stand between God and thee.

2. Not only would ye be much in immediate application unto Jesus Christ,
but ye would so take hold of him, as ye may be sure ye have him. Make
peace, and know that ye have made it, and then shall ye be kept in perfect
peace. You would never rest until you can on solid grounds answer the
question. And this duty is called for from you at such a time, for "the
just shall live by faith," in a troublesome time, Hab. ii. 4. And as ye
ought to keep and hold fast confidence and not cast it away in such a
time, so should ye all seek after it. Do not only rest in this,--I know not
but I may belong to Christ, I dare not say against it. O no, Christians,
you should have positive clear grounds of assurance "I am his, and he is
mine," "I know that my Redeemer liveth," "God is my portion." And if ye
conclude this solidly, I defy all the world to shake and trouble your
peace this is perfect peace, "peace, peace," double peace. How can ye
choose but be shaken at every blast of temptation, when you are not thus
solidly grounded, when you hold not at your anchor?

And, 3. Having thus laid hold on Christ as your own, lay hold on all in
him as yours, and for your use. Whatever difficulty the present time or
your own condition afford, search but as much in God as may counterbalance
it. Answer all objections, from his mercy, goodness, power, wisdom,
unchangeableness, and this shall be more nor the trouble. God himself laid
hold upon, and made ours, is more nor removing a temporal calamity. It is
an eternal weight, to weigh down all crosses and disappointments. For what
can present things be? Is there not in the favour of his countenance that
which may drown them in oblivion? Are ye like to sink here? Is not God a
sure anchor to hold by? And if ye do not this, your trouble is nothing in
respect of the danger of your soul. Secure and loose lying out of God, not
putting this matter to a full point, is worse nor all your outward fading.
Therefore, we exhort you in the Lord's name, to fly into this name of the
Lord, as a strong tower to run to and be safe. When the Lord seemeth now
to be angry with us, run not away from him, though he should yet clothe
himself with vengeance as a garment.

But, _first_, O ye poor people, who have never asked this question,
whether have I any interest in Jesus? ask it now, and resolve it in time.
If trouble come on, if scattering and desolation come on, and our land
fade as a leaf, ce