4. It informeth us — (1.) How much itconcerneth us to preserve an interest in the hearts of God's people, and to behave ourselves so that they that fear God may be glad of our mercies, and bless God for them. The communion of saints is a sweet thing ; we must not for- feit this privilege by our inordinate walking, pride, contention, sour- ness and bitterness of spirit, unusefulness to the church, as having an interest divided from the church. Those whose mercies are appre- hended as a public benefit are the strictly conscientious, those that fear God and hope in his word, who labour to keep themselves from the snares of the present world, and look for the happiness of the world to come ; the one is the fruit of fearing God, the other of hoping in his word — the tender conscience and the heavenly-minded Christian. Partly because they are our everlasting companions; we shall live for ever with them : they were chosen from all eternity to be heirs of the same grace together with us ; therefore it is sweet ta praise God for any good that befalleth them: Ps. Ixvi. 16, ' Come near, all ye that fear God, and I will tell you what he hath done for my soul ;' Ps. xxii. 22, ' I will declare thy name unto my brethren.' But when a man walketh questionably, he obscureth the life of God ia. himself, or, like a string that is out of tune, spoileth the harmony. The saints may mourn for the wicked, but they cannot so easily bring their hearts to rejoice with them ; they may give thanks for their mercies, it is true, 1 Tim. ii. 1, 2, but not with that cheerfulness, with that sense. The conscience of our duty engageth us to bless God that he hath spared them, reprieved them a little longer, given them more time to rejjent, and correct their errors ; but it is very sweet to join with them who are our brethren and companions, not only now, but to all eternity. And partly because our mercies proceed from the covenant, upon which is built all our hope and all our desire, and so
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we are edified by the support and help which God afi'ordeth to them that fear him and hope in his word ; thereby we see that they that wait long wait not in vain on the word of God's promise, and so learn to wait with patience ourselves, because those who depended on his promised assistance are then answered and supported ; yea, it is a ground of hope to all that so many will be gratified by the deliverance of one, when we so work for the dehverance of one that at length both he and others will have cause to be glad. (2.) Another thing is, it doth encourage others' prayers and praises for us, when we are use- ful and profitable, and bring in that supply to the body which may be justly expected from us according to the measure of that part which we sustain in the body. Look, as in the natural body the blood and the life passeth to and fro, there is a giving and receiving between all the members that live in the communion of it, so mutual obligations pass between the children of God. Many are interested in their mercies that are of use in the church : Eom. v. 7, ' For a good man some would even dare to die/ such as David or Paul ; yet this is no discouragement to the meanest or weakest, for they have their honour and use : ' When ye fail they shall receive you,' Luke xvi. 9 ; they have their ministry and service : ' Now the head cannot say to the foot, I have no need of thee,' 1 Cor. xii. 21. (3.) The humble and the meek, for the proud procure their own just dislike and disappoint- ment. Solomon telleth us, ' Only by pride cometh contention,' Prov. xiii. 10. Pride is the great impediment and let to all Christian ofiices. "We cannot so heartily pray for one another, nor praise God for one another, when pride and contention prevaileth. We should overcome this stomach and spleen: 'Bless them that curse you;' as David fasted for his enemies when they sought his life, Ps. xxxv. 12. You should not lay this stumbling-block in the way of their duty ; it is a great discom'agement.
5. It intormeth us how comfortable andhow pleasant the converse and conference of godly persons is, and how much it excelleth the merriest meetings of the carnal. The special love which the godly have to one another doth exceedingly sweeten their converse, for the very presence of those we most dearly love is a pleasure to us to see, but much more their holy conference. When Christians meet together and find their own persuasions of the love, power, mercy and wisdom of God backed with the experience and testimony of others, it is a mutual strength and support to us ; and therefore the apostle saith, Eom i. 12, ' That I may be comforted together with you, by the mutual faith of you and me.' When we converse with them that can speak, not by hearsay only, but by experience, of the power of the blood of Christ in purifying their con- sciences, and his Spirit to sanctify their hearts, it is a mighty prop : 2 Cor. i. 4, ' And that we may comfort others with the comforts where- with we are comforted of God.' Report of a report is a cold thing, not valued, but a report of what we witness and experience ourselves comes warmly upon our hearts. Xay, many times it may fall out that people of less knowledge, but more feeling and experience, may abundantly confirm the more knowing, and excite them to a greater minchulness of God and heavenly things. But alas ! the meetings of carnal per- sons, what are they to this ? It may be they will fill yom- ears with stories