4. In a time of sorrow and discouragements ; when affliction breaketh us, and lieth heavy upon us day and night. Suppose con- tinual poverty or sickness, or else when we are wearied with a vexatious and malicious world ; then should we revive our hopes and comforts, expostulate with ourselves about our drooping discouragements : Ps* xlii. 5, 'Why art thou disquieted, 0 my soul? and why art thou cast down within me? still hope in God.' We must cite our affections before the tribunal of sanctified reason. This is the drift of this question in the text — ' What shall we say to these things ? ' This were enough to comfort the most distressed and afflicted. Who will be so much grieved for what he knoweth is for his good ? Yea, so great a good as eternal salvation ?
6. Whenever any message of God is sent to you, go home and practise upon it speedily, whether any duties are pressed upon you in the name of Christ, or sins reproved — ' What shall we say to these things ? ' Is it not a duty ? or that a sin ? A weighty duty, or a heinous sin ? Do I perform this duty, or avoid this sin ? or, What do I mean to do for the future ? If upon the first opportunity, as soon as the message is brought to us, we did fall a-working of the truth upon our hearts, more good would be done, our Christianity would be more explicate and serious ; whereas the impression that is left upon u» in hearing is soon defaced, and all for want of such serious reflections and self-communings : James i. 22-24, ' But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own souls : for if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like a man that beholdeth his natural face in a glass ; for he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was ; ' they forget how much they were concerned in the truths delivered.
Second question by way of explication — If God he for us, who shall be against us ? There observe two things —
1. The ground supposed — ' If God be for us.'
2. The comfort built upon it — ' Who shall be against us ? '
VeK. 31.] SERMONS UPON ROMAKS VOL 323
From botli observe —
That if God be for us, we need not be troubled at the opposition of those tliat are against us.
[1.] I shall explain the words of the text, both concerning the ground laid and the comfort thence inferred.
[2.] Show 3'ou the reasons of it.
(1.) To explain the words, and there the ground supposed — ' If God.' It is not dubiiantis, but ratiocinantis ; not the if oi doubting, but of reasoning. The meaning is, this being taken for granted, the other must needs follow. In the supposition, two things are taken for granted —
1st. That there is a God.
2dly. That he is with, and for his children.
[ls<.] For the first : it is some comfort to the oppressed, that there is a God, who is the patron of human societies, and the refuge of the oppressed ; who will take notice of their sorrows, and right their wrongs : Eccles. V. 8, ' If thou seest the oppression of the poor, and the violent perverting of judgment in a province, marvel not at the matter ; for he that is higher than the highest regardeth, and there be higher than they ; ' so Eccles. iii. 16, ' Moreover, I saw under the sun the place of judgment, that wickedness was there ; and the place of righteous- ness, and that iniquity was there. I said in my heart, God shall judge the righteous and the wicked.' Man, that should be as a god to his neighbour, proveth oftentimes as a devil or wild beast to him, making little use of his power, but to do mischief. And many times God's ordination of magistrates is used as a pretence to their violence; and tribunals and courts of justice, which should be as sanctuaries and places of refuge for wronged innocence, are as slaughter-houses and shops of cruelty. Now this is a grievous temptation ; but it is a com- fort that the Lord will in due time review all again, and judge over the cause, that he may right his people against their oppressors. There is a higher court to which we may appeal : ' all things are governed by a holy and wise God, who will right his people, and vindicate their innocency.
\2dly^^ That he is with, and for his children — Kad' rj/xuv, ' If God be with us.' But when is God with us ? This must be stated with respect to the forementioned acts of grace. Worldhngs judge of God's presence by wrong rules ; they measure his love and favour altogether by the outward estate ; if their mountain stand strong, if their houses be filled with the good things of this world, then they conclude God is with them. No, we must determine it by the context ; and we begin — {1st.) With predestination. God is with his people, not by a wavering will, but a constant, eternal decree. There are some that belong to the election of his grace : 2 Tim. ii. 19, 'The foundation of the Lord standeth sure.' See that reasoning : Luke xviii. 7, 8, ' And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him ? Though he bear long with them, I tell you that he will avenge them speedily.' Now election is for awhile a secret ; but we have the comfort of it when we make our calling and election sure. Certainly God loveth his people with a dear and tender love, since he hath carried them in the womb of his decree from all eternity.