That carnal iwlicij hinders our safety. Let Christians therefore have no- thing to do with carnal shifts, and politic ends ; for they have a strong rock, and a sure hold to go to ; the Almighty is their shield. Beloved, God will be honoured by om- trusting of him, and those that wiU be wiser than God, and have other courses distinct and contrary to him, must look for confusion in all their plots. A Christian should thus think with himself, let God be wise for me ; his wisdom shall be my direction ; his will shall be the rule of my life ; he shall guide me and support me ; I will adventure upon no course that I dare not commit my soul with comfort to God in.
Oh beloved, if we tender our own welfare, let us shun all unwarrantable courses, and adventure upon no action whatsoever, wherein we cannot upon good grounds desu-e the Lord's protection. It is a fearful estate for a man to undertake such courses, as that he cannot if he were surprised by judg- ment, suddenly commit himself to God in. The throne of iniquity shall not abide with God ; he will not take a wicked man by the hand, nor own him in a distressful time.
Study therefore, I beseech you, to be always in such a blessed condition, as that you may, without tempting of God, in a holy boldness of faith, resign up your souls to him. A guilty conscience cannot seek the Lord ; natm-aUy it runs away from him. Peace is not easily gotten, nor the gap soon made up ; therefore presei-ve conscience clear and unspotted, if thou wouldsthave God thy refuge in time of need. Adam when he had sinned ran from God ; Peter, when our Saviour discovered more than an ordinary majesty in his miracles, said, ' Lord, depart from me, I am a sinful man,' Luke v. 8. It is the work of flesh and blood to depart from God, but when a man goes to God, it is a sign he hath more than flesh and blood in him; for this cannot be done without a supernatural work of faith ; which alone wUl make a sin- ful conscience fly to God, and look to him as a father in Christ, and desuv him by his almighty powder, whereby he created heaven and earth, to create faith in the soul. And when thou hast cast thy soul into the arms of the Almighty, labour to settle it there, and to quiet thyself in the discharge of thy duty ; say thus, now I have done that which belongs to me, let God do that which belongs to him ; I will not trouble myself about God's work, but in well-doing commit my soul to him, and let him alone with the rest.
Christians should not outrun God's providence, and say, what shall be- come of me ? this trouble will overwhelm me ! &c. but serve his providence in the use of the means, and then leave all to his disposal. Especially this
THE saint's hiding-place IN THE EVIL DAY. 417
duty is needful in the hour of death, or when some imminent danger ap- proacheth ; but then it will be an hard work, except it be practised aforehand.
Direction 4. Labour therefore for a/isnrmice of GolVs love betimes, get in- fallible evidences of thy estate in grace, that thou art a renewed person, and that there is a thorough change wrought in thy heart; that God hath set a stamp upon thee for his own, and that thou hast something above nature in thee ; then mayest thou cheerfully say, ' Father, into thy hands I com- mend my spirit; I am thine, Lord, save me, &c.,' Luke xxiii. 46, otherwise having no interest in God, how canst thou expect any favour from him ? Oh the sweet ti'anquillity and heaven upon earth which those enjoy who have God to be their friend !
This lays a heavy prejudice upon antichristian religion, which maintains a doctrine of doubting, affirming that we ought not to labour for assurance of God's favour. Oh beloved, what deprives a poor Christian soul of com- fort more than this ? Alas ! how can a man at the hour of death commit his soul into the hands of Almighty God, that staggers whether he be his child or no ? and knows not whether he shall go to heaven or hell ? There- fore it should be our daily endeavour, as we would have comfort in the time of resigning and giving up cur souls to God, to gather evidences of a good estate ; that we are in covenant with him ; that he is our Father ; and that we are his children in Christ Jesus.
For will a man trust his jewels with an enemy, or with a doubtful friend ? How can the swearer commit his soul to God ? How can loose livers and your filthy, uncleanwretches, that live in continual enmity against the Lord, commit themselves with any comfort unto him ? They pray, ' Lead us not into temptation,' Mat. vi. 13, and yet run daily into temptations, into vile houses and places of wickedness, wherein they feed their corruptions, and nothing else. They say, ' Give us this day oiu* daily bread,' and j^et use unwarrant- able courses, seeking to thrive by unlawful means.