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 chearfully 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?

Again, when to the present and past, thou callest in after evils by advance, and art still revolving the dangers before, and thy weakness; it is good, indeed, to entertain by these, holy fear and self-distrust: But by that be driven in to trust on thy undertaker, on him in whom thy strength lies; and be as sure and confident in him, as thou art, and justly art, distrustful of thyself.

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;

a Isa. lxiv. 5.

309 and if in darkness, even there, blessed be thou too." As he saith of these, Gold is mine, and silver is mine; and this may satisfy a Christian in those too, to desire no more of them than his Father sees fit to give; knowing, that he, having all the mines. and treasures of the world at his command, would not pinch and hold short his children, if it were good for them to have more: Even thus it is in respect to the other, the true riches, "Is not the Spirit (may he say) and all his comforts mine? I have them, 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, the Spirit itself. 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 honour 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 takes it well that they lay all over on him, yea, he takes it not well when they forbear him and burden themselves. He hath provided a sweet quiet life for them, could they improve and use it; a calm

and firm condition in all the storms and troubles that are about them. However things go, to find content, and be careful for nothing.

Now, upon this, a carnal heart would imagine straight, according to its sense and inclination, as it desires to have it, so would it dream that it is; that then a man, devolving his care on God, may give up all watch and ward, and need not apply himself to any kind of duty. But this is the ignorance and perverse mistake, the groundless 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 that 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 that purpose is that burden taken off from you, that you may be more able and disposed for every duty which is laid upon you.

Observe those two connected, and thence gather, First, There is no right believing without diligence and watchfulness joined with it. That slothful reliance of most souls on blind thoughts of mercy, will undo them. Their faith is a dead faith, and a deadly faith; they are perishing and will not consi

a Phil. ii. 13.

der it, do not duly cast their care on God for their souls, for indeed they have no such care. Secondly, The other thing is, that there is no right diligence without believing.

There is, as in other affairs, so even in spiritual things, an anxious perplexing care, which is a distemper and disturbance to the soul; seems to have a heat of zeal and affection in it: But is indeed not the natural right heat that is healthful, and enables for action, but a diseased feverish heat, that puts all out of frame, and unfits for duty. It seems to stir and further, but indeed it hinders; and does not hasten us, but so as to make us stumble; as if there was one behind a man, driving and thrusting him forward, and not suffering him to set and order his steps in his course; this were the ready way, instead of advancing him, to weary him, and possibly give him a fall.

Such is the distrustful care that many have in their spiritual course. A hundred questions about the way of their performances, and their acceptance, and their estate, and the issue of their endeavours. Indeed, we should endeavour to do all by our rule, and to walk exactly, and examine our ways, especially in holy things; to seek some insight and faculty in their performance suiting their nature and end, and his greatness and purity whom we worship. This should be minded diligently, and yet calmly and composedly; for diffident doubtings do retard and disorder all; but quiet stayedness of heart on God, dependence on him and his strength for performance, and his free love in Christ for acceptance, this makes the work go kindly and sweetly on, makes it pleasing to God, and refreshing to thy soul.

Inf. Certainly thou art a vexation to thyself, and displeasest thy Lord, when thou art questioning. whether thou shalt go on or not; finding in thy service so much deadness and hardness; thinking, therefore, that it were as good to do nothing; that thou dost but dishonour him in all. Now, thou considerest not, that in these very thoughts thou

dost more wrong and dishonour him, than in thy worst services, for thou callest in question his lenity and goodness, takest him for a rigorous exactor, yea, representest to thyself him as a hard master, who is the most gentle and gracious of all masters. Do not use him so: indeed thou oughtest to take heed to thy foot; see how thy heart is affected in his worship, keep and watch it as thou canst; but doing so, or endeavouring to do, however thou find it, do not think he will use rigours with thee; but the more thou observest thine own miscarriages towards him, the less severely will he observe them; and to think otherwise, and fret and repine, that thy heart is not to his mind, nor indeed to thine own, to go on in a discontented impatience, this is certainly not this commanded watchfulness, but that forbidden carefulness.

Be sober.] This we have formerly spoke of; the apostle having formerly exhorted it once and again in this epistle. It were easy to entertain mens mind with new discourse, if our task were rather to please than to profit; for there be many things which with little labour might be brought forth as new and strange to ordinary hearers. But 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 other divine writers, drew from too full a spring to be ebb of matter; but they rather choose profitable iterations, 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; even that of diet is, though not all, yet a very considerable part of it; and that not only hath in it, that one exceed not in the quantity or quality, but even requires a regulating ourselves in the manner of using our repast: as that we make not careful and studious provision, do not take up our thoughts how to please our palate, so even in the use of sober mean diet, we must endeavour the mortifying of our flesh, not to eat and drink merely to please ourselves, or