I hope, T need not stay to give you directions how this duty is to be performed. The unction wall teach it you, and your * fellowship,' I hope, ' is with the Father, and with his Son Christ Jesus.' Only now take these few words with you.
(1st.) Captivate all your desires to his glory. Set your hearts on nothing, with but this express reserve, if it is con- sistent with, and expedient unto the glory of Christ, and his kingdom. Be not sick of your own violent desires ; but lay all your aims and designs at his feet always, becoming as weaned children before him.
(2dly.) Bear before him a real sense of your own weak-
570 god's presence
ness and folly, both severally and jointly, if not directed by him, that in his pity and compassion he may relieve you.
(3dly.) Keep you hearts in that integrity, that you may always press and urge him with his own concernment in all your affciirs. This is a thing that none but upright hearts can do uprightly.
(4thly.) Actually inquire by faith and prayer, what is his will and mind ; do it severally and jointly; do it privately, publicly; do it every day, and in days set apart for that pur- pose: he will assuredly be found of you. You know how easy it were to exemplify all these things by testimonies and instances; but time will not permit.
If, instead of these things, you bear yourselves up on the wings of your own wisdom, and contrivances; though you may seem for a season to have attained a fair pitch and flight, you will be entangled, and brought down in the midst of your course with shame and sorrow : for the Lord will not be with you.
2dly. Another thing, wherein we are to be with God, is by trusting in him for protection. ' O, trust in the Lord for ever, for in the Lord Jehovah there is everlasting strength. This man made the Lord his refuge. He that trusteth in the Lord shall be as mount Zion, that shall never be removed. Commit your ways to the Lord, roll your burden on him, stand still and see his salvation.' What glorious things are spoken of this trusting to the Lord for protection, you all know. It were endless to insist on commands and promises to this purpose ; and to single out one or two, were but to weaken the cause in hand, seeing hereunto the whole Scrip- tures bear witness. I shall only shew you what it is so to do, in some few particulars.
(1st.) It is to strengthen, and encourage your hearts in difficult affairs, a comfortable issue whereof you cannot on visible causes conjecture, on the account of God's engage- ment for your good. To omit the instances of Asa, Jeho- saphat, and many others ; take that signal one of David in his great distress at Ziklag, 1 Sam. xxx. You know the story : his habitation was burnt and spoiled, his wives and children captived, his people consulting to stone him, so that he was greatly distressed, the enemy numerous, and
A people's prosperity. 571
without his reach; all means of relieving his condition, and bringing it to a comfortable issue, far removed. But what course did he now take ? did he despond? did he give over? did he rest on his own counsel and strength ? No, saith the Holy Ghost: but David 'encouraged himself in the Lord his God.' Have you any affair that lies before you that is good and honest; but yet dreadful, difficult, entangled? Your hearts are ready to faint whenever you think of it; it is almost beyond your imaginations to contrive a comfort- able issue. In such a season if you will be with God, he will be with you : if you so trust him, as to encourage your hearts on the account of his wisdom, goodness, power, that he can find out, and bring about a comfortable glorious end ; this is to trust him for protection. Psal. xlvi. is this doctrine delivered to the full.
(2dly.) To trust God for protection, is to wait under dis- couragements and disappointments for a desired issue of the affairs we commit to him. ' He that believeth will not make haste ;' Isa. xxviii. 16. This the Lord pleads for, Hab. ii. 3, 4. Men will have their desires precisely accom- plished this year, this month, this week, or they will wait no longer : these, says God, are proud men, their hearts are lifted up in them, they trust not to me for protection. Men love to trust God (as they profess) for what they have in their hands, in possession, or what lies in an easy view ; place their desires afar off, carry their accomplishment be- hind the clouds, out of their sight, interpose difficulties and perplexities, their hearts are instantly sick, they cannot wait for God ; they do not trust him, nor ever did. Would you have the presence of God with you ? Learn to wait quietly for the salvation you expect from him. Then indeed is he glorified, when he is trusted in a storm, when he is waited for under long perplexities and distresses. Want of this ruined the Israelites in the wilderness ; their work was long, their difficulties and entanglements many ; they would have had an immediate end of their troubles. What ! more diffi- culties, more hardships ! Nay then let us ' choose a captain, and go down again into Egypt ;' we know the worst of that; where this will end we know not. This laid their carcases in the wilderness, and deprived them of enjoying the good land.