Commentary on 2 Corinthians 1

T He Preface to this Epistle is the same with other Prefaces. Our blessed Apostle had written a sharp Epistle to the Corinthians, especially reproving their tolerating of the incestuous person: that, his first Epistle took effect, though not so much as he desired, yet it prevailed so far with them, that they excommunicated the incestuous person, and likewise reformed divers abuses. Yet notwithstanding, it being a proud, factious, rich City, where there was confluence of many Nations, being an excellent Port, and Mart-Town; there were many proud, insolent teachers, which thought basely of St. Paul; and thereupon he writes this second Epistle: the scope whereof is

partly

• Apologetical.
• Exhortatorie.

Apologetical, to defend himself.

Exhortatorie, to instruct them in several duties: as we shall see in the passages of it.

The general scope of it is this, to show, That the Ministerial labor is not in vain in the Lord. The fruit of the first Epistle to the Corinthians is seen in this second, the first Epistle took effect. Therefore we should not be discouraged, neither we that are Ministers of the Church, or those that are Ministers in their own families, as every man should be; be not discouraged at unlikelihood, there is always some success to encourage us, though not so much as we look for in this world: because there is a reprobate Generation that are always set upon Cavilling, and opposing, yet some success there will be, as there was here.

A second thing in general out of the whole scope is this: to teach us to vindicate our credit, when the truth may be wounded through us; as the Apostle stands here upon his reputation, and labors to free, and to clear himself from all imputations: but especially he doth this by his life; for that is the best Apology. But because that would not serve, it would not speak loud enough, therefore he makes an excellent apology, in this Epistle. But to come to the particulars.

THis Chapter is Apologetical, especially after the Preface. He stands in defense of himself against the imputations: First, that he was a man neglected of God, he was so persecuted, and oppressed with so many afflictions. And the second is the imputation of inconstancy, that he came not to them when he had made a promise to come. This Chapter is especially in defense of these two.

In an excellent heavenly wisdom, he turns off the imputation of afflictions, and inverts the imputation the clean contrary way: and he begins with thanksgiving, Blessed be God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, the God of all comfort, who hath comforted us in all our tribulations. As if God had done him a great favor in them, as we shall see when we come to those words.

For the Preface, it is common with all his Epistles, therefore we make it not a principal part of the Chapter: yet because these Prefaces have the seeds of the Gospel in them, the seeds of heavenly comfort, and doctrine, I will speak something of it.

Here is

• An Inscription, and
• A Salutation.

In the Inscription, there are the parties from whom this Epistle was written, Paul an Apostle of Jesus Christ, by the will of God, and Timothy our Brother. And the persons to whom, To the Church of God at Corinth, and all the Saints in Achaia.

The Salutation, Grace, and Peace; in the form of a blessing, Grace, and Peace.

From whom; From God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ.

In this inscription he sets down his office, an Apostle, and an Apostle of Jesus Christ. How Apostles differ from other Ministers, it is an ordinary point. St. Paul was called to be an Apostle by Christ himself, in 1 Cor. 9. 1. Am I not an Apostle? have I not seen Christ? It was the privilege of the Apostles to see Christ, they were taught immediately by Christ; and they had a general commission to teach all; and they had extraordinary gifts. All these were in St. Paul eminently. And this was his prerogative, that he was chosen by Christ in heaven, in glory: the other were chosen by Christ when he was in abasement, in a state of humiliation; Paul an Apostle of Jesus Christ.

By the appointment of God, by the designment of Christ For every man in his particular calling is placed in it by the will of God. St. Paul saith, he was an Apostle by the will of God, not by the will of man. This is the same word, as is in the beginning of the Epistle to the Philippians.

In a word, it teacheth us this first Observation, That we should think ourselves in our standings and callings, to be there by the will of God.

And therefore should serve him, by whose will we are placed in that standing. Let every man consider, who placed me here? God; if a hair cannot fall from my head without his providence, much less can the disposing of my calling which is a greater matter: therefore I will seek his glory, and frame myself and courses answerable to the will of him, by whose will I am in this place.

Men have not their callings, only to get riches, and to get preferment, those are base ends of their own to serve themselves. God placeth us in our particular callings, not to serve ourselves, but to serve him: and he will cast in those riches, honor, preferment, dignity, and esteem, so much as is fit for us in the serving of him in our places.

The other party in the inscription, from whom the Epistle is, is,

HE sends his Epistle from Timothy as well as from himself. This he doth, to win the more acceptance among the Corinthians, by the consent of so blessed a man as Timothy was, who was an Evangelist; Unity by consent is stronger. And there is a natural weakness in men to regard the consent and authority of others, more then the things themselves. And indeed, if God himself in heavenly love and mercy condescend to help our weakness, much more should all that are led by the Spirit of God. We are subject to call in question the truths of God, therefore he helps us with Sacraments, and with other means and allurements: and although that be truth that he saith, yet because he would undermine our distrustful dispositions by all means, he useth those courses. So S. Paul, that they might respect what he wrote the more, as from a joint spirit, he writes, Paul, and Timothy our Brother.

It was an argument of much modesty, and humility in this blessed Apostle, that he would not of himself seem (as it were) to monopolize their respect, as if all should look to him, but he joins Timothy with him: so great an Apostle joins an inferior.

There is a spirit of singularity in many, they will seem to do all themselves, and carry all themselves before them, and they will not speak the truths that others have spoken before them without some disdain. As a proud Critick said, I would they had never been men that spake our things before we were, that we might have had all the credit of it. Oh, no; those that are led with the Spirit of God, they are content in modesty, and humility, to have others joined with them; and they know it is available for others likewise, they will respect the truth the more.

And thus far we yield to the Papists, when we speak of this, whether the Church can give authority to the Word of God, or no. In regard of us, the Church hath some power, in regard of our weakness: but what is that power? It is an inducing power, an alluring power, a propounding power, to propound the mysteries of salvation: but the inward work, the convincing power is from the Evidence of the Spirit of God, and from the Scripture itself. All that the Church doth, is to move, to induce, and to propound this, quoad nos, it hath some power in the hearts of men.

The Church thus far gives authority to the Scriptures in the hearts of men; though it be an improper phrase to say it gives authority: for, as the men said to the woman of Samaria, Now we believe it ourselves, not because thou toldest us, &c. The Church allures us to respect the Scriptures: but then there is an inward Power, an inward Majesty in the Scriptures, and that bears down all before it.

Again, here is a ground, why St. Paul alleged human authority sometimes in his Epistles, and in his dealing with men: because he was to deal with men that would be shamed the more with them. Any thing that may strengthen the truth in regard of the weakness of those with whom we have to deal, may be used in a heavenly policy; One of your own Prophets, saith St. Paul, Tit. 1. towards the end. And so in the Acts of the Apostles, he quotes a saying out of an Atheist.

Brother, he means not only by Grace but by calling: As we know in the Law, and other professions, those of the same profession are called before Brethren: So Timothy was St. Paul's Brother, not only by Grace, but by calling; and two bonds bind stronger. Here is a treble bond, Nature, Grace, Calling. They were men, they were fellow Christians, and they were teachers of the Gospel; therefore he saith Timothy our Brother. Timothy was an Evangelist, yet notwithstanding it was a greater honor to him to be a Brother to St. Paul, then to be an Evangelist; an Hypocrite may be an Evangelist: but a true Brother of St. Paul none but a true Christian can be. All Christians are Brethren: It is a word that levels all; for it takes down the Mountains, and fills up the Valleys; the greatest men in the World, the mountains, if they be Christians, they are Brethren to the lowest; and it fills up the Valleys, the lowest, if they be Christians, are Brethren to the Highest: howsoever in worldly respects they cease in death, as personal differences, and differences in calling, they all cease in death. All are Brethren, therefore he useth it for great respect. St Paul was a great Apostle: Timothy an inferior man, yet both Brethren: Timothy our Brother.

WE have seen the persons from whom; Paul and Timothy; Now here are the persons to whom, To the Church of God at Corinth. Corinth was a very wicked City: as where there is a great confluence of many people, there is a contagion of many sins of the people; and yet notwithstanding in this Corinth, there was a Church. For as Christ saith, No man can come to me, except my Father draw him: so where the Father will draw, who can draw back? Even in Corinth God hath his Church: he raiseth up a generation of men, a Church, which is a company of creatures differing as much from the common, as men do from Beasts. And yet such is the Power and Efficacy of the blessed Gospel of Salvation, having the Spirit of God accompanying it, that even in Corinth, a wretched City, this Word, and this Spirit, raised up a company of men, called here by the name of a Church, and Saints. And such power indeed hath the Word of God with the Spirit, not only in wicked places, but in our wicked hearts too.

Let a man have a world of wickedness in him, and let him come, and present himself meekly and constantly to the means of Salvation, and God in time by his Spirit will raise a new frame of grace in his heart, he will make a new Creation. As at the first he created all out of nothing, order out of confusion: so, out of the heart, which is nothing but a Chaos of confusion, of blindness, and darkness and terror: (there is a world of confusion in the heart of man) God by his creating Word (for his Word of the Gospel is creating, as well as his Word was at the first in the creation of the World; it hath a creating Power) he raiseth an excellent frame in the heart of a man, he scatters his natural blindness, he sets in order his natural confusion, that a man becomes a new creature, and an heir of a new World.

Let no people despair, nor no person; for God hath his Church in Corinth.

But what is become of this Church now? Why alas, it is under the slavery of the Turks, it is under miserable captivity at this day. At the first, Corinth was overthrown by Numeus a Roman Captain, for the abusing the Roman Ambassadors; it was ruinated for the unfit carriage to the Ambassadors, who would not suffer themselves to be contemned, nor the Majesty of the Roman Empire. But Augustus Caesar afterwards repaired it. And now for neglecting of God's Ambassadors, the Preachers of the Gospel, it is under another misery, but Spiritual, it is under the bondage (I say) of that Tyrant.

What is become of Rome, that glorious City? It is now the habitation of Devils, a cage of unclean birds. What is become of those glorious Churches, which St. John wrote those Epistles to in his Revelation? and which St. Paul wrote unto? Alas they are gone, the Gospel is now come into the Western parts. And shall we think all shall be safe with us, as the Jews did, crying, the Temple of the Lord, the Temple of the Lord? Jer. 7. No, No, unless we respect Christ's blessed Gospel of Salvation, except we bring forth fruits worthy of it, except we maintain and defend it, and think it our honor and our crown, and be zealous for it: if we suffer the insolent enemies of it to grow as vipers in the very bosom of the Church, what is like to become of us? If there were no foreign Enemies to invade us, we would let slip the glorious Gospel of Salvation. God will not suffer this indignity, to this blessed Jewel his truth, he will not suffer the Doctine of the Gospel to be so disrespected. You see the fearful example of the Church of Corinth. Let those whom it may concern, that have any advantage and authority, let them put in for God's cause, put in for the Gospel; labor to propagate, and to derive this blessed truth we enjoy to posterity, by suppressing as much as they may the underminers of it. It is an acceptable service. To the Church of God at Corinth.

COrinth was the City, Achaia, the country wherein Corinth was. There were then Saints, holy men in all Achaia. And St. Paul writes to (All) Saints, to weak Saints, to strong Saints, to rich Saints, to poor Saints; because every Saint hath somewhat that is lovely, and respective in them, somewhat to be respected. The least grace deserves respect from the greatest Apostle. And all have one head, all have one hope of Glory, all are redeemed with the same precious blood of Christ (and so I might run on) The many privileges agree to all. Therefore all should have place in our respect. To (all) Saints; that the least should not think themselves undervalued: weakness is most of all subject to complaing if it be disrespected: Therefore in heavenly wisdom and prudence the Apostle puts in (All) Saints. In all Achaia whatsoever. Besides the mother City, the Metropolis of that Country, which was Corinth, there were Saints scattered. God in heavenly wisdom scatters his Saints. As seed, when it is scattered in the ground it doth more good, then when it is on heaps in the barn: so God scatters his Saints as Jewels, as the lights of the World: here he will have one to shine and there another; here he will have one fruitful to condemn the wicked world where they are, and by their good example, and their heavenly and fruitful conversation, to draw out of the wicked estate of nature those with whom they are; Therefore he will have them scattered here, and there, not only at Corinth, but Saints in all Achaia, besides scattered in other places.

But we must know (by the way) that these Saints had reference to some particular Church: for though it be sufficient to make a Christian to have union with Christ: there is the main, the head: yet notwithstanding, he must be a branch, he must be a member of some particular Congregation; therefore we have it in Act. 4. God added to the Church such as should be saved. Those that are added to salvation must be added to the Church; a man must be a member of some particular Church. So though these were scattered, they were members of some Church. God's children are as stones in some building, and there is an influence of Grace comes from Christ the Head to every particular member, as it is in the body: God quickens not straggling members, that have no reference to any particular Church; that I note by the way. To the Church of God at Corinth, and all the Saints in Achaia.

The Apostle calls them Saints; all believers are called Saints. Are they so? are all in the visible Church Saints? Yes, say some, and therefore they say that our Church is not a true visible Church, because many of them are not Saints, say some that went out from among us.

I Answer, all are, or should be Saints: St. Paul wrote here to those that were sacramental Saints, and such as by outward covenant and profession were Saints: not that they were all of them inwardly so: but all should be so done: he calls them so to put them in mind of their duty. To clear this point a little. Sometimes the Church of God in the Scripture hath its name from the commixtion of good and bad in it, so it is called a field where there is a mixture of good and bad seed: so it is called a house wherein there are vessels of honor, and vessels of dishonor: because there is such a mixture in the visible Church. Sometimes the Church hath the name from the better part, and so it is the Spouse of Christ, the love of Christ, a peculiar people, a holy nation, and Saints, as it is here. Not that all are so, but it hath the denomination from the better part: all should be so, and the best are so, and it is sufficient that the denomination of a company be from the better part. As we say of Gold Oare, though there be much earth mixed with it, yet in regard of the better part, we call it Gold: we give it that name: so in regard that the best are Saints, and that all should be so, therefore he calls them all Saints: should all in the visible Church be Saints by profession, and by Sacrament? should all that are Baptized, and receive the Communion enter into a profession of sanctity? What say you then to a profane atheistical Generation, that forsooth make a show of holiness; and therefore we must look for none of them? I say all profane persons are gross Hypocrites; why? for, are you members of the Church, or no? yes, will everyone say, will you make me an Infidel? will you make me a Pagan? Well, take your own word then, what is it to be a member of the Church but to be a Saint? Must thou be a Saint? doth not thy profession as thou art a member bind thee to be a Saint? In Baptism, was not thy promise to renounce the Devil, the World, & the flesh? In renewing thy covenant in the Communion, dost not thou purpose to cleave to God in all things? Thou that takest liberty therefore in the Church of God under the profession of Religion to live as a libertine, thou art a gross Hypocrite, and this aggravates thy sin, and makes it worse then a Pagans. Thou which art in the bosom of the Church, in the Kingdom of Saints, as it is in Dan. 7. the people of the Saints of the most high: the people of God in the Church wherein thou art a professed member: and yet doest thou take liberty grossly to offend God?

What doth make a Saint?

In a word, to the constitution of a true Saint, there is

A

• Separation.
• Dedication.
• Qualification.
• Conversation.

There is a separation presently, when a man is a Saint, he is separate from the confused company of the world, from the Kingdom of Satan. Therefore those that have all companies alike, that carry themselves indifferently in all companies, as men that profess a kind of Civility, that are taken up with the complement of the times; men that learn the language of the times, that are for all sorts, they know not what belongs to the high profession of Christianity.

There is a due to all I confess, there is a benevolence, and a beneficence to all: but there is a kind of complacency, a sweet familiarity, and amity which should be reserved to a few, only to those in whom we see the evidences, and signs of Grace: If there be not a separation in respect of Grace, there is no holiness at all: a Saint must be separated. Not locally, but in regard of amity, in regard of intimate friendship. As we see it is in outward things, in some of our houses; there is a Court where all come, poor and rich; and there is the house where those of nearer acquaintance come: and then there is the innermost Roome, the Closet, where only ourselves, and those which are nearest to us come: So it is in the passages of the soul, there are some remote courtesies that come from us, as men, to all, be they what they will: there are other respects, to others, that are nearer, that we admit nearer, that are of better quality: and there are other that are nearest of all, that we admit even into the closet of our hearts, and those are they with whom we hope to have communion forever in heaven; the blessed people of God termed here Saints. It is an evidence of our translation from a cursed estate to a better, when we love such; hereby we know (saith St. John) that we are translated from death to life, because we love the brethren. There must be a separation.

And withal, there must be a dedication of ourselves to the service of God. A Christian when he knows himself by the word of truth, and by the work of the Spirit to be God's Child, he dedicates himself to better services then before, he thinks himself too good, he thinks too highly of himself, to be a base blasphemer, or swearer, to be a filthy Person: he considers himself as the Temple of the Holy Ghost, and he useth himself to better purposes, to better studies, to do good.

And then with Dedication; there is an inward Qualification, to enable him with light never to forget the Image of God. Herein this Saint-ship stands especially in this inward Qualification, whereby we resemble Christ the King of Saints. All our sanctification comes from him: as Aaron's. ointment went down from his head to his beard, and so to his skirts: so all our sanctification is from Christ. Every Saint is qualified from the Spirit of Christ: of his fullness we receive this inward qualification, that we have another judgment of things then this world hath, what is good, and what is bad; what is true, and what is false, what is comfortable, and what tends to discomfort. He hath another conceit of things, he hath another light then he had before, and then other carnal men have; he hath a heavenly light. He hath another Language, he gives himself to prayer, and to thanksgiving he is given to savoury discourse. He hath other courses in his particular calling, and in his general calling then other refuse company have, or then himself had before his calling: this is from his qualification.

And this Qualification, and Conversation go together: he hath a new conversation, he carries himself even like to him that hath called him out of darkness into marvelous light. So, a true Saint, (as every professor of Religion ought to be) he is dedicate to God, and he is qualified in some degree as Christ was, by his holy Spirit; he is a new creature, he that is in Christ is a new creature; and he shows this by his conversation, or else he is no Saint.

How shall we know a Saint from a mere civil man? (as there be many that live and d ie in that estate which is to be pitied: and one main end of our calling is not only to reduce profane men to a better fashion of life: but to show civil men their danger.)

A mere civil man looks to the second table, he is smooth in his carriage and conversation with men: but negligent in his service to God. A civil man he looks to his outward carriage: but he makes no conscience of secret sins: he is not holy in all manner of conversation, as St. Peter saith, 1. Pet. 1. Be ye holy in all manner of conversation. In private, in public, in your retired carriage: he makes no conscience of his thoughts, of his speeches, of all.

You may know an hypocrite so that carries himself smoothly, and acceptably in the eye of the World, but he makes no conscience of his thoughts, he makes no conscience of his affections, of his desires, of his lusts, and such things. He makes no conscience of lesser oaths, nor perhaps of rotten discourses: No, they are all for this, that they may pass in the World, that they may carry themselves with acceptance: as for what belongs to the New Creature, to Saints, they care not: for they have vain conceits of these, and judge them as hypocrites, because such a one knows himself should be an hypocrite, if he should do otherwise then he doth, therefore he thinks that others that are above his pitch, are hypocrites; and and they make a show of that that is not in them, because if he should make show of that, his heart would tell him that he were an hypocrite.

A true Saint differs from an hypocrite in many respects; but in this one mainly, that a true Saint of God is altered in the inward frame and qualification of his soul, he is a new Creature, therefore, there is a spring of better thoughts, of better desires, of better aims in him then in other men. And he labors more after the inward frame of his heart, then after his outward carriage: what he is ashamed to do, he is ashamed to think he is ashamed to lust after, what he desires to do, he desires to love in his heart, he labors that all may be true in the inward man: because grace (as well as nature) begins from the heart, from the inward parts.

An hypocrite never cares for that, all his care is for the outward parts, he is sale-work; so his carriage be acceptable to others, all his care is taken, he lives to the view, therefore he looks not to the substance, and the truth, but to the shadow and appearance.

Now I come to the Salutation itself.

G Race doth enter into the whole conversation of a Christian, and doth sweeten his very Salutations. Which I observe: because many men confine their Religion to places, to actions, and to times: there is a relish of holiness in everything that comes from a Christian, in his Salutations and Courtesies: St. Paul salutes them, Grace, and peace from God, &c.

And the use of holy Salutations are;

To	Shew	Love.
Win

To show love and respect, therefore he salutes them; and by showing love, to gain love: for there is a Loadstone in love. And thirdly, the use of salutations, is by them to convey some good: for these salutations are not mere wishes, but prayers, nay blessings: God's people are a blessed people, and they are full of blessing, they carry a blessing in their very speeches.

A blessing is a prayer with the application of the thing prayed for, it is somewhat more then a prayer, Grace be with you, and peace. It is not only a mere wish, I desire it: nay my desire of it is with an applying of it, grace shall be with you, and peace, and the more, because I heartily wish it to you. It is no light matter to have the benediction, and salutation of a holy man, especially those that are Superiors: for the Superiors bless the Inferiors; there is a grace goes even with the very salutations, with the common prayers of a holy man. It is a comfortable sign when God doth enlarge the heart of a holy man to wish well to a man.

And surely the very consideration of that should move us to let them have such encouragement from our carriage and demeanour, that they may have hearts to think of us to the throne of Grace, to give us a good wish, to give us a good desire: for every gracious desire, every prayer hath its effect when it comes from a favourite of God, especially from such a man as St. Paul was; from a Minister, a holy man in a calling, a man of God: they have their efficacy with them, they are not empty words, Grace and peace.

The Popes think it a great favor when they bestow their Apostolical benediction and blessing: their blessing is not much worth; their curse is better then their blessing: but surely the blessing of a man rightly called, those that are true Ministers of Christ, they are clothed with Power and efficacy from God: Grace be with you, and peace, it is no idle complement.

And here you see likewise what should be the manner of the salutation of Christians, as they ought to salute, to show love, and to gain love, so all their salutations should be holy. There is a takingthe name of God in vain, in salutations oft times, God save you, &c. and it must be done with a kind of scorn, and if there be any demonstration of Religion it becomes them not, that which should become them most. What should become a Saint, but to carry himself Saint-like? and yet men must do it with a kind of scorn, with a kind of graceless grace: that which in the religious use of it is a comfortable and sweet thing, and is always with a comfortable and gracious effect in God's Children. Either it hath effect and is made grace to them to whom it is spoken, or returns to them that speak it: As Christ saith to his Disciples, when you come into a house, pronounce peace to them; and if the house be not worthy, your peace shall return to you So the salutations of a good man, if they be not effectual to the parties, if they be unworthy, rebellious creatures, they return again to himself, they have effect one way or other. Let it not be done therefore with a taking the Name of God in vain in a scornful manner, but with gravity and reverence, as becometh a holy action. There is some limitation, and exception of this. Salutations in some cases may be omitted.

As in serious business, salute no man by the way, as Christ saith to his Apostles: A neglect sometimes is good manners, when respect is swallowed up in a greater duty. As it was good manners for David to Dance, and to carry himself (as it were) unseemly before the Ark: because he was to neglect respect to meaner persons, to forget the respect he was to show to men, being altogether taken up with higher matters, it was a kind of decency, and comliness. And overmuch scrupulousnesse and niceness in lesser things, when men are called to greater, is but unmannerly manners: in these cases, these lesser must give way and place to the greater; Salute no man by the way, dispatch the business you are about, that is, if it may be a hindrance in the way, salute not: this is in respect of time.

And as for time, so for persons: a notorious, incorrigible Heretic salute not: to salute such a one would be (as it were) a connivence, or an indulgence to him, salute him not. The denying of a Salutation many times hath the force of a censure: the party neglected may think there is somewhat in him for which he is neglected in that manner. In these cases salutations may be omitted sometimes: But I go unto the particulars.

These are the good things wished. We see the Apostle, a blessed man, that had been in the third heaven wrapped up, that had been taught of Christ, what things were most excellent, and had himself seen excellent things which he could not utter, when he comes to wishes, we see out of heavenly wisdom and experience he draws them to two heads, all good things to Grace and peace. If there had been better things to be wished, he would have wished them, but Grace and peace are the principal things.

Grace in this place, is the free favor and love of God from his own bowels, not for any desert, or worth, or strength of love of ours: it is his own free grace, and love, which is shed by the holy Ghost, and springs only from his own goodness and loving nature, and not from us at all; this is Grace: It must be distinguished from the fruits of it: as the Apostle doth distinguish them, Rom. 5. 15. Grace, and the gifts of grace. There is favor, and the gifts of favor, which is grace inherent in us. Here especially is meant the fountain and spring of all the favor of God with the manifestation of it, with the increase of it, with the continuance of it. He wisheth these things; the favor of God, with the manifestation of it, to their souls; that as God would be gracious to them; so that he would show his Grace, that he would discover it, and shine upon them: and to that end that he would give them his holy Spirit, to shed his love into their hearts. This shining of God into the heart, this shedding of the love of God into the heart, is the Grace here meant: God's favor with the manifestation of it to the soul, and with the continuance of it, and the increase of it still. Grace unto you. As if he should have said, I wish you the favor of God, and the report of it to your souls: that as he loves you, through his Christ; so he would witness as much by his holy Spirit to your souls. And I wish you likewise the continuance of it, and the increase of it, and the fruits of it likewise: for that must not be excluded, all particular graces, which are likewise called Graces. They have the name of favors, because they come from favor, and favor is the chief thing in them. What is the chief thing in joy, in faith, in love? they are graces: they cannot be considered as qualifications, as earthly things in us: they proceed from the grace and love of God, and have their especial value from thence. So I wish you the manifestation, the continuance and increase of favor, with all the fruits of God's favor, especially such as concern a better life. The word is easily understood, after the common sense, Grace is the loving and free respect of a superior to an inferior: the respect of a Magistrate to such as are under him: such a one is in grace with the Prince we say: we mean not any inherent thing: but free grace. So in Religion, it is not any inherent, habitual thing; Grace, but it is free favor, and whatsoever issues from free favor. This must be the rather observed, this phrase, against the Papists: we say, we are Justified by Grace, and so do they: what do they mean by being justified by Grace? that is, by inherent Grace; we say, No, we are justified by Grace, that is, by the free favor of God in Jesus Christ, so is the acception of the word.

But to come to the point, that which I will now note, is this, that

A Christian, though he be in the state of Grace and favor with God, yet still he needs the continuance of it. He stands in need of the continuance of God. St. Paul here prays for Grace, and peace to those that were in the state of Grace already. Why? The reason of it is, that we run into new breaches every day of ourselves: as long as there is a spring of corruption in us, a cursed issue of corruption, so long there will be some actions, and speeches and thoughts, that will issue, that would of themselves break our peace with God; or at least hinder the sweet sense of it: therefore we have continual occasion to renew our desires of the sense and feeling of the favor of God, and to renew our pardon every day, to take out a pardon of course, (as we have now the liberty to do, so oft as we confess our sins, he is merciful to forgive us) and to win his favor, we have need every day still, still of Grace. I list not to join in conflict here with the Papists concerning their opinion, I will but touch it by the way, to show the danger of it. They will not have all of mere Grace: but Christians are under Grace while they are in this World, as St. Paul saith, all is Grace, Grace still: nay, at the day of judgment, The Lord show mercy to the house of One siphorus at that day: at the day of judgment, Grace, and mercy, must be our plea, till we come to heaven. They stand upon Grace to enable us to the work, and then by the work we may merit our own salvation, and so they will not have it of Grace, of gift; but as a stipend a thing of merit. Directly contrary to St. Paul Rom. 6. ult. Eternal life is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , (the word comes of 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , of gift) The gift of God a free gift through Jesus Christ our Lord. So from the first Grace, to Eternal life, which is the complement of all, all is Grace.

As for the New Testament, it is the Covenant of Grace: the whole carriage of our salvation is called the Covenant of Grace: because, God, of Grace doth enter into Covenant with us. He sent Christ of Grace, who is the foundation of the Covenant. The fulfilling of it on our part, is of Grace; he gives us faith, Faith is the gift of God, he puts his fear in our hearts that we should not depart from him. And when he enters into Covenant with us, it is of Grace and love. It was of Grace that he sent Christ to be the foundation of the Covenant; that in the satisfying of his justice, he might be gracious to us, without disparagement to his justice. Of Grace he fulfils the condition on our part: we are no more able to believe, then we are to fulfil the law; but he enables us by his word and spirit, (attending upon the means of Salvation) to fulfil the Covenant. And when we have done all, he gives us of Grace, Eternal life, all is of Grace.

There is nothing in the Gospel but Grace; therefore in the Ephes. 1. it is stood upon by the Apostle, To the praise of the Glory of his rich Grace. From Election to Glorification, all is to the Glory of his Grace.

We ought to conceive of God as a Gracious Father, withholding his anger (which we deserve to be poured upon us) by the intercession of Christ, withholding that anger, and the fruits of it. And notwithstanding we are in Grace, if we neglect to seek to God the Father; if we neglect to seek to Christ, who makes intercession for us, then (though we be in the first Grace still, we are not east away yet) we are filii sub ira sons under wrath, we are under Anger, though not under hatred.

Therefore every day we should labor to maintain the Grace of God with the assurance of it. It is a great matter to carry our selves so, as we may be under the sense and feeling of the Grace of God. It is not sufficient to be in the Grace of God, but to have the report of it to our own hearts, to have it shine upon us.

How should we carry ourselves so, that we may be in state of Grace, that is, in such a state, as we may find the sweet evidence and comfortable feeling continually, that we are God's Children?

First of all, there must be a perpetual, daily practice of abasing ourselves, of making ourselves poor; that is, every day to see the vanity of all things in the world out of us; to see the weakness of Grace in us; to see the return of our corruptions that foil us every day; that so we may see in what need we stand of the favor of God: Considering that all comforts without are vanity, and that all the Graces in us are stained with corruption: considering, besides the stains of our Graces, that there is a continual issue of corruption: these things will make our spirits poor, and make us hunger and thirst after the sense and feeling of free pardon every day. This will enforce us to renew our patent, to renew our portion in the Covenant of Grace, to have daily pardon. This should be our daily practice to enter deeper, and deeper into ourselves.

This is to live by faith. As God is continually ready to show us favor in Christ, not only at the first in acquitting us from our sins; but continually doth show us favor upon all occasions, and is justifyng and pardoning, and speaking peace continually to us: so there must be an action answerable in us, that is depending upon God by faith; living by faith. This we do by seeing in what need we stand of Grace, God resists the proud, but gives Grace to the humble.

Then again, that we may walk in the grace of God, and in the sense of it: let us every day labor to have our souls more and more enriched with the endowments and graces of God's Spirit, that we may be objects of God's delight. Let us labor to be affected to things as he is affected, two cannot walk together except they be agreed. Let us hate that which God hates, and delight in that which God delights in, that we may have a kind of complacency, and be in love with the blessed work of the Spirit of God more and more: Let us labor to delight in them that grow in grace; as the nearer any one comes to our likeness, the more we grow in familiarity with them. Labor also to preserve a clear soul, that God may shine upon us. God delights not in strangeness to us, his desire is that we may walk in the sense and assurance of his grace and favor.

How shall we know that we are in state of Grace with God?

I Answer; (that we do not deceive ourselves) we must look to the work of God's grace: God's grace is a fruitful grace; his favor is fruitful; it is not a barren favor, it is not a Winter Sun. The Sun in the Winter, it carries a goodly countenance, but it heats not to any purpose, it doth not quicken: but God's grace, it carries life and heat where it comes: therefore if we be in state of grace and favor with God, we may discern it.

But in times of desertion, though a person be in grace and favor with God, yet many times he thinks he is not so.

It is true then we must not always go to our feeling at such times, and the enlargement of our hearts by the Spirit of comfort, but go to the work of grace: for where grace and favor is, there are the graces of the Spirit. As it is nor a bare favor in regard of comfort, so it is not a barren favor in regard of graces: for every heart that is in favor with God, hath some graces of the Spirit. God enriches the soul where he shows favor; his love-tokens are some graces; therefore if the witness, and comfort of the Spirit cease in case of desertion, let us go to the work of the Spirit, and by that we may know if we be in grace with God. For God's people are a peculiar people: and God's children have always some peculiar grace, some Ornaments, some Jewels the spouse of Christ hath, which others have not.

Therefore examine thy heart, what work of God there is, and what desire thou hast after better things, what inward hatred against that which is ill, what strength thou hast against it: go to some mark of Regeneration, of the new Creature, and these will evidence that we are in a state of grace with God, because these are peculiar favors. And though we feel not the comfort, yet there is a work, and that work will comfort us more then the comfort itself will do.

And this is one thing whereby we may know we are in favor with God; when we can comfort ourselves, and can go to the throne of grace through Christ, when we can go boldly to God, it is a sign of favor: when we can call upon him, when we can go in any desertion to prayer; when in any affliction we can have enlarged hearts, it is a sign of favor with God. A mere hypocrite, or a man that hath not this peculiar grace, he trusts to outward things, and when they are gone, when he is in trouble, he hath not the heart to go to God; his heart is shut up, he sinks down, because he, relied upon common matters: he did not rely upon the favor of God and the best fruit of it, which are graces, but upon common favors; therefore he sinks in despair.

But a sound Christian, take him at the worst, he can sigh to God, he can go to him, and open his soul to him: by Christ we have an entrance to the Father, Ephes 3. 12. We have boldness through faith. Every Christian hath this in the worst extremity, he hath a Spirit of prayer: though he cannot enlarge himself, yet he can sigh and groan to God, and God will hear the sighs of his own Spirit, they are loud in his ears. David, at the worst, he prays to God, Saul at the worst, he goes to the Witch, and from thence to his swords point. But usually, the usual temper and disposition of a man in the state of grace is joy: for as one saith, Grace is the begetter of joy, for they both have one root in the Greek Language, there is the same root for favor, and for joy: so favor is usually and ordinarily with a sweet enlargement of heart, we may thank ourselves else, that, do not walk so warily, and so jealously as we should.

The reward that God gives his Children that are careful, is a Spirit of joy, Rom. 5. 1. Being Justified by faith we have peace of God, and joy in tribulation. For even as it is in human matters, the favor and countenance of the King, it is as a shower of rain after a drought, it comforts his subjects: there is a wondrous joy in the favor, and grace of great persons always. And as the favorable aspect of the heavens upon inferior bodies▪ promiseth good things: and men promise themselves from that, favor and good: so the favor, and grace of God enlarge the soul with joy and comfort: And there is that measure of joy in those that are in the free favor of God, that they will honor God freely, to cast themselves upon his mercy.

And it is with a disesteem of all things in the World besides; it is such a joy as works in the soul a base esteem of all things else: St. Paul esteemed all dross, in comparison of the knowledge of Christ, and the favor of God in Christ. So in Psal. 4. David saith of some, There be many that will say, who will show us any good? any good, it is no matter: but saith the Holy Spirit in David, Lord lift up the light of thy countenance upon me: He goes to prayer, he saith not, who will show us any good? it is no matter what, or how we come by it, any earthly good worldly men desire: No, saith he, Lord show us the light of thy countenance, he desires that above all things. So he saith Psal. 3. The loving kindness of the Lord is better then life itself. Life is a sweet thing, the sweetest thing in the World, but the grace and favor of God is better then that: For in this when all comforts fail, the Children of God have assurance, that neither life, nor death, nor things present, nor things to come, nor anything can separate us from the love of God in Christ, which shows itself better then life itself. When life fails, this favor shall never fail, Nothing shall be able to separate us from the favor of God in Christ; it is an everlasting favor, and therefore everlasting because it is free: if it were Originally in us, it would fail when we fail: but it is an everlasting favor, because it is free, God hath founded the cause of love to us in himself: so much for that; Grace be unto you.

All that I will say of peace in this place is this, to show, That True peace issues from Grace.

It is to be had thence. Peace, we take here for that sweet peace with God and peace of conscience, and likewise peace with all things; when all things are peaceable to us: when there is a sweet success in all business, with a security in a good estate. It is a blessed thing when we know that all will be well with us. This quiet and peaceable estate issues from grace, peace of conscience especially; I observe it the rather: It hath been the error of the world to seek peace where it is not, to seek peace in Sanctification: to seek it in the work of Grace within a man. Not to speak of worldly men, that seek peace in outward contentments, in recreations, in friends, and the like; alas it is a poor peace; But I speak of Religious persons that are of a higher strain, they have sought peace, but not high enough. True peace must be selected from Grace: the free favor in Christ. This will quiet and still the clamours of an accusing conscience. God reconciled in Christ will pacify the conscience, nothing else will do it. For if our chief peace were fetched from sanctification; (as many fetch it thence in error of judgment) alas the conscience would be dismayed, and always doubt whether it had sanctification enough or no. Indeed sanctication and grace within is required as a qualification, to show that we are not Hypocrites, but are in the state and covenant of Grace; it is not required as a foundation of comfort, but as a qualification of the persons to whom comfort belongs. Therefore David, and St. Paul, and the rest that knew the true power and efficacy of the Gospel, they sought for peace in the grace and free favor of God.

Let us lay it up, to put it in practice in the time of dissolution, in the time of spiritual conflict, in the time when our consciences shall be awakened (and perhaps upon the rack,) and Satan will be busy to trouble our peace; that we may shut our eyes to all things below, and see God shining on in Christ; that we may see the favor of God in Christ, by whose death and passion he is reconciled to us, and in the Grace and free favor of God in Ghrist we shall see peace enough.

It is true likewise (besides peace of conscience) of all other peace, peace of success, and peace of state; that all creatures, and all conditions are peaceable to us, whence is it? It is from Grace: for God being reconciled, he reconciles all; when God himself is ours, all is ours, when he is turned, all is turned with him; when he becomes our father in Christ, and is at peace with us, all are at peace besides: so that all conditions, all estates, all creatures, they work for our good. It is from hence, when God is turned, all are turned with him. He being the God of the creature, that sustains and upholds the creature, in whom the creature hath his being and working: he must needs therefore turn it for the good of them that are in covenant with him. All that are joined in covenant with him he fills them with peace: because they are in Grace with him.

This should stir up our hearts, above all things in the world to pray for Grace, to get Grace, to empty ourselves of self-confidence, that we may be vessels for Grace: to make Grace our plea, to magnify the Grace of God.

We must never look in this world for a peace altogether absolute, that is reserved for heaven, our peace here is a troubled peace; God will have a distinction between heaven and earth. But when our peace is interrupted, when the waters are come into our souls, what must be our course? when we would have peace, go to Grace, go to the free promise of Grace in Christ. Grace and Peace.

The spring of Grace and peace are here mentioned.

After the Preface he comes to the Argument which he intends, and begins with blessing.

One part of the scope of this blessed Apostle is, to avoid the scandal of his sufferings; for, he was a man of sorrows, if ever man was (next Christ, who was a true man of sorrow) the blessed Apostle was a man of miseries and sorrow. Now, weak shallow Christians thought him to be a man diserted of God, they thought it was impossible for God to regard a man so forlorn, so despicable as this man was: What doth he? before he comes to other matters, he wipes away this imputation, and cleers this scandal; You lay my crosses and sufferings, and disgraces in the world to my shame, it is your weakness, that which you account my shame, is a matter of praise. I am so far from being disheartened or discouraged from what I suffer, that,

That which to the flesh is matter of scandal and offense, that to the spirit, and to a spiritual man is matter of glory, so contrary is the flesh and the Spirit, and so opposite is the disposition, and the current of the fleshly man to the spiritual man. Job was so far from cursing God for taking away, that he saith, Blessed be the name of God, not only for giving, but for taking away too.

What ground there is in troubles and persecutions to bless God, we shall see in the current and passages of the Chapter.

To come then to the very verse it self, where there is a blessing and praising of God first: And in this praising consider

The

• Act
• Object.
• Reasons.

The Act, Blessed be God, which is a praising.

The Object is God the Father,

The Reasons are inwrapped in the Object, Blessed be God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ: because he is the God and Father of Jesus Christ, therefore blessed be he.

Secondly, another reason is, because he is the Father of mercies.

Another reason is, from the Act of this disposition of mercy in God, he is the God of all comfort, and as he is comfortable, so he doth comfort, Thou art good and doest good, saith the Psalmist: thou art a God of comfort, and thou doest comfort; For, as he is, so he doth, he shows his Nature in his working. Blessed be God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and God of comfort, of which I shall speak when I come to them.

We see here the heart of the blessed Apostle being warmed with the sense and taste of the sweet mercy of God, stirs up his tongue to bless God; a full heart and a full tongue. We have here the exuberancie, the abundance of his thankfulness, breaking forth in his speech, his heart had first tasted of the sweet mercies, and comforts of God before he praiseth God: The first thing that we will observe hence is, that,

It is the disposition of God's Children (after they have tasted the sweet mercy and comfort and love of God) to break forth into the praising of God and to thanksgiving.

It is as natural for the new creature to do so, as for the birds to sing in the Spring; when the Sun hath warmed the poor creature, it shows its thankfulness in singing; and that little blood and spirits that it hath, being warmed after winter, it is natural for those creatures so to do, and we delight in them.

It is as natural for the new creature (when it feels the Sun of righteousness warming the soul, when it tastes of the mercy of God in Christ) to show forth itself in thankfulness and praise: and it can no more be kept from it, then fire can keep from burning, or water from cooling: it is the nature of the new creature so to do.

The reason is, every creature must do the the work for which God hath enabled it, to the which God hath framed it: the happiness of the creature is in well doing, in working according to its nature; the heathen could see that. Now all the creatures; the new creature especially is for the glory of God in Christ Jesus. All the new creature, and what privileges it hath, and what graces it hath, all is that God may have the glory of grace: why then, it must needs work answerable to that which God hath created it for; therefore it must show forth the praise and glory of God. Blessed be God, saith the Apostle Ephes. 1. And the blessed Apostle St. Peter begins his Epistle, Blessed be the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ; who hath begotten us to an Inheritance Immortal and undefiled, which fadeth not away, reserved for us in Heaven.

I shall not need to set down with the exposition of the word (Blessed). How God blesseth us, and how we bless God. His blessing is a conferring of blessing; our blessing is a declaring of his goodness: it is a thing well enough known. Our blessing of God, is a praising of God, a setting out what is in him.

Only, one thing is to be cleared. What good can we do to God in blessing of him? he is blessed, though we bless him not; and he is praised whether we praise him or no: he had Glory enough before he made the world, he contented himself in the Trinity, the blessed Trinity in itself, before there were either Angels, or men or other creatures to bless him; and now he can be blessed enough, though we do not bless him.

It is true, he can be so; and he can have heaven, though thou hast it not but be a damned creature, and he will be blessed whether thou bless him or no.

Our blessing of him is required as a duty to make us more capable of his graces, to him that hath shall be given. To him that hath, (and useth that he hath to the Glory of God) shall be given more: we give nothing.

The stream gives nothing to the fountain; the beam gives nothing to the Sun, for it issues from the Sun; our very blessing of God is a blessing of his.

It is from his Grace that we can praise his Grace; and we run still into a new debt, when we have hearts enlarged to bless him.

We ought to have our hearts more enlarged, that we can be enlarged to praise God.

And to others it is good; for others are stirred up by it: God's goodness and mercy is enlarged in regard of the manifestation of it to others, by our blessing of God.

Yea, this good comes to our souls, besides the increase of Grace, we shall find an increase of joy and comfort; that is one end why God requires it of us, though he himself in his essence be always alike blessed, yet he requires that we should be thankful to him always, that we should bless and praise him even in misery and affliction: & why then? because if we can work upon our hearts a disposition to see God's love, and to praise and bless him, we can never be uncomfortable; we have some comfort against all estates and conditions, by studying to praise God, by working of our hearts to a disposition to praise and bless God; for then crosses are light, crosses are no crosses then: That is the reason that the Apostles and Holy men so stirred up their hearts to praise and thanksgiving, that they might feel their crosses the less, that they might be less sensible of their discomforts; for undoubtedly when we search for matter of praising God in any afliction, and when we see there is some mercy yet reserved, that we are not consumed; the consideration that there is always some mercy, that we are yet unthankful for, will enlarge our hearts, and God when he hath thanks and praise from us, he gives us still more matter of thankfulness, and the more we thank him and praise him, the more we have matter of praise.

This being a truth, that God's Children, when they have tasted of his mercy, break forth into his praise, it being the end of his favors, and nature being inclined thereto; this should stir us up to this duty, and that we may the better perform this holy duty, let us take notice of all God's favors and blessings: Knowledge stirs up the affections, blessing of God springs immediately from an enlarged heart, but enlargement of heart is stirred up from apprehension: for as things are reported to the knowledge, so the understanding reports them to the heart and affections Therefore it is a duty that we ought to take notice of God's favors, and with taking notice of them.

To mind them, to remember them, forget not all his benefits, Psal. 103. Praise the Lord O my soul, and forget not all his benefits; insinuating that the cause why we praise not God is the forgetting of his benefits.

Let us take notice of them, let us register them, let us mind them, let us keep diaries of his mercies and favors every day; he renews his mercies and favors every day, and we ought to renew our blessing of him every day, we should labor to do here, as we shall do when we are in heaven, where we shall do nothing else but praise and bless him; we ought to be in Heaven, while we are on the earth, as much as we may; let us register his favors and mercies.

But what favors?

Especially spiritual, nay, first spiritual favors, without which we cannot heartily give thanks for any outward thing; for the soul will cast with itself, till it feel it self in Covenant with God in Christ, that a man is the Child of God.

Indeed I have many mercies and favors, God is good to me; but perhaps all these are but favors of the Traitor in the prison that hath the liberty of the Tower, and all things that his heart can desire; but then he looks for an execution, he looks for a writ to draw him forth to make him a spectacle to all; and so this trembling for fear of a future ill which the soul looks for, it keeps the soul from thankfulness. It cannot be heartily thankful for any mercy, till it can be thankful for spiritual favors.

Therefore first let us see that our state be good, that we are in Christ, that we are in the covenant of Grace, that though we are weak Christians, yet we are true, there is truth in Grace wrought in us. And then when we have tasted the best mercies, spiritual mercies, when we see we are taken out of the state of nature (for then all is in love to us) when we have the first mercy, pardoning mercy, that our sins are forgiven in Christ, then the other are mercies indeed to us, not as favors to a condemned man.

And that is the reason that a carnal man, he hath his heart shut, he cannot praise God, he cannot trust in God: because he staggers in his estate, because he is not assured: he thinks, it may be God fattens me against the day of slaughter. Therefore I know not whether I should praise him for this or no. But he is deceived in that: for if he had his heart enlarged to bless God for that, God would show further favor still; but the heart will not yield hearty praise to God, till it be persuaded of God's love. For all our love is by reflection. We love him, because he loved us first, and we praise and bless him, because he hath blest us first in heavenly blessings in Christ.

Let us take notice of his favors, let us mind them: let us register them, especially favors and mercies in Christ. Let us after think how we were pulled out of the cursed estate of nature, by what ministry, by what acquaintance, by what speech, and how God hath followed that mercy with new acquaintance, with new comfort to our souls, with new refreshings: that by his spirit he hath repressed our corruptions, that he hath sanctified us, made us more humble, more careful, that he hath made us more jealous, more watchful: these mercies, and favors, will make others sweet unto us.

And then learn to prize and value the mercies of God, which will not be unless we compare them with our own unworthiness: lay his mercies together with our own unworthiness, and it will make us break forth into blessing of God. When we consider what we are ourselves, as Jacob said, less than the least of God's mercies.

We forget God's mercies every day, he strives with our unthankfulness: the comparing of his mercies with our unworthiness and our desert on the contrary, will make us to bless God for his goodness and patience, that he will not only be good to us, in not inflicting that which our sins have deserved; Blessed be God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

And (to name no more bút this one) above all, beg of God his holy spirit: for this Blessing of God is nothing else, but a vent from the spirit. For as Organs and wind Instruments do never sound except they be blown, they are dead and make no music till there be breath put into them: so we are dead and dull instruments; therefore it is said, we are filled with the Holy Ghost. All God's children they are filled with the spirit before they can praise God: the spirit stirs them up to praise him, and as it gives them matter to praise him; for, so it gives the Sacrifice of praise itself. God gives to his children, both the benefits to bless him for, and he gives the blessing of a heart to bless him. And we must beg both of God: beg a heart able to discern spiritual favors, to taste and relish them, and to see our own unworthiness of them, and beg of God his holy spirit to awaken, and quicken, and enlarge our dead and dull hearts to praise his name.

Let us stir up our hearts to it, stir up the spirit of God in us everyone that hath the spirit of God, should labor to stir up the spirit, as St. Paul writes to Timothy, and as David stirs up himself, Praise the Lord O my soul, and all that is within me praise his holy name; so we should raise up ourselves, and stir up ourselves to this duty.

And shame ourselves; what, hath God freed me from so great misery? and hath he advanced me to so happy an estate in this world? doth he put me in so certain a hope of glory in the world to come? have I a certain promise to be carried to salvation? that neither things present nor things to come shall be able to separate me from the love of God in Christ Jesus? doth he renew his mercies every day upon me? and can I be thus dead, can I be thus dull-hearted? Let us shame ourselves. And certainly if a man were to teach a Child of God a ground of humiliation: if a Child of God that is in the state of grace should ask how he might grow humble and be abased more and more, a man could give no one direction better then this, to consider how God hath been good continually; how he hath been patient and good, and upon what ground we hope that he will be so: and to consider the disposition of our own drooping, drowsy souls: if this will not abase a soul that hath tasted the love and mercy of God, nothing in the world will do it. There never was a Child of God of a dull temper and disposition, but he was ashamed, that being under such a covenant of favor, that he should yet not have a heart more enlarged to bless God.

To stir us up to this duty, for arguments to persuade us, what need we use many? It should be our duty in this world to be as much in heaven and heavenly employment. Our conversation is in heaven (saith the Apostle) How can we be in heaven more then by practicing of that which the Saints and Angels, and the Cherubims, and Seraphim spend all their strength in there? How do they spend all that blessed strength with cheerfulness and joy, that are in that place of joy? How do they spend it, but in setting forth the praise of God, the wonderful goodness of God that hath brought them to that happiness? Certainly that which we shall do forever in heaven, we ought to do as much as we may do on earth. And it is (as I said before) in all aflictions and troubles, the only special way to mitigate them, to work our hearts to thankfulness for mercies and favors that we enjoy. We have cause indeed at the first to be abased and humbled; but we have more cause to rejoice, in working our hearts to comfort in blessing of God, it will ease the cross, any cross whatsoever. I will not dwell further upon the point, I shall have occasion oft to digress upon this duty.

The Object of praise here, is God, clothed with a comfortable description; not God simply, for alas we have no hearts to praise God, take God only armed with justice, clothed with Majesty. Consider God thus, indeed he deserves glory and praise, but the guilty soul will not praise him thus considered, and abstracted from mercy and goodness, and love, therefore saith he, Blessed be God God how considered, Blessed be God.

First, he is father of Christ, and then Father of mercies, and God of comfort. God, so considered, be blessed.

And only God, this sacrifice, this perfume, this incense it must not be misspent upon any creature, we have all of his grace, and we should return all to his glory, that is a duty. But consider him as he is described here, first the father of Christ, and then the father of mercies, and God of all comfort. And it is not to be omitted, thar first he begins with this.

Not the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ only as he is God, but the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ as he is man: for God being the Father of whole Christ, being father of the person, he is father of the manhood, taken into unity with that person; so he is Father both of God and Man, they cannot be dividedin Christ, he being the Father of whole Christ, he is the Father God and Man. And he is first the Father of Christ, and then the Father of us, and the Father of mercies; for alas, unless he had been the Father of Christ, God and Man, Mediator, he could never have been the Father of such cursed creatures as we are: but because he is the Father of Christ, of that blessed manhood, which Christ hath taken into Unity of person with the God-head, therefore he is the Father of us, who by Union are one with Christ.

The point then is, that,

Here is the reason of blessing and praising him, in this, that he is the Father of Jesus Christ, for thence he comes to be our Father; it is a point that we think not oft enough on, but it is the ground of all comfort, for we have all at the second hand, Christ hath all first, and we have all from him: He is the first Son, and we are sons, he is the first beloved of God, and we are beloved in him; he is filled first with all grace, and we are filled from him, of his fullness we receive Grace for Grace: he was first acquitted of our sins, as our surety, and then we are justified, because he was justified from our sins, being our surety, he is ascended into Heaven, we shall ascend; he sits at the right hand of God, and we sit with him in heavenly places; he judgeth, we shall judge him; whatsoever we do, Christ doth it first, we have it in Christ, and through Christ, and from Christ, he is the Father of Christ, and our Father.

Therefore we ought to bless God for Christ, that he would predestinate Christ to be our head, to be our Savior; that he would take the human nature of Christ, and make it one person with his Divine nature, and so predestinate us, and elect, and choose us to salvation in him, blessed be God that he would be the Father of Jesus Christ.

And as this should stir us up to bless God for Jesus Christ; so likewise it should direct us to comfortable meditations, to see our Nature in Christ first, and then in ourselves: See thy Nature abased in Christ, see thy Nature glorified in Christ, see thy Nature filled with all grace in Christ, and see this, that thou art knit to that Nature, thou art flesh of Christ's flesh, and bone of his bone, and thou shalt be so as he is. In that Christ's nature was first abased, and then glorified; this nature shall first be abased to death and dust, and then be glorified. Christ died, and rose again, thou art predestinated to be conformable to Christ; for as his flesh was first humbled and then glorious, so thine must be first humble, and then glorious. His flesh was holy, humble, and glorious, and so must ours be: whatsoever we look for (in ourselves) that is good, we must see it in Christ first.

Aud when we hear in the Gospel, in the Articles of the Creed, of Christ crucified, of Christ dying, of Christ rising, ascending, and sitting at the right hand of God: let us see ourselves in him, see ourselves dying in him, and rising in him, and sitting at the right hand of God. For the same God that raised Christ natural, will raise Christ mystical, he will raise whole Christ: for he is not glorified by pieces; as whole Christ natural, in his body and members was raised, so shall whole Christ mystical be. Therefore in every Article of the Creed bless God, bless God forabasing of Christ: bless God for raising him up, bless God for raising us up: Blessed be God who hath raised us up to an immortal hope, by the Reserrection of Christ, saith St. Peter: bless God for the ascension of Christ, that our Head is in heaven. Let us bless God, not for personal favors only, but go to the spring: bless God for showing it to Christ, and to us in him.

This point the Apostle had learned well: therefore he begins with praise, Blessed be God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. If the Virgin Mary thought herself blessed, and all Generations should call her Blessed, for bearing our Savior in her Womb, and so being his Mother; then all Generations must needs do this duty to call God blessed, because he is the Father of Christ. So God the Father is to be blessed as the spring of favors: for he gave Christ. All Generations call the Virgin Mary blessed, because she was the Mother of Christ: but that was in a lower degree, then God was his Father. This point ought to take up our meditations; to think we have all in Christ first; to think of ourselves in Christ, it is comfortable; and Christ shall have more glory by it; God the Father and the Son shall have glory by it, and we shall have comfort.

The second consideration of God is, not only as he is the Father of Christ; but as he is,

God is the Father of Christ, and our Father, and the Father of mercies, but as I said before in this method, he is first the Father of Christ, and then our Father, and then the Father of mercies. For he could never be the Father of mercies to us, except he were the Father of Christ: For mercy must see justice contented, one attribute in God must not devour another; all must have satisfaction, his Justice must have no wrong: nor it hath not now, it is fully satisfied by Christ.

Therefore God is the Father of Christ, that Christ in our nature might die for us, and so he might be our Father notwithstanding our sins, having punished our sins in our surety Christ. So being the Father of Christ, and our Father, he is the Father of mercies, his justice hath no loss by it.

If God had not found out a way out of the bowels of his mercy, how he might show good to us, by reconciling mercy and justice in the Mediator Christ, in punishing him for our sins, to let us free, he had never been a Father of mercy, if he had not been the Father of Christ first; for we being in such contrary terms as God and we were, he being holiness, and we nothing but a mass of sin and corruption: without sufficient satisfaction of an infinite person there could be no reconciliation: therefore he is the Father of Christ who died for us, he took our nature upon him to satisfy God's justice; and then Father of us, and so Father of mercy to us.

He may well be the Father of mercies now, being the Father of Christ; of our nature in Christ: for (as I said) he is the Father of Christ as man, as well as he is God: being the Father of our nature, being taken into the unity with his own Sons Nature (for both make one Christ,) he becomes the Father of mercies; he is a Father to him by nature; to us by Grace and Adoption; The Father of Christ, and Father of mercies. It is a necessary method; for God out of Christ is a fountain indeed, but he is a 〈◊〉 sealed up, he is a God Merciful and Gracious in his own nature, but there is sin that stops the fountain, that stops the current of the mercy: there must be therefore satifaction to his justice, and wrath, before there can be reconciliation, before there can any mercy flow from him. He is first the Father of Christ, and then the Father of mercies: we have all from Christ. If he were not the Father of Christ, he should be the Father of nobody; for immediately no man is able to appear before God without a mediator.

By Father (which is a kind of Hebraism,) is meant, he is the Original, the spring of mercies: he is the Father of mercies. He doth not say the Father of one mercy, but the Father of mercies. His mercy is one, it is his Nature, it is Himself, as he is one, so mercy in him is one: it is one in the fountain, but many in the streams: it is one in him, one nature, and one mercy: but because we have not one sin, but many sins, we have not one misery, but many, that lies upon this frail nature of ours: therefore according to the exigencies of us wretched Creatures, according to our sins and miseries, his mercies stream out, they are derived and run out to all kind of sin and misery whatsoever.

The Father of mercies: If all mercies were lost, they must be found in him, he is the Father of mercies; they are his bowels (as it were) and mercy pleaseth him as a man is pleased with his own natural Child The Father of mercies, he doth not say the Author of mercies, but the Father of them: he gives them the sweetest name that can be: he doth not say the Father of revenge, or of judgment (though he be the father of them too): but to his Children the father of mercies: A sweet name under which none should despair.

But to show some reasons, why he is so styled. There is good reason, being the Father of Christ, his justice being fully contented, sin being taken away that stopped the current of his mercies, he being naturally merciful, his mercies run freely: Father of Christ, and Father of mercies; it follows well, he is the father of mercies, because he is the Father of Christ, and because his justice is satisfied in him, and he being naturally merciful, what hinders but that mercy may run amain, freely, and abundantly upon those that are in covenant with him in Christ, that are members of Christ: that is one reason, because his justice is satisfied.

And because he is naturally merciful, therefore he is the Father of mercies. The Sea doth not more naturally flow, and is moist, and the Sun doth not more naturally shine, the fire doth not more naturally burn, heavy bodies do not more naturally sink to the center, then God doth naturally show pity and mercy where his justice is satisfied: for it is his nature, it is himself.

The Apostle doth not name other attributes; for alas, other attributes would scare us: As for example, if the guilty conscience consider him as a God of justice, it will reason thus: what is this to me? I am a sinner, and he will be just in punishing: if he consider he is a God of Wisdom, the conscience considers, he is the more wise to find out my windings, and turnings from him, and my covering of my sins; he is the more wise to find me out in my courses, and to shame me: he doth not say, he is a God of power, the Father of Power; the guilty conscience then would reason, he is the more able to crush me, and to send me to hell.

Indeed there is no attribute of God, but it is matter of terror, being secluded from mercy; but considering, God the Father of mercies, then we may consider sweetly and comfortably of all other attributes: He is merciful and good to me; therefore his wisdom that shall serve to do me good, to devise good things for me, his power shall serve to free me from mine enemies, his Justice to revenge my quarrel, and so all other attributes, shall be serviceable to my comfort: they may be thought upon sweetly, where mercy is laid claim unto before: Therefore here he is called the Father of mercy, and not the Father of other attributes.

To unfold the word a little (mercy) is here, the same with grace to a person in misery: Mercy is but free favor shown to a miserable person: Grace shows the freeness of it, and mercy shows the state of the person to whom it is shown: always where mercy is, either there is present or else possible misery.

There was mercy shown to Angels that stood, to free them, to give them grace to stand; they might have fallen as the Devils did when they were Angels; none are the Subjects of mercy, but such as either are in misery, or are possible to fall into misery: now when God keeps and upholds the creature from falling into that which he is subject to fall into, he being a creature taken out of nothing, and therefore subject to fall to nothing without assistance, to hold him from that whereto he would fall without being upheld; this makes him the Object of mercy, whatsoever the misery be spiritual or outward.

Thus God is the Father of mercy, he upholds his Children from that which else they would fall into continually, He is the Father of mercy, before conversion, offering and enjoining mercy to them, that as they will be good to their souls, they would receive mercy. He joins his glory and his mercy together, that he will be glorified in showing mercy, and he presseth it upon us. What a mercy is this, that he should press mercy upon us for our own good? Why will ye die, O House of Israel. And Come unto me all ye that are weary and heavy laden, there is mercy before conversion; and there is mercy in prolonging his wrath, in not punishing, and there is mercy in pardoning sin freely, in pardoning all sin, the punishment and the guilt, and all: and when we are in the state of Grace, and have our sins pardoned, still it is his mercy to forbear the punishments due to us: in mitigating his corrections, and in seasonable corrections: for it is a mercy for God to correct his Children seasonably: Therefore we are corrected of God, that we should not be damned with the world.

It is a mercy to have seasonable correction; it is a mercy to have correction mitigated, and sweetened with some comforts: It is a mercy after we are in the state of Grace (besides this) to have the continuance of outword blessings.

God renews his mercies every day, His mercies fail not, Lament. 3. 22. his mercies are renewed continually upon us.

So he is father of all kind of mercies; privative mercies, in freeing us from ill, and positive mercies, in bestowing good, pardoning mercies, healing mercies, preserving mercies, all mercies come from this Father of mercy.

I will not stand to unfold them in particular; for indeed everything that comes from God to his children, it is a mercy, it is as it were dipt in mercy before it comes to us: it is a mercy, that is, there is a freedom in it, and a pity to his creature: For the creature is always in some necessity, and in some dependence: we are in a state of necessities in this life, in some misery or other, and that (as I said) is the object of mercy.

Besides, we are dependant for the good we have; it is at God's mercy to continue or to take away any comfort that he gives us, everything is a mercy. And in everything we take from God, we ought to conceive a mercy in it, and to think this is a mercy from God, if we have health, it is a mercy, if we have strength, it is a mercy, if we have deliverance, it is a mercy: it comes in the respect and relation of a mercy all that comes from God. He is not said to be the father of the thing: but the Father of mercies, there is a mercy contained in the thing, they come from the pity and love of God, and that is the sweetest: therefore he is said to be the Father of mercies.

What use may we make of this, that God is the Father of Mercies?

It is a point full of sweet and comfortable uses, to those that are not in the state of grace, and to those that are in the state of grace.

To those that are not in the state of grace, they should see here a haven to fly to, a City of refuge, to fly unto: do but consider thou wretched soul, how God is styled a Father of mercies to thee, a God of bounty: all is to allure thee to repentance, to allure thee to come in. He is not merciful by accident, but he is naturally merciful in himself, he hath bowels of mercy in himself, Mercy pleaseth him, Micah 7.

Therefore despair not thou drooping soul, whosoever thou art that art under the guilt of sin, come to the Father of mercies, cast thyself into this Sea of his mercy, hide thyself in these bowels, be not an enemy to thine own mercy, as Jonah saith, refufe not thy own mercy that is offered. There is mercy pressed upon thee, mercy with threatening if thou believe not mercy, now thou art called to receive it. The wrath of God hangs over thee as a weight, or as a sword ready to fall upon thee. As Christ saith Joh. 3. The wrath of God hangs over us, if we do not receive mercy offered us.

Alledge not thy sins against mercy: thy sins are the sins of a creature, God is the Father of mercies, he is infinite: Christ thy Savior hath made an infinite satisfaction, and thy sins are finite, and in that respect there is mercy for thee if thou wilt come in, if thou apprehend, and receive mercy.

One deep calls upon another deep, the depth of thy sins and misery, draws unto it, and calls upon the depth of mercy. The mercy of God is above all his works, Psal. 147. It is not only above all his works to cover them all, and under them to uphold them; but it is beyond them all, his mercy exceeds all other attributes to the creature. It is above his works, and upon his works, and under his works, and it is above thy works too. He is more glorious in his mercy then in any other attribute: he doth all for the glory of his mercy, both in the Creation, and in the Gospel: his mercy therefore is above his own works, and above thy works if thou come in.

Oil is of a Kingly nature, it swims above all other liquors: so the mercy of God, like oil it swims above all other attributes in him, and above all sin in thee, if thou wilt receive it.

In a corrupt estate the special mercy is forgiving mercy; if it were not for forgiving mercies, all other gifts and mercies were to little purpose: for it were but a reserving of us to eternal Judgment, but a feeding the Traitor to the day of Execution, a giving him the liberty of the priison, which is nothing unless his Treason be pardoned; so the forgiving mercy leads to all the rest. Now these forgiving mercies, they are unlimited mercies, there is no bounds of them: for he being the Father of Christ, who is an infinite person, and having received an infinite satisfaction from an infinite Person, he may well be infinitely merciful: and himself is an infinite God, his mercies are like himself, the satisfaction whereby he may be merciful is infinite: hereupon it is that he may pardon, and will pardon all sin without limitation, if they be never so great, never so many.

This I observe the rather, to appease the conscience of a sinner when it is suppressed with terror, and fear of the greatness of his sins. Consider how God hath set down himself, and will be known and apprehended of us, not only as merciful, but a Father of mercies, and not of one mercy, but of all mercies, not only giving, but forgiving especially, Which forgiveth all thy sins, and healeth all thy infirmities, Psal. 103. This I observe against a proneness in us to despair: we are not now proner in the time of peace to presume, then when conscience is awakened to despair, we are prone to both alike: For here is the poison of man's corruption. Is God so merciful? surely, I may go on in sin, and cry God mercy, and there is an end: God is merciful, nay, the Father of mercies.

Now in the time of peace, sin is nothing with us, swearing is nothing, rotten discourse is nothing, going beyond others in our dealing and commerce is nothing, getting an estate by fraud and deceit is nothing: The bread of deceit is sweet; loose, licentious, libertine life is nothing: and those that do not follow the same excess, and are dissolute, it is a strange matter with us, they are strange people; we think it strange that others do not so, and if they be better then we, it is but hypocrisy: men measure all by themselves, so all is nothing. Great, gross swearing is nothing, men glory in it, and to make scruple of it; it is thus and thus: they have terms for it. And what is the bawde for all this? Oh! God is merciful, and Christ he is wondrous merciful, he took our nature that he might die for us, &c.

It is true indeed; but when the conscience is awakened, then the conscience will tell thee another lesson, the conscience will set God as just, and Satan will help conscience, with accusations and aggravations: it is true, it is too true, the conscience will take part with God, and with his word: it is true thou hast done thus, and thus, these are thy sins, and God is just.

And especially at the hour of death, when earthly comforts fail, and there is nothing but sin set before a man's eyes (the comforts that are set before him, can do him no good) then the conscience will hardly receive any comfort: especially the conscienconsciences of such as have gone on in a course of sin, in spite of good means: a conscience of such a man as either refuseth or rejects the means, because it would favor itself in sin; or a conscience that being under means, having had it sins discovered to it, that conscience will hardly admit of any comfort. And there is none, but they find it another manner of matter then they think it. Sin is a blacker thing then they imagine, their oaths that they trifle with, and their dissolute, and their rotten discourse (when they should be better affected) upon the Sabbath, and such like: therefore we ought to look to it.

Well; to press this point of presumption a little further now I am in it. We are wondrous prone to abuse this mercy to presumption, and after to despair.

I consider this before hand, that however God's mercy be unlimited, as indeed it is in itself; it is so unlimited to those that repent, and to those that receive and embrace mercy, and mercy in one kind as well as another; it is so to those that repent of their sins; for God is so the Father of Mercy, as that He is the God of Vengeance too, he is a just God too.

The conscience will tell you this well enough, when the outward comforts (that now you dally with, and set as God's in the room of God, and drown yourselves in sensuality, and Idolatry, with the creature, and put them in the place of God, when they are taken away, conscience will tell you, that God is merciful indeed; but he is just to such that refuse mercies.

Therefore though his mercy be unlimited to such as are broken hearted, to such as repent of their sins: (for he will glorify his Mercy, as he may glorify his other attributs) he is wisely merciful: if he should be merciful to such as go on in sin, he should not be wisely merciful.

Who, among men, if he be wise would be merciful to a Child, or Servant without acknowledgement of the fault?

Was not David over merciful to Absalom? Yes, it was his fault: yet out of wisdom, he would not admit him into his presence, till he was humbled for his fault, and made intercession, though he doted upon him. God is infinitely wise, as he is Merciful: therefore He will not be Merciful to him that goes on in wickedness and sin. This cannot be too often pressed: for the most of the auditors wheresoever we speak, the Devil hath them in this snare, that God is merciful &c. and doth he not know how to use it? He is so indeed, but it is to repentant souls, that mean to break off their course of sin.

Otherwise, if the Mercy of God work the other way, hearken to thy doom, He that blesseth himself (saith God,) by Moses Denteronomy 29. 16 & saith, these curses shall not come to me: he that blesseth himself and saith: Oh, all shall be well, God is Merciful &c. My wrath shall smoke against him, and I will not be merciful to him, that goes on in his sins. God will wound the hairy scalp of him that goes on in Sin. As the Apostle saith Romans 2. he that abuseth the bounty and patience of God, that should lead him to repentance, he treasureth up wrath against the day of wrath. The Scripture is never in any case more terrible then this way. In Isaiah 28. you have made a covenant with hell and death, with God's judgments: but hell, and death hath not made a covenant with you. You make a covenant, & think you shall do well, but God is terrible to such, his wrath shall smoke against such as make a covenant with his judgments, and treasure up wrath against the day of wrath.

Take heed, if the proclamation of mercy, call thee not in: if thou stand out as a Rebell, and come not in, but go on still: then justice lays hold on thee: God's wrath shall smoke against thee. As we see in Prov. 1. I will laugh at your destruction, speaking of those that would not come in, Chidas, it is in Isaiah. 27. 11. He that formed them and made them will have no mercy on them, nor show them favor. He will have no delight in them. They are Ignorant sotts, and will not labor to know God, and his will, to do, and obey it: he that made them will have no delight in them, and he that formed them will reject them. It is a pitiful thing, when God that made them, and formed them in their mothers womb; whose creatures they are, shall have no delight in them, when he that made them, his heart shall not pity them Ezek. 18. 18. he that goes on in a course of sin presumptuously, and doth not repent, God's eye shall not pity him, he that made him will have no delight in him.

Therefore the Apostle, because we are disposed, and prone, to abuse the goodness and long suffering of God, and the mercies of Christ, he saith, Be not deceived, be not deceived, (he oft presseth this) for neither the covetous, nor licentious persons shall enter into heaven.

Though God be merciful; if thou live in these sins, be not deceived, thou shalt never enter into heaven. God will not be merciful to the most of those that even now live in the bosom of the Church; because they make mercy a band to their sinful courses, God will harden himself; he will not bless such: he hath no mercy for such, to such he is a God of vengeance.

His mercy is to such as are weary of their sinful courses: (as I said) he is merciful; but so, as he is wise.

What Prince will prostitute a pardon to one that is a Rebell, and yet thinks himself a good Subject all the while? he is no Rebell, cares he for a pardon? And shall he have a pardon, when he cares not for it? Those that are not humbled in the sight and sense of their sins, that think themselves in a good estate, they are Rebells, that have not sued out their pardon, there is no mercy to them yet, He that made them will not pity them, because they are Ignorant hardened wretches that live in blasphemy, in swearing, that in corrupt courses, in hardness of heart, that live in sins, that their own conscience, and the conscience of others about them, know that they are sins, devouring sins, that devour all their comfort, and yet notwithstanding they dream of mercy, mercy. Hell is their portion and not mercy that make an Idol of God.

Thus it is with us, we are prone to presume upon God's mercy. I speak this, that we should not surfeit of this sweet doctrine, that God is the father of Mercies. He is so to repentant sinners, to those that believe, to those mercy is sweet. We know oil is above all other liquors: God's mercy is above all his own works, and above our sins. But what is the vessel for this oil? this oil of mercy it is put in broken vessels, it is kept best there, a broken heart, a humble heart, receives and keeps mercy.

As for proud dispositions, (as all Sinners that go on in a course of sin, the Psalmist terms them proud men: he is a proud man, that sets his own will against God's command) God resists the Proud: it is the humble yielding heart, that will be led and lured by God, that is a vessel to receive mercy. It must be a deep vessel, it must be a broken vessel: deep with humiliation, broken by contrition, that must receive mercy. And it must be a large vessel laid open, capable to receive mercy, and all mercy; not only pardoning mercy, but healing mercy, as I said out of that Psalm, That forgiveth all thy sins, and healeth all thy transgressions.

Therefore those that have not grace and mercy, to heal their corruptions, to dry up that issue in some comfortable measure, they have no pardoning mercy: and those that desire not their corruptions to be healed, they never desired heartily their corruptions to be pardoned: those mercies go together.

He is not the Father of mercy, but of all mercies that belong to salvation, and he gives them everyone, and he that desires the one, desires the other.

Let us consider, how the sweet descriptions of God, and how his promises work upon us. If they work on us to make us presume, it is a fearful case, it is as bad a sign as may be, to be ill, because God is good, to turn the Grace of God into wantonness.

But as we are thus prone to presume; so when conscience is awaked, we are as prone to despair: therefore if they work with us this way, there is mercy with God, therefore I will come in; therefore I will cast down my weapons at his feet, I will cease to resist him, I will come in, and take terms of peace with him; I will yield him obedience for the time to come, therefore I will fear, and love, so good a God.

If it work thus, it is a sign of an elect soul, of a gracious disposition. And then if thou come in, never consider what thy sins have been, if thou come in, God will embrace thee in his mercy. Thy sins are all as a spark of fire that falls into the Ocean, that is drowned presently; so are thy sins in the Ocean of God's mercy.

There is not more light in the Sun, there is not more water in the Sea, then there is mercy in the Father of mercy, whose bowels are opened to thee if thou be weary of thy sinful courses, and come in, and embrace mercy.

In the Tabernacle (we know) there was a mercy Seat: we call it a propitiatory: In the Ark, which this mercy Seat covered, was the Law: now in the Law, there were curses against all sinners.

The Mercy-Seat was a Type of Christ, covering the Law, covering the curse: though thou be guilty of the curse a thousand times, God in Christ is merciful. Christ is the Mercy Seat, come to God in Christ, there is mercy in Israel notwithstanding thy great sins. If we cast away a purpose of living in sin, and cast away our weapons, and submit ourselves to him, he is the Father of mercies, that is, he is merciful from himself, he is the spring of them, and hath them from his own bowels: they are free mercies, because he is the Father of them.

For he is just by our fault, he is severe from us, he takes occasion from our sins, but he is merciful from his own bowels: he is good from himself, we provoke him to be severe, and just: therefore be we never so miserable in regard of sin, and the fruits of sin, yet he is the Father of mercy, of free mercy, mercy from himself, mercy pleaseth him, Micah 7. he is delighted in it.

Now that which is natural comes easily, as water from the fountain comes without violence, and heat from the fire comes without any violence, because it is natural. A Mother pities her child, because it is natural; there is a sweet instinct of nature, that moves and pricks forward nature to that affection of love that she bears to her child. So it is with God, it is nature in him to be merciful to his, because they are his; Mercy is his nature: we are his, we being his, his nature being merciful, he will be merciful to all that are his, to such as repent of their sins, and lay hold of his mercy by a true faith.

His word shows likewise his mercy, there is not one attribute set down more in Scripture then mercy, it is the name whereby he will be known, Exod. 34. where he describes it, and tells us his name: what is the name of God? his long suffering, and mercy, &c. there is a long description of of God in that place, David in Psal. 3. (besides that which is in every Prophet almost) hath the fame description of God, to comfort God's people in his time, in Psal. 86. 103. 145. there is the same description of God as there is in Moses, he is merciful and long suffering &c. he describes himself to be so, and his promises are promises of mercy; At what time soever a sinner repents, and without limitation of sins; all sins shall be forgiven, the blood of Christ purgeth us from all sin.

If there be no limitation of persons whomsoever, of sins whatsoever, or of time whensoever; here is a ground that we should never despair; God is the Father of mercies.

It is excellent that the Prophet hath in Isai. 55. 7. to prevent the thoughts of a dejected soul: Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts, and return to the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him, and to our God; for he will abundantly pardon.

I, but I have abused mercy a long time, I have lived in sin, and committed great sins, well notwithstanding that, (see how he answers it) My thoughts are not your thoughts; you are vindictive: if a man offend you, you are ready to aggravate the fault, and to take revenge &c. But my thoughts are not as your thoughts, nor my ways as your ways saith the Lord: for as far as the heaven is above the earth, so are my thoughts above your thoughts, and my ways above your ways. We have narrow poor thoughts of mercy, because we ourselves are given to revenge, and we are ready when we think of our sins to say, can God forgive them? can God be merciful to such? &c. My thoughts are not as your thoughts, nor my ways as your ways.

It is good to consider this, and it is a sweet meditation: for the time undoubtedly will come, that unless God's mercy and God's thoughts should be as himself is, infinite, unless his ways should be infinitely above our ways, and his thoughts infinitely above ours in mercy: certainly the soul would receive no comfort.

The soul of a Christian, acquainted with the word of God, knows, that God's mercy is, as himself is, infinite, and his thoughts this way, are, as himself is, infinite: Therefore the Scripture sets down the mercies of God, by all dimensions: There is the depth of Wisdom, but when he comes to speak of love and mercy, as it is in Ephes. 3. Oh the depth, and breadth, and height of this!

Indeed for height, it is higher then the heavens, for depth, it fetcheth the soul from the nether most-deep: we have deep misery, (out of the deep Icryed to thee) yet notwithstanding his mercy is deeper then our misery. O the depth of his mercy! there is a depth of mercy deeper, then any misery or rebellion of ours, though we have sunk deep in rebellion. And for the extent ofthem (as I said before) his mercy is over all his works, it extends to the utmost parts of the earth. The scripture doth wonderfully enlarge his mercy, beyond all dimensions whatsoever. These things are to good purpose: and it is a mercy to us, that he sets forth himself in mercy in his word; because the soul, sometime or other when it is awakened, (as everyone that God delights in is awakened first or last) it needs all this, it is all little enough.

God is merciful to those that are heavy laden, that feel the burden of their sins upon their souls, such as are touched with the sense of their sins, God still meets them half way, he is more ready to pardon, then they are to ask mercy. As we see in the prodigal, when he had wasted all, when he was as low as a man could be, when he was come to husks, and when he had despised his fathers admonition: yet upon resolution to return, when he was stung with the sense of his sins, his father meets him and entertains him; he upbraids him not with his sin.

Take sin, with all the aggravations we can, yet if we repent, and resolve upon new courses, there is comfort, though we relapse into sin again, and again; if we must pardon 10. times 7. times, as Christ saith; certainly there cannot be more mercy in the Cistern, then there is in the fountain: there cannot be more mercy in us, then there is in the Father of mercies as God is.

Take sin in the aggravations, in the greatness of it, Manasseh sin, Peters, denying of his Master, the thief on the cross, and Paul's persecution, take sin as great as you will, he is the father of mercies. If we consider that God is infinite in mercy, and that the scripture reveals him as the Father of mercies, there is no question, but there is abundance, a world of comfort to any distressed soul that is ready to cast itself on God's mercy.

For those that are converted that are in the state of Grace. Is God the father of mercies.

Let this stir us up to embrace mercy, every day to live by mercy, to plead mercy with God in our daily breaches: to love and fear God, because there is mercy with him that he might be feared. It is a harder matter to make a daily sweet use of this then it is taken for. Those that are the fittest subjects for mercy, they think themselves furthest off from mercy. Come to a broken soul, who is catched in the snare; whose conscience is on the rack, he thinks, alas there is no mercy for me, I have been such a sinner, God hath shown me mercy before, and now I have offended him again and again: those that are the subjects of mercy, that are the nearest to mercy, when their conscience is awakened they think themselves furthest off, and we have need to press abundance of mercy, and all little enough to set the soul in frame. There is none of us all, but we shall see a necessity of pressing this one time or other, before we die. David when he had sinned, he knew well enough that God was merciful, oh, but it was not a slight mercy that would satisfy him, as we see Psal. 51. how he presseth upon God for mercy, and will a little serve him? No, according to thy abundant mercy, he presseth mercy, and abundance of mercy, a multitude of mercies, and unless he had seen infinite mercy, abundant mercy in God, when his conscience was awaked with the foulness of his sin: there being such a cry for vengeance, his sin called and cried, if the blood of Christ had not cried above it, mercy, mercy, and abundance of mercy, multitudes of compassion, the soul of David would not have been stilled.

So other Saints of God, when they have considered the foulness of sin, how odious it is to God, they could not be quieted and comforted, but that they saw mercy, and abundance of mercy. As the Apostle St. Peter saith, 1 Pet. 1. 3. Blessed be God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who of his abundant mercy hath begotten us again to a lively hope, by the resurrection of Jesus Christ, to an inheritance, immortal, &c.

For faith will not have sufficient footing, but in infinite mercy, in the time of despair, in the time of torment of conscience, in the time of desertion it must be mercy, and the Father of mercies, and multitudes of compassions, and bowels of love, and all little enough for faith to fix on, the faith of a conscience on the rack; but when faith considers of God set out (not as Satan sets him forth, a God of vengeance, a consuming fire, when faith considers God) pictured out in the Gospel, it sees him the Father of Christ, and our Father, and the Father of mercies and God of comfort; faith seeing infinite mercy in an infinite God; and seeing mercy triumph against Justice, and all other attributes, here faith hath some footing, and stays it self, or else the converted, sanctified soul, seeing the odiousness of sin, and the clamorousness of sin, such that it will not be satisfied, but with abundant mercy, and God must be presented to it as a father of mercy and compassion before it can have peace.

Therefore if so be at any time our conscience be awakened, and the Devil lays hard to us, let us think of God as he hath made himself known in his Word, as a Father of mercies and God of comfort, represent him to our souls, as he represents himself in his Word. Times of desertion, when we seem to be forsaken of God, will enforce this: times of desertion will come, when the soul will think God hath forgotten to be merciful, and hath shut up his love in displeasure; oh no, he is the Father of mercy he never shuts up his bowels altogether, he never stops the spring of his mercy. He doth to our feeling, but it is his mercy that he doth that, it is his mercy that he hinders the sense of mercy; he doth that in mercy, it is to make us more capable of mercy afterward.

Therefore saith the Father, when he comes to us in his love, and the sense of it, it is for our good: and when he takes the sense of his love from us, it is for our good; for when he takes away the sense of his love from us, it is to enlarge our souls to be more capable of mercy after, to prize it more, to walk warily, and jealously, to look to our corruptions better: Therefore in the time of desertion think of this, when God seems to forget us. Can a Mother forget her Child? Isa. 49. 15. Suppose she should be so unnatural as to do it (which can hardly be believed) that a Mother should forget her child, Yet notwithstanding I will not forget you; you are written upon the palms of my hands, that is, I have you always in my eye. So that if there were no mercies to be found in nature, no bowels to be found in a Mother (where usually they are most abundant) yet notwithstanding there is mercy to be found in the Father of Mercies still: Therefore in such times let us make use of this.

And another thing that we ought to learn hence is this; if God be so in Christ Jesus (for we must always put that in) for he is merciful with satisfaction, and yet it is his mercy that he would admit of satisfaction; his mercy devised a way to content justice; his mercy set all on work: mercy is above justice in the work of Salvation: justice hath received contentment from mercy, (but that by the way) to make us have higher thoughts of mercy, then any other attribute of God in the Doctrine of the Gospel, in that Kingdom of Christ: it is a Kingdom of Grace and mercy, if we have hearts to embrace it.

Let this encourage us to come to God, and to cast ourselves into the arms of this merciful Father, If we have lived in other courses before, let the mercy of God work upon our souls. In Rom. 2. it is pressed there excellently; This mercy of God should lead us to repentance, it should encourage us. What makes a Thief, or a Traitor come in, when there is proclamation out against him? If there be a pardon sent after him, it makes him come in, or else he runs out still further and further, while the hue and cry pursues him; but hope of mercy and pardon will bring him in again. So it is that that brings us in again to God, the very hope of mercy and pardon; if we be never so ill, or have been never so ill: do not put off, but take this day now, Now is the time, now while it is called today, take the present time. Here is our error, if God be the Father of mercy, I will cry him mercy at the hour of death. I, thou mayest go to hell with mercy in thy mouth: he is merciful to those that truly repent; but how dost thou know that thy repentance on thy death-bed will be true? It is not sorrow for sickness, and grief for death: and fear of that: but there must be a hatred of sin: and how shall conscience tell thee now thou hast repented, that it is a hating of thy sinful courses, rather then the fear of damnation? that is rather from the sense of grief. Conscience will hardly be comforted in this, for it will upbraid; I, now, now you would have mercy.

We see by many that have recovered again, that have promised great matters in their sickness, that it is hypocritical Repentance, for they have been worse after then they were before. It is not a sufficient matter to yield thee comfort, that thou art much humbled in thy sickness, and at the hour of death: for it is hard for thee to determine whether it be true Repentance, or mere sorrow for sin as it brings judgment. Fear of damnation is not sufficient to bring a man to heaven, thy nature must be changed before thou come to heaven; thou must love Righteousness because it is Righteousness, thou must love God because he is good, thou must hate sin because it is sin.

How canst thou tell, when thou hast been naught before affliction, whether affliction have wrought this, that thou repentest only out of hatred of judgment to shun that, or out of hatred of sin, because it is sin? Therefore now a little repentance in thy health, and in the enjoying of thy prosperity; a little hatred of ill ways now, will more comfort thee, then a thousand times more prayer, and striving will then. Although if thou canst do it truly then, yet the gate of mercy is open, but thy heart will scarce say it is truly done, because it is forced.

Then again, perhaps, thou shalt not have the honor of it, thou shalt not have the mercy: thou that hast refused mercy and lived in a loose profane course, thou that hast despised mercy all the while, God will not honor thee so much, as to have a good word, or a sorrowful word, that even very grief shall not extort it from thee: but as thou hast forgotten God in thy life, and wouldest not own his admonitions, thou shalt forget thyself in death, and be taken away suddenly, or else with some violent disease, that shall take away the use of the parts that God hath given thee, as inflammation of the Spirits or the like, that shall take away the use of sound reason. It is madness and no better to live as the most live, to cry God is merciful, &c. thou mayest go to hell for all that: repentance must be from a true hatred of sin: and that that must comfort thee, must be a disposition for the present: for then it is unforced.

Therefore all these sweet comforts are to you that come in, and leave your wicked courses; if you have been swearers, to swear no more; if you have been deceivers, to deceive no more, if you have been licentious, to be so no more: but to break off the course of your sins as God shall enable you; or else this one thing (think of it) that you now daub your conscience withal, and go on in sin with that will be the most terror to you, even Mercy: nothing will vex you so much as mercy afterward. Then thon shalt think with thyself, I have heard comfortable of the promises, and of the nature of God, but I put off and despised all, I regarded my sinful courses more then the mercy of God in Christ, they were sweeter to me then mercy. I lived in sins (out of the abundance of profaneness) that did me no good, I lived in sins, (out of the superfluity of profaneness) that I had neither profit nor pleasure by, and neglected mercy. The consideration of mercy neglected, with the continuing in a wretched course, it will more aggravate the souls torment.

Let us be encouraged to come in; such as intend to leave their sinful courses, let them remember, that then they come to a Father of mercy. that is more ready to pardon, then you are to ask it: As you see in the prodigal Son (which I instanced in before) it is a notable sweet Story. I have a Father (saith he) when he had spent all, and was come to Huskes. Affliction is a notable means to make us to taste and relish mercy: I have a father, and there is plenty in his house, and he comes and confesseth his sin; he had no sooner resolved, but his Father (he doth not stay for him, but) he meets him and kisseth him.

Let us consider of this description of God the Father of mercy; it should move any that are in ill and lewd courses before, In my Fathers house there are good things, and in his heart there are bowels of mercy; I have a Father, and a Father of mercy, I will go home, and submit myself to him, and say to him, I have been thus and thus, but I will be so no more; you shall find that God by his Spirit will be readier to meet you, then you are to cast yourselves at the feet of his mercy, and into the arms of his mercy: he will come and meet you, and kiss you; you shall find much comfort upon your resolution to come in, if it be a sound resolution.

The son fears his Fathers displeasure: but saith the Father, My thoughts are not as your thoughts. Oh! I fear he will not receive me: yes, yes, he is willing to embrace you, mercy pleaseth him; and why will you perish O house of Israel.

Again, God is the Father of mercies. This should stir us up to an imitation of this our gracious Father: for every Father begets to his own likeness, and all the sons of this Father are like the Father, they are merciful, The Kings of Israel are merciful Kings, saith the Heathen King Benhadad, and the God of Israel is a merciful God, and all that are under God are merciful; his sons are merciful as their heavenly father is merciful. Therefore if we would make it good to our own hearts, and the opinion and judgment of others of us, that we are children of this merciful Father, we must put on bowels of mercy ourselves, as in Colos. 3. 2. Now therefore as the Elect of God, as you will make it good that God hath elected you, put on the bowels of mercy. Whatsoever we have from God, it comes in the respect of a mercy, and so it should do from God's Children, everything that comes from them to them that are in misery, it should be a mercy, they should not only bestow the thing, but a sweet mercy with the thing, a child of God he pours out his bowels to his Brother, as Isaiah saith, Pour out thy bowels, &c. There is some bowels, that is, there is an affection in God's Children, they give not only the thing, the relief, but mercy with it, that hath a sweet report to the soul: there is pity, that more comforts a sanctified soul, then the thing it self: We must not do works of mercy proudly, it is not the thing that God stands on, but the affection in the thing, his benefits are with a fatherly pity, so should ours be with a pitiful respect, with a tender heart. The very mercies of the wicked are cruel. If they be merciful, there is some pride of spirit, there is some taste of a hard heart, of an hypocritical spirit, somewhat is not as it should be, their mercies are not mercies, we must in our mercy imitate the Father of mercies.

Alas it is the fault of our time, there is little mercy to those that are in misery. What a cruel thing is it, that so many (I would I could say Christian souls, I cannot say so (but) they are a company of men that have the Image of God upon them: men that live miserable poor, such as for ought I know) God's mercy hath purchased with the blood of his Son, & may belong to God's Kingdom: They have the Image of God upon them, yet they live without laws, without Church, without Common-wealth, irregular persons; that have no order taken for them, or not executed at the least, to repress the sturdy of them, and to relieve those that are to be relieved for age or impotency.

It is a pitiful thing, and a foul blemish to this Common-wealth, and will bring some ill upon wealth, and plague it from such irregular persons, he will plague the Common-wealth for such enormities. How do they live? As Beasts and worse, they submit themselves to no orders of the Church, they have none, and submit to none. Here is an Object of mercy to those that it concerns.

And likewise mercy ought to be shown to the souls of men, as well as to their miserable and wretched estates. Is Popery Antichristian? what mercy is it to suffer poysoners? what a mercy were it in a common wealth to suffer men that are incendiaries, to have liberty to do what mischief they would? or men that should poison fountains, and all that should refresh and nourish men? were this any policy for the body? And is it any policy to suffer those to poison the judgments of people with heresies to God, and treason to their Prince? to draw the affections of men from religion, and the state where is mercy all the while?

Oh, it is a mercy to them not to restrain them. Mercy! Is it mercy to the sheep to let the wolves at liberty. No, if you will be merciful, to show mercy to the souls of these men is to use them hardly, that they may know their error; they may now impute the liberty they have to the approbation of their cause, and so they are cruel, not only to others, but to their own souls.

I speak this the rather, it may be a seasonable speech at this time, to enforce good laws this way. It is a great mercy, mercy to the soul, it is the greatest mercy, and so cruelty to the soul is the greatest cruelty that can be.

What should I speak of mercy to others? oh, that we would be merciful to our own souls. God is merciful to our souls, he sent his son to visit us from on high, in bowels of compassion, he sent Christ as Zechariah saith: and yet we are not merciful to ourselves. How many sinful wretched persons pierce their hearts through with covetousness, and other wicked courses that are more dangerous to the soul then poison is to the body? They stab their souls with cares, and lusts, and other such kind of courses. What a mockery is this of God, to ask him mercy, when we will not be merciful to our own souls? and to entreat others to pray for us, when we will not be merciful to ourselves? Shall we go to God for mercy, when we will not show mercy to ourselves? shall we desire him to spare us, when we will not spare ourselves? It is a mocking of God to come and offer our devotions here, and come with an intent yet to live in any sin. God will not hear us, if we purpose to live in sin, If I regard iniquity in my heart, God will not hear my prayer. As we ought to be merciful to the souls of others, and to the estates of others, so we should to our own souls.

How can they reform evils abroad, those that are Governors, when they do not care to refomr themselves? can they be merciful to the souls of others, that are cruel to their own? they cannot; Let mercy begin at home.

This is that, that the scripture aims at, mercy, and the right use of it is the way to come to salvation, and the abuse of it is that that damns, and they are damned most that abuse mercy. Oh the sins against the Gospel will lie upon the conscience another day. The sins against the law, they help with the Gospel to see mercy: but sins against mercy prefer our sins above mercy; and in temptations to despair, to extenuate mercy, hereafter it will be the very hell of hell, that we have sinned against mercy, that we have not embraced it with faith, that we have not repented to be capable of it.

But to end the point with that which is the most proper use of all, which is an use of comfort in all estates, to go to God in all, he is the father of mercy. And when all is taken from us in losses and crosses to think, Well; our fathers may die, and our mothers may die, and our nearest, and dearest friends that have most bowels of pity may die; but we have a father of mercy, that hath eternal mercy in him, his mercies are tender mercies, and everlasting mercies, as himself is. We are everlasting, our souls are immortal; we have an everlasting father, that is the Father of mercies. When all are taken away, God takes not himself away, he is the father of mercy still.

Now that we may make ourselves still capable of mercy, still fit for mercy, let us take this daily course.

Let us labor every day, to have broken, and deep souls (as I said before) it is the broken heart that is the vessel that contains mercy, a deeper heart that holds all the mercy; we need therefore to empty ourselves by confession of our sins, and search our own thoughts and ways, and afflict our souls by repentance, and when we shall be fit objects for God the father of mercy to shed mercy into misery, it is the Load-stone of mercy, misery felt and discerned, and complained of. Let us search and see our misery, our spiritual misery especially: for God begins mercy to the soul in his children, he begins mercy there especially. General mercy he shows to beasts, to all creatures, but special mercy begins at the soul. Now I say, misery being the Loadstone of mercy, let us lay before God by confession and humiliation the sores and sins of our souls. And then make use of this mercy every day: for God is not only merciful in pardoning mercy at the first, in forgiving our sins at the first, but every day he is ready to pardon new sins, as it is Lament. 3. He renews his mercies every day, every morning. God renews his mercies not only for body, but for soul: there is a throne of grace and mercy every day open to go to; and a Scepter of mercy held out every day to lay hold on, and a fountain for Judah and Jerusalem to wash in every day: it is never stopped up, or drawn dry, the fountain is ever open, the Scepter is ever held forth, and the throne is ever kept.

God keeps not terms; Now the Court of Chancery is open, and now it is shut: but he keeps Court every day: therefore Christ in the Gospel enjoins us to go to God every day: every day we say the Lord's prayer, forgive us our trespasses, insinuating, that the Court of mercy is kept every day to take out our pardon every day there is a pardon of course taken out, At what time soever a sinner repents, &c.

How shall we improve this mercy every day? Do this, when thou hast made a breach in thy conscience, every day believe this, that God is the Father of mercies, and he may well be merciful now, because he hath been sufficiently satisfied by the death of Christ, He is the Father of Christ, and the Father of mercies: This do every day.

And withal consider our condition and estate, is a state of dependence, In him we live and move, and have our being; this will force us to mercy, that he would hold us in the same estate we are in, and go on with the work of grace, that he would uphold us in health, for that depends upon him; that he would uphold us in peace, for that depends upon him, he is the God of peace: that he would uphold us in comfort and strength, to do good and resist evil, we are in a dependant state and condition in all good of body and soul. He upholds the whole world, and every particular: let him take away his hand of merciful protection and sustaining from us, and we sink presently.

And every day consider, how we are environed with any danger, remember we have compassing mercies, as we have compassing dangers, as it is Psal. 32. Mercy compasseth us round about. Every day indeed we have need of mercy, that is the way to have mercy; here is a fountain of mercy, the Father of mercy, bowels opened: the only way to use it is to see what need we have of mercy, and to fly to God: to see what need we have in our souls, and in regard of outward estate, and to see that our condition is a dependant condition.

And lastly, to make a use of thanfulnesse, Blessed be God the Father of mercy, we have the mercy of public continued peace, when others have war, and their estates are consumed; blessed be God the Father of mercy, we sit under our own Vines, and under our own figtrees. If we have any personal mercies, blessed be God the Father of mercies this way: if he show mercy to our souls, and pardon our sins, blessed be God the Father of mercies in this kind; that he hath taken us and redeemed us out of that cursed estate, that others walk in that are yet in their sins. Oh, it is a mercy, and for this we should have enlarged hearts.

And withal consider the fearful estate of others, that God doth not show mercy to, and this will make us thankful. As for instance, if a man would be thankful, that hath a pardon, let him see another executed, that is broken upon the Wheel, or the Rack, or cut in pieces and tortured, and then he will think, I was in the same estate as this man is, and I am pardoned. Oh what a gracious Sovereign have I! The consideration of the fearful estate out of mercy, what a fearful estate those are in, that live in sins against conscience, that they are ready to drop into Hell, when God strikes them with death; if they die so, what a fearful estate they are in; and that God should give me pardon and grace to enter into another course of life, that though I have not much grace, yet I know it is true, I am the child of God; the consideration of the misery of others, in part in this world without repentance, and especially what they shall suffer in Hell; to consider the torment of the souls that are not in the state of Grace, this will make us thankful for mercies, for pardoning and forgiving mercies, for protecting mercies, that God hath left thousands in the course of nature, going on in a willful course of sin. This is that that the Apostle here practiseth. Blessed be God the Father of mercies. The other style here is,

The life of a Christian is a mystery, as in many respects, so in this, that whereas the flesh in him (though he be not altogether flesh) thinks him to be a man disconsolate: the spirit finds matter of comfort and glory. From whence the world begins discouragement, and the flesh upbraiding from thence the spirit of God in holy Saint Paul begins matter of glory, they thought him a man neglected of God, because he was afflicted: no, saith he, Blessed be the God of all comfort, our comforts are above our discomforts: As the wisdom of the flesh is enmity to God, and his spirit in all things: so in this, in the judgment of the cross, for that which is bitterest to the flesh, is sweetest to the spirit. Saint Paul therefore opposeth his comforts spiritual to his disgraces outward, and because it is unfit to mention any comfort, any good from God, without blessing of him, that is the spring and fountain from whence we have all, he takes occasion, together with the mention of comfort, to bless God, The God of all comfort.

The verse contains a wise prevention of scandal at the cross: Saint Paul was a man of sorrows, if ever any was (next to Christ himself) and that might prevent all scandal at his crosses, and disgraceful afflicted usage, he doth show his comforts under the cross, which he would not have wanted to have been without his cross: therefore he begins here with praising of God.

We praise God for favors, and indeed the comforts he had in his crosses were more then the grievance he had by them, therefore had cause to bless God, Blessed be God, &c.

The God of comfort, and the God of (All) comfort we must give Saint Paul leave to be thus large: for his heart was full, and a full heart, a full expression: And he speaks not out of books, but from sense, and feeling, though he knew well enough, that God was the Father of mercy, & God of all comfort, that way; yet these be wordsthat come from the heart, come from feeling, rather then from the tongue: they came not from Saint Paul's pen only, his pen was first dipt in his heart and soul when he wrote this: God is the Father of mercy, and God of all comfort, I feel him so, he comforts me in all tribulations.

To explain the word a little; Comfort is either the thing it self, a comfortable outward thing, a blessing of God wherein comfort is hid, or else it is reasons; (because a man is an understanding creature) reasons from which comfort is grounded; or it is a real comfort inward and spiritual, by the assistance and strength of the Spirit of God, when perhaps there is no outward thing to comfort, and perhaps reasons and discourse are not present at that time, yet there is a presence of the Spirit that comforts: As we see oft times a man is comforted with the very sight of his friend, without discourse; to a man endued with reason, whose discomforts are spiritual (for the most part) in the soul, the very presence of a man that he loves puts much delight into him What is God then? the God of comfort: his very presence must needs comfort. Comfort is taken many other ways, but these are the principal, to this purpose.

First, Comfort is the thing it self, there is comfort in every creature of God, and God is the God of that comfort: In hunger meat comforts, in thirst drink comforts, in cold garments comfort, in want of advice friends comfort, and it is a sweet comfort, God is the God of all comfort, of the comfortable things. But besides the necessary things, every sense hath somewhat to comfort it. The eye besides ordinary colors hath delightful colors to behold, and so the ear besides ordinary noise and sounds, it hath music to delight it: the smell, besides ordinary savors, it hath sweet flowers to refresh it, and so every part of the body, besides that which is ordinary, it hath somewhat to comfort it. Because God is nothing but comfort to his creature, if it be as it should be, he is God of these comforts, the God of all comfort, of the comfort of outward things, of friends, &c.

So he is the God of the second comfort, of comfortable reasons and arguments: for a man especially in inward troubles, must have grounds of comfort from strong reasons: God ministereth these, he is the God of these: for he hath given us his Scriptures, his Word, and the comforts that are fetched from thence, are strong ones, because they are his comforts, it is his Word. The word of a Prince comforts, though he be not there to speak it; though it be a letter, or by a Messenger, yet he whose word it is, is one that is able to make his word good; he is Lord and Master of his word. The Word of God is comfortable, and all the reasons that are in it, and that are deduced from it, upon good ground and consequence, they are comfortable, because it is God's word, he is the God of all. And those comforts in God's word, and reasons from thence, they are wonderful in the variety of them; there is comfort from the liberty of a Christian laid out there, that he hath free access to the throne of Grace: comfort from the Prerogatives of a Christian, that he is the Child of God, that he is justified, that he is the heir of Heaven and such like: Comforts from the Promises of Grace, of the presence of God, of assistance by his presence; these things out of the Word of God are wondrous plentiful: Indeed the Word of God is a breast of comfort, as the Prophet calls it, Suck comfort out of the breasts of comfort, Isa. 66. The books of God are breasts of comfort, wels of comfort, Isa. 11. there are springs of comfort.

God's word is a Paradise (as it were) in Paradise, there were sweet streams that ran through, and in Paradise stirred the voice of God, not only calling Adam where art thou? terrifying of him, but the voice of God promising Adam the blessed seed.

So in the Word of God, there is God rousing out of sin, and there is God speaking peace to the soul: there is a sweet current of mercy runs from the Paradise of God; and there is the Tree of life, Christ himself, and Trees of all manner of fruit, comforts of all sorts whatsoever. And there is no Angel there, to keep the door and gate of Paradise with a fiery flaming sword; No, this Paradise is open for all: and they are cruel Tyrants, that stop th is Paradise, that stop this Fountain, as the Papists do. As God is the God of comfort, so he is the God of comfort in that respect.

But this is not enough to make him the God of comfort; we may have the Word of God, and all the reasons from thence, from privileges and prerogatives, and examples; and yet not be comfortable, if we have not the God of comfort, with the Word of comfort, the Spirit of God, that must apply the comfort to the soul, and be the God of comfort there.

For there must be application, and working of comfort out of God's word upon the soul, by the spirit, the spirit must set it on strongly and sweetly, that the soul may be affected.

You may have a carnal man, he for fashion or custom reads the Scriptures, and he is as dead-hearted when he hath done, as when he began, he never looks to the spirit of comfort, there must be the spirit of God, to work, and to apply comfort to the heart, and to teach us to discourse, and to reason from the Word; not only to show the reasons of the Word, but to teach us to draw reasons from the Word, and to apply them to our particular state and condition; the spirit teacheth this wisdom. And therefore it is well called the comforter, I will send you the comforter. The poor disciples had many comforts from Christ, but because the Comforter was not come, they were not comfortable, but heavy; what was the reason? because the Comforter was not come, when the holy Ghost was come after the resurrection, and ascension of Christ, when he had sent the Comforter, then they were so full of comfort, that they rejoiced, that they were thought worthy to suffer anything for Christ, and the more they suffered, the more joyful, and comfortable, and glorious they were.

You see what a comfort is; it is the things themselves, and the word, and reasons from it, and likewise the spirit of God with the reasons, and with presence: sometimes without any reasons with present strength. God doth establish the soul together with reasons there, is a strengthening power of the spirit, a vigor that goes with the spirit of God, that joins with the spirit of the afflicted person. So whether it be the outward thing, as reasons and discourse, or the presence of the spirit; God joining with our spirit; God is the God of that comfort, the God of all comfort.

A comfort is anything that allaies a malady, that either takes it away, or allaies and mitigates it. A comfort is anything that raiseth up the soul: The comforts that we have in this life, they are not such as do altogether take away sorrow and grief, but they mitigate them. Comfort is that which is above a malady, it is such a remedy as is stronger to support the soul, from being cast down over much with the grievance, whether it be grievance felt, that we are in the sense of such a grievance as is feared: when the soul apprehends anything, to set against the ill we fear that is stronger then it, when the soul hath somewhat that it can set against the present sense of the grievance that is stronger then it, though it do not wholly expel it, but the discomfort remains still in some degree, it may be said well to be a comfort.

The reason why I speak of this mitigation is, because in this life, God never so wholly comforts his Children, but there will be flesh left in them, and that will murmur, and there will be some resistance against comfort, while there are remainders of sin, there will be ground of discomfort, by reason of the conflict between the flesh and spirit.

For instance; a man hath some cross on him, what saith the flesh? God is mine enemy, and I will take such and such courses, I will not endure this, this is the voice of the flesh, of the old man. What saith the spirit? Surely God is not mine enemy, he intends my good by these things: So while these fight, here is the flesh against the spirit, yet here is comfort, because the spirit is predominant, but it is not fully comfort, because there is the old man in him, that withstands comfort in the whole measure of comfort.

Therefore we must take this degree, we cannot have the full comfort till we come to Heaven, there all tears shall be wiped from our eyes; in this world we must be content to have comfort with some grief, the malady is not wholly purged.

Sometimes God removes the outward grievance more fully, God helps many times altogether, as in sickness to health perfectly, but I speak not of that: Comfort is that which is opposite to misery, and it must be stronger, for there is no prevailing but by a stronger, when the Agent is not above the Patient, there is no prevailing, there is a conflict till one have got the mastery.

(All) that is, of all comfortable things, and of all divine reasons; it must be most substantial comfort. The soul in some maladies will not be comforted by Philosophical reasons, saith the Heathen, the disease is stronger then the Physic, when he considers Platoe's comforts and the like, so we may say of the reasons of Philosophical men, Romanists and Moralists, when they come to terror of conscience, when they come to inward grievances, inward stings that are in a man, from a man's conscience (as all discomforts usually, when they press hard, it is with a guilty conscience) what can all such reasons do? to say it is the state of other men, and it is in vain to murmur, and I know not what, such reasons as Seneca and Plato, and others have it, will scarce still the conscience for a fit: They are ignorant of the root: alas! how can they tell the remedy, when they know not the ground of the malady.

It must be God, it must be his Word, his truth, the conscience must know it to be God's truth, and then it will comfort. God is the God of comfort, of the things, and of the reasons, they must be his reasons.

And he also is the Author of that spiritual presence, he is with his children, when they are in the fire he goes with them into the water, as it is in Isaiah 45. he is with them in the valley of death, they shall find God with them to comfort them: so there is a kind of presence with God's comforts, and a banishing of all discomfort.

And this comfort is as large as the maladies, as large as the ills are, he is a God of comfort against every particular ill: if there be diverse ills, he hath diverse comforts, if they be long ills, he hath long comforts, if there be strong ills, he hath strong comforts, if there be new ills, he hath new comforts; take the ills in what extent and degree you will, God hath somewhat to set against them that is stronger then they; and that is the blessed estate of God's Children, he is the God of all comfort.

St. Chrysostom, an excellent preacher, yields me one observation upon this very place. It is the wisdom of a Christian to see how God describes himself, there being something in God answerable to whatsoever is ill in the world. The spirit of God in the scripture sets forth God fitting to the particular occasions, speaking here of the misery, and the disgraceful usage of St. Paul (being taught by the spirit of God) he considereth God as a Father of mercies, and a God of Comfort. Speaking of the vengeance on his enemies, the Psalmist saith, thou God of vengeance, show thyself. In God there is help for every malady.

Therefore the wisdom of a Christian is to single out of God, what is fitting his present occasion; in crosses, and miseries think of him as a father of Mercies: in discomforts, think of him as a God of comfort; in perplexities, and distress, think of him as a God of wisdom, and oppression of others, and difficulties which we cannot wade out of, think of him as a God, and father almighty, as a God of vengeance, and so every way to think of God appliable to the present occasion. And though many of us have no great affliction upon us for the present: yet we should lay up store against the evil day, and therefore it is good to treasure up these descriptions of God, The father of mercies, and (God) of all comfort.

To explain the word a little: what doth he mean by (God) in this place?

That he is the God of comfort, that hath a further comfort in it, in the very title that is called the God of comfort. In that he is called the God of comfort it implies two things.

First it shows that he is a Creator of it, that he can work it out of what he will; out of nothing.

And then that he can raise it out of the contrary; as he raised light out of darkness in the creation, and in the government of this world he raiseth his Children out of misery. As he raised all out of nothing, order out of confusion, so in his Church he is the God of comfort, he can raise comfort out of nothing: out of nothing that is likely to yield comfort. Put the case that there be neither medicine, nor meat, nor drink, nor nothing to comfort us in this world (as we shall have none of these things in heaven) he is the God of Comfort that shall supply all our wants. As he shall then be all in all, so in this world, when it is by the manifestation of his glory: when Moses was 40. days in the mountain, he wanted outward comforts; but he had the God of comfort with him, and he supplied the want of meat and drink, and all other comforts: because he is the God of all comfort: in him are all comforts originally, and fundamentally, and if there be none, he can create and make them of nothing.

God, as a God properly, makes something of nothing; that is to be a God: for nothing but God can make somewhat of nothing. God's upon earth, call men their creatures in a kind of imitation of God, but that is but a phrase that puffs them up: they are but God's in a kind of sense, and the other are but creatures in a kind of sense: because perhaps they have nothing in them, and in that sense, deservedly creatures: but it is proper to God, to make somewhat of nothing: and so he is the God of Comfort: where there is no comfort at all, he can raise comfort, as he made the World of nothing by his very Word.

And which is more, it is the property of God as God, it is peculiar to God to make comfort out of that which is contrary: therein he shows himself most to be a God of all; he can raise comfort out of discomfort, life out of death. When Christ had been three days in the grave, he raised him. As it is with the head of comfort, with the head of believers, so it is with every particular Christian, he raiseth them, out of death: those that sow in sorrow, they reap in joy. What cannot he do that can raise comfort out of discomfort? and discomforts ofttimes are the occasions of the greatest comforts. Let a Christian go back to the former course of his life, and he shall find that the greatest crosses that ever he suffered will yield him most comfort, and who did this? certainly it must be God, that can raise all out of nothing, and that can make comfort not only out of comfortable creatures that are ordained for comfort; but he can draw honey out of the Lions belly; Out of the eater came meat, and out of the strong c • me sweetness, saith Sampson in his Riddle. When a honey comb shall c ••• out of the Lions belly, certainly this is a miracle, this may well be a Riddle. This is the Riddle of Christianity; that God who is the God of comfort, he raiseth comforts, out of our chief discomforts, he can create it out of that which is contrary.

Therefore Luther's speech is very good, All things come from God to his Church, especially in contraries: as he is righteousness, but it is in sin felt: he is comfort, but it is in misery, he is life, but it is in death, we must die before we live; indeed he is all, but it is in nothing, in the soul that feels itself to be nothing, there is the foundation for God to work on. Therefore the God of comfort can create comfort, if none be, he can make comfort, if the contrary be, he can raise contraries out of contraries, he is the God of all comfort. Every word hath Emphasis and strength in it.

Amongst divers other things that flow from hence, mark the order; he is the God and Father of Christ first, and then the Father of mercy, and the God of comfort.

Take him out of this order, and think not of him as a God of comfort, but as a Consuming fire; but take the method of the text, now he is the God of comfort after he is the Father of Christ. This being laid as a ground, the text itself as a doctrine; what subordinate truths arise hence?

First of all, if God be God of all comfort, there is this conclusion hence: that,

Christ is the Conduit next to God, for he is close to God; God is the God of Christ, and the Holy Ghost is usually the stream: The streams of comfort come through Christ the Conduit, from God the Father, the fountain, by the graces of the Spirit: But I speak of outward comforts. Blessed be God the Father Son, and Holy Ghost, all are comforters: God the father is the father of comfort: the Holy Ghost is the comforter; Christ Jesus likewise is the God of Comfort; whatsoever the outward means be, yet God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost are the comforters, take them together, that is the conclusion hence.

I observe it the rather, to cure a disposition to Atheism in men, that look brutishly to the thing, they look to the comfort, and never look, to the comforter: even for outward comforts. Wicked men, their bellies are filled with the comforts of God, but it is with things that are comfortable that are abstracted from the comforter, they care not for the root, the favor and mercy of God: so they have the thing, they care not.

Therefore they are not thankful to God, nor in their wants they go not to the God of comfort, why? they think they have supply enough, they have friends, they have riches, that are their strong hold, and if they have outward necessaries to supply and comfort them, that is all they care for; as for the God of comfort, they trouble not their hands with him.

A Christian, whatsoever the comfort be, if it be outward, he knows that the God of comfort sends it, and that is the reason he is so thankful for all outward comforts: if they be the necessaries for this life: in meat he tastes the comfort of God, in drink he tastes the comfort of God, in the ornaments of this life, he tastes the comfort of God; It is God that heats him with fire, it is God that clothes him with garments, it is God that feeds him with meat, it is God that refresheth his senses in these comforts.

Therefore the Heathen out of their Ignorance, they made everything a God, that was comfortable, out of which they received comfort; they made a God of the fire, and of the water: these are but instruments of the God of comfort, but the Heathen made gods of them. A Christian doth not so, but he sees God in them, and drives these streams from the fountain, God is seen to be the God of Comfort in them all.

Again, considering that God is The God of all comfort; This should teach us (as thankfulness to God, so) prayer in the want of any comfort, that he would both give the thing, and the comfort of the thing. We may have the thing, and the wrath of God with it, but thou that art the God of comfort, vouchsafe the outward comforts to us, and vouchsafe comfort with them: thou that art the God of everything, and of the comfort of the thing, vouchsafe both.

Again, if God be the God of all comfort whatsoever, then here is a ground of diverse other truths: as for instance, that if we look for any comfort from the things, or from reasons, and discourse, or from God: we should go to God in the use of the thing, before the use, after the use, at all times; before the use, that God would suggest, either by reading or hearing &c. reasons of comfort, in the use, that he would settle and seal comfort to our souls.

Lord I hear many sweet things, I read many comfortable things, these would affect a stone almost, yet unless thou set them on my soul, they will never comfort me: thou art the God of comfort, the materials are from thee, but except with revelation & discovery, thou join application, all will not comfort unless with revelation and application (in the third place) thou open my soul to join with these comforts. There must be a discovery, and application, and an opening of the soul to them. As there be diverse flowers that open and shut with the sun: so the soul by the spirit of God, it opens to comforts: though comforts be put close to the soul, if that do not open to them, there is no comfort given: for all is in the application. There is a double application, of the thing to the soul, and of the soul to the thing: God must do all.

What is the reason, that many here Sermons, and Read sweet discourses, and yet when they come to suffer crosses and afflictions, they are to see?

They go to the stream, they cut the Conduits from the spring, they go not to the Well-head, they see not the derivation of comfort: it is necessary for the deriving of comfort to the soul, to take the scales from the eye of the soul, they see not the necessity of a divine presence to apply it, and and to lay it close to the soul, and to open the soul, to join the soul to those comforts; God is the God of all comfort. If anything will stir up devotion much to pray to God, undoubtedly this will be effectual: that whatsoever the comfort be, whether it be outward things, or reasons, and discourses, whatsoever, we may go to God that he would give it.

Well, this being so, if God be the God of all comfort, the Well of comfort, the Father of comfort, and hath remedies for every malady; Then you see here whither to go: you see a Christian in all estates hath ground of comfort, for he is in Covenant with the God of comfort.

You will say to me, what is the reason that Christians are no more comfortable, having the God of comfort for their God?

I answer, it is partly from Ignorance, we have remainders of Ignorance, that we know not our own comfort: Satan doth veil the eye of the soul in the time of trouble, that we cannot see that there is a well of comfort. Poor Hagar, when she was almost undone for thirst, yet she had a fountain of water near hand, but she saw it not, she was so overtaken with grief. Ignorance, and Passion hinder the sight of comfort, when we give way so much to the present malady, as if there were no God of comfort in heaven; as if there were no Scripture that hath breasts of comfort, that is as full as a breast that is willing to discharge itself of comfort: as if there were no matter of comfort, they feed upon grief, and delight to flatter their selves in grief, as Rachel that mourned and would not be comforted: so out of a kind of Ignorance and Passion, and Wilfulnesse, they will not be comforted.

And again, as Bildad saith, Job 18. are the comforts of God light to thee? These are good words, but my discomforts are greater, my malady is greater; so the comforts of the Holy Ghost, the comforts of God's Spirit seem light to them. Ignorance, and Passion, and dwelling too much makes us neglect comfort, it makes us to see comfort to be no comfort in a manner. Mary, when Christ was before her eyes, they were so blubbered with tears, with fear that her Lord was lost, that she could not see him, even when he was before her: so grief, and Passion hinder the soul so much from seeing God's comforts, that we see them not when they are before us, when they are present. So men are guilty of their own discomfort, it is their own fault.

Again oft times forgetfulness, as the Apostle saith, Heb. 12. have ye forgotten the Consolation that speaks? have ye forgotten that every Son that God chastizeth not is a bastard? have ye forgotten? insinuating that if they had remembered this, it would have comforted them; have ye forgotten?

And then one especial cause is, that I spake of before, the looking to things present, forgetting the spring, the well-head of comfort God himself; the looking too much to the means; oh! say some, (if they be in distress,) if I had such a Book, if I had such a man to comfort me, certainly it would be otherwise with me, I should be better then I am: put case he were with thee, alas he is not the spring, it is the God of comfort that must comfort thee (man) in all thy distresses whatsoever, therefore if thou attribute not more to God, then to the creature, nay then to an Angel, if he were to comfort thee, thou shalt find no comfort. I even I am he that comforts thee. I am he that pardons thy sins, which is the cause of all discomfort, that is comfort, that is the sting of all, I am he that pardons thy sins

We as Criers may speak pardon to the soul, but God must give it; we may speak comfort, but God must give it: he must say to the soul, I am thy salvation. When men Idolize any discourse in books, or any particular man overmuch (though we may value those that are instrumental above others; there may be a difference of gifts, but) the resting too much in the creature, it is an enemy to comfort, and some grow to that willfulness in that kind, that they will neglect all, because they have not that they would have, whereas if they would look to God, meaner means would serve the turn oft times, if they would go to the God of comfort.

Afflictions and crosses, as they are irksome in suffering, so they are likewise disgraceful, and as it was in the cross of Christ, there was two things, torment and shame, the one he felt himself, the other he had from others, those two; (disgrace is proper to the cross:) so it is in all the crosses that we suffer, there is some disgrace with it, therefore Saint Paul to prevent the scandal and disgrace of the cross (as I said before) he doth here begin with praising God, even for crosses in the midst of them. Blessed be God the Father of mercies, the God of all comfort, who comforteth us in all tribulations, &c.

These words contain a making good of the former title, He is the God of comfort, and doth comfort, he is good and doth good: He fills up his name by his works, he shows what he is, the Scripture doth especially describe God, not in all things as he is in himself; but as he is, and works to his poor Church; and they are useful terms, all of them, he is the Father of mercy, because he is so to his Church; he is the God of comfort, because he is so to his people, therefore he saith here, as he is the God of comfort, so he doth comfort us in all tribulation. He doth not say, who keeps us out of misery; blessed be the God of comfort, that never suffers us to fall into discomfort, no, but Blessed be the God of comfort, that comforts us (in) all tribulation. It is more to raise good out of evil, then not to suffer evil to be at all. It shows greater power, it manifests greater goodness to triumph over ill, when it suffered to be, and so not to keep ill from us, but to comfort us in it.

He doth not say for the time past, which hath comforted us, or which can comfort us if it please him; no, he doth it; it is his use, he doth it always; it springs from his love, he never at any instant or moment of time forgets his Children, and he saith not he doth comfort us in one or two, or a few tribulations, but he comforteth us in all tribulations of what kind or degree soever.

It may be Objected (to clear the sense a little) he doth not always comfort; for then, there could be no time of discomfort.

I Answer, He doth always comfort in some degree: for take a Christian at the lowest, yet he hath so much comfort as to keep him from sinking, when he is at the depth of misery, there is a depth of mercy lower then he, Out of the deep have I cried unto thee Lord, and this is a comfort that he hath in the midst of discomforts, that he hath a spirit of prayer, and if not a spirit of prayer, yet a spirit of sighing and groaning to God, and God hears the sighs and groans of his own spirit in his children. When they cannot distinctly pray, there is a spirit to look up to God. Though thou kill me, yet will I trust in thee, saith Job, in the midst of his miseries: So though God, more notoriously to the view of the world, sometime doth comfort before we come to trouble, that we may bear it the better, and sometime he doth comfort more apparently after we come out: yet notwithstanding in the midst of discomforts, he doth always comfort so far, as that we sink not into despair, there is somewhat to uphold the soul: For, when Solomon saith, A wounded spirit who can bear? that is, none can bear it, it is the greatest grief: then I would know, what keeps a wounded spirit from sinking that it doth not despair? is it not a spirit stronger then the wounded spirit? Is it not God that is greater then the wounded conscience? Yes, then there is comfort greater then the discomfort of a wounded conscience that keeps it from despair; those that finally despair, they are none of God's: So that take the words in what regard, or in what sense you will, yet th •… re is a sweet and comfortable sense of them, and the Apostle might well say, he is the God of all comfort, that doth comfort us in all tribulation.

It is here a ground supposed that,

We are subject here to tribulation of all kinds, for God comforts us in all our tribulations; we are here in a state therefore needing comfort, because we are in tribulation.

And the second is that God doth answer our state.

God doth comfort his Children in all tribulation.

And the ground is from himself, he is the God of comfort, he doth but like himself; when he doth it, the God of comfort shows that he is so, by comforting us in all tribulations.

First, It is supposed that,

In this world we are in tribulations.

Indeed, that I need not be long in; we must at one time or other, be in tribulation some or other: For, though in regard of outward afflictions, we are free from them sometimes, we have a few holy-days (as we say) yet notwithstanding, there is in the greatest enlargements of God's Children in this world, somewhat that troubles their minds▪ for either there is some desertion, God withholds comfort from them in some measure, he shows himself a stranger which humbles them much; or else they have strong temptations of Satan to sin by prosperity, &c. which grieves them as much as the outward cross, or else their grievance is, that they cannot serve God with that chearefulness of spirit. Is there nothing (whoever thou art) that troubles thee as much as the cross in the day of affliction, certainly there is somewhat or other that troubleth the soul of a Christian, he is never out of one grievance or other.

The life of a Christian, is as a web, that is woven of good and ill, he hath good days, and ill days, he hath tribulations, and comforts. As St. Austin saith very well, between these two, tribulation on our part, and comfort on God's part, our life runs between these two, our crosses, and God comforts, they are both mingled together.

There is no child of God, but knows what these things mean, troubles either from friends or enemies, or both; domestical, or personal, in body, or mind, one way or other. That is supposed, and it were not an unproper argument to the text; for when he saith in all tribulations, it is laid as a ground that every man suffers tribulation one way or other; but I shall have fitter occasion after to enlarge this.

Again we see here, that

And his comforts are answerable to their discomforts, and beyond them: they are stronger to master all opposites whatsoever, and all grievances, there could be no comfort else. Alas what are all discomforts when God sets himself to comfort? when he will be a God of comfort, one look, one glance of his fatherly countenance in Jesus Christ, will banish all terrors whatsoever, and make even a very dungeon to be a paradise; he comforteth us in all tribulat on.

And this he doth (as you may perceive by the unfolding of the words) either by some outward thing applied to the outward want, or cross: or by some inward reasons, that are opposite to the inward malady, or by an inward presence. His comforts are appliable to the tribulation, and to the strength and length, and variety of it. We may know it by his course in this life; what misery are we subject to in this life, but we have comfort fit for it? so good is God.

We may reason thus very well; if so be that in our pilgrimage here in this life of ours, which is but the gallery as it were to heaven: if in this short life, which is but a way or passage, we have both day and night, so many comforts; In the very night, if we look up to heaven, we see what glorious things there are towards the earth here, on this fide the heaven, the stars of the light &c.

And if so be upon the earth there be such comforts, especially in the spring, and summer time, if the very earth, the basest dregs of the World, yield such comfort and delights to all the senses; then a man may reason very strongly, what comforts shall we have at home? If God by the creatures thus comfort us in our outward wants; what are the inward comforts of his spirit here to his Children? and what are the last comforts of all, the comforts reserved at home, when God shall be all in all?

Now there are some drops of comfort conveyed in smells, some in garments, some in friends, some in diet, here a drop, and there a drop; but when we shall have immediate communion there with the God of comfort himself, what comforts shall we have there? God comforts us here, by providing for us, and giving us things that are comfortable.

Or by giving reasons and grounds of comfort which are stronger then the reasons, and grounds of discomfort, reasons from the privileges and prerogative of Christians &c. the scripture is full of them.

But likewise (which is the best of all, and most intended) the inward inspiring of comfort: with the reasons and grounds he inwardly conveys comforts to the soul, and strengtheneth, and supports the soul. And he doth this not only by the application of the reasons, and the things that we understand, to the soul; but by opening the soul to embrace them; for sometime the soul may be in such a case as it may reject comfort, that the consolation of the Almighty may seem light to it: sometime there may be such a disposition of soul that the chiefest comforts in scripture, yield it not comfort, they are not embraced, the soul is shut to them. God provides reasons and grounds of comfort; and likewise he applies these comforts by his spirit to the soul, and he inwardly warms, and opens the soul to embrace comfort: he opens the understanding to understand, and the will and affections to embrace, or else there will be no comfort.

Many are like Rachel, her Children were gone, and it is said of her, She would not be Comforted. God is the God of Comfort; as he gives the matter, and ground of comfort; and reasons out of his holy word above all dsscomforts; so by his spirit, he frames and fits the heart, to entertain these, to take the benefit of them.

He comforts us in all tribulation. To comfort is to support the soul against the grievance, past, or felt, or feared.

There may be some remainders of grief, for what is past, grief present presseth most, and grief feared. Now God comforteth whatsoever the grievance is, by supporting the soul against it, as I said before.

We are in tribulation in this life, and yet in all tribulations God doth comfort us (to add to that I said before of this point) let us therefore go to God in all the means of comfort, because he is the God of it, and he must comfort us.

Therefore when we send for divines, or read Holy books (for we must use all means, we must not set God against his means, but join them together) to add that caution by the way.

We may not therefore necessitate the God of comfort, that because he comforts us; therefore we will neglect reading and prayer, and conference with them that God hath exercised in the school of Christ, who should speak comfort to the weary soul by their office.

No, No, God and his means must be joined together, we must trust God; but not tempt him, to set God against his means is to tempt him; that because he is the God of comfort, therefore we will use no means, no Physician for the body, or for the soul: this is absurd, he is the God of comfort in the means, he comforts us in all tribulation, by means, if they be to be had.

If there be no means to be had, he is the God of comfort, he can create them: and if it be so far that there be no means but the contrary, he is a God that can comfort out of discomfort, and can (as I said) make the greatest grounds of comfort out of the greatest discomforts. But he is a God of the means if they be to be had, if there be none, then let us go to him, and say, thou God of comfort, if thou do not comfort, none can comfort, if thou help not, none can help, and then he will help, and help strongly. It is necessary to look to God what ever the means be; it is he that comforts by them. Therefore let him have the praise: if we have any friend, any comfort of the outward man, or any solace of the inward man, by seasonable speech &c. blessed be the God of comfort who hath sent this comforter; who hath sent me comfort by such, and such, let him have the praise; whatsoever the means be, the comfort is his.

And that is the cause that many have no more comfort, they trust to the means overmuch, or neglect the means.

Again, if God comfort in all tribulation: Let Christians be ashamed to be overmuch disconsolate that have the God of comfort for their God, who comforteth in all tribulation. Why art thou so cast down? Is there no Balm in Gilead for thee? Is there not a God in Israel? It is the fault of Christians, they pore too much on their troubles, they look all one way; they look to the grievance, and not to the comfort.

There is a God of comfort that answers his name every way in the exercise of that attribute to his Church: therefore Christians must blame themselves if they be too much cast down, and labor for faith to draw near to this God of comfort.

It should make them ashamed of themselves that think it even a duty (as it were) to walk drooping, and disconsolatly, and deadly; to have flat and dead spirits. What, is this beseeming a Christian that is in Covenant with God, that is the God of comfort, and that answers his title in dealing with his Children, that is ready to comfort them in all tribulation? what if particular comforts be taken from thee, is there not a God of comfort left? he hath not taken away himself. What if thou be restrained, and shut up from other comforts, can any shut up God's Spirit, can any shut up God, and our prayers?

Is not this a comfort that we may go to God always? and he is with us in all estates and in all wants whatsoever? So long as we are in covenant with the God of comfort, why should we be over much cast down? Why art thou so troubled, oh my soul? David cheeks his soul thrice together for distrust in God, he is thy God, the God of all comfort.

What course shall we take that we may derive to ourselves comfort from this God of comfort, who comforteth us in all our tribulations?

Let us consider what our malady and grievance is, especially let us look to our spiritual grievance and malady, sin: for sin is the cause of all other evils, therefore it is the worst evil. And sin makes us loathed of God the fountain of good, it drives us from him, when other evils drive us to from him; and therefore it is the worst evil in that sense too.

Again in the third place, look to the discomforts of sin, especially in the discomforts of conscience of those that are awakened, and Satan useth that as a means to despair in every cross.

Therefore let us search and try our souls for our sins, for our chief discomfort are from sin: for alas, what are all other comforts? and what are all other discomforts? If a man's conscience be quiet, what are all discomforts? and if conscience be on the rack, what are all comforts? the disquiet and vexation of sin is the greatest of all: because then we have to deal with God, when sin is presented before us, and the judgments of God, and God as an angry judge, and conscience is awaked and on the rack, what in the world can take up the quarrel and appease conscience, when we and God are at difference, when the soul speaks nothing but discomfort?

In this case remember that God doth so far prevent objections in this kind from the accusations of conscience, that he reasons that he will comfort us, from that that cöscience reasons against comfort: he doth this in the hearts of his children to whom he means to show mercy: as we see in the poor Publi-

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Lord be merciful to me a sinner saith he: God taught him that reasoning.

Nature would have taught him to reason as Peter did, Lord depart from me, I am a sinful man, and therefore I have nothing to do with God.

So our Savior Christ, Come unto me all ye that are weary and heavy laden: they think of all people they ought to run from God, they are so laden with sin, they have nothing to do with God: Oh, come unto me saith Christ. Therefore when thy conscience is awakened with the sense of sin, remember what is said in the Gospel, Be of good comfort, be calleth thee: be thou of good comfort, thou art one that Christ calls, Come unto me ye that are we ary and heavy laden: and Blessed are those that mourn.

That which thou and the Devil with thy conscience would move thee to use as an argument to run away, our Savior Christ in the Gospel useth as an argument to draw thee forward: he comes for such, to seek, and to save the lost sinners This is a faithful saying (saith St. Paul) that Christ came to save sinners: therefore believe not Satan: he presents God to the soul that is humbled and terrified in the sight of sin, as cruel as a terrible judge, &c. He hides the mercy of God from such: to men that are in a sinful course he shows nothing but mercy. I, but now there is nothing but comfort to thee that art cast down and afflicted in the sense of thy sins: for all the comforts in the Gospel of forgiveness of sins, and all the comforts from Christ's Incarnation, the end of his coming in the flesh, the end of his death, and of all, is to save sinners.

Look thou therefore to the throne of mercy and grace, when thy conscience shall be awakened with the sense of sin, and Satan shall use that as an argument to draw thee from God; consider the Scripture useth this as an argument to drive me to God, to allure me to him: Come unto me all ye that are weary and heavy laden. And Christ came to seek, and to save that which was lost. Luther, a man much exercised in Spiritual conflicts, he confessed this was the Balm that did most refresh his soul, God hath shut up all under sin that he might have mercy upon all. He shut up all under sin as prisoners, to see themselves under sin, and under the curse, that he might have mercy upon all, upon all those that are convinced with the sense and sight of their sins, he hath shut up all under sin, that he might have mercy upon all those that belong to him.

This raised up that blessed man: therefore let us not be much discomforted, but be of good comfort, Christ calls us.

For such as are sinners, that are given to the sins of the tongue, and of the life, to rotten discourse, to swearing and such like, to such as mean to be so, and think their case good; oh, God is the God of comfort, To such as I said before, I can speak no comfort, nor the word of God speaks none: they must have another Word, and another Scripture: for this word speaks no comfort to such that are sinful and wretched, and will be so, and justify themselves to be so.

All the judgments in the Scripture are theirs, hell, and damnation and wrath, that is their portion to drink.

We can speak no comfort to such, nor the word of God that we unfold: it hath not a drop of comfort for them, God will not be merciful to such as go on in wicked, rotten, scandalous courses, that because hell hath not yet taken them, they may live long, and so make a covenant with hell and death, and bless themselves. Oh, but thou hast made no covenant with God, nor he hath made none with thee, and hell, and death have made no covenant with thee: though thou hast made one with them, but there are two words go to a covenant: Death and Hell shall seize upon thee notwithstanding thy covenant.

Those that will live in sin in despite of the ministry, in spite of afflictions: there is no comfort to such, I speak only to the broken heart, which are fit vessels for comfort: God is the God of comfort to such: What shall we say then to such, as after they have had some evidence of their good estate, that they are Christians, are fallen into sin? is there any comfort for such?

Yes, doth not St. Paul in 2 Cor. 5. desire such to be reconciled to God? we are as Ambassadors of Christ desiring you to be reconciled if you have sinned: so God hath comfort for those that have sinned: Christ knew that we should every day run into sins unawares, therefore he teaches us in the Lord's prayer to say every day forgive us our debts, our trespasses: there is Balm in Gilead, there is mercy in Israel for such daily trespasses as we run into.

Therefore let none be discouraged, but fly presently to the God of comfort, and Father of mercies. And think not that he is weary of pardoning as man is: for he is infinite in mercy And though he be the party offended, yet he desires peace with us.

But yet notwithstanding, that we shall not love to run into his Books, he doth with giving the comfort of the pardon of sin (when we fall into it) add such sharp crosses, as we shall wish we had not given him occasion to correct us so sharply: we shall buy our comfort dear, we had better not have given him occasion.

God forgave the sin of David after he had repented (though he were a good man before) but David bought the pleasure of his sin dear; he wished a thousand times that he had never given occasion to God, to raise good out of his evil, to turn his sin to his comfort: yet God will do this, because God would never have us in a state of despair.

For other grievances besides sin, the comforts that we are to apply are more easy, and they are infinite if we could reckon the particular comforts that God comforts his Children withal.

It is good to have general comforts ready for all kind of maladies, and grievances, and this poor wretched life of ours (in our absence from God) is subject to.

As for instance, that general comfort, the Covenant of grace, that is a spring of comfort, that God is our God, and Father in Christ, what can come from a gracious and good God in covenant with us, but that which is good? nothing but what is favourably good I mean: For the covenant is everlasting, when God takes once upon him to be our Father in Covenant, he is so forever: Dum castigas pater, &c. While he corrects he is a father, and when he smiles upon us, he is a father.

God in the covenant of Grace takes upon him a relation that ever holds: as he is forever the Father of Christ, so he is forever the Father of those that are members of Christ, and whatsoever comes from the Father of mercy, whether he correct, or smile, whatsoever he doth is in mercy.

Again, in the midst of any grievance, remember the gracious promise of mitigation, 1 Cor. 10. 13. God will not suffer us to be tempted above our strength, but he will give an issue to the temptation: he will give a mitigation, and either he will raise our strength to the temptation, or he will bring the temptation and trial to our strength, he will fit them, and this is a comfort.

There is comfort likewise in all troubles whatsoever, of the presence of God, God will be present with us if once we be in Covenant with him: he will be present in all trials to assist us, to strengthen us, to comfort us, to raise our spirits. And if God be present, he will banish all discomforts: for God is light, and where light is, darkness vanisheth; Now God being the Father of light, that is, of all comfort: where he is present, he banisheth discomfort in what measure he is pleased to banish it. Therefore David often reasoneth from the presence of God to the defiance of all troubles, Psal. 3. If God be with me, I will not fear ten Thousand that are against me. And in Psal. 23. Though I walk in the valley of the shadow of death, I will not fear, for thou art with me. And if God be with us, who can be against us? Rom. 8. And when thou passest through the fire, I will be with thee, &c. I will be with thee, not to keep thee out, but to uphold thee; As he did the Mariyrs, there was a fire of comfort in them, above that fire that consumed their bodies: and as we see he was with the Three Children; there was a fourth like the Son of God.

So in all tribulations there is another with us, that is, the Spirit of God that comforts us in all, and is present with us in all. The Goldsmith when he puts the wedge into the fire, he stands by till the dross be consumed: so God is with his Children in the furnace of affliction: he brings them into affliction, he continues with them in affliction, and he brings them at last out of affliction. The presence of God is a main, and a Grand comfort in all tribulation.

Besides, in all that befalls us whatsoever, consider the end, all is for a good end: All things work together for the best to them that love God (saith St. Paul) Why do we endure Physic? because we know the Physician is wise, and he is our friend, and he doth it to carry away burdensome hurtful humors, we shall be better and lighter afterwards; do we do this in our common course in the things of this life? Grace will much more certainly teach us to do it, to reason, it is from a father, and it is for my good. Let us look whence it comes, and what it tends to, with the promise of mitigation, and of God's presence in our troubles; these are main comforts, if we could think of them, if the Devil did not take them out of our memory.

And for the first ground of comfort that God doth comfort us withal, in all tribulations, it is the promise of final deliverance, and final comfort forever; if none will raise our souls, that will: when we shall consider that it will not be long.

The short afflctions in this world, bring an eternal weight of glory: there will be a final deliverance. Life itself that is the subject that receives affliction, that is short, our life is but a moment, therefore our afflictions must be short.

Life is longer then discomforts, there is but a piece of our life subject to miseries; and if that be but a vapor, but a moment, and as a point between eternity before, and eternity after, what are the miseries of this life? certainly they are but for a moment.

Therefore the promise of final deliverance, when all tears shall be wiped from our eyes; this should comfort us if nothing else would. This is the way therefore whereby God usually comforts by suggesting the heads and springs of comfort.

And indeed there is a daily method of comforting, whereby we may comfort ourselves in all crosses, if we would use that daily method, and order of comfort. As there is a kind of diet to keep the body in temper; so there is a kind of spiritual diet to keep the soul in temper, in a course of comfort, unless it be when God takes liberty to cast down, for some special end, as we see in Job.

Therefore let us take this course (for God as he comforteth us, so he comforts us as understanding creatures, he useth our understanding to consider how we should comfort ourselves, and after we are once in a state of comfort, if we be not wanting to ourselves, there is no great difficulty to keep our comfort; there are means to keep daily comfort: God hath provided them, and he will be present to make good all his comforts. Grant it therefore that we are in the covenant of Grace, that God is our Father in Christ, and we take him to be our God, to be all sufficient, then to keep ourselves in a daily temper for comfort, every day keep our souls tender, that we may be capable of comfort, keep the wound open that we may receive balm, that there grow not a deadness upon the heart, considering that while we live here, there is always some sin in us that must be wrought out by some course or other; let us try and search our souls, what ill is in the wound, let us keep it open and tender, that there may be a fitness for mercy to receive the balm of comfort, which will not be, if we slubber over. Certainly it is an excellent course every day to search our hearts and ways, and presently to apply the balm of comfort, the promise of pardon; take the present, when we have searched the wound, to get pardon and forgiveness daily, as we sin daily, Christ bids us ask it daily.

This will make us fit for comfort by discerning the estate of our souls, and the remainders of corruption. That which sharpens appetite and makes the balm of God to be sweet indeed, is the sense of, and the keeping open of our wound: a daily search into our wants, and weaknesses; a daily fresh sight of the body of sin in us: and experience how it is fruitful in ill thoughts, and desires and actions, this will drive us to a necessity of daily comfort.

And certainly a fresh sight of our corruptions, it is never without some fresh comfort. We see St. Paul Rom. 7. he sets himself to this work, to complain of his indisposition by reason of sin in him; and how doth he end that sight and search into his own estate? he ends in a triumphing manner, Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord: There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus.

After he had complained, Oh miserable man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of death. There can be no danger in a deep search into our ways and hearts, if this be laid as a ground before, that there is more supply, and heavenly comfort in God and the promises of God, then there can be ill in our souls, then the more ill we find in ourselves, the more we are disposed to fetch grounds of comfort from God.

And together with this searching of our souls and asking daily pardon, let us for the time to come renew our covenant with God, that we may have the comfort of a good conscience to get pardon for our sins past, and renew our resolutions for the time to come.

And withal that we may use an orderly course of comfort: let us every day feed on Christ, the food of life, let us every day feed upon something in Christ; consider the death of Christ, the satisfaction he hath made by his death; his intercession in Heaven; his blood runs afresh that we may every day feed on it.

We may run every day into new offenses against the law, to new neglect of duty, into new crosses; let us feed upon Christ, he came into the World to save sinners, to make us happy with peace of conscience here, and with Glory afterward. Let us feed on Christ daily; as the body is fed with cordials; so this feeds and comforts and strengthens the soul.

This is to live by faith, to lead our lives by faith, to feed on Christ every day.

And likewise, if we will keep our souls in a perpetual temper of comfort, let us every day meditate of some prerogatives of Christians, that may raise our souls: Let us single out some or other. As for example, that excellent prerogative to be the Sons of God: What love? saith the Apostle, that we of Rebels and Traitors, in Christ should be made the sons of God? That of slaves, we should be made Servants, of servants sons, of sons heirs, and of heirs, fellow-heirs with Christ, what prerogative is this, that God should give his Son, to mak us that were Rebels sons, heirs and fellow heirs with Christ? And to consider what follows upon this liberty, that we have from the curse of the Law, to go to God boldly, to go to the throne of Grace through Christ our elder brother by prayer, to think of eternal life as our inheritance, to think of God above as our Father, Let us think of our prerogatives of Religion, adoption and justification, &c.

Upon necessity we are driven to it, if we consider the grievances of this world, together with our corruptions: our corruptions, and afflictions, and temptations, and desertions, one thing or other will drive us to go out of ourselves for comfort, to feed on the benefits by Christ. And consider what he hath done, it is for us: the execution of his office, and all for us, what he is, what he did, what he suffered, what procured, all is for us. The soul delighting itself in these prerogatives, it will keep the soul in a perpetual estate of comfort. Therefore the Scripture sets forth Christ by all terms that may be comfortable, he is the door to let us in, He is the way, the truth and the life, the water and the bread, &c.

In sin, he is our righteousness, in death he is our life, in our ignorance he is our way, in spiritual hunger and thirst, he is the bread and water of life, he is all in all: And if we cannot think of some prerogative of Christianity, then think of some promise, (as I said before) think of the Covenant of Grace, there is a spring of comfort in that, that God in Christ is our God to death, and forever, and that promise I speak of, that All things shall work for the best.

Let us every day think of these things, and suggest them to our own souls, that our souls may be affected with them, and digest them, that our souls and they may be one, (as it were.)

And every day stir up our hearts to be thankful, a thankful heart can never want comfort, for it cannot be done without some comfort and chearefulness, and when God receives any praise and glory, he answers it with comfort; a thankful heart is always comfortable.

And let us stir up our hearts to be fruitful in the holy actions, the reward of a fruitful life is a comfortable life, besides Heaven, God always in this life gives a present reward to any good action, it is rewarded with peace of conscience. Besides, it is a good foundation against the evil day, every good action, as the Apostle saith to Timothy, it lays up a good foundation. The more good we do, the more we are assured, that our faith is not hypocritical, but sound, and good, and will hold out in the time of trial. It will be a good foundation, that we have had evidence before that we have a sound and fruitful faith.

What do wicked men, careless, sinful creatures, that go on in a course of profaneness, and blasphemy &c? they lay a ground of despair, a ground of discomfort to be swallowed up in the evil day: then conscience will be awaked at the last, and Satan will be ready to join with conscience, and conscience will seal all the accusations that Satan lays against them, and where is the poor soul then? As it is with them, so, on the contrary the Christian soul that doth good, besides the present comfort of a good conscience, it lays a good foundation against the time to come: for in the worst times, it can reason with itself, my faith is not fruitless, I am not an hypocrite; though the fruits of it be weak, and mixed with corruptions, yet there is truth in them; this will comfort us when nothing else will.

Therefore let us every day be setting ourselves in some good way; for comfort is in comfortable courses, and not in ill courses: in God's ways we shall have God's comforts. In those ways let us exercise the spiritual strength we have: let us pray to God and perform the exercise of Religion with strength, show some zeal in it: let us show some zeal against sin, if occasion be, if it be in God's work, in God's way. Let a man set himself upon a good work, especially when it is in opposition; for the honor of God, and the peace of his conscience, presently there is comfort upon it.

And that we may not be discouraged with the imperfection of our performances, one way of daily comfort is to consider the condition of the covenant of Grace between God and us. In the covenant of Grace our performances if they be sincere they are accepted, and it is the perfection of the Gospel, sincerity. Sincerity will look God in the face with comfort, because he is with the upright; so much truth in all our dealings, so much comfort. And with sincerity labor for growth, to grow better and better.

God in the Gospel means to bring us to perfection in heaven by little and little. In the law there was present perfection required; but in the Gospel, God requires that we should come to perfection by little and little, as Christ by little and little satisfied for our sins, and not all at once. In the condition of the covenant of Grace, we must live and grow by grace by little and little, and not all at once. The condition of the covenant of grace is not to him that hath strength of grace in perfection; but if we believe and labor to walk with God, if there be truth of Grace, truth goes for perfection in the covenant of Grace. We should labor for sound knowledge of the covenant of Grace, that now we are freed from the rigor as well as from the curse of the law, that though we have imperfections, yet God will be our father, and in this condition of imperfection he will be a pardoning father, and looks on our obedience though it be feeble and weak, and imperfect: (yet being the obedience of children in the covenant of grace) and he accepts of what is his own, and pardons what is ours.

And every day labor to preserve the comforts of the spirit that we have, not to grieve the spirit, for comfort comes with the spirit of God, as heat accompanies the fire. As wheresoever fire is, there is heat: so wheresoever the spirit of God is, there is comfort: because the spirit of God is God, and God is with comfort, wheresoever comfort is, God is, and wheresoever God is, there is comfort. If we would have comfort continually every day, let us carefully watch that we give way to the spirit of God, by good actions, and meditations, and exercises.

And by no means grieve the spirit, or resist the spirit, for then we resist comfort. If we speak anything that is ill, we lose our comfort for that time, conscience will check us, we have grieved the spirit. If we hear anything with applause, and are not touched with it, we lose our comfort, conscience will tell us we are dead-hearted, and not affected as we should be: there is a great deal of flesh and corruption that is affected with such rotten discourse. And so if we venture upon occasions we shall grieve the spirit, either if we speak somewhat to satisfy others that are naught, or if we hear somewhat that is ill from others. Want of wisdom in this kind, doth make us go without comfort many times: want of wisdom to single out our company, or else if we be with such, to do that, that may please them, and grieve the spirit, and hinder our own comfort.

These and such like directions if we would observe, we might walk in a course of comfort: the God of comfort hath prescribed this in the book of comfort. These are the courses for God's children, to walk in a comfortable way till they come to heaven. More especially, if we would at any time take a more full measure of comfort, then take the book of God into your hand, those are comforts, that refresh the soul: single out some special portion of scripture, and there you shall have a world of comfort. As for example; let a man single out the epistle to the Romans, if a man be in any grievance whatsoever, what a world of comfort is there fitting for every malady? there is a method how to come to comfort.

There St. Paul in the beginning, first strips all men of confidence of anything in themselves, and tells them that no man can be saved by works, Jews nor Gentiles, but all by the righteousness of God in Christ: All are deprived of the Glory of God, Jews, and Gentiles, everybody: And when we are brought to Christ, he tells us (in the later end of the third Chapter) that by Christ we have the forgiveness of all our former sins whatsoever, he is the propitiation for our sins. In the 4. Chapter he comforts us by the example of Abraham, and David, that they were justified without works by faith, not by works of their own, but by laying hold of the promises of comfort and salvation merely by Christ: and all that saith St. Paul is written for us. But in the first Chapter especially, because all the miseries of this life come from the first Adam, because we are Children of the first Adam, death and misery comes from that: he opposeth the comfort in the second Adam, and he shows that there is more comfort by the second Adam, then there is discomfort by the first. Righteousness in the second Adam reigns to life everlasting, and Glory. Sin, and misery came by the first, but there is the pardon of all sin, by the second Adam, he doth excellently oppose them in the latter end of that Chapter. In the beginning of the fifth Chapter he shows there the method, and descent of joy, Being justified by faith (in Christ, we have peace with God: Considering that by the righteousness of Christ we are freed from sin. We have peace with God through Jesus Christ our Lord. And we have boldness to the Throne of Grace, and we rejoice in tribulation, knowing that tribulation brings forth patience, and patience experience, and experience hope. He sets himself there of purpose to comfort in all tribulation, and he saith in these things we rejoice, We rejoice in tribulation.

I, but for our sins after our conversion, after we are in the state of Grace, what comfort is there for them? there is excellent comfort in the fifth of the Romans. If when we were enemies he gave his son for us: if he saved us by the death of Christ when we were enemies; much more Christ being alive, and in heaven, he will keep it for us, and keep us to salvation now when we are friends, seeing he died for us when we were enemies. I, but the remainders of corruption in this world trouble us, that troubles our comfort, the combat between the flesh, and the spirit; would you see comfort for that? you shall see it in Romans 7. Oh, miserable man, who shall deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So he shows there what way to have comfort in the combat between the flesh, and the Spirit, to search into our corruptions, to lay them open to God by confession.

And then in the beginning of the eight Chapter saith he, there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus: though there be sin, yet there is no condemnation, though there be this conflict between the flesh and the spirit: so he comforts them. And for the afflictions that follow our corruptions in this life, there is a treasure of comfort against them in that Chapter: for doth he not say, if we suffer with him, we shall reign with him? And the same spirit helps our infirmities and teacheth us how to pray? We can never be uncomfortable if we can pray, but there is a promise of the spirit that stirs up sighs, and groans that cannot be expressed, and a Christian hath always a spirit of prayer, at the least of sighs and groans, and God hears the sighs of his own spirit.

And what a grand comfort is that, that I named before verse. 28. All things work for the best to them that love God? And if God be with us who can be against us? And he sends us to Christ, if Christ be dead, or rather risen again, who shall lay anything to our charge? Christ is ascended to heaven, and makes intercession at the right hand of God. Though Satan lay our sins to our charge, Christ makes intercession in heaven at the right hand of God, he makes continual intercession for our continual breaches with God, who shall lay anything to our charge? I, but all that power of hell and sin, and all labor to separate us from God, to breed division between God and us. In the later end of that Chapter he bids defiance to all, what shall separate us from the love of God in Christ? it shall separate his love from Christ first, God's love is found in Christ, he shall cease to love Christ if he cease to love us. I, but we may afterward fall into an uncomfortable case. For that he saith neither things present, nor things to come, shall be able to separate us.

What an excellent spring of comfort is there in that reasoning verse. 32. If God spared not his own son, but gave him to death for us all, how shall he not with him give us all things e •… lse? How many streams may be drawn from that spring? if God spared not his own son, but gave him to death for us all, how shall he not with him give us all things else in this world necessar, grace, provision, & protection, till he have brought us to heaven? If he have given Christ, he will give all; whatsoever is written, is written for our comfort. I mean this epistle, because I would name one instance for all. All is written for our comfort, as he saith after in the same Epistle. The written word, or the word unfolded; the end of preaching, is especially to comfort. The Chirurgeon opens a wound, and the Physician gives a purge, but all is to restore at the last, all that the Chirurgeon aims at, is to close up the wound at the last; so all our aim is to comfort. We must cast you down, and show you your misery that you are in, and show you, that if you continue in that course, hell, and damnation belongs to you; but this is to make you despair in yourselves, and to fly to the God of comfort; the law is for the Gospel, all serve to bring the soul to comfort.

Therefore go to the word of God, any portion; the Psalms or any special part of the scripture, and that by the spirit of God will be a means to raise the soul, the spirit in the word joining with the spirit in us will make a sweet close together, and comfort us in all tribulation.

And have recourse daily to common principles: all the principles of religion serve for comfort, especially the Articles of the Creed. I believe in God the father Almighty. What a spring of comfort is in that? what can befall from a father but it shall turn to good, and by a father Almighty, though he be never so strongly opposed, yet he will turn it to good, he is a father Almighty, and the Articles of Christ (every article hath ground of daily comfort) of his abasement in Christ, I see myself, he is my surety, the second Adam, I see my sins crucified with him. This is the way to reap comfort when the conscience is disquieted; when I look upon my sins, not in my own conscience, but take it out there, and see it in Christ dying, and crucified, in the Articles of abasement to see our sin, and misery, all in Christ. For he stood there as surety, as a public person for all. What a comfort is this? When I see how Christ was abased, I see my own comfort, for he was my surety: if my sins being laid on him, who was my surety, could not condemn him, or keep him in the grave, but overcame sin that was laid to his charge, surely I shall overcome my corruptions, nothing that I have shall overcome me, because it could not overcome Christ my surety, his victory is mine.

And so, if the soul be in any desolation, and discomfort, all the articles of his Glorification and exaltation, his rising again acquits the soul: therefore my sins are satisfied for, because my surety is out of prison. And his ascending into heaven shows my triumph; he lead captivity captive: and the enemies that are left are for the trial of my faith, and not to conquer me; for Christ hath Lead captivity captive, and is ascended into heaven, he led all in triumph, and sits at the right hand of God to rule his Church to the end of the World: he sits for me to overcome my enemies, as St. Paul saith excellently Rom. 8. who shall lay anything to the charge of God's people? it is Christ that died, or rather that is risen again, who fits at the right hand of God.

And if we be troubled for the loss of a particular friend, there is comfort in that article of the communion of Saints. There are those that have more grace, and that is for me. If my own prayers be weak, I believe the communion of Saints, and have the benefit of their prayers: everyone that saith Our Father brings me in, if I be in the Covenant of grace, and of the Communion of Saints. If I have weaknesses in myself, I believe in the holy Ghost the comforter of God's elect and my comforter. If I fear death, I believe the resurrection of the body. If I fear the day of judgment, I believe that Christ shall be my judge: he shall come to judge the quick, and the dead. In all the miseries of this life, considering that they are but short, I believe the life everlasting. So that indeed if we would dig to ourselves springs of comfort, let us go to the Articles of our Faith, and see how there are streams of comfort from everyone answerable to all our particular exigencies, and necessities whatsoever.

And to close up this point, remember whatsoever means we use, what prerogative soever we think of, whatsoever we do, remember we go to the God of comfort, and desire him to bless his Word in the ministry, and desire him to work in the Communion of Saints, with his Spirit to warm our hearts: always remember to carry him along in all, that we may have comfort from the God of Comfort, who comforteth in all tribulations. Next words are,

These words show the end why God doth comfort us in all tribulation. One main end is, that we should be comforted in ourselves, that is the first. And then▪ that we being comforted ourselves, from that ability should be able to derive comfort to others: we are comforted in all tribulations, that we should be able to comfort them that are in any tribulation.

It is not St. Paul's case only, and great men in Religion, Ministers and the like; it is not their lot and portion alone to be persecuted and troubled, but

Everyone, whosoever will live Godly in Christ Jesus must suffer persecution. Therefore the Apostle saith not only our tribulation: but that we may be able to comfort them that are in any trouble. Trouble is the portion of all God's Children one with another: I do but touch that by the way. But that which I shall more stand upon, it is the end, one main end why God comforteth, (especially Ministers, it is that they should be able to comfort others with the comforts that God hath comforted them withal: That we may be able &c. Now you must conceive that this ability, it is not ability alone without will and practice, as if he meant, God hath given me comfort, that I might be able to comfort others if I will, that is not God's end only, that we may be able, but that we may exercise our ability, that it may be ability in exercise.

As God doth not give a rich man riches to that end that he may be able to relieve others if he will: No, but if thou be a Child of God, he gives thee ability and will too, he gives an inward strength. So the meaning here is, not that we may be able to comfort others if we will, but that we may be both able, and willing to comfort others.

And to comfort others not only by our example, that because we have been comforted of God, so they shall be comforted; it is good, but it is not the full extent of the Apostles meaning, for then the dead examples should comfort as well as the living. And indeed that is one way of comfort to consider the examples of former times: but the Apostles meaning is, that I should comfort them not only by my example of God's dealing with me, that they should look for the like comfort, that is but one degree. His meaning is further therefore, that we should be able to comfort them by Sympathizing with them: as indeed it is a sweet comfort to those that are in distress when others compassionate their estate.

And not only so, by our example and sympathy with them, but likewise that we may be able to comfort them by the inward support, and strength, and light that we have found by the Spirit of God in ourselves; that is that that will enable us to comfort others, from that very support, and inward strength that we have found from God, by those graces, and that particuliar strength and comfort that we have had. When there is a sweet expressing of our inward comfort to them showing something in our comfort that may raise them up in the like troubles that we were in, then the comfort will not be a dead comfort, when it comes from a man experienced. Personated comfort, when a man takes upon him to comfort, that only speaks comfort, but feels not what he speaks, there is little life in it, we are comforted that we may comfort others, with feeling, having been comforted ourselves before, with feeling and comfortable apprehensions in ourselves. The point considerable in the first place (to make way to the rest) is this, that

St. Paul was comforted, that he might comfort others: Divine comforts belong to all, they are the portion of all God's people: the meanest have interest as well the greatest. There is the same spiritual Physic for the poorest subject, and the greatest Monarch: there is the same spiritual comfort for the meanest, and for the greatest Christian in the World: St. Paul hath the same comfort as St. Paul's children in the Faith. What is the reason that they are communicable thus to all; that they lie open to all.

God is the God and Father of all light and comfort, Christ is the Savior of all: all the privileges of Religion belong to all equally, all are Sons, and Heirs, and all are alike Redeemed, the Brother of low degree, and the Brother of h •… gh degree: they may differ in the references, and relations of this life: but in Christ all are alike.

Besides, it is the nature of spiritual privileges and blessings, they are communicable to all alike without impairing, the more one hath the less another hath not, all have an equal share, everyone hath interest entire, everyone hath all without loss or hindrance to others. As for instance, the Sun, every particular man hath all the good the Sun can do, as well as all the World hath, it is peculiarly and entirely every man's own, every man in solidu •… m hath the use of it, the Sun is not one man's more then another. As a public fountain or Conduit, every man hath as much right in it as another. So in Religion, the graces and privileges, and favors, they lie open as the prerogatives and privileges of all God's children: and that is the excellency of them. In the things of this life it is not so, they are not common to all alike, there is a loss in the division, the more one hath, the less another hath: and that is the reason why the things of this life breed a disposition of pride, and envy: one envies another because, he wants that that another hath; and one despiseth another, because he hath more then another hath: but in the comforts of God's Spirit, and the prerogatives that are the ground of those comforts, all have interest alike.

Only the difference is in the vessels they bring, if one man bring a large vessel, a large faith, he caries more, and another that brings a less faith caries less, but it lies open to all alike: As St. Cyprian saith, we carry as much from God as we bring vessels: but all have Interest alike in divine comforts.

Therefore among Christians there is little envy, because in the best things (which they value best) all may have alike, and that which one desires, another may have as much as he, he knows he hath never the less.

The point is comfortable to all, even to the meanest, and to them especially, that howsoever there be a difference between others and them in outward things that cease in death (for all differences shall cease ere long between us and others) yet the best things are common. In this life those things that are necessary, they are common; as the Light, and the Elements, Fire, and Water &c. and those are necessary that are not common: but especially in spiritual things, the best things are common. Let no man be discomforted, if he be God's Child, comfort belongs to him as well as to the greatest Apostle. The chiefest comforts belong to him as well as to the chiefest Christian. Therefore let us envy none, nor despise none in this respect.

In the next place we may observe here hence, that Though these comforts be common, yet God derives these comforts commonly by the means of men.

This is God's order in deriving these comforts to the soul, he comforts one, that another may be comforted; Not that the comforts themselves that join with our spirits come from men, but that together with the speech, and presence of men, whom we love and respect, and in whom we discern the appearance of the Spirit of God to dwell, together with the speech of persons in whom the spirit is strong and powerful, the Spirit of God joins, and the Spirit raiseth the soul with comfort: so the Spirit comforteth, by comforting others that they may comfort us.

This is not only true of Ministers, but it is true of Christians, as Christians: for St. Paul must be considered, in something as an Apostle, in something as a Christian, in something as a Minister of Christ. As an Apostle, he had the care of all the Churches, &c. As a Christian he comforted and exhorted others: one Christian ought to comfort another; therefore he would have done it as a Christian, if he had not been an Apostle. And in something he is to be considered as a Minister of Christ, as a Teacher and Ambassador of Christ, a teacher of the Gospel. He was somewhat as an Apostle, somewhat as a Minister, somewhat as a Christian. Therefore it concerns us all to consider how to comfort one another as Christians. We are all members of the same body whereof Christ is the Head; therefore whatsoever comfort we feel, we ought to communicate.

The Celestial bodies will teach us this, whatsoever light or influence the Moon, and the Stars receive, they bestow it on these inferior bodies, they have their light from the Sun, and they reflect it again upon the creatures below. In the Fabric of man's body, those official parts, (as we call them) those parts and members of the body, the Heart and the Liver, which are both members and official parts, that do office and service to others parts, they convey and derive the spirits, and the blood to all other parts: they receive strength, partly for themselves first, and then to convey it to other members The Liver is fed itself with some part of the blood, and it conveys the rest to the veins, and so to the whole body. The heart is nourished itself of the purest nourishment, the spirits are increased, and those spirits are spread through the Arteries.

The stomach feeds itself with the meat it digests, and with the strength it hath (being an official part) it serves other parts and strengtheneth other parts: and if there be a decay in it, there is a decay in all the parts of the body. So a Christian ought to strengthen himself, and then strengthen others: no man is for himself alone. And although whatsoever the means be, the comfort comes from God, yet he will have comfort to be conveyed to us by men, this way.