Again, God seems for a time indeed to neglect his children when they commit themselves unto him, but mark the issue ; ' all the works of God are beautiful in their season,' Eccl. iii. 11. He suffers them it may be, a long time to be in danger and trouble, till he hath perfected the w'ork of mortification in their hearts, and crucified their confidence in earthly things, till he hath made them more sensible of the evil of sin, and watchful against it; but wait a while, and you shall see ' that the end of the righteous man is peace,' Ps. xxxvii. 37.
God's presence and assistance to support his children in trouble is in- vincible ; they have gladness and comfort that we wot not of; they commit the safety of their souls to God, and he seems to neglect them, if wo look to their outward man, but they have a paradise in their conscience. God preserves their souls from sin, and their consciences from despair. They have an invisible protection. There was a fence about Job that the devils saw, and a guard of angels that Elias saw, and that his servant saw afterwards, 2 Kings vi. 14, 15. Wicked men see not the guard of spirits that is about the children of God ; as Christ saith, ' they have meat the world knows not of,' John iv. 32 ; they feed on hidden comforts.
As for carnal men, they do not commit themselves to God; they have no preservation, but rather a reservation to further evil. Pharaoh was kept from the ten plagues, but was drowned hi the sea at last ; and Sodom was kept by Abraham ; he fought for them, but yet it was destroyed with fire and brimstone afterwards.
Let us tben try our trust in God. Those tbat intend to embark them- selves and their estates in a ship, will be sure to try it first. This com- mitting of our souls to God, must be our ship to carry us through the waves of this troublesome wor d to the heavenly Canaan of rest and peace. Wo should therefore search and prove the same, whether it be indeed safe and sound, able to support our souls in the evil day, and not leak and prove insufficient for us.
THE saint's niDING-PLACE IN THE EVIL DAY. 421
Hoiv to know ulien we trust God arif/ht. Trial 1. Those tliat commit themselves to God aright, are far from ieniptiiifj his majesty. God will be tnisted, but not tempted. What though things fall not out according to thy expectation ; yet wait thou, and think God hath further ends than thou knowest of. God will do things in the order of his providence, there- fore if we neglect that, it is our own fault if he do not help us. If Christ had committed his health to God, and had cast himself dovv-n from the pinnacle, what an act had this been ! but he would not so tempt the Al- mighty. Neither should we unadvisedly run into dangers, bat serve his providence upon all occasions. God useth our endeavour to this very end. He saves us not always immediately, but by putting wisdom into om- hearts to use lawful means, and using those means he will save us in them. A Christian therefore should be in a continual dependence upon God, and say, I will use these means, God may bless them ; if not, I will trust him ; he is not tied to the use of means, though I be.
Trial 2. Again, those that commit their souls, or anything to God, find themselves quieted therein. Is it not so amongst men? If a man commit a jewel to a trusty friend, is he not secure presently ? Have we not God's word and faithfulness engaged, that he will not leave us nor forsake us, but continue our all-sufficient God and portion to our lives' end ? Why then are we disquieted ? Those that are full of cares and fears may talk their pleasure, but they never yet had any true confidence in God: for faith is a quieting grace, it stills the soul ; ' being justified by faith, we have peace with God,' Rom. v. 1. Those that are hurried in their life with false doubts and perplexities, 'What shall become of me? What shall I eat, and what shall I drink?' &c., though they use lawful means, yet commit not themselves to God as they should; for v/here there is a dependence upon God in the use of means, there is an holy silence in the party. All stubborn and tumultuous thoughts are hushed in him. ' My soul, keep silence to the Lord,' saith Da\'id, ' and trust in God ; why art thou so vexed v,-ithin me?' Ps xlii. 11. Still there is a quieting of the soul v/here there is trust. Can that man put confidence in God that prowls. for himself, and thinks he hath no Father in heaven to pro-side for him ? Doth that child trust his father, that, besides going to school, thinks what he shall put on ? how he shall be provided for, and what inheritance he shall have hereafter ? Alas : this is the father's care, and belongs not to him. Wheresoever these distractions are, there can be no yielding up of the soul to God in truth.