Oh let us get the interest cleared between God and our own souls. Interest is a word much in use, a pleasing word. Interest in great friends, interest-money; Oh if there be an interest worth looking after, 'tis an interest ⟨p. 237⟩between God and the soul; Labour to say, My God. To be without money, and without friends, and without God too*, is sad; but he whose faith doth flourish into Assurance, that can say, I know in whom I have believed*, (as Saint Paul,) that man hath enough to give his heart contentment. When a mans debts are paid, and he can go abroad without fear of arresting, what contentment is this? Oh, let your title be cleared; if God be ours, whatever we want in the creature, is infinitely made up in him. Do I want bread? I have Christ the bread of life. Am I under defilement? his blood is like the trees of the Sanctuary, not only for meat, but medicine*. If any thing in the world be worth labouring for, it is to get sound evidences that God is ours. If this be once cleared, what can come amiss? No matter what storms I meet with, so that I know where ⟨p. 238⟩to put in for harbour. He that hath God to be his God, is so well contented with his condition, that he doth not much care whether he hath any thing else. To rest in a condition where a Christian cannot say God is his God, is matter of fear; and if he can say so truly, and yet is not contented, is matter of shame. David encouraged himself in the Lord his God*; It was sad with him, Ziklag burnt, his wives taken captive, he lost all, and like to have lost his Soldiers hearts too, for they spake of stoning him; yet he had the ground of Contentment within him, viz. an interest in God, and this was a pillar of supportment to his spirit. He that knows God is his, and all that is in God is for his good; if this doth not satisfy, nothing will.
Oh let us get the interest cleard between God and our own souls. Interest is a word much in use, a pleasing word. Interest in great friends, interest-money; Oh if there be an interest worth looking after, 'tis an interest ⟨p. 237⟩between God and the soule; Labour to say, My God. To be without money, and without friends, and without God too*, is sad; but he whose faith doth flourish into Assurance, that can say, I know in whom I have beleeved*, (as Saint Paul,) that man hath enough to give his heart contentment. When a mans debts are paid, and he can go abroad without feare of arresting, what contentment is this? Oh, let your title be cleared; if God be ours, whatever we want in the creature, is infinitely made up in him. Doe I want bread? I have Christ the bread of life. Am I under defilement? his blood is like the trees of the Sanctuary, not only for meat, but medicine*. If any thing in the world be worth labouring for, it is to get sound evidences that God is ours. If this bee once clear'd, what can come amisse? No matter what stormes I meet with, so that I know where ⟨p. 238⟩to put in for harbour. He that hath God to be his God, is so well contented with his condition, that hee doth not much care whether he hath any thing else. To rest in a condition where a Christian cannot say God is his God, is matter of feare; and if he can say so truly, and yet is not contented, is matter of shame. David encouraged himselfe in the Lord his God*; It was sad with him, Ziklag burnt, his wives taken captive, he lost all, and like to have lost his Souldiers hearts too, for they spake of stoning him; yet hee had the ground of Contentment within him, viz. an interest in God, and this was a pillar of supportment to his spirit. He that knowes God is his, and all that is in God is for his good; if this doth not satisfie, nothing will.
- *Eph. 2. 12.
- *2 Tim. 2 12.
- *Ezek. 47 12.
- *Sam. 30.
