But now, because comforts are never prized but in their season, men that have not been exercised in spiritual comforts nauseate these sweet truths ; they know not what it is to be left to uncertainty, when troubles come like waves, one upon the neck of another. Let us see when these truths will be sweet and seasonable.
1. In great troubles, when God seemeth to hide his face, oh ! how sweet it is to hear God say. Gen. xxviii. 15, ' Behold I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land ; for I will not leave thee until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of.' All this shall better thy heart or hasten thy glory. We are apt to think that God will cast us off, and will never look after us any more, though formerly we have had real experience of his grace. What a foolish creature is man, to weaken his assurance when he should come to use it, to unravel all his hopes and experiences ! Times of trouble are a fit season to make use of this comfort.
2. In the hour of temptation, and hard conflicts with doubts and corruptions, when you find their power growing upon you, you are
310 SERMONS uroN JOHN xvii. [Ser. XVII.
ready to say, as David did after all his experiences, ' I shall one day perish by the hand of Saul,' 1 Sam. xxvii. 1 ; and many times out of distrust ye give over the combat ; then say, 'Who shall separate us from the love of God ? ' One came to a pious woman, when she had been exercised with a long and tedious conflict, and read to her the latter part of the 8th of the Eomans ; she broke forth in triumph, ' Nay in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.' Sin or death cannot divide you from Christ ; Christ will treat Satan under your feet, and weaken the malignant influence of the world.
3. In times of great danger and defection, through terror and per- secution ; as Sanders trembled to think of the fire ; especially when others fall fearfully that were before us in privileges and profession of zeal and piety, when the first become last, when eminent luminaries are eclipsed, and leave their orb and station ; as the martyrs were troubled to hear of the revolt of some great scholars that had appeared for the gospel. When Hymeneus and Philetus, two eminent pro- fessors, fell, it was a great shaking : 2 Tim. ii. 18, 19, ' Who concerning the truth have erred, saying, That the resurrection is past already, and overthrow the faith of some. Nevertheless, the foundation of the Lord standeth^sure, having this seal. The Lord knoweth them that are his.'
4. In times of disheartening, because of the difficulties of religion, and the use of means groweth troublesome. To quicken us in our christian course, think of the unchangeableness of God's love. All grace riseth according to the proportion and measure of faith ; loose hopes weaken endeavours : 1 Cor. ix. 26, ' I therefore so run, not as uncertainly ; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air.' As those that run at all give over when one hath overreached them, they are discouraged ; when hope is broken, the edge of endeavours is blunted. Go on with confidence, ye are assured of the issue ; by these endea- vours God will bless you and keep you; there is a sure recompense.
5. In the hour of death, when all things fail you, God will not fail you; this is the last branch: Do but wait, I will not forsake you; notwithstanding all that I have done, all that I have promised, there is more behind than ever you have enjoyed ; death shall not separate. Olevian comforted himself Avith that, Isa. liv. 10, ' For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saitli the Lord, that hath mercy on thee.' In the pains of death, sight is gone, speech and hearing is departing, feeling almost gone, but the loving-kindness of God will never depart. Oh ! the Lord give us such a confidence in that day, that we may fix this comfort in our thoughts.
Boct. 2. That we are kept in the state of grace by God's name, by his power, for his glory.
God's attributes are called his name, because by them he is known, as a man by his name. I shall inquire —
1. What of the name of God is engaged in the preservation of the saints.
[1.] His truth, in opposition to our fickleness and falseness : 1 Cor.
"VeK. 11.] SERMONS UPON JOHN XVII. 311
X. 13, ' God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above what ye are able to bear, but will with every temptation make a way for you to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.' God cannot deny liimself ; his faithfulness is laid at pledge with the creatures. When difficulties and troubles are too hard for you, call him by his name : Lord, thou art faithful. When Judah was about to pass a hard sen- tence upon Tamar, she showed him his token, his bracelets, ring, and staff, ' Whose are these ? ' So may God's promises be showed to him.