{3. The infinite tenderness and compassionateness of our God, is a sweet encouragement to resign and commit ourselves and all we have into his hands ; his mercy is incomparably tender towards his people, infinitely beyond whatever any creature felt stirring in its own bowels towards another that came out of its bowels, Isa. xlix. 15. This compassion of God engageth the two fore-mentioned attributes, viz. his power and wisdom for the preservation and relief of his people, as often as distresses befal them. Yea,
4. The very distresses his people are in, do, as it were, awake the Almighty power of God for their defence and rescue ; our distres- ses are not only proper seasons, but powerful motives to his saving power, Deut. xxxii. 86. *' For the Lord shall judge his people, '' and repent himself for his servants when he seeth that their " power is gone, and there is none shut up or left." God makes it an argument to himself, and his people' plead it as an argument with him, " be not far from me, for trouble is near, for there is " none to help."
5. AVe have already committed greater and weightier concern- ments into his hand than the dearest interest we have in this world ; we have entrusted our souls with him, 1 Pet. iv. 19. 2 Tim. i. 12. Well therefore may we commit the lesser, who have entrusted the greater with him : What are our lives, liberties, estates, and re- lations, compared with our souls, and the eternal safety and happi- ness of them !
6. The committing act of faith is the great and only expedient
to procure and secure the peace and tranquillity of our minds,
amidst all the distractions and troubles of the present world ; the
greatest part of our affliction and trouble in such days is from the
working of our own thoughts ; these torments from within are
worse than any from 'without ; and the resignation of all to God
by faith is their best and only cure, Prov. xvi. 3. " Commit thy
*' works unto the Lord, and thy thoughts shall be established." A
blessed calmness of mind, a sweet tranquillity and settlement of
thoughts follow immediately hereupon, Psal. xciv. 19. Oh then
leave all with God, and quietly expect a comfortable issue : and for
the better settlement and security of thy peace in times of distrac-
THE ftlGHtEOUS MAN's REFDGE. 411
lion and trouble, I beseech thee, reader, carefully to watch and guard against these two evils.
Caution 1. Beware of infidelity or distrustfulness of God and his promises which secretly lurks in thy heart, and is very apt to bewry itself when great distresses and troubles befal thee. Thou wilt know it by such symptoms as these : 1. In an over-hasty and eager desire after present deliverance, Isa. li. 14. " The captive <' exile hasteneth that he may be loosed, and that he should not die " in the pit, nor that his bread should fail." The less faith, always the more impatience ; and the more ability to believe, the more pa- tience to wait. 2. It will discover itself in our readiness to close with, and catch at sinful mediums and methods of deliverance, Isa. XXX. 15, 16. And this is the handle of temptation, and occasion of apostasy. But he that bdieveth will not make haste, Isa. xxvi. 18. No more haste than good speed. 3. It will shew itself in distracting cares and fears about events, which will rack the mind with various and endless tortures.
Caution 2. Beware of dejection and despondency of mind in evil times ; take heed of a poor low spirit that will presently sink and give up its hope upon every appearance and face of trouble ; it is a promise madtf unto the righteous, Psal. cxii. 7. " He shall not be " afraid of evil tidings, his heart is fixed, trusting in the Lord.'* The trusting of God fixes the heart, and the fixing of the heart fortifies it against fear : But I know what many poor Christians will say in this case ; their timorousness and despondency arise not so much from the greatness of outward evils, as from the darkness and doubtfulness of their spiritual and inward condition, which, doubtless, is the very truth of the case ; which brings me to the last use of this point.
Search and examine your hearts. Christians, whether those graces and qualifications, to which God hath promised protection in evil times, may not be found upon an impartial search in your hearts ; amongst which, I will single out three principal ones, as the proper matters of your self-examination, viz.
1. Uprightness of heart and way.
2. Humiliation for your own and other's sins.
3. Righteousness in doins:, and meekness in suiFerinc: the will ofGod.
1. Uprightness and integrity of heart and way. To this qua- lification belong many sweet promises of protection ; such is that, Prov. ii. 7. " He is a buckler to them that walk uprightly," Psal vii. 10. "My defence is of God, which saveth the upright in *' heart." If your hearts be true to God, tliese promises shall be
412 THE RIGHTEOUS MAn's REFUGE.
truly performed to you ? but beware you deceive not yourselves in so great a point as this is. Thy heart cannot be an upright heart, except, (1.) It be a renewed heart ; the natural heart is always a false heart; it is only regeneration that gives the heart a light temper and frame; all the duties and labours in the world can never keep the heart right in its course, which is not first set right for God, by a principle of renovation. (2.) We cannot judge our- selves upright, except uprightness be the settled frame and standing bent of our hearts, Psal. cxix. 112, 117. It is not our integrity in one or two single actions, but in the general course, and complex frame of our lives and ways, that will prove our integrity to God. (3.) Then may we reckon ourselves upright, when the dread and awe of God's all-seeing eye keeps our hearts and steps from turn- ing aside to iniquity. Gen. xxxix. 9. 2 Chron. ii. 17. That is a sincere and upright heart indeed, that finds itself at all times, and in all places, overawed from sin, by the eye of God upon him. (4.) That man's heart also is upright with God, who purely aims at, and designs the glory of God, as the scope and end of his life and actions, who lives not up to himself, neither acts ultimately and principally for Himself, but lives to God, as a person dedicated and devoted to him, Rom. xiv. 7. (5.) That heart also is upright with God, which governs itself, and its ways, by the directions and rules of the word, Psal. cxix. 11, 24, 133. Happy is that soul that finds such evidences of integrity in itself, when it is brought to the trial of it at the bar of the word, Heb. iv. 12. at the bar of conscience, 2 Cor. i. 12. at the bar of affliction, Psal. cxix. 87. and at the bar of strong temptations, Gen. xxxix. 9. The eyes of the Lord shall run to and fro through the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of such whose hearts are thus perfect towards him.