1. A Believer hath the ever blessed God himself to derive his comforts from. He hath his Nature and Attributes to be his comfort: He hath his near Relations to afford him comfort; and this is more then to have all the world. It is a God of Infinite Power, and Wisdom, and Goodness, that we believe in, that we Love, and Worship, and Obey. It is also a Father Reconciled to us, that hath taken us in Covenant to him as his people, through Jesus Christ. And where shall we find comfort if not in God? It is in vain to look for that from any creature, that is not to be found in him. Poor worldlings! you have nothing that is worth the having, but the crumbs that fall from the children's table. God is our Portion, and the world is yours: and yet you have less even in this world then we. You have the shadow, and we have the substance: You have the shell, and we the kernel: You have the straw and chaff, and true believers have the corn: Your comforts are shaken with every storm; and tossed up and down by the Justice of God, or the Pride of man: But God that is our Portion is unchangeable: Yesterday, to day, and the same for ever: We have a Kingdom that cannot be moved, Heb. 12. 28. Persecutors cannot take our God from us, nor can any thing separate us from his Love, Rom. 8. 36. They may separate us from our houses, from our Countries, from our friends, from our riches, our liberties, our lives, from our Books, our company and Ordinances, but not from God, who is our great Delight. In poverty, in persecution, in sickness, and at death, we have still our interest in God: A Christian is never in so low a state, but he hath a God to whom he may go for comfort, who is more to him then your sweetest pleasures. Is it not a pleasure to have such a God as can cure all diseases, supply all wants, overcome all enemies, deliver in all dangers, and hath promised that he will do it so far as is for our good! If he want water that hath the Sea, or he want land that hath all the earth, or he want light that hath the Sun, yet doth he not need to want delight that hath the Lord to be his God, if •e do but keep in the paths of grace. And are you yet unresolved, whether Godliness be the most Pleasant Life? Take all your pleasures, and make your best of them, may ⟨p. 304⟩I but have the Lord to be my God, and I hope I shall never desire to change with you.
1. A Believer hath the ever blessed God himself to derive his comforts from. He hath his Nature and Attributes to be his comfort: He hath his near Relations to afford him comfort; and this is more then to have all the world. It is a God of Infinite Power, and Wosdom, and Goodness, that we believe in, that we Love, and Worship, and Obey. It is also a Father Reconciled to us, that hath taken us in Covenant to him as his people, through Jesus Christ. And where shall we find comfort if not in God? It is in vain to look for that from any creature, that is not to be found in him. Poor worldlings! you have nothing that is worth the having, but the crumms that fall from the childrens table. God is our Portion, and the world is yours: and yet you have less even in this world then we. You have the shadow, and we have the substance: You have the shell, and we the kernell: You have the straw and chaff, and true believers have the corn: Your comforts are shaken with every storm; and tost up and down by the Justice of God, or the Pride of man: But God that is our Portion is unchangeable: Yesterday, to day, and the same for ever: We have a Kingdom that cannot be moved, Heb. 12. 28. Persecutors cannot take our God from us, nor can any thing separate us from his Love, Rom. 8. 36. They may separate us from our houses, from our Countries, from our friends, from our riches, our liberties, our lives, from our Books, our company and Ordinances, but not from God, who is our great Delight. In poverty, in persecution, in sickness, and at death, we have still our interest in God: A Christian is never in so low a state, but he hath a God to whom he may go for comfort, who is more to him then your sweetest pleasures. Is it not a pleasure to have such a God as can cure all diseases, supply all wants, overcome all enemies, deliver in all dangers, and hath promised that he will do it so far as is for our good! If he want water that hath the Sea, or he want land that hath all the earth, or he want light that hath the Sun, yet doth he not need to want delight that hath the Lord to be his God, if •e do but keep in the pathes of grace. And are you yet unresolved, whether Godliness be the most Pleasant Life? Take all your pleasures, and make your best of them, may ⟨p. 304⟩I but have the Lord to be my God, and I hope I shall never desire to change with you.
