early in his word, and to educate me in his fear; it chose me suitable company and habitation; it gave me betimes a teachable disposition, it chose my schoolmasters; it brought to my hands many excellent and suit-fortable hours have I had in the society of living able books; it gave me some probable public teachers; it placed me in the best of lands on earth, and I think in the best of ages which that land had seen; it did early destroy all great expectations and desires of the world, teaching me to bear the yoke from my youth, and causing me rather to groan under my infirmities, than to fight with strong and potent lusts; it chastened me betimes, but did not destroy me. Great mercy hath trained me up all my days, since I was nineteen years of age, in the school of affliction, to keep my sluggish soul awake in the constant expectations of my change, and to kill saints, and in the love of faithful friends! How many joyful days have I had in the solemn assemblies, where God had been worshipped in seriousness and alacrity, by concordant, though imperfect saints. Where the Spirit of Christ had manifested his presence, by helping myself and my brethren in speaking, and the people in ready, delightful hearing, and all of us in loving and gladly receiving his doctrine, covenant, and laws. How unworthy was such a sinful worm as I who never had any academical helps, nor much from the mouth of any teacher, that books should become so great a blessing to me; and : that, quite beyond my own intentions, God should induce or constrain me to provide any such like helps for others? How unworthy was I to be kept from the multiplied snares of sects and errors which reigned in this age, and to be used as a means for other men's preservation and reduction and to be kept in a love of unity and peace. How unworthy was I that God should make known to me so much of his reconciling truth, while extremes did round about prevail, and were commended to the churches by the advantages of piety, on one side, and of worldly prosperity and power on the other? That God should use me above forty years in so comfortable a work as to plead and write for love, peace, and concord, and to vouchsafe me so much success therein as he hath done, notwithstanding the general prevalency of the contentious military tribe. Mercy I have had in peace, and liberty in times of violence; and mercy I have had in wars, living two years in safety in a city of defence, in the very midst of the land, (Coventry) and seeing no enemy while the kingdom was in wars and flames; and only hearing of the common calamities round about. When I went abroad and saw the effects of human folly and fury, and of God's displeasure, he mercifully kept me from hurting any one, and being hurt by any. How many a time hath he preserved me by day and night, in difficulties and dangers from the malice of Satan, and from the wrath of man, and from accidents which threatened sudden death. While I beheld the ruins of towns and countries, and the fields covered with the bodies of the slain, I was preserved, and returned home in peace. O how great was the mercy which he showed me, in a teachable, tractable, peaceable, humble, unanimous people! So many in number, and so exemplary in quality; who to this day keep their integrity and concord, when violence hath separated me from them above thirty years. Yea, the like mercy of acceptance and success beyond my expectation, he hath showed me every where. I have had opportunity of free ministration; even where there were many adversaries I have had an open door; in the midst of human wrath and rage he hath preserved my liberty beyond expectation, and continued my acceptance and success. When I might not speak by voice to any single congregation, he enabled me to speak by writing to many; and for the success of my plainest and popular writings, which cost me least, I can never be sufficiently thankful. Some of which he sent to preach abroad, in other languages, in foreign lands. When my mouth, with eighteen hundred or two thousand more, had been many years stopped, he hath since opened them in some degree; and the sufferings intended us by men have been partly put by, and partly much alleviated, by his providence; and the hardness of our terms hath not so much hindered the success of faithful labours as we feared, and as others hoped it would have done. I have had the comfort of seeing some peace and concord, and prosperity of truth and piety, kept up under the utmost opposition of diabolical and human power, policy, and wrath. When I have been sent to the common jail for my service and obedience to him, he hath there kept me in peace, and soon delivered me. He hath made the mouths of my greatest enemies, who have studied my defamation and my ruin, to become my witnesses, and to cross their own designs. How wonderful is it that I should so long dwell in so much peace, in the midst of those that seemed to want neither power nor skill, and much less will, to tread me down into contempt and misery! And O how many a danger, fear, and pain hath he delivered this frail and languishing body from! How often hath he succoured me, when flesh, heart, and art have failed! He hath cured my consuming coughs, and many a time stayed my flowing blood; he hath eased my pained limbs, and supported a weary, macerated skeleton. He hath brought me up from the jaws of death, and reversed the sentence which men have passed on me. How many thousand weary days have been sweetened with his pleasant work! How many thousand painful weary nights have had a comfortable morning! How many thousand strong and healthful persons have been taken away by death, whilst I have been upheld under all this weakness! Many a time have I cried to the Lord in my trouble, and he hath delivered me out of my distress. I have had fifty years added to my days since I would have been full glad of Hezekiah's promise of fifteen. Since the day that I first preached his gospel, I expected not, of a long time, to live above a year; and I have lived since then fifty years. When my own prayers were cold and unbelieving, how many hundreds have prayed for me! And what strange deliverances, encouraging fasting and prayer, have I often had, upon their importunate requests!. My friends have been faithful, and the few that proved unfaithful have profitably taught me to place no confidence in man, and not to be inordinately affected to any thing on earth; for I was forsaken by none of them, but those few that I excessively valued and over-loved. My ❘ that are tame and tractable, that trust us and relations have been comfortable to me, contrary love us, that will come to our hands, and love to my deserts, and much beyond my expecta- our company, that will be familiar with us, and tions. My servants have been faithful; my follow us; be it horse or dog, beasts or birds. neighbours have been kind; my enemies have But those that are wild and live in woods, and been impotent, harmless, or profitable. My su- fly from the face of man, are taken to be the periors have honoured me by their respectful game and prey of any one that can catch and words; and while they have afflicted me, as kill them. Shall my foolish soul thus wildly fly supposing me an abstraction to their designs, from the face of God? Shall his children be they have not destroyed but protected me. To like the fearful hare? Or like a guilty Cain? my inferiors God hath made me, in my low ca- Or like an unbelieving sadducee, that either bepacity, somewhat helpful. I have been protected lieves not, or hopes not for the forgiveness of in ordinary health and safety, when the raging sin, and the life everlasting? Doth not the Spirit pestilence came near my habitation, and con- of adoption incline us to love our Father's presumed an hundred thousand citizens. My dwelling sence, and to be loth to be long from home? To hath been safe when I have seen the glory of the distrust all creatures, even thyself, is not unrealand in flames, and after beheld the dismal ruins. sonable; but to distrust God, hath no just exWhen violence separated me from my too much cuse. Fly from sin, from satan, from temptabeloved library, and drove me into a poor and tions, from the world, from sinful flesh and idolsmoky house, I never had more help of God, self. But fly not from him that is goodness, nor did more difficult work than there. What love, and joy itself: fear thine enemy, but trust pleasant retirements and quietness in the country, thy Father. If thy heart be reconciled to him, have been the fruits of persecuting wrath! And and his service, by the Spirit, he is certainly I must not forget, when I had more public liberty, reconciled to thee through Christ; and if he be how he saved me and all my hearers, even by for thee, and justify and love thee, who shall be a wonder, from being buried in the ruins of against thee, or who condemn thee, or separate the fabric where we were; and others from the thee from his love? If thy unreconciled will make calamities, scandal, and lamentations which would thee doubt of his reconciliation, it is time to abelse have followed. It is not a mercy to be ex- hor and lay by thy enmity; consent, and be sure tenuated, that when the tongues and pens of all that he consents. Be willing to be his, and in sects among us, and of proud self-exalters, and holiness to serve him, and to be united in joyful of some worthy, pious, differing brethren, have glory to him, and then be sure that he is willing been long and vehemently bent against me, when to accept thee, and receive thee to that glory. my infamy hath been endeavoured by abundance O dark and sinful soul! how little dost thou know of volumes, by the backbiting of angry dividers thy friend, thyself, or God, if thou canst more of all sorts, and by the calumniating accusations easily and quietly trust thy life, thy soul, and of some that were too high to be gainsayed, and hopes to the will of thy friend, or of thyself, if would not endure me to answer them, and vin- thou hadst power, than to the will of God? dicate my innocency; yet, all these together Every dog would be at home, and with his maswere never able to fasten their accusations, and ter; much more every ingenuous child with his procure any common belief, nor to bring me father; and though enemies distrust us, wife and under the designed contempt, much less to break children will not do so, while they believe us my comforts, encouragements or labours. just. Hath God ever showed himself either unfaithful or unmerciful to me? To thee, O Lord, as to a "faithful Creator, I commit my soul." "I know that thou art the faithful God, who keepest covenant and mercy with them that love thee, and keep thy com These, all these, and very many more than these, are my experiences of that wondrous mercy which hath measured my pilgrimage, and filled up my days. Never did God break his promise with me: never did he fail me nor forsake me. Had I not provoked him by rash and wilful sin-mandments."-"Thou art faithful who hast called ning, how little interruption of my peace and me to the communion of thy Son Jesus Christ comforts had I ever been likely to have had? our Lord." Thy faithfulness hath saved me in And shall I now distrust him at the last? Shall and from temptations: it hath stablished me, and I not trust, and quietly trust, that infinite wis- kept me from prevailing evil. It will keep my dom, love, and power, whom I have so long spirit, soul, and body to the coming of Christ. trusted, and found so good? It is in faithfulness that thou hast afflicted me, Nature teaches man to love best those animals and shall not I trust thee then to save me? It is thy faithful word, that all thine elect shall obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory; "and if we be dead with him we shall live with him, and if we suffer we shall also reign with him." 'To thee, O my Saviour, I commit my soul; it is thine own by redemption; it is thine own by covenant; it is marked and sealed by thy Spirit as thine own; and thou hast promised not to lose it. Thou wast made like thy brethren, that thou mightest "be a merciful and faithful highpriest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for our sins." By thy blood we have boldness to enter into the holiest, even by the new and living consecrated way. Cause me to draw near with a sincere heart, in full assurance of faith, by thee that art the high-priest over the house of God: for he is faithful that has promised life through thee. Thy name is faithful and true, and faithful and true are all thy promises. Thou hast promised rest to weary souls that come to thee. I am weary of suffering, and weary of sin; weary of my flesh, and weary of iny darkness, dullness, and distance, and of this wicked, blind, unrighteous and disordered world. Whither should I look for rest but home to my heavenly Father and to thee? I am but a bruised reed, but thou wilt not break me: I am but a smoking flax, but thou wilt not quench what thy grace hath kindled; but thou, in whose name the nations trust, wilt bring forth judgment unto victory. The Lord redeems the souls of his servants, and none of them that trust in thee shall be desolate, therefore will I wait on thy name, for it is good, and will trust in the mercy of God for ever. The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble, and he knows them that trust in him. Sinful fear is a snare; but he that puts his trust in the Lord shall be set on high. Blessed is the man that makes the Lord his trust, and respects not the proud, and such as turn aside to lies. Thou art my hope, O Lord God, thou art my trust from my youth: by thee have I been holden up from the womb, and my praise shall be continually of thee. Cast me not off now in the time of age; forsake me not when my strength fails. O God, thou hast taught me from my youth, and hitherto have I declared thy wondrous works: now also, when I am old and gray, O God, forsake me not. Leave not my soul destitute; for mine eyes are toward thee, and my trust is in thee. I had fainted unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living: even where they that live shall die no more. The sun may cease to shine on man, and the earth to bear us; but God will never cease to be love, nor to be faithful in his promises. Blessed be the Lord, who hath commanded me so safe and quieting a duty, as to trust him, and cast all my cares on him, as on one that hath promised to care for me!' Blessed be God, who hath made it my duty to hope for his salvation. Hope is the ease, yea, the life of our hearts, that else would break, yea, die within us. Despair is no small part of hell. God cherishes hope as he is the lover of souls. Satan, our enemy, cherishes despair, when his way of blind presumption fails. As fear is a foretaste of evil, before it is felt; so hope doth anticipate and foretaste salvation before it is possessed. It is then worldly hypocrites' hope that perishes, for all that hope for true or durable happiness on earth, in the pleasures of this perishing flesh, must needs be deceived. But happy is he who hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the Lord his God, which made heaven and earth; which keeps truth for ever.' Woe to me, were my hope only in the time and matters of this fleshly life. But the righteous hath hope in his death, and hope makes not ashamed; blessed is the man that trusts in the Lord, whose hope the Lord is.' Lay hold then, O my soul, upon the hope which is set before thee; it is thy firm and stedfast anchor; without it thou wilt be as a shipwrecked vessel. Thy foundation is sure; it is God himself: our faith and hope are both in God. It is Jesus our Lord who is risen from the dead, and reigns in glory Lord of all. Yea, it is the Christ who by faith doth dwell within us, who is our hope of glory. In this hope, which is better than the law that Moses gave, it is that we draw nigh to God. It is the Holy Ghost that is both our evidence and the efficient of our hope. By him we hope for that which we see not, and therefore wait in patience for it. By hope we are saved: it is an encouraging grace which will make us stir, whereas despair kills endeavours: it cures sloth, and makes us diligent and constant to the end, and by this helps us to full assurance. It is a desiring grace, and would fain obtain the glory hoped for. It is a quieting and comforting grace. The God of hope fills us with joy and peace in believing, that we may abound in hope through the power of the Holy Ghost. Shake off despondency, O my soul, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Believe in hope, though dying flesh would tell thee that it is against hope. God, that cannot lie, hath confirmed his covenant by his immutable oath, that we might have strong consolation who are fled for refuge to the hope which is set before us. What |