2 Cor. i. 3. Whatsoever he doth, it is for comfort. Therefore he hath a special care in his prophets and ministers and ambassadors, that those that belong to him may be raised up with comfort, and not be over-much dejected and cast down. But to come to the words.
' I will also leave in the midst of thee,' &c.
In the words these three general heads :
First, God's dealings with his poor church when he comes to visit the world: ' I will leave in the midst of thee.'
Secondly, Their condition and disposition : they are ' an afflicted and poor people.'
Thirdly, Their practice and carriage towards God : ' They shall trust in the name of the Lord.'
232 THE RICU POVERTY ; OR,
From the first, God's dealing with his people in the worst times, we may observe, first, that
Obs. 1. There is a difference of the people, both in regard of providence in this world, and in regard of that love that tends to the world to come. For God hath a more special care, as we shall see afterwards, of some, than he hath of others ; and he loves some to eternal life, and not others : ' I will leave in the midst of thee an afilicted and poor people,' refusing others. God will leave some. He will purge away others ; as he saith in the verse before, ' I will take away out of the midst of thee them that rejoice in thy pride ; and thou shalt no more be haughty because of my holy moun- tain.' He will take away them, ' but I will leave in the midst of thee,' &c. There is a difl'erence. All are not alike, as the proverb is, as white lines upon a white stone, that we cannot see a difference. It is not alike with all men, for we see a diflerencc in this world ; but not much here, because God's government is veiled. It will appear at the last day ; and whatso- ever appears at the last day, it had a ground before. There is a difference in regard of grace and inward qualification, and in regard of the care of God. Even as there is a difierence in the creatures ; there be precious stones and common stones ; and in plants, there be fruitful trees and barren trees ; and as there is a difierence likewise in the living creatures, so among men there is a difierence.
The next thing is, that
Obs. 2. God irill haveaotiie in the worst times. He will have some in all times, that are his, a remnant, as he saith here, ' The remnant of Israel shall do no iniquity ; ' and as in the text, ' I will leave in the midst of thee an afflicted and poor people,' &c. God will have alway some that are his in the world.
Reason 1. For it is an article of our faith, ' We believe the holy catholic church.' There must not be an article of faith and no object to believe. If there be faith to believe a thing, there must be somewhat to be believed. If I believe that at all times there shall be an ' holy catholic church,' there must be such a church in the world, that is the object of my belief, or else there were no foundation for that article of faith. Therefore there must always be a church to the end of the world ; sometimes more, sometimes fewer, even as the discovery of Christ is. From whence comes the abundance of the Spirit ? The Spirit follows the manifestation of the knowledge of Christ, who is the head of the church. Then is the church most glorious, when the riches of Christ are more gloriously discovered. Those times wherein there is most discovery of Christ, and the mercy and love of God in him, there are more ' elect' of God in those times than in other. There will be alway a church in the world. That is the object of our belief. What is the meaning of it ? I believe that in all times to the end of the wox'ld there will be a company of people spread over the world, gathered out of the rest of mankind, whom Christ hath knit to him- self by faith, and themselves together in a holy spirit of love, of which com- pany I believe myself to be one ; therefore there must be such a company, or else there would be faith without an object of faith, which were a great absurdity in divinity and reason too.
Reason 2. Then again, The uorld shoidd not stand, tcere it not for a com- pay^y in the icorkl that arc his. For what are others ? A company of swearers and blasphemers, profane persons, belly-gods, ambitious bubbles, that care for nothing but the vanities of the world. What glory hath God by them ? What tribute do they give to God ? What credit to religion ? They are the shame of the timas. They are such as pull God's vengeance
THE POOR MAN S KICHES.
233
upon the times and places they live in. Such is the ill disposition and poisonful nature of men, if they have not the Spirit of God, that God would not endure the \Yorld to stand a moment, unless there were some to with- hold his wrath, to be objects of his love, and to stay his hand ; and when they are all gathered, there shall be an end of this wretched and sinful world. Some there must be while the world endures, and for their sakes God continues the world. Those that keep God's wrath from the world are those that are his ; and till all those be gathered the world shall stand. There shall alway be some.