5. Again, labour to fit the promise to every condition thou art in. There is no condition but hath a promise suitable, therefore no condition but wherein God may be trusted, because his truth and goodness are always the same. And in the promise, look both to the good promised and to the faithfulness and love of the promiser. It is not good to look upon the diffi- culty of the thing we have a promise against, but who promiseth it, and for whose sake, and so see all good things in Christ made over to us.
6. We should labour likewise for a single heart to trust in God only. There is no readier way to fall than to trast equally to two stays, whereof one is rotten, and the other sound ; therefore as in point of doctrine we are to rely upon Chi'ist only, and to make the Scriptures our rule only ; so in life and conversation, whatever we make use of, yet we should enjoy and ^ely upon God only ; for either God is trusted alone or not at all. Those that trust to others things with God, tmst not him but upon pretence to carry theii* double minds with less check.
7. Again, labom- that thy soul may ansu-er all the relations wherein it stands to God, by cleaving to him, (1) as a Father, by tinisting on his care ; (2) as a Teacher, by following his dii-ection; (8) as a Creator, by dependence on him; (4) as a Husband, by inseparable affection of love to him; (5) as a Lord, by obedience, &c. And then we may with comfort expect whatsoever good these relations can yield ; all which, God, regarding more oui* wants and weaknesses than his own greatness, hath taken upon him.
8. Shall these relations yield comfort from the creature, and not from God himself, in whom they are in their highest perfection ? shall God make other fathers and husbands faithful, and not be faithful himself? All our comfort depends upon labouring to make these relations good to our souls.
And as w^e must w^hoUy and only trust in God, so likewise we must trust him in all conditions and times, for all things that we stand in need of, until that time comes, wherein we shall stand in need of nothing : for as the same care of God moved him to save us, and to preserve us in the world tiU we be put in possession of salvation ; so the same faith relies upon God for heaven and all necessary provision till we come thither. It is the office of faith to quiet om* souls in aU the necessities of this life, and we have continual use of trusting while we are here ; for even vrhen we have things, yet God still keeps the blessing of them in his own hands, to hold us in a continual dependence upon him. God trains us up this way, by exercising our trust in lesser matters, to fit us for greater. Thus it pleaseth God to keep us in a depending condition until he see his o\ni time ; but so good is God that as he intends to give us what we wait for, so will he give us the grace and spirit of faith, to sustain our souls in waiting till we enjoy the same. The unruliness of a natmral spirit is never discovered more, than when God defers ; therefore we should labour the more not to withdraw our attendance from God.
9. Fm-ther, we must know that the condition of a Christian in this life,
216 THE soul's conflict.
is not to see what he tnists God for ; ' he lives by faith, and not by sight,' 2 Cor. V. 7 ; and yet there is such a virtue in faith, which makes evident and present, things to come and unseen ; because God, where he gives an eye of faith, gives also a glass of the word to see things in, and by seeing of them in the truth and power of him that promiseth, they become pre- sent, not only to the understanding to apprehend them, but to the will to rest upon them, and to the affections to joy in them. It is the nature of faith to work, when it seeth nothing, and oftentimes best of all then, be- cause God shews himself more clearly in his power, wisdom, and goodness, at such times ; and so his glory shines most, and faith hath nothing else to look upon then, whereupon it gathers all the forces of the soul together, to fasten upon God.
It should therefore be the chief care of a Christian to strengthen his faith, that so it may answer God's manner of dealing with him in the worst times ; for God usually (1, that he might perfectly mortify oui- confidence in the creature ; and 2, that he might the more endear his favours and make them fresh and new unto us ; and 3, that the gloiy of deliverance may be entirely his, without the creatures sharing with him ; and 4, that our faith and obedience may be tried to the uttermost, and discovered) suffers his children to fall into great extremities before he will reach forth his hand to help them, as in Job's case, &c. Therefore Christians should much labour their hearts to trust in God in the deepest extremities that may befall them, even^. when no light of comfort appears either from within or without, yea then especially, when all other comforts fail, Isa. iv. 10. Despair is oft the ground of hope. When the darkness of the night is thickest, then the morning begins to dawn. That which, to a man unacquainted with God's dealings, is a ground of utter despair, the same, to a man acquainted with the ways of God, is a rise of exceeding comfort ; for infinite power and goodness can never be at a loss, neither can faith which looks to that, ever be at a stand ; whence it is that both God and faith work best alone. In a hopeless estate a Christian will see some door of hope opened, 1, because God shews himself nearest to us, when we stand most in need of him ; ' Help, Lord, for vain is the help of man,' Ps. Ix. 11. God is never more seen than in the mount. He knows our souls best, and our souls know him best, in adversity. Ps. xxxi. 7 ; then he is most wonderful in his saints. 2. Because our prayers then are strong cries, fervent and frequent. God is sure to hear of us at such a time, which pleaseth him well, as delighting to hear the voice of his be- loved.