Fifthly, They know what to do; they can see beyond all these present evils, they can see Immortality and Glory, they can see that on the other side a little beyond these troubles and afflictions,1 there is an everlasting joy and day of peace coming to them. A Job can tell what to do, he can profess that though God kill him he would trust in him. A David can tell what to do,2 In the multitude of the sorrows that I had in my heart, thy consolations refresh my soul. A Habakkuk can tell what to do,3 Although the fig-tree should not blossom, nor fruit be in the vines, the labour of the Olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat, the flocks shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no heard in the stalls: yet will I rejoice in the Lord; yet will I joy in the God of my salvation: Thus you see the Saints they know what to do in such a day; and this is the excellency of grace, that it can never be put so to it, in any strait, but it can tell what to do; as David said to Achish in 2 Sam. 28. 2. Surely thou shalt know what thy servant can do. So the Saints in time of common distresses they should set their graces so on work that all may see what their faith, and humility, and patience can do, that they may be able to say, well, you shall see now what the Servant of the Lord can do: If one should say to one that hath made profession of Godliness,4 You spake much of the excellency of grace, but what can you do with it? The ⟨p. 180⟩answer that such a one may well give,5 is this: When you cannot tell what to do in the world nor which way to turn your selves, yet through Gods mercy I can tell what to do. Grace will be able to carry a man through fire and water, that faith of mine, and the grace that I have gotten by the Word, that you can scorn at, it's that doth through Gods mercy enable my soul to rejoice, yea, to triumph in Tribulations, Can you do that? You can rejoice now when you are in a Tavern, but in the day of Tribulation, when a dismal day shall come to the world, what will you do then? I thank God I have that that can rejoice my heart in such a day as this is; and that that I have gotten by the Word, and by prayer, and by the Ordinances, can enable me to do that that you cannot do; that's something, that when a man in times of Tribulation can carry himself above all, so that men or devils are not able to put him in such a case as he cannot tell what to do.
Fifthly, They know what to do; they can see beyond all these present evils, they can see Immortality and Glory, they can see that on the other side a little beyond these troubles and afflictions,1 there is an everlasting joy and day of peace coming to them. A Job can tell what to do, he can profess that though God kill him he would trust in him. A David can tell what to do,2 In the multitude of the sorrows that I had in my heart, thy consolations refresh my soul. A Habacuk can tell what to do,3 Although the fig-tree should not blossom, nor fruit be in the vines, the labor of the Olive shall fail, and the fields shall yeeld no meat, the flocks shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no heard in the stalls: yet will I rejoyce in the Lord; yet will I joy in the God of my salvation: Thus you see the Saints they know what to do in such a day; and this is the excellency of grace, that it can never be put so to it, in any strait, but it can tel what to do; as David said to Achish in 2 Sam. 28. 2. Surely thou shalt know what thy servant can do. So the Saints in time of common distresses they should set their graces so on work that all may see what their faith, and humility, and patience can do, that they may be able to say, well, you shall see now what the Servant of the Lord can do: If one should say to one that hath made profession of Godliness,4 You spake much of the excellency of grace, but what can you do with it? The ⟨p. 180⟩answer that such a one may well give,5 is this: When you cannot tell what to do in the world nor which way to turn your selves, yet through Gods mercy I can tell what to do. Grace will be able to carry a man through fire and water, that faith of mine, and the grace that I have gotten by the Word, that you can scorn at, it's that doth through Gods mercy enable my soul to rejoyce, yea, to triumph in Tribulations, Can you do that? You can rejoyce now when you are in a Tavern, but in the day of Tribulation, when a dismal day shall come to the world, what will you do then? I thank God I have that that can rejoyce my heart in such a day as this is; and that that I have gotten by the Word, and by prayer, and by the Ordinances, can enable me to do that that you cannot do; that's something, that when a man in times of Tribulation can carry himself above all, so that men or devils are not able to put him in such a case as he cannot tell what to do.
- 1Job, 13. 15 & Chap. 19. 25.Iob, 13. 15 & Chap. 19. 25.
- 2Psal. 119.
- 3Hab. 3. 17▪
- 4A quest. to a Professor▪
- 5The Answ.
