Gospel-love, heart-purity, and the flourishing of the righteous being the last sermon of the…

Fourthly, These afflictions and pressures we have from the world, drive us nearer to God. As to a more acquaintance with our selves, so to a more acquaintance with God, and more communion with Christ. They do (as it were) force us to Christ, when the world deals so unkindly with us. Many times when ⟨p. 107⟩the world is kind to us, fair with us, and flatters us, and hugs us, and embraces us, we begin to forget, and to slight communion with Jesus Christ; and to say as they in Jer. 2. We are Lords, we will come no more at thee. It is spoken of the people of Israel, when they were in a very flourishing condition. I, but when they were slaves, and in captivity, and in a sad condition, truly then they saw reason to come to Christ, to come to him by prayer. The very Mariners in Jonah, when they were in the storm, every one went to his God. Isa. 26. In their trouble they have visited me. To be sure I shall hear of them then, In their affliction they will seek me early. It is so in evil men, much more is it so in the righteous, and in those that have walked with God. If they have had a constant communion with God and Jesus Christ in a time of peace and prosperity, surely in a time of pressures they have ⟨p. 108⟩much more communion with him. Now this must needs cause the soul to increase and flourish. For the nearer we are to God, the more we have of God, and receive impressions from him; as Moses, when he was with God in the Mount, his face did shine. But in times of outward peace, and when all is well, O we are very ready to neglect communion with God.

Fourthly, These afflictions and pressures we have from the world, drive us nearer to God. As to a more acquaintance with our selves, so to a more acquaintance with God, and more communion with Christ. They do (as it were) force us to Christ, when the world deals so unkindly with us. Many times when ⟨p. 107⟩the world is kind to us, fair with us, and flatters us, and huggs us, and embraces us, we begin to forget, and to slight communion with Jesus Christ; and to say as they in