[3.] And then, thirdly, Love, it will enable the soul to hold on in the ways of well-doinfi; ag^ainst all discouraojements, by making a blessed intcrpreiation and a heavenly eonstruction of the affiictions, sorroivs^ and discouragements that an upright heart can meet icith in the ivays of God. All the afHictions and discourngcments that upright hearts meets with, love will thus interpret and expound : Oh ! saith the upright heart, all those afflictions are but means that God will use to rub off my dross and tilth, to convey more of himself: they are all my friends, and shall work for my good, saith Love. All those cursings God will turn to blessings, saith Love. All these afflictions that befall me are but out of some noble design that God hath to reveal more of himself and of his glory to me. It is but that he may empty me more of myself and of the creature, that so he may communicate more of his own sweetness and fulness to my soul, saith Love. I know, though for the present it be bitter, yet, saith Love, it will be sweet in the end ; I know the way to the crown by the cross, saith Love, and I know all those afHictions shall lead me to more heavenly enjoyments of God. This construction David made concerning k>himei's cursing of him, 2 Sam. xvi. 12 : when Sliimei cursed him, David expounds it sweetly : ver. 12, ' The Lord,' saith he, ' will look on mine affliction, and requite good for his cursing this day.' This interpretation carries David along on his way, notwithstanding Shimei's cursing of him. Oh ! the Lord will turn the curse into a blessing, saith Love ; and this carries him on bravely. So in that 1 Cor. xiii. 5, ' Love thinkcth no evil.' It will make a sweet interpretation of all the afflictions that befalls the soul ; and the more sweet and heavenly interpretation Love makes of afflictions that befall the soul in the ways of God, the more the soul is raised and encouraged. Well ! saith the soul, if it be so, I will go on though the lions roar, &c. That is another means ; if you will hold on in the ways of well-doing, then look that Love do its part : let Love be operative and working in your souls.
[4.] Lastly, I have but one thing more that I will press as to this, and so draw towards a close, and that is this. Look frequently and solemnly iqjon that ' cloud of luitnesses ' tliat have gone before yon. It is the apostle's own argument, Heb. xii. 1, 2, — he brings down all those instances in the 11th chapter, and sets them before their eyes, and encourageth them from that very consideration — ' To run the race that was set before them with patience, looking to Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith ; who, for the joy that was set before him, endured the cross, and despised the shame, and is set down at the right hand of God.' Oh, look upon those glorious worthies that held on in the ways of well-doing. Look upon Nehemiah, that held on bravely, and David, who though princes scorned him and per- secut<?d him, yet he held on in the ways of well-doing. So Paul and Jeremiah, &c., notwithstanding all their tossings, afflictions, and sufferings, yet held on in the ways of well-doing. Oh, why should you degenerate basely from tho.se examples that are your crown and glory to follow? So much by way of direction, as to enable you to hold on in the ways of well-doing against all discouragements that may befall vou.
Ps. XLIV. 18.] PROGRESS OF THE UPRIGHT. 359
Now, Eight Honourable, give me only leave to premise a few things to your considerations, desiring that those considerations may be your daily meditations ; and so I shall close at this time.
[1.] The first thing I desire to present to your Honourable con- siderations is this, The doing of great things is most loortliy of great men. Great men should do great things, and account themselves little, i Oh, Right Honourable, tliat by your means ' the angel with the ever- lasting gospel in his hand might fly through our heavens,' He v. xiv. 6 ; especially that he might fly through those dark corners of the kingdom where you will have thousands that sit in darkness, and in the region and shadow of death, that scarce know whether there be a Holy G-host or no ! 0 Right Honourable, God is now about a glorious design to exalt his Son, and the children unborn shall rise and call you blessed if you will be instrumental to further this design ; and it were better that you had never been born, than that you should be instrumental to hinder those poor souls from enjoying the means of grace, that cry out, ' Bread, bread for our souls,' that say, ' Look upon us, and see if there be any sorrow like our souls' sorrow ; if any darkness be like that darkness that is upon us ; if any grievance be like that that is in us/ 0 Right Honourable, the doing of great things is most worthy of great men. The Lord stir up your hearts that you may further that glorious work ; and the Lord direct you that you may pitch on some way or other whereby those that sit in darkness, and in the shadow of death, may be enlightened, and Christ revealed, and his kingdom exalted in this kingdom ! Oh, if you do not labour to keep by the word that you have war by the sword, how long will it be before the sword be sheathed !
[2.] A second consideration that I premise for your honours' medi- tation is this. That the saints are ve^^y dear and precious to the Lord Jesus Christ, and they that shelter them he ivill shelter. They are his jewels, Mai. iii. 17. The word there rendered jewels, n'pJD. seguUa, signifies such particular treasures that he loves and lays up for him- self, and for special use. They are ' the apple of his eye,' Zech. ii. 8 ; their service is precious to him, Prov. xv. 8 ; their voice is precious, Cant. ii. 14, ' Let me hear thy voice, for thy voice is sweet, and thy countenance is lovely ;' their tears are precious, Ps. Ivi. 8, ' He puts them in his bottle ; ' and their names are precious, for he ' writes them in his book,' Luke x. 20 ; their very thoughts are precious, Mai. iii. 16 ; and their blood is precious, Ps. cxvi. 15, ' Right dear and pre- cious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints,' and they that shelter them God will shelter. Ebed-melech sheltered Jeremiah in the day of the Idng's wrath, and God sheltered him in the day of God's wrath ; Rahab sheltered the spies, and the Lord sheltered Rahab ; Obadiah sheltered the prophets, and the Lord sheltered him. Right Honourable, God hath made you in some blessed measure instrumental to shelter his people ; and certainly that hath been one great reason that God hath sheltered you, notwithstanding all the designs, plots, and treacheries of men to destroy you. You have sheltered the saints, and God hath sheltered you. They are always precious to him, and they should be always precious to you.
1 Vere magnum est magna facere et teipsum putare nihil. — Eusehius.
360 GOU'S DELIGHT IN THE [Ps. XLIV. 18.