but that they are brought out of a wilderness of trials, afflictions, and temptations, spiritual or outward, to purge them and make them white, to bring them out of all confidence in themselves; (Dan. xii. 10.) therefore wonder not at the persecutions and troubles that befal the churches and saints this day in the world. God no doubt is doing some great work for his people; the Lord Jesus hath his fan in his hand, and will thoroughly purge his floor, burn up the chaff, and gather his wheat into his garner. Let us not promise ourselves a peaceable condition; we may fear that the Lord hath further wilderness-trials to bring us throughthat he may purge out the rebels, and those that transgress; we may fear that we are a people ripe for judgment, when there are such great sins breaking out amongst us-when there is so much division, worldliness, &c. Let us not be secure, the Lord may justly carry us through a wilderness of sore trials, to purge his churches of the chaff, and to take us off from the world, and confidence in his ordinances, which we are apt to lean upon.

Use 2. Instruction. We may here observe what it is that makes a spouse of Christ, or any soul, an object of inquiry and admiration. Her leaning on her Beloved by faith and love, this is the glory, beauty, and excellency of any church, or spouse of Christ, or soul, to be much in the exercise of faith and love. Faith is that which gives glory to God. Abraham gave glory to God by believing. "He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strong in faith, giving glory to God." Rom. iv. 20. That is therefore the eminency of any church or soul, to give glory to God by believing. Thus Job, under all his afflictions and temptations, could believe that his Redeemer did live, and that he should see him at the last day upon the earth, which was an eminency in him; it is therefore, I say, the eminency of any church or soul, to be strong in faith; it is a great dishonor to God and to Jesus Christ, when disciples that have been long in the school of Christ, yet have so little faith. How oft did the Lord Jesus upbraid his disciples with this, "Oh ye of little faith," and sometimes, "How is it that you have no faith?" This is an eminency in a Christian, when he can give much glory to God by believing. Christ delighteth in this, and admires the faith of the centurion. "When Jesus heard it, he marvelled; and said to them that followed, verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel." Matt. viii. 10. "And Jesus said unto the centurion, go thy way; as thou hast believed so be it done unto thee: and his servant was healed the self-same hour." Matt. viii. 13. In this life of faith, the apostle Paul was very eminent, when he said "The life that I now live, I live by faith in the Son of God." Gal. ii. 20. The strength of the Psalmist's faith was such, that he said, "Though an host should encamp

against me, my heart should not fail; though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident." Ps. xxvii. 1, 3. Faith gives God the glory of his power, faithfulness, mercy and grace; to lean and venture the whole interest of the soul for eternity upon the Lord Jesus Christ, notwithstanding so many sins, corruptions and temptations, this is a great and glorious work; "this is our victory over the world, even our faith," (1 John v. 4.) and this faith is that which draws virtue from Jesus Christ, which causeth the soul to be in love with the Lord Jesus, as we see in the spouse, she leaned upon her Beloved, upon his love to her, and the more she felt his love to her. Oh the eminency of faith and love, as the apostle highly commends the church of the Thessalonians. "We give thanks to God always for your work of faith and labor of love." 1 Thess. i. 2, 3. So chapter v. 8, he calls faith and love "the breastplate." 1 Tim. i. 14. The grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love, which is in Christ Jesus; where ye see much faith and love, you may say, there is abundance of grace in that soul. "Whom having not seen, ye love, in whom though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory." 1 Pet. i. 8. This love causeth the soul to love the holy God, his holy law, and also to love all the saints of God; and this is far above nature; it argues a purified heart to love the saints, as 1 Pet. i. 22. "Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit, unto unfeigned love of the brethren; see that you love one another with a pure heart fervently." Love is the fulfilling of the law, and faith worketh by love. These two graces will be the glory of the Shulamite, the new Jerusalem that is to come down from heaven, and it is the beauty and glory of any Christian; the want or defects in these graces is a great blemish in any spouse of Christ or Christian; let us therefore, I say, acknowledge the eminency of that church or soul that is much in the exercise of faith and love.

Use 3. Instruction. Here we may observe and see the safety of the soul or church of Christ, to lean and stay itself upon Jesus Christ in wilderness-trials and afflictions. So Caleb and Joshua so loved and trusted in God and cleaved to him, the Lord was with them, and brought them into the promised land; what can any soul have to lean on in an evil day of trial? Trust not in princes, or any son of man; his breath is in his nostrils; by strength shall no man prevail. Confidence in church privileges, if men trust to them or ordinances, yea if they cry, "the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord," see what the Lord speaketh to this very largely in Jer. x. and Isaiah xlviii. 1, 2, they call themselves the holy city, and stay themselves upon the God of Israel, but not in truth; all such props as these will deceive them that

lean upon them; but now for a soul to lean upon Christ as her Beloved, in the enjoyment of all his ordinances, such a soul may find comfort herein, as holy David, Ps. xxvii. 4, 5. "One thing

have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after, that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in his temple. For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion, in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me, he shall set me upon a rock."

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Use 4. Trial. But would you be safe in times of trial and affliction? 1. Consider what interest you have in Jesus Christ; can you lean and stay upon him alone, and say, he is my Rock, my only Refuge? Have you chosen him as your portion? your all in all? Are all things dung and dross in comparison of him? Can you suffer the loss of all for him? This is a true leaning upon Christ as your Beloved. But when the soul wants an interest in Christ Jesus, and hath not him to lean upon, whither will such a soul flee for help in times of trial, trouble and distresses; there is then none but Christ, none but Christ that will suit the soul; in this respect you may venture to lean upon him he is able and willing to bear all the weight that is laid upon him; it doth therefore nearly concern every soul to consider what interest he hath in Jesus Christ; what persuasion have you had of the all-sufficiency, and grace, and mercy of the Lord Jesus Christ; have you tried his all-sufficiency? Can you be persuaded of the all-sufficiency of one that you never tried? But especially consider whether God hath drawn your heart to choose Jesus Christ for your portion, for your stay and support, for your all and all, and that you have laid the whole weight of your souls upon him, and given up yourselves to Christ to be at his dispose? Have you chosen and taken him for your Lord and Christ, and are you at his command ? Can you part with your dearest lust and sin as his command enjoins upon your souls to do, and suffer any thing that he requires? 2. Consider, is he your Beloved? Do you lean upon Jesus Christ as your Beloved, as he whom your soul loveth, as he that is altogether beautiful and desirable? Is your greatest delight in communion with God, so that if Christ should ask you the question he asked Peter, (John xxi. 17.) "Simon, lovest thou me more than these?" can you then answer in truth, "Lord, thou knowest all things, thou knowest that I love thee." Do you love to be in the company of Jesus Christ? Do you love the image of Christ wherever you see it? Are you glad to do him any service? Do you love all that is Christ's, his ordinances, word, law, his ministers, saints? If you take delight in these things, it is a sign Christ hath loved you, and that you will lean upon Christ in the evil days. Blessed and happy are the souls that can thus lean upon Christ her Beloved, when

wilderness-trials, troubles and afflictions come upon them. All such have Christ for their head, and husband, and Saviour, and are safe in his arms. Where this is wanting, consider what we have in Isaiah x. 3. "And what will ye do in the day of visitation, and in the desolation which shall come from far, to whom will ye flee for help, and where will you leave your glory?

Use 5. Exhortation. 1. To them that yet have no part in Christ. Labor for that faith in and love to the Lord Jesus Christ, that Christ may not shake you off in an evil day. What interest have you in the world that can reach your souls to save them? What is there in heaven or earth that can save the soul but only the Lord Jesus Christ?" He is able to save to the uttermost all that come to God by him." John iii. 36. "He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life; and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on him." Oh! think oft of this scripture, and consider of the means of grace God hath so long afforded you, and how oft he hath been calling upon you, and knocking at the door of your hearts. Oh, take the season while it lasts! Oh, to-day! to-day, while it is called today, harden not your hearts, lest God swear in his wrath that ye shall never enter into his rest. Christ bade them walk in the light while they had the light, and immediately he withdrew himself from them. Oh, do but forsake your sins, all your sins, and accept of the Lord Jesus upon his own terms, and then you may venture to lean upon the Lord Jesus Christ; he is able to bear the weight of all your souls.

2. Branch. To the spouse of Christ. Be much in the exercise of faith and love. First, be much in the exercise of faith, lean upon Christ as your Beloved, stay on him, rest upon him, cast all your burden and care upon him, strengthen yourselves in him ; you will need a strong faith in wilderness-trials, that may befal you; consider how weak we are without faith in Christ, which will shield us against our potent enemies, Satan and all the world. All other props are but as a broken reed. Whereon will you lean else. You have no righteousness, no goodness, no wisdom in yourselves. Where will you lean then if not upon Christ? What is there in the creature that you may lean upon All the things of the world are vanity of vanities; therefore cast your care and your burden upon the Lord Jesus, who is able to stablish, strengthen and settle you; he is able to bear all the weight that is laid upon him. Do your sins and corruptions. trouble you? You may lay the weight of them upon the Lord Jesus, he is able to bear them; you may cast the care of your souls upon him; ye may cast the care of your families, the care of your children, you may cast all upon him; he is able to bear the weight of all; he is the Rock of Ages. Consider who your

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Beloved is, the Lord Jesus Christ, the God of Glory, the Redeemer and Saviour of his people, that redeemeth Israel from all their iniquities. "If any man sin, we have an advocate." 1 John ii. 1. He hath all power in heaven and earth; he is the sovereign Lord of all; you can be in no danger, but he is able to save, and he knows how to do it, for he is wise, and he is faithful in all his promises, and he is very loving; he hath loved his with an everlasting love, and from thence he hath given himself for them, and will not lose any that come to him. Whom he loveth, he loveth to the end. Believe much and you shall receive much. Christ saith to thee, be it as thou wilt. A faith that will not be beaten off, that hangs upon Christ for a blessing, and as Jacob, will not let go without a blessing, shall surely have it. What can any believing soul find in Christ, that may not encourage him to lean upon him; he is the Saviour, the head and husband of his church, that takes care of them, and that continually; he is the Redeemer of his people, that redeems them, not only from all their adversities, but from all their iniquities. Oh, then, venture upon Jesus Christ, and let faith overcome all your doubts; this Christ will accept of. Consider what encouragements a believer hath to venture all upon Christ. We have encouragement from the covenant of grace: "Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean from all your filthiness, and from all your idols will I cleanse you; a new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you, and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh, and I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my way, and I will write my law in your inward parts, and I will put my fear into your hearts, and you shall not depart from me, and I will forgive your sins, and remember them no more." Ezek. xxxvi. 25, 26. And consider how God hath confirmed this covenant even by his oath; he hath sworn by himself, that we might have strong consolation; and he confirmeth it also by the seals of the covenant. The Lord hath given us two seals, he hath set the seal of baptism to it, whereby God hath owned us for his; we are baptized into the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost; besides, he hath given us the blessed Supper of the Lord. Oh, what a blessed seal is that wherein the Lord offers a crucified Christ to us, with all his merits; he offers Christ with all the benefits and privileges thereunto belonging; when Christ is offered, all is offered. This ordinance it signifieth that spiritual nourishment your souls may have by a crucified Christ, when the Lord said, "This is my body which is broken for you, and this is my blood which is shed for you." Shall we be unbelieving notwithstanding all this, and weak in the faith, like Thomas? God forbid.

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