The nature and principles of love, as the end of the commandment declared in…

Fifthly, Lastly, While the righteous are under weights and pressures, like a Palm-tree, they have a special promise of the presence of God with them; and this is that which makes them flourish indeed. It is not our being in affliction, which will make us better, and make us grow Heaven-ward; but it is Christ being with us in affliction. It is Gods manifesting himself to us in affliction which makes us grow, and flourish like a Palm-tree. Now I need not stay to tell you how many promises there are of the special presence of ⟨p. 109⟩God to his people while they are under the Cross, that in Isa. 43. 2. When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the Rivers, they shall not overflow thee; when thou walkest through the fire thou shalt not be burnt, neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. I will be with thee. And truly the presence of God with us, it is not only for this end (Though that be there expressed) that we shall not be quite swallowed up, that the water shall not drown us, nor the fire consume us; but that the fire and water shall not consume us as to our soul state. That we shall not suffer loss or detriment in our spiritual state, by being in the fire or water; but that we shall increase there, and grow there. So in 1 Pet. 4. 14. If ye be reproached for the Name of Christ, happy are ye; for the Spirit of Glory and of God resteth on you. It doth not only come to you, and visit you, but it rests upon you. Now when the ⟨p. 110⟩Spirit of God is, especially when the Spirit of God rests, and doth abide, there must needs be a growth, and an increase in our spiritual state. But so it is, while we are under these afflicting dispensations, when the weights are upon us, we have promises of more of the presence of God, and of the presence of his Spirit, and of the resting of his Spirit; and therefore we shall flourish, flourish spiritually, flourish in our inner man: That may serve for the clearing of the Point, That the Righteous flourish as the Palm-tree, under weights and pressures.

Fifthly, Lastly, While the righteous are under weights and prestures, like a Palm-tree, they have a special promise of the presence of God with them; and this is that which makes them flourish indeed. It is not our being in affliction, which will make us better, and make us grow Heaven-ward; but it is Christ being with us in affliction. It is Gods manifesting himself to us in affliction which makes us grow, and flourish like a Palm-tree. Now I need not stay to tell you how many promises there are of the special presence of