THE soul's conflict. 283
now, my soul, into thy rest,' Ps. cxvi. 7. This is the ' rest which remaineth for God's people,' Heb. iv. 9, that is worth the waiting for, when we shall rest from all labour of sin and sorrow, and lay our heads in the bosom of Christ for ever.
It stands us therefore upon to get this great charter more and more con- firmed to us, that God is our God, for it is of everlasting use unto us. It first begins at our entering into covenant with God, and continues not only unto death, but entereth into heaven with us. As it is our heaven upon earth to enjoy God as ours, so it is the very heaven of heaven, that tliere we shall for ever behold him, and have communion with him.
The degrees of manifesting this propriety -'■- in God are divers, rising one upon another, as ' the light clears up by little and little till it comes to a perfect day,' Prov. iv. 18. 1. As the ground of aU the rest, we apprehend God to be a God of some peculiar persons, as favourites above others. 2. From hence is stin-ed up in the soul a restless desire, that God would discover himself so to it, as he doth to those that are his, that he would ' visit our souls with the salvation of his chosen,' Ps. cvi. 4. 3. Hence follows a putting of the soul upon God, an adventuring itself on his mercy. 4. Upon this, God, when he seeth fit, discovers by his Spirit that he is ours. 5. WTience followeth a dependence on him as ours, for all things that may cany us on in the way to heaven. 6. Courage and boldness in setting ourselves against whatsoever may oppose us in the way, as the three young men in Daniel, ' Our God can deliver us if he will,' Dan. iii. 17. ' Our God is in heaven,' &c., Ps. cxv. 3. 7. After which springs a sweet spuitual security, whereby the soul is freed from slavish fears, and glorieth in God as ours in all conditions. And this is termed by the apostle, not only assurance, but the ' riches of assurance,' Col. ii. 2. Yet this is not so clear and full as it shall be in heaven, because some clouds may after arise out of the remainder of corruption, -which may something overcast this assurance, imtil the light of God's countenance in heaven for ever scatters all.
There being so great happiness in. this nearness betwixt God and us, no wonder if Satan labour to hinder the same, by interposing the guilt and heinousness of our sins, which he knows of themselves will work a sepa- ration ; but these, upon om- fii'st serious thought of returning, will be re- moved. As they could not hinder our meeting with God, so they may cause a strangeness for a time, but not a parting, a hiding of God's countenance, but not a banishing of us from it. Peter had denied Christ, and the rest of the apostles had left him all alone ; yet our Saviour, after his resuiTCction, forgets all former unkindnesses ; he did not so much as object it to them, but sends Mary, who herself had been a gi'eat sinner, as an apostle to the apostles, and that presently, to tell them that he was risen. Mat. xxviii. 7 ; his care would have no delay. He knew they were in gi'eat heaviness for their unkindness. Though he was now entered into the first degi-ee of his glory, yet we see his glory made him not forget his poor disciples. Above all, he was most careful of Peter, as deeper in sin than the rest, and there- fore deeper in sorrow. ' Go tell Peter,' he needs most comfort. But what is the message ? that ' I ascend not to my Father alone, but to yom* Father ; not to my God only, but to your God,' John xx. 17.
And shall not we be bold to say so after Christ hath taught us, and put this claim into our mouths ? If once we let this hold go, then Satan hath us where he would ; every Uttle cross then dejects us. Satan may darken * That is, ' property, interest in.' — G.
284 THE soul's conflict.
the joy of our salvation, but not take away the God of our salvation. David, after his crying sin of murder, prays, ' Eestore unto me the joy of thy sal- vation,' Ps. li. 12 ; this he had lost ; but yet in the same psalm he prays, ' Deliver me from blood, 0 God, thou God of my salvation,' Ps. li. 14 ; therefore, whatsoever sense, reason, temptation, the law, or guilt upon con- science shall saj, nay, however God himself, by his strange carriage to us may seem to be, yet let us cast ourselves upon him, and not suffer this plea to be wi-ung from us, but shut our eyes to all, and look upon God ' aU- gracious and all-sufficient, who is the Father, the begetter of comfort,' 2 Cor. i. 3 ; the God, the creator of consolation, not only of things that may comfort, but of the comfort itself conveyed through these unto us. ' Who is a God like unto our God, that passeth by the sins of the remnant of his people?' Micah vii. 18. This should not be thought on without admiration ; and indeed there is nothing so much deserves our wonderment as such mercy, of such a God, to such as we.