272. We must take heed of coming to God in our own persons or
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worthiness, but in all things look at God in Christ. If we look at God as a Father, we must see him Christ's Father first. If we see ourselves acquitted from our sins, let us look at Christ risen first. If we think of glorification in heaven, let us see Christ glorified first, and when we con- sider of any spiritual blessing, consider of it in Christ first. All the promises are made to Christ, lie takes them first from God the Father, and derives* them to us by his Spirit. The first fulness is in God, and then he empties himself into Christ. ' And of his fulness we all receive grace,' &c.
273. God is said to be our God, or to be a God unto us, whenas he applies for the good of his creature, that all-sufficiency that is in himself. God is our God by covenant, because he hath made over himself unto us. Every believing Christian hath the title passed over to him, so that God is his portion, and his inheritance. There is more comfort in this, that God is our God, than the heart of man can conceive. It is larger than his heart, and therefore though we cannot saj', that riches, or honours, or friends, &c., are ours, yet if we be able to say by the Spirit of faith that God is ours, then we have all in him. His wisdom is ours to find out a way to do us good. If we be in danger, his power is ours to bring us out ; if under the guilt of sin, his mercy is ours to forgive us ; if any want, his all-sufiiciency is ours to supply, or to make it good. If God be ours, then whatsoever God can do is ours, and whatsoever God hath is ours.
27-1. God is the God and Father of all the elect, and he is also a God and a Father unto every one of the elect. God is every saint's soUdum. Even as the sun is wholly every man's, so is God. He cares for all as one, and for every one as if he had but one.
275. There is not only a mystery, but a depth in the mystery; as of election and reprobation, so of providence. There is no reason can be given why some of God's children are in quiet and others are vexed, why one should be poor and another rich. In Ps. xcvii. 2, ' clouds and darkness are round about him.' You cannot see him, he is hid in a cloud"; ay, but righteous- ness and judgment are the foundation of his throne. Howsoever he wrap himself in a thick cloud, that none can see him, yet he is just and righteous. Therefore when anything befalls us, for which we can see no reason, yet we must reverence him and adore his counsels, and think him wiser than we.
276. When we are diligent in our calling, keeping a good conscience and labouring for a carriage answerable ; when these three meet together, calling, and standing, and wise carriage : then whatsoever befalls us, we may with comfort say, ' The will of the Lord be done.' We are now in his way, 'and may then expect a guard of angels without, and a guard of his Spirit within.
277. All the contentions between the flesh and the spirit lies in this, whether God shall have his will or we ours. Now God's will is straight, but ours is crooked, and therefore if God will have us ofier up our Isaac we must submit to him, and even drown ourselves in the will of God, and then the more we are emptied of ourselves, the freer we are by how much we are made subject to God. For in what measure we part with anything for him, we shall receive even in this world an hundredfold in joy and peace, &c.
278. Whatsoever outward good things we have, we should use them in a reverent manner, knowing that the liberty we have to enjoy them is pur- chased with the blood of Christ, as David, when he thirsted for the waters of Bethlehem, would not drink it, because it was the blood of his three worthies, 2 Sam. xxiii. 15, scq. So though we have a free use of the creatures, yet we must be careful to use them with moderation and reverence.
* That is, ' communicates.' — G.
AND HOLY CONTEIIPLATIONS.
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279. There is nothing of God can please the world, because the best things are presented to the heart of a carnal man as foohshness. Man's nature above all things would avoid the imputation of folly, and rather than he will be counted a fool he will slander the ways of God -to be* foolishness. Now the law of Christ constrains us, and makes us do many things for which the world doth think us out of our wits, and therefore we should labour to quit our hearts, and account of it a greater favour from God, when the Michals of this world scoff at us for our goodness, 2 Sam. vi. 22 ; for when they are offended at us God is delighted with us.