* Tliat is, ' sadden,' as elsewhere,' dead,' for ' deaden.' — G.
1 IB YEA AND AMEN ; OU,
What makes a man difl'nr from himself and from other men but this ? Take a Christiiin that hath the ' earnest of the Spirit,' you shall have him defy death, Satan, the world, and all. Take another that is careless to increase his ' earnest,' how weak and feeble will you find him, ready to be overcome by every temptation, and sink under the least burden.
The apostle Peter, before the Holy Ghost came upon him, was astonished with the voice of a weak damsel ; but after, how forward was he to sutler anything.*
Labour not then to be strengthened in things below, neither value thy- self by outward dependences. Alas ! all things here are perishing. If thou hast grace, thou hast that which will stand by thee when these ffiil. The Comforter shall never be taken away. What are all friends in the world to the Holy Ghost ! This will speak to God for us when no crea- ture dares look him in the face. The Spirit will make requests with ' sighs and groans ' in our behalf ; and we may be sure we shall be heard when that intercedes for us. "What prison can shut up the Spirit of God ? Oh gain this, whatever thou losest ; prefer it to thy chief treasure. The very ' earnest' of the Spirit is far more precious than the creature's full quint- essence. If the promises laid hold on by faith quicken and cheer the soul, what shall the accomplishment of them do ! If the giving a taste of heaven so lift our souls above all earthly discouragements, how glorious shall we shine forth when the Spirit shall be all in all in us ! This will make us more or less fi'uitful, more or less glorious in our profession, and resolute in obedience through our whole course.
If we want this, we can never be thankful for anything ; for it is the love of God that sweetens every mercy to us ; and indeed is more to be valued than any blessing we enjoy besides : which if we eye not or are ignorant of, what can we expect but wrath and displeasure in all that befalls us ? Oh it is sweet to see favours and benefits issuing from grace and love. They do not always prove mercies which men ofttimes esteem to be so. We can have no solid comfort in any condition, further than God smiles upon us in it. What a fearful case must that then be, wherein a man cannot be thank- ful for what he hath.
Every condition and place we are in should indeed be a witness of our thankfulness to God. We must not think life was given only to live in. Our life should not be the end of itself, but the praise of the Giver thereof. It is but fit that we should refer all that is good to his glory, who hath joined his glory to om* best good, in being glorified in our salvation ; which while we question and doubt of, it is impossible ever to be cheerful towards him.
Besides, how can a man suffer willing^, that knows not that God hath begun any good work in him ? How lumpish and dead is he under the cross without this assurance ! It is worth the considering, to see two men of equal parts under the same afiliction, how quietly and calmly the one that hath interest in Christ will bear his grievances, whereas the other rages as a fool, and is more beaten. A man will endure anything comfortably, when he considers it proceeds from his Father's good pleasure. This breeds a holy resigning of ourselves to God in all estates ; as Eli, the ' will of the Lord be done.' His will is a wise will, and ever conduceth to his people's good.
Fearest thou danger? Cry unto God, 'I am thine,' ' Lord, save me.' I am the price of thj Son's blood, let me not be lost. Thou hast given me * Cf. Mat. xxvi. 71 with Acts v. 41.— G.
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the earnest of thy Spirit, and set thy seal upon me for thine own, let me neither lose my bargain nor thou thine.
Hence it is that God's child can so easily deny himself in temptations and allm-ements which others sink under. Oh I saith he, the Holy Ghost hath 'sealed' me up 'to the da}' of redemption,' shall I grieve and quench the same for this base lust ? It is a great disparagement to prefer husks before the provision of our Father's house. When we give content to Satan and a wretched heart, we put the Holy Ghost out of his office.
Again, without this we can never comfortably depart this life. He that hath the earnest of the Spirit in his heart, may laugh Satan in the face, and rejoice at death's approaching, as knowing there will be an accomplishment then of all the bargain. Then the marriage will be perfectly consummate ; then shall be the great year of jubilee, the Sabbath of rest for ever. He that lives much by faith will find it no hard matter to die in it. But let a man stagger and doubt whether he belong to God or no, what a miser- able case will he be in at the time of dissolution ! Death, with the eternity of torment after it, who can look it in the face without the assurance of a happy change ? This makes men, that see no greater pleasure than the following of their lusts, resolve of swimming in worldly delights still. Alas ! say they, I had as good take this pleasure as have none at all ; ■what shall become of me hereafter, who knows ?