nour, because men break God's commandments. Trouble of heart, except for sin, is sinful trouble. Where sin lies heavy, affliction lies light. Isa. xxxiii. 24. “ They shall not say, I am sick; for their iniquities shall be forgiven them." Sense of pardon to those souls that have felt the burden of sin, much alleviates and lightens the burden of affliction. Strike, Lord, (said Luther) now I am absolved from my sin.

We are always too prone to fall into extremes, to sin either in excess or in defect; too much, or too little; we are faulty both ways. As for sin, which is the worst of evils, we are apt to be troubled too little. How few fail here in the excess, though it is possible so to do; and some have, that refuse to be comforted by all the sweet promises of Christ in the gospel; but there are but few of those; most of us fail in the defect. We are not troubled for sin so much as we should; our sins do not lie so hard and heavy upon us as they should; our hearts do seldom feel the weight of sin pressing us down: many sins lie light on us: our vain thoughts, our omissions, careless performance of holy duties, misspending precious time, idle talk, &c. and such like evils, which should trouble us most, they trouble us least.

But our afflictions, which, comparatively, are but light, lie too heavy upon us, and press us down even to the dust. So, in respect of afflictions themselves, we are apt to run into

to the chambers of darkness, sealed up in the dust, made silent in the grave, to see their sweet faces no more, till the heavens be no more? Is it possible I say, in such cases, not to be troubled? or if it be possible, is it necessary, or is it attainable? May we arrive to such a temper, may we get such a calm, quiet, tranquil, and submissive frame of spirit? It is admirable, but is it attainable.

I answer, we must not despise the chastenings of the Lord, as was noted before, we must not be as stocks or stones, altogether insensible of the hand of God upon us; no, we must be sensible, we must lay those things to our hearts, and consider the work of God. Such losses, and of such, are to be lamented, they will be found wanting, their relations will find them wanting, their families will find them wanting, the poor will find them wanting, and the church also. David lamented the loss of Jonathan; and the disciples the loss of Lazarus. Lawful it is then, to be affected with the deaths and departures of our dear relations and friends, and moderately to mourn for them; but our care must be, that we suffer not nature to work alone without grace, for then it will soon go beyond its bounds; nature must be restrained and bounded. It is moderate mourning that is lawful. Mourn we may, "but not as those that have no hope," 1 Thess. iv. 13, 14. For, those that sleep in Jesus, they being safe and happy; for," if we believe that Jesus died, and rose

again; even so they that sleep in Jesus, will God bring with him." Troubled we cannot chuse but be in such cases, and under such strokes, but we must not let our hearts be troubled, saith our Lord. And what this imports, you shall see by and by. It is trouble of heart, that is here forbidden; but, what is it, that will prevent or cure this heart trouble? Our Saviour answers in the next words; "Ye believe in God, believe also in me: in my father's house are many mansions, &c." In which, we may observe these parts, viz.

1. An evil disease, or spiritual distemper: intimated and prohibited, to which the disciples of Christ are incident and prone in time of affliction; and that is trouble of heart: this may seize you, but take heed of it, labour against it. As if the Lord had said, I know it will be a cutting, a killing thing to you to part with me, your dear and loving lord and master; but part with me you must, and take heed of this indecent distemper of heart trouble: let not your hearts be troubled, saith our Lord Jesus.

2. The best preventive of, or remedy for this spiritual distemper proposed and enjoined; ye believe in God, believe also in me. As if our Lord had said, surely you believe in God, why then are your hearts troubled? Cannot your faith in God support you, if you act it upon him? But if that cannot, then act your faith also on me; believe also in me. Set your faith on work on me. Believe, that I love you,

that when I leave you, I will not leave you comfortless; I will send the comforter unto you, and he shall abide with you for ever, John xiv. 16, 17. Therefore let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in me; I must leave you, and I and you must part: but believe, where I am going, and let the consideration of that quiet you, and comfort you; in my father's house are many mansions: there is a better, a far better condition for you above, than that you are in here; for, here you are tossed up and down from place to place, and are exposed to many straits. I myself here on earth, have not an house wherein to lay my head; but in my father's house are many mansions. There is an house above, not made with hands, eternal in the heavens, 2 Cor. v. 1. When once you come thither, you shall remove no more; there are many mansions, room enough for you all, and for all the innumerable company of angels and saints therefore, believe in me; for, these things are most true that I tell you. And believe also, that I go to prepare a place for you: I go to take possession of these celestial mansions, of those everlasting habitations for you, in your name and stead. While you are here on earth, I shall prepare you for those mansions; and when I go from I will you, them prepare for you. Therefore, to prevent those heart troubles which you are subject to, because of my departure from you, and to fortify you against them, (for I am solicitous for you;) this is the remedy that I purpose you, and en

join you to practise; that seeing you believe in God, believe also in me; act your faith on me. From which words thus explained, I commend to your christian consideration this gospel doctrine, viz.

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Doct. "That the lively acting of true faith upon God and Christ, or upon God in ، Christ, is the best preventive of, and re"medy against heart trouble, under the "greatest loss whatsoever. Or,

"Faith acted on God in Christ, is the sovereign cure of heart trouble."

Our Lord Jesus is very tender over his poor disciples, and having foretold them of the hard usage, and bad entertainment they should meet with in the world, losses and crosses, tribulations and persecutions; he now leaves with them some antidotes against distempers of mind, some cordials against those faintings of spirit, and troubles of heart, to which he knew, they being flesh and blood, were subject. And this in the text is chief and principal:

Let not your hearts be troubled; ye believe in God, believe also in me." This your faith will be your best cure, your best remedy.

Poor believers are but princes in disguise here in this world: princes they are, Christ hath made them all so; but while here below they are in a foreign land, under a veil. "It doth not now appear what they shall be," 1 John iii. 2. They have a large patrimony, but it lies indeed in a land unknown to the world, it is in Terra Incognita, if the expression