These things considered, the Spirit of God doth well to call us to ques- tion with ourselves, to give a reason for that we do, an-d then to censure ourselves, as David in another place did : ' How foolish was I, like a beast,' Ps. Ixxiii. 22.* And so, I beseech you, when you are tempted to any sin, then say, What a base thought is this ! what base thing is this ! is this according to my profession and religion ? If we would but thus examine and question ourselves, accuse and condemn ourselves, oh how happy and blessed creatures might we be ! And thus much for the first remedy.
* It is AsapTi, not David, who says so. — G. See, however, the first sentence of the next sermon. — Ed.
discouragement's recovert. 59
Now come we to the second : • Trust in God, wait on God.' Here is,
1, An action; 2, a fit object.
The action, trust; the object, God: 'wait on God,' for God is the only prop and rock whereon we may rest safe in time of danger. Waiting on God imphes his meeting our souls, before we can have any comfort from him. Therefore all our care should be to bring God and our souls together. This trusting in God, and waiting for God, is an especial means to uphold us in our greatest troubles. This is the state of the new covenant ; for we have fallen in Adam by our infidelity, and must now have faith to recover ourselves, which is the applying grace that doth help us up, and enable us to wait on God and his truth, for they are all one. As a man of credit and his word are all one, so is our trusting in God and his trust* and promises. But because I have spoken of this trusting in God out of another place of Scripture,! I will be brief in it ; only I will now add something to help us on in this point, wherein our souls shall find so much comfort.
Doct. 7. ' Trust in God.' TJiis trmtincj in God is the icaij to quiet our snuh, and to stay the same in every estate. The reason is, because God hath sanctified this holy grace to this end. This is the grace of the new covenant, the grace of all graces, which stays the soul in all disquietings whatsoever.
The first thing that disquiets the soul is sin. Now God by his Spirit and word doth give us the pardon thereof. Therefore trust in God for this, and for life everlasting, and then trust in God in this life for whatso- ever thou dost want. Know that the same love of God that brings thee to everlasting Hfe will give thee daily bread. Therefore trust in God for provision, for protection, and for whatsoever thou dost want. For the first thing that a troubled soul doth look unto is for mercy, salvation, and comfort ; and therefore in every troubled estate we have one thing or other still from God to comfort us. I say, if we be in trouble, there is answer- able comfort given us of God. Are we sick ? He is our health. Are we weak ? He is our strength. Are we dead ? He is our life. So that it is not possible that we should be in any state, though never so miserable, but there is something in God to comfort us. Therefore is God called in Scripture a rock, a castle, a shield. A rock to build upon, a castle wherein we may be safe, a shield to defend us in all times of danger, shewing that if such helps sometimes succour us, how much more can God. I beseech you, consider God is our 'exceeding great reward,' Gen. xv. 1. God is bread to strengthen us, and a Spirit of all comfort ; and indeed there is but a beam in the creature, the strength is in God. And if all these were taken away, yet God is able to do much more, and to raise up the soul. What ! can a castle or a shield keep a man safe in the time of danger ? how much more can God ! I beseech you, consider how safe was Noah when the ark was afloat. Gen. vii. 16. And why? Because God shut the door upon him and kept him there. Thus you see there is something in God for every malady, and something in the world for every trouble ; then ' trust in God.' This is the way to quiet our souls. For as heavy bodies do rest when they come to the centre of the earth, so the soul, for joy, and for care, for trust, doth find rest in God when it comes to him and makes him her stay. The needle rests when it comes to the North Pole, and the ark rested when it came to the mount Ararat, Gen. viii. 4, so the soul rests safe when it comes to God, and till that time, it moves as the ark upon
* Qu. 'truth?'— Ed.
t See General Index under ' Trust,' and • Soul's Conflict.' — G.
60 discouragement's recovery.
the waters. Therefore our blessed Saviour saith in Matthew, ' Come unto me, all ye that are weary and heavy Laden, and you shall find rest in your souls,' Mat. xi. 28. This holy man would have rest, therefore he saith, *0 my soul, wait upon God.'