FAITHFUL GOD***


Transcribed from the 1817 R. Thomas edition by David Price, email
ccx074@pglaf.org

                   [Picture: Public domain book cover]





                                   THE
                         _Believer’s Confidence_
                                   IN A
                              FAITHFUL GOD,


                             AND THE NEEDLESS
                          Triumph of his Enemies
                               CONSIDERED,

                                    IN

                                A SERMON,

            Preached on LORD’s DAY MORNING, November 23, 1817.
                            AT SEVEN O’CLOCK,

                       _At the Surrey Tabernacle_,

                              BOROUGH ROAD,

                             BY JOHN CHURCH,

                          _ON HIS TAKING LEAVE_.

                                * * * * *

    THOUGH I WALK IN THE MIDST OF TROUBLE THOU WILT REVIVE ME;
    THOU SHALT STRETCH FORTH THINE HAND UPON THE WRATH OF MINE
    ENEMIES, AND THY RIGHT HAND SHALL SAVE ME.—_Psalm_ cxxxviii, 7.

                                * * * * *

                                Southwark:
             Printed by R. THOMAS, Red Lion Street, BOROUGH.

                                  1817.

                                * * * * *




_A SERMON_, _&c._


    MICAH VIII, 6th.—“REJOICE NOT AGAINST ME, O MINE ENEMY; WHEN I FALL,
    I SHALL ARISE; AND WHEN I SIT IN DARKNESS, THE LORD SHALL BE A LIGHT
    UNTO ME.”

MY DEAR FRIENDS,

I am come this morning to perform one of the most painful tasks that ever
fell to my lot.  I am come to take farewell of those who are dear to God,
dear to angels, dear to each other, and dear to my heart upon the most
noble principles.  Though I trust it is but a temporary farewell in
general, yet to many it will be perhaps a long farewell, even till we
meet in glory, where parting shall be known no more for ever; and to
others who live and die enemies to the dear and adorable Saviour—to
hypocrites in Zion, to formalists and pharisees, dying such, I say it is
an eternal farewell.  We shall meet no more perhaps on praying ground—but
be it known unto you, my testimony for God and truth you have heard many
times, will never be out of your consciences, either in heaven or hell;
it will be for or against you, either a savour of life unto life, or of
death unto death.  And now behold, many among whom I have preached the
gospel will see my face no more—painful thought! but I bow to the solemn,
awful, just, and I may add, I am sure, merciful dispensation; fully
persuaded it is my duty, nay, more, it is my salvation, to bow to the
will of the great head of the church.  Nature shrinks, but faith looks
forward to the grand end which my heavenly father has in view—and being
already assured by his word, and by his spirit, that I shall be favoured
with his manifestative presence, I prefer submitting to the mind of
infinite wisdom, to any other plan which nature, friends, and present
interest may suggest.  My heart sinks, my spirit fails, my mind is
distressed, when I take the painful retrospect, accompanied with the
grief of my friends, the troubles of my family, and my own situation; and
what is most mortifying, the triumph of the envious, the joy of the
enemies of the cross; the pleasure of Satan, and the satisfaction of his
emissaries; these things all meet in my mind, and perplex me not a
little; but perhaps the grief of the former may be but comparatively for
a moment, and the joy of fools is compared to the crackling of thorns
under a pot, which make a noise and a blaze, but soon will expire, for so
the word of God assures us.  And then, what have my enemies effected?
What advantage have they gained?  Are they any the better?  Will their
cruelty add to their felicity on a dying bed?  Some perhaps may suppose
they have done God service; others have not God in all their thoughts;
while others, who ought to act better, because they profess better
things, join with worldlings, pharisees, and formalists, against a man
they know nothing of, but by hear-say.  While erroneous characters of
every description hate me for the truth’s sake alone, and rejoice if they
can find any fault as a ground of persecution; and if not in reality, an
evil report is quite enough for them, that they might have cause to
oppose the truth, as it is in Jesus.  But perhaps before many years roll
along, they may hear that John the Baptist is risen from the dead; that
Sampson’s locks are grown again, and when he comes forth, they may yet
hope to make sport with him.  But perhaps the Lord may take vengeance on
them, and enable his servant to be avenged on Satan and sin for the loss
he has sustained; and by fervent prayer, faithful preaching, and a holy
life, he may take hold on the main pillars of the Devil’s kingdom,
_ignorance_ of God and an _empty_ profession, and make them tremble;
while the power of the Holy Spirit may bring them down, through his
feeble instrumentality, at least, in the hearts of some.  I therefore
humbly presume to adopt the language of the church of old, as personated
by the Prophet in my Text, as before recited.

My dear hearers may perhaps recollect I have often referred them under
their various exercises to this very important chapter.  The prophet
predicts the state of the church in gospel days; and our dear Lord, no
doubt, had his mind on this chapter, when he forewarned the disciples
what they would experience, even from their nearest and dearest
