Another man hath present payment, and that is all he cares for ; he hath something in hand, and swells with a conceit of happiness thereby. Alas ! what are we the better to have a great deal of nothing ? Solomon, that had tried all the world, resolves it to ' vanity and vexation of spirit,' Eccles. i. 14. All things below are uncertain, and we are uncertain in the use of them. If we have no better a life than a natural one, eternal joy apper- tains not to us. Take a Christian and strip him in your thoughts from all the good things in the world, he is yet a happier man than the greatest worldly favourite out of Christ ; for the one hath nothing but present things, with a great deal of addition of misery, which his ease and content- ment makes him more sensible of ; as being more tender and apprehensive of an evil than other men. The other, though he want many comforts of this life, and enjoys not present performances ; yet he is rich in bills and bonds. God is bound to him, who hath promised he ' will never forsake him, but be his portion for ever,' Heb. xiii. 5. He hath a title to every communicable good. ' Godliness hath the promise of this life, and that which is to come,' 1 Tim. iv. 8. A happy man ! Whatever is most useful for his safe conduct to heaven, he is sure to have it. He that will give us a king- dom, will not deny us daily bread ; he that hath prepared a country for us, will certainly preserve us safe, till we come there.
Besides that we have here in performance, we have many excellent promises of a greater good in expectation, which in Christ are all ' yea and amen.' They are certain, though our life be uncertain, and the comforts of our life, less than life itself, mutable and perishing. If life, the founda- tion of outward comforts, be but a vapour, what are all the comfojts them- selves, think you ?
It is a Christian's rejoicing in the midst of all changes beneath, that he hath promises invested into him from above that are lodged in his heart, and made his own by faith, which have * a wondrous peculiarising virtue to make that a man's own that is otherwise generally propounded in the gospel. A Christian, take him at all uncertainties, he hath somewhat to build on, that is * yea and amen,' undoubtedly sure, that will stick by him.
* Qu. ' hath ' ?— Ed.
PRECIOUS PROMISES. ] 25
I speak this to commend the estate of a believing Christian ; to make you in love with it, seeing in all the changes and varieties of this world ho hath somewhat to take to. In all the dangers of this life he hath a rock and chamber of providence to go unto, as it is Isa. xxvi. 20. God hath secret rooms to hide his children in in times of public disturbance, when there is a confusion of all things. God hath a safe abiding place for thee. ' I have many troubles,' saith David, ' but God is my defence continually,' Ps. Ixxxviii. 4. Ho is my ' shield and strong tower ;' whatsoever I want I have it in him. What a comfort is this !
A Christian knows either he shall be safe here or in heaven, and therefore rests securely. ' He that dwells in the secret place of the most Hi'di, shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty,' Ps. xci. 1, 2 ; that is, in the lovo and protection of God above. As Moses saith, * Lord, thou hast been our habitation from everlasting to everlasting,' Ps. xc. 1 ; that is, thou art our sure help in the greatest extremity that can befaU us in any awe of the world.
Therefore build on his promise, for God and his word are all one. If we have nothing to take to when troubles come, woe unto us ! In ourselves considered, we are even as grass, and as a tale that is told, soon vanishing. But our estate in God is durable. We have here no continuing city ; sick- ness may come, and death may environ us the next moment. Happy are they that have God for their habitation. We dwell in him when we are dead. When we leave this world we shall live with God for ever. ' The righteous is not troubled for evil tidings,' Ps. cxii. 7. He is not shaken from his rock and stay. He fears no danger, because ' his heart is fixed,' ver. 8.
What a blessed estate is it to be in Christ, to have promises in him, to be protected and preserved, not only whilst we are in this vale of tears, but when this earthly tabernacle shall be dissolved, even to all eternity. If our hearts be fixed on God, let us hear evil tidings of war, or famine, or pesti- lence, let it be what it will, blessed men are we. ' Every word of God is tried as silver in the fire,' saith the psalmist, Ps. xii. 6. The promises are tried promises ; we may safely rest upon them. But if we have nothing to take to when troubles arise, we are as a naked man in a storm, without any shelter, encompassed round with distress and misery.