But Thirdly, Faith brings home the love of God, the Souls interest in God, with a Communion and fellowship with God; which may well serve to strengthen Patience in the greatest Distresses. This you see in David, at Ziglag, when the City was burnt, (I therefore instance in it) and his Goods all plundered, and his Wives carried away: And David was greatly distressed, the people talking of Stoning him: Then, it is said, But David encouraged himself in the Lord his God: His interest in him, and the coming in of his love, as being his God, did hearten and strengthen him against all, 1 Sam. 30. 6. Likewise, in extremity of famine, when there was not bread, nor Oil, nor Wine, nor meat to eat, this wrought the like, Hab. 3. 17, 18. Although the Fig-tree shall not ⟨p. 56⟩blossom, neither shall fruit be in the Vines, the labour of the Olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat, the stock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stall. Here are all those things enumerated, as wanting, that are the means to support life and nature, (and it is the want of food and raiment for you and yours, is that you fear in the loss of y••r goods, and loss of your lively-hoods) YET (says he) I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation. A man hath all in God, afore him still. And Faith brings home all in God, or carries the heart out unto God, to fetch in comfort from him, in these the greatest extremities. There are two things there distinct. He first, says, He will rejoice [in the Lord,] Even in what the Lord is in himself: A God blessed for ever, Amen! And, If God be happy ⟨p. 57⟩and blessed for evermore, I cannot be miserable, says that Soul, that can rejoice in this, that However God enjoys a perfect blessedness; And I do so rejoice in that, that whilst God continues to be God, and these apprehensions and disposition of heart, do but continue in me, I have enough. The second is, that he is my God, the God of my salvation; so Habakkuk, I will joy in the God of my salvation: And then to be sure, while he is happy, I shall be happy indeed; The Lord is my portion saith my Soul, Lam. 3. in the midst of those troubles. The Lord help us to Faith!
But Thirdly, Faith brings home the love of God, the Souls interest in God, with a Communion and fellowship with God; which may well serve to strengthen Patience in the greatest Distresses. This you see in David, at Ziglag, when the City was burnt, (I therefore instance in it) and his Goods all plun•red, and his Wives carryed away: And David was greatly distressed, the people talking of Stoning him: Then, it is said, But David encouraged himself in the Lord his God: His interest in him, and the coming in of his love, as being his God, did hearten and strenthen him against all, 1 Sam. 30. 6. Likewise, in extreamity of famine, when there was not bread, nor Oyle, nor Wine, nor meat to eat, this wrought the like, Hab. 3. 17, 18. Although the Fig-tree shall not ⟨p. 56⟩blossom, neither shall fruit be in the Vines, the labour of the Olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat, the stock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stall. Here are all those things enumerated, as wanting, that are the means to support life and nature, (and it is the want of food and raiment for you and yours, is that you fear in the loss of y••r goods, and loss of your lively-hoods) YET (says he) I will rejoyce in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation. A man hath all in God, afore him still. And Faith brings home all in God, or carries the heart out unto God, to fetch in comfort from him, in these the greatest extreamities. There are two things there distinct. He first, says, He will rejoyce [in the Lord,] Even in what the Lord is in himself: A God blessed for ever, Amen! And, If God be happy ⟨p. 57⟩and blessed for evermore, I cannot be miserable, says that Soul, that can rejoyce in this, that However God enjoyes a perfect blessedness; And I doe so rejoyce in that, that whilst God continues to be God, and these apprehensions and disposition of heart, doe but continue in me, I have enough. The second is, that he is my God, the God of my salvation; so Habbakuk, I will joy in the God of my salvation: And then to be sure, while he is happy, I shall be happy indeed; The Lord is my portion saith my Soul, Lam. 3. in the midst of those troubles. The Lord help us to Faith!
