L When the providences of God are sad and afflictive, either w^n the church in general, or your families and persons in parti- cular; then it is seasonable Jbr you to exercise godly sorrow and humility cyf spirit : For in that day, and by those providences^ God doth call to it, Isa. xxii. 12. Micah vi. 9. Now sensitive pleasure and natural joy is out of season, Ezek. xxi. 10. " Should we then make mirth } If there be either, (1.) A filial spirit in us, we cannot be light and vain, when our father is angry ; or, (2.) If any real sense of the evil of sin which provokes God's anger, we must be heavy-hearted when God is smiting for it; or, (3.) If any sense and compassion for the miseries that sin brings upon the world, it will make us to say \\ith David, Psalm cxix. 158. " I beheld the trans- " gressors, and was grieved."" It is sad to consider the miseries that they pull down upon themselves in this world and that to come. (4.) If there be any care in us to prevent utter ruin, and stop God in the way of his anger, we know this is the means to do it, Amos iv. 12.
How sad and dismal soever the face of Providence bo^ yet still main^ tain spiritucdjoy and corrvfort in God under all. " Though theije be " no herd in the stall," (said Habakkuk, chap. iii. 17.) yet I will *^ rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation.''
There are two sorts of comforts, natural and sensitive.^ divine and spiritual. There is a time when it becomes Christians to ex- ercise both ; so Esther ix. 22. And tliere is a time when the for- mer is to be suspended and laid by, Psal. cxxxvii. 2. But there is no season wlierein spiritual joy and comfort in God is unseasona- ble, as appears by those scriptures, 1 Thess. v. J 6. Phil iy. 4.
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This spiritual joy or comfort is notliing else but the cheerfulness of our heart in God, and the sense of our interest in him, and in his promises. And it is sure, that no providence can render this un- seasonable to a Christian. Let us suppose the most afflicted and calamitous state a Christian can be incident to, yet,
(1.) Why should sad providences make him lay by his com- forts in God ? AVhile those are but for a moment, but these eternal. 2 Cor. iv. 17.
(2.) Why should we lay by our joy in God, upon the account of sad providences without, when at the very worst and lowest ebb, the saints have infinitely more cause to rejoice, than to be cast down ? there is more in one of their mercies to comfort them than in all their troubles to deject them. All your losses are but as the loss of aJartJmig to a prince, llom. viii. 18,
(3.) Why should they be sad, as long as their God is with them in all their troubles ? as Christ said, Matth. ix. 15. " Can the *' children of the bride-chamber be sad, whilst the bridegroom is '' with them .?'"' So say I, Can the soul be sad whilst God is with it ? Oh methinks, that one promise, Psal. xci. 15. " I will be ^' with him in trouble,'' should bear you up under all burdens. Let them be cast down, that have no God in trouble to turn to,
(4.) Why should they be sad as long as no outward dispensation of providence, (be it never so sad) can be interpreted as a mark or sign of God's hatred or enmity, Eccl. ix. 2, 3. " There is one event "to the righteous and the wicked." Indeed, if it were a signifi- cation of the Lord's wrath against a man, it would justify our de- jection ; but this cannot be so : His heart is full of love, whilst the face of providence is full of frowns.
(5.) Why should we be cast down under sad providence, whilst we have so great security, that even by the hand of these provi- dences God will do us good, and all these things shall '* turn to " our salvation .?" Rom. viii. 28. By these God is but killing your lusts, weaning your hearts from a vain world, preventing temp- tations, and exciting desires after heaven : this is all the hurt thej shall do, and shall that sadden us ?
(6.) Why should we lay by our joy in God when the change of our condition is so nigh ? it is but a little while, and sorrows shall flee away : You shall never suffer more ; " God will wipe away all " tears," Rev. vii. 17. Well then, you see there is no reason, upon the account of providence,, to give up your joy and comfort in God. But if you will maintain it under all providences, theu be careful,
(1.) To clear up your interest in, and title to God. Faith may be separated from comfort, but assuranc e cannot.
430 IJIVINE CONDUCT ; OR,
(2.) iMortify your inordinate affections to earthly things. This makes providences tliat deprive and cross us so heavy. Mortify your opinion and affection, and you sensibly lighten your affliction. It is a strong affection that makes strong affliction.
(3.) Dwell much upon the meditation of the Lord's near ap- proach ; and then all these things will seem but trifles to you. " Let vour moderation be known unto all men, the Lord is at " hand>