Page images
PDF
EPUB

to bear for thee, thou shouldst feel the weight of it to thy cost?

But what is the way of this devolving of my burden? There is a faculty in it that all persons have not: though they would do thus with it, they cannot; it lies on them, and they are not able to cast it on God. The way is doubtless by praying and believing. These are the hands by which the soul can turn over to God what itself cannot bear all cares, the whole bundle is most dexterously transferred thus. Be careful in nothing—great word! O but how shall it be? Why, thus, says the apostle, In all things let your requests be made known unto God; and in a confident cheerful way, let supplication be mixed with thanksgiving; so shall it be the more lively and active to carry forth and carry up thy cares, and discharge thee of them, and lay them on God. Whatsoever it is that presses thee, go tell thy Father; put over the matter into his hand, and so thou shalt be freed from that dividing, perplexing care, that the world is full of.

II. Now faith, to do this, stays itself on the promise. It cannot move but on firm ground, and the promises are its ground; aud for this end is this added, He careth for thee.

These things must be established in the heart-the firm belief of the divine Providence, that all things are managed and ruled by it, and that in the highest power and wisdom; that there is no breaking of his purposes, nor resisting of his power;--the belief of his gracious Providence to his own people, that he orders all for their true advantage, and makes all different lines and ways concentre in their highest good; all to meet in that, how opposite soever in appearance ;-a particular confidence of his good will towards thee, and undertaking for thee. Now if this be the question, the promise resolves thee: trust him, and he takes on the trust, and there is no other condition; cast on him thy care, and he takes it on, he cares for thee.

But truly, the godly are much wanting to themselves, by not improving this their privilege. They too often forget this their sweet way, and fret themselves to no purpose; they wrestle with their burdens themselves, and

do not entirely and freely roll them over on God. Why deal we thus with our God and with our souls, grieving both at once? Let it never be, that for any outward thing thou perplexest thyself, and ravelest thy thoughts, as in thickets, with the cares of this life. O how unsuitable are these to a child of God, for whom a life so far more excellent is provided! Hath he prepared a kingdom for thee, and will he not bestow thy charges in the way to it? Think it not. He knoweth you have need of these things. Seek not vain things nor great things; for these, it is likely, are not fit for thee; but seek what is needful and convenient in his judgment, and refer thyself to that. Then, as for thy spiritual estate, lay over upon God the care of that too. Be not so much in thorny questionings, doubting and disputing at every step; "O is this accepted, and that accepted," and, "So much deadness!" but apply thyself more simply to thy duty. Lamely as it may be, halt on, and believe that he is gracious and pities thee, and lay the care of bringing thee through upon him. Lie not complaining and arguing, but up and be doing, and the Lord shall be with thee. I am persuaded that many a soul that hath some truth of grace, falls much behind in the progress, by this accustomed way of endless questionings. Men can scarcely be brought to examine and suspect their own condition, being carnally secure and satisfied that all is well; but then, when once they awaken and set to this, they are ready to entangle themselves in it, and neglect their way by poring on their condition. They will not set cheerfully to any thing, because they want assurances and height of joy; and this course they take, is the way to want it still. Walking humbly and sincerely, and offering at thy duty, and waiting on the Lord, is certainly the better way, and nearer that very purpose of thine: for he meeteth him that rejoiceth and worketh righteousness, those that remember him in his ways. One thing the Christian should endeavour to obtain, firm belief for the church; all the care of that, must be cast on God, that he will beautify Zion, and perform all his word to her. And then think, "Do I trust him for the whole church and the great affairs concerning it, and shall I doubt him for myself, or any thing that concerns me? Do I confide

in him for the steering and guidance of the whole ship, and shall I be peevishly doubting and distrusting about my pack in it?"

Further; learn to prescribe nothing. Study entire resignation, for that is thy great duty and thy peace; that gives up all into the hand of thy Lord; and can it be in a better hand? First, refer the carving of outward things to him heartily and fully. Then stay not there, but go higher. If we have renounced the comforts of this world for God, let us add this-renounce even spiritual comforts for him too. Put all in his will. "If I be in light, blessed be thou; and if in darkness, even then blessed be thou too." As he saith of earthly treasures, Gold is mine, and silver is mine, even thus it is in respect to the other, the true riches: "Is not the Spirit mine," may God say, "and all comforts mine? I have them to bestow, and enough of them." And ought not this to allay thy afflicting care, and to quiet thy repinings, and establish thy heart, in referring it to his disposal, as touching thy comforts and supplies? The whole golden mines of all spiritual comfort and good are his, and the Spirit itself is bis. Then will he not furnish what is fit for thee, if thou humbly attend on him, and lay the care of providing for thee upon his wisdom and love? This were the sure way to bonor him with what we have, and to obtain much of what we have not; for certainly he deals best with those that do most absolutely refer all to him.

Ver. 8. Be sober, be vigilant: because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:

9. Whom resist, stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.

THE children of God, if they rightly take their Father's mind, are always disburdened of perplexing carefulness, but never exempted from diligent watchfulness. Thus we find here, they are allowed, yea, enjoined, to cast all their care upon their wise and loving Father, and are secured by his care. He hath provided a sweet quiet

life for them, a calm and firm condition in all the storms and troubles that are about them. Now upon this, a carnal heart would imagine, that a man devolving his care on God, may give up all watch and ward, and needs not apply himself to any kind of duty. But this is an ignorant and perverse mistake, the reasonless reasoning of the flesh. You see these are here joined, not only as agreeable, but indeed inseparable; Cast all your care on him, for he careth for you, and withal, Be sober, be vigilant.

And this is the scripture logic. It is he that worketh in you to will and to do. Then, would you possibly think, I need not work at all, or, if I do, it may be very easily and securely. No: therefore, says the apostle, because he worketh in you to will and to do, work out your salvation, yea, and do it with fear and trembling; work you in humble obedience to his command, and in dependence on him who worketh all in you.

Thus here; Cast your care on him, not that you may be the more free to take your own pleasure and slothful ease, but, on the contrary, that you may be the more active and apt to watch: being freed from the burden of vexing carefulness, which would press and incumber you, you are the more nimble, as one eased of a load, to walk, and work, and watch as becomes a Christian. And for this very purpose is that burden taken off from you, that you may be more able and disposed for every duty that is laid upon you.

Observe these two as connected, and thence gather, first, that there is no right believing without diligence and watchfulness joined with it; and, secondly, there is no right diligence without believing.

Be sober. This we have formerly spoken of, the apostle having exhorted to it once and again in this Epistle. It were easy to entertain men's minds with new discourse, if our task were rather to please than to profit: for there be many things which, with little labor, might be brought forth as new and strange to ordinary hearBut there be a few things which chiefly concern us to know and practise, and these are to be more frequently represented and pressed. This apostle and

ers.

other inspired writers, drew from too full a spring to be short of matter; but they rather chose profitable repetitions, than unprofitable variety; and so ought we.

This sobriety is not only temperance in meat and drink, but in all things that concern the flesh. In its ample sense, it binds the whole man, all the affections of the soul, in relation to this world, and the things of it: we are to be in it as weaned from it, and raised above it in the bent of our minds; to use it as if we used it not.

Be vigilant. This watchfulness, joined with sobriety, extends to all the estates and ways of a Christian, surrounded with hazards and snares. He that despiseth his way, shall die, says Solomon. Most men do thus walk at random: they give attendance on public worship, and have some customary way of private prayer, but do not further regard how they walk, what is their carriage all the day long, what they speak, how they are in company, and how alone, which way their hearts go early and late, what it is that steals away most of their affection from God.

O, my beloved, did we know our continual danger, it would shake us out of this miserable dead security that possesses us. We think not on it, but there are snares laid for us all the way, in every path we walk in, and every step of it; in our meat and drink; in our calling and labor; in our house at home, in our journeying abroad; yea, even in God's house, and in our spiritual exercises, both here and in private. Knew we, or, at least, considered we this, we should choose our steps more exactly, and look to our ways, to our words, to our thoughts. Ponder the path of thy feet, says Solomon; and before that, Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eye-lids look straight before thee. And further, Put away a fro ward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee. But first of all, as the main reason and spring of all, Keep thy heart with all diligence, or, above all keeping, for out of it are the issues of life.

Because your adversary the devil. An alarm to watchfulness is here given, from the watchfulness of our grand adversary. There be other two usually ranked with him, as the leading enemies of our souls, the world and our

« PreviousContinue »