Divine Comforts, Chapter 13

Divine Comforts · Chapter 13

p. 182CHAP. XIII. Comforts in God.

I. THE Comforts which God is, delight the Soul. Theſe or none. For nothing iſſuing from God, is greater or better than himſelf, He is much more than all without him, therefore a more ſufficient ſatisfaction; both becauſe there is a plenitude of Perfection in him, and becauſe he can inlarge the capacity of the Recipient, and quicken the perceptive Powers, more exquiſitely to ſenſe, and reliſh the Sweetneſs of all thoſe delectable Excellencies that adorn his Nature. Now as God is every thing which is comfortable, ſo every thing in God is a Well-ſpring of over-flowing Conſolation, to a good Heart, his Being, Names, Attributes, &c.

1. His Being or Exiſtence. That there is a God, therefore a regarder of Goodneſs, infinitely concerned to promote it, to ſupport it, to reward it. The Firſt without beginning, the Laſt without end. Who poſſeſſes all Being in himſelf eminently, and gives Being to all things, that have a poſitive Entity, and that very good, Gen. 1.31. Without whoſe Agency, neither thy Sorrows, nor thy Comforts can be; and if they receive their Being, then alſo their Balance from the beſt hand in the Univerſe. One that has Being ſo, as nothing elſe can; not thy Sins, not thy Sorrows, not thy ſpiritual Enemies, &c. not an arbitrary p. 183precarious Exiſtence; but neceſſary, uncontroulable, ſelf-originating, unalterable, unperiſhable: To which all other Beings are nothing in compariſon, faint, evanid, fading, Iſai. 40.17. There's none beſide. As his own Being is the greateſt reality, ſo can he make thoſe Comforts which depend upon it, to adminiſter abundantly more reality of refreſhment, than there can poſſibly be real evil in all the Miſeries of a thouſand Worlds. He will be and abide by us (when all elſe fail us,) as an everlaſting Fulneſs of all Eſſential Conſolations.

¶ 2. His Names and Titles.

El.] Verſe 1. Elohim] Ver. 7.22, 23. A ſtrong Plurality, in Unity of ſingular Excellency: Sufficient therefore to relieve: for he is

El ſhaddai] (an additional, not indeed expreſs in the Pſalm, but neceſſary to be mentioned in order to the explaining of the following Jehovah, ſo often uſed here) God All-ſufficient, or Almighty. In him therefore is there abundantly enough to ſatisfie intenſively all Appetites, in all their extents and poſſibilities. This Name he gives himſelf, with reſpect to his making Promiſes, wherein mercies are exhibited as future; whence it ſecures to us fully his ſingular Good Will, and engages our Faith and Hope, and improves, and heightens them into an Aſſurance, that Bleſſings and Comforts, now out of our hands, ſhall in due Seaſon (which himſelf is fitteſt to chuſe) be put into our poſſeſſion by him: Under his Name

JEHOVAH], mention'd Ver. 1.3, 5, 11, 14, 17, 18, 22, 23. the proper and immediate reaſon of his giving himſelf this Name, being his preſent purpoſe to fulfil with his Hand, what he had ſpoke with his Mouth long before, and give actual Being by his Power and Providence to that, which only p. 184had a poſſible Vertual Being, in his Promiſe made under the Name of Elſhaddai. This then is a Name, intimating, that He is not a Promiſer afar off, but a Performer at hand, ready to comfort us in, and ſave us out of our Spiritual Thraldom, under Corruption, Temptation, and Affliction of Body and Mind. And being

Adonai, (which the Jews alway read inſtead of the Tetragrammaton (as the Name Jehovah is called) except where they are together) Lord and Soveraign over All; he hath a Right and Power to diſpoſe of all Perſons, and Things, according to the good pleaſure of his own Will, and cannot be controul'd in his Purpoſes, or Performances, by any, but at their Peril. Whence 'tis alway likely to be beſt with thoſe that in reverence and humility, ſubject themſelves freely to his Government, which is deſignedly manag'd for the Good and Comfort of his Subjects, and the final Trouble and Diſquiet only of his Incureable Enemies; therefore muſt and will for his own Glory, and his Servants higheſt Advantage, overrule, and overcome the Malignity and Malice of Hell, the Madneſs and Rage of the World, and the Corruptions, and Confuſions of our own Hearts; all which, without his Interpoſal, would be irremediable and intolerable. And as

Jah, Ver. 7.12. 'Tis congruous and decent for him to do all. It highly becomes a Nature ſo excellent, ſo communicative, and bountiful, to diſſpenſe of thoſe Delights, in which he for ever dwells, and ſolaces himſelf; to ſuch of his Creatures, as place their ſole felicity in Him, and cannot, will not take pleaſure in any thing without him.

¶. 3. His Attributes, are a rich Mine of Comfort: p. 185both ſingly and conjunct; as divers Conceptions, but one only indiviſible Perfection.

§. 1. His Wiſdom and Omniſcience, Ver. 9.10, 11. 'Twas a Queſtion only becoming the Frenzy and Folly of a degenerate wicked Heart. How doth God know? And is there Knowledge in the moſt High? Pſal. 73.11. Yes that there is, as you ſhall know to your ſorrow; but the Godly do experience it to their wonderful Satisfaction. All the Evils we feel, He knows very well, though we cannot; nay, though we will not, though we dare not repreſent or deſcribe them; and a Friend's Knowledge of its Troubles, is ſome eaſe to an oppreſſed Heart. But our Griefs are not only the Objects of his Underſtanding, but the Diſpoſitions of his Wiſdom, which being infinitely more comprehenſive than ours, did deſign, and knows how to effect our greateſt Good out of that, which our ſhallow Capacities apprehend to be the greateſt Evil. 'Tis no little Solace, that boundleſs Wiſdom, which can never project Evil, doth perfectly ſee and know this to be beſt for us, which it diſpences to us: And though now we cannot fathom the Myſteries of this manifold Wiſdom, Eph. 3.10. (as how ſhould Finite comprehend Infinite?) Yet the Reaſons of its Proceedure, will be unfolded hereafter, to the general Satisfaction of the whole World. Have we not then ſufficient ground to acquieſce, and be pleas'd with that now, (altho' we cannot dive into its Methods) which with the higheſt complacency we ſhall acquieſce and rejoyce in for ever, when we more truly underſtand it?

Beſide, Infinite Wiſdom is ſtored with Means, Devices, and Ways, to comfort us, beyond all we are able to conceive. The incomparable Riches of Divine Conſolation, are owing to the inexhauſtible p. 186Treaſures of that Wiſdom, which can find out ſuch as are moſt ſuitable, and moſt ſeaſonably and effectually apply them: And foreſeeing what may be a Bar to them, can tell how to uſe the moſt proper Methods to remove it, this being its moſt genuine work, to know, chuſe and uſe, the moſt accommodate and efficacious Means, to bring about the moſt excellent End. We triumph in the enjoyment of ſuch Relief in a Friend on Earth; Have we not abundantly more reaſon, to ſolace our ſelves in the friendly aſpect and ſuperintendence of ſuch an infinite Perfection in Heaven? Is Satan continually injecting Terrors or Troubles, or exciting diſguſtful horrid Imaginations? Does he appear in the guiſe of the Fool, and ſay, in thy heart there is no God, &c.? Pſal. 14.1. Does he with Job's Wife put on the deſperate Bedlam, and bid thee Curſe God, &c. and dye? Job 2.9. Does he perſonate the Cheating Knave, and adviſe thee to defraud either God of his due Worſhip and Honour, or Man of his due Reſpect and Right? Does he transform himſelf into an Angel of Light, and engage thee to be wiſe and Righteous overmuch? Eccleſ. 7.16. Or laſtly, Does he come in his own Form, to invite thee to Lying, Pride, Malice, Revenge, Slaunder, Backbiting, &c. his proper Sins, in which, with a daring Impudence, he would out-brave and out-face even his Maker, in his Accuſations of the Brethren, &c.? Whatever his Methods, Eph. 6.11. or Wiles, Deviſes, 2 Cor. 2.11. Snares, 1. Tim. 3.7. 2 Tim. 2.26. Depths, Rev. 2.24. Whatever his Stratagems, Policies, are, to delude, defile, diſquiet, or deſtroy thee, however cunningly, craftily managed: Yet ſtill is he not too wiſe for God, who well knows how to defeat all his Deſignments, and amongſt infinite p. 187other, has this one Method to lead thee to Comfort, (even when thine Adverſary hath out-witted and got the better of thee, and is leading thee into Temptation, Trouble, and Torment,) viz. to bring thee thorow the narrow way of Repentance, to a New Life of Grace, Peace, Joy, and Conſolation, preſent and eternal. This he doth oftentimes with Man, Job 33.28, 29. Read from the 14th. to the 31ſt. Job 28, 28. Ʋnto Man he ſaid, behold the fear of the Lord, (true Religiouſneſs) that is Wiſdom, and to depart from evil, (true Repentance) that is Ʋnderſtanding. He knows how to rule the raging of that Sea of Sorrow, Terror, and Anguiſh, wherewith the Devil attempts to overwhelm thee, and ſhipwrack all thy Hopes, and Happineſs; and ſo turns the Storm into a Calm of Godly ſorrow, that Satans Creature yields, and gives place to the Creation of God, and the Grief which God exhales, does iſſue in the fruit of the Lips, Peace, of the ſame extraction;Iſ. 57.19.Isa 57:19 and thus is Satan over-reach'd and baffled in his moſt ſubtle Contrivances, and his Machinations to ruine our Comfort, become means for its Eſtabliſhment.

But if his own immediate Actings be ſeconded with the Agency of his Inſtruments, that all the Politicks on Earth combine with thoſe of Hell, to overturn our ſecurity and reſt: Yet are they never the nearer their Purpoſe, of ſubverting the Counſels of Heaven, for the ſolace of our troubled Hearts; but rather promote them, whilſt they drive us nearer God, as our everlaſting Refuge, and Sanctuary, in whom we may be ſure to find a Fulneſs of Joy and Compenſation. Is all the Carnal Wiſdom on Earth ſet on the rack, to deviſe the Ruine of True Religion, and Thee in the Profeſſion and Practice of it? Are wicked Men thy p. 188particular Foes, in a Confederacy againſt thee, contriving thy Deſtruction in Spirituals and Temporals? Yet where-ever they deal wiſely, proudly, cruelly, He is above them? Art thou thy ſelf, are all Men elſe at a loſs in their Thoughts, either, how Religion ſhould be ſecured, in whole, or in part, when at any time its Enemies conſpire againſt it; or how Jacob ſhould ariſe when he is very ſmall; or how thy Perſonal Intereſt ſhould be ſafeguarded, or how thy Health reſtored, or Death prevented, or Deliverance be wrought under ſome grievous Calamity, or any Mercy obtain'd for Soul or Body, thy ſelf, thy Friends, or the Church and Nation? Be not ſolicitous, the All-comprehending Wiſdom of Heaven can never be at a Loſs, this unſearchable underſtanding has all Poſſibilities preſent in view, and cannot but chuſe the beſt for Himſelf, for Thee, for All; and it ſeldom begins of its Work, till all be at their Wits end; when every thing elſe fails, and the Wiſdom of Men has given up all for gone, Divine Wiſdom reſumes the Work, and glorifies its ſelf, in bringing it to Perfection. In ſhort, all the Artifices of Earth and Hell, cannot invent or reduce into Circumſtances, ſo deplorable and deſperate, as to overmatch the Contrivance of Infinite Wiſdom for our Comfort, under and after them; its Proviſions are truly Catholick, extending to all poſſible Caſes, Conditions, Seaſons, Places, and Perſons; whereof the Holy Scriptures are a full Evidence, as a legible Declaration of the Unfathomable Wiſdom of God. Here are the Rivers, whoſe Streams make glad the City of God, Pſal. 46.4. Oh the Adoreable Plenitude of the written Word of God, which comprehends the whole Counſel of God for our Illumination, Effectual Calling, Sanctification, Juſtification, p. 189Comfort, and Eternal Salvation! There is nothing deviſed by the Infinite Underſtanding of God, for the Eaſe and Quiet of troubled Hearts, but which is contained in the Bible, a Tranſcript whereof upon the Heart, creates a Life of Joy, Peace, and Reſt. God's Wiſdom ſpeaks Peace to us, in no other Language than that of the Word. 'Tis indeed viſible in his Works of Creation, and Providence, which are under its Conduct, and bear its lively Characters, but theſe ſcarce intelligible, without the Sacred Writings. Here only is all perſpicuous and plain, that's needful, either to purifie, or pacify the Conſcience. What a World of Conſolatory Matter is couched in this one Pſalm, will appear anon: What then is there in the whole Book of God? Judge of the Immenſe Ocean, by this Little Rivulet. Admire and Reverence that incomparable Abſtract of the Wiſdom of Heaven, in theſe Lively Oracles, and hence derive all thy Conſolations.

§. 2. This Wiſdom is not alone, nor in this Caſe, a Self-mover, but goes upon the Errand and Deſigns of Infinite Gooodneſs: An Attribute brim-full of Solace, Joy and Reſt; as our Pſalmiſt found, Ver. 18. eſpecially, and every where, Ver. 12, 13, 14, 15, 17.19, 21. Indeed, every Requeſt in the Pſalm ſuppoſes it, and every Aſſertion refers to it, even his Complaints are Addreſſes to it, and all his Expectations are from it; 'tis the good Blood that runs in every Vein, not a Verſe but points at it. Now, as Wiſdom chuſes the Method and Means of applying Comfort, and pitches upon ſuch as are moſt accommodate in particular: So Goodneſs adminiſters the Matter in general. Every thing that creates the light of Gladneſs and Conſolation, in a dark benighted, p. 190troubled ſoul, is a ſpark, a beam of Goodneſs.

The Goodneſs of God lies in Two Things, Love and Holineſs. Did I call them Two? They are both but only Love. Love in us, is Holineſs, as a Conformity to the whole Law of God: Holineſs in God, is nothing but Love to himſelf, as the alone perfect Law and Standard of all Incomprehenſible Excellency and Glory. But to conſider them as diſtinct.

Love is that illuſtrious greateſt Light amongſt the Divine Perfections, the benign Rays whereof, are plenteouſly reflected through the Sun of Righteouſneſs, upon wretched and miſerable Man. God is Love, 1 Joh. 4.16. and Love in its Perfection is God; that Love, which God is, is God, and diffuſes its ſweet Influences upon us, in wonderful variety. Not that it is other than Unity indiviſible, invariable in it ſelf; but that it meets with ſeveral reſpects, and produces divers effects in us. We are Sinners, the guilt it pardons, the filth it purges, the power of Sin it ſubdues. We are miſerable through ſin; Love lays it to heart, that's Mercy: Is afflicted in our Afflictions, there's Compaſſion; has yerning Bowels towards us, which is Pity; bears much at our hands, and this is Patience; ſuſpends the Puniſhment due to our ſin, either for an Indefinite time, therefore called Forbearance; or a great while, whence 'tis ſtiled Longſuffering; or exempts us wholly, under the Name of Sparing-Mercy; or deals moderately with us, in Gentleneſs and Tenderneſs: We want many good things, eſpecially Himſelf: Benevolence will our Good; Bounty and Kindneſs impart All to Us; Graciouſneſs does All freely: Oh Aſtoniſhingly Rich and Glorious Well-ſpring of Everlaſting Conſolation! There's no Exigence befals Man, p. 191either thro' emptineſs, or miſery, that is deſtitute of a Perfection in Infinite Love, to make a peculiar and accommodate Relief and Supply. Divine Goodneſs bears ſuch a ſingular reſpect to our indigent Nature, that notwithſtanding its individual Singleneſs and Oneneſs, it does as it were parcel out it ſelf, into a multiplicity of ſweet refreſhing Cordials, in Condeſcenſion to our Infirmity, that in it we may have a particular Satisfaction, for every diſtinct Appetite, a proper Remedy for every ſingle Malady. There's no Caſe, in which we can need, or deſire Comfort, but there is a Revelation of ſome comfortable Perfection in God, which ſpeaks directly to it, and adminiſters a ſuccour and ſupport to us, no leſs than Infinite; that is, incomprehenſibly more extenſive, and Intenſive, than our Circumſtances can be neceſſitous, or dolorous. Indeed, nothing comforts but Love; nothing more diſquiets, than ſenſe of Enmity, Hatred, Anger, Diſpleaſure. The more we are concern'd in any, the more pleaſing is Reſpect from them, and an unloving Deportment more grievous. We are not much affected with the love of Strangers, but rejoyce in the Good-will of our Neighbours, our Friends, our Relations, expecting it ſhould bear proportion to our Intereſt in them, and theirs in us, elſe it pleaſes not. We muſt have more Love from thoſe in our Vicinity, than from Aliens, from intimate Acquaintance, than either; from our Fleſh and Blood, than all, or it troubles us. But the due meaſure (nay if it be an exceſs) of affection is moſt taking, we are moſt at eaſe under it. Again, as the Relation, ſo the Quality of Perſons muſt vary the degree of Love, or we are not at reſt. The regard of a mean Man does not ſo much delight us, as of the Great; that of p. 192Bad Men is not ſo ſweet as that of the Good. Further, thoſe we expect moſt good from, moſt refreſh us with their Love; where we lay out no hopes, from thoſe, (ſuch is the Selfiſhneſs of our Nature) we are not ſolicitous to gain any Love. So we are moſt earneſtly deſirous of the Affections of thoſe, whoſe Anger can, and is likely, and engaged to do us the greateſt Hurt: whom we therefore have reaſon moſt to fear; if we can win their hearts, 'tis a wonderful Contentation. Now God, the neareſt, greateſt, moſt potent Neighbour, Friend or Enemy, is not only Loving, but Love its ſelf, in the abſtract; not limited in kind or degree, but unmeaſurable, infinite Love; ſuch on the contrary, is his Wrath alſo. Of all other, his Love is moſt capable (and engaged too) to do us the greateſt Good, if we be capable of it: His Hatred and Anger, like to do us the greateſt harm, if we do not betake our ſelves, to the refuge and ſecurity of his Love. But he who is eſſential unconfincable Graciouſneſs, does with a natural Affection regard us, as the Work of his hands in Creation, with a Paternal, Conjugal Reſpect, embrace us as his Workmanſhip, created in Chriſt Jeſus to good Works; if forſaking all other, we cleave unto him with full purpoſe of heart, in a ſincere Child-like, Spouſe-like Affection, being again begotten by his Word and Spirit to a lively Hope, and ſo in Marriage-Covenant with him. This then is a Comfort, as large as its Subject; Divine Love, a ſatisfaction as boundleſs as the Deity; for it infinitely pleaſes even God himſelf: Infinite though he be, therefore is ſufficient ſure to adminiſter a Content to us, ſweet and great beyond all Expreſſion, all Cogitation. The Holy Men of God, which the Scripture propounds for p. 193our Examples, alway took Sanctuary here, in the aſſaults of their moſt grievous Troubles and Temptations. Jer. 31.12. They ſhall ſlow together to the goodneſs of the Lord, &c. And their Soul ſhall be as a watered Garden, and they ſhall not ſorrow any more at all. 13. I will turn their mourning into joy, and will comfort them, and make them rejoyce from their ſorrow. 14. And I will ſatiate the ſoul of the Prieſts with fatneſs, and my People ſhall be ſatisfied with my Goodneſs, ſaith the Lord. Pſal. 119.76. Let I pray thee thy merciful kindneſs be for my Comfort, &c. And indeed, let the ſtorms rage, and the ſea roar, and beat as high as it can, there will for ever be ſure Anchor-hold, for a good Soul, upon the Rock of Ages: Fix there, and thou canſt never ſhipwrack; nay, if thou canſt but weakly and waveringly, with a trembling heart and hand, hold this Love, be not diſcouraged; for with a ſtrong unconquerable hand, it holds thee, Joh. 10.28, 29. All other Divine Perfections miniſter to his Love, which has already beſtowed the greateſt Gifts: Himſelf, as an overflowing Jordan of enriching Goodneſs; His Only-begotten Son, Joh. 3.16. The choiceſt Bleſſing, and the ſureſt Pledge of all other, Rom. 8.32. Nay, thy ſelf to thy ſelf freed from the bondage of Sin and Satan. Though I be in no deſireable Circumſtances, as to other things, yet if I be mine own Man, and enjoy a juſt Liberty of Body and Mind, in no ſlavery of Spirit and Condition; I can ſing over my other Misfortunes, eſpecially when I can read my own Felicity in the Miſery of others, through a Thraldom, which I eſcape. Indeed, my Commiſerations impreſs ſome part of their Calamity upon my Soul, but 'tis countervail'd and over-top'd by the Comfort of mine own Indemnity. But p. 194there can be no liberty under the Dominion of Sin, nor any true Self-enjoyment, till I enjoy God, and my ſelf in him, in whom I have my beſt and ſweeteſt Being, Motion, and Life. And though I enjoy my Civil and Moral Freedom, which is no little Comfort, yet Vaſſalage to the Prince of Darkneſs, is an Affliction more grievous, than the other can be ſolacing. When a Good Man is ſatisfied from [of, with] himſelf, Prov. 14.14. 'tis only as far as the Goodneſs of God dwells in him, and he in it. For if I poſſeſs not God, I have nothing with a Bleſſing, therefore not with Comfort. I have no Right to comfortable Thoughts, contenting Enjoyments, no not to my ſelf, and in my ſelf. For what am I that is good, what am I not that is evil, without God; and what ſatisfaction can I receive in that which is evil, as I my ſelf, and every thing in me will unavoidably be, if not antidoted and animated by the Goodneſs of God? Men are not more miſerable, in a Deprival of all the Content of their Lives, than in the Dereliction of God. God gave me my ſelf as a Loan of Love; what I am I owe to Him; but by my ſin, I have loſt both my ſelf and Him: If now by a new Charter, He reſtore to me a better Right to Himſelf, and to my ſelf, in His Son Jeſus Chriſt, whoſe I am by Right of Redemption, and not mine own; if He re-inveſt me in a Liberty to enjoy my ſelf in Him, which I could not do under ſo bad a Maſter, ſo cruel a Tyrant as the Devil; this is a piece of the choiceſt Happineſs which I can enjoy on this ſide Heaven. Liberty to ſin, is the moſt uncomfortable Bondage. Neceſſity to ſerve God, the moſt ſolacing Liberty. The moſt of this do we enjoy, when we live moſt in, and are ſwallowed up of p. 195the Love of God. Corruption is a Dungeon, a Priſon, a Pit; God loves us out of it; Iſa. 38.17. into the glorious Liberty of the Sons of God, Rom. 8.21. Love is the Wealth of Heaven and the World, a Treaſure invaluable, in Compariſon whereof, every thing, all the Riches, Honours, Pleaſures; all the Subſtance and Glory of the World, is contemptible, Cant. 8.7. Every Comfort is comprehended in it, 'tis the Life and Soul of all; they are but Carrion-Contents, that are poſſeſt without it. Oh Incomparable, incomprehenſible Love! How haſt thou even out-done thy ſelf in thy Proviſions for the Conſolation of inconſiderable Man? What infinite Deſires could ever have wiſh'd, what infinite Goodneſs could ever have beſtowed a Gift greater than Infinite? God's Love gives no leſs, and ſure it can no greaten.

Love is all Comfort, and Holineſs in God, is not a Barren Womb, but Pregnant alſo with the ſweeteſt Conſolations. From this Topic, the Pſalmiſt derived Refreſhment to his thoughtful mind, Ver. 20. Shall the Throne of Iniquity have Fellowſhip with thee? The Quaere carries in its bowels a Negative Reſolution. No, it ſhall not. Its Iniquity, and thy Sanctity, are altogether Incompatible. Though it attempt, yet cannot it prevail, to overturn thy Throne; 'twill therefore aſſuredly be overturned by it. Ver. 15. Judgment ſhall return to Righteouſneſs [foreign] and after it, all the Ʋpright in Heart. I take foreign there, to be ſignificative of Time, as well as Place. The Expreſſion is alluſive, ſuppoſing Judgment and Righteouſneſs were parted to a great Diſtance, and that Righteouſneſs was in a ſettled, fix'd Habitation, from which Judgment, as a thing in motion, was departed. And 'tis true, Righteouſneſs is of a p. 196ſtable,Sunt certi denique fines, quos ultrà citraque nequit conſiſtere rectum. firm, invariable nature: Judgment or Proceedures in Law, are changeable, ſometimes wrong, ſometimes right; now on this ſide, then on the other, depending upon the mutable Conſtitution of the Judges. Whence 'tis, that Judgment is here repreſented as a Traveller from home, but upon the Return, in which motion it ſhould never reſt, till it (which had been ſo long abſent) got to the abode of Righteouſneſs again. Unrighteous Judgment did then prevail, but begun to be weary of it ſelf, and at length muſt down, and Righteous Judgment be ſet up and eſtabliſhed; which, when once accompliſhed, the upright in heart, would certainly be advanced. Let but true Juſtice obtain, and immediately after that, Upright Men will return out of the Retirements, into which Unrighteouſneſs had driven them, and be in repute again. Goodneſs cannot be ſuppreſt by Juſtice, but only by Injury; and when it is turned out of doors, cannot be introduced, except by the Soveraign Goodneſs of God, to which its Reſtitution is here aſcribed, Ver. 14. as a Fruit of his Abode with, and conſtant Adherence to his People. The whole Proceſs then of the Prophet's Reaſoning, is this; Although God's People be now oppreſs'd, and ruin'd by the violent Perverſion of Judgment: Yet God will not alway permit it to be ſo, but will eſtabliſh Righteous Judgment firſt, and then relieve his People by it. Divine Purity then, will not long permit the Dominion of Unrighteouſneſs. God's Holineſs will e're long haraſs all Unholineſs out of the World, and confine it forever unto Hell. There ſhall be none in thy ſight abroad, there ſhall be none in thy heart within. That which is thy greateſt Diſcomfort on Earth, which muddies thy Thoughts, p. 197diſquiets thy mind, racks and tortures thy Conſcience, diſcompoſes thy Affections, blaſts thy Hopes, ſowres thy Joys, burthens thy whole Soul, makes Heaven and Earth groan, and ſigh in Pain; ſhall finally give place to the Divine Nature, which the Promiſes bring thee in part, 2 Pet. 1.4. and Heaven will perfect. Oh bleſſed ſolacing Hope, a ſecure Anchor in the deepeſt Sea of Sorrows! Art thou at preſent in Affliction for thy unholineſs: Know that this very trouble is a diſpenſation of boundleſs Love and Sanctity, directed by unfathomable Wiſdom, and of moſt illuſtrious Wiſdom, acted by unconceivable Love and Holineſs, for thy higheſt advantage; to embitter thy Corruptions, ſeparate them from thy Soul, and prepare thee for the embraces of the tendereſt Affections of Heaven, and its everlaſting Joys and Reſt. Neither can there any other Temptation or Affliction befall thee, without God's leave, and his Goodneſs can no more be excluded out of his deſignments than his knowledge; even his Permiſſions are ſubſervient to the purpoſes of his Love, nor can any thing betide us, which will yeild an Argument to prove that he is not Good, any more than that he is not God. Whatever Perplexities ſink thy Heart, if they have a tendency to defile thee, they are Enemies to Divine Purity, and it will overcome them, cannot be vanquiſh'd by them; if they tend to diſquiet thee, the unboundable Love that embraces thee, will not, cannot leave thee to ſuccumb, and finally to deſpond under them; if Spiritual, this infinitely gracious Spirit, is an Adverſary to them, and will maſter them; if Temporal, there is a Remedy againſt them in the Goodneſs of God which is Eternal.

p. 198Divine Goodneſs anſwers all things, not as Money, limitedly, and with reſtriction, but univerſally, and infinitely. In it is the ſubſtance of all real Good, in it Compenſation for all Evil, elſe could it not be, what it cannot but be, infinite. A Feaſt is made for Laughter, Eccl. 10.19.Eccl 10:19and Wine maketh glad the **foreign; The Lives, or Living.Life. Oft in Scripture do we find comforting the Heart, attributed to our Natural Repaſt, by Meat and Drink, Gen. 18.5. Judg. 19.5, 8, &c. Or, Truly Meat, & truly Drink.Poor Comforts, in compariſon of Jeſus, whoſe Body is Meat indeed, whoſe Blood is Drink indeed, Joh. 6.48. to the 59th. Wine makes glad the Heart of God and Man, Judg. 9.13. Pſal. 104.15. But the Love of Chriſt is better, Cant. 1.2. And more to be remembred, Ver. 4. The Bread of Life, and the Waters of Life, are the very Life of all Comforts, the Sweetneſs of all Comforts and Joys. Any Mercy enoy'd with the Love of God, is ſweet indeed. Whence in the Return of the Ranſomed of the Lord with Songs, and everlaſting Joy upon their heads, Iſa. 51.11, 12. Jer. 31.11, 12. 'Tis Propheſied, That They ſhall flow together to the Goodneſs of the Lord, for Wheat, and for Wine, and for Oyl; and for the Young of the Flock, and the Herd; and their Soul ſhall be as a Watered Garden, &c. Yea, there 'tis. The Bleſſings of this Life, are then good indeed, when the Donation of the Goodneſs of the Lord, Divine. Love with them, gives them a Reliſh incomparable.

Job ſometimes conſulted his Bed for Comfort, Job. 7.13. and 'tis no little ſatisfaction, to enjoy the quiet Repoſe of a ſingle Night: But what are all the downy Contents of this Nature, to the Everlaſting p. 199Repoſe and Reſt, both of Body and Soul in the Love of God; who, though he be an everliving Activity, yet is an ever-loving, quiet, reſting Place, for all that having been wearied out, with the Sins, and Labours, and Troubles, and Miſeries of a Cumberſome World, betake themſelves to him, as their only Contentation. Cant. 3. King Solomon (as a Type of Chriſt) made Himſelf [foreign] a Conjugal Bed,This the Original Word may ſeem indeed moſt properly to ſignifie, from the 7th. Verſe, where the Eſpouſals plainly refer to this; that Exhortation being grounded upon this Narration. the midſt thereof, being [foreign] Strowed with Love, for the Daughters of Jeruſalem. A Bed of Eaſe indeed: The Whole World cannot Afford a Bed as ſoft as Love; as ſweet as the refreſhing Love of an infinitely Lovely, and Loving God.

I have read of a Man, who not content with Epicureiſm in Retail, reſolv'd at once to gratifie every Sence with an accumulated Aſſociation of all imaginable Senſualities; yet all was only the Swiniſh Pleaſure of a Day: But there is an Eternity of Delights in the Favour of God, firſt to the Soul, but redounding to the Sence alſo. Truly Light is ſweet, and 'tis good for the Eyes to behold the Sun, ('tis a Periphraſis of Life, as the Connexion with the followng Verſe demonſtrates) Eccl. 11.7, 8. How delicious is the Flavour and Fragrancy of Odours, and the inexplicable Varieties and Raviſhments of Sounds? &c. But are theſe worthy to be thought of, in Compariſon of the ever Refreſhing Light of God's Countenance, the Never-fading Delights of Divine Love and Goodneſs, the Unimitable Splendour of the Sun of Righteouſneſs, Mal. 4.2.Mal 4:2who is the Brightneſs of p. 200his Fathers Glory, Heb. 1.2.Heb 1:2the ſavour of Chriſt's Precious Oyntments, Cant. 1.3. The rapturous Melody of the Celeſtial Quire, but above all the every thing Harmonious, Beautiful, Lovely, Glorious in the Divine Nature; wherein our very ſenſe ſhall be in a generous tranſport with the higheſt incomparable, ſuperſenſual, everlaſting Gratifications; much more our Minds. For the Goodneſs of God is every thing, pleaſing, profitable, honeſt in the utmoſt eminency of Glory. There's no mole in this Beauty, no ſpots in this Sun, no Night to this Day; but an immenſe and eternal variety of all delectable Excellencies in an invariable unity of unblemiſhable Perfection, nothing to give a check to the Appetite, to interrupt and abate the pleaſure of Enjoyment, or put a period to the ſolace accruing from it.

It ſingularly pleaſes a Man to be well thought of, and well provided for. When Men are low, yet if their Reputation run high, it bears up their Spirits in the depreſſion of their Eſtates, and as Noble Blood in the Veins is by many accounted an eſſential Dignity, when their Wealth and Subſtance falls into detriment, that their Heart cannot ſtoop to any ſervile Offices or Imployments, below the Grandeur of its more ſtately and generous Pulſations; their Glory they think ſhines as the Sun through a Cloud, and is like a Cordial Elixir in a fainting fit of Fortune: So Credit of both kinds [

Fame

Truſt

] both as it imports the Honour of a fair Reputation, and Good Name, and as it entitles a Man to a right in the kindneſs of his Friend, and the belief of all Men; that every one ſpeaks well of him, is ready to do well to him, all Honour him, all Credit him, and freely Concredit their all with him; this is valued as much as p. 201Money in the Purſe: The Wiſeſt of Men prefers it as more eligible, Prov. 22.1. and affirms that it makes the Bones fat, Prov. 15.30. But if the Love of God put a value upon us, (and worthleſs that we are, we have nothing elſe to recommend us) as the Kings Stamp upon a Braſs Farthing; if he ennoble us with his Grace,—Nobilitas ſola eſt at que unica virtus. that we can derive our Pedegree and Extraction from Heaven, through the New Birth, this is the trueſt, ſweeteſt, nobleſt Satisfaction. We are indeed the baſeſt (through Sin) of the whole Creation. God made us at firſt, through his Image, next in honour to the Holy Angels; Pſal. 8.5. We by our Apoſtacy and Corruption, make our ſelves not a little lower than Devils; and in this debaſement does Divine Goodneſs find us; but here it does not leave us. Love, and Love alone exalts us, and crowns us with Glory, Dignity, and Hon ur; and how high we are in the account of Love, (however baſe in our ſelves) is demonſtrated by the price it was willing to pay for our Redemption. Nothing rais'd us to this height in the eſtimate of Love, but only Love, according to Deut. 7.7, 8. The Lord did not ſet his Love upon you becauſe ye were moe, &c. But becauſe the Lord loved you, &c. His Love was its own and only motive, and why ſhould it not? What can be a more noble Incitement to it, than the Glory of its moſt excellent communicative Nature? What mov'd it at firſt to deſign an Object to diffuſe its benign influences upon? What lovely qualities were in a non-entity, to draw it out into ſuch admirable Condeſcentions? Let it then go no leſs than ſelf-ſufficient, all-ſufficient, without the ſubſidiary invitement of all external Objects. Divine Goodneſs p. 202neither needs nor deſires a Procatarctick cauſe. And this is a Comfort unſpeakable. Were I to bring my wellcome to Heaven, and to be dignified with the honour of ſo renowned a degree of Perfection, as to be able to ſtand upon my Reputation before God, and not beg his good Opinion but merit it, the Conſcience of my deficiency and demerit, would for ever confound me. But ſince Love brings my all with it, and its arguments to reſpect me, are derived from its own Bowels, and its height is ſo wonderful, that there can be no proportion in the higheſt created goodneſs to it, ſo as to deſerve it; and its depth ſo unfathomable, that the greateſt miſdeſervings cannot put a bar to the liberty of its actings for the relief even of the Chief of Sinners. 1 Tim. 1.15.1 Tim 1:15Have I not a World of reaſon to caſt off all melancholy deſponding Imaginations, and ſolace my ſelf in this Paradiſe of everlaſting Love and free Grace? Oh Joy unſpeakable and full of Glory!

To be well provided for is next. The World had rather live by Sight than Faith. He's but ill to live, all whoſe Wealth is in another Man's Pocket; and may be puft away with the malevolent Breath of a third Man. A Bird in the hand is beſt. Faith and Hope are beggarly things in the eſtimate of moſt Men. A competency of Neceſſaries in Poſſeſſion, more contents us than a World in Reverſion. In that modicum we can rejoyce, though we do not wallow in thoſe affluent Delights, which the ſenſual Beaſts of the Earth batten and rot in. A ſufficiency of ſuitable Comforts fills our Appetite; Convenience being the eſſential Property, if not Eſſence of Goodneſs. When every thing hits us, lies pat, and even, p. 203and eaſie upon our Hearts, in a pleaſing agreeableneſs, we do not envy Crowns and Scepters. But if we have all and enough to ſpare, can never ſee through our Enjoyments, be full and abound not only in opinion, and with reſpect to the content of our Minds; but in the reality of the thing; we then begin to ſing a requiem to our Souls, and ſit down under the ſhadow of theſe Gourds with delight. And have we not a ſufficiency, nay a redundancy, an infiniteneſs of all Neceſſaries, and Agreeables in God's Love and Goodneſs? of which Eye hath not ſeen, nor Ear heard, neither hath it entred into the Heart of Man to conceive the fulneſs, the glory, the ſweetneſs, the amiableneſs, the ſuitableneſs, the comfortableneſs. Thy Manſion Houſe here is the Boſom of Love, repleniſhed with a confluence of all deſirable Satisfactions; thy Garden the Paradiſe of God; thy Demeſne, the Celeſtial Canaan; thy Revenues and Incomes, the unperiſhing Treaſures of Divine Goodneſs, and Grace, and Glory, the unſearchable Riches of Chriſt.

But be a Man's-Comforts never ſo ſweet, if there be an equal mixture of ſowre, he writes Cabul upon the front of all his Enjoyments. And ordinarily a drachm of Gall will ſpoil an ounce of Honey; one Croſs embitter a thouſand Comforts. If now I be ſecure either that the Evils will be as the morning Cloud, and early Dew, or that I ſhall be no loſer, not be rob'd of the leaſt real ſatisfaction, but gain equivalent, if I have a reſerve of other, better, ſweeter Joys, and Bleſſings which will countervail my Sufferings; or if when the Tempeſt lies hard upon me I be certain of a ſafe retiring Place, and Refuge where I am out of danger; or if I have weathered out the Storm, that the worſt is paſt, and a proſpect p. 204is given me, of ſo great an advantage, ſo happy an iſſue as will compenſate the trouble; if all along I find by experience that 'tis for the beſt, and if I had been to carve for my ſelf, and ſpin the thread of my own Fortune, I could not have pitch'd upon any thing ſo eligible as what is diſpens'd to me without my choice, by the Wiſdom and provident Goodneſs of Heaven; every of theſe things ſingly yields me a plentiful harveſt of quiet in my Mind, and contentedneſs with my Condition; much more joyntly altogether. And has not every good Soul the ampleſt ſecurity, that it ſhall be bleſt with all this, and much more, in and through the benignity and Love of God? Have we not ground to believe that Love will not permit any evil to interrupt our Joys, except there be need? That Love will cut it ſhort in Righteouſneſs, it ſhall be but for a moment, a little moment? Love being afflicted in all our Afflictions, will not long torment it ſelf. What Love promiſes, Power can command. In that very ſmall moment of continuance, I am ſecure, that Love will not ſuffer my Miſeries and Diſquiets, to commit a rape upon my beſt ſatisfactions in it ſelf: and that I ſhall loſe no Metal, but only Droſs, which 'tis my happineſs to do, and even that loſs (if my gain of Refinement and Purity deſerve that Name) will be recompenced to the full, in thoſe infinitely better things laid up in ſtore for me, in the plenitude and all-ſufficiency of unboundable Goodneſs in the Divine Nature and Perſons. But be the Calamity as great and malignant: as is imaginable, I have a Rock higher than I, where I may be ſafe, above the reach of ruin. For having paſt the pangs of the New Birth, the worſt is paſt, both in reſpect of Pain and Danger, Sorrow and p. 205Fear. Though my Veſſel, the Body, may be broken; yet ſhall I certainly land in ſafety upon the bleſſed ſhore of Eternity, with all my real Riches and Comforts environing me. I am I hope in a ſound bottom indeed; Chriſt carries me in his Body, his Bowels; that's the Ship wherein I am wafted over the Tempeſtuous Ocean of Miſeries in this World, to the fair Havens of everlaſting Loves, Joys, and Reſt. The foreknowledge whereof, together with my preſent ſenſe of profit in my Soul, ſtrength againſt Sin, reſolution for God, evidence and experience of his Preſence, Support, Influence, Grace, the affectionate workings of his Heart in Love, Care, Kindneſs, flowing over all the banks in multitudes of unmerited Bleſſings in Temporals, but eſpecially in Celeſtials: Theſe ſweeten all my Sorrows and eaſe my burthened Spirit, that I cannot but acknowledge the Proviſions of Infinite Wiſdom, incomprehenſibly more eligible and beneficial than the utmoſt that could ever enter into my utmoſt raiſed Imaginations.

But if the pinch come yet a little nearer, that though accommodated with an affluence of all terreſtrial Contentments without, yet a dangerous Diſeaſe preys upon my Vitals, or the Arrows of the Almighty gall, wound, and ſmart in my Conſcience, that I am deſtitute of the Bleſſings of a ſound Mind, in a ſound Body, the enjoyment whereof would add an Emphaſis, to all external Comforts, a living,Lam, 3.39. Neh. 2.2.Neh 2:2 a healthful Man and Mind having no reaſon to complain and be ſad. But now Love is Life and Health and all things: The breath of thy Noſtrils, the length of thy Days and Delights, but the ſhortner of thy Pains and Sorrows. p. 206Doſt thou keep thy Tongue from evil, Pſal. 34.12, 13, 14, 15.Ps 34:12Ps 34:13Ps 34:14Ps 34:15and thy Lips from ſpeaking guile, depart from evil and do good, ſeek Peace and purſue it? Then are the Eyes of the Lord upon thee, and his Ears open to thy cry, thou ſhalt enjoy deſired Life, and beloved Days, that thou mayſt ſee Good, yea the Goodneſs of the Lord in the Land of the Living; Pſal. 118.17.Ps 118:17thou ſhalt not die but live and declare the Works of the Lord. How can that Body or Soul be ſick that's embrac'd in the healing Boſom of the great Phyſician? Forgiveneſs of Sin is a Medicine for every Malady, Iſa. 32.24. If he whom Chriſt loves be ſick, 'tis not unto Death, but for the Glory of God, Joh. 11.3, 4. Love will looſe the Pains of Death. Thou haſt loved me from the Pit of Corruption, for thou haſt caſt all my Sins behind thy Back, Iſa. 38.17. God bears not a grudge againſt thoſe he loves. 'Tis Loves property to chaſtize, none of its Office to impute guilt, and puniſh, but to cover a multitude of Sins, 1 Pet. 4.8. An infallible Cure or Remedy for Diſtempers of Body and Soul, ſupports a ſinking Spirit, revives a diſconſolate Heart, encourages a fainting Hope, alleviates the grievouſneſs of Pains, diſcuſſes Trouble and Fear: and under the Wings of the Son of Righteouſneſs we have it, his Power and Skill are not leſſened, nor his Bowels and Love diminiſhed, by his tranſlation into a ſtate of immutable Perfection. Here's an Antidote againſt every Plague and Poyſon, a Salve for every Sore, not like Humane, only of a finite limited Vertue, but of infinite and univerſal Efficacy. Oh wonderful Love! thou art the only foreign; the true Elixir of Gold; which is alway at hand, becauſe Omnipreſeat; can never fail, becauſe Omnipotent; never decay and loſe p. 207any vertue, becauſe Eternal. Who can do leſs than ever dwell upon thee, who hopes for ever to dwell in thee, 1 Joh. 4.16.

If a Man be alway bending his Mind to pore upon his Troubles, they ſink him; but if any admirable ſtrange thing, if any thing of ſingular pleaſure, and delight, preſent it ſelf, it gives a diverſion to our Minds, and putting by our bitter Reflections upon thoſe ingrateful damping Grievances, that ſwallow up our Thoughts and Joys, makes us forget our Pains and gives us eaſe, whilſt we are taken up with thoſe more powerful Contemplations. And is there not a relief of this Nature in God, in whom every thing is wonderful? He is all Miracle, his Eſſence, Subſiſtence, Perfection, Providence; but above all his Goodneſs, Grace and Love, with the fruits of it; What infinite Beauty? What admirable Fulneſs? What unconceivable Freeneſs? What aſtoniſhing Deſcents? What tranſcendent Varieties? Oh the Riches! the Joys! the Pleaſures! the Triumphs! above expectation, Deſire, Thought, all freely tendring themſelves, and wooing our Minds and Hearts to a ſerious Conſideration, a kind and dutiful Embracement. Oh ſweet inviting Magazine of Wonders! how ſhall I endure to leave thee, who can with no patience endure to think of being left by thee? In thee I am in Heaven, how can I deſcend from thee, yet 'tis time to give my ſelf the divertiſement of a walk in another Paradiſe.

§. 3. Juſtice it ſelf under the Conduct and Influence of this over-ſhadowing Goodneſs and Love, though perhaps not ſenſibly at preſent, yet really is become the moſt comfortable of all Divine p. 208Attributes, Remuner ative Juſtice is in reality goodneſs.to a believing Soul, through Jeſus Chriſt; notwithſtanding that it is the moſt terrible, to the impenitent Chriſtleſs. A Paradox eaſily made out, thus: That which makes our Mercy and Comfort ſure, and neceſſary, that we cannot miſs of enjoying it, is more comfortable, than that which leaves it at liberty, and only renders it poſſible. When a good thing is in the free diſpoſe of a Donor, that he may chuſe whether he will beſtow it or no, we can have no certainty at all that we ſhall receive it; no not when we have infallible aſſurance of his Inclination to beſtow it: For 'tis ſtill in his own Power, and he may ſuſpend the Gift as he pleaſes, without any impeach to his Honour. And though it may to us ſeem Congruous to his goodneſs to grant it, yet is he not neceſſarily ty'd to our Laws of Congruity, neither can they impoſe upon his Freedom, and make his Mercy fatality. God Almighty bears a ſingular good Will to all his Creatures, eſpecially the reaſonable, would not that any periſh, 'tis no pleaſure to him; but that all Mankind ſhould come to the knowledge of the Truth, and (through Repentance and Faith in Chriſt) be ſaved. This Repentance and Faith are his Gift, which remain in the free diſpoſal of his own good pleaſure, to confer upon whom he pleaſes: therefore the Gift of Repentance ſtands upon a Peradventure, 2 Tim. 2.25. without any injury to Divine Goodneſs, which is not at all the leſs, though this Bleſſing be denied to the greateſt part of the World, and to all the fallen Angels: For more Goodneſs and a ſtrong Inclination to Communicate, tranſfers no right, therefore no wrong is done by the ſuſpence or denial of the Gratuity expected. But p. 209then Juſtice ſuppoſes a right, and dueneſs of the Bleſſing, and that it cannot be in Righteouſneſs withholden, therefore makes it undoubtedly ſure from him, that cannot poſſibly be unjuſt. Now, though nothing be, or can be due from Juſtice to a Sinner, conſidered as ſuch, but only Indignation and Wrath, on account of the Covenant of Works; yet the Covenant of Grace transfers a right to Mercy, upon thoſe that fulfil its Conditions: Therefore the gift of Pardon to the Repentant, is no leſs an Act of Juſtice, than free Goodneſs and Grace; and there the Scripture lays it, with Sanctification alſo. 1 Joh. 1.9. If we confeſs our Sins, he is faithful and juſt to forgive us our Sins, and to cleanſe us from all Ʋnrighteouſneſs. Mark firſt [Faithful] which reſpects the Promiſe and Covenant, granting aright out of meer good Will and Grace, and then, and not till then, [Juſt,] diſtributing what the Covenant and Promiſe had made due, and an Irrevocable Right. Oh rich Comfort! Pardon and Purification, and both from Juſtice! What can we expect more to ſatisfie our utmoſt Cravings? Since theſe are Vertually all Spiritual and Coeleſtial Mercies, giving a right to Peace and Glory. Oh everlaſting inexhauſtible, mine of the ſweeteſt Joy and Reſt! What is the ſource of all thy Sorrows? Nothing but ſin: This grinds thy Conſcience in pain; this brings all the external Grievances of thy Life. By Nature thou art as bad as Sin and Hell can make thee, though not in the degree, yet in the kind of badneſs, viz. Moral Conſcience of forepaſt Wickedneſs, is a Cut-throat to all Comfort. Mens eyes when opened indeed, are more apt to look backward than forward. Upon Reflection, paſt Evils of Sin ſting more ſmartingly, than the Remembrance of p. 210paſt Evils of Suffering can refreſh and ſolace. 'Tis not ſo Comfortable to think that the worſt is paſt in Affliction, as grievous to conſider paſt Evils of Sin, for which the worſt is to come. The pleaſure in acting is infinitely ſhort of the pain in repenting; eſpecially in Hell. A Man would forfeit all the Joys of his Life, upon Condition he had never defiled his Conſcience: as the Devil in the poſſeſſed Woman told the Biſhop of Cambray, that he could be willing to ſuffer all imaginable Torments to the Worlds end, ſo he might but then return into Heaven. Nothing more bitter in the Belly, than the Sins that were moſt ſweet in the Mouth: The Digeſtion troubles the Bowels infinitely more, than the Maſtication gratified the Palate.

But why is Sin ſo dreadful? What is it that makes thy formerly pleaſing Tranſgreſſions ſo torturous in the Recognition? Truly this, God knows them, remembers them, is concern'd about them, engaged to animadvert upon them; his Juſtice and Wrath will not let them paſs; thou canſt not get through his hands, with thy Luſts about thee, as eaſily as they paſt through thine. Oh this is the ſting of Sin! 'tis a fearful terrible thing to fall into the hands of the living God. The unutterable Agonies and Woes of Hell, and the horrible Tempeſt of Divine Vengeance, and indignation in everlaſting Burnings, which will be tormenting above all, that any underſtanding, but that of God, can comprehend; the bitter Weepings, Wailings and Gnaſhings of Teeth, without Eaſe, Releaſe, Mitigation, Relief, or End; this intolerable after-clap of Sin, is even to the remembrance and fore-thought, almoſt as Cruciating as it ſelf to the ſenſe and feeling will be confounding. p. 211God's Writing down all our Miſcarriages in his Book, out of which all the Power and Policy in the World can never expunge them; his ſetting even our ſecret Sins, in the light of his Countenance, which makes them infinitely more viſible than the Sun in the Firmament; is a conſideration that ſticks and ſtabs us to the Heart, and Murders all our Comforts at once, and buries us in Horror. Yet now, if there can be any good token found that this Hand-writing is blotted out. If a Man can be aſſured that Iniquity and Tranſgreſſion, ſhall by God be remembred no more, this is the moſt reviving tranſporting Solace in the World. But, how can I have a Teſtimony that God hath thus privileged me? How ſhall I know that he will forgive and forget my wickedneſs, if he do not tell me? Who can ſearch into the bottom of his Counſels, and know his purpoſes and practice in Heaven, if himſelf do not reveal them? And there are but two ways of revealing any ſecret thing, viz. by words and by works. Words ſpoken and written; Deeds in Signs. The Holy Scriptures reveal God's general Will to pardon ſome, yet do they not name, but only deſcribe the Perſons, giving their true and lively Moral Character, ſetting down at full ſuch Qualifications, as may be to any Man a clear Evidence, who is, and who is not made happy in this forenſecal Mercy of Juſtification. If an Angel from Heaven ſhould addreſs himſelf to thee, with this Comfortable Meſſage, That thy Iniquities are pardoned: If a Bath-kol, a voice in Thunder ſhould name thee, and ſay, Be of good Comfort, thy Sins are forgiven thee, thou could'ſt not be ſecure, that this was not an Illuſion to abuſe thee into Preſumption, if thy inward ſenſe did not report p. 212thoſe tokens, on which the Word of God does ſuſpend thy Pardon: But if thou canſt but produce theſe, all the Angels and Voices from Heaven imaginable, though as particular and clear as poſſible, telling thee thou art unjuſtified, muſt be acknowledged, accurſed Deceptions, becauſe they Preach another Doctrine, than Chriſt has done in the Goſpel, Gal. 1.8.

Well then, that thou may'ſt find a good token for good, thou need'ſt not aſcend into Heaven to ſearch the Archives, or court Rolls of the upper Bench there, nor turn over the Book of Life in a curious tracing out thy particular name; but having duly informed thy mind, what are the ſigns of a Pardoned State, look within thy Soul and Conſcience, and diligently enquire and examine without Partiality, and a biaſs ſelfward, whether the preſent State, Conſtitution and Frame of thy heart, be that in reality which is enrolled in the promiſes of the Book of God, the Scripture, which tender to thee Conditionally, the forgiveneſs of Sin, produce but thoſe Conditions, let it but appear upon ſound Evidence, that will ſatisfie thy ſelf and the World, and thy Judge; that having truly repented of thy Sin, thou liveſt under the Dominion of Faith and a good Conſcience; and Juſtice it ſelf is obliged to Faithfulneſs, for the granting thee Indemnity and Remiſſion, and the ſenſe thereof in thy own Soul. For if a Man can truly ſay, that he hath repented, and ſtands to what he has done, in ſtedfaſt Reſolutions, never to return to folly, his Reflections upon former Sins will not be torturing, though they may be grieving, becauſe he hath the promiſe of Mercy and Pardon, Iſa. 55.7. Acts 3.19. which Juſtice it ſelf is obliged to perform: For Conditional p. 213Promiſes in themſelves are Diſpenſations of free love, which was not obliged by any neceſſity or Congruouſneſs to offer ſuch Bleſſings upon ſuch terms; yet once made, and the Conditions obſerved, the Donation of the Mercy becomes the intereſt of ſtrict Juſtice and Righteouſneſs. But, although the New Covenant admit of Repentance, which that of Works could not; yet this Condeſcention is only through a Mediator Jeſus Chriſt. If therefore to thy Penitence thou do not ſuperadd Faith in him, neither will thoſe after Thoughts be ſound nor introductive of Peace, becauſe without Chriſt our Righteouſneſs and Peace objective and cauſal without us, Jer. 23.6. 1 Cor. 1.30. Mic. 5.5. Eph. 2.14. there can be no Pardon and Peace formal within us, Rom. 8.1. and without Faith no Juſtification, no Chriſt, Rom. 5.1. Joh. 3.18, 36. Yet both theſe muſt be evinced to be ſincere and ſound, and thereby be themſelves juſtifiable and juſtified; which nothing can do but the exerciſe of a Good Conſcience, Acts 24.16. This alone is to us the ſureſt Evidence, that our Repentance and Faith are unfeigned, and that we deceive not our own Souls. Indeed the baſis of all true bliſs and ſolace is a good Conſcience, in Juſtice and Innocency toward Man, Inoffenſiveneſs and Piety toward God, Moderation and Sobriety in my ſelf; the contrary to theſe and Comfort are incompatible. 'Tis but a colloguing with my Conſcience to my utter Confuſion to tender it Peace, if it be not pure, Jam. 3.17. No Man can be groundedly quiet in Mind if filthy in Heart and Life. If thou be a Devil thou muſt carry thy Hell about thee, viſibly, or under diſguiſe in its ſelf, or its Cauſes. Thou haſt no juſt Right to the ſweets of Religion, if a ſtranger to its Power. A Mans p. 214firſt Deſigns for Joy, are, or ought to be laid in Self-ſurvey and Reflection. If he can find nothing of God within, he can take comfort in nothing of God without, but by an unjuſt Uſurpation and Sacrilege. All the goodneſs of God ſignifies nothing to an ill Man: But a Good Conſcience [or heart] is a continual Feaſt, Prov. 15.15.foreign He that finds all right at home, who has no rebuke nor cauſe thereof from the Domeſtick Comptroller and Comforter in his Boſom, is happy. Now, there can be no goodneſs in Conſcience but only from God, and as far as in Conjunction with God. God in thy Conſcience makes it good; for he is all Goodneſs, and there neither is, nor can be any except in, and from him. And all the goodneſs which is in thy Conſcience from him, is firſt from his Faithfulneſs, acting under his Love in the Covenant, wherein he promiſes to give a new heart of Fleſh, Ezek. 36, 26, 27. Jer. 31.33.Ezek 36:26Ezek 36:27Jer 31:33and Write his Laws in it by his Spirit of Promiſe, which he engages ſhall cauſe us to walk in his Statutes, &c. Next and under Faithfulneſs all the goodneſs in thy Conſcience is from Juſtice: For the Right that Fidelity gives to Mercy, Juſtice is obliged to maintain. God muſt perform his Word, becauſe he cannot deal fraudulently, that is unrighteouſly. If thou be good and holy, 'tis only becauſe God is Juſt and Righteous. He cannot paſs away a Right by Deed, Hand and Seal, and afterward reſume it. If we have thus made a Mercy thine, he will not defraud thee of it. Laſtly and under all, Power actually confers upon thee, all that goodneſs that adorns thy Conſcience. Oh ſweet Combination and Harmony of Love! in all concurring to create thy Peace! Oh p. 215how valuable is it! that Love muſt unite ſo many Perfections, in ſo ſtrong an Engagement to qualifie thee for it, and then enrich thee with it, and the ſenſe of it. Here's the Glory and Crown of free Grace. Grace is free thus. 1. As nothing but God's free Will and Goodneſs mov'd him to deſign ſo great unmerited Mercies, upon ſo mean and inconſiderable terms. 2. As nothing but his free Grace, without all deſert in us, prevails with him to work the Conditions themſelves and terms in us. But now, when free Grace has proceeded thus far, then Pardon, and Holyneſs, and Peace are not any longer free in this ſenſe, viz. reſerved wholly ſtill in his Power to withold; but by the Motion and under the Conduct of free Grace, as its Miniſters, Fidelity and Juſtice take up the Adminiſtration where free Grace left it: ſo that God cannot deny theſe Mercies, his Word being paſt, becauſe he cannot deny himſelf, and ceaſe to be faithful and juſt; that is, to be God. Thus, what is free Grace in the Original, Riſe, and whole proceſs mediately; is in the cloſing and compleating Acts thereof immediately Juſtice and Righteouſneſs. Thou Repentance and Faith be not claimable upon any account, but mere free Love; yet when this admirable Goodneſs has conferr'd Repentance and Faith, it makes Pardon, Peace, Comfort and Heaven challengable, even in Juſtice (though not as merited yet) as Conditionate Mercies. Whence the Apoſtle ſpeaks roundly, Heb. 6.10. God is not UNRIGHTEOUS, to forget your work and labour of Love. In ſome the Gift of the Conditions, Qualifications, Diſpoſitions for Bleſſings, is only from free Mercy and Grace in God; whence thoſe Conditions in us are called Graces, the name of the Cauſe Metonymically p. 216given to the effect; Grace within us, from Grace without us in God: But the gift of the Bleſſings and Privileges themſelves upon performance of the Condition is really Juſtice. Our abſolute poſitive State is from Grace, our relative from Righteouſneſs; yet ſuch Juſtice is alſo Originally free Grace, becauſe 'tis not a natural Act of Juſtice but Voluntary. I mean ſuch Juſtice is not a thing, which God of himſelf by neceſſity of Nature was ty'd to, antecedently to the free Engagement of his own Will; but his free Mercy without any other Motive, than its own Generoſity and Nobleneſs of Diſpoſition and Ingenuous Freedom, did pitch upon ſuch a Series of Diſpenſations in boundleſs Wiſdom and Goodneſs, that (theſe Acts of Liberty interpoſing) Juſtice muſt needs be obliged to proſecute the beginnings of Love, and do ſuch things in order to our Happineſs, as before thoſe Acts of Grace, it was not ty'd to at all; and this is chiefly done by the Interpoſition of Faithfulneſs. An inſtance will render all more plain, it ſhall be that which we Diſcourſe of Comfort. Juſtice of its own Nature is not at all obliged to comfort a Sinner, though Penitent; but contrarily, the natural ſtate of Juſtice engages it to puniſh Sin, not only with the Pains of Penitence, but Wrath and Vengeance, although a threatning ſhould never intervene: For I ſuppoſe the threats to be in this different from Promiſes, that the former declare the natural, both right of the Law-giver, and dueneſs of the Penalty, and deſert of the Crime, which the reaſon and nature of the thing had fixed before, only ſince the Right was inveſted in the Law-giver, it was in his Power, upon juſt and valuable Conſiderations, to make a Relaxation, or Commutation. p. 217But, Promiſes do not declare, but give a Right, not to the Promiſer, but him to whom the promiſe is made, either abſolutely or upon Condition; whereby things are put out of his own Power, either abſolutely or conditionally. Now therefore, God by his Son has freely made this Declaration, Matth. 5.4. Bleſſed are they that mourn, for they ſhall be comforted. God cannot utter Falſhood, nor break Promiſe, nor withhold Right; hence 'tis, that the Adminiſtration here falls into the hands of Juſtice, upon the Interpoſal of this free act of Mercy, in making the Promiſe. Threats proceed according to the natural right of the caſe, in the ſubſtance of it, though they may vary from it in Circumſtances, in which the Puniſhment may be alleviated or heightened, at the Diſcretion of the Judge, or Solemnity, Pomp, Grandeur of the Matter and Proceſs. So Promiſes proceed according to the will of the Promiſer, as to the matter or thing promiſed, which he may pitch upon, and chuſe at his own Arbitrement: But, when the Bond is once out of his hands, it may be Sued at the Bar of Juſtice; only he retains a liberty to Circumſtantiate his own grants, when he cannot recede from them in ſubſtance, the Right to which is not inveſted now in him, but the Perſons to whom the Promiſe is made. Comfort then he muſt in Juſtice give, 'tis the Mourners Right, if they be right Mourners. Mercy and Fidelity gave the Right, and Juſtice cannot diſannul it, although it be not a natural, but adventitious Right; and although this Juſtice be not the Original neceſſity of his Nature, but the free Diſpenſation of his Grace. For, Gon. 18.25. ſhall not the Judge of all the Earth do right. His Love has made this Juſt, and his Juſtice will give p. 218its due to his Love. That Eternal invariable Righteouſneſs, which is a ſteady fixed Propenſion, to render and diſtribute Right in all poſſible Caſes, and give all imaginable dues, is no changling in this Caſe, where the right and due is not any natural Reſultancy from the condition of the Creature, but a mere Condeſcention of undeſerved Grace: Juſtice may ſuſpend, but cannot overthrow the Right of Mercy, but is obliged to own and obſerve it, upon account of the Sacrifice, and Merit of Our Lord Jeſus Chriſt.

Indeed, this is all the Foundation of a Believers hope in Judgment: For Judgment is a Work of Juſtice, which diſtributes Dues, and particularly Rewards and Puniſhments according to Works. Therefore the Reward of Believers, is attributed to the ſame Juſtice that puniſhes Unbelievers, 2 Theſ. 1.4, 5, 6, 7. We our ſelves glory in the Churches of God, for your Patience and Faith in all your Perſccutions, and Tribulations which ye endure; a manifeſt token of the Righteous Judgment of God, that ye may be counted worthy of the Kingdom of God, for which ye alſo ſuffer. Seeing 'tis a Righteous thing with God, to recompence, 1. Tribulation to them that trouble you, 2. and reſt with us to you who are troubled, &c. This, as well as the other is [foreign] Juſt. 'Tis the Office of Juſtice to take notice in all its proceedings of Right and Wrong; but if the Right approve its reality, 'tis no Work of Juſtice to take Cognizance how we came by it, whether it be natural Inheritance, or perſonal Acquiſition, whether our own indefeiſible Poſſeſſion, or anothers free Donation, theſe are things Foreign, and out of the Circuit of Juſtice. Right muſt carry it, whatever be the Foundation of it, whatever be the Nature of it, whatever Title it proceeds upon: p. 219For no Varieties in the Right, alter the Juſtice of the Procedure, nor convert Juſtice into Injuſtice, or any other thing. The very Eſſence and Formal Nature of Juſtice as Diſtributive, conſiſts in diſpenſing Right: Whereever that is, the Act is formally Juſtice, and nothing elſe; although ſome other Vertue may have an antecedent Influence in forming the Right. So here, No Man hath a Natural, Perſonal Right to that everlaſting Reſt, neither do the beſt Services of the moſt perfect Creatures, Angel, Archangel, Cherubim, Seraphim, found a right to it, able in the nature of the thing, to command and neceſſarily overrule ſtrict Juſtice, ſo as 'twould be Injuſtice properly ſo called to withhold or deny it. For Heavenly Glory in its full Latitude (which I underſtand by that Reſt) is a thing boundleſly above the Proportion of any finite Qualities or Operations. Thoſe ever Bleſſed Spirits are doubtleſly incapable of exerting any Acts, that in Arithmetical Proportion, can be as conſiderable and valuable as the Reciprocal Actings of the Deity, that are return'd upon them. For inſtance, thoſe flaming Ardours of Love in Seraphims, which denominate them, cannot in the Eſtimate of Reaſon and Juſtice be conceiv'd equally valuable, with thoſe reactions of Love in the Deity to them. Certainly God loves them better, than they can poſſibly love him; and his Love rays out to them in infinite more Varieties, than theirs can to him, and the leaſt degree of his Love, is more honourable and worthy, than the higheſt of theirs: So that in Commutative Juſtice, they cannot expect his, for theirs; eſpecially ſince theirs is this due, and the Payment of a Debt cannot make the Creditor a Debtor. I have a Conceit, but will not p. 220impoſe it, that the Devils ſin was not an aſpiring to a Coaequality or Superiority to his Creator, which his Innocent, nay even Corrupt Underſtanding, could not but repreſent as impoſſible, impracticable, therefore not deſignable. But rather a challenge and expectation of thoſe Honours from his Maker, as due in Commutative Juſtice, to the Excellencies and Actions which he admired in himſelf, and would have had his Inferiours to adore. Whence in that Kingdom of the Beaſt, which he eſtabliſhed and upholds, this is, or has been a principal Pillar, though now painted over a new; and is indeed the Univerſal Sentiment of all, in whoſe diſobedient hearts he retains the Dominion, which he uſurpt upon the Fall. Even good Souls have a difficult Work to diſengage themſelves from it. However 'tis madneſs to conceit, that the imperfect Duties or Graces of the lapſed Sons of Adam, can ſtand in a Parity with Coeleſtial Recompences: Nay, the Proportion cannot amount to the heighth of that call'd Geometrical, proper to diſtributive Juſtice, which conſiſts in a likeneſs of Reaſon. For, can there be any compariſon betwixt finite and infinite, imperfect and perfect, temporal and eternal? Can any ſay, as the Work to the Wage, ſo is Duty to Heaven. The Right then here ſtands upon another bottom, than the reaſon of the thing, and that is the free inveſtiture and gift of Sovereign Love and Mercy, by a voluntary Grant and Covenant. 'Tis not common Soccage, but Copy hold only.

Yet on the other hand, Hell and Sin ſtand more in a Parity, or equal Proportion. There is full as much evil in the Sin, as in the Puniſhment, though not as much good in the Duty as in the Reward. The demerit of Sin is unlimitable; the Treaſures p. 221of Wrath and Woe comprehended in it, are inexhauſtible; therefore eternal. 'Tis juſt then to recompence Tribulation to the wicked, becauſe their Works merit it. Juſt to recompence Reſt to the godly; not becauſe their Works merit it, but becauſe free Grace hath promiſed it. Neh. 9.8. And haſt performed thy Words, for thou art Righteous. God cannot be juſt to the Wicked, if he reward not their Works, he cannot be juſt to himſelf, to his own Word and Covenant, if he reward not the Works he hath wrought in the Righteous. Now even Troubles and Afflictions are leſs grievous, if recompence may be hoped for, upon good and ſure Grounds. If our Miſeries become Antidotes to greater Miſeries, it encourages our Patience; if they Work out greater Mercies, it increaſes our Courage, and ſo our Comfort. The gain ſweetens the pain, and we are not ſo much offended with our Croſſes, as pleaſed with the Compenſation. The World is as a Lottery, for a while we muſt draw nothing but Blanks, or what will more grievouſly vex, diſquiet, or torment us; but the laſt caſt will pay for all, to our fulleſt Contentation, if we belong to God's Election. For this light Affliction, which is but for a moment, works for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, 2 Cor. 4.17. The happineſs of the recompence of Reward, is a thing of ſo tranſcendent Nature, that even the ſerious Thoughts of it may entertain us with more abundant Joy, than there can be Grief in the feeling it ſelf, of the bittereſt Sufferings. The Antepaſts or Foretaſts of Heaven, are incomparably a greater delight than the very ſenſe of Miſery can be a Torment: Therefore ſure theſe exceeding glorious Riches of Coeleſtial Satisfactions, will be an all-ſufficient p. 222Requital for all the labour of Love, the patience of Hope, and work of Faith, that we exert in this Semibrief moment of our tranſitory Life. And it is no ſmall Comfort to conſider, that the Fidelity of God has made theſe Gratuities Juſtice, by making them the ſubject Matter of ſo many gracious Promiſes; that what otherwiſe was mere liberty, is now neceſſity; and God by vertue of theſe his Bonds, is become a Debtor to God. Oh rich Treaſury of ſtrong Conſolations! God's grace having ſo ordered it, not only that he may, but that he muſt give the penitently troubled Soul, in his own way and time, the ſweeteſt Peace, Comfort and Reſt. It may indeed be delay'd, but never can be finally deny'd; and this we owe chiefly to the Juſtice of God, his ſweeteſt Perfection, through Chriſt, and the Covenant, to an humbled Soul.

But there are alſo external Adminiſtrations of Juſtice, which are of a refreſhing conſideration, and ſuch did the Pſalmiſt reflect upon, and ſolace himſelf withal, Verſ. 1, 2, 15, 23. Vindictive Juſtice is a notable relief to the Oppreſſed, and the ſweetneſs of Revenge a potent Cordial. To ſee thoſe ſuffer from whom we ſuffer, and the Wicked fall into the trap and ſnare they lay for us, does not a little glad us; eſpecially if it be done by another hand than our own, that we are ſecure no guilt (therefore no ground of greater trouble) can cleave to us, in the requital of thoſe Evils, which they contract Guilt by inflicting upon us. Therefore David Bleſſes God for preventing his avenging himſelf with his own hand, 1 Sam. 25, 39. But, is there an avenger like God? Who not only can and will vindicate his Peoples repute, from the ſcandal and reproach p. 223of the Malevolent, but revenge their wrong upon the ſturdieſt and ſtouteſt, that ſtrengthen themſelves in the Mountains of prey. For, he is engaged thereto, both by nature, as the God of Revenges, Verſ. 1. and by Office as Judge of the Earth, Verſ. 2. and alſo by Covenant and Promiſe, Deut. 32.35, 36, 43. Rom. 12.19. Vengeance is mine: I will repay ſaith the Lord. He will proſecute the injurious with a vindictive hand; and this is no ſmall Comfort, to ſee a perfection in God throughly engaged, and active to plead our cauſe againſt the wrongs of Men, when their heighth and power procure for them indemnity, that to ſeek, or even think to regain our right is formidable. Hence we muſt not, cannot avenge our ſelves; nor is it fit we ſhould. We are not wiſe and good, and juſt enough to be entruſted with a matter of ſuch moment, as Judgment in our own cauſe. Where we feel hard hands, we know not hearts, therefore cannot fathom the deep abyſs of malignity therein, nor conſequently meaſure out, and proportion our Puniſhments to Crimes in their full or right Dimenſions, but muſt be conſtrain'd to leave ſomething to God; and why not all? We ſhall be prone to act our own Paſſions, rather than execute Juſtice, and by over-doing out of ſelf-reſpects, or under-doing with reſpect to Perſons; expoſe our ſelves to the revenges of Heaven, which needs not our wrath or wrong, to work its Righteouſneſs, nor will over-look our miſcarriages without due Animadverſion. But, if we commit all to him that Judges righteouſly, we ſhall have right our ſelves, and do no injury to others. And it will be no grief, ſtaggering, ſtumbling, or offence of heart to us, that we revenge not our ſelves, 1 Sam. 25.31. (which p. 224implies how much that might trouble us) but a Satisfaction and Comfort, that it lies in his hands, who both can, and will do it, and time it for the beſt, Luk. 18.7, 8. 'Tis the fate of Innocency to have the weakeſt viſible intereſt on Earth. The Wicked walk on every ſide: Their Numbers, and Powers, and Policies, and Malice combine againſt Holineſs, and for the moſt part oppreſs it, Eccleſ. 4.1. and 8.14. and 5.8. but yet it ſhall riſe when they fall, be glorified when they are condemned; and though the guiltleſs, oppreſſed, meet with no comfort or Comforter on Earth; they have both in Faith and Hope, and may rejoyce and triumph, in proſpect of the Day of the Lord, which will both right and recompence the wronged, beyond their utmoſt Imaginations; they ſhall be comforted over all the Evils they have ſuffered, while the other are tormented. Thus does Juſtice adminiſter Comforts, in reverſion to the outwardly afflicted, by the injuſtice of Men, and in poſſeſſion to the inwardly Wounded, by the mixt actings of the Mercy and Juſtice of God. Thus are all Comforts, as products of Love or Rightcouſneſs, the fruits of gratuity, liberty, or neceſſity in God.

§. 4. The Omnipotence of God, as Executor to his Mercy and Goodneſs, Executioner to his Vengeance and Juſtice, does not carry an aſpect of Terror, but comfort to a Holy Soul. Even out of this Eater comes their Meat, and out of this ſtrong ſweetneſs. 'Tis able, and the Perfections upon whoſe errand it goes, engage it to fetch our Comforts out of, even their contraries, and convert our Corroſives into Cordials; much more to derive and deduce them out of their Cauſes, out of all their Poſſibilities. This helping hand, p. 225was one of the Pſalmiſt's encouraging Supports, and gave no little eaſe to his Heart, Verſ. 17, 21. With what an undauntable courage did Achilles adventure himſelf into all perils, in confidence of his caſe-hardned impenetrable Armour; the aſſurance that he was out of danger, that no Weapon could make a breach upon his Vitals, was the ſtrongeſt ſupport to his Magnanimous Heart. But, What are Braſs and Steel and Adamant, to the impregnable Defences we enjoy in God? Our Buckler and Shield, Pſal. 18.2, 30. Gen. 15.1. Deut. 33.29. Prov. 2.7. Pſal. 28.7. and 33.20. and 91.4. and 115.9. and 47.9. and 84.11. and 144.2. Prov. 30.5. Pſal. 3.3. A Shield about me; therefore Verſ. 6. I will not be afraid of Ten thouſand of People, that have ſet themſelves againſt me round about: And here, Verſ. 22. The Lord is my defence. Here's a Security unparallell'd, Armour indeed unpeirceable. The Body of Chriſt is truly invulnerable: No Weapon formed againſt it ſhall proſper, Iſa. 54.17. Nothing can reduce it into the State of Mortality. The Gates of Hell cannot prevail againſt it, Matth. 16.18. nor againſt the meaneſt Member thereof, becauſe built upon the Rock. If Chriſt dwell in thy heart by Faith, and thou in him by Love, Men may rage and Devils ſtorm againſt thee, but the Rock cannot ſhrink under thee. The Ship cannot ſink that carries Chriſt within the hope of Glory. The Covenant is inexpugnable, Grace inextinguiſhable, God's Love unchangeable, his purpoſes irreverſible. Thou art unconquerable becauſe God is. Forſake not this thy Defence, be not a Traytor to thy ſelf, and nothing can hurt thee; nothing can wreſt thee out of an Omnipotent hand, and whilſt in it nothing can ruine thee, though Fury and Malice p. 226may kill thee; yet it does not damage thee, it does but only render thy happineſs immutable, it does but only bring thee back to the felicity thou loſt, reinſtate thee in Paradiſe and Innocency, nay, advance thee above it, in Impeccability and Immortality. And, to what more can the loftieſt Ambition of Humane Nature aſpire? To be free'd from all Evil, and enjoy all good, is the ſubſtance of that Felicity, which the moſt enlarged Appetite pants after. And the Omnipotence of God is all things real and poſſible. There cannot be a created deſire commenſurate to its ability to ſecure us, or ſatisfie us. It is a proper and all-ſufficient remedy, againſt the Diſconſolateneſs, which may ariſe in our Hearts, through two of theſe kinds of troubles, in our Thoughts, which I inſtanc'd before, viz. the dreadful and deſpairing. Nothing can poſſibly be ſo formidable, as to be capable of being a match for Almightineſs; nor can there be the leaſt ſhadow of reaſon to deſpair of any thing, if infinite Power undertake it. To be ſafe from fear of Evil, is a wonderful Satisfaction. Danger of all kinds muſt be removed, or we are not ſafe; the fear of all remov'd, or we do not think our ſelves ſafe, and the conceit does torture as much as the thing, which diſquiets no further than as apprehended; and the foreſence ſometimes, becomes more grievous than the feeling. But, where can there be ſafety, if not in an Omnipotent hand? Where without it? He is the Rock of my refuge, ſays the Pſalmiſt, Verſ. 22. The Name of the Lord, is a ſtrong Tower, the Righteous runneth to it, and is ſafe, Prov. 18.10. and 29.25. and 21.31. Pſal. 4.8. & 12.5. Infiniteneſs is an impregnable Fortreſs, Pſal. 18.2. Here have we the comfort of being above the reach p. 227of Malice, in a quiet and ſecure Sanctuary. Build thy Tabernacle here, and nothing can endanger thee; make ſure of an intereſt in this, and thou haſt no reaſon to be afraid.

But if thy Fears be not blown over, yet a ſolid Hope may waft thee into Paradiſe. This is a thing that in the greateſt hazard will buoy up a ſinking Heart, and the more grounded our Hope, the more refreſhing. Cut the Cable and looſe this Security and we float a drift without Card or Compaſs, in a bottomleſs Gulf of Miſery. Nothing ſo deadly as Deſpair. 'Tis the utter wrack and ruin of all our Joy. But if we have good reaſon to expect liberation from an unſupportable Evil, or to wait for the communication of a ſatisfying Good, or of the continuance of its Enjoyment, ſo that a ſufficient compenſation will be made us in this, for the hurt we received by the former; or if the evil invading us cut off our hopes of preſent recompence; yet if we be certain of a competency of ſupport and ſuccour, or that we ſhall not feel it in the full amplitude of its malignity, but with abatement and mitigation, that it ſhall only have a ſhort being, but no biding and reſt upon us, that we ſhall ſee through it, we are leſs ſolicitous in our Minds, and herein feel no little relief. Now what a ſafe ground have our Hopes to anchor upon in God's Almightineſs. Here's all Hope, nought to be deſpair'd of. What is there not to be had in boundleſs Perfection? What may not be hoped for from omnipotent Goodneſs? Can there be any capacity in a finite Being, to which infiniteneſs cannot extend? Can there be a rational expectation in a limited Nature, to which unlimited Grace will not accommodate it ſelf. The unfathomable excellency of p. 228God declares him all-ſufficient to anſwer thy expectance to the full, and his free gracious Communicativeneſs and Promiſe, render all thy hopes from him rational. Thou canſt not deſire, much leſs expect, more than God can give, and he is willing to grant more than thou canſt hope for. Nothing in thee can be the meaſure of his unmeaſurable Power and Bounty, in diſpenſing whatever may be for thy good, and 'tis not rational Hope, which is not guided by this diſcretion, to look for nothing but what is good in it ſelf or to us. For evil is not appetible, and what is not the object of Deſire, cannot be of Hope, but Fear. Now the Judge of what is Good or Evil in it ſelf, or to us, is not our Fancy, or Appetite, or Luſt; but the unbiaſſable Wiſdom of God.

We muſt therefore have recourſe to that powerful Hand, which is the Agent and Factor for ſuch unconceivable Wiſdom and Grace; and what cannot that do in our troubled Hearts, which both in Heaven and Earth can do all things, exceeding abundantly above all that we ask and think, Eph. 3.20. It can both prepare us for Comfort, by conquering our enmity againſt it, indiſpoſition for it, unſuitableneſs to it, and by creating thoſe Qualifications and Conditions, which are prerequiſite to our enjoyment of it; and alſo prepare it for us, and apply it. Is thy ſtate ſo bad that thou canſt not be duly comforted? Almightineſs can change it by regenerating thee, Eph. 1.19, 20. with 2.1. And ſupply out of the foregoing Verſe, [that ye may know] what is the exceeding greatneſs of his Power to us ward who believe, according to [foreign] the inworking of the might of his Power, which be wrought in Chriſt, raiſing him from the Dead,—and p. 229you who were dead in Treſpaſſes and Sins. For as the Learned obſerve, this is the plain and evident coherence; what interpoſes, is to be included in a Parentheſis. Is thy Heart ſo ſtubborn, ſullen or over-whelmed with Anguiſh, or any other Paſſion, that Rachel-like thou wilt not be Comforted? even this his Power can ſubdue and bow into a ſpontaneous forwardneſs to accept his gracious offers. Art thou ſo debaſed and vile in thine own Eyes, that thou dareſt not preſume to be Comforted? Omnipotence can and will be the inſtrument of Goodneſs and Fidelity, to create inthee an humble confidence in receiving and applying it, as thy peculiarly deſign'd Portion, for which thou art under an immediate preparation. The Tempter is not ſo able to moleſt as thy Redeemer to pacifie thy Conſcience, and becauſe he is more able he is more willing alſo. The liberty to act, in acting, being proportion'd to the potency of the rational Agent. What we can beſt do, we moſt readily, freely and cheerfully do. Every thing that can be congruouſly done, is not only poſſible, but facil, eaſie to Omnipotency. He made a World with a Word, Gen. 1. By a Word ſuſtains it, 2 Pet. 3.7. And the mere ſuſpence of that Word will deſtroy it, as follows thence by neceſſary conſequence; For if by that Word they be reſerved in ſtore for the Fire of that day, it follows, that without it they cannot be reſerved. The effect muſt needs be remov'd, with its immediate continuing cauſe; they cannot be kept and reſerv'd without a Keeper and Reſerver, continuing his influence for that end, as the Light cannot ſubſiſt if the Sun, Moon and Stars be taken away. This Word of Power which upholds all things, Heb. 1.2. is engaged for the ſuſtentation p. 230of troubled Hearts, Pſal. 55.22. For the bruiſing Satan (the great troubler of Souls) under our feet, Rom. 16.20. which is ſpoken, I conceive, with relation to the Devils diſcomforting Power: My ground is the title given to him who effects this, viz. The God of Peace. The Devil's power to diſcompoſe and diſeaſe us, cannot equal God's power to heal with Peace; which therefore, and becauſe 'tis produced out of nothing in us is ſtiled a Creation, Iſa. 57.19. I create the fruit of the Lips, Peace, Peace to him that is far off, (the Gentile) and to him that is near (the Jew) ſaith the Lord, and I will heal him. What the end of his creating Peace was, he had told in the foregoing Verſe 18. viz. to Comfort him. I have ſeen his ways, (Covetouſneſs going frowardly in the way of his own Heart, ver. 17.) and will heal him, I will lead him alſo, and reſtore Comforts to him and his Mourners. And who is this I, that undertakes all this? You may be reſolv'd herein by ver. 15. 'Tis the high and lofty one that inhabits Eternity, whoſe name is Holy, who dwells in the high and holy Place, &c. Words importing the moſt Majeſtick Soveraign Power. Kings have the Power of Peace and War. The Creation of Peace is an Act of God's Supreme Majeſty, as well as tender Mercy; ſpeaks the height of his Power as fully as the depth of his Love; whence Elihu in Job 34.29. When he maketh quietneſs, who then can (condemn, ſo all Tranſlations, Chald. Greek, Lat. &c. or) make trouble; and when he hideth his Face, who then can behold him, whether it be done [foreign] upon a Nation, or upon a Man only: [againſt] is not ſo ordinary a ſignification of the Word, not doth ſo well ſuite both the oppoſite parts of the foregoing Clauſe of the Verſe, which it reſpects in common, If God p. 231thus give Reſt and Quiet, and thereby Peace and Comfort, what Power can controll him, and deſtroy his Work? ſurely none. And why? the reaſon is to be deduced from his Almightineſs. All the Malignancy and Enmity of Earth and Hell, though in a confederacy of united Virulence, Policy, Power, and Violence, indeavouring to make a breach in, or of that ſecure Peace, wherewith a Good Conſcience, as a Brazen Wall, doth guard, fortifie and ſurround a true Servant of God, by a Commiſſion deriv'd from Heaven, will but be like the vain attempts of the impotent Waves againſt a Rock, which inſtead of overturning it only daſh themſelves in pieces.

Without the interpoſure of Omnipotence, the Comfort of ſinful Man would be impoſſible, in that order of Government which Divine Wiſdom hath pitch'd upon, as moſt congruous for his Salvation. For ſuppoſing Sin, and God's purpoſe not to permit all Mankind to periſh everlaſtingly, under that Juſtice, into the Hands whereof the adminiſtration of his Kingdom did neceſſarily fall, upon the Apoſtacy of Man; and ſuppoſing God's determination, to uphold the honour of his Juſtice and Government in pardoning none but upon Conſideration, and in virtue of a ſatisfaction given to Juſtice; I affirm, 1. That ſatisfaction could not poſſibly be made for the injury done to God by Sin, except only by Omnipotency. For Death being threatned for Sin, the threatning in the ſubſtance of it muſt be executed, or both Juſtice and Fidelity violated. For ſince in the nature of the thing ſome Puniſhment cannot but be due for ſo high an affront to the Divine Authority and Regiment, and ſince the Commination had determin'd and expreſt the p. 232kind of Puniſhment in ſubſtance to be Death with an Emphaſis: How could the Deity be juſt in his Word, or his Deed, had all been wholly wav'd? Therefore the Satisfaction given muſt be by ſuffering the Penalty to the full, in its ſubſtance. The Threatning doth not expreſs any thing concerning the greatneſs, extenſive, or intenſive of the Puniſhment, only that it be proportionable to the Crime Juſtice requires. The Crime is vertually infinite. The Condition of the Creature will not admit of a Puniſhment intenſively infinite. Therefore the Death threatned can only be extenſively infinite, that is Eternal. But an eternal duration that has a beginning is not actually infinite, vertually therefore. The Sin then being vertually infinite, the Puniſhment proportion'd and threatned muſt be vertually infinite alſo, i. e. as infinite as the ſtate of the Creature was capable to admit. If now this, viz, an Aeviternal Death, be inflicted in kind, becauſe an end of it is impoſſible, there could not poſſibly be any Satisfaction, any Salvation. Satisfaction therefore muſt be in another kind of vertually infinite ſuffering, viz. that intenſively ſo. And 'tis very conſiſtent with Juſtice to admit this Commutation, ſince it has its full demand therein, viz. a Puniſhment proportionable to the Fault, i. e. vertually infinite. But now nothing ſhort of Omnipotency, or infinite Power can bear, or wreſtle thorow a Puniſhment infinite, or which is Omnipoenal.

2. Neither could any Power leſs than infinite, raiſe the Satisfier of Juſtice from the Death Temporal, which was indiſpenſibly to be undergone by him, and to this 'tis aſcribed, Eph. 1.19, 20. to be preſently tranſcribed.

p. 233Laſtly the ſame Power qualifies for the Fruits of this Satisfaction, in Pardon and Conſolation. Eph. 1.19, 20. [foreign] the exceeding greatneſs of his Power to us-ward who believe according to the working of his mighty Power, which he wrought in Chriſt, raiſing him from the Dead, and you who were dead in Treſpaſſes, &c. Chap. 2.1. If this be not Omnipotency, what is? I had rather ſpeak and think as the Holy Ghoſt teaches, than in the profundity of my Reaſon make my ſelf wiſer than him, who inſpired the Holy Men of God whoſe Names theſe Writings bear. Yet do conſtantly and confidently affirm that in working theſe Preparations, (or creating Grace in the Heart, which quickens it) Omnipotence is ſufficiently able, ſo to act under the conduct of Omniſcience, as to offer no violence to the faculties of Man at all;Cleared before. but through the influence of a more commanding Light in his Mind, doth lead him in the exerciſe of a full intemerate and ingenuous liberty through the ſtrait Gate of Regeneration, into Eternal Reſt and Peace.

In ſhort we are ſometimes involved in ſuch Soultroubles ſo inſuperable and intolerable (Prov. 18.14. A wounded Spirit who can bear) and ſuch inextricable inſupportable ſtraits, exigences and occurrents of Providence; and are reduc'd to ſuch a pinch of extremity, that without a foreign, God in the Mount, a ſupernatural Conduct and Power, 'tis impoſſible to bear up under them, or be delivered from them. Theſe were oft experimented Caſes with our Pſalmiſt, as appears particularly from ver. 17, 18. and as much is inſinuated ver. 20, 21, 22. and the cruel oppreſſions of the whole Church, ver. 5, 6. evidence that it p. 234was not exempted. And where can an over-whelmed Soul, or a waſted deſolate Church, groaning under the Fury and Madneſs of Malice and Violence, in numberleſs Legions of Principalities and Powers, and ſpiritual and carnal Wickedneſſes in high and low Places, and the Rulers and Sons of the Darkneſs of the World, the whole Militia of Satan in Hell, Earth, and their own Hearts? O where can they find defence, refuge and relief, againſt ſuch an over-match of barbarous Enmity, except in the Almightineſs of Heaven? In ſuch diſtreſſes we have nothing left to comfort us, beſide this Omnipotent Power of God, and it is enough, more than enough, All-ſufficient.

§. 5. God's Fidelity and Ʋnchangableneſs in Word and Deed, to which I refer, ver. 14, 15. For the Lord will not caſt off his People, &c. This is ſtill a more near ground of Conſolation. For other Divine Perfections ſtand in an indifference to us, we have no right to take comfort in them, till a Promiſe bring and lay them before us, and engage them for us upon certain terms, which accompliſhed, all our Mercy is rendred Neceſſity and Deſtiny. Yet a Promiſe that may never be perform'd will adminiſter no certain indefeiſible relief, being only as a broken Reed.**Hence the promiſed Mercies are ſuſpended upon Conditions in us, that the whole right of performing them may not ſtand in the liberty of the Maker, but become Juſtice and Neceſſity to him that performs the Condition. Therefore alſo the comfortableneſs of the Promiſes, depends as much upon the invariable Nature of God, as the ſweetneſs of the matter it ſelf, which is tendred in the Promiſe; and here the Holy Ghoſt leaves it, Heb. 6.16, 17, 18. An Oath is [to Men] an end of all ſtrife. Wherein God p. 235willing more abundantly to ſhew to the Heirs of Promiſe the immutability of his Counſel, confirm'd it by an Oath; That by two immutable things, in which it is impoſſible for God to lye, we might have ſtrong Conſolation, who have fled for refuge, to lay hold upon the Hope ſet before us. No ſtate is perfectly comfortable that is changeable for the worſe. Be our Contentments never ſo refreſhing, yet the fear to be deſpoil'd of them will introduce a ſecret ſting and bitterneſs which will allay their Pleaſantneſs, and ſo much the more, by how much the ſweeter they are, and yet the more, as the parting time ſtill approaches nearer. But when it comes indeed the torment and anguiſh in their loſs is ſo intolerable, that the ſatisfactions of our forepaſt Enjoyment are utterly obliterate and forgot, like the ſeven Years of Plenty in Egypt; and we are ready to wiſh rather never to have felt them, than ſo to be deprived of them. But now the Nature of God not admiting the leaſt variableneſs or ſhadow of change, Jam. 1.17. And all the Promiſes of God, being in Chriſt, yea and in him Amen, 2 Cor. 1.20. And the Gifts and Calling of God being without Repentance, Rom. 11.29. We are ſecure that our right and poſſeſſion is indefeiſible, and the Comforts that we really partake of in God at any time, are ours for ever. For he abides faithful, and cannot deny himſelf, 2 Tim. 2.13. Though we believe not, and ſo the Promiſe be not fulfill'd to us in particular, becauſe we obſerve not its condition, yet this will be no impeach to the Fidelity of God, but rather a confirmation of it. For if the Mercy were granted, where the condition on which 'tis ſuſpended is not performed; God would not act according to his Word which is conditional, but would appear to change both his Word, and that whereof it is a p. 236Declaration, viz. his Will and Purpoſe. God's Promiſes therefore are of an invariable Nature, becauſe he himſelf is ſo. Abſolute Promiſes ſhall undoubtedly be fulfill'd abſolutely, Conditional, conditionally, not otherways, becauſe God is unchangeable. Heaven and Earth ſhall paſs away but of his Word not a Jot or Tittle. For it is for ever ſeated in Heaven, Pſal. 119.89. His Faithfulneſs therein is to all Generations, ver. 90. His Promiſes are a ſure never failing Foundation. For even thoſe Promiſes which in their immediate Nature are conditional to particular Perſons; yet to the Church in general are made Abſolute, becauſe the Condition it ſelf is promiſed. For he that has engaged that the Church ſhall not be extirpated and deſtroyed, no not by all the Malignity and Violence of the Gates of Hell; has oblig'd himſelf to ſuch a ſeries both of ſpecial and common Providences as will infallibly ſecure it both from internal corrupting Principles, and external deſtroying Powers. Which yet cannot be done unleſs the inward Graces be given which entitle to the Promiſes, as well as thoſe outward defences granted, which may guard againſt external aſſailings. And indeed every Promiſe is made abſolute by the greateſt Promiſe, which if it do not this, under the notion of a Covenant, properly ſo call'd, yet does it as a Teſtament; under which Title the Holy Ghoſt recommends it to us in the Goſpel, eſpecially in the Epiſtle to the Hebrews. Thoſe holy diſpoſitions which are required by the Covenant and Promiſes as terms of Mercy, are bequeathed as Legacies by the Will and Teſtament of our Redeemer. The Covenant by him is converted into a Teſtament. That which is foreign Heb. 9.15. The New Teſtament taking place after the death of the Teſtator, ver. 16, p. 23717. is alſo foreign, Heb. 8.8. A New Covenant. It gives the Privileges, Pardon, Peace, Comfort, Glory, upon Conditions: But then it gives the Conditions themſelves alſo inconditionally. For he that hath made Repentance, Faith, Love, working Obedience, the Conditions of Forgiveneſs and Salvation, hath promiſed alſo to write his Laws (therefore the Laws requiring thoſe) in the Heart; whence they are ſtyled Gifts of God: Repentance, Act. 5.31.2 Tim. 2.25. Faith, Phil. 1.29. Joh. 6.29. Love, Gal. 5.22. 1 John 4.7. Though all after-Grace be given Conditionally; yet the Condition it ſelf, or the firſt Grace, muſt neceſſarily be given Inconditionally, or we ſhall make a proceſs in infinitum, and never find a Firſt to be the Condition of the Second, &c. or we muſt reſolve the firſt Grace into meer Nature, or admit a work of Man for which he is not at all beholden to the Grace of God, that yet is ſo acceptable to God, as to have all the exceeding great and precious Promiſes of the Goſpel Covenant ſuſpended upon it.

To every Promiſe there's an anſwerable purpoſe in the Will of God. For if Promiſes were not expreſſions of Divine Purpoſes, they would be mere Mockery and Deluſion, i. e. Engagements to give what never was intended to be given. As therefore the Decree to pardon and ſave Men, is Conditional, but the Decree to create in them the Conditions is abſolute; ſo alſo 'tis in the Promiſes, which are therefore immutable, becauſe the Decree, the Will, the Nature of God is. Whence Divine Veracity ſtabliſhes and fixes our grounds of Comfort, from the reſt of God's Perfections, and adds new poyſe and weight to the Balance, without which, all our Mercy is only p. 238Liberty, and our Expectation nothing but ſtrong Imagination, our Faith Fancy. For what have we to do to hope, that a Majeſty ſo exalted, and eminent, will in a peculiar manner, above the courſe of ordinary Providence, (or indeed in that) concern himſelf about us, till he declare it? And what conſidence can we have in any Declarations, if we have no aſſurance of Fidelity in the Revealer? Sinners have nothing in God intereſted about them, but vindictive Juſtice and its ſubſervient Attributes, whilſt they continue under the Firſt Covenant, and reject the terms of Grace. Men may declaim what they will at rovers concerning the merciful Nature, and boundleſs Goodneſs of God to his Creatures; 'tis acknowledged they are unſpeakably Rich and Glorious; but though they be the neceſſity of his Nature, eſſentially conſidered, yet their egreſs and flowing out into tranſient Acts, is Arbitrary and merely Gratuitous. His Nature is all Love, and Kindneſs, and Goodneſs; yet theſe are not the next ground of Hope. Go preach this Doctrine in Hell to the Apoſtate Angels, extol the Mercy of God as high as the higheſt Heavens, Rhetoricate upon it with the Tongue of a Cherubim, through all the Varieties and Flowers of an Invention as large as the Univerſe, as lofty as the Sky; make them believe if you can, that they are under the diſpenſation of Grace, that infinite Bowels will not permit any of his Creation to be finally Miſerable; ſee whether you can mock them into hopes of Salvation, with ſo comfortable an Oration. No, there can be nothing but Deſpair where no interpoſal of God's Faithfulneſs. Goodneſs and Love, be they never ſo unmeaſurable and free, do but only contribute to the height of the p. 239Miſery of thoſe who having forfeited all the excellent Fruits of them, cannot find or expect a return of their Embraces and Bleſſings in the hand of Veracity. For the remembrance of loſt Happineſs does but only Torture and Crucifie, with the more grievous and anguiſhful Reflections, if there can be no retrieval; and none can poſſibly be ſecure, that Mercy once forfeited and loſt ſhall again be preſented to his choice, and acceptance till Fidelity be engaged, that his Faith and Hope may ſtand firm upon the bottom of a Promiſe. But upon the intervention of this Attribute, if there be a bond upon the Truth of God, there's one alſo upon every other Perfection of God. Wiſdom, and Goodneſs, and Juſtice, and Power and all; even the very Being of God is laid in pawn, and every thing in God muſt ſubſerve to the intereſt of Veracity, all concur to obſerve and accompliſh its Obligations, all are reſponſible for it; ſince 'tis no more poſſible that God ſhould be a Lyar, than a Fool, Wicked, Unrighteous, Impotent, Nothing: Fidelity therefore is in a more ſpecial manner every Attribute of God, becauſe every one is under a ſpecial voluntary bond, to ſtand by it, over and above the Natural. For though 'tis true, that there is no real difference in God, but all that is repreſented to our infirm Faculties, under diſtinct Notions is in him, one omnifarious, ſingle indiviſible Excellency, producing various Effects from whence it has its various Denominations; the one uncompounded Divine Eſſence, as wiſely managing all things, in Himſelf, Heaven, and Earth, being call'd Wiſdom; the ſame undivided Eſſence as Loving being called Goodneſs; the ſame alſo as diſtributing Right being call'd Juſtice; and as Effecting p. 240all things call'd Power, and immutably engaging in Promiſe, Faithfulneſs; one and the ſame Being, in the moſt perfect ſimplicity of Nature, is all; which Unity of Attributes I call the Natural Bond, that binds them; and the Plurality being merely nominal not real, is only inſtanc'd in accommodation and condeſcenſion to our imbecility and ſhallowneſs of Underſtanding; yet to ſublevate the ſame impotency in us, and beget the firmer Confidence and ſtronger Conſolation, the Holy Ghoſt does aſſociate Divine Perfections and Actions, throughout all his inſpired Writings, in an Engagement for us. As thoſe two immutable things, Heb. 6.17, 18. both which, viz. Counſel and Oath, being mere ſpontaneous bonds, yet are bottom'd upon and derive their Immutability from ſomething in God that is of Natural Neceſſity, i. e. his Unchangeable Nature; but are combin'd in a ſtrict voluntary Union, (I mean depending merely upon the Will of God) to confirm our aſſurance of Mercy. So here, that Wiſdom, Goodneſs, Juſtice, and Power, which no neceſſity of Nature did oblige to own ſinful Man, with any gracious Condeſcentions, are all by the free act of God's Will, which nothing but mere Grace mov'd him unto, (viz. by his Counſel and Oath the bonds upon his Veracity) ſo immutably engag'd to act in ſubſerviency to his purpoſes of Love, that they cannot be themſelves, if thoſe Counſels obtain not. Thus thoſe Perfections which are naturally one in Eſſence, are voluntarily made to be one in Efficience; as they are one in Nature, ſo freely made one in Operation; whilſt by the gratuitous and unneceſſitated Act of God, all are ty'd to a concurrence in obſerving the deſignments and ends of Faithfulneſs, this voluntary p. 241Bond he hath laid upon himſelf, evidencing that to be his free choice, which is the neceſſity of his Nature; that as 'tis abſolutely impoſſible in it ſelf that God ſhould be a Lyar: So there may not be the leaſt imaginable ſhadow of a reaſon for us, neither to make him one, by our unbelief, 1 Joh. 5.10. But our unbelief may be rendred utterly and eternally inexcuſable; nor to make him evil and unloving by our Diſconſolateneſs, but his boundleſs graciouſneſs under the conduct of his trueneſs to his Promiſe, may re-eſtabliſh our Comfort upon an everlaſting Foundation; that as the matter of our Joy and Conſolation is treaſured up in that inexhauſtible Magazine of all delectable Sweetneſs and Satisfaction, the Goodneſs of God; ſo his Veracity may be a moſt certain and infallible means to ſecure it for us, and aſcertain us, that in Gods due time, we ſhall enter upon the full, and perpetual enjoyment of it.

§. 6. The Preſence of God is a wonderful Comfort. That he who is all this Good inſured to us, is not a God afar off, but at hand, both in a general and ſpecial ſence; both as a God and as our God. Here you ſee he is repreſented as Hearing and Seeing, ver. 9. which neceſſarily imply Preſence. For theſe Powers being attributed to him foreign in a Figure after the manner of Men, who are never admitted in Law, as Eye and Ear witneſſes of any thing, unleſs preſent; when we diveſt them of the Figure, and interpret them foreign after the Nature of God, they here import, That God is Preſent, as a Witneſs of all the Cruelties of theſe ſavage Butchers of God's Servants. But whether this will carry it or no, 'tis ſure, the ſpecial Preſence of God does infer p. 242the General. For if he be in a peculiar manner Preſent, this cannot be in the excluſion of his Eſſence; which is Immenſe, circumſcribed by no place, yet in all. Now this Gracious Preſence is plainly implied in ver. 14. Neither will he forſake his Inheritance. The Negative infers the Affirmative, not to forſake is to tarry, to continue preſent with. Neither is that ver. 22. aliene from our purpoſe, My God is the Rock of my Refuge. It would be a ſtrange Refuge in which we were not capable of being preſent, and our being preſent in, and unto, and with God, does clearly demonſtrate his Preſence with us. The Preſence is mutual. When therefore a good Soul takes Sanctuary in God, under the aſſurance of Propriety in him, this imports the Gracious Preſence of God.

That the Pſalmiſt deriv'd comfortable Conſiderations from hence, to compoſe and allay the Fluctuations of his turbulent, unruly Thoughts, I doubt not. And it is a Theme very pregnant, to think, that where-ever I am, I am with God, infinite Wiſdom, Goodneſs, Juſtice, Power, Faithfulneſs; that there are more with me than can be againſt me: Why ſhould not this revive my troubled Heart, under all the Machinations, and Violence of Men and Devils? As it did God's Servants of old, 2 Chron. 32.6, 7, 8. And he [Hezekiah] ſet Captains of War over the People, and gathered them together to him, in the Street of the gate of the City, and ſpake to their Heart, ſaying be ſtrong and couragious, be not afraid nor diſmayed for the King of Aſſyria, nor for all the Multitude that is with him, for there be moe with us than with him: With him is an arm of Fleſh, but with us is the Lord our God, to help us, and to fight our Battles: And the People leaned themſelves upon the Words of Hezekiah, King p. 243of Judah. The Comfort of theſe Words, which was a Stay to their diſquieted Minds, did conſiſt in the Aſſurance he gave of the Preſence of God. And what more common in the Scripture, than for God himſelf immediately, or mediately, by his Prophets, or Meſſengers, to encourage his Servants unto, or in, any difficult, hazardous, diſpleaſing, terrifying, troubleſome Undertaking by this, I am, or I will be, or God is, or ſhall be with thee? But incomparably above all things of this Nature, is that moſt ſatisfying Ground of everlaſting Conſolation, beyond all Miracles, which we have in IMMANUEL. That for the Recovery of Loſt Mankind, the Eternal Son of God ſhould deſcend from the Heighth of his Sanctuary and Throne in Heaven, to become GOD WITH US. The Excellency and Beauty of Heaven. The Son of Righteouſneſs, did Eclipſe and ſhroud his Tranſcendent Light and Glory, in the dark ſhadow of mortal fleſh, that in the humility of our Nature, he might do and ſuffer that for us, (who had debaſed our ſelves even unto Hell, Iſa. 57.9.) which would be effectually conducible for our Exaltation, to the very Akme of Celeſtial Perfection and Felicity. This, This is the everlaſting Wonder and Aſtoniſhment of Men and Angels, an Act of Grace, and a Means of Peace, truly worthy of an infinitely Glorious God! 'Tis only in Vertue of this, that ſinful Man has any gracious Preſence of God at all. Joh. 1.14. foreign.John 1:14If God had not thus Tabernacled in our Fleſh, dwelt in our Nature, we could have had no dwelling in God, but as in a Conſuming Fire, and Everlaſting Burnings. All the Support we can derive, either from God's Eſſential Preſence, or Voluntary, depends intirely, upon the Hypoſtatical Ʋnion and p. 244Preſence, of the Only-begotten, Dearly-beloved of God, to our Nature. But diſmiſs we this to further Conſideration, in its proper Place, 'twas neceſſary to mention it here, as the very Baſis of all our Comfort, in any thing of God.

Let a Man be Paradis'd in the ſweeteſt refreſhing Garden of all Sublunary Delights; yet, Solitude will be an Embitterment to all his other Joys; he that can evermore be alone, is either a Devil or a God. The Deity pronounc'd that State Bad, when Man's State was at the Beſt: 'Tis not good for Man to be alone, Gen. 2.18. No, his own Thoughts would devour him, his Troubles cruſh him down, and ſink his Spirits into Deſpondency and Confuſion. 'Tis no little Solace in Miſery it ſelf, to have a Fellow, though it be in Suffering; and an Aggravation, when our Sorrows are unparallell'd. Is it nothing to you, all ye that paſs by, behold and ſee, if there be any Sorrow like unto my Sorrow? &c. Lam. 1.12. was the Sting of the Church's Miſery: But There hath no Temptation taken you, but ſuch as is common to Man, 1 Cor. 10.13. is a ſingular Comfort, under the moſt grievous Depreſſions.Solamen miſeris, ſocios habuiſſe doloris. Society is an Alleviation of Calamities; our Griefs are not ſo oppreſſive, if they be in Conſort: Company begets a Harmony in Sorrows, and the Conſonancy of their Dolours makes a kind of pleaſing Muſick in Conſent with our own, although no other Intereſt knit them to us, than Community of Cares and Troubles. But how pleaſant is the Society of a Friend, to whom we can eaſe our Hearts in Adverſity, and who, by condoling our Afflictions, and bearing our Burthens, lightens our Croſſes, and cheers our fainting Spirits by comfortable Diſcourſes p. 245whom alſo in all our Proſperity, we can make Partaker of all our Joys, and all in whoſe Comforts we have a common Intereſt, whoſe Good we can rejoyce in, when we ſuffer Evil our ſelves, in the noble Senſuality of reciprocating Kindneſſes. If the accidental Society of any be ſweet, much more this Elective; neither is the Natural and Relative inferiour, eſpecially where the Love is not meer Liberty, but Neceſſity. What an unſpeakable Solace, is the tender pretty Babe, to the Compaſſionate Mother? With what raviſhing Exultations, does ſhe entertain it into her Embraces? How does her Heart leap for Joy, at the very ſight of it? And her Bowels yern over it? And in its Enjoyment, can triumph over all her other Miſadventures and Misfortunes? In general, any thing to which we can let out our hearts, in an entire Affection, adminiſters Satisfaction: The very working of Love, and Commiſeration, ſingularly pleaſes. There's no Solace but in ſomething that delights. Thy Comforts delight my Soul. Under Perplexity no Peace. The Heart cannot reſt in what diſpleaſes. What's unlovely is indelectable. Whatever delights, comforts; whether it be in our own Act, or an outward Object. Now in incident Company, there's ſomething pleaſing, ſomething (and often much more) diſpleaſing; elſe we embrace it with Friendſhip. In a choice Friend, there's much more pleaſing than diſpleaſing; for we always give ſome Allowance for Humanity. If a Relation, in which blind Love ſees the leaſt ill, yet do in nothing diſpleaſe, 'tis ador'd and made a God. Whatever is mortal, is not without ſome kind of Embitterment. The pureſt Gold has its Alloy, 'tis but ſo many Caracts fine: But God is infinite Delectation alway in thy Company. p. 246Thou art altogether incapable of Solitude. He that fills the Univerſe, is ever with thee, Pſ. 139.18. Yet not accidentally, but ſubſtantially, eſſentially; nor only as a Spectator, but every way concern'd: Afflicted in all thy Afflictions, Iſa. 63.9. So thou enjoy'ſt that Solamen. And if thou haſt elected him for thy Freind, he hath no leſs choſen thee. In his Love mayſt thou rejoice, into his Boſome pour out all thy Griefs, and meet with a Sympathy in his Compaſſionate Heart. Ʋpon him mayſt thou caſt thy Burthen, who has promiſed to ſuſtain it, and thee, Pſal. 55.22. He cares for thee, 1 Pet. 5.7. He is tenderly affectioned towards thee, kind to thee, all his is common to thee; when none elſe will or can, a Friend will he be, and a Relation too, the neareſt, the ſweeteſt. To the Natural Relation founded in forming and begetting thee, as a Faithful Creator, Merciful Father; he hath for thy further Comfort ſuperadded a voluntary tye, in the condition of a Bridegroom, Mat. 25. the beginning. But as if Eſpouſals were not firm enough to prevent thy jealouſie of a dereliction, the Conjugal Bond is actually ty'd, Thy Maker is thy Husband, Iſa. 54.5. Rom. 7.1, 2, 3, 4. therefore has he obliged himſelf to ever enduring Cohabitation and Love, with everlaſting Kindneſs will be embrace thee, never leave thee nor forſake thee.

Neither are his Converſes, and Communication leſs delightful than his Company and Preſence. The Diſcourſe of Friends and Relations, mightily revive a dejected Heart; not only by diverting and putting by ſad diſconſolate thoughts, but in reſpect of their matter as Hezekiah's, before mentioned, to the People of Jeruſalem. A kind Friend is a Dove with a Olive-branch in his Mouth, in, and after a deluge of Calamities. Good p. 247Words are as Oyl to the Joynts, Marrow to the Bones, a refreſhing, reviving Medicine to a ſick oppreſſed Heart. As a ſoft Anſwer turneth away Wrath, Prov. 15.1. So a ſweet one turns away Sorrow. Good Words make the Heart glad, even when heavineſs in it cauſeth it to ſtoop, Prov. 12.25. Pleaſant Words are as a Honey-comb, ſweet to the Soul, and health (Medicine) to the Bones, Prov. 16.24. God is with us to ſpeak to our Hearts, even in a Wilderneſs State, Hoſ. 2.14. How oft are his Words compared to, and preferred before Honey and Honey-combs? What a revival was it it to Zechariah, and the Jews, when the Lord anſwered the Angel-Interceſſor for Judah and Jeruſalem, with good Words and comfortable Words, Zech. 1.13. And with no leſs exultation did the Pſalmiſt ſay, Pſal. 85.8. I will hear what God the Lord will ſpeak, for he will ſpeak Peace to his People and to his Saints. Chriſt himſelf when preſent on Earth came preaching Peace, Eph. 2.17. His Embaſſadors by and through him preach Peace, Act. 10.36. He is a good Man, ſays David of Ahimaaz, and brings good tidings, 2 Sam. 18.27. Good Words with a good God are gladſome indeed. O take pleaſure in the Meſſage, more in the Meſſengers, in the Sender moſt of all. The inward ſecret whiſperings of the Spirit of Grace and Peace in thy Conſcience, the outward publication of Peace by God's Miniſters and People, are only in the matter and method of the Scriptures, in which alone, God realy ſpeaks Peace. Nothing can comfort but Truth, nothing ſavingly Comfort but Scripture Truth. All truth is originally from God, Eſſential Truth is God, the Son of God, Mat. 28. ult. who is, where-ever he ſpeaks and maks that comforting Truth, which is his Image, efficacious by his Preſence p. 248and Power, ſo that the very Inſtrument of Comfort, does but only delight us relatively to him of whom it is a lively Repreſentation. Thou mayſt be mock'd with a Lye, and bewitch'd into a falſe deceitful Joy, with a Falſhood, but when the Mask is taken off, thy bare Countenance will appear more ſad than at firſt, and thy Comforts more unretrievable. No real Peace, but in the God of Peace, through the Prince of Peace.

Friends and Relations cannot alway be preſent perſonally, with their Company and Counſel to miniſter to our Peace. A Vertual and Vicarious Preſence and Conference, does not a little contribute to our Conſolation, when diſtance of place, renders the other impoſſible; and with what a tranſport of Joy do we receive their Tokens, their Letters, their Writings, with what a foreign, do we peruſe, and in a manner greedily devour them? How are our Hearts raviſhed with the kind and affectionate Expreſſions, Profeſſions of Remembrance, Reſpect, Love; every Word is a Cordial, we are in an extaſie of Contentation, here as in a Glaſs we behold them, their lively Portraicture is afreſh painted hereby in our Imagination; we hear them, we talk with them, ſolace our ſelves in this Phantaſtical Enjoyment as if it were Real. And why ſhould not our Delights be more tranſcendent in God, who can never be abſent; whoſe Preſence is Subſtance, and not Phantaſtry; and whoſe Tokens of Love, and Letters of Comfort, are not the Curates of a Non-Reſident Being, nor the Miſſives of a diſtant Superintendency; but the immediate Viſitations of an Overſeeing Care and Love, that naturally minds and regards our higheſt Concerns, and p. 249cannot will not deſert us, if we firſt do not deſert him.

How comfortable is good News of any kind, what a reviving to our drooping Hearts? With what paſſion do we long for it? With what gladneſs receive it, believe it, bleſs God for it? The Goſpel of Chriſt is better News than the beſt on Earth: Glad Tidings of the greateſt Joy, Peace, Love, and Life. Here mayſt thou ſee the omniform motions of Chriſt's richeſt Grace, perceive the compaſſionate workings of his Bowels, feel the ſolicitous beatings of his affectionate Heart, in a tender regard of thee; read of the aſtoniſhing effects of his wonder-working Power and Goodneſs, all the Miracles of his Love and Kindneſs, for thy Good, in Illumination, Sanctification, Juſtification, Salvation; what he hath done, what he ſtill is doing, what he further will do, to raiſe thee up, out of the bottomleſs Pit of unſpeakable Miſery, to the top and crown of Heavenly Felicity and Glory. Well might the Apoſtle tell of the Comfort of the Scripture, Rom. 15.4. And David long for it, as a means to his ſolace, Pſal. 119.82. This and this alone is the richeſt Promptuary, fulleſt Treaſury, of all real Soul-ſatisfactions, hence have we them, or they are but mere Legerdemain, and Illuſions. And if the very News of Chriſt be ſo ſweet, what is he in himſelf? What is he in Perſon? None have reaſon to ſay of him, as the Corinthians of Paul, 2 Cor. 10.10. His Letters are weighty and powerful, but his bodily Preſence is weak. His is not the preſence of a weak contemptible Body, but of an all-powerful Spirit, he that can be Omnipreſent, cannot but be Omnipotent. Chriſt as God is in all, is all, and even as Man full of Vertue, a touch of his very Garments p. 250wrought a Miracle of Healing, Matth. 9.20, 21, 22. And if in his Mortal Body there was ſuch Power, what is in his Immortal and Glorified. The Principle I know was Heavenly, though the Veſſel Earthly; yet this has loſt nothing by its Exaltation to the Throne of God, no nor we neither, for in lieu of that Corporal Preſence we enjoy a no leſs Comfortable Companion, the Paraclete, the Holy Comforting Spirit of God, to abide with us, not for a few days, and years, but for ever, Joh. 14.16. So that although our ſweeteſt Relation be gone to Heaven, yet are we not Orphans, ver. 18. The Angel of God's Preſence, Iſa. 63.19. that ſaves us comforts us now by Proxy, yet is not abſent from us, but eſſentially with us, though Corporeally at a diſtance from us.

Gods Natural Preſence is an immenſity of Being, Unconfinable to any Place, Incomprehenſible by all Places, Exterminable out of none; and with its fullneſs filling all in all: So that there is no need of the ſupplement of any thing to avoid a vacuity, nor is any thing by this Being excluded, that needs a Place. He is in all Space, and beyond all Space, not commenſurate with it, but infinite; The Dimetient of all, yet without Meaſure, and all Corporeal Dimenſions; boundleſsly greater than all things, comprehending all within the Circle of his Eſſence, whoſe Center is every where, Circumference no where; in all Varieties of Co-preſent Beings, the ſame invariable Perfection, no other on Earth than in Heaven; that he can without any alteration in himſelf, or varying of his place, make Heaven to be any where, every where; therefore the Joys and Comforts of Heaven: For, I reckon that Heaven does not import any difference in p. 251God, but in us; no change in his Being but our Viſion; no new Object, except Chriſt's Fleſh, but new Eyes. Every Spirit (and therefore the Father of Spirits) hath a Power to conceal its Preſence, as well as its Sentiments, from all other Spirits, except God: Yet there's a difference betwixt the Latency of other Spirits, and the Deity. A finite Spirit is hid through the ſuſpence of its Agency Ad extra, its acting upon things without it ſelf; ſo the Deity cannot be hid. For, if it wholly ceaſe to act upon any Being, that Being will wholly ceaſe to be, becauſe all live, move, and have their Being, in and from Him, Acts 17.28. which Spirits that ſee not with Eyes, but Intellects cannot but perceive; only 'tis unobſerv'd by Man, whoſe Mind looks through the Apertures of Senſe; which together with it ſelf being darkned through Sin, has but very obſcure and weak Reflections upon that Being, without which he cannot be; 'tis hid to him by a Veil of Fleſh, that envelops his Intellectual Eyes, or elſe he ſhuts, and will not open them to behold this inviſible Nature; which is in reality, more conſpicuous and evident, that is, knowable than any thing in the World whatever. But, the Deities concealment of it ſelf, is with reſpect to ſome more ſpecial Voluntary Operations, which give Teſtimony to his preſence, and demonſtrate the Finger of God; which when ſuſpended he is (and therefore the Comfort of his preſence is) hid from our Eyes. Such are either Miraculous or Gracious: For although every thing in Nature, both in reſpect of his Being and Agency, be a ſufficient Indication of the Exiſtence, Preſence and Efficiency of God; it being impoſſible that any Natural Powers ſhould exert themſelves in a ſuſpence of the Influence p. 252of his; the Concurrence whereof gives them to be what they are, and do what they do: Yet the Deity, ſometimes, as being it ſelf the Law of Laws, does in its Actings, vary from, go beſide, nay contrary to the common and ordinary Laws of particular Natures, and ſo invert the courſe and order of things, as to give peculiar evidence of his Preſence, and Power by Effects, wonderfull ſurprizing and aſtoniſhing: As the Flood of Noah, the firſt that falls within the Cognizance of Hiſtory after the Creation. I need not particularize more, the Scripture is full, nor balk that, for all the ingenious attempts of a late Author, to deduce it from Natural Cauſes, it being demonſtrable, that ſome neceſſary parts of his Hypotheſis, ſtand in need of the violence of Miracle, or the whole proceſs will ſtick, and produce nothing.

Yet the Manifeſtations of the Divine preſence, which conſtitute Heaven, are not in the inſtances of Power, but Goodneſs; even as the Diſcoveries of it in Vindictive Juſtice form the Miſeries of Hell. That Goodneſs and Juſtice eſſentially conſidered, which make Heaven and Hell are Omnipreſent, as being the Divine Nature. But, the Objects of them cannot aſpire to an Ubiquity, being of a limited Nature. Should they circulate through all the Regions of Immenſity, the condition and ſenſe they partake, would preſent them ſtill with the ſame unaltered, unalterable Nature of God. Heaven and Hell would be in every place, where Souls ſo ſenſed reſide; the Diſcoveries of God importing no change in him, but only in thoſe to whom the Diſcovery is made: Heaven and Hell not being more the alteration of our State, than the awakening of our ſenſe to diſcern, p. 253and apprehend, and feel that, which before we did not, though before it was the very ſame immutably, and will continue ſo everlaſtingly.

This is the Natural State of Heaven, but the Chriſtian State is ſomewhat more: For the choiceſt, ſweeteſt Diſcoveries of God are therein made, in and through the Mediator God-Man, and in ſpecial to Mankind, through the Manhood of Chriſt; which being of a limited preſence ſettles the Divine Manifeſtations, in a certain limited place, ſufficient to comprehend all Elect Angels and Men. This Divine Preſence we enjoy by Faith here, by Sight hereafter. We have as much of God and Heaven now, as we have of Faith. Divine Manifeſtations are proportioned to our Believings. All the Effects of Divine Goodneſs, in, and upon us, depend upon this Chriſtian Grace, and the degree of them, upon the degree of it. Gain but this, and thou haſt God and all. Nothing can pierce the Heavens, but this Eye. 'Tis the [foreign] ſubſtance of things hoped, for the [foreign] Evidence [Eviction] of things not ſeen, Heb. 11.1. By it Moſes ſaw him who is inviſible, verſ. 27. We never can be without a Heaven, if we have but Faith; it realizes to us that preſence of God, which through Chriſt is the ſole and full ground of all Celeſtial Comforts, Satisfactions and Joys. Pſal. 16 11. In thy preſence is fulneſs of Joy, and at thy Right Hand are pleaſures for evermore. In Heaven thy preſence, Chamber where thou ſit'ſt upon the Throne of Glory, cloathed with Honour and Majeſty as with a Garment, and diſcovereſt and diſplayeſt the Splendour of thy incomprehenſible Excellency and Perfection: And at thy Right Hand, where thou haſt ſaid, my Lord ſhould ſit till his Enemies be made his Footſtool, Pſal. p. 254110.1. In and through this Jeſus, at thy Right hand are pleaſures everlaſting. But, theſe are chiefly the Comforts of a Future State; Is there not ſomething at preſent to ſtay, and yet inflame the Appetite? Yes, verſ. 8. I would always poſſeſs that Saturity of Joys, which is before thy face. Therefore, I have ſet the Lord always before me, becauſe he is at my right hand, I ſhall not be moved: Therefore my Heart is gladed, and my Glory [Exults] rejoyces; my Fleſh alſo inhabits in hope, becauſe thou wilt not leave my Soul in Hell, nor give thy merciful [or excellent] one to ſee the pit of Corruption, but thou wilt make me to know the path of Lives— He is at my right hand, and therefore Gladneſs and Joy in my Heart and Soul. But, Oh what is there at His right Hand! My Faith ſetting him now as preſent before me, brings ſingular Satisfaction and Delight? Oh then, what will ſenſe and ſight be, when I ſhall poſſeſs the reality of that which I now believe. The reſult is, That the preſence of God, apprehended by Faith, or Viſion, is a thing which comprehends the ſubſtance and fulneſs of all Pleaſure, Joy, and Conſolation.

Indeed, nothing Comforts, but through ſome kind of preſence: It either is, or is conceived to be and made, indiſtant by our Cogitations. Humane Infirmity requires ſomething in hand, or in hopes that are as ſecure, and therefore as good as in hand. Abſence of a ſolacing good, although only imaginary, is tormenting. God cannot but be near every one of us in Eſſence, and we find him ſo to be by the effects of his Goodneſs. Since then he is at our right hand naturally and neceſſarily, we muſt voluntarily by Conſideration and Faith ſet him before us, have an Eye upon his preſence, fix it in our Minds and Meditations alway: p. 255And it will repleniſh us with Spiritual refreſhment and ſolace unſpeakable. For, if God he with us, and for us, who, or what can be againſt us? What can trouble or terrifie us? How can that Soul be left in a Hell of diſquiet, that lives in the preſence of God, i. e. in Heaven? For, where God is, there's Heaven; he is the all of it, 'tis nothing without him, and his preſence is enough to convert any thing into Heaven. There cannot poſſibly be ſo much Evil in thoſe Infernal Regions of Wickedneſs and Woe, as there is good in the preſence of God. 'Tis an infinite good. There is not ſo much Power in Hell it ſelf, to impreſs the ſenſe of its Evil upon a tormented Soul, as there is in God, to impreſs the Comforts of his preſence upon a gracious Heart. Neither doth the Juſtice of God more enlarge the Capacity of a Man, to ſenſe, and anguiſhfully apprehend and feel the Miſery of his abſence in Hell, than his goodneſs doth widen the Soul's Capacity, to comprehend the felicity of his preſence in Heaven; that I Judge the Saints to be more happy above through their Inheritance in Light, than the Damned are miſerable in outer Darkneſs.

In the Omnipreſence of God we have with us, all Things, all Perfections, all Satisfactions, all that ever God can be, or do, or give; and in his gracious Preſence we have an Ingagement upon him, to be, do, and give all that he can to us; And what can we wiſh, what can we imagine more? God is All-preſent by condition of Nature, but graciouſly preſent only by Compact and Covenant, whereby he obliges himſelf to be our God; that is, every thing which he is in himſelf, that we ſhall enjoy the benefit and comfort of all, and every of his Unimitable Soul-ſatisfying and p. 256ſaving Perfections. Now the gracious Preſence of God is nothing elſe but his manifeſting himſelf to be with us, by his Communicating all Covenant Mercies to us: Making us Partakers of a Divine Nature, granting us Pardon, Peace and Comfort; giving us the full uſe and advantage of all his Attributes, of his Son, of his Spirit; every thing that he is, and hath, which will do us any good for this and another World; ſatisfying us with his likeneſs, and filling us with Joy unſpeakable and full of Glory.

When Eſau therefore came off only with his Lean [foreign] Gen. 33.9. I have much, well might Jacob roundly and triumphantly declare, [foreign] I have all, verſ. 11. He can want nothing,Habet omnia, qui habet habentem omnia. who poſſeſſeth him that hath all things. He is never Poor, or Naked, or Blind, or Wretched, or Miſerable, who enjoys the preſence of God. He can never be diſtreſt for want of Grace and Holineſs, or Pardon, and Peace, and Pleaſure, and Joy, and Comfort, who is not without God. For, Iſa. 57.15, &c. Thus ſaith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth Eternity, whoſe name is holy. I dwell in the high and holy place, with him alſo that is of a contrite and humble Spirit, to revive the Spirit of the humble, and to revive the Heart of the contrite ones: I will reſtore Comforts, &c. I create the fruit of the Lips, Peace, Peace, &c. A Bleſſed Denizen indeed: But as he dwells and reſides in us, ſo alſo do we in him, Pſal. 90.1. Lord thou haſt been our dwelling place in all Generations. Pſal. 91.1. He that dwelleth in the ſecret of the Higheſt, ſhall abide in the ſhadow of the All-ſufficient. Verſ. 9, 10. Becauſe thou haſt made the Lord my hope, even the higheſt thy Habitation: p. 257Evil ſhall not befall thee by chance; Plague ſhall not approach thy dwelling. Make God thy home, and no harm can reach thee: Thy Spiritual home will ſecure thy Civil: That Eternal, thy Temporal: That was thy firſt, and muſt be thy laſt; toward which, 'tis ſtrange that thy Appetite works with no greater Violence. In every Creature there is a natural inſtinct and preſſing deſire, inclining to return to the place of its Birth, to that Country, to thoſe Perſons which had its Maiden Affections. Notwithſtanding the Dominion of reaſon in our ſelves, 'tis no little Gratification to our Fancies, to enjoy a retiring place, and home, where we may refreſh our ſelves after all our weariſome Labours and Travails. Where-ever we are beſide, we are not well, here are our Hearts, our Delights, our Joys; whence we ſay Proverbially, Home is Home though never ſo homely: And the Spaniards.

My Houſe, my Houſe, though thou be ſmall,

Thou art to me th' Eſcurial.

Our Spirit is from God, in his boſom was it born; there is our Houſe, not made with Hands, 2 Cor. 5.1. our Eternal Manſion, and is there not infinitely more agreeableneſs and pleaſingneſs, in him to our Souls, than there can be ſweetneſs and ſuitableneſs in any material Home to our Imaginations. We do not inure our ſelves, by Love to dwell in God, 1 Joh. 4.16. therefore are ſo well content to be abſent from him, to ramble like Vagabonds, chuſing the Life of Cain or Coryat rather than that of Chriſtians and Saints, whoſe being and bideing, ſhould be ſolely, and electively in God as it is eſſentially and naturally. On for ſuch a Diſpoſition of Soul, as would never permit us to be at eaſe, but in ſerious Reflections p. 258upon the preſence of God, with which we are ever ſurrounded whether we will or no: And if we conſider this, how can we be any other, than Engarriſon'd in Peace, and Joy, and Conſolation? Well might the Pſalmiſt ſay, Thou comforteſt me on every ſide, Pſal. 71.21. for round about him and within him alſo, dwelt a Comfort no leſs than infinite, the Supreme Majeſty, able, and of Authority to command the preſence of all Good, and countermand the preſence of all Evil; and the Sovereign Mercy of Heaven, willing, and of ſufficient Love and Fidelity, to make every thing a means of Grace and Peace, and all things (according to his Promiſe) Work together for good, to the true Lovers of him, and the called according to his purpoſe, Rom. 8.28.

§. 7. Laſtly, The Eternity of God is a ground of Comfort, as fingular, as it ſelf is incomprehenſible. Everlaſting Conſolation is built upon no other bottom. A periſhing Content is in effect none, becauſe it iſſues in nothing but the greater diſſatisfaction. The durableneſs of our Joy, is its Crown; and ſince 'tis in the Eternal God, it can be no other in Duration than what he is. Therefore as there is in God's preſence a ſaturity or fullneſs of Joy, in reſpect of Magnitude and Intenſiveneſs: So at God's Right Hand pleaſures for evermore, in reſpect of extent and continuance. And 'tis probable our Pſalmiſt might derive ſome of thoſe Comforts, which did bear ſo favourable an Aſpect upon his troubled Soul, as verſ. 14. does not obſcurely intimate; For the Lord will not caſt off his People, neither will he forſake his inheritance. The Negative excludes univerſally, perpetually, He will never caſt off nor forſake; it alſo infers the Affirmative, He will own, and accompany his People, and Inheritance for ever and ever: Which he is enabled p. 259to do only by vertue of his Eternity. Poſſibly that Expreſſion, verſ. 22. may alſo import ſomething of like nature; My God is the Rock of my Refuge. He could not be unacquainted with the Song of Moſes, and the Bleſſing he pronounc'd upon the Twelve Tribes, Deut. 32. and 33. There are theſe Titles firſt of all given to God. Rock in the Song is five times apply'd to the Lord, verſ. 4, 15, 18, 30, 31; twice to Idols, verſ. 31, 37. But, that which I have chiefly in my eye, is Chap. 33.27. The Eternal God is thy refuge; very proper and Emphatical: For 'tis the Eternity of God, that renders him a ſufficient, and compleat Refuge. Notwithſtanding all other Perfections, if he were not the Everlaſting God, our Refuge would finally fail, and be none at all. He is called The Rock of Ages, which our Tranſlation renders Everlaſting Strength, Iſa. 26.4. And indeed a Rock the moſt indiſſoluble and durable part of the Earth, is an Emblem of perpetuity, A Rock of Refuge, is therefore an everlaſting ſecurity and comfort. Nor is it a mean Satisfaction to remember, that as there is a ſufficiency of Ability and good Will in our God; who by Covenant is engaged to put an end to our troubles, and repleniſh us us with the Joys of his Salvation: So he lives for ever to continue them, that they ſhall have no period ſhort of Eternity. He is an ever-over-flowing fountain, of Everlaſting Conſolations, as they are called, 2 Theſ. 2.16, 17. Now our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, and God even our Father, who hath loved us, and given us everlaſting Conſolation through Grace: Comfort your Hearts, &c.

Our Conſolations are Eternal, becauſe God is, for in him they are as in the Well-ſpring, therefore cannot be as Waters that fail; as Jerem. Expoſtulates, p. 260Chap. 15.18. If they could, our Wound might be incurable indeed, refuſing to be healed, and our pain perpetual. But, all this ſhall certainly have an end, becauſe God cannot: This cannot be Eternal, becauſe God is. Whatever is wanting in the durableneſs and ſweetneſs of theſe fluxible, periſhable Enjoyments, which we poſſeſs on Earth; whatever we ſuffer, through the continuance and bitterneſs of our Calamities, is made up, and amends made us abundantly, in the Perennity of all Excellencies in God.

There is in this Attribute, a ſuitable relief in all kinds of Diſtreſſes, outward and inward. All the ſhort liv'd Comforts of this World, have a better Being and Life in the Eternity of God. Thou loſeſt thy Friends and Relations, the ſweeteſt, the beſt; perhaps by the immediate hand of God, as the Pſalmiſt here by the violent hands of wicked Men, verſ. 5, 6. The Church of God in ſome places is laid waſte, and the ſtormy Cloud hangs over more, and its implacable reſtleſs Adverries threaten all. The Innocency of Chriſt's Lambs is no Protection againſt the Thrones of Iniquity, in Babylon and Hell, verſ. 20, 21. No, that's the very ground of the Quarrel and Enmity. Conformity to them, Innocency and Iniquity would reconcile them. Do'ſt thou tremble for the Ark of God? And is thine own Perſonal Jeopardy or Suffering in Body, Mind, or Eſtate, in any extremity? Be not diſinay'd. Nubecula eſt cito tranſitura: The greater the Tempeſt, the ſooner over. Storms may huff againſt the Heavens, yet cannot hurt them, but only ſpend themſelves: And the Church is oft call'd Heaven in the Apocalypſe, and its Officers Stars from betwixt our Eyes, and which the moſt raging furious blaſts, may p. 261diſpel and drive away the Clouds, that Eclipſe and darken them, but ſtill leave thoſe Coeleſtial Lamps more clear and inextinguiſhable, whilſt themſelves are extinct in a moment. The Dragons Flood will be ſoon ſwallowed up, and the fury of Men and Devils ſhall quickly faint and melt away, but the Love of God to his choſen, never, never. Iſa. 40.27, 28. Why ſayeſt thou, Oh Jacob and ſpeakeſt Oh Iſrael? My way is hid from the Lord, and my Judgment is paſſed over from my God? Haſt thou not known, haſt thou not heard, that the Everlaſting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the Earth, fainteth not, neither is weary, there is no ſearching of his underſtanding? Therefore poſſeſſes he an unfathomable Skill, and Ability to refreſh and revive thee; but this is laid as the Foundation Stone, upon which thou may'ſt rebuild thy decaying hopes, viz. that he is the Everlaſting God. I therefore return again to that, Deut. 33.26, 27, 28. There is none like the God of Jeſhurun, who rideth upon the Heavens in thy help, and in his Excellency on the Skie. The Eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are everlaſting Arms, and he ſhall thruſt out the Enemy from before thee, and ſhall ſay, Deſtroy them. Iſrael ſhall then dwell in ſafety alone, &c. Happy art thou, Oh Iſrael, who is like unto thee, Oh People, ſaved by the Lord, the ſhield of thy help, who is the Sword of thy excellency, &c. Hence in the Title given to Chriſt, Everlaſting Father, and Prince of Peace, have an immediate Connexion and Dependence, Iſa. 9.6.

If trouble be long, 'tis light, but brief, if grievous.Si longa levis, ſi gravis brevis. Goodneſs cannot groan for ever, becauſe it leads to God; and the more 'tis oppreſſed, the more it grows upward, Heaven-ward, p. 262where it ſhall only enjoy its everlaſting Crown. The Fire upon the Altar of God, will be inextinguiſhable, if from Heaven; and thoſe Coeleſtial Sparks of Divinity, or Grace, which the Holy Spirit kindles, will by the bluſter and ſtorms of Affliction, conceive a more vehement Flame; periſh and die, they cannot, as long as God lives, from whom they derive their Being and Eternity. But, ſuppoſe all other ſweet Satisfactions, whether Spiritual Joys and Refreſhments, or Temporal Contentments be totally extinct as to preſent ſenſe; yet finally they ſhall not, becauſe they poſſeſs a perennity of Life in God: And when Goodneſs and He meet in the Superiour World, theſe will revive, and Miſery die. I grant the moſt flouriſhing Gourds of Earthly Pomp and Glory, may wither in a Night, as being a vain Pageant, and mere Phantaſtry, Acts 25.23. The faireſt, freſheſt, ſweeteſt Flowers, of the Youthful Spring, of Humane Life, may be blaſted in a moment, and converted into duſt and rottenneſs: The moſt pleaſing Sun-ſhine of the ſmiling Morn, of a fortunate Proſperity, may ſuffer an Eclipſe, and iſſue in a diſmal Hurricane of inſupportable Calamities: Nay, Heaven it ſelf may ſeem to frown, and a dark Cloud to cover the Light of God's Countenance, Lam. 3.44. But, none of theſe Evils can extend beyond the Grave there are they buried, and with them Sin, their Cauſe, never to have a Reſurrection: Then dawns the Day of everlaſting Light and Bleſſedneſs, and all Darkneſs, Dolours and Shadows flee away. Be our Miſeries as great as they will, or can, they cannot outlive Mortality, if our guilt do not, and it ſhall not if true Repentance live within us. At the day-break of Eternity we enter upon a Life of p. 263Contentation and Peace, as endleſs, as tranſcendent. The Death of our Bodies, is the Death of our Troubles, and the Reſurrection of thoſe Joys, over which Death hath no Power. As there will then be no more beginning of Wretchedneſs, ſo no end of Felicity. The worſt turn that the Devil, and his Inſtruments can do us, will turn to the beſt advantage, and thoſe Souls that die to the Body, ſhall live in Chriſt; they are uncloathed of Dirt and Putrefaction, that they may be for ever Cloathed with God and Glory: That as the Death of the Body, is the eaſer of all our Pains; ſo the No-death or Immortality ſucceeding, is the Introducer and Maintainer of an unboundable Fullneſs, of everlaſting Soul-Satisfactions. This we owe to the perpetual Duration and Life of God. Whence the Pſalmiſt, in a ſad Proſpect of the evanid Nature of preſent Things, doth ſolace himſelf with a view of the permanent Being of God, Pſal. 102.11, 12. My days are like a ſhadow that declineth, and I am withered like Graſs: But thou, Oh Lord, ſhall endure for ever, and thy Remembrance to all Generations. I ſaid, Oh my God, take me not away in the midſt of my days, thy years are throughout all Generations. Of old haſt thou laid the Foundation of the Earth, and the Heavens are the Work of thine Hands: They ſhall periſh, but thou ſhalt endure; yea, all of them ſhall wax old as a Garment, as a Veſture ſhalt thou change them, and they ſhall be changed: but thou art the ſame, and thy years ſhall have no end.

We are poſſeſt of many Tranſitory Comforts, but of none Eternal beſide God: And if any true Content ariſe from thoſe movable Enjoyments, it ſprings from nothing elſe in them, except that, which being eminently in God, is in him of an everlaſting p. 264Nature and Perfection: Whatever pleaſes, doth ſo far refreſh and comfort; but all that pleaſantneſs, is only a little ray of Divinity, tranſmitted through the Cloud of Fleſh and Blood, or the more clear Heavens of our Rational Powers. Amiable Relations are Comforts, beyond all things under the Sun; but their lovely Qualities are only a dark Shadow of the unparallell'd Amiableneſs of God. To be beloved by thy Friends is a Comfort eſtimable above Gold, but neither the Act, nor the Object durable, no, nor the Motive exciting or inviting that Affection. Can any Man Rationally ſolace himſelf with a Being lov'd for a moment, when he ſhall be deſerted or hated for ever? Fading Love on Earth will not do, without the never fading Love of Heaven: Though all the World for a while adore thee, What compenſating Pleaſure can that bring thee, if Hell everlaſtingly burn thee? All thy fore-paſt Joys on Earth will rather add new Fewel, than adminiſter one drop to cool thy flaming Tongue. No Love therefore is indeed conſiderable and comfortable, without the Eternal Love of God: Nor in the aſſurance of this is any hatred or rage valuable, dejecting, formidable. As Eternity is the Venom and Sting of the Torments of Hell; ſo 'tis the very Triumph, Jubile, and Heaven of the Joys of Heaven. If in the loſs of theſe lauguiſhing expiring Comforts, we can ſuccenturiate or ſubſtitute any thing of God, we richly gain by the loſs as poſſeſſing unſpeakably more pure, ſubſtantial, heart-reaching, durable, everliving Comforts, in the everliving Spring; who can, and will give them that reliſh and ſweetneſs, which ſhall abundantly more than anſwer, what is ſlip'd away from us, as well in its delicious Gratefulneſs, as p. 265Eternity. Mortality is the great diſgrace of all Worldly Enjoyments, but it receives a plentiful Compenſation in the Immortality of God.

Thus have I conſidered the Comforts comprehended in thoſe Attributes of God, which offered themſelves to the Pſalmiſt's Meditation, as I find them either expreſt, or plainly implied in this Pſalm.