Hence his people never enjoy more of his prefence and pity, than in days of tribulation and affliction. And fometimes he lets the trouble come to an extremity, before he fenfibly accomplish his promife of help, "I was brought low, and he helped me," Pfal. cxvi. 6.

2. Some things that he hath spoken to them of, relate to a day of temptation; and when that comes, then he will do what he hath spoken. He hath faid, Rom. xvi. 29. "The God of peace will bruife Satan under your feet fhortly." He hath faid, 1 Cor. x. 13. "That he is faithful, and will not fuffer them to be tempted above what they are able to bear; but with the temptation will make a way to efcape." And hence it is for ordinary, in a time of great and grievous temptation, he opens fome door by which they efcape from time to time, while they wait upon him.

3. Some things that he hath fpoken relate to a day of work, of great work that he puts into their hand; and when that day comes, he doth that which he hath fpoken. He hath faid, That he works in us both to will and to do of his good pleafure," Phil. ii. 13. He hath faid, that he will ftrengthen, he will uphold with the right-hand of his righteoufnefs, Ifa. xli. 10.-And hence it is, that his people can fometimes fay with Paul, "I can do all things through Chrift ftrengthening me. Tho' we are not fufficient of ourselves, to think any thing as of ourselves, yet our fufficiency is of God." And hence the church, Ifa. xxvi. 12. "Thou haft wrought all our works in us." And David, Pfal. Ivii. 2. “I will cry unto God moft High, unto God that performeth all things for me.”

4. Some things that he hath fpoken of, relate to a day of warfare; and when that day of bloody battle comes, he doth that which he hath fpoken. He hath faid concerning this, even he who is the Captain of falvation; the Lord mighty in battle hath faid, for the encouragement of his foldiers, "Who go a warfare upon their own charges? 1 Cor. ix. 7. He is the ftrength of their falvation, that covers their head in the day of battle," Pfal. cxl. 7. And hence it is, that according to

his

his word, his people are faid always to triumph in Christ Jefus, and to be more than conquerors. See Pfal. xviii. 30. 32. 34." The word of the Lord is tried: He is a buckler to all thofe that truft in him. It is God that girdeth me with ftrength: He teaches my hands to war; and bows of steel are broken by mine arms."-All their ability to ftand in a day of trial and danger flows from

this.

5. Some things he hath spoken of relate to the day of death and when that comes, he will do what he hath fpoken to them. He hath faid, "Death fhall be fwallowed up in victory," I Cor. xv. 54. He hath faid, Hofea xiii. 14. “I will ranfom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death: O death! I will be thy plagues; O grave! I will be thy deftruction."And hence it is, that as all believers in Chrift are bleffed in death, for, "Bleffed are the dead that die in the Lord, and that fleep in Jefus ;" fo fome believers have got the fenfible and comfortable view of this, even when paffing thro' that valley between time and eternity, and have fallen a finging in the midft of the valley, and faying, "O death, where is thy fting? O grave where is thy victory? Thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jefus Chrift. Though I walk through the valley of the fhadow of death, I will fear no evil; for thou art with me, thy rod and thy ftaff they comfort me." With the staff of the promife in their hand, they walk through Jordan dry fhod.--And when the foul is feparated from the body, then it enters into the reft that remains for the people of God, according to that which he hath spoken.

6. Some things that he hath fpoken relate to a day of judgment; and when that day comes, then he will do what he hath fpoken to them of. He hath faid four times in one chapter, namely, John vi. "That he will raise them up at the laft day; and I Thef. iv. 12. That if we believe that Jefus died, and rofe again, even fo, (upon the fame ground, and with the fame certainty,) them that fleep in Jefus will God bring with him; and that the dead in Chrift fhall rife firft, and meet the Lord in the air; and so shall they ever be with the Lord." He hath

hath faid, I Cor. xv. 52. "That in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the found of the laft trump, the dead fhall be raifed incorruptible: That this corruptible fhall put on incorruption, this mortal fhall put on immortality." He hath faid, Col. iii. 4. "When he who is our life thall appear, we fhall appear with him in glory." He hath faid, Phil. iii. 21. "That he will change our vile bodies, and make them like his glorious body, according to the working, whereby he is able to fubdue all things to himfelf." He hath faid, "That the faints fhall enter into the joy of their Lord, and fhall judge the world."

What I have faid, may give fome light to the queftion, When will he do what he hath fpoken to his people? He will do all that he hath fpoken, partly here, and perfectly hereafter. He hath promifed eternal life to the believer: "He that believeth on the Son, hath everlafting life." This he doth in part here, and to perfection hereafter; and we may appeal to every believer of any ftanding, if the promife of heaven and glory be not, even in part, allowed him here by a perfonal poffeffion. He is poffeffed of heaven, not only,

(1.) By union to Chrift, fo as his Head is in heaven, Chrift the Fore-runner having taken poffeffion, and gone to prepare the place for him; fo that he fits with him in heavenly places; but also,

(2.) By communion he hath fome perfonal poffeffion, if you confider what heaven is. Is heaven a flate of light, perfect light? The believer hath the begun poffeffion of this, in fo far as he hath the light of the knowledge of the glory of God, in the face of Jefus Chrift.Is heaven a state of liberty, perfect liberty? The believer hath the begun poffeffion of this, in fo far as at any time his bonds are loofed, and the Spirit of God is poured out upon him; where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.-Is heaven a ftate of love, perfect love? The believer hath the begun poffeffion of this, in fo far as the love of God is fhed abroad upon his heart, by the Holy Ghoft; and the love of Chrift conftraineth him to duty and fervice.-Is heaven a flate of perfect holinefs? The believer hath the begun poffeffion of this, in fo far as he is fan&ified in Chrift Jefus, and going on

C. 4

to

to perfection: yea, is already perfectly holy in defire.Is heaven a state of perfect joy? The believer hath this alfo in begun poffeffion, when he is filled with joy and peace in believing; yea, fometimes with joy unfpeakable and full of glory.-Is heaven a ftate of triumph and victory? The believer hath the begun poffeffion of this, when he boafts in the Lord, and says, "Thanks be to God, which always caufes us to triumph in Christ.”— Is heaven a place of praife and wonder at the grace of God, and the glorious perfections of God? The believer hath the begun poffeffion of this alfo, when sometimes his heart is filled with the high praife of God, filled with wonder at his matchlefs love and diftinguishing grace. He would invite all the world to wonder and praife. Yet, O what a small portion of heaven hath he here, in comparifon of what he fhall have! "He fhall drink of the river of pleasure for ever." Yet that

part he enjoys here, is the earnest of the full poffef fion, and the evidence that he will do all that he hath fpoken to them of, concerning grace and glory, and every good thing.

4tbly, The next queftion was, What is the import of this privilege, I will not leave thee, until I bave done that which I have spoken to thee of? Why, how can it be faid he will not leave them; when yet, after Bethelvifits and Bethel promifes given them, they may be tryfted with fuch dark nights as I have been fpeaking of? For clearing this fubject, there are these two remarks I would offer.

as,

1. The firft remark is, "That there are fome respects wherein God may be faid to leave people;"

(1.) When he takes away his word, his candlestick, his ordinances, and brings a famine, not of bread and water, but of the word of the Lord, Amos viii. 11, 12. This is the worst famine in the world.

(2.) When he takes away his Spirit, and commands the clouds to rain no rain, Isaiah v. 6. This is a fearful leaving; for, though the word and ordinances remain, yet, if the Spirit be away, then the word can

do

do no good, it hath no power to convince or convert, to confirm or comfort.

(3.) When he takes away his ear, and doth not regard their prayers; when he doth not fuffer them to pray, nor anfwer their prayer, but fhuts them out, Lam, iii. 8.

(4.) When he takes away his hand, his help and affiftance, and leaves perfons to themfelves, to their own lufts and counfels; "My people would not hearken, Ifrael would have none of me: therefore I gave them up to their own hearts lufts; and they walked after their own counfels," Pfalm lxxxi. 11. Alas! a fad leaving! But then,

2. The fecond remark I offer is, "That there are "fome refpects wherein God will not leave his people." Either,

(1.) He will never leave them really, but in appearance. And hence they many times think, and fear he is away, when he is really prefent; "Verily God was in this place, and I knew it not," fays Jacob. Or,

(2.) He never leaves them abfolutely, but in fome refpect he may leave them in refpect of the influence of grace, though he doth not leave them as to the prefence of grace. He may leave them in refpect of comfort; though he may allow the influences of grace, yet he may deny the comfort of grace. He may leave them in respect of affistance, though he may allow them the comfort of grace, yet he may deny them that affiftance and ftrength they want, and alfo the fenfible anfwer of their prayers. Or,

(3.) He never leaves them totally, but in fome degree. He may leave them to be buffeted by Satan; but will not leave them to be overcome by Satan. And he may leave them to be harraffed and captivated by ftrong corruptions; though he doth not leave them to be conquered thereby. Or,

(4.) He never leaves them finally, but for fome time, he may hide his face for a little moment, but with everlafting kindness will he have mercy on them, Ifa. liv. 7,8. He will never leave them, fo as to forget to do what he hath spoken to them of.