the apostle speaks of,) how could he endure this case the prophet puts here, the failing of vines, of flocks and herds?

It were good to add to the supposition of want somewhat of the reality of it; sometimes to abridge thyself of things thou desirest and lovest; to inure thy appetite to a refusal of what it calls for; to practise somewhat of poverty; to learn to need few things, &c.

It is strange men should be so foolish as to tie themselves to these things, that have neither satisfying content in them, nor certain abode. And why shouldest thou set thy heart on things which are not, (says Solomon,) a non-ens, a fancy? How soon may you be parted! He that is the true God, God alone, how soon can he pull these false gods from you, or you from them; as in that word, Job xxvii. 8, What is the hope of the hypocrite that he hath gained, when God takes away his soul? Like that case in the parable, Luke xii. 19, Soul, take thy rest: a strange inference from full barns! That was sufficient provision for a horse, a fit happiness for him: but for a soul, though it were to stay, how gross and base a portion! But it cannot stay neither-This night thy soul shall be required of thee, &c.

The only firm position is this of the prophet, Yet will I rejoice in the Lord. And such times indeed are fit to give proof of this; to tell thee, whether it be so indeed, where thy heart is built. While thy honour, and wealth, and friends, are about thee, it is hard to know whether these props bear thee up, or another invisible supporter; but when these are plucked away, and thou art destitute round about, then it will appear if thy strength be in God, if these other things were but flourishes about thee, and thou laidst no weight on them at all: he that leans on these, must fall when these fall, and his hope is cut off, and his trust as a spider's web. He shall lean upon his house, but it shall not stand, &c. Job viii. 14, 15. They that clasp their hearts about their houses or estates, within a while

2 G 2

they are either sadly pulled asunder, or swept away together.

But, oh the blessed, the high condition of a soul set on God, untied, independent from all things besides him; its whole dependence and rest placed on him alone, sitting loose to all the world, and so not stirred with alterations! Yea, the turnings upsidedown of human things, if the frame of the heaven and earth were falling to pieces, the heart founded on him that made it, abides unmoved; the everlasting arms are under it, and bear it up.

Do ye believe, my brethren, that there is such a thing, that it is no fancy? Yea, all is but fancy besides it. Do you believe? Why then is one day after another put off, and this not attained, nor the soul so much as entered or engaged to a serious endeavour after it, looking on all things else, compared to this noble design, as vanity? How often and easily are their joys damped, who rejoice in other things, their hopes broken! What they expected most, soon proves a lie, as the word spoken of the olive here signifies, as if the labour of it should lie;† a fair vintage or harvest promised, and either withered with drought, or drowned with rain: indeed, it lies at the best. But the soul that places its joy on God, is still fresh and green, when all are withered about it, Jer. xvii. 7, 8. Acquaint thyself with him betimes in ease. It is a sad case, to have to make acquaintance with him, when thou shouldest most make use of his friendship, and find comfort in his love.

Now this joy in God cannot remain in an impure, unholy soul, no more than heaven and hell can mix together. An impure, unholy soul I call not that which is stained with sin, for no other are under the sun; all must then quit all pretensions to that estate; but such an one as willingly entertains and delights in any sinful lust or way of wickedness: that delight and this are directly opposite. And cetainly the more the * Si fractus illabatur orbis. + Spem mentita seges.

soul is refined from all delights of sin, yea, even from sinless delights of sense and of this present world, it hath the more capacity, the fitter and the larger room for this pure, heavenly delight.

No language can make a natural man understand what this thing is to rejoice in God. Oh! it is a mystery. Most mind poor, childish things, laughing and crying at a breath at trifles, easily puffed up, and as easily cast down; but even the children of God are too little acquainted with this their portion. Which of you find this power in the remembrance of God, that it doth overflow and drown all other things, both your worldly joys and worldly sorrows, that you find them not? And thus it would be if we knew him. Is he then our Father, and yet we know him not?

Although all fail, yet rejoice in him that fails not, that alters not; he is still the same in himself, and to the sense of the soul that is knit to him; then sweetest, when the world is bitterest. When other comforts are withdrawn, the loss of them brings this great gain -so much the more of God, and his love imparted, to make all up. They that ever found this, could almost wish for things that others are afraid of. If we knew how to improve them, his sharpest visits would be his sweetest; thou wouldest be glad to catch a kiss of his hand, while he is beating thee, or pulling away something from thee that thou lovest, and bless him while he is doing so.

Rejoice in God, although the fig-tree blossom not, &c. Yea, rejoice in these hardest things, as his doings. A heart rejoicing in him, delights in all his will, and is surely provided for the most firm joy in all estates; for if nothing can come to pass besides or against his will, then cannot that soul be vexed that delights in him, and hath no will but his, but follows him in all times, in all estates; not only when he shines bright on them, but when they are clouded. That flower that follows the sun, doth so even in cloudy days; when it doth not shine forth, yet it follows the hidden course and motion of it: so the soul that moves after God, keeps

that course when he hides his face, is content, yea, is glad at his will in all estates, or conditions, or events. And though not only all be withered and blasted without, but the face of the soul little better within to sense, no flourishing of graces for the present, yet it rejoices in him, and in that everlasting covenant that still holds, ordered in all things and sure, as the sweet singer of Israel sweetly expresses it, 2 Sam. xxv. 5. For this, says he, is all my salvation, and all my desire, although he make it not to grow. That is a strange although, and yet he is satisfied even in that.

This joy in God, as my God, the God of my salvation, ought to exercise the soul in the darkest and worst times, and ought to stick to it, not to let go this confidence; still expecting salvation from him, and resting on him for it, though not having those senses and assurances that thou desirest. This, weak believers are easily beaten from by temptation; but we are to stand to our right in him, even when we see it not: and when it is said to thee, as Psalm iii. 2, that there is no help for thee in God, tell all that say so, they lie; He is my God, my glory, and the lifter up of my head, as he here speaks.

Rejoice in him still as thy God; and, however, rejoice in him as God. I will rejoice in Jehovah, glad that he is God, that his enemies cannot unsettle nor reach his throne; that he rules, and is glorious in all things; that he is self-blessed, and needs nothing: this is the purest and highest kind of rejoicing in him, and is certainly most distant and most free from alteration, and hath indeed most of heaven in it.

SERMON V.

1 COR. i. 30:

But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, righteousness, sunctification, and redemption.

THE great design of the gospel is to bring men to Jesus Christ; and, next to that, to instruct those that are brought to him in the clearest knowledge, and to keep them in the fresh remembrance of the privileges and happiness they have in him. This the apostles, writing to new converts, are much on, and Paul most abundantly; but no where more excellently and fully than in these words.

As that is a great and much-commended oracle, zvæði σeavтov, (know thyself,) so also there can be nothing more comfortable and profitable for a Christian than this point, to understand his new being, to know himself as out of himself in Christ, to study what he is there. Oh! what joy, what humility, what holiness would it work, were we well seen and much conversant in this subject, viewing ourselves in this light, as here the apostle represents a believer to himself, Of him are ye in Christ Jesus, &c.

If we look back a little, we see his aim is to vindicate the doctrine of Christ from contempt in that chief point which is the greatest comfort and glory, yet lies openest to the world's contempt, the doctrine of the cross, Christ crucified. Him we preach, says he, let men take it as they please; be he a stumblingblock to the Jews, and foolishness to the Gentiles, yet, to them that believe, among both, he is the power of God, and wisdom of God.

As in the person of Christ, glory was wrapped up in meanness; so in his sufferings and death: and the doctrine of it, and in the way of preaching it, they