" me ; because he is at my right hand I shall not be moved.
" Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth." There is
faith acted by Christ, for strength to carry him through. And
then it follows, " My flesh also shall rest in hope ; for thou wilt
<{ not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine holy
" one to see corruption. Thou wilt shew me the path of life. In
" thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right-hand there are plea-
" sures for evermore." There is his faith acting upon the glory
SERM. XXIX. THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE. 363
into which lie was to enter, after he had suffered these things : this filled him with peace.
Fifthly, As his faith, eying the glory into which he was passing, made him endure all things ; so the licuvcnUnc.sv of his Spirit also filled him with a heavenly tranquillity and calmness of spirit under all his abuses and injuries. It is a certain truth, that the more hea- venly any mans spirit is, the more sedate, composed and peaceful. « As the higher heavens (saith * Seneca) are more ordinate and " tranquil ; there are neither clouds nor winds, storms nor tempests ; " they are the inferior heavens that lighten and thunder : the " nearer the earth the more tempestuous and unquiet : even so " the sublime and heavenly mincl is placed in a calm and quiet « station."
Certainly that heart which is sweetened frequently with heaven- ly, delightful communion with God, is not very apt to be imbitter- ed with wrath, or soured with revenge against men. The peace of God doth Cp«£sus/i/, appease and end all strifes and differences, as an umpire : so much that word, Col. iii. 15. imports. The heavenly Spirit marvellously affects a sedate and quiet breast.
Now, never was there such a heavenly soul on earth, since man inhabited it, as Christ was : he had most sweet and wonder- ful communion with God: he had meat to eat, which others, yea, and those his greatest intimates, knew not of. The Son of man was in heaven upon earth, John iii. 13. Even in respect of that blessed heavenly communion he had with God, as well as in respect of his immense Deity : and that his heart was in heaven when he so patiently endured and digested the pain and shame of the cross is evident from Heb. xii. 2. " For the joy set before him, " he endured the cross, despising the shame." See where his eye and heart were, when he went as a lamb to the slaughter.
Sixthly, And lastly, As his meekness and patience sprang from the heavenliness and sublimity of his spirit ; so likewise, from the complete and absolute obedience of it to his Father's will and plea- sure : he could most quietly submit to all the will of God, and never regret at any part of the work assigned him by his Father. For
ou must know, that Christ's death in him was an act of obedience ;
e all along eyeing his Father's command and counsel in what he suffered, Phil. ii. 7, 8. John xviii. 11. Fsal. xl. 6, 7, 8. Now look, as the eyeing and considering the hand of God in an afflic ] tion, presently becalms and quiets a gracious soul ; as you see in David, 2 Sam. xvi. 11. " Let him alone, it may be God that hath
* Pars superior mundi est ordinatiory ac propinqua sideribus, nee in nubcm cogitur^nec in tempestatem impeltitw, necversatur in turbiuem; omni lumultu caret; inferior a fulminant. Eo'km modo sublimit animus quietus semper estt et in station? t ranqv.il! a cdlticatitir. Seneca.
364 THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE. SERM. XXIX.
" bid him curse David ;" So much more it quieted Jesus Christ, who was privy to the design and end of his Father, with whose will he all along complied ; looking on Jews and Gentiles but as the in- struments ignorantly fulfilling God's pleasure, and serving that oreat design of his Father ; this was his patience, and these the grounds of it.
Use 1. I might variously improve this point ; but the direct ana main use of it is, to press us to a Christ-like patience in all our suf- ferings and troubles. And seeing in nothing we are more gene- rally defective, and that defects of Christians herein, are so preju- dicial to religion, and uncomfortable to themselves ; I resolve to wave all other uses, and spend the remaining time wholly upon this branch ; even a persuasive to Christians unto all patience, in tribula- tions ; to imitate their lamb-like Saviour. Unto this (Christians) you are expressly called, 1 Pet. ii. 21, 22. " Because Christ also " suffered for us, leaving us an example, that we should follow " his steps. Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his " mouth ; who when he was reviled, reviled not again ; when he " suffered, he threatened not ; but committed himself to him that " judgeth righteously."" Here is your pattern ; a perfect pattern ! a lovely and excellent pattern ! Will you be persuaded to the imi- tation of Christ herein ? Methinks I should persuade you to it : yea, every thing about you persuades to patience in your sufferings, as well as I : look which way you will, upward or downward, in- ward or outward, backward or forward, to the right-hand, or to the left, you shall find all things persuading and urging the doc- trine of patience upon you.
First, Look upwards, when tribulations come upon you : look to that sovereign Lord, that commissionates and sends them upon you. You know troubles do not rise out of the dust, nor spring out of the ground, but are framed in heaven, Jer. xviii. 11. " Behold " I frame evil, and devise a device against you." Troubles and afflictions are of the Lord's framing and devising, to reduce his wandering people to himself: much like that device of Absalom, in setting JoaVs field of corn on fire, to bring Joab to him, 2 Sam. xiv. 30. In the frame of your afflictions, you may observe much of divine wisdom in the choice, measure, and season of your troubles : sovereignty, in electing the instruments of your affliction ; in mak- ing them as afflictive as he pleaseth ; and in making them obedient both to his call, in coming and going, when he pleaseth. Now, could you in times of trouble look up to this sovereign hand, in which your souls, bodies, and all their comforts and mercies are ; how quiet would your hearts be ! Psal. xxxix. 9. " I was dumb, " and opened not my mouth, because it is thy doing." 1 Sam. iii. 18. " It is the Lord, let him do what seemeth him good." Oh,
SF.ItM. XXIX. THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE. 363
when we have to do with men, and look no higher, how do our spirits swell and rise with revenge and impatience ! But if you once come to see, that man as a rod in your Father's hand, you will be quiet; Psal. xlvi. 10. "Be still,' and know that I am God ;" q. d. consider with whom you have to do ; not with your fellow, hut with your God, who can puff you to destruction with one blast of his mouth ; in whose hand you are, us the clay in the potter's hand. It is for want of looking up to God in our troubles, that we fret, murmur, ami despond at the rate we do.